The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-04

Boats and overnight lodging may be
for many miles around make the
town their place for the transaction
Of various kinds of business. Here
they bring their cattle, that are
grown on the hundreds of acres of
pasture land, to be shipped to the
markets of the world. Just now the
shipping season is on, and from five
to seven cars of the finest cattle
bred are shipped out each week.
Ripley is fast becoming known as
a school center. Recently a high
school building was completed by
the board of education at cost of
more than $4,000. This building
belongs to the independent school
district. But pupils from the coun-
try districts come to Ripley to take
advantage of the excellent school
facilities. This is a good arrange
ment for the entire county, because
1t brings the country folk in con-
tact with the town, and it affords
the town an opportunity to get
acquainted with the people who live
in the country districts.
Judge w. H. O'Brien said to me:
RIPLEY may be known as a town
of judges. During the past forty
for the bench" Judge O'Brien is
serving his second term. Hon. J.
Luther Wolfe, a prominent attorney
of the county who resides at Rip
ley, was speaker of the house of
delegates during the 1919 session
of the legislature. The Legislature
Hand Book comments on Mr.. Wolfe
as follows: During the regular and
extraordinary sessions he showed
marked ability as a parliamentarian,
and as a presiding officer was cour-
teous and dignified."
The prosperity of the county may
be estimated from the fact that
Ripley has three banks having
combined resources of about one
million dollars. The Bank of
Ripley is the oldest in the county,
organized in 1891. The town has
two well edited weekly newspa pers;
the Jackson Herald, edited by o. S.
Simmons, and the Mountaineer,
edited by Fred D. Wolfe. There are
five churches that serve the COM
munity.
The day I arrived in Ripley,
Chautauqua had just closed a
three-day engagement. The peo-
pie had enjoyed the high class en-
tertainment furnished by the pro-
grams. During the winter months,
a lyceum course is conducted. I
consider this an indication Of the
attitude of the people toward good
entertainment IN the way of music,
lectures and other features that
Chautauquas and lyceums bring to
a community.
Hold Stock Fair.
Several years ago a Jackson
County Fair was held annually at
Ripley. But owing to some indif-
ference and lack of interest, it was
abandoned. Some cattle raisers
living about ten miles south of
Ripley got together five years ago
and decided to have a community
fair at the little town of Kenna at
which the showing Of stock would
he the main feature
P. G.. Green, q breeder of thor
oughbred Hereford cattle, has
large farm at Kenna. He, with
some Of his neighbors, are the prime
hackers Of the fair movement and
are responsible for it's success.
Green said to me: 1--WE were not
sure how the idea would take with
the people. But we We're surprised
at our first attempt to find more
than 5000 people in attendance.
Since that time people look forward
to coming here in the fall to show
their prize stock"
One feature of the fair is to have
the boys who belong to the Four
II Clubs bring their calves to have
them judged. When they are
judged by competent cattlemen the
calves are then sold at public auc-
,tion to the highest bidder.