| The Atchison County [Missouri] Mail Abstracted Index | ||||||||||||
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| by Pat Combs O'Dell: genpat@netins.net | ||||||||||||
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| THE ATCHISON
COUNTY MAIL, May 5, 1881 Inundation Items - Most of the cisterns on the bottom caved in when the water arose....All of the grading on both sides of the State line bridge was destroyed....About three thousand pounds of flour was brought to Watson from Hamburg by boat on Friday....Portions of the bottom where the water has subsided are drying very rapidly and will soon do to farm....The telegraph line has been repaired and communication is now had with all points along the river...Farming was commenced last Monday on some of the land near Watson which was inundated last week....The amount of corn destroyed by the overflow in the bottom will aggregate hundreds of thousands of bushels....The land next to the Nishnebotna northeast of Watson was submerged to the depth of from four to ten feet....The town of Craig suffered considerably during the overflow as indeed did all of those places south of Phelps City....We learn that some wheat which was sown before the overflow and was covered with water is doing well since the water subsided....Richard Shannon, who lived one mile south of Watson lost nearly all of his stock and a great many of his household goods by the high water....It is said that in some portions of Buchanan township it was impossible to row a boat last Sunday because of the corn which was floating on the water....Most of the Watson refugees have returned to their homes. There was less damage done in that vicinity than most any other place on the bottom....The citizens of Phelps City are returning to their homes every day and it is hoped and believed that business of all kinds will be resumed in a short time....The fact of the bottom north of Watson on both this and the Nebraska side, being very wide, is what prevented that town from being covered with water....There was quite a fracas at Watson one day last week and in consequence a great many of the boys wore what they called "high water marks."...Some of the property owners of the bottom express a desire to sell and move out, but most of them propose to settled down and try to retain what they have lost....Scammon, Bailey & Co, lost several thousand bushels of corn by the overflow. The large pen containing it burst a few days ago and allowed it to fall into the water....We have heard of no cases of drowning in this county during the high water. There have been several reports of such fatality but they have all been proved to be false....A great many houses in the bottom have been almost completely ruined by the overflow, while some dwellings and a great many outbuildings were washed away....Hamburg has lost a heavy trade from this county by allowing parties to charge exorbitant prices for taking persons across the half mile of water between the bluff and that city....River pirates got their work in at some place on the bottom by plundering a few houses. They soon learned, however, that such business was rather dangerous and quit it....The flat boat belonging to the citizens of Watson made regular trips all last week from the slough near the residence of Charles Clotfelter near Watson, to the bluffs near the residence of D.B. Dyche....Reports of "three foot rises at Yankton, ten inch falls at Omaha and stand still at Sioux City" continue to startle some folks although the majority of the people refuse to be deceived any longer....Considering the great loss which they all sustained by the flood, the people of the bottom are cheerful and express their intention to go to work as soon as possible and try to regain what they have lost....A copy of the ATCHISON COUNTY MAIL was the first paper that found its way into Watson after the overflow and the fact that at least twenty-five persons gathered to hear it read, proved that it was appreciated....It is thought that the State line bridge was not seriously damaged by the recent high water. Both ends of the bridge were under water while the middle of the bridge was not....The pleasant fact has been fully demonstrated that the people of our county are always ready to extend every help to those in distress and the late overflow has knit the hearts of the people of the bottom and those of the highlands together in a bond of friendship that will ever insure the most pleasant intercourse between the two sections....The overflow has caused a big demand for Sonora property. It is said that the value of dewelling houses in that town has been increased fifty per cent....Lott Watts has secured a charter for a ferry at the site of the bridge which was washed out of the Nishnebotna river near the residence of D.B. Morgan, east of Watson. He has a splendid flat boat....It is said that the damage done the railroad track is not as great as most persons supposed. We learn that a hand car ran from Watson to the railroad bridge south of Hamburg on Monday....It is said that during the rise of 1844 a great many fine farms south of St Joseph were rendered valueless by the feet of sand being thrown over them. We are glad to learn that no such calamity is expected here this year....We had the pleasure of pulling an oar on the Watson flat boat on Saturday--a pleasure which was only marred by the fact that our knuckles made close connection with Pilot Dunwoody's rudder once