La Plata Township

La Plata Township

It is located in the north end of Macon county, on the crown of the "Great Divide," in the midst of a royal farm region capable of sustaining a city of .5,000 souls, and is one of the most prosperous and enterprising towns of its class in Missouri. This go-ahead little city has 1,100 wide-awake and progressive people, and other that will be of interest to the reader, among which are a healthy and commanding location, an ample supply of pure water, plenty of neighboring coal and timber, six churches, a full representation of the leading fraternities, a post of the Grand Army, a live newspaper, a successful creamery, an elegant public school house and superior schools, about twenty-five solid, prosperous business concerns, a strong bank, fine roller process Houring mills, and better still the new with its handsome grounds, fine race track, and ample buildings. This association will open its Maiden Annual Exhibition on the 12th of Septembor. and all the indications point to one of the most successful occasions of the kind in north Missouri. La Plata is one of the strongest trading towns in this division of the State. It has wheat, grass seed and minor country produce, and a correspondingly large trade in general merchandise, hardware, farm machinery, etc., etc., the yearly transactions in all these lines

Minneapolis and St. Paul, give the town fine facilities for trade and mannfacturing. La Plata is the centre of one of the best grain and live stock districts in Missouri, and must always be but given a wonderful impetus to every department of local business, to real estate values, building, etc. Besides this valuable trunk line, with its valuable eastern and western connections, the a prospering trading point. It is brim full of live men, and the outlook for the city is particularly promising. A noteworthy feature of the town is its newspaper, the La I'lntn llmiie Press. one of the livest and brightest country journals in Missouri, and a mighty strong factor, too, in the growth and welfare of the city. It is edited by Chas. N. Mitchell, one of the best newspaper uf Mr. W. 8. Little, a prnctical fruit nud uurHeryman of i;ood experience. .Mr. Little hax very full Htooks uf all the fruit tree8 and xmaller fruita tuited tu this cliinnte and these huIIh. and hax built up an enriiible rt-putntiun f>>r honorable uiana^eMient of this delicate and oneroux work. .Mr. LittU<°!> catalogue einbraccii not only a complete li?<t of all the valuable .ntandard fruit treex and Hinall fruitii of the latitude, but carrieH a very fine lixt of shade and ornamental treeii, rare plants, shrubs, flowers and indeed everything carried in the leading nurseries of the older Btates. He is also manufacturing building bricks on a good scale, and authorizes the statement that Macon I'onnty is one of the finest fruit regious in the western country. La I'lata is fast taking on the air of a business metropolis, and with a group of live, progressive town-builders at the helm, and her splendid natural and railway advantages, is the great coal producing town of Macon Connly and North Missouri. It is li»cated five miles west of Macon, on the Hiinnibal i St. Joseph Kailwny. in the midst of a beautiful woodland and prairie country; occupies n fine healthful elevation, and has a population of about 12CX): this number being considerably increased in the hosier winter coal mining season. The entire town is built up on the one absorbing industry of ooal mining, which is carried to splendid proportions by the several operators engaged in the business. The town has eight churches, fionrishing i)M Follows. Knights of Pythias, Select Knights, and A. I). U. \V. lodges, a post of the (irand Army, a score of business houses, fine public schools, and a large general trade stimulated by the heavy coal provast region of country beyond the .Missouri River in Kansas and Nebraska. The qaality of the ooals mined at this point is e(|Qal to any of the bitaminous coals in the Western country, and gives them decided favor with consumers.

