Mower County transcript., 1900-01-31
P|TTSBURC'S SUBURBS.
A Visit by One of Our Mower County
Citizens to His Old Home
In Pennsylvania.

"IS4 elizabeth. e ian. -. 1919.
Perhaps some of your readers would
be interested in our visit East and
some Information about the great
manufactures OF ttsburg.
Mrs Jester and l left Elkton Dec
7th, transferred at Chicago TO the B.
& O. limited and at 7:3O a. m., Dec.
9Th, were at the Union depot at Pitts
durk. Penn, aud took street car to
No. q l4rh street, south side, to the
residence OF my brother-in-law, D. S.
Taylor.
The first thing was to look through
the city directory to see what names
might know after an absence Of 80
years. l found the name Of C. W.
Jester, President of the Penn. Tor
pedo Co. l called on him and found
him cousin who was young boy
when left and is now 50 years old
and has children married. We called
on the three Munhill Bros, extensive
dealers In coal oil and real estate, bo
have line OF steam boats on the
river. We visited the large machine
works OF nv brOther.in-law, where he
builds engines. We saw the great
Electri1ccraDe pick up large engines
and turn them around just as one
wished. The power that electricity
has is simply wonderful. We spent
one day out eight miles at Highland
Park at the Zoo gardens, where we
saw all kinds OF animals from the
elephant chained by the foot to the
floor, down to the badger, prairie dog
and fox, and all kinds of birds from
an ostrich to carrier dove. The
great reservoirs which supply the city
With water are loca ted here. the water
being pumped up 500 feet out OF the
Alleghany river by powerful steam
pumps.
Another trip we took was on the
elevated cars up to Mount Washington
which overlooks the cities Of Pitts
burg and Allegheny, where we could
view the large steam boats plying m
8 and down the rivers. One day We
went to the Carnagie town called Ohm
stead. One OF my acquaintances told
me he worked In the street roller de-
partment and the gang he was with
got 80 much per ton and he made s. 25
a day. We looked through the mill
and among other things saw an elec-
trio crane pick up 100 tons and move
it around.
After spending four weeks in Pitts
burg we started up the Monongahela
river 20 miles to see our old home
There is double track r. r. runs
through this town from Pittsburg to
Morgantown Va. Here we visited
with Mrs. TESTERS brother, John O.
Percival, who lives in large two
story brick house, the house in which
Mrs. Jester was born. There is a
large wharf convenient to it, where
the large steam boats land that make
daily trips up and down the river be-
tween Pittsburg ahd Morgantown
One of these packets last Friday put
off a lot OF hogs. The darkey deck
hands carried them of in deep hand
barrows, four men to a barrow, and
dumped them on the ground. When
they we're all landed the owners drove
them away.
We have also been visiting with a
relative who is a great oil and natural
gas man; his wife is niece OF Mrs.
Jester His great natu raj gas wells
supply the large manufactures in this
valley and all Of the large residences
in the city.
A few days ago l went out in the
country to the old farm where I was
born. Right across the middle Of the
farm is town site called Petersburg
The tim Der is all cut of and l could
hardly make myself believe it was the
same place. with its large churches
and big hotels and other improve.
ments. There is a large stage Of wa
ter ia the river here now and I do not
wonder at it for it has rained about
every third day since came. Out
side Of the town where the streets are
not paved there is no end to the mud .
We also visited some OF my rela-
tives Of the name Of Jester at Elk.
horn, eight miles up the river: They
we're full of questions regarding the
west. We will return to Pittsburg in
a few days to visit about three weeks
and then 90 to Ohio to visit a few
days with Dexter Parritt. When We
return to Minnesota We expect to
visit in Minneapolis until spring.
Twas talking with man that l
had not seen for over 10 years and he
said, you look like man we'll pre-
served, you must live in a healthy
climate.'' "Just so," said I, land
have lots ofoutdoor exercise Of which
take my share and I have raised a
family of II children all told and never
had death in my family -
Yours truly,
S, ii. JESTER.