Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-12-27
LAFAYETTE COUNTY.

Lexington and Lafayette, names ia
nous in history and dear to every
patriotic American heart; sacred in
song and story and fragrant vet in
memory, where honor fought i'll free
dom's cause.
Fitting tributes to paradise land,
Where flowers bloom on every hand,
And hOnored. too, with equal grace,
Are the names our pen attempts to trace,
By i happy people Of noble mlen,
And brighter land than s yet been nseen.
Here is the grandest people aud
brightest gem in Missouri's corones
of counties. Here are the fairest wo-
men and the bravest men, the broad<
est, richest acres and the fattest cat
tie and the finest horses. This is the
"Biue Grass" region of Missouri and
second to none on this continent.
The cosy, refined old town of Lex
ingtOn, the county seat of Lafayette
county, with its 5000 souls,ot noble,
refined, intelligent people, its unsur-
passed schools and colleges, its mex
haustible mineral resources, and it's
historic and romantic heights, is sit
uatcd on the high south bank of the
Missouri river and OH the north
boundary of the county. 1t has ex-
cellent railroad facilities, being the
terminus of three important lines, and
has natural advantages surprising
Missouri. 1t is right in the center of
the great coal beds of Lafayette coun-
,, tv, which are now being extensively
mined and are bringing in hand
some revenue to the owners and OPP
| orators. The principal outlet
for this coal has been over the
| Narrow Gauge road from Lexington
to Kansas City, which has not been
able to afford sufficient transporta-
ton, and from this cause the coal
trade of this rich mineral region has
not developed in the proportion it.;
would have done with better rail-
road facilities. The prospects for the
future of this trade are much brlgh-ss
ter now, as Mr.. Jay Gould has pur-z
chased the Narrow Gauge road and
will. it is said by those who know,
change the gauge and thus increase
the carrying capacity, Importance
ana usefulness of the road. With the l.
facilities afforded by the Narrow
) Gauge road only about $50 car loads
per month have been marketed from
these coal fields, aud it is estimated !,
by those interested that, with broad
gauge facilities, they can as easily
markei2, 800 car loads per month. La 2
fayette county has long been COL.
sidered one of the very best counties,
it not the best county, in Missouri 8
,, in the richness and productive quail
ty of its soil, in the quality and
quantity of its pasture lands and
timber, aud i'll the superior cultiva-
ton and Improvement OF its FARMS, e
1t is noted for it's extensive and fine
ly improved farms and princely farm
houses for the excellence of its live !
I stock, and the frugality and thrift of
ito nponlp "A xuhnlo 81 10
e lated by better class Of people than Z
any county i'll Missouri, and its farm-,
[ crs and country people are far in adj
d d vance i'll intelligence and refinement
l and in all the qualities and character
istics that tend to ennOble and elevate
: our race in their social and moral
: being. - B5ahals
. The last corn crop of this county
u is estimated to have been the heavi-
}, est ever raised in the county, aud the
3 yield to have averaged nearly sixty
u bushels to the acre. The wheat crop
e was also unusually heavy and the
Q acreage very large. The chief inter-
s est of the county is the raising, feed
I' ing and marketing of live stock, and
II it is estimated by the best informed
:. stock men that there is greater
. number of good cattle being fed in
,. previous time in the county's his
II tory. ~
e The bonded Indebtedness of the
= county has been refunded, changed
~ for bonds bearing q less rate of inter.
IL est and is now in condition. easily.
ie managed, and not at all burdensome
lie to the taxpayers. The county gov
crnment is in the hands of the most
gentlemanly aud most efficient set Of
county officers it has ever been our:
fortune to meet, and we are indebted
* to them for many favors and cour-
Of tesles during our visit among them.
To the present lncumbents of the
IN county offices are the people especi-
is ally indebted for an economical gov
ne ernment and great reduction in the
Is running expenses of their local gov
e. crnment, and to no one are the peo.
N pie especially indebted more than to.
Mr.. Buck Steel, the efficient, intelli-
g. Through his efforts alone the county
At expenditures have been reduced thou.
al sands of dollars. The county is now
ne in healthy and prosperous condi-
It. tion financially, and it's people are en-
" ergetic and progressive. A new ere
le of prosperity has dawned upon the
,d people of this section Of Missouri,
and rapid Improvement is noted up
DO on every hand and in every branch of
as industry. Here is one of the garden
e. spots of creation, one of the beat
n countries the sun of heaven ever
warmed, aud it is Inhabited by peo-
ne pie whom the race has never excelled
v. in anything that goes to make up. the
iii crowning glory OF Gods handiw ork.
q, Here is country that has grown up
| Sc f,,l l,la
RI with prepared and welcome room for
mr. pie, who are crowded up in the over.
n populated older states Of the Union
k aud who are now looking westw ard
OF for homes. They are invited to come
n to this favored country and secure
nd homes while lands are cheap aud
e. where all the advantages of refined
N civilization aud accessible markets
e. are theirs to enjoy. Here is rich,
# prosperous country, with unsurpas-
MT sed schools, Unlimited resources, ac-
nv cessible by both rail and river, and
nd and good market for all products at
nd the very doors Of the people, and in
this favored land hundreds of good
homes and rich lands can be bought
ST at low prices aud OH easy terms.
Here law and order reign and peace
and plenty prevail. Equal rights are
accorded to all, and freedom Of speech
h is protected. The people here are
m, deeply interested in the immigration
as movement. Associations have been
formed and organizations have been
ur effected, and the citizens are laying
ey their shoulders TO the wheels and
'le uniting their efforts in influencing
H. immigrants to come among them aud
It; possess and occupy their rich vacant
ey lands. s{.
ur No country offers better induce
Iii ments to immigrants, and no country
ry can furnish them better or more de-
ct, sirable homes upon such easy terms.
lc- Lexington is grand old town, and
Ut famous for its fine schools, for the
Id intelligence and refinement of its
ar people, for its beautiful homes, and
IN, for its wealth and the literary tastes