Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-10-30
MEXICO AND DRA
Some Facts of Interest Con-
corning Our Community
1nducement to In,-
migrants.
SECOND ARTICLE,

The present value of the real
and personal property of Audrain
county is about fifteen millions of
dollars. This includes seventy
eight miles of railroads constructed
at a cost of about two millions of
dollars. This county is out of
debt aud it taxes less then the con-
stitutional limit.
The schools of Audrain county
are of high order. This is especial
ly true of Hardin College and the
Fleet Military Academy at Mexico.
These, as we'll as the High School,
prepare scholars for the State Uni
versity. Many families have NOV
ed to Mexico on account of it's
superior educational advantages
and we hear constantly of others
desiring to do so. But the Public
Schools are the browning glory of
Audrain's institutions and consti-
tute with its newspapers the main
source from which the great body
of the children of its agricultural
lists derive their literary prepare
ton to prosecute the calling of
their fathers or enter SUCCESSFULLY
those of the professions. They
embrace all classes, furnish a
standard of knowledge for the
rising generation and turn out as
many boys and girls fitted for use
fulness as do institutions of higher
pretension. Indeed, it is not un-
common for country lads to out
strip collegiate and university
students in the race of life. The
county is divided into ninety-six
school districts with seven thous-
and one hundred and forty-eight
scholars between tie ages of six
aud twenty years;,one hundred and
forty teachers, and an annual
school fund of sixty-four thousand
two hundred and thirty-two dollars
and sixty-four cents, a sum some
what above It's educational neces-
sites.
From it's settlement the popula-
ton of Audraln county has been
noted for its morality, consequent
ly numerous representative fam
lilies and churches of all denomina-
tions exist within Its bonnds. The
Baptists have sixteen hundred
members and fourteen churches;
the Christians fifteen hundred COM
municants and eleven churches.
The Methodists number six hun
dred and fifty with six churches;
the Presbyterians five hundred with
six churches; the Episcopalians
fifty with one church, and the
| Lutherans one hundred with two
churches, making a total of four
thousand four hundred communi'
cants and forty churches, at which
| there is a Sabbath school attend
ance of five thousand four hundred
and seventy-nine children. In ad
| dition to these there is a large
Catholic congregation at whose
numbers We have no means OF ar
irving. Connected with these
churches are the usual associations
and societies of temperance, mis-
sions, charity and Christian en-
deavor. AS a body the churches
of Audrsin are aggressive, theil
hold on society is tenacious ant
their influence highly beneficial
Not unfrequently the spirit o
Christianity shines most bright.
among populations of moderat'
means; but it cannot be said tina
the Christians of Audrain count,
have lost any part of their zeal il
their advancing and more prosper
Gus financial and social condition
The various towns OF Audrall
county are we'll supplied witt
merchants and dealers of every de
scription, and there is no difficult,
in obtaining from them, at reason
.ble rates, both the n~ecessaries an
lxuries of life. They are deficient
5owever, in manufactures; an
,hough admirably situated for sue
enterprises, and willing to assls
ia their establishment, have not a
vet been successful in %attractin
hem.
4 sketch of Audraln count
would be incomplete without mel
t,pa of the annual fair of it's cour
~ : at. The modern expositio
has absorbed the exhibition {
mech ,nism, art and manufactures
AM; i # for ordinary fairs little b
yond i've stock and farm products
F., to which latter the agriculture
: association of Audrain county hs
mainly confined its premium
| These, however, have been
t more than ordinary liberality, an
have enabled parties to bring fir
. stock from a distance to compe'
j with local production. One effe
) of this has been the introductio
= and Erecting of the very highe
grade OF animals. Another Is tn
the exhibition has attained . rel