Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1902-04-17
ILLINOISAN WRITES.
Lincoln's Old County His
tory, Past and Present.

] have been promising myself for
some time that | would write you,
that you might know | appreciate
that | once lived in void Missouri
and that. too, in the most enjoy
able part of ones life. when young
and progressive. Tho ] do not cX-
pect to make my home in that
state again | shall always cherish a
kindly feeling of brotherly love
for friends there and wish them
success and enjoyment.
This is not as good country to
live i'll as Missouri for a moral and
social man worth less than $40, 900,
altho suppose if one has never
lived in quiet, neighborly Missouri,
and knows no better life, it seems
all right here. 1t takes lots of
money here to live comfortably, but
| suppose it costs more to live in
Missouri than it did a few years
ago.
This is an interesting country.
People live about four times us fast
here, even the laboring class live
in luxury. They may not appre-
ciatc the fact but they do neverthe-
less. Everybody seems to be living
for the day with no thought of the
morrow.
This little town, about 700 in
habitants, is a wonder to look up
on in commerce and activity. We
had a poor crop here last year
poorest in history of the county |
am told-yet | have done more bus
mess than in any year since I've
been here. Everybody seems to
have plenty of money. Wonder
ful the way land values have in
creased in the face of crop failures.
When | came land was $7J to 500
an acre, now 500 up to $40, and
one farm of l22 ceres sold the 9TH
er day at II public sale of stock and
farm implements for Sis. 10 pei
acre. Town lots adjoining mine
/ find ready sale at 800 each; my
two lots are in the edge of town
Lots up i'll town sell from 5000 tC
$500.
Now, something about our pub
lie enterprlses-we have, first, 4
coal mine which works about 81
or 60 men; "A tile and pressed brick
factory; coaling and water sta
ton; a night telegraph office; two
good hotels-by the way. my broth
er runs the larger one; a telephon,
exchange; two systems of tele
phone, famous Bell system long
distance. We have Il fine oper;
house, general stores, hard
ware, harness, and clothing stores
four churches, one newspaper
CHATS me) fine elevator, etc. ,etc
More fat stock shipped from her,
than from any station from Rood
house to Bloomington. There wer,
II dwellings built last year, still
tenant houses are scarce and ren
high. Land rents from 81 to s,
an acre.
This is the county in which Lin
coin spent his younger days, ant
; about 6 miles from here, at Oh,
Salem, he kept postotlice and stOr
and run mill. | visited the plac
, on II fishing expedition last sum
| mer; it is on the banks of the elias
p sic Sangamon River. Half tn
mill dam still remains intact.
! saw the cellar oyer which the stor
stood; big trees growing i'll it nov
and it is a 50 fine to take bark O
r twig for relics. LincOln's bust i
; cut on a Syca more tree, standin
on the cellars edge, and looks a
c natural as any picture you eve
; saw Of the martyred President
a Tallula boy found a petrifie
turtle shell at Old Salem two year
i ago with the date of betrothal {
3 A, Lincoln and Annie Rutledge cr
on it in 1888. Miss Rutlcdge die
before the time set for marriage
it is said this weighed heavily o
Abe's mind all his life.
There are many interestin
things here IN connection with pa!
history. A young man here Ia
Indian blood (pawnee) in him, ca
Iied down from the time Of Il
Indian in this vicinity. lie is N
daughters brother-in-law, is be
satisfied when stalking the wooC
with gun, He hardly ever COM
III without game.
Wishing you happiness AT