Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-08-29

c~ounty-seat, and she could no
readily forgive her successful
competitor nor reconcile herself to th'
fortuitous conditions which had made
her contribute to that Iron
ton laid out her territory into towI
lots; Arcadia extended her plated
limits. Ironton went 10 work on bel
marked-out thoroughfares; Arcadia
quickened to the improvement of hers
A new store or q saloon or a hotel II
Ironton was sure to have its heel;
scalped by the close tread of a Compel
itor in Arcadia. The Furnace news
paper soon had a rival in the Arcadia
Prospect. This spirit of acute emula'
tion permeated all ranks, colors and
conditions. from the leading citizen to
the belligerent schoolboy-from white
master to colored servant-and when
public occasions or general gatherings
brought the denizens of the two Dor
oughs together, the pride Of locality
was pretty sure to get in it's perfect
work.
In the early spring of 1861, when
peace and war hung trembling in the
balance-when men had not yet quite
reached the point of madness necessary
to the cutting of each others throats-
a public demonstration was determined
upon, to be participated in by all Val
legians. 1t was not intended to be a
serious affair, or fraught with a moral,
but as a good-natured burlesque on the
men and things of the time. 1t was a
popular move, and when the appointed
day came round at least half the coun-
ty turned out. A procession was form
ed on the street fronting the Ironton
House, and, headed by a brass band
and beautifully uniformed in
flaming red and bright yellow, march
ed over to Arcadia. The characters
represented in the ranks were taken
from every phase in life, fancied and
real. Fiery dragons, a giant and his
consort, monkeys, an elephant, Nep-
tunes, fairies, devils, Indians, ETC.,
made up and diversified the motley
ranks. ''Old Abe" then about tt as
sumo the Office of President. was a
figure. He was represented
by big-hearted, honest old John Burke,
now, with his prototype, of the 'ssilent
He bore a fence-rail on his
shoulder, and his garb, and rough,
homely face-his tall, ungainly form
we'll bore out the impersonation. The
procession went it's way gaily, if not
orderly, to the Arcadia House, where
3 reception awaited it, with speeches
songs, ETC., and merriment seemed to
rule the hour. But the spirit of rivalry
would not long be stilled. Bill McLain,
one of the jovial proprietors of the
Saloon-they had saloons in
Arcadia at hal day-in an original
song, primarily intended to be n of
and welcome, kicked over
he traces with the following elegant
ines:
so, were you ever in Irontown?
That's the place that'll get you DOWN."
This brought put the plsudits of the
Arcadia contingent, and for a moment
smazement and indignation silenced
The opposing element. But ~Ironton,
90, had it's poet-singer in the person
If one Pitt Cloudas, and when McLain
lad concluded his effort, the former
7entured the following in concluding
In elaborate response to the welcom-
.ng address:
go, were you ever in Arcadeef
It's the hardest place you ever did see!"
It is said the giver ofa joke knows how
take a joke, but l a recall no rule
hat proves itself by more exceptions.
McLain's face Redeemed with a vexa-
ion enhanced by Cloudas' self-satisfied
the spirit of faction manifested
itself in scowls; scowls resolved them
selves into loud c~uss-words; the crowd
,wayed to and fro like a forest in a
nigh wind, and battle seemed lmmi-
,ent. Fortunately there was enough
If the salt of non-partisanship present
conservatism of those who owed
allegiance to neither villsge-to pre-
serve the peace. But it required no
little address and exertion, Al we'll as
.hree rounds Of refreshments at the
Saloon, to quiet the tumult and
order. Nothing more Of mo-
nent occurred, and the proceedings in
that town concluded in fairly good hui
NOR. The return march to Ironton, to
the strains of ''Bonny Eloise" and ''Ben
was made with military order
and decorum; only, the giant and gil
seemed a little unsteady on their
pins, the elephants fore aud hind
quarters somehow wouldn't move in
and it required constant care
and attention to keep the Indians in
inc; while an occasional war-whoop
escaped :hem In spite OF all p~recaution.
After the march was concluded and the
ranks we're broken, two or three scraps
enlivened matters, and the days ending
conduced to the high self-esteem Of
both towns.
Bill McLain and Jim Surridge we're
Joint (no pun i%ntended) proprietors' of
The saloon above mentioned, and q fine
pair they we're, and easy to draw to!
They were good singers and did not
spare their accomplishment, time and
occasion favoring. They sang only
''the old SONGS" Of course, but they
sang them we'll. Not yet had come to
the backwoods" the composer who,
under the name of Opus, squeezes the
out his melody in order to
let sound-twisting complications in.
No; only simple, plain, touching songs
by the way, the most distant, after
all, from the reach of the Indifferent
by reason of the heart that
must be put into their rendering-were
q vogue at that day. Sing themP I
guess William and James could do
hat, after a glass or two! The refrain
one of them comes to me family