Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-04-06
COLUMBIA FURNACE NEWS.
April LIST. 1894.


DEAR HERALD AS this is the Sabbath,
| trust you will not consider this letter an
"April FOOL" although your readers may;
or possibly am the "fool" to attempt to
compete with your many correspondents
in Writing an ialeresting letter for your
ever welcome paper. BE that as it may
here goes,
"Of all sad words of tongue or pen
| The saddest are these ut might have
BEEN"
These WORDS occur to me as | look back
and thlpk what our little hamlet might
have BEEN" if the works at Liberty had
have continued there. Every thing was
hourishing, all hands at work. and every
body was happy, now look at it,-bnt the
contrast is too narrowing and l foIbear.
Most of our male population have gone to
the woods, preparing roads before bark
peelng commences, and in less than q
week all will have gone and this will be
literally a deserted village. No l am
wrong, not deserted for we have more
children here to the square mile, than
any other community, in the State, I am
sure.
or those VINO reside mere, Mr.. John
Larkins, Mr.. Green Larkins leave this
morning for the bark camp Oh Cedar
Creek. Mr.. Joe Heishman also goes in
few days as cook for some camp. Mr. A.
C. Fadely, Mr.. John Fadely and son also
Mr.. Robt. Wetzel and Mr.. VIM. Wetzel.
Our sole industry here is the old Columbia
mil which is kept running night and day,
aud l will venture to say the flour made at
this mill, by that genial and jolly fellow
Mr. Jacob Heishman, is as good if not
better than any flour made in the comfy,
roller flour not excepted This mill Las
supplied Lost River and Cedar Creek
with most OF its feed this winter.
am sorry to say our community has
not been free of sickness. The whooplng
cough has been raging IN our midst, and
several households have been afflicted
thereby there having been three deaths
amongst infant children, but it is dying
out now. simply for want of material.
Our neighbor Mr.. NJ. B. Tylor, has three
children all with this malady now and
also DR.. Hoffmen's little girl, Margaret
has 1t, but all are doing will am glad to
say at this time.
The chef topic OF conversation here
now is Congress and its dOings," or
rather Congress and what it does not do,
and both Democrats and Republicans are
condemning our Lawmakers and hand
ling them without gloves. The universal
cry is, "If they would only do something"
no matter what, and let the law of sup
ply and demand do the balance, they
would be satisfied, Our precinct IS large
ly Republican now, but unless something
is settled soon, we y i'll not be able to find
Democrats enough to fill the position of
Judges and clerks am curious to see
the result of the next election here under
the new law, and would respectfully sug
gest to the "powers that be" the wisdom
of starting "vOtiDg school" with dummy
ballots, for as we are to have no Jack
sons Arms, or "Lincoln's nose,' to 90 by,
am afraid might need little school
ing myself and am sure TINT a large
proportion of those who vote at this pre-
cinct will, particularly as we cannot see a
ballot before we are ready to prepare our
vote in the booth.
The recent cold snap has destroyed all
of our fruit, and some Of our wheat and
potatoes, as a good many had already
planted the latter, and unless these works
start up before another winter l an
afraid it will prove a serious thing to
most of our people. Howe ;er, God in bis
infinite wisdom and mercy will see to
these as he always has.
As write l haye just been informed of
the terrible and fatal accident to the little
boy, son of our well known coun lyman,
| MI. AllllOu Illifs anu Oil tDiuhHitg VIII
extend our heartfelt sympathy to him in
his affection. 1t seems the little fellow
was eating turnlp while standing by a
picking tub, and in his play accldently
dropped the turnip into the tub which
lcontaine1 about six inches of water This
tub was on the ground and below the
platform of the cistern. The little fell
low leaned over to recover the coveted
turnip and loosing his balance fell head
foremost into the tub, and when discover
ed by his older brother who gave tie
alarm, and when his fatho; arrived on
the scene, it was too late, the little fellow
was dead. What terrible blow to loving
parents, truly our hearts should go ont to
them.
Your paper is eagerly looked for each
week and truly and impartlally "heral3s,
all the news. May 1t continue to prosper
IS the wish Of SUGGs.