Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-06-13
A LITTLE EXPERIENCE

Nine years ago when we made our
| first trip to buy piece OF land we
went to northern Iowa and southern
Minnesota, but did not GO into South
Dakota. In fact we had firmly and
unanimously resolved before we left
home that under no circumstances
would we cross the Dakota line lest
we might be tempted to invest in the
great American desert. AS we came
home without making any purchase
we took a second trip the next spring,
when we decided to cross the line just
far enough to seethe Big Sioux Valley
where we could keep in sight OF Iowa
| and Minnesota. Imagine our surprise
| to find one of the most beautiful and
| fertile valleys in the west, And we
met number of people whom we had
| known before who had been there for
twenty years or more and had notonly
made good living but had accumu-
lated some valuable property. The
result was that after careful and re-
peated investigation we made an in
vestment which has become more sat
isfactory each year. We have been
| going up there once a year since that
| time, have driven over many counties
and we are always delighted with
the country and its prosperity. We
make this Introductory reference to
show that we have had an opportuni-
| ty to see and learn something about
that state both by investigation and
| investment.
| A JOLLY PARTY
On Monday evening OF last week we
| joined jolly party from. this county
for another trip to that state. In fact
there were two parties, the one con-
sisting of Il. l.. Finch, j. M. Graham,
| e. S. Van Gorder and Mr.. Hukill, on
their way to Grant county in the north
eastern part of the state; and the 9th
er consisting of Ii. G.. Leach, W. III.
| Cowles, Sam Fullerton, John Ruther-
ford and the Editorof The Republican,
on their way to Jerauld county, far
Their south and west toward the Mis-
souri, river. We staid at Manning all
night. Had to do so to get excursion
tickets the next morning. The writer
went to bed early and we suppose the
others did the same. We didn't see
them go to bed. We didn't see them
get up. We didn't see them at all ex-
cept little while after supper. But
we didn't worry about them. With
| County Attorney Graham and Deacon
Cowles to look after the "boys we
| felt sure of their safety and conduct.
| And they all came up smiling at the
station at five o'clock Tuesday morn
ing and signed their names to their
tickets with steady hands. A hurried
lunch and change of cars at Manila,
and the run of three hours took us to
Sioux City where the Finch party
changed for the north while the Leach
party went through Vermillion, Yank-
ton, Scotland, Trip and Mitchell to
| Woonsocket. AT Mitchell Isaac Stu
art, whose wife is sister Of John
| Rutherford, met him at the train and
insisted on his going with him to stay
over night for a short visit. Mr.. Stu
art has been up there four or five
years and has been prosperous. We
reached Washington Springs, sixteen
miles west of Woonsocket, at eight
O'Clock, after riding the whole day
through beautiful, well settled and
we'll cultivated country.
WESsINGTON SPRINGS
The town of Washington Springs is
nestled against the east side of the
Washington Hills, mile or two in
width and running north and south
through the county. This town is at
the end of the railroad, has athousand
people, is good place for business
and is steadily improving though it
has not had any saloons. But it does
have good churches, good public
schools and seminary under the au-
spices of the Free Methodist church.
A little stream of clear water from the
springs in the hillsruns down through
the town. Immediately upon our ar
rival the most important thing was a
place to stay, The hotels were full
and also many rooms rented outside,
but that resulted to on advantage in
that Senator Vessey, president of the
State Bank and apartner of Mr.. Leach
took Mr.. Cowles and this Editor to his
elegant new home where we were en-
/ tertained during our stay except that