Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-12-16
Sightseeing.


Barracks aud said, Il have juss finish
ed up my job at the Barracks, and In
the morning want to go down with
the wagon and get my tools, and /
want you to go with me and | will take
you to see all that is to be SEEN" As
we drove along Charley would call my
attention to any and everything that
was OF interest, as we drove past a
large building set up on a high ridge
surrounded with a lovely grove and all
sorts Of outbuildings, he said, That
is the Deaf and Dumb Asylum" As
he said so he stopped the horse and
said. do you see any squirrels?" AS
| looked I saw scattered all through
the grove quite number of squirrels
jumping and hopping around picking
up things to eat. And all around the
grove was large herd of the finest
cows that belonged to the institution.
So we sat for quite a while and watch
ed the cows and squirrels as they play
ed among the COWS.
AS we drove along we passed several
other dairy farms where large herds
of cows were kept. When we came to
the Odd Fellows cemetery we drove
all through the grounds, and very
handsome place it is. So sunny and
yet so shady, with its beautiful groves
of all sorts of trees, almost like for
est. Here we come to the government
preserves. l have forgotten how
many hundred acres of land are in this
tract. 1t is fenced in with wire, ex-
cept about a half mile of fence, and |
cont believe any of the readers of the
REGISTER can guess what that fence is
made of, in a dozen guesses. But |
will tell you. That fence is made of
gun-barrels from the guns that were
used in the war. The fence post at
each end was a big cannon set in the
ground, and all the fence posts be-
tween were iron, with iron rails, and
every four inches a gun barrel was set
on the butt of the barrel on the lower
rail; and every gun barrel had the
bayonet on. | have read where it
said the time would come when the
nations should beat their swords into
plow- shares and their spears into prun-
ing hooks, but | never saw where it
said the nations should make their
guns into fences and set their cannon
at the street-coruers.
As we rode along we saw, way down
in deep ravines, long buildings set low
down. When l asked what these
building were for, he said, powder
houses" If one should by any means
blow up it would not disturb or affect
the others and would not endanger
anybody's life or property. We saw
patrols walking along on their beats,
to keep all intruders off of the grounds.
No persons are allowed to trespass up
on the grounds except along the streets
and walks. Anybody has the right to
visit the grounds at all times if they
obey the rules. We saw some hand
some houses way out in the open fields,
with great gardens, vineyards and or
chards. When | asked, Who live in
those houses, and to whom do those
diers that have been in the army for
good many years and have been retir-
ed with pension; they are allowed to
use and cultivate the land and have all
they can make off of it, but must keep
the grounds in order. for their use.r
And some of these soldiers make a
good deal of money besides their liv-
ing. There is no nation in the world
that is more generous and kind to
their soldiers than the United States
of America.
When we reached the Barracks l
took my seat at the summer house on
top of the bluff overlooking the river
just a few rods from the liberty pole,
or, rather, fagstaff-we at my old
home country, when was a boy, call
ed the flagstaff the liberty pole-as
looked up at Old Glory flying, at the
top of the pole-which is no pole at
all, but is made of a number of long
iron pipes bound together, then on top
another of less number, aud so on, un-
til the last is one pipe alone. And l
have seen aanumber of times of late
that iron is being used for ship masts
or yard-arms, instead of wood. | we'll
remember every year men from sea-
port towns would come out to our part
of the country hunting tall pines for
ship masts and yard-arms, and tough
oaks for ship timbers aud ship plauks;
but now iron is taking the place of all
kinds of timber in the construction of
ships. / saw quite large number of
new building were being put up, and
quite a number had been pulled down
to make room for larger numbers of
soldiers to parade. All of these new
buildings are put up by contract. and