Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-10-26
Mrs. H. L. SIS Chatty Letter.
tier Search for Health-En Route from Water
town, Wis, to San Antonio, Texas.
GALENA, Kan, Oct. 18, 1901.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN:

GALENA, Kan, Oct. 18, 1901.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN,:
[ left my native
heath the 28th of September, my destihl-
tlon being the Sunny South for Ii;
health. stopped at my sons in Milwa,
&ee few days. | left there one rain
morning for Chicago, where took Kat,
sleeper at 11:3O a. III. for Hannibal, Mo-,
Fort Scott, Parton and OsWegO, Kan.
where Frisco line found the master
nf the home in waiting at Columbus,
Kan. depot, Columbus is small town
from which the right Of way of the NJ. K
~ /. Ry is already purchased for branch
line extending to Galena, Kan, and
Joplin, Mo-, to connect lines when right
Of way has been secured by w. f. S. from
iialena to Joplin. Weare now at Galena
tor that purpose stopping at the Gent
ury" model hotel with lady prOprie-
uess. The hotel is exceedingly well
managed. [ have noticed one peculiar
katilre in Kansas hotel life and that is
the precision with which the office chairs
are arranged in line, and, when vacated,
il disarranged, are Immediately rein
stated back to the line to the fraction of
an inch. So much for order. Another
great and interesting feature is we are
now in the heart and centre Of the lead
and zine mines of Kansas and Missouri.
There are many fine specimens of ore
s,n exhibition at the hotel. This is what
W. +. S. terms a country bottom side
up," which is truly unearthed by the
number Of hills and mountains of
crushed almost as fine as Oat meal
and which would make a splendid top
finish to the newly graded streets Of Wa
tertown, could the city get it. 1t makes
splendid driving roads as used here, as
it packs with use, think from the looks
that there is enough crushed rocked
in sight of Galena and Joplin to con-
strucJ road to Alaska il one should
undertake the job. We drove about the
mining district enough to note from the
lonely piles Of dirt, rOtting derricks,
abandoned shafts and deep holes that we
came across and nearly drove into, that
here lie the buried hopes and fortunes
of many investors. But again hundreds
of fortunes have been successfully ac-
qulred here by patient and persistent
search for ore pockets. A British syndi-
cate has just acquired $1,000 acres of
mineral land near Joplin, the deal invOlv-
ing $350,OOO. The tract is said to be
rich In lead, zinc and coal. So much
for the valuable feature Of the situation
had the pleasing surprise during our
ride to see f0T the first time grove of
persimmon trees in full fruitage. The
fruit looks like luscious, ripe plums. |
wanted to gather pail full there were
SO many. ate one thought smaller
quantity would do; l ate another, and
decided, no pail full for me. l could say
"prisms" very easily. So much for looks.
But sight Of the woods, the beautiful
aUt nm tinted trees, and the scarlet |
epaId lie 1 . p
pefience III & IA .4e
i,,. Oh. a. WIS sc6Ic Li-.i j.
/ Ia LIle. tie c4aIm that natnIr Wien
pictured in such glowing cuIors and in
such balmy air is indeed a sweet health
restorer. We passed a field, | saw a
a massive head rise up out of the grasses
to look with great wondering eyes at the
one who dared to trespass there, said
jaws and giant body made me
fear l had disturbed the boine of Tarsus
or one of the big bulls of Bashan after
his centuries sleep or else it might be
the termination of his ghost-I presume
the latter.
There is an electric car easy 80 minute
run between here and Joplin, about s
miles, | find this country interesting
and the weather ne-TO be continued
May be.
II. LIS.