The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-05-23
LOSTANT.

To the visitor at this village just at pre-
sent there is nothing especially noteworthy
as the briefness Of these notes Of the FREE
TRADER man, who found himself there
last Monday, viii show. The farmers were
all so busy, there were 50 few people stand
ing about that the village had an air of de-
sertiOn. There are three saloons there and
that is enough for the place. Any more
would surely be a superhuity. The mum,
Der of saloons in IA town is the first thing a
newspaper man generally finds out There
is one church to each saloon and 1t is this
which most probably gives Lostant moral
balance--a sort of religious equipoise. The
same cannot be said of places of more pre-.
tensions to style than Lostant 1t is an ev.
idence of the moral growth of a village
when the churches keep pace with the sa.
looms numerically speaking. Jim Conlin
Is still one of the fixed institutions of the
village. He has reformed and Is totally
changed man, looking better than for ma
ny years. He is now a stout advocate of
temperance as far as he himself is concern
ed. After fighting the village for nearly
II years ont the liquor question he has final
ly come to the conclusion that he can lead
a better life in another sphere of business
and now runs grocery store, sells bread,
candies, cigars, &c, and is prospecting
Jas. Drew keeps one of the largestsstores
outside Ottawa in drygoods and hardware.
Mr. ID. is solid democrat but one who
does not let politics interfene with his bu-
siness He is Lostants big merchant. Ed.
Whipple has a large drygoods store and al
though but year In the village has Sc
cured large trade. He has been request
ed to become candidate for the Lostant
post office but says his business requires al
his time and he refuses to have anything |
to do with the office. Jim. Conlin Is the
only democrat in the village who has made
a move to secure the appointment. Hispe.
tition Is now on file In the department at
Washington. The present incumbent,
Hugh Goheen, has forwarded his petition
backed up by many democratic signers
and whether any change will be made
remains to be seen. Mr. Gohewn is Grip |
pied soldier, and although he was bitter
partisan during the campaign as were many
other republican officials, yet 1t is not prob
able that he will be removed at least for n
long time yet. f. c. Rhoads is one of the
prominent young democrats Of Lostant,
and gentleman Of considerable influence
In the village. There are two tile factories
IN the village, one run by Philo Barber, the
other by the McShane Bros. Both are do
ing fine business; the former employs
about dozen men and the latter about ten
The only hall the village can boast of Is
styled "Osgood's Opera House" by the boys.
F. NJ. Atwood will represent the interests
of the FREE TRADER in Lostant and vici-
nifty and is duly authorized TO take sub
scriptlons and receipt for the same and is
entrusted with the general business of the
paper In that section. He has been highly
as a capable and gentleman
ly young man and the FREE TRADER takes
great pleasure in introducing him TO It's
readers as its Lostant representative.
"Pluck" Whalen, the Jesse James OF
La Sale county, Is In the Morris jail,