Mexico weekly ledger., 1903-12-31
SOUTH AUDRAiN AS VIEWED
FROM A RURAL FREE
DELIVERY ROUTE.
A FINE AGRICULTURAL COUNTRY.
Interesting Scenes of Activity and
Progressiveness Prosperity
Denoted by Many Sub.
stantial Improve
ments.
by RUFUS

BY RUFUS JACKSON.
Leaving Mexico via Clark venue
bounded on either side by the sub.
stantiai homes of many of Mexico,s
foremost citizens, Rural Free De.
livery Carrier H. D. Hunter wends his
way each week day.
Passing the stately home Of Col,
Green Clay and the neat residence Of
j. q. Sallee opposite, the next home
is that of John Judy, coy and inyit-
Ing. A rear view OF the residence Of
George Duncan to the west and we
see the pumping station and reservoir,
the scene of Mexico's water supply.
AS we proceed we pass "Lakeview,n
the fine appointed home of George A.
Morris, Sr., complete in detail, it is
surrounded by a fine acreage Of blue
grass. To the east is the kennel de.
partment OF the Ortiz Fruit Farm.
Here are quartered the prize-winning
dogs that are so famous Next on the
route is the home and farm OF Sam
Rice, one of Audrain's prominent
stockmen. To the east we have a dis.
tant view Of the nursery department
of the Ortiz Fruit Farm, which in re-
cent years has assumed a reputation
extending throughout every state IL
the Union. To the east and border
ing on the route Is the nursery of e. ].
Winters. Next is the fine stock farm
OF George Bingham, an extensive
breeder of Poland China hogs and
Hereford cattle. His fine home di-
rectly facing the north presents an
impressive appearance. To the east
resides Pat Reynolds. AS the road
turns west for a short distance and
again points south we pass the tract
OF land recently purchased by 2. r.
Botkin, where he expects to erect a
substantial home soon. Next is the
fine farm formerly known as the Geo.
Brown place and resided on at present
by L. ID. Petty. The next is the neat
and attractive home of e. T.. Miller
and passing the former home OF the
Luckies resided on by w. II. Adkins.
At the cross roads corner is the home
oil w. II. White, formerly of Iowa. To
the southeast is the Union school
house, one among the first public
schools organized in the county. On
the left Is the home OF j. N. Blough,
and as we proceed we pass the home of
Mrs, w. Gillaspie, which is known by
the older settlers as the Bomar place
and one OF the first farms settled on In
the county. Crossing Scattering Fork
we notice the tent home OF some NOV
ers. This nomadic life has but few
inducements for this season of the
year. VIM. Adkins is the next resi-
denter and to the west is the neat
home Of John J. Byrns, where a new
house sraees a fine farm.
Mike Shire is a tenant on the fine
farm owned by W. W. Fry, of this
city. To the east OF the route is the
home Of J. e. Green, one Of the Oldest
settlers In Audrain. To the east with
but little distance between them are
the homes OF w. G. and r. A. Byrns
who have resided on their present
well improved farms for over forty
years. With the many changes In
property of this section, here nestles a
community that hash chose to re-
main living in contentment surround
ed by friends from childhood days.
With needless ambition left to Others
that are Of a rowing nature these sub
stantial citizens preferred the con-
geniality OF their neighborhood and
resisted the allurements that Others
partook.
At the corner where the route
again turns west is the fine farm Of
John X. Brown, tenanted by William
Neal. Here the gigantic crop Of the
past season is illustrated by the
amount Of corn in pens Of every con-
ceivable nature. Mr.. Brown is an ex-
tensive stock feeder and now has over
200 cattle in his feeding pens.
The fine farm, the property Of Mrs.
Mary e. Rice, and tenanted by Kline
Bros, is to the west as we again turn
to the south To the west is Ortiz,
the station on the Chicago & Alton.
Crossing this popular railroad we
view the home of Ewell Walker to the
east. Crossing Beaver Dam Creek we
see the home OF Dan Hickman to the
west. Passing the blacksmith and re-
pair shop of S. SyrOck we see the for
mer site of the Eller school building
which was destroyed by fire several
years ago. The next point of interest
is the home of B. Hickman. Fewell
Bros, enterprislng and energetic, are
the next residents.
Turning east the route traverses the
dividing line of Audrain and Gala
way counties. After passing an unoc-
,upied house we see the home OF Chas.
Hoffman. Again crossing the "Only
we pass the home of Dick
Baker, a substantial colored man. To
south is the Wood Maddox farm,
,ne Of the best in Galloway county,
recently bought by John ?. Harrison,
md resided on by Wesley VIM, an
young stockman. Next
we pass the neat and substantial
nome OF r. r. Buckner, whose fame
"a a stockman is far-reaching. In his
lot at present are 200 mules
md several car loads of cattle. The
of Giles III. Crum is next on the
and the homes Of Frank Waters
and ]. W. Young are passed. Inc
substantial home OF Mrs Kate Hud-
is next on the route and to the
south of crossroads is the tine farm
and home of James overfelt. John T.
Wayne is the next substantial farmer
on the route and to the north Is the
homes OF John T. Watts and I. H.
Waters. Again crossing Beaver Dam
notice bordering the route TO the
south is a fine wOodlawn tract OF lata
commonly known as the Col. Jones
and unfeneed. This fine tract
If land has lately been purchased by
Iohn Kipcaid who intends extensive