davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
POOR FARMS FoR couNT1Es.

The question Of properly caring for
tho aged, infirm and INDECENT of COM
munity is one which has to be met by
the authorities. In the eastern states
this provision is supplied by either let
ting the keeping of such persons out by
contract to the lowest bidder OF by the
care of them at a county house, or poor
house, as it is commonly termed.
Through the west it has become COM
mon practice for the county to buy a
farm and keep such poor persons on
the farm in comfortable home, the
farm to be operated by steward and
to contribute SO far as may be to the
support of such paupers. In some coun-
ties this plan is very successful; in 9th
ers it is a grand fizzle. Where the
county supervisors try to operate such
farm as an experiment station and
make good fees by overseeing its oper-
alton it is always a fizzle, but where
some practical man is employed to run
the farm in common sense way, with
dairy and stock, it usually succeeds
and reduces the annual cost Of keeping
such paupers to the minimum. This
plan cannot be adopted with any hope
Of utilizing the labor Of such paupers
to any extent, for as general thing
they either cannot or will not work.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
WIFE SEEKS FOR
TRUANT HUSBAND
Mrs. ErIand Larson Asks the Assist.
ance of Everyone in Locating Her
Spouse-Her Sad Story.
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily.
1t was sad Christmas day which
Mrs. Anna Larson and her three-year-
old son spent in Ottumwa Deserted
by her husband in Creston four weeks
ago and left in destitute circumstances
Mrs. Larson and child came to Of
tumwa Monday from whence they
moved to Creston four months ago,
in the hopes that the missing husband
and father could be found, and induc-
ed to return to his loved ones.
Erland Larson is a tailor who has
worked for nine years in different OF
tumwa shops. Four years ago he was
married, and with their child, his
wife is now left destitute to fight
lifes battles alone, while they look in
vain for the husband and father who
provided for them.
Mrs. Larson's Story.
To Courier reporter this morning
Mrs. Larson told her sad story, and
asked that the notice of her husbands
desertion be published in all the pa
pers of Iowa and surrounding states
that she might find him. 1t was the
day after Thanksgiving, she said, that
he left their home in Creston, and
since that he has disappeared as
completely as tho the earth had swal-
lowed him up. They had no quarrel
and he left the house without a word
to her as to where he was going.
She waited for him to return, but he
did not come.
Informed the Police.
A week went by and then she told
her story to the Creston police, but
they could not find him. She remain
ed in Creston until she gave up in
despair of ever seeing him come back
to her, and came to Ottumwa, think
ing she might find him here. Mrs.
Larson says he left her once before,
while they were living in Centerville,
and was gone for a week before she
found him. She is staying for the
present at the home of her sister, Mrs
Chas. Swanson, on Iowa avenue. To
make the case even more pitiable, Mrs
Larson is in delicate condition and
not able to search further.
Larson's Description.
Erland Larson, the missing husband,
is 36 years of age, but looks younger;
about five feet two inches high, rather
stout, has blue eyes and sandy mus
tache. He is rather well dressed
When asked if her husband was a
drinking man, Mrs. Larson said THAI
he drinks beer but does not become in
toxicated.
Larson is well known among lne
Swedish people of Ottumwa. He has
been employed in several of the lead
ing tailor shops of Ottumwa where he
was considered an exceptionally good
workman.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
Bid on Fine Cattle Without a Cent
in His Pocket.
He ATTENDED THE FAT STOCK SHOW
Borrowed S. of Neighbor for Cur
rent Expenses and Rode to Windy
City on a Stock Train-Bid $1,000
on One Animal.

