Mexico weekly ledger., 1907-09-19
il vas ground, which, vas

AttcI ~ was klVuuus WniCu HAh q
very slow and tedious process, II was
carried aloft In sacks,on shoulders, and
emptied by piecemeal, into q bolt
which was turned by hand, as w now
somAtimes turn a grindstone.
l see before me a man, Robert II.
Smith, for whom l have the greatest
regard and highest respect, who has
given the greatest part Of bis long
life, his talent and his many fortunes
for the betterment and convenience
OF the people OF Boone county. he
was the first, within my recollection
TO place in, what was known as
Blacks Mill, on Hinkstone, one mile
south OF the now limits Of Columbia,
machinery with power to grind and
elevate the unbolted -four, and at the
same time, turn the bolt and reduce
IL to merchantable flour.
What changes have been wrought In
machinery and implements Of every
kind You may change the machinery
I'D immplements, but you can't
change the principal by width they
are operated; for a correct principal is
as immutable as the trnth itself.
Cattle, hogs, sheep and turkeys were
driven to market overland east to st.
Louis, a distance Of one hundred and
fifty miles. The heavy finished cattle
were placed on boats, at st. Louis, and
landed at New Orleans, where they
were shipped to London.
Horses and mules were driven over
land through Southern Missouri into
Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee and
Mississippi where they readily sold at
remunerative prices.
The highways leading to the marts
Of trade, In the autumn and winter
months Of the year, presented q busy,
stirring scene.
Taverns, at convenient distances,
were kept on the roadside for the n
tertainment Of the droyers and their
stock.
The drovers were q merry, jolly, hap
py-go-lucky set Of fellows, full Of fun,
and frolic, many Of whom were Of the
brightest and best young men Of the
country and who afterwards became
men OF wealth and influence. Many
were the Jokes and stories they told
about things and Of one another to
while away the hours at these tayerns
and at their homes after their return
from St. Louis.
One OF the most noted drovers and
cattle dealers In Boone county was
Jno. d. Ridgeway who undertook to
corner the cattle market in st. Louis.
He failed in his gigantic undertaking.
He left the county and never return
ed to live.
The browning effort Of the people OF
Boone county was In 1889, when 26S of
her citizens gave, for the location Of
the University at Columbia, the mum
ficent sum of Sill, 5000 {, four OF whom
were widow ladies. 1t is but Just
that l should mention their names
and the amounts they contributed;
Mrs. O. r. Wilson, s250.00; Mrs.
Lucey Wilcox $4,000 Mrs. Hannah
Hardin, $500 90; Mrs. Mary Beatty,
$4,000. Their sons were educated at
the University and became distin-
guished men In their various avoca-
tions.
Sinclair K irtly, John B, Gordon and
Jones s. Rollins, college-bred and
eloquent men, spoke in every part of the
County urging the people to contribute
besides making large contributions
themselves to obtain the location Of
the University at Columbia. 1t is
due that the names or these generous
donors should be emblazoned on a
tablet Of marble, and placed in the
anticipated state library building on
the campus Of the Missouri Uniyer-
sity.