THE SAC SUN
June and July, 1877
SAC SUN, VOL. VI, No. 46, June 1, 1877
CLINTON NOTES.--Corn is nearly all planted, and a large amount has been planted this Spring. Small grain looks well except some pieces on sod, which the grasshoppers are eating somewhat.
We have some new settlers this year, the grasshoppers notwithstanding. Mr. Mason, from Ft. Atkinson, Wis., has come out with his family and has commenced work in earnest upon his farm. He has built a good house, set out trees and intends to have a nice farm. He says he does not fear the grasshoppers.
Mr. Pries, who located here last year, is also working with a will in the way of improving his farm.
Wm. Palmer, who lives just across the line in Boyer Valley, intends to raise a good supply of corn this year, as he has planted 110 acres. Bill, with the assistance of his little son Ben, is farming on a large scale.
D. W. Anglum is working David Palmer's farm this year, most of which he has put to corn; he is turning his attention to the raising of hogs, and if your friend DICK DOWNING of Wall Lake will give him a call he will be ready to discuss the good qualities of the Poland-China and Berkshire.
Mr. Reinhart, the leading stock raiser and farmer of this township, has just fenced the south half of Section 10 and the south-east quarter of Section 9, all of which he will use for pasture. He is improving his land on both sides of the Boyer, and will soon build a large barn, the dimensions of which will be 50 by 80 feet. He hails from the Sucker State, and will make a good citizen.
Chas. Manly, S. C. Porter and J. H. Anglum, of Jones county, will have breaking done on their lands in this township this year, and will be added to our number in 1878. CROCKET.
A TRIP THROUGH SAC COUNTY
Going west from Sac City last Tuesday morning for a trip over the western part of the county, and passing through the townships of Boyer Valley, Eden, Cook, Richland, Wheeler, Clinton and Wall Lake, I will tell the readers of THE SUN what I saw beyond the Boyer.
The roads were in a bad condition from the late heavy rains, and it was almost impossible to get through some of the deep mud holes between Sac City and the Indian. An effort should be made to have this road in a better condition in the future. After crossing the Indian the soil is drier and the roads were in much better condition. I met John Kessler and his new bride on the way, but will not attempt to describe my feelings as I saw the look of contentment and happiness on their faces. I said to myself, there is a future, and I, too, may be happy.
Passing good farms, and good crops, I retired at Early, the town recently started on the Boyer. Enquired for "Old Cobbler," and was informed that he had gone to dinner.
The only commencement towards a town at present is the agricultural warehouse of Jos. Drey, and a blacksmith shop. The post-office is kept in the building occupied by Mr. Drey. After July 1st it will be supplied with a weekly mail; at present Mr. Cory, the P.M., carries the mail twice a week from Sac City.
Mr. Drey was busy among his implements, but found time to speak hopeful words for the future of their town, and certainly if a good country can make a good town Early has the advantage. At B. [?illegible] M. Powers stopped for dinner, and with an appetite sharpened by riding over the rough roads I partook heartily of the good things kindly prepared and freely furnished, and with the inner man well cared for and the team well fed, I went north into Eden township. All along the roads to the right and left the crops looked well, and everything promises an abundant harvest. The 'hoppers had done but little damage; some pieces of wheat on new breaking have suffered, but the majority of the farmers are not alarmed, and feel confident that they will reap that which they have sown. A few of the farmers had already commenced cultivating their corn, others were not through planting.
Retracing our steps and crossing the Boyer at the Prentice school house, we stopped for the night at the Wheeler and Cook farm in Cook township. Mr. Wheeler has recently added a cheese factory to his farm and has it now in operation. They milk forty-nine cows at present, and expect soon to have a hundred. I watched the process of making cheese and saw two nice ones taken from the press and two more put in. Farmers will find it to their interest to give more attention to this important branch of industry. Mr. Treadway is the manager here, and has a lot of men around him, but everything is very quiet and orderly; no drinking or swearing is allowed on the premises.
