Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-06-26
NEWS FROM NEAR BY.
Daily Doings Of Some Of Ottumwa'si
Close Neiehbors.
Personal, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL
Everything From Joyous sirths to the
Philosophical Observation of sages,
Are Cllronicled by the Courier's
Special Correspondents.
CHARLTON.

CHARLTON.
Charlton, June 22.-'I2Nperience is a
dear teacher" so say the merchants OF
Charlton and members of Company II,
after their experience of few days
aga with smooth tongued sharper,
who induced them to part With about
s$45 in money and two watches valued
at $50, giving in return nothing but a
worthless piece of pastchoard and lots
y OF nice promises. lie gave his name as
e. Wesley and came with what appear
ed to be good and sufficient references,
interested the members of Company III
and thru them the business men, in Il
home talent play he was to put on
here for the benefit of the company.
He worked the merchants by promis-
ing to throw their orders on sheet
BY the aid of magic lantern between
the acts of the play that will never be
put on. He charged them so cents
each, and the merchants on the
strength of Company H's connection,
gladly paid in advance. Monday, he
left, -ostensibly for Creston to work up
another play, taking the money and
watches With him and leaving an I'M
paid board bill besides. He was to
come back Tuesday night to make fl
nal arrangements and assign the parts
but as yet nothing has been heard
from him, and all the merchants have
is mplimentary ticket to his fake
show to be exchanged for reserved
seat ticket three days before the per-
formance. Other towns are warned
against him, and any information
3 would be gladly received by the bust
ness men or members of Company IL
that might lead to his arrest.
Thursday was one of the hottest
DAYS of the season, the thermometer
reaching as high as SO degrees above
zero. About D. m. the sky became
dark with clouds and heavy
downpour of rain accompanied by
strong winds that broke many shade
trees and beat down the oats, and vio-
lent thunder and vivid lightning pass
cd over the county. The rain was bad
" needed by the farmers and the
amount of good done to growing crops
is almost unreasonable.
Y The members of the board OF direct
ors of the Charlton free public libra
Nv are very grateful to the board of
directors of the Lucas county agricul-
tural society for a cash donation of $40
TO be used for library purposes. This
will enable the library to make many
needed changes and shows a pro-
gressive spirit in the fair association.
Charlton, June 23.-Louie Cook, OF
Des Moines, returned to his home
Thursday after a few days visit with
The family of H. S. Glenn, of this
place.
e Miss Lulu McMasters and Mrs. Alice
sBroderick left Thursday evening for
an extended pleasure trip in the east.
They WI go to Chicago, Baltimore,
Niagara Falls, Montreal and Que
bee, Canada, before their return.
During the thunder storm Thursday
evening, the house occupied by the ia
1mily of Isaac Bonnet, of Benton town
ship, was struck by lightning and dam
aged to the extent of about 5000. The
lightning came down the fue which
was near the center of the room, and
ran across the east side of the house
where it tore a hole about ten feet
square thru the building. Then cross
ing the room it went out the west side
leaving an opening nearly as large.
Il Tho four persons were in the room at
the time none of them were injured.
The marshall and street commission
er are busy at work, cutting the weeds
along the public highways and put
ting in new and repairing defective
sidewalks, work that has been badly
needed for some time and which will
greatly improve the appearance of our
g city when completed.
The people of Charlton were greatly
interested and some badly frightened
bv the appearance of terrible look
ing black cloud that passed over the
city about noon yesterday. 1t started
in the northwest and travelled very
swiftly across the sky in southeast
srn direction. 1t was funnel shaped
4 md seemed to be bubbling and boiling
DIN most terrific fashion. Many who
have witnessed tornadoes in other
parts and who saw this cloud declare
III was regular tornado cloud and are
( anxiously scanning the papers to see
where it struck.
N The work on the new school house
is progressing very rapidly. The old
building has been completely removed
and work on the excavation for the
new building has already begun. With
good weather it may be ready for use
before winter.