Melrose, Dec. ga story has just
leaked out here that shows that one
man at least, in this part of the coun-
try is not lacking in nerve. w. c..
Maxwell, farm hand, employed near
this place, determined to attend the
fat stock show in Chicago. Not hav-
ing the necessary railroad fare he
rode to the windy city on stock train.
Before leaving he borrowed S. of L.
ID. Lemley, and this is supposed to
constitute his entire capital. Arriv-
ing in Chicago he attended the show
and when the animals were offered for
sale one OF the heaviest bidders, pur-
chasing between $4,000 and $4,000
worth, agreeing to pay in some in
stances as high as $1,000 for a partic-
ularly well bred animal. The papers
wrote Maxwell up in great shape and
he soon gained notoriety as finan-
cier. He was banquetted and lioniz-
ed, but it is said that he left Chicago
without making payment on his pur-
chases. AS matter of course the
deals will be declared off, but it is
probable no harm will come to Max
well, as there is no law to touch his
case.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
SEPTEMBER RAsPpERR1Es.

A grower of small fruits told us a
few days ago that by cutting back in
the fall to height of eight inches all
but two or three of the canes of the
Miller red raspberry he is able to pro-
long the fruiting season of this berry
some two months, that these stubs Of
canes will throw out new growth the
next season and bear a good crop of
high priced berries after the main crop
has been gathered. He said that he
sold quantity of these berries this
year in September. He also said that
the flavor of berries SO produced was
greatly inferior to those produced in
their proper season.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
THE EVERGREEN WIND BREAK

1t is much easier to convince a man
of the merits Of the Scotch pine as one
of the best evergreens for wind break
round prairie farm homestead than it
is to get him to plant the tree in such a
manner as to get the greatest good out
of it. It Is the almost universal fault
that the evergreen for wind break
will be planted too thick or too close to
other deciduous. fast growing trees,
such as soft maple, cottonwood and the
like. To become OF value as a wind
break the base Of the evergreens must
be well developed, and in order to so
develop it it must have space of not
less than "a feet square in which to do
1t. Planted more thickly than this the
trees soon crowd each other and the
lower limbs break, thus defeating the
very object for which the trees were
planted. Two rows of Scotch pine set
"a feet apart, breaking joints in the
rows, will make better protection
against the wind when Is years old
than will six rows of the same trees
set IL feet apart.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

A record has recently been unearthed
in the far east which dates back to
period 5000 years before the Christian
era. or to time when Adam and Eve
were supposed to be working out the
first problems in agriculture and horti-
culture in the garden Of Eden. This
record treats fully of the doings of
great people-their agriculture, laws,
customs. etc. This discovery empha-
sizes the truth that there is nothing
new and that what we call new things
development and progress-may be
after all but the reincarnation Of the
old
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

SO train the girls that in the largest
and best sense they may become COM
petent and efficient as such homemak-
ers? Here are a few of the accom-
plishments which she should possess:
First, she should be taught knowl-
edge of her physical being-the wom-
anly life, how to preserve her health
and rightly use her physical powers.
This is imperative both for her own
of girls marry young in life and mere
babes in their ignorance of the respon-
sibilities of matrimony, only to learn
in the bitter school of after years what
their mothers should have taught them
before they ever left the old home.
This girl should have instruction in
household sanitation and hygiene and
be taught the value of plenty OF fresh
air and sunshine in her home. She
should study enough Of physiology and
simple remedies so that she may not
be left utterly helpless, as so many
women are when petty accidents and
the common ills of humanity come to
INC laLllS BIC SLOulu Dc lduSlI llOW
to cook well-not by guess, but should
know of the scientific value of the food
prepared for her family; she should be
able to tell when she sees it whether a
joint of meat is cut from the neck end
of fore shoulder or whether it is a
sirloin roast; she should he able to
make good bread and prepare all the
cereal foods in the best manner. We
would have her trained to cut and fit
her own dresses and those of her chill
dren. We assume that she will have
naturally refined tastes and as she has
the means will know how to beautify
and decorate her home with taste and
that, of course. she will develop the
moral side of her nature. 1t will be
noticed that we have said nothing
about music, art, literary work and the
conventionalities of society, for these
things are sure to receive attention, but
have only mentioned a few lines in
which the education of our girls, in
view of their destiny, is most lamenta-
bly, deficient. The other Is per cent of
our girls who become bachelor girls
and delightful old maids need differ.
ent sort Of training, one which should
be specially designed to enable them
to earn their own living in some one
of the many vocations now open to
women.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

