Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-05-19

the Babcock farm, now owned by
Webster Ravens being land mark
located on the town line between
Howard Center and Saratoga, driving
through an immense field of wheat of
uprising growth and yield. Tue
same farm is now dotted with fruit and
ornamental trees, substantial farm
buildings, fine cattle and horses, and
a fine herd Of shropshires peacefully
grazing upon its succulent grasses.
And SO to the right and left of us all
the way are beautiful farms, the high
ways laid upon section lines. Further
on to the north is situated the Rose
farm, the Duerdin farm, and the ever
green farm planted out with ever
greens by Alex Holly, now owned by
NJ. L. McNally and is conducted by
Andrew Swenson, an intelligent
Swede.
On the w. w. Cray farm two miles
away we found Carl Mohs,
a very intelligent German,
and his boys intent upon. propagating
the soil and making it bring forth its
most luxuriant harvest, as they well
know how to do.
Passing to the north we drove for
two miles or more without passing q
farmhouse until we came to that of J.
F. Shut near the village of Chester.
Mr.. Shut has been there but some
three years but in the meantime has
built up pleasant home identifying
it with shade and ornamental trees
and some hardy fruit trees which are
in fourishing condition.
Chester is growing finely and itsim-
provements in the way of business
houses now under way forthe present
year will cost from s to 10 thousand
dollars. Brown q Capper, and Mar
shall & Murray are excavating for
store buildings which they win build
together, walls of solid brick, the size
on the ground is 5OxsO feet. This fine
structure will be on the site of the
building recently burned. DIR. Free
mire has commenced a fine residence
just in the rear of his present one
which will be 2SX48 feet with cellar
under the entire edifice, which will be
two full stories above the foundation
wall. Elmer Babcock is building q
nice cottage on the south side where
several nice homes have been built
during the past year and half. The
machine business is we'll represented
by Mr.. Patrick Noonan and by Roper
& Bagan, both of the houses being
we'll supplied with all the popular
farm implements Of the day and are
finding ready sale among the we'll to
do farmers of Iowa and Minnesota.
We found Fred B. Lowry and hiswife
busy in the drug store which is as
neat and tidy DIS ladies parlor, and
they are contented and happy with
the bright prospect before them.
AT the home of w. E. Haskins we
found Mrs. H. E. Potter, sister Of
Mrs. Haskins and resident here In
the early days of Cresco. Her home
now is in California. At Mr.. Haskins
are many elegant paintings of hers
4 which rank high as works Of art. He1
paintings of fruits, trees and scenery
in California are simply magnificent
| representations of nature in its hap.
! piest mood.
Dennis Carey, an early settler Of the
county 80 years of age this month
we found hale and hearty enjoying
his beautiful garden grounds covered
with fine small fruits, budding with
Iluxuriant promise. On his farm and
on that Mr.. Noonan adjoining is Q
fine bed Of peat, and also on two Other
farms Of that neighborhood which we
saw and examined last Friday.
AT Mr.. Noonan's we looked over 8
i fac young orchard Of some 10 treet
aljust coming Into bearing and lest the
freeze that night discouraged him anf
others who are planting out orchards
we beg to remind them that these
are incidents which visit all localitie!
occasionally. But two years ago the
orange groves of louisiana, Florid,
= and Alabama, and the peach orchard
of Delaware and Maryland were in
jured and in some places entirely des
troyed from freezing
4 Geo. Mckee located on section Il
Chester township is building mode
barn 4oA40 placed upon fine granite
foundation, the builder Of which i
James Beales a master builder
of barns and otherstructures wber,
heavy timber enters into its construc
ton. Some six weeks since MIR. Nc
Kee had his hand caught between thu
belt and pulley of u machine for saw
ing wood, disjointing the wrist and s,
decorating the flesh that most an,
physician but Dir. Freemire woul'
have anputated the arlu, but who |
Isursly going to save the hand.