Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1896-08-21
Letter from South West rlis
souri,
souri,.

RI q man wants to be impressed
with the wOndrOus variety OF sur
face, soil, climate, people, ard
products of Missouri, he has but
to travel from the North East to
the South West, as the writer has
Just recently done.
More and more am | convinced
that this Cor mouweaIth is one of
the greatest i'll the sisterhoOd OF
states. a Chinese wall might be
built about it and it could live up
on its own resources as could no
other State in the union. 1t has
the agricultural wealth sufficient
to produce all necessary cereals.
Horticulturally it cannot be sur
passed. The northern belt pro-
duces abundant crops of apples;
while the central and southern
parts abound with peaches, pears,
apricots, ounces, plums and ap-
pies as we'll The mineral re-
sources are boundless; and coal,
lead and iron are here sufficient
to supply all the needs of the peo-
pie for ages to come 1t is good
sheep growing country, and there
is an extensive cotton belt in the
Southern part; so that we could
produce all the wooden and cotton
fabrics demanded. Linen and
silk can be easily produced. l do
not hope to find better country.
| am visiting in Polk, Cedar,
and Dade counties. Two coun-
tries could scarcely be more un-
like than are North east Missouri
and Southwest.
After leaving the train | had to
drive ten miles across the country.
And what a drive it was, Our
road lay through deep forests,
over rugged hills, across limpid
streams, and beside bubbling
fountains. Springs on every hand
send forth their clear, cool waters,
and it is a perpetual joy to gel
down upon hands and knees and
drink from the purling springs, as
did Gideon's army in the olden
time.
The roads are terror to the un-
initiated. They are Natures turn
pixies, composed of cobblestones
from the size of a walnut to a good
sized pumpkin We think Jim
Reeds macadam in Kirksville is
little rough; but it is "shining
pathway" when compared with
this that Nature has piled, To
ride over these roads will prevent
one from becoming liver-grown
and it will neutralize any predis-
position toward dyspepsia.
The weather here is extremely
hot and dry. The corn is suffer-
ing very much for rain, and the
plowing for wheat is abandoned
Tor TIE resent.
The bottom has been knocked
out of prices for farm products
here. Eggs are 3 cents per dozen
and butter is 5 cents per pound.
Wheat is 40 cents per bushel.
There is no sale for apples and
peaches.
| wish my friends up North
could see and eat these peaches.
1t is delicious to lie in the cool
shade of peach-tree, pluck the
luscious fruit from the over bur-
dened branches, and eat until they
no lorger taste good. This will be
my privilege as long as | remain
here. 1t is delightful place to
visit; but | would not crave home
among these rugged scenes.
The weather is hot; but politics
is hotter! To day the Populists
have their county convention at
Greenfield One week from to.
day the Democrats will put their
county ticket in nomination.
At Clinton I had pleasant in
tervlew with Mr. Faris, our Pro
hlbi tlon nominee for Governor,
who recently addressed the people
OF klrksvllle. He is man who
Is much honored at home as well
as abroad. He will make an ex-
tensive canvass in the State.
SIMPSON ELY.
aug. 10, 1876. Bona, Mo
ON TO CT DAJJI