or twice....The people of the bottom feel grateful towards the folks on this side of the Nishnebotna for the warm hospitality extended to them when driven from their homes by the brawling, treacherous Missouri river, and express their willingness to return the favor if fate ever makes it so they can....The house in which John Conrad lived, about two miles northeast of Watson, was all under water except the roof. Several articles have been saved by making a hole in the roof and taking them into skiffs. It is thought, however, that a great many things will be entirely ruined....The Watson flat boat made a trip on last Thursday with seven horses and mules, two lots of household goods and sixteen men on board. The boat had to contend with both a strong current and a high wind but each man on board claimed that he wasn't a bit scared but said that the balance were badly frightened. "Twas ever thus."...The thought is consoling that there may not be another overflow for years. Yet it may come again next year. It is the duty of every citizen to use every exertion to improve the banks of the Missouri river. If the same amount which is annually appropriated for the improvement of small trout streams in the east were devoted to the improvement of the Big Muddy, a levee which would prevent its ever overflowing again could soon be built.The attention of our Congressman should be directed to the matter and if he fails to do anything let us put in a man who will, next time....The report of the drowning of the Rash family has been traced to its source and turns out to have been manufactured out of nearly a whole piece of cloth. A man with a spy glass on the bluffs near Hamburg, saw what he supposed to be a skiff turned bottom side up in the water near Mr Rash's residence. He related his discovery to a friend, taking care to trim it up profusely and thus it continued to pass from mouth to mouth, each person adding great embellishments to it, until it reached here in the statement that a skiff containing the two ladies was overturned and the occupants drowned. In high water times, divide all reports by twenty and then subtract one-half from them and you are apt to get some place near the truth. Lott Watts has secured a charter for a ferry at the site of the bridge which was washed out of the Nishnabotna river near the residence of D.B. Morgan, east of Watson. He has a splendid flat boat. John W. Spurlock, circuit clerk, and a prominent citizen of Ray county, died a few days ago. C.O. Snow, of Sheridan, Nebraska, was shaking hands with his many friends here on last Sunday and Monday. He returned hme on Tuesday. After the 24th day of June it will be necessary to procure license before you can marry. Think of this, young man, and make your arrangements accordingly. We learn from the Craig GAZETTE that Dr James A. Bond, son of Dr B. Bond, of this county, who has been attending Medical College at Louisville, Ky., for the last two years has returned home. He graduated with high honors from that school. We learn that Mrs Dougherty, one of the residents of the bottom near Watson who was driven from home by the overflow, became insane a few days ago, because of her troubles. She was at the residence of George Klaus in Polk township at the time. W.H. Christian has bought Silas C. Combs' farm in Dale township. Mr Christian had started to Texas when he received Mr Combs' offer and concluded to buy and remain in this county. This was a wise decision as there is no better land anywhere than that of this county. W.R. Richardson of this county, fired the first gun at the battle of Beuna Vista in the Mexican war, and he thinks he knocked down at least forty greasers. Wat says that the gunners had orders not to fire on the advancing Mexicans until they could see the whites of their eyes but when they got within about one hundred yards, he thought they were close enough, so he banged away with good results. Ordinance adopted in Phelps: That on and after the 14th day of May, 1881, it shall be unlawful for any cattle, horses or other stock of any class or character to run at large or stray or wander or roam through or upon the commons in said town or within the corporate limits of the same, and it shall be the duty of the owner of any stock of any kind to restrain them and prevent them from running at large....upon taking up said stock (cattle, horses, mules, sheep, hogs, asses, jennets or goats) it shall be the duty of said Marshal to give ten days notice to the owner.... We unintentionally omitted last week to refer to the departure of Dr R. E. Bird, of this city, to the scene of his future labors, the proceding week. He has received and accepted the appointment as resident physician of the Kaw Indian Agency, Indian Territory. Being a graduate of one of the best Medical Colleges in the United States, and an experienced practitioner, his selection was a fortunate one on the part of the government and we are assured that he will give the best satisfaction. DIED - Van Meter - On April 16th, 1881, near Atlanta, Logan county, Ill., Little Ralph, son of Edwin R. and Amelia B. VanMeter, aged one year, one month and four days. His death was very sudden, that terrible malady congestion of the lungs, having done its cruel work within twenty-four hours. To the afflicted parents who were thus so suddenly deprived of their darling, no combination of words can afford relief.... Sheriff's sale - in favor of Taylor Thomas & Co versus J.J. and