The Red Cloud chief., 1884-05-30
HERE AND THERE.
Special Correspondence Of THE CHIEF.

sptC1dt VtVStNu"N VI III NAhsDS
Monday Of last week brought me 70
the thriving little town OF Cowles, nine
miles northeast Of Red Cloud. The
place presents many positive evidences
of advancement Buildings in course
of erection are NUMEROUS and it is dis
cernable that this point is attracting
the attention Of many seeking n good
place to invest money and engage III
business. Il is ~np4iceable that the PEG.
pie Of Cowles do not attempt to exist
and thrive Oh jealousy Of u another
SO common among people Of many
other small towns. The village school
il in charge of Mrs PARSONS and ex-
~prcssiOI,s Of praise and satisfaction Tor
and With the management are very
frequently heard. Over Monday night
| stopped with my old acquaintance
and friend, Mr.. David Mears, six
miles east from COwles. This gentle
man is not rs healthy andlstoH ~ his
general physical appearance would
indicate but keeps plNidiDg along III
his even, honest, upright way. He may
appropriately called the Father Of this
settlement, being among the first. II
not the first settler in thisn wealthy
AMI prosperous DeighbOrhoUd. Those
! who now remain here, after passing
through the dark days of its early set
Element. frequently call to mind the
JOYS and blessings, not alone by words
of wise counsel and management, but
by deeds and actions, eminatiDg from
this really good man, David Mearns,
the old settler, and they all know him
well. Who is ready to criticise or con-
denim in the least any public or private
act of his long and useful life here can
not be found. l passed Tuesday fore
noon with &. w. Francis three miles
east Of COwles. He is one of the wealth.
lest, if not the most wealthy farmer in
the county, and surely substantial evil
dences of prosperity abound every
where on and about his extensive pos
sessions. Allow me to cOncisely tell
your readers what he has done and Is
now doing, Notwithstanding the sum
/ of the statements may appear o
like romance than reality, but they
I dIC ColICSU anu tIuC III tiNC stitiC kOh
wears ago, with all his worldly poses
sions, fifteen.hundred dollars and a
large family, he located where he is
now. He now, by payment of hard
cash, has a fee simple title to two Sec
tons Q2s0 acres) of a good land rs
there Is in the county, with thereon u
residence of eleven rooms, which cost
$1,000, barn 63x64 feet, costing $500,
in whichlhc shelters 10 head of differ
ent stock, and sixty tons o fhay, besides
" ,gons, buggies, etc. He has y gram
AIRY which cOst f4OO. and cribs 500.
He has about one section under fence
for pasture. He cultivales $50 acres,
has 40 head of cattle, IA horses, IS
hogs, milks "A COWS, has 1000 fruit
trees, and keeps seven men at work.
During the year he makes and sells
butter to the amount of $500, and has
recently fed and sold % head Of cattle
for $500, besides So head of hogs for
$l4U, and lots of minor sales in differ
ent WAYS and for various amounts.
With all his interests Oh hand to at
tend to, and which he personally over
sees. l have seldom ifever, met a more
pleasant and thorough man to do hr,Si-
ness with than Mr.. Francis is. Messrs.
Horton and SnodgraSs, carpenters, OF
Cowles, have been doing all his build
ing. They have but recently cOmplet-
ell the residence and are now finishing
the barn. Mr.. +. expresses himself ~
well satisfied with them rs thorough,
competent wOrkmen, and l found them
very pleasant gentlemen. When left
the above property was carrying insur-
ance in the sum of $500, for the own
err believes i'll keeping all his property
insured in the old reliable companies.
Friday night was passed at the new
comfortable shOme of II. j. Sheldon,
three miles northeast of Cowles. He
bought the Ed, Reed farm about three
months ago for SllOO, of which there
is 80 acres under cultivation has erect
cd Il splendid frame house, barn, gram
ary, sheep sheds, etc. He has on
hand about 800 head of fire wool
sheep, 10 lambs and 90 thoroughbred
Merino bucks. Mr.. 8. Justly prides
himself on understanding sheep raising
for large dividends in this country
After several years successful expert.
ence in the business In this county, he
is now in very comfortable circum'
cumstances and has a happy home
with one of the most pleasant, intelli
gent ladies for q wife that | have me
in my travels. On account of space
will have to leave several other mat
tiers about which I wish to write until
z.~~ u w ryp