The Oskaloosa herald., 1893-01-26
IN COLORADO.
j. G. BeechJeT's Impressions Of Col
OrGdO Climate and Things.
AKRON, COL, Jan. Is, Is

AKRON, COL, Jan. Is, 1893.
Editor HedrId Il was requested by
number of friends to let them know
how liked Colorado winter weather,
and how found it in mid-winter, and
1 request the privilege of replying to
them through the columns of the HER
AID.
left home the 4th inst. at A. NJ.
The temperature there at that time was
IA degrees above zero. 1 arrived here
the next morning at $3.50, and the tenn
perature was 36 above zero. The same
day the mercury rose to 20 above and
stood near that mark until P. NJ.
have been here nearly two weeks and
the lowest 1 have seen the temperature
was the morning of the 18th, when the
Thermometer registered Is above zero.
During the time 1 have been here the
temperature for seven or eight hours
through the middle of each day would
average about 45 degrees above zero. I
notice ladies out shopping and going to
church without wraps, and have driv
en- miles out in the country without an
overcoat. The people here tell me this
is an average winter. There has been
about two inches of snow this winter,
and twice last month the thermometer
registered below zero. 1t is more like
October than January weather. I like
the country and climate very well.
Farmers have been plowing here for
the last week. Some of them are plow
ing sod ground, but it is quite dry and
hard pulling in sod. The soil is certain
ly rich and very productive and the land
as rule cheap, quarter sections being
bought at from three to eight hundred
dollars. AS to mud, they tell me there
is but little of it at any time of the year.
Theo. Merrill, an old OskalOosa resi-
dent, tells me that it don't average more
than six weeks of cold, disagreeable
weather. Merchants and farmers alike
seem contented and are doing well. l
see more eggs in one store here now
than you can find in all OskalOOsa. One
merchant told me he took in 300 dozen
one day recently, paying % cents per
dozen. Iowa hens are not so industrious
as that just now, are they? But come
to think of it 1 don't know but what
they are. They are hustling around to
keep warm.
AS to feeding, there is not much of it
down here at any time of the year. l
went out to the Oskaloosa companys
sheep ranch to see how things looked.
Well, the old sheepsre rolling fat and
haven't been fed a mouthful of hay this
winter. The lambs are fed both hay
and grain.
On arriving here the first acquaint-
ance 1 met was Mr.. Thos. Merrill, who
is one of Washington county's COM
missioners, the board being in session.
He is Is years old and says he feels
younger than he did 10 years ago when
living in Iowa. He says the atmosphere
is 80 pure here that a person has no
cause to be sick, with little care. l
then met c. II. and Bert E. Phelps look
ing hearty and feeling very well. c. II.
can talk sheep at the rate of mile a
minute; he feels very enthusiastic over
the prospect of the sheep business. Well
he may feel good, for the company has
grand prospect in the near future for
large returns for their labor. That is
the way it looks to greener at least.
The company has some sheep that will
weigh about 200 pounds.
AS yet 1 have not gone into any kind
of business, but think shall. 1 think
L have good opening here-wil know
soon. Now, my dear friend Swain, the
last time I had my little boy at your
office he told me you looked just like
an Indian. Now, if that don't make
you mad, and this scribbling don't bore
you too much, I will be very much
obliged if you will publish this.
am yours truly,
J. G. BEECHLER.