Near this farm are the Cook farms. Mr. Cook has built two large frame houses, and a large barn and hog-pen for the convenience of each. These farms are beautiful, and Mr. Cook is still beautifying them by planting hedges, groves and orchards. He has done a great deal for the improvement of this township, and the people have honored him by naming their township after him. Mr. Treadway kindly showed us over the farm. It is a big farm and I was tired before returning to the house. They will have 500 acres in corn. I wouldn't dare tell this to my friends in Penna.
Leaving Mr. Treadway's, I went south into Richland township. To my right was Ida county, and in the distance I could see the hills contrasting unfavorably with the beautiful country of Sac county. At my left I do not think I ever saw a more beautiful country than I saw in the whole western portion of our county. Here I came to the grade of the Maple River R. R. The grading was almost completed, and they were pushing it rapidly forward into Ida county. Starting east from here I came to the lower Wheeler farm. Here I met Mr. Chandler, the gentlemanly foreman of the farm. He kindly piloted me around the sloughs which are becoming more numerous than in the northern part of the county. On this farm they will have seventeen hundred acres of grain to harvest. Going still farther east I came to what will be the town of Wheeler on the north east corner of his farm. It is a fine location and will, I predict, make a good place. This will be the future home of our farmer king. In fancy I saw the puffing iron horse dashing up to the station, taking a drink, and again rushing towards the wilds of Ida. This road passes through a rich country, which will fully develop when the road is completed. Should nothing happen to the crops now growing there will be an immense amount of grain to be shipped from this station the coming Fall and Winter.
Enjoying the hospitality of Lyman Mills in his comfortable home for the night, I started for home Friday morning, and stopped at Friend Sherwood's for dinner, and to read THE SAC SUN. No man has greater faith in Sac county than Sherwood, and after looking at the fine farms and comfortable homes that I have seen in my travel, I am ready to conclude that his faith is well founded. Mr. Sherwood will cast his lot with WALL LAKE, the prospective town near the Lake. With one of Sac City's fair school teachers, I arrived home on Friday evening, hopeful and confident in the future of Sac county.
SAC SUN, Vol. VII, No. 1, July 13, 1877
THROUGH WESTERN SAC.
Last Monday week we started on a crop-inspecting tour through the Boyer Valley region, in company with L. Wheaton, esq. He proved an excellent guide so long as he knew the way, but when we got into strange regions we were about equal in geographical guessing.
Beginning with the Boyer Valley: The trees around John Freeman's place had grown so much we didn't recognize it. The town of Early consists at present of four houses, but it has an excellent site and boundless prospects. Crossing the Boyer on an excellent bridge, we pass the section farm of N. Prentice, which is under splendid cultivation and well provided with buildings. Anderson Mason has one of the best places in the Valley.
Continuing west we passed the farms of B. B. Cooper, Oscar Fulton, W. H. Robbs and Dr. Warren, with its mill, which has never fully realized the Dr.'s hopes. Turning south and then west again, we look at the farm of John Little, and up on a hill the neat place of the Willards, who are getting well fixed. Farther on we make inquiries for Mr. Coy's house, which after numerous directions we at last find, a substantial farm residence. Mr. Coy has a large tract of land, and is one of the few men who can manage a big farm.
At the upper Wheeler farm we put up for the night. This is leased by Mr. Treadway, who also owns a fine place west of it. He is the right man in the right place. Tipping the scale at 250 pounds--almost double our weight--good natured and quiet, he manages his family of twelve children, and employes, with ease and smoothness. No drinking nor rowdyism around that place. Coming from Jefferson county, N.Y., he of course is a dairy man, and is now making two cheeses a day, from the milk of 60 cows. Being a Pennsylvanian, it was a new business to us, and when we saw his herd rushing pellmell into the long shed we wondered how in the world they would ever get them milked. But when they took their places one by one and were fastened in the stanchions, our heart went out in praise of Yankee ingenuity. Mr. Treadway is also getting some fine short horns, and has the largest bull in the county. He promises to make a display of his stock at the Fair this Fall. His crops are in fine condition, except one field of wheat injured some by the grasshoppers. Mr. Wheeler was fortunate in securing Mr. Treadway.
