Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-03-07

Wy W. 49, -s>A -'>''
shed a Few Days Ago.
Ell as of the Younger Gener
why, Mrs. Caldwell, is that the way
them cakes is made? I've frequent saw
them but didn't know how they got
the Juice stuffln' In 'em!" GA Bill
guess, whftewashed everything In and
about Ottumwa, excepting only pohtl'
cal speaking. Joseph Leighton was
among the early storekeepers. He had
three sons-Alvin, Jim and Joe, and
two daughters, the eldest, Mary, mar
ried one OF the Jordan boys. The boys,
AL and Jim very early pulled up stakes
and went across the plains to some of
the western territories, where they
engaged in trading and became quite
wealthy. ACROSS the plains!" Just
think of it-Kansas was then a part
Of 1.-The great American DESERT"
Kansas, twelve years afterward was
admitted as one of the states of the
union: has had trouble of her own
enough to discourage a coyote; but
look at her now. The year, 1910, she
shows up radiant and opulent with her
61,O17,339 bushels OF wheat, 1885,
1884 bushels of corn; 53,993,471 bushels
of oats and other cereals and farm
products to the total amount of $3O4,-
914,343.16; with her total value OF
live stock Of $234,S7S,692, or grand
total In dollars Of $3.50, 793,034.15; au-
tomobiles on farms as common as hay
rakes; no saloons, school house with
flag on it on every quarter section;
churches Vulnerable, trees, shrubbery
and the finest fruit ION earth-but-l
do wish we could get mess of the old
time Iowa Neshanock potatoes!
The gold excitement of California In
40! Dear me! can so plainly see the
Quitting OF several caravans there IN
Ottumwa-the most vivid being that of
the Jim Jordan company of which my
brother Bob. was one. They met with
disaster from Indians down about Al
buquerque, (now one Of the great
towns In New Mexico) then nothing
but sand and sage brush. and the boys
sought safety in Standardization
coming home barefoot, ragged and an
inch deep Of sunburn on, which was as
near as he came to gold color. John
Streat was also one of the pilgrims
believe he never showed up after
ward.
He was the leanest little man for
such q streak of fat wind that he
could blow, was that Philip Kelster,
blacksmith He never weighed more
than quart Of skim milk, apparently,
and yet he was giant in durability.
He would work hard atAthe forge all
day. and get out in the evening, along
with his partner Sam Rudolph, John
and Henry Simons-the three snare
drummers, and myself on the bass
drum, and such fling as Phil would,
could and did do! He never had his
euual--and I have heard thousands OF
fifers in and out Of the army. The
Ottumwa martial band was known all
over the state of Iowa, "for eff do say
1T as orten to-" there wasn't even a
rival to us in the .state-the Fairfield
band coming in as the second. We
played In many political campaigns,
and when the Seth regiment was made
up we enlisted as band. Previous to
that, however, we had played into
rend ezvous at Keokuk the first sec
ond seventh and fifteenth regiments,
and the first Iowa cavalry at Burling-
ton. We travelled all over the state,
eagerly called for and all our expenses
cheerfully paid. When in rendezvous
at Benton barracks. st. Louis, a con-
test between martial bands was held.
We carried OF first prize, bronze
medal for each one Of us. presented
by General Curtis. Old Phil would
throw up his head, quietly command
THE White Cockade," and with the
first tap of my bass drum q stream OF
thrilling music spurted from that. fife
that made the blood chill and hair
curl. The drummers had peculiar
accent in their sticks that made those
drums fairly talk, laugh, sob and
shrek. An order was issued from war
department disbanding bands of all
kinds that had been enlisted as such.
and creating the office Of chief
musician whose duty it was to select
from the enlisted men anu teach them
to drum and fife The glory OF our
regiment dimmed when Phil Keister
and John and Henry Simons left us to
20 home. Sam Rudolph and myself en-
listed as private soldiers and remained.
Sam was soon promoted by Col. KIT
redge to the position Of chief musician
added to that of regiment postmaster.
Poor Sam. he Is now living at Gridley,
Kansas, bereft OF family and nearly
blind. Don't you recall Sam, as the
first Ottumwa dude, with his flashy
vest, .jewelry, stove pipe hat, rattan
cane, patent leather boots, kid gloves
and hair soaked and shiny with some
new tangled hair dressing? Alas!
what change-now a dropping, fag-
ged out, shutting old man. CROPPING
and staggering through life--a ply
steal wreck. and never drop OF in
toxicating liquor ever passed into his
stomach. The hardships Of army, life
wrecked him.
John Simons and Henry CRUDE had
saloon and billiard hall. II such an
institution can be respectable then
theirs was. Henry CRUDE artefward
conducted a grocery, purely, in his own
building, corner Second and Court;
across the street was DR.. Orr's drug
store; back Of that, II am not mis-
taken, Billy Stellar had a nice clean
butcher shop. Can 1t be that John
Gebhart and .ne Holly brothers con-