The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-23
RAM-CHUSA-CHUM RETURNS
A LEARNED PERSIAN ON INDIANA.
The Marvellous Natural Resources of the
Great Hooser State Move Him 10 Elo-
quence-Wherein Indiana Beats All
Creation-A Grand Commonwealth.

a of biologists who were inspecting the
Marble Hill quarries and the old Stone
Fort, and had just returned, tired and
weary, from jaunt to the hospitable
home OF the famous peach-growing Deans,
when mine host informed me that the
Cincinnati mail-boat had just brought him
new guest the like of whom he had
never seen before. ''IIe looks like the
picture OF the Caliph Harou Al-Raschid in
the Arabian Nights" he said. Just as
Eastern-fashioned and prince-like; only
he is dressed in the swell style of a rich
American. Do come and look at his funny
name on my register" 1 stepped to the
table which did duty for an Office at
Borschneck's, touched with the same curl
osity which Ewes daughters exhibit in
the examination OF the hotel registers at
Cape May or Saratoga, and there read
the strangers name and address, Ram
Chusa-Chum, Teheran, Persia.
Gracious, goodness" I said to myself,
'has the shah sent my old friend of the
Stone Fort back again to the United
States on another literary mission to
weary THE SENTINEL's readers, or does he
desire to have Persia annexed to the
federal union?" AS 1 turned from the
register the Persian envoy suddenly con-
fronted me- and exclaimed, as if reading
my thought: 1T is pleasant TO meet you
again. You are surprised to see me after
a years absence. | have not, however,
been in Persia, as you suppose. NV
master, the shah, commanded me to
t,ox ha Tinted 10
anime into the resources, condition and
advantage of each; to note the customs,
manners and habits of the people; to visit
the Herdh; to inspect the churches and
inquire into the various modes OF
worship ito see how justice is administered,
taxes apportioned and collected and how
the people live and what freedom they
enjoy. And so 1 have been everywhere,
from Alaska to Maine, from Minnesota to
Florida, and while l shall probably
remain in your country during the life OF
the present shah, | shall sojOurn at this
quiet and comfortable hostelry on the
banks of the Ohio until my report to bis
highness is completed"
"And what state of the union do you
like best?" | exclaimed. (Which of them
has the most reason to be proud OF her
children and her resources? For my
part, l think that our own crow is the
whitest of all of them, although L have
known some citizens of Indiana who were
ashamed of their birthplace"
Ashamed of their birthplace! Ashamed
of Indiana! How can that be?' said the
Persian. why. Indiana is praised and
eulogized everywhere In whatever town
or city of your great union l entered dur
ing my travels, to say / am from Indiana
insured me hearty welcome. Why, sir,
don't your people realize that your state
is leading all the others in population,
wealth, generally diffused intelligence,
and educational facilities"
Il haven't given the matter much
thought" said. you see, was raised
here in what our early poet, John Finley,
called a Hoosier's nest and If you'll al
low me, I'll quote his words to describe
the Indiana settler, as first knew him:
The emigrant is soon located
In HoOsier life initiated
Erects a cabin in the woods,
Wherein he slows his household goods
A. first, round logs and l, eiiaP6OaId roof,
With puncheOn floor, quite carpet proof,
And paper windows, oiled and neat
His ediice is then complete,
When four clay balls, in form of plummet,
AdoTn his wooden chimney's summit
spray tell me what you have found out
in your travels and researches about the
HOOsier state?"
THE solid facts about your state" said
the Persian, care these:
ITO illustrate your growth will give
the figures as to population from 1880. In
that year the population was 343,0S1; in
1910, 6S5, 866; in 1850, S,416; in 1860,
1850, 42S; in 1870, 1,6S0,637; in 1880, 49,
362, and in 1890 you may safely call it
ct the very least 900 600, judging from
the way in which capital and immigration
are pouring into your state.
"'Your people live in aperfect parallelo-
gram in the region of cereals and in that
vast area of fertility known as the valley
of the Ohio. Indiana is the first wheat
state in the union. The crop amounted
in 1880 to 57,2SS,9S9 bushels. She is one
of the first great corn states. That crop in
Indiana amounted in 1880 to III, l2l,9l5
bushels. Such figures are hard TO beat
AS far as excellence of soil is concerned no
state possesses superior resources. Its now
pretty well understood abroad that Indi-
ana is the best state TO settle in. OF course
as long as there were government lands
and cheap railroad lands farther west the
enticing and delusive railroad advertise
mentS would draw people thither. But
these are nearly exhausted, and Indiana
with her low-priced good lands, is now
the most attractive state for foreigners. In
1867 the celebrated pomologist, Downing,
prophesied that the great peach growing
district of the United States would one
day be the valley of the Ohio, and it is
fast becoming so. The largest peach
orchards in the union, except perhaps
one in Georgia, are TO be found in Clark
county, and the fruit finds a ready market
both East and West. There is no better
region for producing small fruits than
Southern Indiana. The cultivators OF
strawberries, raspberries and blackberries
in Floyd and adjacent counties are reap
ing handsome yearly profits. The build
ing stone of Lawrence, Harrison, Wash
ington and Dubois counties is unsur-
passed for beauty and durability. 1t is
used in the most elegant mansions and
finest public buildings, state and national.
Manufacturers say that no wool is more
highly priced by them than the medium
wool of Northern and Central Indiana.
The cement rock underlying Clark county
is worth more than the best gold mine in
Colorado. It's the finest and cheapest
cement in the market and Indiana con-
tains enough to supply the world.
''Her lands are diversified with pralries,
hill-sides, beautiful meadows and rich
dales. Therein lies the attractive feature
to the sensible farmer. Her fertile valleys
and deep-soiled bottom lands stand so
thick with corn that they laugh and sing.
1t will not be long ere the beautiful hills,
extending along the Ohio river from Mad
ison to New Albany and still further down,