Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-04-02
Vol. XXXVIII.
AUDRAIN COUNTY.

Audrain County, which may well be
called the banner County OF Missouri,
is bounded on the north by Monroe
and Rails counties, on the east by
Pike and Montgomery, on the south
by Montgomery, Galloway and Boone
and on the west by Boone and Ran
dolph counties, having an area OF 500
square miles. Its name was derived
from Col. Chas. II. Audrain, who To-
Gated at st, Charles, he be "a mem
ber of the Legislature at thar O.
AS the fifty second county organiz-
ed in the State, which took place
Dec. II, 1886, the growth of Audrain
has been strong and wealthy. The
first County Court was held on Feb.
6, 1887, the first court house being
built of wood, but in 1888 the erection
of two story brick building was be-
gun, which was finished the following
year. In 1869 the present Court
House was built at a cost of nearly
$4,000.
AS stock breeders paradise, Au
drain is ''way up" and in producing
corn there are but SIX counties in the
State that exceed this.
From the last State Agricultural
Report we find that the county has
cereal production as follows:
Barley, Al acres; 942 bushels yield.
Buckwheat, IL acres; 122 bushels
yield.
Indian corn, 1Os, 1894 acres; 2,767 ,545
bushels yield.
Oats, 45,O56 acres; 1,253,246 bushels
yield.
Rye, 156 acres; 2,979 bushels yield.
Wheat, l0,635 acres; 132, 800 bushels
yield.
Flax, 656 acres; 5,629 bushels yield.
The amount of live stock is, viz:
-, 567 head of horses; 4,345 head of
mules; IA ,953 head neat cattle; %, ,96t
head of hogs, and 21 $40 of sheep, the
total valuation of the county being
1916, 800.
From the foregoing it will be seen
by the intelligent reader that this
county almost has productive capa-
city great enough to feed a fourth of
the States population.
The school houses and places of wor-
ship are to be met with on every side
all denominations of churches find
ing here their representations. For
the education of our sons and daugh-
ters, the Public Schools and such
higher educational institutions as the
Hardin College and the Missouri Mil
itary Academy offer unexcelled ad-
vantages.
BY means of the Wabash and Chi
cago and Alton railroads shippers
have splendid facilities for selling
their products to the large cities and
both passenger as well as freight SER
vice is all that can be desired.
With population of $4,000 souls,
theFe is work fi.ot,;l fos AZ if they SO desire
life under as pleasant auspices as ex-
ist anywhere, we would bid them
welcome to old Audrain.
Should any Of opr readers at :: dis
tance desire to make more minute in
-quires communication to any of the
gentlemen whose names will be found
in Mexico's 'Fwrite up" will willingly
answer any communications that may
be made.
MEXICO.
While it may be true that Missouri
has a goodly number of beautiful in
land cities, no one who has ever Wis
tied Mexico will deny that she is the
Queen City, or, as she is lovingly
called by all residents, the Prairie
City of Audrain County. Located
near the center of the county, and at
the junction of two railroads, the
regularity of its streets, lined with
shade trees, its beautiful sites, and
gentle undulations render a residence
within its limits the acme of felicity.
Few cities command such pleasant
suburban surroundings which are
dotted by charming residences and
diversified attractiveness.
The business portion of the city is
built around square, but as trade
has increased large blocks have been
erected on other streets as the city
has grown.
The original town of Mexico was
laid ont in April, 1886, and incorpor-
ated February of 1857, having at the
present writing a population of 1000
happy and cOntented citizens. Sup
piled with fifty-one electric arc street
lights and also great many private
incandescents) most of the churches,
hotels, stores and private dwellings
are thus illuminated, the wise policy
of the electric plant being one of
great Hberality in this respect, max
ing the cost slight as compared to
other cities.
For imparting education of high
standard the city has two schools, the
aggregate cost of both being in the
neighborhood of $50, 900, that are pre-
sided over by corps of able and
experienced teachers. In Hardin
College, founded by almost princely
gifts from ex-Gov. c. Fl. Hardin,
| Missouri has few schools of equal
worth for the higher education of
! young ladies', the enrolment of which
numbers nearly 200 pupils, who, come
| from many States to partake of its
unlimited advantages. In 1890 the
| Missouri Military Academy was found
ed for the purpose of educating young
men, not only in military tactics, but