Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-08-25

lows in full:
J II don't know how old a man has to
be nor how settled he must become to
be eligible to membership in the old
settlers club. have lived here for
thirty-two years and don't feel very old
nor very settled either. However,
am honored and pleased to be asked to
say few words to you today.
/ "A gathering like this Is pleasure
for everyone, but it must be especially
so to those who came here through
hardships and settled in a wilderness.
They were empire builders. With all
their earthly possessions packed in a
wagon they came here to establish
:homes and develop the vast resources
of our state. Some of these splendid
men and women picked on Wapello
county as their share Of the land of
promise. How many of them are still
living | do not know, but | would like
=, to.
i What wonderful changes we, of a
later generation have seen, but how
much greater must seem the change
/! to the early settlers in this county.
presume in recounting old times
today dating back half century the
comparisons will generally be in farm
life and farm conditions. For there
were no cities and villages then. OF
tumwa was hardly in existence, and
was not on the map.
| Fifty Years Ago.
! "A half century ago there were wide
stretches of unbroken prairie. There
were no markets, and few neighbors.
Drought and grasshoppers were a con-
slant menace. There were no roads,
but simply trails across the vast
prairies. Schools were of the crud-
est sort and church were few and far
between. If a physician were needed,
he must be brought from long dis
/ lance.
Il have often tried to picture to MY
self Just what it must have meant for
a family to settle in a new country
such as this was. I don't believe l
can have much idea Of it's hardships
and privations. But there were men
and women who were willing to under.
take the task and it must rejoice them
to look about and see the many bless
ings that have followed their unselfish
sacrifices.
"Wapello county has become one of
the garden spots of Iowa. The farm
/ life Of today is not the farm life we
used to know. There Is labor saving
machinery for everything. There is
the rural daily mail, the telephone,
good roads and automobiles, making
| the trip to town a pleasant outing.
School houses and churches are every
where, and scientific farming is rapid
| ly improving the cultivation of the
! soil. Farm values have increased
many times. Years ago l loaned $40
per acre on a piece of land in rich
part of our country. l was the first
banker to loan that amount per acre
and | was criticised for it. That land
today is worth 5000 per acre.
The Modern Farm.
Drive over our county and stop at
some of our progressive farmers
homes. Go through his house and you
will find every convenience and lux
ury known to man. Inspect his barn
and yards and you will find that &C.
ment has made them as clean and sani-
tary as is possible. Compare your lot
today with that of the pioneer and
then try to count your blessings.
when came to Ottumwa thirty-two
years ago South Ottumwa was Joke,
end practically all the business was
done in two blocks on Main street.
There was no paving, and must adj
NIT there is mighty little yet.
I'VE have changed one mule car
line into splendidly equipped electric
street railway system, with electric
light and city steam plants. We
have a magnificent federal building, IL
brary, court house, Jail and any NUM-.
Der of magnificent factories, business
buildings and residences. All these
have been added since came to Of
tumwa.
How much greater the changes
must seem to those who came here
half century ago. Fifty-five years
ago this month the first railroad reach
ed Ottumwa, bringing with it many set
tiers seeking homes and making these
great changes possible.
The Old Soldiers.
But this Is also old soldiers day.
ut seems to me that no one is altogeth.
er fitted to address the old soldiers ex.
cept comrade who has the gift Of
speech There Is no other body of
men that commands the respect and
affection of the nation as does the
Grand Army boys. They left their
homes to battle for the life of our ma
tlOn ana TO Cn61ll, we Oh d ldteT genera
ton, owe our most profound gratitude
and respect. We know nothing of the
dangers and hardships they encounter
ed. Imagination fails to give us more
than faint impression of their great
sacrifices and our words of affection
are but feeble expression Of the debt
of gratitude that we owe them.
War is terrible thing-doubly So
today when the missiles of death mean
wholesale slaughter. Across the waite.
today all Europe is at war. 1t seems
an impossible thing in these days Of
advanced civilization and enlighten
ment. Over there the gallant little
kingdom of Belgium is giving her ma
tons choicest blood in defense Of her
neutrality.
At Waterloo.
almost at the bloody field of Water.
loo two armies of more than million
men are facing each other, ready to
J begin not heroes battle, but q slaugh.
ter such as the world has never
known 1t is not a war-it is crime
by the ambitions Of rulers