Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-12-27

ing on Buck creek. gangs of boys would b'
employed 10 sweep of the ice. and iii tn,
evening huge bon-iires and torches mad,
the scene As light a. day. The proprietor
of Norrow'S ice pond. near the foot Of Plum
street. used TO overflow their pond and tiIrl
II into all ice skating rink. Here most OF
the young people of the city would congre
gate. and considerable money was made by
the proceeds of the ten-cent admission fee
The charge at the gate kept the roughS out,
and insured a good class of patrons. Las,
| winter there was only few days of good
skating. notwithstanding the intense cold.
| This was due to the roughneSs of the ice
and the great amount of SHOW which fell
and spoiled the ice. This year there prom
| ise> to be even less than last year.
/ The price of skates has dropped wonder
| fully i'll the past few years. Ten years ago
skater who had a pair of selffastening
club skates. in which the use of straps was
discarded, was all object of wonder and
| fear on every piece of ice where he chose
I 10 make an exhibition of himself To see
a man skimming along with skates held 10
his boots by half-inch clamps seemed the
acme of miracles. Such skates then sold
for from s. to SIS per pair; now pair of
the most improved steel club skates which
can be fastened in a second with a lever
can be purchased in any Springfield hard
ware store for dollar. The reason of this
extraordinary reduction in the price is due
q, ha .aNnirafinn of fh. NAT RAlilv-
skating has in many places usurPed ice
skating. since it can be enjoyed at any
time. no matter what the weather. Then
add to this the eXhilirating music. the
absence of damp feet and the presence OF
doZeI.s of bright-eyed charmers, and you
have the causes OF the popularity of roller
over icc-skAting in a nutshell.
Springfield has national reputation for
the enterprise Of her citizens. Wherever
there is money 10 be made or enterprises
which promise TO pay handsomely, there
you ind the Springfield man. The hold
which Texas colonization has taken on the
minds of the people in this city. i> not, there
fore. 10 be wondered at, notwithstanding the
fact that the big cooperative colony scheme
which proposed 10 90 to Texas 10 found
city fell through, a dozen new projects
seem 10 have risen from the ruins Of the old.
The knowledge of Texas land gained by the
committee of Springfield colOnsts, who went
10 the state and explored much of the land.
is constantly working. and is directing the
applying Of Springfield capital to invest
ments in Texas.
Another project has been planned in this
city for cooperative scheme of invest
ment. by parties who have been 10 Texas,
and who believe there is fortune in buying
up tracts of land and laying of a town One
of the Urlginators of the scheme said Il
have been over the ground and know the
value of the land. We are forming a com-
pany in this city for the purchase
of three sections of land. We pro-
pose to make new cOunty-to be named
either Ohio county or Springfield county
out of this land and then lay out a town
for the county seat on the most favorable
site. believe We can easily sell S35. 900
or $4,000 worth Of lots and make enough
10 pay for all the land from sales of lots in
the town. This scheme has been success
fully worked in many parts of Texas, and
many hourishing towns have been started
in that way. We are organizing the com
pany as a joint stock concern with stock at
500 per share. A large number Of persons
have expressed an interest in the scheme
and are investing in it. We hold regular
meetings at which the project is discussed" ="
The above gives an idea of the numerous
schemes which are being worked up for in
veStments in Texas land. Though no great
colonies of settlers have gone from this city
Vet the number of individual families which
have removed To Texas is quite large. Some
of those who have gone like il: some be
, wall the day they ever left Springfield.
Some go wild over the big sweet potatoes
and cotton they raise: others have nothing
I to write except sad cOmplainings about the
miserable country they have struck and
| the rough and ready manners of the COW
boys. and society in general The fact is
/ that Texas land is the best or worst in the
world according 10 the part of the state
and what YOU intend TO use the land for.
Will Lee. of this city. who has travelled all
over Texas, and who had excellent oppor-
tunities of studying the nature of the state.
I tells good story illustrating the SenseleSS
aud needless way in which people rush into
Texas land investments. He says The
other day well-known Springfield man
was telling about the magnificent land he
owns in Texas. how well it was watered.
how valuable il is. etc. He reinforces hi
statements about how well the land is wat
cred by huge map. which he draws from
his pocket and triumphantly waves in the
face Of the prospective purchaser. Accord,
ing to the map. his land has enough rivers
on it to start a river factory. They wrig,
vinegar under a microscope. As he was
giving glowing accounts of his land the
other day. asked him if he had ever seer
it. Why. no. said he, but it must be
good land. for look at all these
rivers running through it,. 'Yom
reasoning is good, said l. If
those rivers Were real actual WEI
rivers. Now let me tell you: have travele,
all through Texas. and to my certain
knowledge those rivers are As dry as bone
You could walk from source to mouth o
them without suffering any further incon
venience than getting your boots full of no
sand The man was amazed. and thinl
that this little experience will give him
good lesson on the folly of buyinr land ol