The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-07-20
In The County.

In The County.
The salary of the postmaster at Peru has
been raised to 81, 600. The Office will soon
become bone Of contention at this rate.
The nine year old son Of John Balon Of
Munster, was recently seriously injured.
He was rsking hay when the horse became
frightened and ran away, bruisins him up
seriously and wounding one Of his legs Sc
verely on = tooth Of the rake. II was the
result Of employing child labor on the farm.
The third attempt Of the White Breast
Fuel Company to sink Q shaft at Ladd, failed
on Friday. They reached the depth Of loo
feet when the heavily timbsred side of the
shaft was crushed in by the pressure of the
water and sand and the shaft will be sband'
oned. Thus the lads Of Ladd are laddless.
There was general desire in MENDOZA
of having the city re-rated as to fire insur.
snce, the opinion being prevalent that owing
to the erection of water works, the rates
would be lowered considerably. An exsmin
ing committee was 10 that city Monday and
Tuesday, and the rates were in many in
stances raised instead Of lowered, condi
ton which has raised widespread kick
from all quarters.
One prominent Streator merchant has
sent in sixty deeds of miners homes to be
recorded in his name go that he will be safe
to extend them credit There is no record
of the operators emulsting their example.
A Mendoza mother was giving her son, a
boy Of seven years, some bible instructions.
She was telling him the story of Adams fall
Having narrated the tale Of the apple and
what mischief it did, the mother asked:
"Now don't you think Adam did very wrong
to eat the apple?' The little fellow thought
9 moment and then answered, "Mamma,
would il have been polite to refuse the
apple when the lady offered it to him.
A purse Of 5000 is being raised to settle
the question of who is the best Streator
heavy weight, and meeting will shortly
occur between the man who has claimed
the honors for several years and the Few star
who has appeared within the past year. II
they should kill one another where would
the purse land?
The Wenons Union Fair directors have re.
solved to offer 500 for lst, $50 for ID and
$40 for third premiums in base ball playing
next fall. Here is chance for Ed. Sapp.
A distressing accident occurred near Rut
land on the night of the 4th. A young man
by the name of Joe Smith had taken a young
lady to Flanagan and after the exercises
took her home. Returning, while crossing the
Illinois Central track he was struck by a
freight train and SO severely injured that he
died in few hours The horses were both
killed. The hour was late and he had prob.
ably fallen asleep in his buggy.
The last outrage upon the unsuspecting
farmer is worked by gang of swindlers
who ask permission to store quantity Of
pitchforks, and such permission being
granted, ask for a receipt, just to show their
employers where the forks are stored. The
receipt then comes back as an order for the
forks. Few farmers will be gulled by this
scheme.
From the estimates made from the returns
by crop correspondents to the Illinois State
Board Of Agriculture, the area seeded to
oats is 3,S50,O0O acres, or about the same
area as last season devoted to this crop.
The growing crop was more or less injured
by the drouth during April and the first two
weeks in May, period when the young
plants most need moisture to assist it In
stooling and give it growth sufficient to
make it convenient of harvest. The rains of
the past six weeks have improved the con-
dition Of the oats crop very little over the
condition reported May l. The prospect on
June 81 is encouraging for about SO per cent
of an average yield per acre for the past ten
years at 36 bushels. The estimated average
for the year 1889 is 33 bushels per acre,
making the aggregate yield of the State 1885,
100000 bushels, against Isl, 172, 1872 bushels
the aggregate yield of last year, which was
nearly 10000, 900 larger than any previous
yield in the history Of the State.
Capt. Hill has gwen it out that he will
give the Streator postoffioe to I. G. Cope, one
Of the oldest citizens of Coal City. This
leaves Brother Bean out in the cold and the
Free Press is happy. He did not stand in
with the committee.
Some of the business men in Streator are
trying to introduce hemp culture in the
farming regions around here. From all re-
ports it seems to be very profitable occu.
patton, as the costIof growing is only $l2
per acre, which leaves net profit of $40.
What does Streator wish to do with hemp?
Is there to be vigilance committee organ
lied.