Rising early in the morning as is our wont--leaving the 'Squire slumbering soundly--we inspected further the farm arrangements, and after breakfast started again, this time going east some distance. Soon we passed the famous Cook farm, owned by a Chicago gentleman, who has built five tenant houses, each one with a fine barn and hog house connected. He leases his farm by the year. It is not very well cultivated, and we would give it as our opinion that to plow corn but one way on new ground where there are plenty of morning-glory vines, is not the way to get seventy bushels to the acre. Mr. Cook has planted two rows of trees around his farm and around each section, but they are cottonwoods, and will never be profitable. We judge that the sooner the large farms of the county are divided into small ones the better it will be for the owners and the county.
Here, in Cook and Richland townships, is the finest land in Sac county, and for that matter in the world. It cannot be described but it is a farmer's paradise.
Far to the west we see the grove at Ida, and were sorely tempted to go over and see Chaffee, but we put Satan behind us, and pressed on down to the place where Mr. Z. W. Sparks has built a fine house, and has gone extensively into stock raising. He has seven hundred head of sheep, and a dog which he is trying to train to herd them, but we doubt if he ever succeeds. Here we also met A. L. Chandler, manager of the lower Wheeler farm.
Here too we first saw the grade of the Maple River Railroad, and it looked good to see it in Sac county, so long neglected and passed by. A quarter of a mile west of Mr. Sparks's is the new town of Odebolt (which ought to have been called Wheeler), lying upon a beautiful north slope, which will give it a good drainage. The town is laid out well, and with the splendid country around it is bound to be an excellent point for trade and for living. As soon as the road is completed to this point it will spring like magic into existence.
The lower and main farm of Mr. H. C. Wheeler, Sac county's big farmer and whole-souled man, touches the town site. Six breaking teams were turning up the sod, and farther down seven teams were cultivating a little field of 500 acres of corn. We have heretofore described Mr. Wheeler's buildings and improvements at this point. Mr. G. W. Ellis, who last year leased the place, will soon move into Ida county, where he has as good a place as he could get by going out of Sac county.
A mile below is the farm of Mr. John Bruce, where we put up for dinner, much to the delight of our companion. Mr. Bruce is well up in the world, and seems to be getting along splendidly. His crops look well, except wheat. In this region the grasshoppers worked more than in any other part of the county, and we judge the wheat is injured one-fourth. Other crops not hurt.
From this point we proceeded west to the Ida county line, and south to the
settlement of Swedes, who as usual are making good improvements. Mr. Henry
Hanson is one of the enterprising and reliable men of that region.
Back again past the Wheeler place, and the farm of Mr. Fields, where we saw the
finest wheat field on our trip, past A. D. Peck's, Jas. Taylor's, H. B. Ellen's,
M. J Muxen's, Dr. Steven's, and C. N. Levey's, at all which we would gladly have
stopped, but had not time. Striking a beeline east, we passed the fine stock and
grain farm of Lawrence Johnson, and on to our old stopping place at Mr. W. A.
Robinson's, in Viola twp.
Next morning we visited the new town of Wall Lake, already represented by half-a-dozen houses. A very red nosed man has set up a saloon here, and is corrupting the community badly. We trust the township authorities will squelch him effectually. The site is a good one, and here too will be a town of considerable size, that will make a strong bid for the trade of our town.
Going back to our hosts, we spent the glorious 4th with a few neighbors and friends, ate a hearty dinner, listened to a fine speech and music by Mr. Wheaton (the speech was by him, but the music was not), and had one of the most pleasant times of our life. Coming home we passed the Wall Lake picnicers [sic], dusty, hot and tired, but doing their best to enjoy themselves.
The crops we saw surpassed anything we ever saw in Sac county, and we are satisfied that the grasshoppers have not damaged the wheat in the county more than five per cent.
Everything indicated a year of unexampled prosperity for Sac county.
(transcribed by B. Ekse from microfilm, November, 2002)
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