The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-06-28
Vicinity Items.
Briggs.

Vicinity Items.
A census of the city of Kankakee, ILL.,,
shows total population Of 6,54l-being
about 900 more than 1880.
Work is progressing rapidly on the new
Chicago Burlington Quincy railway grade
between Sandwich, H., and Leland.
The Streator glass works had narrow es-
cape from fire on Friday of last week, the
floor DIST taking fire. 1t was promptly ex-
tinguished.
Mrs. DR.. Pratt, of Elgln, caught 9-pound
bass at Fox Lake the other day, which the
Courier pronounced the largest ofthe season.
The city council of Sycamore has voted TO
lay down 10000 square feet of asphalt side.
walk this year in that city at cost of cts.
per foot.
During the thunder storm on Monday eve
ming team belonging to Thomas Wolf liv-
ingn ear Blackstone, was instantly killed and
his son knocked insensibe.
On Tuesday night last fire broke out in
John Stuart's barn, Peru, which communica-
ted with that of John Franco. Both were
destroyed, as were team of horses and
COW. Loss $4,000.
The improvements of the bottle works at
Streator are nearly complete and include an
addition to the building, an enlargement of
the gas furnace, and other changes which
double the capacity of the works.
The miners and operators of La Sale have
settled on the prices for mining for the next
year at the rate Of 80 cents per ton for
screened coal of the third vein. This is
about five cents lower than last year.
During the storm Tuesday afternoon the
lightning struck the central chimney of Jas.
Condren's new house in Streator and tore
the chimney nearly down to the roof. The
bricks were widely scattered but nothing
was damaged inside except by SCOT and
ashes.
F. NJ. Myers recent public sale of Jerseys
at WenOna did not bring out very many buy
ers. Only four cows were sold, which, with
two sold at private sale day or two before,
netted him $458. Mr.. Myers is not at all
discouraged, but later on will have another
sale being satisfied that under more favor
able circumstances he can bring out host
of buyers.
A defective connection to the wire Of an
electric lamp at Joliet permitted it to come
against the iron front of the building and the
whole iron work of the building became so
strongly electrified that whoever touched it
received severe shock. A bit Of copper
wire stuck in hole of one Of the iron col
umns became an electric lamp until the wire
was melted.
The Mendoza Water Works for fire pur-
poses are finished 1t was tested on Monday
week A hose being attached to the furthest
eastern hydrant, the pressure was turned on
and IA inch stream was thrown to height
of between go and 10 feet perpendicularly,
and over 100 feet horizontally, without any
engine, and solely by the ordinary steam
pressure from the c., B. & G. tank steam
pump, over 200 feet from the hydrant used.
La Sale Tines: The window house of the
glass factory will close down next Saturday
for the present season, and it is rumored,
with strong probability, that it will not
open up again next season. Messrs. Davis
& Wright who have been running the win
dow house, have been hampered in such
way and 80 disputed with the former owners
of the place that il is doubtful if they will
touch it again This is how the industries
of La Sale are ruined and not by lack of
prosperity.
The Mendoza Congregational church has
been transferred to the possession of the
Mendoza Turnverein, who will remove the
building to their lots on Washington street,
adjoining the Public Library, without delay.
The church will be utilized as the rear part
of their new hall, it being the intention to
build on about 80 feet, making a handsome
front The building will then have length
of 80 feet and a width of 40, sufficiently large
to meet all demands. When finished it will
add another attractive addition to to the
public edifices of the city.
"Wenona Under: On Tuesday barn on j.
D. Fyffes farm, two miles north of town, was
struck and set on fire. Fortunately one of
Isaac VanHorns boys had just returned
from the field and discovered the fire in time
TO extinguish it before any particular dam
age was done. The Climax school house,
near Evan. was also struck. The children
and teacher, Miss Ryder, of this city, were
in the building at the time. The casing
around the door was torn loose and the build
ing otherwise slightly damaged, but the in
mates all escaped with but slight shock.
wenona Iadex, Goth: "The oldest inhabi-
tant's memory fails TO run back TO the time
when there was such rain as that of Tues
day Milt Bayne says tin can six inches
high, setting on his gate post, was rained
full, and on that account he is led TO believe
the rainfall was AT least six inches. Milt has
been in Kansas considerably. and may not
be thoroughly reliable, but the balance of his
family vouch for the story, and it is undouot-
" correct. In Wenona the streets were one
broad sheet of water, and the surrounding
country was in a similar condition. Between
here and Streator the fiat ground was almost
covered with water for short time. west
of town a short distance the rainfall was not
so heavy The sloughs and creeks were all
booming yesterday, and many feared con
siderable loss by washing damage TO bridges,
fences, etc.
William Hoge. the first settler is what IS