Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-11-24
A Growing Town.
AARflNSBURG COMING TO TBp
FRONT IN A SURPRISING
MANNER.
fhe Coal Mines Proving a Bonanza
70 The fewn-A Good Bush
e Point - Many New
Houses Erected A
Prosperous and
Happy People.

Simultaneous with the opening of
the coal mines last spring at Mar
tlnsbnrg came a regular boom for
the town which, in fact, has been
steadily growing for some wears.
Now that the best coal in the coun-
try and plenty of it has been found
there and is being placed upon the
market the town has gone away
ahead or its former self. The coal
shaft is located half a mile east of
the business portion of Martinsburg
and at present thirty miners are at
work. A new switch to the Wabash
track has BEEN put in which greatly
facilitates getting the product to
market. Heretofore it has been
impossible to supply the demand for
this coal although from 600 to 1000
bushels were taken out per day. In
a few weeks a mining force of fifty
men will be put on and work will
continue day and night. The quail
ity of the coal is said to be equal if
not superior to the coal at Peters,
burg, LII. The lucky find was
made last spring on DR.. Taylor's
land and a stock company was at
once formed of miners from Wells
vile with Stewart Foster as presi-
dent. In a few weeks the company
will be able to fill all orders. 1t is
worth Z cents per bushel at the shaft.
This coal mine will prove a big
thing for Martinsburg.
The creamery is another industry
which is helping Martinsburg to
build up. This enterprise has been
in operation about three years and
finds a good market for its butter at
80 cents per pound by the tub. Mr..
Tweed is the butter-maker and he
tells the LEDGER the output is about
5000 pounds per month. A Sharp
les separator is used. The creamery
is a great help to the farmers of the
country adjacent who market their
milk there and receive the cash. F.
&. jacob is secretary ofthe company
and is an efficient officer.
There is a mandatory at Mar
~tinsburg that is worthy of especial
mention, the Importance of which
and the vast territory its trade covers
are scarcely known to even our own
Audrain county people. We speak
of the picture frame mandatory of
n. M. Friedman. Ten years ago
Mr.. Friedman located at Martins
burg and started with a limited cap
ital in a one-room frame shanty
which he bought for a trife. He is
an energetic and careful business
man and 500 his trade begun to in
crease, until now he does a business
of $25, 900 a year. Several statesmen
are on the road for the house and
about Is persons are employed in
the factory. Mr.. Friedman says be
ships his goods all over the United
States, to Canada and to British Co.
lumbia. In the spring his manu-
factory will be enlarged and new
machinery put in.
Oscar Kreiger is one Of the sue
cessful merchants of the town. Os-
car controls alarge trade and is bust
ness all over. He carries an So, 200
stock of dry goods, groceries, cloth
ing, boots, shoes, hats, caps, &c.
| One of his customers remarked to
the LEDGER that Oscar is as square
a dutchman as ever measured a yard
| of Calico" Kreiger is always in a
good humor and is the life Of the
town. He is ably assisted in his
store by Mrs. Kreiger, who is a lady
of rare business qualifications.
A little more than seven years ago
F. G. and F. J. jacob came to
Martinsburg from Quincy, ILL.,, and
established business under the firm
name of jacob Bros. They now
carry an immense stock of dry
goods, clothing, groceries, boots,
shoes, furniture and everything else
a customer could possibly want.
They sell goods at a close margin
and are pleasant gentlemen to deal
with. jacob Bros. are also inter-
ested in other Martinsburg enter
prises, chief among which is the
grain elevator. Their shipments of
corn and oats are large. They are
substantial, wide-wake business mel
and believe firmly in the future sue
cess of their town.
Andrew Pihale is the proprietor
of a large hardware and implement
house and keeps his brick building
full of goods from top to bottom.
Charley Payton some time ago
bought Geo. Romans drug store and
is doing a lucrative business. Mr..
Payton is an experienced druggist
and an affable gentleman.
Messrs. Pollard d Harris also
keep a first-class drug store and do
a thriving business. They carry
a large stock of goods.
The other business houses OF the
town r A. Zimmerman, sad
dlery and harness; Overbagh & Co.,
rrI- --Io~ -~aoorioc 3.