The I.Kadino Coal Oi'Kbatobm

are Messrs. l^ximis i Snively, successors to the Old Central Coal Mining Co.. which they bought out in IH7H. Their original purchase of mining territory, franchises and mines covered properties valued at ffiOO.fKIO. They have since inoreaaed their capital stock to fnto.nOfi an inoreasa demanded by the sinking of a new shaft, putting in compressed air machinery and Harrison's mining machines, by which their mines are now operated. They own and operate the well known destined to become a city of commanding magnitude and importance. K dozen miles north of .Macon and nine miles south of La Plata in a country rich and fair enoogh for a Flemish garden, is the village of a pretty town of SCO people, two churches, a dozen busineas houses and some of the livest business men in Macon, or any other county. This little city. to<i. is on the Wabash Railway, and represents a farm country, rich enough in fine farms, orchards, herds and grninfields to take care of a town of lltOO people. Kesidea a large and prosperous general trade, the export trade in grain, live stock, froit, hay, grass seed and kindred products, is large enough to compliment the average town of \'*)n people. Atlanta is a thriving trading town, and with the development of the tributary country to its maximum, will grow to five times its present prop<irli(ms. With a word of thanks and a redaction. The trade in hay, grain and general farm produce is anusually heavy for a town of this class; bat none of these products are exported, all being consumed by the operators and miners. The now being operated at this point employ about 7(10 men during the summer, and some I'iOtI in the more active winter season. There are in all seven mines in working shape, the yearly capacity of which exceeds seams practically inexhaastible. The veins now being work<-d at a depth of sixty to eighty feet, range from four to six feet in thickness, and extend well over the neighboring country. The product is consumed by the railway and by a are daily mined. These three mines have a working capacity of UN) car loads, and are run to their maximum in the cold season. They employ .VK) miners in summer, and a much larger force in winter. They ran in connection with these mines, three large wholesale and retail yards in Kansas City. Atchison and 81. Jitseph, and in addition to their f>wn product, handle anthracite and other coals, lime, cenii>iit. plaster, hair. etc. They have f;l(l.(lOO invested in each of these \ ards where they market their surplus ooal after sap plying the Hannibal i St. Joe, K. C. St. .). t. C. B.. and other railroads. Their trade extends well over Kansas and Nebrankn. and is steadily extending, both aa to territory and volome. They also ran in connection with these mines a heavy general merchandise, grain and priMluce business, carrying from f:!ii.<Oi to $4fl,- min sl<icks. and running their yearly sali-> up to $14n,(MII) and $\<tV).OCtn. They also hare a heavy trade in "channel ice." taken from the Missis- aippi River, with which they supply the entire city. They have. too. an extensive meat market with ample cold storage and annually slaughter 3(K) cuttle, 4O0 sheep, and 700 hogs, most of which stock is fattened on Mr. Loomiss " Black Diamond" farm near the city. Their extensive mercantile business embraces every thing in local demand, from a paper of pins to a steam engine. This department of their business is very sDccessfully managed by Mr. LouJ.Loomis, a young gentleman of rare executive and managerial gifts, and is by a good margin the largest mercantile concern in the county. Their mines, especially -No. 4, are among the best equipped and most elaborately constructed coal mines in the Western country. They have under tribute to these mines, and in their own right, 2,000 acres is steadily growing with the growth of this great mining industry, and has a bright future. Four miles west of Bevier, on the beautiful Chariton Divide, is a town of 4.">0 people, in the midst of the finest tobacco and wheat district in the county. It is prettily located and environed with beautiful groves, orchards and vineyards; has two churches, two fine village schools, a dozen business concerns, two large tobacco factories for rehandling tobacco, and one of the completest roller flouring mills in the country, managed by that prince of good fellows. Mr. W. W. Bricker. Mr. Bricker also handles lumber, furniture, grain and live stock, and belongs to a group of No. 1 business men who are managing the leading lines of northward a prosperous Welsh settlement. Like Callao and Bevier it has within and around it the best elements of enduring thrift and growth. There are other small towns in the county, but the limits of this Hand Book have already been invaded and I must close with to gentlemen who have kindly contributed to the success of this Hand-Book. To Mr. Theo. Gary, the man of all work and no play, to whose energy, public spirit and splendid working gifts the City and County of Macon are indebted for this book and many another generous service for their material advancement: to Mr. J. A. Hudson, the sterling editor of the Macon Times, for no end of good offices in aid of this enterprise; to Mr. F. A. Dessert and to my old and of the finest coal lands in the county or State, and as a coal mining corporation, rank with the aljlest and foremost in the Western States. One of the noteworthy features of this notable locality is n magnificent 800 acre tract of rolling prairie and woodland. It embraces f,30 acres of wellfenced land, 250 of which is under plow, the balance Ijeing in timber; is admirably watered liy running streams, wells and ponds, and as the view shows is fairly well improved and will be further improved by Mr. Loomis with handsome buildings, sheds, corrals, fences, ic. until he has made it one of the handsomest country places in North Missouri. He has the means and taste to carry his plans for a beautiful country home and stock breeding farm to a splendid issue. Bevier trade in this pretty little city. Callao enjoys a large and growing export trade in tobacco, grain, live stock, railway ties, piling, fruit and general farm produce: has never had a boom, but is sure and steady as the tides, and has in her location and surroundings the elements of enduring prosperity. Half a dozen miles beyond Callao. to the westward of the Chariton, is another pretty, prosperous town of -tSO people. It has several churches, a fine school, a dozen business houses, new and very fine roller flouring mills, a group of prime good business men, and a beautiful tributary country rich in tobacco and grain fields, orchards and herds. It is a prominent shipping point on the Hannibal A St. Joseph Railway for railway ties, piles, fruit, hay, grain, tobacco and live stock, and has to the valued friends Mr. I. C. Stephens and Maj. S. G. Brock, for courtesies worth remembering, and to all the good people of Macon County, whose material aid and encouraging words have ministered to the success of the Macon County Hand- Book, I give my blessing and reluctant good-bye.

