Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-07-03
The Weather Is Beautifu,

And this weather is making such Il
crop in Wapello county, of all kinds,
not excepting anything, as we, after
nearly a quarter of a century's resi-
dence here, have never before seen
equaled. Besides the crop, we are
blessed with a splendid yield of fruit,
present and prospective. In years
past we may have had better single
crops, but this year every crop is eX-
cellent in prospect. AT this time-as
for over two years pasta vast
amount of money is going out of the
country daily for flour and corn. The
sum of money sent out of this coun-
ty for two years past for these articles
has been enormous. This local drain
i'm connection with the general close
times, has borne terribly upon our
people. 1t is, therefore, most gra-
cious and joyous sight to look out up
on the splendid yield that is promised
this year and now almost assured.
This condition of things is also glo-
rious and assuring in respect to our
railroad projects. One month more
of good weather and such an impetus
will be given to the building of the
Cedar Rapids, Sigourney Il 0ttumwa
railroad as, we believe, will remove
all doubt of its success. We only
want the people along the line to feel
,cilling to vote a handsome tax and
then rote it, to insure the early COM
pletion of the road. A good crop will
make the people jubilant and ready
to do their part. We are satisfied the
Milwaukee & st. Paul company are
anxious to push their road down here;
they only await the exhibition of Il
proper desire expressed by our people
to aid them by good tax and liberal
ity about the right of way.
We feel assured, too, that the OBJ
tanning of the road from Cedar Rap
ids will bring about the building of
the Iowa Central gap from the coal
fields down to this city. Then with
the G. B. & O., the c. r.. L. d p, the
NJ. 4 st. p. and the Iowa Central,
there will be no city in this State with
equal railroad facilities. Add to this
the utilization of our water-power,
the best i'm the State, and the best in
all the West, south of Minnesota; we,
as people, with our grand natural
resources, should and must prosper to
the hearts content of all of us.
We have lived a great while here
in our fiourishing city; we have noted
with pleasure in years gone by, its
prospects and its growth; but we know
we never saw the time before when
the outlook for this city, and as a con
sequence, the outlook for Wapello
county, was so bright and so plainly
foreshadowing splendid future as
now; future that shall have, per-
haps, no successful rival in the State.
But we want to say this, that while
the promise is good; while grand
future awaits us, it will never come
unless we AS people do our duty.
That duty is not burdcn-it is a
grand opportunity.
Any man, or any people, who get a
good thing for nothing, are in great
danger of its being an injury rather
than a benefit. There is, as rule, NO
genuine pleasure, no abiding good,
in wealth, except it be gained through
toll. We would not have something
for nothing. Gain thus gottefswill
sooner or later prove curse. We
beg our people to be alive and awake
to the opportunities that lie right be-
fore us, and when the call is made to
act, let us step forward with prompt
ness and pluck the fruit, and pluck il
in its season.