in 1892 Calhoun County Normal school
at Rockwell City, Perry Normal
school at Perry and Tobin college at
Fort Dodge were added. In 1898
Denison Normal college at Denison
and Lutheran college at Jewell were
established.
In the year following Cresco Nor
NAL school at Cresco, Sac City insti-
tute at Sac City and Wilton college at
Wilton were founded. In 1895 Ha-
warden Normal school at Hawardan
and Humboldt college at Humboldt
came in. This year one new school
has been added. the first in the new
decade, Western Union college at LIE
Mars.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
.IoWAN sWINDLED.
Lost the Savings of Five Years in Chi
caqo Yesterday.

ISSt LIE savings VI tive Tears IN Onl.
cage Yesterday.
Chicago, Dec. 26.-Five years. saw
ings of Darius Oxley, farm hand of
Ossian, Iowa, were taken from him yes
terday by three Chicago confidence
men. Oxley had $S4O in his possession
and was going to Stockton, o., to turn
it over to his aged parents. He stop
ped in Chicago to buy Christmas pres
ents. He was finally enabled to leave
Chicago thru the efforts of r.. l.. Cres-
cy, FOL Chamber of Commerce build
ing, the only friend Oxley had here,
who bought his ticket to Stockton.
Oxley, who is SO years old, came to
Chicago with car of cattle sent by a
shipper of his home town. While
walking along street, supposed to be
Wabash avenue or State street, he
was slapped on the shoulder by man,
who exclaimed: Hello, 'Ossian!'
How's things at home?" The stranger
represented that he was an old resi-
dent of Ossian, and telling Oxley that
he was in the manufacturing business
invited him upstairs to his office. Ok
ley went and the crook after inducing
him to flash his roll' calmly pocketed
1t and turned the IOWA man out OF
DOORS
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

While our domesticated scavengers,
such as the hen and the hog. are rated
as among the most edible and desirable
of our food products, it is somewhat
curious fact that among wild animals
and birds the flesh eating and scaven-
ger species are considered as wholly
unfit for food. The buzzard, the crow,
the hawk among birds and the cat fam
lily. coons. wolves, among carnivora are
never eaten.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
CREDITED WITH 3,779.
Ottumwa Has That Number Of
School Children Enrolled.
IT ALSO HAS. 1852 ENUMERATED
Over Thousand in This City Not
Attending SchooI-List of Other
Iowa Cities in the Same cIass-Fif.
ty-two Altogether.

a
The last issue of the Iowa Edica-
tional directory, issued by the state
superintendent, contains much of
general interest relative to the schools
and colleges of the state. Fifty-two
cities of Iowa have 1000 or more
children of school age enumerated
while but twenty-four of these have
1000 or more children actually en-
rolled in the schools. Ottumwa being
in this class with 1892 enumerated
and 3,779 enrolled, making over
1900 of school age not attending
school.
The List.
Following is a list of the fifty-two
Iowa cities, arranged alphabetically,
together with the number of children
actually enrolled at the time of TAX
ing the school census:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
FARM SEPARATIONS A SUCCESS.

A friend of ours who keeps dairy of
20 cows was induced to try farm sep
arator three years ago. He tells us
now that such separator is the great
est help in running his dairy of any,
thing he had ever tried and that on no
account would he try to operate dairy
without one. He gets an increase in
his butter yield over old methods Of
nearly 20 per cent, he raises just as fine
calves as though they sucked the COW,
he has saved world of can washing.
and his butter is worth cent pound
above market quotations. A big dog
runs the tread power which operates
the separator. More men should look
this plan up.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

The love of flowers among women is
far more general than is their knowl-
edge how to care for them. A young
lady would do much to make all of life
beautiful and enjoyable did she but
study enough of Horticulture to enable
her to successfully grow flowers, not
simply the old sorts, but those others
which every one SO much admires and
which SO few can produce. AS be-
tween a young lady who can play a
Strauss waltz and one who can raise
choice roses give us the rose girl every
time.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
YOUNG GIRLS DEATH
WAS NOT SUICIDE.
Alleged Suicide of Young Girl at NAL
vern Turns Out to Have Been
AccidentaI-Done With Rope.

