RAMBLES IN BURRELL TOWNSHIP

PARMER, TIPPIE, MCCUTCHAN, BIBBEY

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/22/2019 at 13:28:34

Subject: RAMBLES IN BURRELL TOWNSHIP.

Date: Sunday, July 22, 2001 11:46 PM Decatur County Journal
September 4, l902

Monday morning, September lst, I recommenced work for the JOURNAL and
Homestead in Burrell Township. It was an unlucky morning for me.
First, in going down one of those lovely washed-out places, my box
containing my canvassing paraphernalia, slipped off the seat and the wheel finished it. I drove back and got a new one and had just got a good start and discovered that the rubber lap robe was missing, and as the summer has been noted for "occasional showers", I stopped at MR.
ROSS' and phoned my brother to bring me one post haste as I had begun to be superstitious of the old sign of "going back after starting."
I was soon on my way again revolving in my mind the problem, "How to sell the most papers in the least time," when I noticed that my jacket
that had been lying on the seat beside me was gone. Well, I drove back and found it just the other side of a big mud hole. I soon rescued it,
and in no pleasant frame of mind, put everything in the bottom of the buggy and put my feet on them; then grasping the reins with one hand and
the buggy with the other made up my mind that I too would not "lose out," and that my troubles ended. But "the unexpected is always happening," for just as I was wondering how to get across that wash-out just ahead, my horse became frightened and broke into a run, and I did come very near "losing out." He ran about a half a quarter when I
succeeded in getting him stopped. Was I frightened? Well, I rather think I was, but I consoled myself with "a bad beginning makes a good
ending." The following are some of the people I called on:
W.F. JONES, a new resident in this township, having moved here a year ago from Poweshiek County to the LEW MILLER farm of l60 acres. They
have children, all at home. He signed for the JOURNAL and Homestead.

I took dinner with WM. WOLF, a patron of the JOURNAL. Last March he moved from near Van Wert to his present home, the Carson farm of l20
acres.

