People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 June 1894 — DEMOTTE. [ARTICLE]

DEMOTTE.

The growth of our town is phenomenal notwithstanding the stringency of the money market. There are at present several new buildings going up and several others contemplated. Joe Tyler has moved into his new house; Joe says he is the happiest man in town. John Frame is going to build a new house. E. G. Warren has the contract. Lemuel Huston paid our town a visit last week We were all glad to s-je him, especially us school mahns. J. M. Troxell and Noah Frame

brought in a load of young maple trees, which were very fine, being 3 to 4 inches in diameter and ten feet high, which they set out on Lillie street from the M. E. church to I. I. I. Ave. James Zimmerman has been doing extensive improvement on his property, setting out shade trees and building a fine picket fence.

John Bruner is building a barn on his farm south of town. Geo. B. Antrim and C. O. Spencer are doing the work. It is reported that J. A. Sigler will soon move his present store building and erect in its place a fine brick block on the cornei* of Lilly street and I. I. I. ave. DeMotte is now assured of another new industry. A factory to use up the prairie hay. An upholstering and mat factory. We understand the contract for the building is let and that work will be commenced at once.

There are now two good butcher shops and meat markets in town. Some parties from Hebron have started a dress-making shop. Several thousand strawberry plants have been set out this spring by our farmers. The 4th of July will soon be here and our people are at work preparing one of the best celebrations that has ever been held in Jasper county. The committee on arrangement are corresponding with Mark L. DeMotte. W. D. Owens and C. B. Landis, with a view of getting one of these distinguished gentlemen to deliver the oration.

The Holland people of the township have a resident preacher who preaches every two weeks. They are making prep arations to build a ehnreh.

M. M. Tyler is an expert on raising potatoes. He planted half an acre some time during the fine weather in Januuary, covered them deep, in fact, he must have buried them, but all the same they “growed” and he now boasts of having new potatoes on the table three times a day. If each tomato plant that is set out in Keener township for the canning factory produces a half bushel of the fruit, which is not a large yield theie would be the enormous crop of Ij million bushels; at2ocentsa bushel would amount to 130,000 to the farmers of Keener township foi tom. toes alone, not to mention the enormous crop of sweet con and beans, which in all probability will be raised. G. B. Antrim is talking of go ing back to Oklahoma soon. M. M. Tyler and his man “Friday” are doing a rushing business on express.

A couple of Lake county gon tiemen were over examining the clay bank south of town. They say it is splendid brick clay and talk of starling a tile and brick yard if they can make satisfactory arrangements with the owners. The Rose Lawn ball team came over and played the De Motte nine. We understand the DeMotte boys came out ahead. The brass band consisting of 18 pieces gave a public entertainment last Friday evening in the town hall. The musid was

excellent.

M. A. M.