Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-06-19
For the SPECTATOR
Eetter from Iowa.
MT. PEASANT. HENRY COUNTY, Iowa,

MT. PHEASANT, HENRY COUNTY, iowa,
June 9th, 1883. }
Mr. Editor:-If you will permit me to write a
line to the dear old SPECTATOR, I will do so,
though long years have passed by since babe
farewell TO my native county. Friends and
schoolmates, many of whom were so dear to
me in the days of my childhood, have passed
away. OF those still living, whose hair is sill
vered with the frosts of age, there may be some
who may think it worth while to peruse the
lines of a long-absent friend. 1 first speak of
the climate, next of the people, and of the ag-
ricultural pursuits.
AS TO the climate of Iowa. 1t is no where to
be compared with that OF old Virginia. / have
travelled through great many Of the Northern
and Western States, and find that a great
many persons are troubled with throat affec-
tions caused by the sudden changes of the
weather. We have long, cold winters, and
most generally cold, wet springs.
The oats, wheat, rye, and grass look very
promising now. Wheat is not sure crop here.
The people arc very strict in business, though
selfish. find more sociability where i find
Southern people.
Iowa and illinois is one vast prairie. Most all
of our field labor is done by machinery. We
use the self-binder. which reaps and binds all
at the same time. With this machine, one man
can reap twenty acres per day by changing
teams when the weather is warm. It takes
two and sometimes three men to keep up the
shocking. There are great many new and
improved patterns of all classes Of machinery
being introduced in our Western fields. AS for
corn-planters, cultivators, &C., they work to
perfection. One man, with good planter, can
easily plant twenty acres a day. The Brown
Planter and Heyworth Check Rover, which is
manufactured at Galesburg, ILL.,, is one of the
leading planters here By using the check
rope, we can plant and check our corn all at
the same time. We use the straddle. row Guilt
vators, both the riding and walking. AS for
machinery will now drop the subject.
Ifthere is any one ofyour many readers who
would like to ask any questions in regard to
the advantage or disadvantage of the West, by
sending a three-ce stamp, 1 Will reply
promptly.
The spring has been cold and backward.
Corn is not looking well-too much rain for
corn. II the wet weather continues n few days
longer, corn cannot mako half crop.
must now conclude my letter.
Yours, very respectfully,
GEO. A. MYERS,
Mt. Pleasant, Henry county, Iowa.
MONEY SAFE EXPLODED AND ROBBED IN
WAYNEsBoRo We learn from the Waynes-
boro' Messenger that. between and o'clock
last Friday morning, some burglars effected an
entrance into the warehouse and Office of Mr..
I. 81. Antrim, where they exploded and robbed
his safe. They used three bags of plaster from
the warehouse to deaden the sound of the ex-
plosion. The Messenger says: 1.-The blast seems
to have broken the rivets of the safe door.
Then, with the aid of the Ratchet, chisel, and
several bars of wood they pried it open. Mr..
Antrim had about $1,000 in checks and cur
rency in the safe, some bonds deeds, and in
surance policies and $50 in gold belonging to
DR.. J. S. Myers The gold, Deeds and insurance
policies were in the front part of the safe, in
what is called the money drawer. This drawer
with its contents was carried off, The checks
book containing lot of bonds were in the
sub-treasury OF the safe. This was blown open
but before the thieves could make search in it
they seem to have been heightened away.
Consequently DR.. Myers SIS in gold and the
deeds and insurance papers were all the booty
they secured.
1.-THE repair of the safe and the trouble and
expense of renewing the lost deeds and policies
of insurance is all the damage Mr., Antrim sus-
tanned.
THE burglars LETT no clue by which they
may be traced. Possibly they may have ar
rived and departed on some Of the night
trains.''