Hastings, Dec. 26.-The coroner's
jury in the case of the death of Little
Inez Gibson, who was supposed to
have committed suicide by hanging at
Malvern Friday, was re-empaneled
yesterday, there having been undeni-
able evidence found that the hanging
was purely accidental. 1t was shown
that the child had been insthe habit
of climbing about the closet where
she was found and that she had been
strangled by her jumping rope that
she had been playing with twenty min
utes before she had been found dead.
There is no blame attached to anyone.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
PROTECTION FOR TENDER PLANTS

AS covering for tender plants, such
as roses, grapevines and the like, for
the winter it is found that nothing is so
good as to lay the bush or vine down
and place over it V shaped trough
made by mailing two boards together
and then cover heavily with mulch or
earth. So successful is this method
that grape growers in southern Iowa
are planting the very tender California
wine grapes and successfully carrying
them through severe winter. This
plan can also be applied to many Of the
choice varieties Of tea roses. This is
one of the most practical and valuable
recent discoveries along horticultural
lines.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

Now, this was a poor fool Of farm
er. He came to town with load Of fine
hogs and felt SO good over the nice
price which they sold for that he filed
up on 25 cents worth of poor whisky
and fell off his wagon as he was going
home and broke his neck. This was
bad for him, bad for his family, bad
for the parson who had to preach his
funeral sermon and bad for the local
editor who had to write up his obitu-
airy. Three fingers of whisky or four
beers toe often make bad work on the
farm.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
ACCUSED OF DESTROYING MAIL.

Three Missouri Postal Clerks Suspend.
ed on Serious Charge.
st. Joseph, Mo-, Dec. 26.-Postoffice
inspectors have been diligently, but
secretly, at work for two weeks prob
ing Irregularities here, and three of
the Oldest clerks in the service have
been suspended on charge of de-
stroying mail matter. Patrons of the
Offices have been complaining to the
postmaster general that they could
not regularly get publications that
were being sent them and asked for
an investigation. The crime is pun
ishable by imprisonment.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

Seventy-five per cent of our farmers
should never get into debt under any
circumstances. The other 25 per cent
are SO built that they can successfully
fight mortgage on the farm. For the
10 per cent the motto should be, "Once
out Of debt stay out"
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

There is long list Of almost worth.
less varieties Of apples being propagat-
ed only to bother and annoy the man
who attempts to grow them. 1t is not
claimed for them that they are in any
way better than other tried and known
varieties. In the never ceasing strife
for new things the fruit lists are being
loaded up with trash.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

One Of these statistical chaps has fig
ured out that the 13,0O0,000,0oO eggs
which are laid by the hens of this
country each year if placed end on end
would make column 416,64S miles in
height.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
BURNED FoRTY-Two YEARS.
Coal Mine confIagration About to Be
Subdued After Lonu Fioht.

Yamaqua. Penn, Dec. 26.' = The
immense drilling machines which
have been constantly digging holes in
the earth behind the fire in the cele.
brated burning mine at Summit Hill,
for many years, have at last complet-
ed their work. A solid wall of culm
is now between the fire and the bed
of fine anthracite coal. The prospect
is good that the bed will be saved and
that the conf1agration which has been
under way under the earth for forty.
years, will be extinguished. Thirty.
five acres of coal have been consumed
during that time.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
NO WASHING IN HIS.

Minnesota Man Suicides Rather Than
Help With the Washing. +
Lacrosse, Dec. 26.-News has been
received here of the suicide of A. A..
Meader, we'll known resident of Ma
bel, Minnesota. All circumstances
point to the fact that he took his own
life because his wife made him nelp
her with the family washing. While
engaged in that work he suddenly quit,
went to the barn and did not return.
His wife followed after a time and
found her husband lying on the floor
in a pool of blood with his throat cut
from ear to ear.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
CLEVELAND DID NOT
VOTE FOR M'KINLEY
Explicitly Denies That He Did-south.
ern Papers Quarrel Over the Cues.
ton and Appeal to Cleveland.

