Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-06-09
KANSAS LETTER.
HENRY VERSUS WOoDsON Co. FISHING on
THE NEOsHo RIVER, TELEPHONES &C.
Especial Correspondence q the Northwest
NEosHo FALLS, May 2s, 1881.


our Kansas rain would be acceptable
there. What can be the reason that far
n1ers will stay in the Maumee Valley
where they are subject to such severe and
long continued drOughts, when the
beautiful and fertile NeOsho country is
open TO them where rain is plenty and
uuinine and whisky are alike abhorred.
The NeOsho is not as large as the Maui
NEE, hut 1t can beat the latter in the size
of its catfish. if the Maumee does furnish
the best market for the atore mentioned
articles of diet. 1t is true that the Mau
NEE mud is far famed, while that of the
Neosho has scarcely a local reputation,
but that should not serve as an induce
ment for Henry county farmers to stay
where they are, Ii is also true that SO
far from having hundred thousand dol
lar court house and Jail to match,
Woodson county has only frame build
ing for q court house, and no Jail at all;
hut that Is because the latter is not need
ed; when this county has become ad-
vanced as far in civilization as is Henry
county, the Jail and court house will be
forthcoming. 1t is also true that a GER
tain portion of the population would find
this sort of dry place in spite of the
rains, but that class is not particularly
needed herein fact, as they are so much
more needed where they are, perhaps it
would be lust as well for them to remain
amid the swamps, fever and ague, mos
quitos and quinine and whisky of the
raging Maumee." But all who want to
escape those plaques, especially the last,
had better sell out and "go west"
Speaking of fish reminds us that we
have not mentioned the kind of sport the
Neosho river furnishes in that line. The
river is full of fish of many varieties,
some of which grow TO an enormous size.
| Cat fish have been taken here weighing
good deal more than one hundred
pounds. One of our neighbors caught
one on an out line that weighed seventy
three pounds. He saw its head come
above water and almost let go of the line,
it startled him so. He thought he had
"caught whale" He then towed it to
the edge of the water and "beached it,"
and the way it threw the water and
gravel was worth seeing. 1t measured
some five feet in length and sixteen
inches across the head. Just the other
day he caught bass that weighed eigh-
teen pounds. Guess the Maumee would
have to try pretty hard to furnish fish of
that size.
Wet weather has been the rule here for
two or three weeks, and the ground is
thoroughly soaked. The wet spell has
proved a blessing in more ways than one,
for among other things it has killed most
of the chinch bugs that were destroying
the wheat.
Corn is looking we'll but has not been
worked very much on account of the
rains Weeds are growing finely too;
and should nothing happen to injure
them, promise an abundant crop. Vege-
tables of all kinds are plenty, some weeks
later than common, owing to the late
ness of the season.
The gath of this month we had the
pleasure of attending the Allen county
Sunday School Convention, which was
held about six miles from here. The
church was crowded full of an attentive
and interested audience. Though it was
in the country and at busy time of year,
there were some fifty teams fastened in |
front of the church. The exercises con-
sisted of singing reading of essays and /
the discussion of subjects pertaining to
the Sabbath School work. The discus
sions were characterized by earnestness
and were full of practical thought. At
noon tables were prepared on which was
spread bountiful repast, and every body,
especially visitors were invited to help
themselves. 1t was a regular pic mic din
ner, and good one, too. Kansas people
know how to do such things, just as they
should be done, and consequently their
pic MICS are success; and they have lots
of them.
1t occurs to us that if it was generally
known how easily telephone is con
structed, more would be in use. We
have one in operation between our house
and that of one of our neighbors, and it
is Of great use as we'll as furnishing any
amount of amusement. For the tele-
phones we took tin fruit cans-round
ones took off the tops and bottoms and
stretching piece of buckskin over one,
showed the other over it, thus making the
drum. Of course four cans make two
telephones, one at either end of the line.
For the wire we took what is called
"binding wire"-that is that which is
used on self binders to bind grain, it is
about two sizes larger than broom wire,
which would do as well. Then we put
up our poles about two hundred feet
apart attached the wire to them by string,
allowing it to swing freely but not touch
the poles or any thing solid-fastened it
to the telephones and it was done. We
fastened the wire by passing it through a
large wooden button which is drawn
against the buckskin drum head. The
should be made as tight as possible, as
the tighter it is the more readily it will
transmit sound. Our telephone is a per-
feet success. Though the houses are a
mile apart we can carry on conversation
with as much ease as though we were in
the same room. A question asked is ans
wered just as quickly as though the two
persons stood within six feet, for as sound
travels over iron wire at the rate of six
teen thousand six hundred feet per
second, mile does not make any appre.
ciable difference. Neither is it necessary
to be right at the telephones in order to
talk and understand Frequently what
is said can be understood by any one in
another room; and we can hear laughing
and talking going on in the house of our
neighbor mile distant. He is very fond
of music and has an organ, and we can
hear him playing and singing as plainly
as though we were just in the next room
instead of SO far off. All this, it must be
understood, is when it is in good work
ing order. Some times, owing to the
state of the atmosphere or other causes it
is very hard to use it at all. Then it is
rather City" some times from no cause
at all as we can see, refusing to work,
and at others working first rate, when we
would think it would not or could not be
used at ALL 1t only cost two dollars and
a half all told, and is of much more value
without it for a great deal more than it