To The Beadeb

in distant lands, who may doubt the correctness of the statement of facts herein recorded, and mayhap fancies this an over-colored picture of the condition, resources and advantages of Macon County. I send, herewith, greeting from the 30,0(X) people of the county, and pledge him in their behalf a cordial Western welcome when it shall please him to visit and inspect the homes, herds, farms, orchards, coal fields and towns of one of the fairest and most fertile regions in the sunny Southwest.

Macon Cotntv, Missouri

No. 1. - 180 >cre(, 3M niil'" f^om Excftlloand Jiicksonvlllc, bo'h on the Wab.Tsh R.iilroac1;2 miles from a flour aiiil saw mill, 2'i miUs from church, and \}i milc8 from school. All under fence; 00 acre« under cultivation, 40 acres in timber well under-brushed and in blue grass; DO acres in clover and timothy; cross fenced into six different enclosures; fence made of rails and barbed wire; 100 bearing apple trees; a well finished, well painted ,') room house, with lightning roiis; well fenced lawn ; nicat and poultry houses; :)8x40 log harn, with frame sheds all round it : good grancrv; buildings all frame, except barn. Farm finely watered with four living wells and running stream. Countv road on one side of farm, cutting off pasture. All tillable land, except a little along stream. V'ard set in blue grass. This is a tine farm, located in a good neighborhood.

John M. La.mii. No. 2 - -A 120 acre farm, (1 miles north of Callao; 100 acres in cultivation ; 70 acres under fence; good 4 room frame house, good barn, living water and good \'oung orchard. Joh.n IIoi-man.

No. 3. - A 340 acre farm, one mile from La Plata, 2',4 miles from .Santa Fe Railway, '/i mile from school. A one and a half storv frame house, 18x36, with a 12x34 addition : a frame harn, 48x48; small orchard, and some _\oung fruit trees; cisterns at house and barn; 80 acres in u\radow, 80 acres in pasture, and after this fall will be all in grass. S. ATTERHtRRY.

No. 4. - A farm of (iT acres; 47 acres in cultivation, 20 acres in timber and pasture; rail and wire fence ; three living wells ; one cistern ; a No. 1 good orchard of apple, pear and peach trees, a two story six room frame house, with summer kitchen; a frame barn, 30x38 feet, only 100 rods from Love Lake, on the Wabash Railway, 100 yards from church, and I4' mile to a schoolhouse.

No. 4'i. - A 200 acre farm, one mile from church, 80 lods to schoolhouse; 120 acres in cultivation, to .-icres in timber, and 70 acres in meadow ; rail and hedge fence, five living wells, one pond, good orchard, two-stor>- eight- room frame house, and a bank barn, .VJxGO feet.

No. 6- - 120 acres, eight miles northeast of Macon, four miles from Round Cirove, on the II. & .St. J. Railroad, and one mile south of La Porte. All encloted; 20 acres In timber, 20 acres in meadow, post and rail fence, a living well and two pondv, 75 bearing apple trees, a four room frame house, large 24x60 foot barn; >4 mile to church ; 80 rods to school hou^e

No 6.--207 acres; seven mile- north of Macon, and one mile from lilackuell .Station, on Wabash Railway; 160 acres in cultivation, balance in white oak timber. New four room house, tMO wells, two ponds, good large orchard, good granerv, frame barn, two miles from eliurch, V mile from schoolhouse, one and a quarter mile to post olTice. Mrs. M.\hy A. TiioMr-soN.

fronts south; barn 16x20, with shedding all round it; tobacco house 20x22, with sheds on two sides, good frame granery and frame summer kitchen, poultry- house, corn crib, new cow sheds, a small bearing apple orchard, 60 young fruit trees, living well and cistern. Farm sub-divided Into four iields, and within three miles of three churches.

