The Dawson journal., 1883-10-11
ADRIAN, MICH.

journal.
ADRIAN, MICH.
Something less than thirty years
ago, when the world was young and
bright and wasn't SO bald headed as
1t is now, first saw Adrian, and as
remember it in boyhood days, it
was an unkept sort of country vii
lage with outrageous brick sidewalks
and few rough looking brick stores,
that seemed to shiver in the sharp
March wind and feel uncomfortable.
To-day Adrian is an interesting
city of about fifteen thousand inhab-
itants. Among the many industries
OF the place may be mentioned, a
Paper Factory, Fruit Drying Fac
tory, Fruit Canning Factory,
Carriage Factories, and other
factories too numerous to men
ton. But | must not forget
tomention the Peninsular Car Works,
shall not attempt to describe it, only
that it employs about $50 hands, and
turns out from eight to twelve
freight cars each day, fully equipped,
ready to run.
The ''Reformatory for girls" is
composed of a fine array of beautiful
buildings in the sequestered suberbs
Of the city, and are sufficient to ac-
commodate at least thousand, al
though they have only a small frac-
ton of that number there now.
But notwithstanding only portion
Of those who should graduate there
will ever do SO, still by the aid of
the present generation Of weak min
ded mothers the institution will
doubtless Gil up rapidly. I was
shown the water works, the fire
works, and the doctors works, l. e.;
the cemetery: which is a lovely
place on the banks of beautiful riy-
er, it is well kept, and adorned with
no very costly monuments, but with
numberless beautiful columns of va
rious kinds of granite which speak
well for the iying-the dead care
not. My companion explained all
about the different kinds of mona
ments, and granite, told where they
were obtained and how they were
finished and the probable expense,
all of which was very interesting to
me OF course, for shall have to use
one of those things for myself some
Of these days, and ike to be pos
ted.
Adrian has ten or twelve fine
churches, and judging from the de
monstration [ saw there it has an op-
portunity to become a godly city for
the Salvation Army" as they call
themselves, paraded tie streets daily
for the purpose of drumming up re-
cruits. saw them frequently, and
it was, ! thought the most disgust
ing sight that I ever saw in The way
of christian worship. Just after sun
set they would march up the center
of the street single file like band
of dileriOus Comanchees-following
single kettle drum, with no ether
instruments except triangle carried
by little white girl, and a tambor-
inc in the hands of a frantic black
woman who seemed desirous of
knocking it to where there was an
everlasting free lunch.
There was about a dozen females,
eight or ten males, and several me
gro females" distributed in the pro-
cession promiscously, aqd all shout
ing and singing religious song set
to the music of--''When Gabriel
blows his trumpet in tns morning" "
They all carried banners or trslspa-
reneies with scripture notices on
them. Hating on one of the princi-
pie corners they held brief song
service interspersed with "experi-
ences' and prayers. after which they
retired to capacious hall. The wo-
men s voices were sharp, and their
singing resembled the childish sym
phonies, which emanate from a bov
blowing upon paper covered comb.
The whole affair was amusing to
say the least, but disgusting to see
the social equality OF the races,
which | considered a disgrace to any
civilized community. There may be
people who honestly believe that
this is the proper way to dispense
the gospel, but it reminded me oil
the sceptic Irishman who, attending
mass with a friend. remarked to him
pat! this bates the devil p The
O'her, without turnin0 his face