Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1888-02-23

iIolA pIlfdtc l6tt6rS received Dy
persons in this place from others
who left here. some months since
and returned to Missouri that pub
locations had been made in papers
published in Kansas City, and
other places in that State to the eff
feet that there had been a terrible
wind storm in this country, by
which vast damage had been done,
some towns being almost entirely
destroyed, and that after the storm
the weather was very cold, mer-
curry being many degrees below
zero. If these things were true no
person should entertain the opin-
ions universally prevalent with re-
gard to the climate of this coun-
try. California needs no eulogy
from me to sustain its superior eli
mate, or its rich, abundant and
varied product. / am not a res
ident of it, have no direct personal
interest in it, but / dislike to see
land which has "the sunshine of
Italy and the balm of Eden" SO
grossly misrepresented. Some time
about the twelfth of December
last, there was a strong wind here;
it blew down some stables and one
or two sheds. In Ont&io, a vii
lage some six miles east of this,
more of the same kind of buildings
were blown down, and some o. a
more substantial character. In
Lordsburg, two and half miles
west of this, a three story frame,
in course of construction, ana i'll
tended for a hotel, was also blown
down; the studding was only 3x2
inches, had no braces, the sheet
ing was nailed to the rafters, but
no Notwithstanding had been nail
ed on. The wind from a canyon
through q mountain on the north
blew the sheeted rafters off and the
frame fell, but if it had been prop
erly braced, and the houses had
had good foundations, which none
of them had, l don't think any of
them would have been blown down.
With regard to the weather, old
settlers cay it was much colder
than for many. years, but the lowest
point reached by the mercury was %
degrees above zero. Fruit growers
think that ten Or twelve per cent.
of the oranges and a much greater
per cent. of the lemons and lines
have been injured, most of the
lines destroyed. / do not desire
to mislead anyone in regard to this
country, nor to say anything not
strictly and emphatically true. l
also see in the Galloway Gazette,
published in Fulton, No.. state
ment from a man, a stranger to me,
setting forth that "hundreds of
men are idle here while others are
working for their board, and that
everything persons have to buy
is up to war prices" One of the
most reliable men I have ever
known told me that this man work
ed for him most of the time he was
in this country, and that he paid
him $3.50 per day. That man
further says that every poor man
ought to have a stiff bank account;
that is certainly desirable, and to
some extent indispensable, partlcu-
larly when man finds at a time
when he most needs money that he
has spent it for things that did him
no good. I have never known any
place at which any one desiring to
work could more easily get it; and
at good wages, than at this place
or in this vicinity. Unfortunately
many come to this country think
ling everything necessary for their
comfort can be had without labor
forgetting that God has said sIn
the sweat of thy face shalt thou ea'
bread" With regard to prices.
l have to say that some things are
much higher here than with you
among which / mention eggs, but.
ter and fuel. Dry goods are about
the same price, some things in the
grocery line are perhaps little
/ higher. 7 think any man of com
mon sense, industry and energy
can make good living on 10 acre.
of land in this country, for himsel
and a family of ordinary size.
mean feed them, clothe them ant
educate them, and if there is OF
the globe a country in which a mar
can do more, I have never seen it
heard it spoken of or read of it
and / don't think any man car
find it. Last, but by no means
! least, this country is inhabited b,
people, moral, industrious, iutel
i. ligent and refined.
w. w. WILLIAMS.