P. I. Baker. No. 8. 85 acres, seven miles north of Callao. and sixteen miles northwest of Macon; 65 acres in cultivation, balance in timber; three room frame luiiise an. I good out-buildings.

No. 9. 140 acres, 2'j miles northeast ol Atlanta; 10 acres in meadow, M6 acres in cultivation, 2 acres in old bearing orchard, 38 acres in woodland pasture. A 16x32 one story house, with a 14x14 addition, log barn, frame smoke house, good cistern, living water in pasture.

No 10.-86 acres, three miles south of Bevicr, all underlaid with a five foot vein of coal; 56 acres in cultivation, balance timber land - all under fence except 15 acres. Story- and a half log house, weather-boarded, lathed and plastered; good out-buildings. Log barn 20x60, with shed on south side: good rail fence.

No. 1 1. 140 acres new land, six miles north of Callao, and six miles from new .Santa Fc Railway ; 90 acres in cultivation, 50 acres in timber, 35 acres in meadow - nil good tobacco or wheat land. Good orchard, story and a half house with four r ooms, good cistern, four ponds, extra good fences. J. E. Wilson.

No. 12. - 125 acres, three miles south of Bevier and seven n.ilcs southwest of Macon, all underlaid with five foot vein of coal, and all in cultivation except .5 acres of timber; tuo cisterns, a living well, small orchard, good vineyard, stort' and a half log house, wit! four rooms, weather-boarded and plastered, good cellar, log barn 53 feet long, with shed on one side.

No. 13. - 60 acres, seven miles southeast of Macon ; 40 acres fenced, 20 acres timber, 80 rods to church, three-quarters of a mile to school.

J. E. II V ATT. No. 14. -160 acres prairie and limber land, six miles north of Callao; 12.5 acres in cultivation, 85 acres in timber. Two story six room house, cistern, living well, good orchard, farm all under fence, and good improvements all round.

No. 15 Fairvlew" farm of 400 acres, fi\e mile* south of Callao; 3.36 acres in cultivation, 06 acres in timber, all well fenced with plank and rails. Fine large two story house, 18x30, with an 18x20 foot addition, two large frame barns, plenty of water, fine meadow - a choice stock farm.

No. 16. 100 acre farm, eleven miles south ol Macon, twelve miles north of Moberlv. and two mile* from Jacksonville, on Waba»h Railway ; 140 acre* fencrd Into ten fields and pasture, 100 acre* under cultivation, 47 acre* in timothy clover and red top. Frame house, 18x84, with a 84x24 addition, five rooms, two porticos, one { smokehouse, 12x14. and woodhouse, 12x14; poultry house, good new frame barn, 32x42; good granery, 12x14; implement house. 10x24; cow barn, 30x40; log barn, 20x20, with shed on one side; stud barn, 14x14. with shed on one side; sheep barn, 18x20. Lawn fenced and garden picketed. A number of stock lots. Farm watered by four good cisterni', two at house and two at barn, live ponds and running ireek. Plenty of timlwr to run farm. (iood b<arlng apple orchard of 40 trees, also a young orchard Wood land underlaid with coal. (io<Mj nrighborhood, and a flouring mill within one mile. Reasons for selling, old age and incapacity for manual labor. Bknja.mix F. Elsea. No. 17 -Choice farm in Linn County, Mo., for investment and farming purposes, one mile from the town of Marcelinc, the new division point of the Chicago \' .Santa Fe R. R.- 500 iicres in the tract - all under fence. Small orchard, three good living wells of wa'er, two large ponds; water never failing; 60 acres in timothy meadow; 50 acres seeded to clover; 200 acres fresh land, onlv cultivated two years; 160 acres in pasture, pretty well set in blue grass; 40 acres pasture timothy and clover; 50 acres blue grass timber land - timber enough to keep place up; bam :t0x40, frame, new shingle roof; small house, not much value. Soil on entire tract extra good; no level or hard pan on it. Linn County is out of debt, and taxes very low; 100 miles from Kansas City. The town of Marccline was only laid out about ten days ago, and already over 1,000 lots sold; i« sure to make a town of from 5,000 to 10,000 inhabitants. This tract of land tan be had for $50 per acre one-third down, balance in payments to suit the purchaser, at six per cent, interest. Would prefer p,iyments after first in $l,000'paymei ts annually until paid for.

