Iron County register., 1881-09-15
JrOntOn.
Editorial Correspondence of Charleston
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Editorial Correspondence of Charleston
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.a IRONToN, Mo-, Aug. q.
Nearly all the lronton girls chew
wax. This fact has been privately
communicated to me by most reliable
person, who knows, and state it as q
fact. 4 a...,
Ironton is quaint, old looking town
with very nice surroundings. Most of
the houses are old in style, with low
roofs; many have dilapidated appear
ance and nearly all show a need Of paint.
One would think on first sight that the
town is going down: but the contrary
is the fact. When Pilot Knob was the
terminus of the st. Louis and Iron
Mountain railroad, Ironton was one of
the leading business points Of Southern
Missouri and even aspired to a jobbing
trade with small merchants further
south. Business of all,kinds fiourished
and the people waxed fat and "sassy"
and furnished Congressman and Judg-
es for the other districts below and ar
rogated to their town the name of the
ATHENS of Southeast Missouri" 1t
reminds one little of Athens now, but
Companions are odious." Although
the town don't supply the country with
Congressman and Judges any more and
no longer claims monopoly Of intel
lect in the district, and although many
of its well deserving citizens had q hard
time pulling through after the railroad
was built South and cut off. most of
their trade, it is showing many signs
of reviving prosperity and energy, and
bids fair at no distant time to become
at least as desirable as home or point
of business as ever. The country
around, to use q school girls phrase, Is
'just lovely" Grand hills with cas-
'tellated SUBMITS, interspersed with
beautiful valleys well supplied with
running streams, and pure air and good
water combine to make IL very attrac-
tive; and many come here to pass the
hot summer months, and are well salts
fed, the greatest difficulty being lack
of sufficient hotel and boarding accom-
modations.
The roads Of the vicinity show
what reasonable enforcement Of the
existing road laws can accomplish.
Some years ago one of the County
Judges, disguised at the complaints of
road overseers, told them the fault was
in them, and remarked that he could
apply the road tax without any ad-
ditional appropriat ation and make good
highways wherever needed. When
his term expired as Judge, the Court
took him at his word, and appointed
him oveiseer of large district, and he
began his work. AS a result there are
probably no better roads in the State
than in this region. Most of them are
graded and graveled, all are free from
obstruction and always in good order for
travel of any kind. Everybody who
travels I'm this region and knows to
whose energy the work is due, blesses
Judge Russell. 'Tis pity there is not
more of his kind in Southeast Missouri.
There are two new public buildings
going up in Ironton now, an Academy
of Music and a Public School House,
both large, and each will be an orna-
ment tn the town, architecturally, as
well as benefit to society.
Nearly all the leading religious de-
nominations have church edifices here;
most of them, however, very modest in
their appearance. Societyis very good
here; but there Is an alarming scarcity
of marriageable young men. Judging
from the appearances at social occa-
sion, the time is fast approaching here
when "ssven women shall lay hold of
one man." AS there are u large num-
ber of visitors from st. Louis in the
Valley, and they, as well as the citizens,
are disposed to make the most of the
beautiful drives, riding and driving are
very popular, especially in the hours
after the mountains begin to cast their
huge shadows, over the valleys, and
the majority of people get q fair share
of the enjoyment of life.
There is one popularity about Iron
ton, Pilot Knob and Arcadia which
puzzles the stranger. They constitute
really a single settlement, separated
into different towns by branches of the
creek that drains the Valley.
Ironton proper is mile long, and
lady on a shopping tour, to see all the
new goods takes an amount of exercise
quite beneficial to her general health.
Pilot Knob is strictly miners town,
Irontop a place for general business
and the county seat, while Arcadia Is a |
resort, in "a small way.
One thing can be said of Ironton: it |
is a quiet town. Although there are |
four saloons, drunkenness is rare and |
street brawls are unknown. Moreover,
it is healthy, as many can attest.
The American House, kept by Mrs.
Schultz and her charming little daugh- |
ter, Miss Nettle, Is pleasant place at |
which to stop. The house is as neat as |
a pin, the Ia ble all that could be desired, |
and for resting place l think that it
be surpassed. Quiet reigns su-
preme at the American, save when the
merry laugh of pretty Miss Nettie
rings through the halls, or the sOnor-
BUS bell peals forth its summons 10
appear at table.
Here, ensconced In most comfortable
quarters, found my old friend. George
II. Crumb, late OF the Dexter Enter
PRISE Messenger, but now filling most
the important position of
Receiver of Monies. All who know
George Crumb know him to be amply |
qualified and that better appointment
to the position could not have been
made. The Courier stands indebted to
him for numerous favOrs.
The IrontOn REGISTER, the only pa
per in the county, is ably conducted by
Eli ID. AXE, genial and intellectual
gentleman, public spirited, and very
Useful to the community. In addition
TO his journalistic duties, Dir. AXE is
eader of the brass band, and ia busy I'm