In The Country: The AGE Man Awheel - Homes Visited 

(SOURCE: Clinton Morning Age, Aug. 29, 1895)

Fine Corn - Poled Angus Cattle - Waiting for Chicken Thieves - Working Roads - Etc.

Leaving the pavement on the Bluff road and going up the hill on the right hand side of the road will be found the home of Hiram Underhill.  He has over 100 swarms of bees, which are doing nicely now.  On the east side of the house is a great vinyard of about 1 1/2 acres.  Mr. Underhill also has a nice strawberry bed, which will bear next year for the first time. A sugar maple hedge has also been built, extending 200 rods.  Mr. Underhill was called to Poughkeepsie, N. Y., Aug. 5, on account of sickness which terminated in death.  He is expected home now at any time.

A little farther on is E. W. Betsinger, who runs a fruit farm of 7 acres.  He has some very nice plum trees, which are loaded, grapes and a great variety of berries.

J. Offe has 1/4 acre of grapes which are about ready to pick.  He wanted more rain ordered.  He got it.

Farther along is the home of S. Oleson, who is on the 100 acre farm of Mr. Smith, who is in Canada, and is expected home the first of next month.  Mr. Oleson runs a milk wagon in Clinton, and has a good many customers.  Pearson Wilson, his neighbor, also follows the same occupation.

Not more than a hundred miles farther is W. L. Wilson, who farms 170 acres.  Mr. Wilson says the drought damaged crops a good deal, some fields on high ground being materially damaged, while those on the lower ground are a little better.  He has lately put an addition to his hay barn, but like many others has no hay to put in it.

The 110 acre farm on which E. D. Seymour makes his living, is now reached.  He says he has a ten acre piece of corn that is the nicest he ever had.  Mr. Seymour was building a chicken coop in which to keep his 380 chickens this winter.

Turning to the right on the road that leads down from Hart's mill bridge is the 80 acre farm of John Dixon.  He says the rain helped the pastures and a piece of corn of 30 acres.  His hay did not amount to much, having taken but six loads from twenty acres.  Just above, on the hill, the road is being cut down and graded, which will greatly assist travel.

Going back down the hill to the gate and then walking up the hill, as that is much easier than pumping up, and the home of Chas. Bach is reached.  He has 160 acres and was plowing, although the sun seemed unmercifully hot.

On the next hill is Ruben Laycock, who has 120 acres.  Mr. Laycock has a number of black Poled Angus cattle, which are a native of Scotland.  One of them, a three-year-old, weighs 1160 pounds.  As beef they make very tender eating and for dairy purposes they go far ahead of the Jersey, 'tis said.

The next place is that of J. V. Lawrence.  He says his crops are nothing extra but that his corn is fair.  The storm last Friday spoiled a number of valuable trees for him.

Thos. Miller, an old style gentleman, judging from his very polite language, was greeted cordially at his home where he has lived and propered many years.

The home of J. P. Dunn was next visited.  He has 160 acres and says his corn was not very good.  On the adjoining 80, west, Mr. Dunn is building.

Across the road Owen Morrissy was found at home.  He has 80 acres and runs a mild wagon in Clinton.  If chicken thieves value their good health it would be advisable for them to keep out of this part of the country.  He's laying for them.

Joe Hustick was found on the next 160.  He says his crops are very good.  In front of his house and down to the bottom of the hill the road is being graded and put in better shape.

Hot and dusty and also hung, the hospitable home of Nicholas Simmons was reached, 160 acres comprises his farm.  He says he will not have an average crop, though he will have a fair potato crop.

After putting away as much dinner as was thought best, the wheel was again resorted to, which soon stood in front of the house of Wm. Traver.  Mr. Traver has just put up a new milk house, which resembles a water tank.  It shows he has a large number of cows, as well as a large farm.

Just here you turn to the left in going to DeWitt.

However, keeping on the straight road, Patrick Gilboy's 160 acres come in view.  His oats averaged 25 bushels to the acre.  Mr. Gilboy's home is in a very pituresque place, as is also the house of Sam Cromer, who is around the corner to the right, on 184 acres.  His oats were not extra, although he has fair corn.

Coming back to the cross road leading toward DeWitt and J. R. Pate's farm of 160 acres is reached.  His corn will average about 40 bushels to the acre.  From 50 acres he got 3 tons of hay.  Mr. Pate is the lucky owner of 40 Aberden Angus cattle, natives of Scotland.  They make premium cattle for dairy purposes and beef.  Mr. Pate trades at Leslie's and also at A. Kahn's, where he is satisfactorily dealt with.

Around the corner, to the left, will be found A. J. Small, who, with the assistance of his two sons, work 400 acres.  They have over 100 acres of hay which would not pay for the cutting, although their corn is pretty good.

Across the road a little farther on is the home of John Leline.  He was threshing and says his oats will average about 17 bushels to the acre.  Mr. Leline's farm consists of 240 acres.

On the Keister farm of 240 acres was found Henry Nicholsen.  His corn crop is fair, but his oats were so poor that he cut them for feed.  On the south side of the house and next to the road is the orchard, which looks very tempting to the passer by.

Coming down to the road that winds about the bluff and following it northward, the 120 acre farm of M. Bach is reached.  He says that his crops are pretty fair and that his corn and oats are all right.  He says he is the oldest settler around here, having come here in 1850.

A quarter of a mile farther on and across the road will be found the 24- acre farm of Wm. Blake.  He is also an old settler and is now in Chicago with stock.

If the hay crop is short what of it.  True, it would be more satisfactory to farmers if the crop had been heavier, but there is one sure way every farmer can overcome the loss.  It is a simple way, and that is for each farmer who has a short hay crop to call at the Chicago Clothing Company's store in Clinton, 506 and 510 Second street, and mention the fact, when Mr. Hausman will give instructions to sell each a suit of clothes, or a bill of any articles in the store at such remarkably low prices that you save a ton of hay, and it cost you no hard work in the field to do it.  This is true.  The stock is not filled with old shop worn goods either -- it is a recognized fact in the city that the C. C. C. buys more clothing from whoesalers than any two or three other merchants combined, which gives them an opportunity to make very low prices.  If you've never traded with the C. C. C., go price their goods at once.