Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 October 1905 — Old Time News [ARTICLE]

Old Time News

Facts from Jasper County's First Paper. February 2nd, 1864

The editor heralds the advent of several new advertisers with the sage and still applicable iemark that liberal advertisers are the best men to trade with. They, go in for quick turns and small profits, and believe in the “live and let live” principle; while non-advertisers are men who think the only sure policy is “keep all you get aud get all you can.” The scarcity of houses was preventing people moving here, and it would be a safe and profitable investment if people aide to build would do so, and thus add to the prosperity of town and county. The editor had just learned that the common pleas court, which adjourned two weeks before, had sent the young man detected in passing counterfeit money to prison for two years. The editor did not take the trouble to learn the young man’s man’s name, and disposed of the whole matter in six lines. R. Weston, one of the town’s founders, wrote from Metuchen, N. Y., enclosing as 2 bill. Of this $1.50 was for the paper one year and the balance the editor was to “set-em-up” with atGodard’soyster saloon, either to Clerk Spitler or Auditor Bruce. The editor announced that he would have them both there, and they would have a regular “bust.” We fear the whole $2 was bio wed in, on that occasion. An item from the Council Bluff’s “Bugal” said the county had voted SIOO,OOO to the proposed transcontinental railroad, and the whole state of lowa would take upwards of a $1,000,000.

Wm. Kerns, who had made the journey clear to Oregon with ox teams, had written a long letter to A. 8. Tharp, dated Portland, Ore. Nov. 8, 1853. He liked the country and climate immensely, and his letter, with a few corrections to •ring it up to date, would make a good Oregon boomer’s letter to this lay. He quoted some prices then prevailing ther e. Wheat and corn 32.50 to $3.00 per bushel. Oats ind potatoes $1.50 to $2.00. Oxen 3200 per yoke. He had worked three months in Portland at $5 to 37 per day. Samuel had been geting S7O per month and John was a book-keeper at SIOO. Minister Soule was reported as having fought another duel at Madrid on account of the remarks regarding Mrs. Boule's dress at a hall. Mr. Soule was reported kill’d this time, —but he wasn’t and lie too lived to be a perniciously ictive Johnny Reb a few years later. « Although only 6 lines were devoted to local news, a column and half article was copied from the Detroit Free Press describing a great celebration there of the opening from Chicago to Niagara of the Great Western Railway. A load of the authorities of Chicago were present. ** The new ads boasted by the ed. tor were one by Isaac L. Stanley, who had osage orange plants to sell, for hedges; ami one by Chesnut & Babb who had opened a cabinet business and especially always had all sizes of coffins constantly on hand. Also one by Ayers & Co. of “Morocco Jasper Co. Ind.” They sold everything of course, r as all merchants did in those days.