No. 18. 341) acres; one and a-half miles north of Love Lake, on the Wabash Railway ; 170 acres in cultivation, balance in limber and pasture. Farm all fenced and watered by creek, well*, spring and [tonds. Good bearing orchard of 100 trees; good st<iry and a-half frame house and good outbuilding; log barn, I!<x24. lour miles from La Plata, one mile to schoolhouse, h.ll a mile tochurch. John M. Kktciiam.

No. lO - A 360 acre farm, six miles from Atlanta; all fenced and in cultivation. .\ choice prairie farm, with good seven room frame houte, two frame barns, one 30x,50 and the other 3<ix42. Good orchard of seventy bearir.g trtc-s, go<id stock well with wind-mill, also large I'ond with pipe tank and float, and slocted with (ieinian carp. One third of farm in oats and corn, balance in meadow and pasture. Half a m:le from church, one and a quarter mile* to school. One ol the best farms in county. Orla Skuw.

Nu. '20. .\ 200 acre farm; two and a-half from Macon. Subdivided into forty and eighty acre lots One story five room house; large fra-re barn. Farm fenodwith rails and wire. Large pond stocked with (German carp, and one cistern. .Ml in meadow and pasture, except sixteen acrr ' *- I stock farm.

No. '21. T< n aLrc.>, ^illlated in the suburbs of College Mound, one story six ro<prii frame house, small orchard A wil. iiiipro\id place with good barn and other outbuiltiings.

Gary'S

Within live minutes walk of the Post Office, the principal street leading to the Addition Macadamized to within one block, with the Streets and Alleys nicely Graded throughout, there is bound to be considerable outcome co this property. To

High and Dry, Located right in the Oireclion of the Growth of the Citv, plenty of Good Living Water can be had at a depth of Twenty Feet, the extremely Low Price

Macon, Mo

Spccialliet: (.nlli. tiun>, .M>,|n<rt< of Title, Real EaUle Trantaclionft. Kcprcbcnt* Duo .V i <> '« Arency, Ruod*t Cooinirrcial Agency, HubbcU'* l-ex.*! l^irrciory, etc . ale

Macon Mo

Also Emerson, Hallet A. Davis and Kimball Pianos. Come and see mo and buy direct. No middle men. All goods at manufacturers' prices, on easy payments or for cash. GEO. O. STACY

We cater to the best trade onl3\ We buy only the hitest and best goods. We carry the largest stock of Dry Goods and Carpets in Macon County. We sell for one price only, and to cash buyers who want to receive value for your investments. We ask you to visit our store, or write for samples for comparison or selection. Respectfully, J. D. HAIL, 20 Rollins St., Macon, Mo.

With the par excellent stock of Men's, Boys' Jiiid Children's Fasliionable Clothing, Hats, Caps, and Gents' Furnishing Goods. Also a tirst-class Merchant Tailoring Department, where he will niS sreat system comprises 1,U7 miles of magnificent steel rail tracks, over COO miles of which is in the State of Missouri, forming a Grand Trunk Line between its principal cities. Starting from St. Lonis, tiie greatest gate way on the .Mississippi, the Wahash Wksteks penetrates the garden of Missouri in a most direct manner, running through its magnificent gram and coal fields to its western border, linking together the Greatest Commercial Centers of the West.

Every division of this great system is a "Through Car Line," with the Finest Equipment in the country. The Waisash \Vkstei;n runs Three Daily Trains between St. Louis and Kansas City ; Two Daily Trains between St. Louis and Omaha and Two Daily 'J'hrough 'J'rains between St. Louis, Ottumwa, Des Moines and St. Paul. All these Through Fast Trains are models of elegance and comfort. No Second Chi.-^s Trains are run. Emigrants and home seekers are carried on the Fastest Express Trains. The Wahash Western is the "Short Through Car Line" to all points in Central and Northern Missouri. Bear this in mind and whetiier destined to, or through, Missouri, be sure your ticket reads, via St. TtODIS and the Wabash W'estehk K'y. Any Ticket Agent in the United States will furnish you information in reference to, and sell Tickets at Low Rates, via this Popular