Litchfield enquirer., 1880-04-22
WESTERN CORRESPONDENCE.

2 L
 Editor Enqa1rer'- The past winter with us, has been remarkable for want of snow. We have had no sleighing and but little extreme cold weather. The River froze over twice, and good deal of the time, the crossing was very bad part of the way by skiff and balance on ice. The alternate freezing and thawing effectually killed out the winter wheat, an un- usually large quantity having been sown in the fall as the winter wheat last year averaged nearly double the amount of spring wheat, and was of higher grade. In consequence of the killing out, it all had to be sown over again this spring, causing considerable extra labor and expense to the farmer. This un. derstand to be the case over a very large ex- tent of the wheat growing country of Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and States and Territories west of us. Ice men in this section managed to secure their usual crop but much of it was of a poor quality. Those who secured it be- fore the January thaw, got first class ice. The weather has been mild and pleasant 80 far this month, and garden vegetables are cropping out of the ground, and nature is beginning toput on her green attire. For all which we are duly thankful. Winter has lost many of the charms it had for my early youth and am growing to dread it, and look more and more with longing eyes toward the orange groves of the South as the winters approach.
 Business in Lyons is looking up. Two new saw-mills are in process of erection, and Packing House talked of, which will employ several hundred extra hands, and put good deal more money afoat. A leading grocery store in Chicago is just starting branch in Lyons, and there is a general good feeling and thrift about the place we have not seen or ex- perienced for some time. One of the mills is on the site of the one burned some years ago from lightning stroke. It is built by Joint Stock Co.,, capital $90,00O
 The saloon man arrested in connection with his wife, and darkey, for murder in Clinton, has been tried and sentenced to prison for life. The darkey turned states evidence, and is to have his trial next term of Court. He appears to be an accomplice after the murder to help secrete the body, which occurred as you may remember about o'clock in the afternoon, in saloon on one of the principal streets in Gin. ton, and was undoubtedly done to secure the mans money. This is the third life sentence from this county within the year, the other two being poisoning case, man and woman, the particulars of which l wrote you at the time.
 Politics IS beginning to boom. Blaine is the favorite in Iowa, and will probably receive our full vote. Grant is perhaps a second choice with politicians, but Washburne is the favorlte with the people, pretty generally in the Northwest 1 think. Iowa has not forgot. ten her degenerate son, Belknap, and others of rank fame under Grants administration. If he gets the nomination it is to be hoped he has learned wisdom from experience and oD- servation, that will stand him in good stead, which is not at all unlikely. I believe he would make far better president than during his previous administrations His persistent refusals of intoxicants at banquets held in his honor, is long step in the right direction, and he has certainly displayed great modera- tion and wisdom under the extraordinary toady;ngs to which Ee has been subjected. Since his return, I like him, through he is not my first choice for president, and shall not feel bad if have to vote for him.
 Our Legislature has convened and adjourn ed, without any very marked controversies, one of the most consistently antagonized bills as usual was that of Prohibition which carried by small majority. It still has to be acted on by another legislature and then voted on by the people before it can become part of our constitution. The next Senate will be most likely republican, as twenty seven hold over, all republicans constituting majority. Two hundred and eleven laws were enacted, about one half of private, legallzing character, an unusual amount of which was done at this session. Among the important measures passed was one to submit the question of new constitution to the people, reducing court ex- penses and sheriff fees about one third fix ing lawyers fees where printed in the contract at $5 for amounts less than $2OO, three per cent for $500, two per cent for. 5000 and up ward; allowing school funds to be loaned at eight per cent interest instead of ten; permit ting railroad Companies to straighten crooked streams to save bridging (9eI have no She paugs); and fixing the salaries ol shorthand reporters at $6,00 day in court cases. An effort was made to tax personal property under chattel mortgages the same as real estate, but it failed.
 You have doubtless noticed the success of women voting on the license qusston at Kieths- burg Ill.,. village on the Mississippi River, of about 1000 inhabitants, cursed with rum as most of cur river towns are The State sena- tor, there. gave it as his undoubted opinion that the Board of Trustees had right to au- thorized women to vote on the license question, of which they availed themselves to the fullest extent, holding mass meetings and prayer meetings, and, finally, large company marched to the polls in double file, while oth- CTS accompanied their husbands, obtaining 8 complete victory, all in the best of order and decorum. And may it ever be thus. It is also notable as being the first instance of wo- men voting at a general election, but probab- ly not the last. A. B.
 "A Drop of Joy in Every Word"
 FLENINGTON, Hunterdon O., ". Dr. R. " PIERCE, Buffalo, N. r.:
 Three months ago was broken out with large ucers and sores my hodv fir,,ho and