Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 September 1898 — BLACKFORD. [ARTICLE]

BLACKFORD.

—Weather nice and warm. —The people up our way are still anxious to thrash. —Grandmother Casey is visiting Mr. Chester Ray’s family. —Vannie Lesh and family visited Jesse Jenkins and family over Sunday. —Mrs Andrew Arnold who has been sick some time is reported some better. —Chris Margenegg and family spent Sunday with George Jenkins and family. —John Marlatt’s infant son died last Friday and its remains were intered in the Smith cemetery Saturday. * —There was quite a fire at Sam English’s last Saturday. It seems a spark of fire from the engine caught in an oats stack, causing quite an excitement. Not much damage was done. —B, J. Gifford, Jasper county’s benefactor, has got about three, miles of his grade for the railroad done. It looks like Mr. Gifford is goipg to see what kind of a country he can make out of northern Jasper. First of all he digs a good dredge ditch and drains the land and gets it into good trim for cultivation, and then builds a railroad to haul the produce to market. Now you hear the cry, “Hurrah for Gifford!”