The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-07-05
For the ADVERTISER.
FROM WESTERN IOWA.
Country. CrOWs. Graaah0ppers
Politics and s'Jlmmycames.''

Fh3OM WkSTEuSN IOWA.
Country. CrOUs. GraashOppers
p0slascs and ''Jimmycamca.''
Friend Loagicy:-As promised
.. you would let your numerous read
ers hear from me again, will nov
say that am still at West Side, Craw
ford county. West Side is thriving
railroad station, or village, of abou,
4Oo inhabitants.
| This county is beautiful high and
rolling prairie interspersed with nu
merons streams, making IL not only
a good farming, but also good graz
ing country.
In this neighborheod find /. r.
Miller, Bennett, Cat, Robert Hope,
and others from Cedar county-all en-.
terprising farmers. and determined to
overcome the unwelcome 'grasshop-
per- which is source of great annoy
ance TO the farmers. have also Wis
tied former citizens of Cedar county
that | found about 8 miles south OF
Dowville-another point on the
Northwestern II. r.. twenty-five
miles west of hereof whom were T..
L. and Jasper Hahn, VIM. Sterrett
and Mr.. Chambers also James Wise,
formerly of Wilton, and others from
Scott county. They are situated in a
beautiful country called pretty Prai-
rie" that cannot well be excelied for
farming and grazing purposes. As far
As | am able to judge think our Ce-
dar county friends made a judicious
choice In the selection of their future
homes.
Small grain throughout this county
could not well look better where un-
molested by the hopper some fields
have been entirely destroyed, mostly
aew breaking and barley. Wheat is
beginning to head out, and il left alone
by the 'hoppers will bc heavy crop
alsO the oats. The only fear of the
farmers is that the 'hoppers may not
leave in time, and will cut off the
heads and yet ruin the crops. 1t may
be truly said their name is 'legion. !"
In some of the fields they can be gath
cred by the double handful, looking
more like swarms of bees than any
thing else. In upland the corn,
though small, looks well, but on the
low ground prospects are very poor
| owing to the extreme heavy and re-
peated rains.
On last Saturday attended the
caucus at West Side and yesterday
the County Convention ut Dennison,
which was rather small, owing to the
heavy rain Of yesterday morning
tperhaps the heaviest of the season..
The Convention passed off In harmo-
ny, as Republican convention always
| do. However, there were some spir-
tied remarks made in reference
TO votes to he cast for townships
not officially represented. A
resolution was finally adopted that
hereafter no township could have a
vote in the convention unless through h
a regular delegation appointed at a
regular caucus In said township,
whichat FIRST sight weuid seem rather
iron-clad. This county, a. far as l
can learn, will cast its vote for Sher-
man as Governor.
On last Saturday evening one of
those genial zephyrs (as Mark Twain
would call them) passed over this
county, commencing In Missouri
Valley, upsettiDg and crushing to
pieces dwelling house west Of Dow
vile, passing in an easterly direction,
uprooting trees promiscuously in its
course until it came TO Denison, where
II commenced its work in earnest by
first demolishing the fence of the
Fair Ground west of town, and then
in the town by tearing up sidewalks
. and tearing down signs and awnings,
throwing down chimneys, unroofing
some houses, upturning barns and
small bniidings in general, and with
one sweep taking the entire front out
Of one saloon, which caused il to have
open doors all day ON the sabbath,
and do not know how much longer
The elements not yet being satisfied
with their work, commenced on the
various churches, lifting the Episco-
pal church of its foundation, setting
it down about six feet on the side of a
hill, leaving it in a precariOus and de-
moiished condition, and yet, strange
to say, not one window light broken !;
also the Episcopal Methodist, which
had undergone thorough repairing
and been put in splendid condition,
and had been finished about two
hours previous to its being taken
from its foundation, now stands
as monument of the wind, with its
walls all broken and roof torn open !;
next comes the Catholic church,
which was turned round on its foun-
dation and much injured. This house
at the same time was filled with wor-
| shippers, and it is said one man in his
fright passed through pane of glass
7x9 inches. Next came the Baptist
church, which, l believe, was also
taken from Its foundation and consid-
erably injured. Whilst thus par
ticularly working upon the churches
other buildings were more or less in
jured by the falling of chimneys,
tearing off window shutters, etc. Loss
is estimated by some at $4,000 to
2,0OO, but think, perhaps, one-half
Of the above amount will cover the
losses. Fortunately no lives were
lost or any person injured. The
wind, In its course, did no particular
harm until 1t came to West Side-a
distance of Is miles-where IT lifted
the roof Of the water tank and threw
it against the west end Of the depot,
breaking great hole and tearing of
the projection aud part Of the roof.
No other injury was done to this
place save number Of chimneys
blown down; and thus ends the
workings Of the above named "zeph-
yr, (which might more properly be
! at least 4 little "Timmycane