Atlanta, Ca, Dec. ga controver-
sy having arisen between two Atlanta
over the charge made by
one of them that Former President
Cleveland had voted for Mckinley at
the last election, theAtlanta Journal to-
day received a reply to a telegram in
the form of an autograph letter from
Cleveland in which he says he did not
vote for Mckinley.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

The want Of desirable winter apple
for the west and northwestern terri
tory is likely to be soon supplied. There
are more than 40 long keeping seed
lings now fruiting and being tested as
to their hardness. Out of these yarie-
ties, we believe, will come the apple
needed
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
TWO BIG FIRES.
Michigan Town Suffers as Does Ex-
press company-Loss in Large.

Houghton, Mich, Dec. 26.-Fire
broke out in the Western Express Of
flee in the. Young block early this
morning. The building, which con-
tanned stores and flats was Quilted.
Several persons were nearly asphix-.
lated and escaped with difficulty thru
the windows. The loss is $4,000 on
the building. The express company
had unusually heavy consignments, on
which the loss is total.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
SMALLPOX AT KEokuk.
Ft.Madison People Say that Montross
Is Also Afflicted.

Ft Madison, Dec. 26.-It is report
ed here that seven cases of smallpox
exists at Montrose, twelve miles from
here, and that Keokuk has a case
quarantined in one of the hotels, to-
gether with eighteen probably infect
ed persons.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
Not in the Race.

Mason City, Dec. 26.-Hon. Willard
Eaton, of Usage, while in this city,
said that he was not candidate for
the governorship, notwithstanding the
efforts of numerous friends to bring
him out as possibility. Mr.. Eaton is
member of the house of representa-
tives.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
New Trial for MoIineux

New York, Dec. 26.There is a
good prospect that new trial will be
granted to Roland B. Molineux, who
was convicted of the murder of Kath-
crime j. Adams, by sending her poison
ed candy thru the mails.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
JESSIE is AT LIBERTY.
Slayer of Mrs. olin G. Castle Is Now
at Liberty.

Eldorado, Dec. 26.-Jessie Morri.
son, indicted on the charge of murder
ing Mrs. Olin G. Castle, by cutting her
throat with razor, and whose sub
sequent trial aroused much interest
all over the country, has been releas-
ed on bail. She has not yet made
known her future plans, but it is
thought that she will spend some time
in the east.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

What the south needs more than any
other thing is such development of it's
agricultural resources as would make
plenty Of work for the negroes at 81 a
day and such a regeneration of the col
ored man as will make him willing to
work and earn the dollar.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

4 We notice that mans wife never
seems to have much real sympathy for
him when the old cow has kicked him
and the milk pail over the barn. Most
women cannot keep back quiet wom-
anly smile. This always makes a fell
low wish for two or three languages in
which to express his feelings.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

If you see that pocket gopher is get
ting in his work in your evergreen
grove, it will be worth more than dol
lar to get rid Of him, for he will make
bad work with the roots of the trees.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
FATAL CHRISTMAS.
Young Man at oto, (Iowa), Accident
ally Killed While Hunting.

Sioux City, Dec. 26.-Christmas day
was fatal for Guy G. Moore, Of Otto,
who accidentally shot and instantly
killed himself while out hunting yes
terday. His body was found near
barb-wire fence, and the presumption
is that his rifle was discharged while
he was trying to crawl thru the fence.
The bullet went thru his left temple.
He was assistant station agent for the
Illinois Central railway, Is years of
age, and unmarried. His parents live
at Winthrop, and sister lives at
Washta.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27

The COW is the only resource Of men
who have to pay S. an acre rent for the
use of farm land unless it be used for
special garden crops.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-27
po1NrERs ron GIRLS.

About IS per cent of the girls on the
farm are predestined to become home
makers and homekeepers before they
reach the age Of %. This is the way
of the world, and were it not SO there
would be far more kicking than there
is now. Now, as the girl is foreordain-
ed to this fate, II you like to call It
such. Is It not just simply gaQd. Ranse to