Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-05-24

procured IOOSiDg at the Mill spring
Hotel and retired till late hour. At
ter eating breakfast We were informed
that the u. s. mail hack did not leave
for Grandin (better known as Whites
Pond), our destination, until l O'Clock
P. NJ, SO / concluded to "take in the
town" and set out at once TO do so.
The first thing that struck me forcibIy
were the signs of several defunct sa-
looms. which called to mind the fact
that Wayne county was one among the
first counties in the State to adopt the
Wood Local Option Law; SO it occurred
to me that, being a stranger in the
place, it would be good joke to find
out how closely they adhered to the
law, when to my surprise found that
not drop of Intoxicating liquor could
be had, except pure alcohol as prescrib-
ed by the law. But on my return l
was informed that 1 had been taken
for spy and perhaps this explains the
whyness of my failure to procure
drink. In a short time / met Mr..
Evans of the firm Evans & Russell and
visited their big store. They seem to
be doing an immense business, although
the lumber market is little dull at
present. They carry complete stock
of general merchandise, and are draw
ing a good country trade. The store
of Jones & Leeper was next visited
and was found to present a neat and
busiress-like appearance. Mr.. Jones,
one of the firm, was for number of
years with Evans & Russell and prov
ed to be very popular salesman, and
worthy young man, of whom his
former employees speak in the highest
terms, though 1 had not the pleasure
of personal acquaintance with him.
AT one o'clock the hack, driven by a
Mr.. HixOn, called for me and we start
ed on our long afternoon journey. A
few hundred yards west of town we
crossed Black River and after passing
over wide range of rough hills we
plunged into a dense forest and the
monotony of our journey dawned upon
me, broken only by an occasional log
wagon creeping slowly along the road
with its driver fast asleep. and at one
time in the depth of this extensive pine
forest deer went bounding down the
hillsidewhich brought your correspond
ent to his feet and quick movement of
the hack brought him just as suddenly
to his seat again. This latter move
ment awoke the driver who very cool
ly inquired what 1 had seen and, on
being told, remarked, "why, that's
nothing" "Well, said I, "if had had
my gun you would have lost a pas
senger." EYES," said he, land you
would have lost YOURSELF" and he doz-
ed off again. Among the hills we saw
an occasional valley, all small and far
between, yet cultivated and exceeding
ly productive. This is certainly one of
the finest yellow pine regions in the
country, and it is simply astonishing
to see what inroads the teeth of steel
have made land with increased shipping
facilities, which certain projected rail-
roads promise in the near future, these
huge forests will soon disappear. Thus
our journey continued over the hills
aud through the forest
Until, at last, across the ridge,
We heard the mills a-blowing,
And saw beyond the village camp
The hotel lights a-glowing.
We reached Grandin late in the ev-
ening and your correspondent left the
hack and repaired Immediately to the
hotel, where, after shaking the dust
from his clothes, he found ample &C
commodations for the night, ate a
hearty supper and retired early. In
the morning 1 was agreeably surprised
at finding that quite number of old
friends had preceded me to this famous
mlllcamp. Many new and agreeable
were formed. for the
people are unusually clever and soci-
able, many of them being from the
East, yet they have imbibed that spirit
of hospitality for which Missourians
have long been famous. Grandin is
in a deep valley between hills
which surround it like prison walls on
all Sides The Missouri Lumber and
Mining Company located here less than
eighteen months ago and what was, at
first, only small millcamp has grown
into a large and prosperous town. They
own several hundred thousand acres of
this fine pinery and built the town at
a vast expenditure of money. They
have here one of the largest and most
stores in Southeast Mis-
souri, and a ten or twelve thousand |
dollar stock of general merchandise. !
Besides they have in operation at this
time saw-mill with possible capac-
ity of sixty thousand feet per day, and
are building one of the largest and fin
est mills ever erected in this State,
which will be equipped with all the
latest improved machinery. This mill
they expect to have completed by the
asst of June, and its capacity will be
,ne hundred thousand feet of lumber
per day. These mills are situated on
sither side of the large pond into W hich
he logs are dumped to prevent their
'bluing" and to wash the grit from
The outside. The logs are brought from
he surrounding pinery by log trains