S.A. OILER moved to this county five years ago from West Virginia. He
lived near Crown two years, and since has been on the farm he now owns.
They have a family of eight children, three of whom are married. I
wrote him a receipt for the JOURNAL and Homestead.
I stayed all night at the hospitable home of THOMAS SUTHERLIN, one of
our most prosperous farmers. He owns a fine farm of 745 acres, known as
the Valley Farm. He was born in Decatur County in l856. His parents,
MR. and MRS. ALFRED SUTHERLIN, moved to Missouri when he was ten years
of age and lived there six years, when they returned to this county.
MR. SUTHERLIN was married in l878 to MATTIE FERRIS. They have two
children, NELLIE and LUTHER, who both attend school in Davis City,
making the drive of five miles over the good bottom roads every night
and morning. MR. SUTHERLIN is a good Republican and an old patron of
the JOURNAL and many other papers. He spent six months in Klondyke at
the time of the great rush to that country for gold. He gave me a very
interesting and graphic description of it. He thinks the Yukon river is
the outlet of some large body of water that was at one time (probably
ages ago) walled in beyond the mountains as you can see evidence all
along the mountain sides, large deposits of sand and gravel, seams and
waves, showing plainly the marks and wear of the water as it forced its
way even through the mountain sides. Such seems to be Miles Canyon
which is three-fourths of a mile long and about 40 feet wide with
perpendicular walls, some 70 feet high. The water passes through this
canyon with such a terrific force that it forms a concave ridge in the
center and the water looks to be a foot or so higher than at the edges
along the walls. He says it looks very much like looking down a long,
narrow hall. The passage of boats through this canyon is not a very
difficult feat, as a boat once started in the center of the stream
cannot be forced from the center as the force of the water from each
side seems to be uniform and keeps the boat safely on the ridge of
water. After passing through the canyon you enter the White Horse
Rapids which are about one-half a mile in length and very dangerous.
Many men lost their outfits and fortunes, and sometimes their lives in
passing over these rapids. Pilots are employed at big money to "shoot
the rapids" for the thousands of fortune hunters that visit this
country. The boats are covered to keep from filling with water, the
covering fastening closely around the waists of the occupants. If the
boat is rightly started it is practically quite a safe feat, but if the
boat once gets out of the right course it is sure to be wrecked on the
rocks as no human power can recover it when once within the clutches of
the mad whirling waters. If the first danger is passed the journey is
quite safe until near the bottom, where there seems to be a peculiar
construction of something (probably a large rock) far in the bottom and
depths of the stream. Here the water rises in an immense wave falling
in one direction one time and may be just in the opposite direction the
next time, making this stage of the journey uncertain, as to whether you
are to get a bath or not. Then the force of the water lands the boat
high (if not very dry) on the bank below, many a thankful heart was thus
landed. But I believe I was to travel in Burrell Township, and not
Klondyke.
I called on MRS. H.C. BENNETT, who has always lived in this county. Her
husband died about two years ago, leaving her with a family of four
children to support. She is a patron of the JOURNAL.
I took dinner with S. RADNICH. He was born in Hungary in l8--. He
traveled over a greater part of the United States and at last located in
Decatur County in l856, where he has since resided. He was united in
marriage in l872 to DALLAS BOLDMAN, to whom have been born nine
children, three of whom are married. MR. RADNICH owns 580 acres of
land, is a staunch Republican and a patron of the JOURNAL.
I found E.G. STEWART moving his house preparatory to building. He was
married in l899 to STELLA THARP. He has recently moved to his place of
l60 acres and put the finishing touches to the right move by signing for
the JOURNAL and Homestead.
I stayed all night with MR. and MRS. HAYES MCCLARAN. He owns a farm of
250 acres just across the line in New Buda Township. He was married in
l890 to ALLIE ROBBINS. They were both born and always lived in Decatur
County. They have two children. They signed for the JOURNAL and Inter
Ocean.
JOHN E. MCCLARAN was busy threshing but he gave me a few minutes of his
valuable time and renewed for the JOURNAL, Ladies Home Journal and Inter
Ocean. He owns over 300 acres of land, was married to ELLEN MARTIN in
l89l, and have two children.
E.P. ATTEBERRY signed for the JOURNAL and Homestead. He married JENNIE
MCDOWELL in l890.
I also found two odd species of the human race. One was a man who was
afraid to read for fear he would lose a few minutes time that he might
have been fishing. The other one was a man that would not give up a job
on a dusty straw stack to talk to a lady.
E.B.
_____________________________________________________
THE JOURNAL'S ROLL OF HONOR
We are under obligations to the following persons who have renewed or
subscribed for this paper during the past ten days:
Levi Johnson, Zula, Oklahoma.
Mrs. N.E. Motherway, Pueblo, Col.
W.W. Bozarth, Davis City.
J.H. Wingett, Weldon.
J.I. Martin, Leon.
Geo. Bates, Iola, Kansas.
W.J. Bassett, Decatur.
H.J. Culver, Garden Grove.
Joseph T. Parmer, Van Wert.
J.B. Tippie, Davis City.
Mrs. J.D. Williams, Chanute, Kan.
D.M. McCutchan, Leon.
Dr. W.F. Waight, Leon.
O.E. Shields, Grand River, Rural No. 2.
A. Bibbey, Decatur.
Seth Samson, Van Wert.
Isaac Monroe, Lamoni Rural.
B.W. Brooke, Leon.
A.A. McWilliams, Pleasanton.
H.E. Machlan, Des Moines.
G.W. Machlan, Leon Rural No. l.
B.F. McDaniel, Davis City.
C.W. Barr, Lineville, Rural No. 3.
A. Sprague, Leon.
C.O. Andrew, Indianola.
Mrs. Bart Hoagland, Garden Grove.
W.F. Jones, Decatur Rural No. 2.
E.G. Stewart, Davis City.
Hayes McClaran, Davis City.
E.P. Atteberry, Davis City.
S.A. Oiler, Decatur Rural No. 2.
John E. McClaran, Davis City.
J.F. Bolon, Davis City.
Ben D. Cotton, Decatur.
C.M. Bedell, Lamoni Rural No. 2.
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July 22, 200l