R.V. Wightman.... THE ATCHISON COUNTY MAIL, May 19, 1881 DIED - At the residence of Daniel H. Walkup, in Dale Township, Atchison county, Mo., on the evening of the 7th, of May, 1881, of pneumonia fever, Herrman Hennig, a native of Germany. The sujbect of this obituary though apparently a boy, but from statements made previously to and during his sickness by him, he was twenty-one years old last September, was a motherless youth and the only surviving child out of a family of fourteen children, and a member of the Lutheran Church. He stated that he left his native county when eighteen years of age and came to Canada where he resided until this spring, he took his departure for the United States arriving at Corning, Holt county, Mo., some four or five weeks ago; he immediately started into the country in pursuit of work, and Andrew J. Walkup employed him as a farm laborer, and by his industrious and steady habits, his pleasant address and courteous manners, he soon won the regard, respect and esteem, of his employer and family as well as all others whom he became associated with. On Thursday the 28th day of April, 1881, he complained of having something like a chill, and so complained until on Saturday following, his employer summoned Dr Butler of Milton, to see him, and the Doctor like Mr Walkup and family, soon became deeply interested in the young man's welfare and they continued to administer unto him with that kindness, consideration and regard, which only a parent can bestow upon a son, or a brother upon a brother, until death removed him from his pain anguish and woe. When questioned by his own country man in regard to his situation, and if he did not wish to removed to some German residence he replied in the negative and said he was as kindly administered to and cared for as he could be if he was at home. On the morning proceding his death the Doctor in connection with Mr Walkup and family, concluded it would be better to make known to him his situation, and when the Doctor told him he must soon die he bore the news with marked calmness and christian courage. But repeatedly during the day he requested to the Doctor to give him some medicine that would immediately end his intense agony and suffering. In a few short hours his immortal soul and mortal body were separated, and his spirit had fled to its Maker. On Sunday evening the mortal remains of the young man were quietly and gently laid to rest in Pleasant Ridge cemetery as was his request previous to death....-- E. Heath Schooler We are sorry to learn of the sad bereavement of Mr and Mrs M. Giannini. Their twin babes were stricken from them by the scythe of death the first of this week--one of them dying on Sunday and the other one Monday. They were afflicted with whooping cough when the high water came and they were compelled to leave Phelps and it is feared that the exposure thus made necessary aggravated the disease to an extent which caused it to terminate fatally. The parents have the sympathy of a large number of friends and relatives in their bereavement. THE ATCHISON COUNTY MAIL, May 26, 1881 County Court - Ordered that W. Kitchen and family be permitted to go to poor farm. Mrs Charles Rapp died on last Friday and was buried on the following day. Mr Wm Colvin and Mr Gordon, from northern Iowa, cousins of D.A. Colvin Esq., of this city, are visiting the latter gentleman. T.R. Ely will leave in a few weeks for Kennett, Dunklin County, this State, where he will practice his profession. Mr Ely is a very promising young man and we predict that he will enroll his name high up on the scroll of fame some day. L.N. Kelso the Junior editor of the Tarkio BLADE and J.L. Vosburg of the Blanchard RECORD have each profited by the hint that "it is not good that man should be alone," or words to that effect, and have each taken unto himself a wife. We wish the quartette a long, prosperous, happy life. A FEARFUL ACCIDENT - The news came to town on last Friday evening that a son of Capt. Geo. Smith, who lives about two miles north-east of town had accidently shot and killed himself. The particulars of the affair as we learned them, were as follows: The young man, who was sixteen years of age, was plowing in a field with three other persons when they all stopped to rest. He finally requested the other boys to watch their teams as he intended to shoot a bird. They didn't pay much attention to what he was doing, although they all heard the report of the revolver. When they again commenced working, it was observed that the young man's team remained standing. They then went up to him and found him leaning against the plow handles with a hole made by a ball from a No. 22 cartridge near his eye. The ball penetrated his brain, it is thought. He died within a few hours and was buried the next day. It is a deplorable fact that no boy nowadays considers his kit of trinkets complete unless it contains some kind of a revolver, and, as boys generally are habitually careless, it is really a wonder that there are not more such accidents. The fate of this young man should be a warning to boys who sport revolvers and who think it unnecessary to handle them carefully. It should also indicate to parents the necessity of taking some steps to prevent the indiscriminate traffic in firearms which makes it so that nearly every child can become the owner of a revolver of some kind. Mr and Mrs Richey of St Joseph are visiting their daughter, Mrs L.A. Lucore, of this city. |