Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-11-08
81. VESTS OLDHOME,
Tells Ohio People of the City Of
Ottumwa.
LEFT The EAST TWENTY YEARS AGO
Has Not Been Back Since That Time
and Finding Visit Impossible This
Fall, Writes His Friends a Public
Letter. ..S! --

Twenty years ago ST.. Vest, of this
city left Ohio and located in Ottumwa.
This fall he desired to visit among
his old Ohio friends, but found it an
impossibility. The next best, thing to
do was to tell the Ohio people of his
Iowa home and let them know what a
hustling little city he lived in, which
he did in the following letters:
Ottumwa, Iowa, Oct. 26, 1900.
Editor Herald.
McConnelsville, Ohio.
Dear Friend Rusk:-With your
permission Morgan county boy
would like the attention of his
friends in your city, and around Malta
Pleasant Valley, Morgansville, Locust
Grove, Weitzen school and other places
too numerous to mention. 1t has been
twenty years since the writer left
the Muskingum valley and located in
Ottumwa, Iowa. had desired very
much to visit my old home in the Buck
eye state this fall, but finding it will be
an utter impossibility, l thought I
would like to speak to my friends for
short time from the platform of the
Herald Office, which stands with both
feet so firmly on the republican plat
form. The republicans of this great
state agree with Senator Foraker in
the statement he made that the para
mount issue" is the reelection of Nc
Klnley to the presidency of the United
States, and if you have any doubts as
to how we feel about this matter, I
beg leave to ask you to keep your eye
on the Hawkeye state the day follow
ing the 9Th of November and see if
you don't say, well guess Sam Vest
was about right in his prediction that
Iowa would go republican by about
900 to 100000.
For the benefit of my numerous
Friends who have not been permitted
to visit the western country, l will
make brief mention of the city in
which l make my abode and at the
same time speak about how prosper
ity" has "staked off, claims with the
view of permanently locating here. OF
tumwa is situated on the Des Moines
river about seventy-fiye miles west of
Burlington on the main line of the
Burlington railroad. Has popula-
ton of about $4,000 and is much noted
as manufacturing center.
The largest institution that we have
is the John Morrell Co.. pork packers.
You doubtless, get some of their la
con branded Iowa Pride" This con-
Germ has a capacity of killing 5000
hogs per day, and their average kill
ing during the past year was $3.50
per month. Now listen. don't accuse
me of getting off on politics, for I
shall aim to stick closely to my text
Prosperity" but as was about TO say
this killing establishment is now en-
ploying 1000 hands while four years
ago they had 700 on their pay roll.
Wouldn't that kill you?" Well let
those hogs soak awhile and we will
step over to the Janney mill, one of
our largest industries started during
the hard times of McKinley's admins
tration. Mr.. Janney, president Of the
mill, will now tell you something
about their plant while 1 look up an
other new factory.
Ottumwa, Ia, Oct. 26,19OO.
S. L. Vest, Ottumwa, Iowa:
Dear Sir:-Replying to your inquiry
of October 26, asking five questions as
to what we are doing in our factory,
will say we started our factory in OF.
tumwa, Iowa, in June, 1899, with fifty
| five employees. We have been running
our factory steadily ever since, gradu.
| ally increasing our output, which ne.
cessitates an increase of labor, and to.
day we have on the payroll 1870 people.
We are running our factory until 9
O'Clock at night, and can't fill our or.
| ders. Our customers are paying well
and taking the benefit of the cash. dis.
counts in many cases. showing that
the farmers are in good condition and
that money is easy with them.
We manufacture corn planting, corn
husking and corn grinding machinery.
The outlook for the future is most en-.
couraging with us. and we think there
| is no question but that the people CT
this country will re-elect VIM. McKin-
ley as president for the next four
years, as the general conditions thru.
out the country were never as good as
they are today. Yours truly,
Janney Mfg Co.
Now then, let us see, Mr.. Jauney
says they are employing 100 hands,
which, with the 300 additional men at
the packing house makes 400 prosper
ity fellows so far-let Tannehill, of
bhO LCllloSla az, hVCp Cdiiy. we Will SiOSS
over to South Ottumwa-now Joe
don't lose the tally sheet, 400 remem-
ber-This is the Dain Manufacturing
Co. This mill started operations
about Christmas, 1899. little more
than three years after Col. Bryan pre-
dicted the following during the cam
paign of 1896: "If Mckinley and the
republican party are successful and
put in power for the next four years,
wages will be decreased, hard times
will come upon us and over the land
and shops and factories will close
Thus will ruin, want and misery be
with u.s.
The Dain plant above referred to
couldn't close without first opening, SO
they just opened without saying a
word to Bryan about it and have been
running every day since except Sun.
days and much of the time they work
nights. l was informed by phone this
evening that 200 men are busy as bees
in this mill making hay stackers,
sweep rakes, leaders. feed mills, etc.
Two hundred added to 400 makes 600.
Keep these figures Joe and never mind
about Doodle" Now we take the car
and run to the extreme west end OF