The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1920-04-15
Mercer COunty's County Home
Burned.
Homo

Mercer County's Castle on the
Bog as it was lovingly ca called
by Charlie Cant in the Ravanna
Searchlight "a years ago, went up to
flames last Friday afternoon. The
fire was discovered in the roof of
the building by Mrs. Curtis, wife of
the superintendent of the farm,
about 1880, p: m. 1t is thought the
fire started from spark blowing
alighting on the roof. The wind was
blowing a gale at the time, and there
was no chance to save the building
after the fire was discovered. How
ever, Superintendent Curtis and the
inmates saved considerable amount
of the furniture, beds, clothing, etc.,
belonging to the county. The in
mates were all rescued and brought
to town and are. temporarily housed
placed in the county. jail, and the
five women are in the ladies rest
room at the court house where they
are being cared for as we'll the cir
cumstances will permit.
The old building. which was a
large three story structure, was
built about forty years ago by
was then known as the Bowsher
Mineral Springs. For several years
it was a quite popular health resort.
After Mr.. Bowsher left the county,
the hotel and farm of 1872 acres was
purchased by Judges John T. Cook,
Jesse Evans and Clark Deshler, who
were then the members of the coun-
ty court, for $500 which was less
than the original cost Of the hotel.
county farm of 100 acres near Mer-
Ger for $4,000 Probably no action
of a~county court in this county ever
caused so much knocking" and the
members of the court were roasted
for a transaction which
time has proven to have been a
splendid business deal. Charley
Cant, who was then publishing the
Ravanna Searchlight, was the lead
as the Pond Lilly Marsh and that
the Poor Farm which the court had
bought was the poorest farm in
the county" and he always referred
to the hotel as the Castle on the
Bog
Last Saturday after the Castle"
had burned we are told that gentle |
man offered the court $50 per acre |
for the farm. However, we under
ing selling the farm at this time.
That something must be done is evil
dent for there must be home in |
which the county's poor and I'M
fortunate can be properly cared for.
It is a matter in which all our
citizens are interested, and which
must be determined by the county
court. There are different opinions
IS to what is the best policy. Some
believe that the farm should be sold,
md small place of 5 or 10 acres
purchased near town, and a suitable
erected on it, while others
advocate that the farm should be re-
aimed and modern building put up
IN it. 1t would probably be neces-
;ary to issue bonds for this purpose,
,ut it is claimed that the farm would
,e self-sustaining after the necessary
buildings are erected. This much is
.ertain: That the Judges of the
county court are safe and conserya-
i've business men and may be de-
PENDENT upon to us their best .judg-
nentNin caring for the county's de-
,endents.
Monday decided to send nine of the
inmates to St. Joseph to be cared
or at the Asylum and Superintend-
mt Curtis and his wife took them
lown there Tuesday afternoon. The
tate will care for them there at the
ate of SIS per month per person
The five that are left are in some
Legree able to care for themselves
an take care of them here during
he summer. The court also order
4 a temporary residence erected at
nee on the county farm. There was
900 insurance on the old castle.
princoton TelegraDh