Excerpts from
The Schuyler Citizen

February 1, 1872

    HOUSE BURNED.–We learn that the house of Mr. James Dodds, living on the river bottom below Frederick, was totally consumed by fire one night last week, consuming everything contained in it except a couple of beds which he had removed into a new frame house he was just completing. We suppose it burned in the night and caught from a defective smoke stack. Among other articles lost was a $500 government bond.

    ON Saturday night last, shortly after dark, sky cloudy, atmosphere calm and indicating rain, suddenly there came from the north a rushing, roaring noise, and in a moment the air was filled with flying snow flakes, accompanied by a strong gale that made everything rattle again and sent belated street travelers flying to their homes. That night the mercury went down to two degrees below zero; next day people, when they met, enjoyed the exquisite pleasure of repeating what they had said a dozen times before, “coldest day of the season.” Sunday night marked fourteen degrees below zero, and that was the coldest of the season.

    ATTENDANCE EXTRAORDINARY.–We were in Miss McCreary’s school room the other day (every parent ought to visit the schools) and noticed on the wall a beautiful banner containing the inscription–“Attendance and Punctuality. We have the banner.” On inquiry, we learned that the percentage of attendance for January was 99.8. There was but one tardy mark of two minutes! and two days absence. We doubt if in the annals of school teaching, the world over, these figures have ever been surpassed. Miss McCreary and her school (it is the grammar department and numbers over fifty pupils on the roll) are hereby congratulated on winning the banner for January by such handsome numbers. Who will get it for February?

    THE following are the names of parties to whom marriage licenses were issued from the county clerk’s office during the past month:–
Jos. Cunningham and Miss C. Thompson.
Daniel Severns and Miss Melissa Kelly.
Ira Ingrum and Miss Sarah Rhodes.
Louis Frakes and Miss Lenora Spiegel.
A. Loring and Miss Georgiana Richardson.
Nelson Ridings and Miss E. DeCounter.
L. O. Sackman and Miss Melinda Tyree.
Henry C. Odell and Miss Mary Sellers.
Louis Teel and Miss Caroline Smith.
Robison Truett and Miss Sarah Cox.
Abram Simmers and Miss Mary Boyd.
Wm. J. Boyer and Miss Anna Breeze.
F. M. Willgus and Miss Doann Hedrick.
Ichabod Forbes and Mrs. Jane Frankford.
Thomas Blackley and Miss Anna Deal.
    The last named couple are mutes. The bachelors and misses seem to be doing all the marrying lately–one one widow married in January.

SHORTS 
    No new estrays this week.
    No change in the general market.
    “Veritas” gives us a fine letter from Lawrence, Kansas, this week. Read it.
    Price of pork this week is a little firmer than last. Net, $4 to $4.50, gross, $3.65 to $3.75.
    The United States will have an auction sale of army goods at the depot on the 7th inst.
    There is to be a concert in the new Bethel church, north of town, at 8 o’clock p.m. next Sunday.
    Messrs. Henry Austin, Jonathan R. Neill and John Neill have rented the Robert Greer livery stable premises and will continue the business.
    If some person will donate a stamp we will write to Horace Greeley and fine out what he knows about such strange (!) incidents–Rushville Times.
    “Fine out”! Oh! Ah!
    The M. E. church sociable will meet on next Friday evening at the residence of J. M. Sweeney. A large attendance is requested. ANNA V. RYAN, Sec.
    Little & Wells expect to get through their pork business next week or soon thereafter. They will have packed about 7,000 hogs. Irvin & Sweeney have packed 3,100. Farwell & Co., 6,000.
    George Potts, some days since, sold 84 hogs averaging 500 pounds gross. Robt. Wheelhouse last week sold 84 averaging 510 pounds. Jas. Teel will try and beat these beaters before the season is gone.
    Trains on the Rock Island & St. Louis road since January 28th pass Frederick going north at 12-30 p.m. and 1-55 a.m. There is one hour between Vermont and Frederick.
    Interesting protracted meetings are being held this week in the Parrott schoolhouse, north of town, and at Center, in Bainbridge township, under the charge of the Rev. Sirs Garner and Carr, of the M. E. Church.
    That’s a sorry attempt the Citizen makes to get off something smart at our expense, but it shows that we beat him at his own game last week.–Rushville Times.
    Let another man praise thee, and rot thine own mouth.–Solomon.
    Nevertheless, bully for the Times!
    The two school departments under the charge of the Misses Nettie McCreary and Mary Carson were removed last Monday from the old factory building to the new house. All the departments are now under the same roof; and the children enjoy it hugely.
    The new arrangement by which postmasters are to redeem multilated currency in payment for stamps is a very great convenience.–Rushville Times.
    “Multilated currency”! Well now, neighbor, what kind of stuff is “multilated” currency?
    The livery stable property of Robert Greer, lately deceased, was sold at public auction on Saturday last. Nine months credit with note and security was given, and bids were lively. The horses, of which there were thirteen, sold well, ranging from $52 to $140. W. L. Noble was auctioneer.
    Mr. James Prather, of Littleton township, recently traded for the house and five acres of ground belonging to Mr. Isaac R. Davis, just north of town. He gave eighty acres of timber land in Camden township and $700 for the property, which was valued at $1200. Mr. Prather still retains the idea of removing to Rushville at some future time.–Rushville Times.

JAIL DELIVERY!
THREE PRISONERS ESCAPE–TWO RECAPTURED!
“PINK” AVERY WOUNDED!
    On Monday afternoon last, about sundown, as John Lambert, the jailor, was carrying a bucket of coal into the hall of the county jail, and just while in the act of passing the bucket through the partially opened door, he was seized by Pink Avery and dragged inside. In the scuffle that ensued two of the other prisoners joined in, one of them striking Lambert on the head with an iron bar and a chunk of coal, when he was dragged into a cell and the door closed on him. The three prisoners, Avery, Lynn and Carter then made a rush for the door, and just as Avery was passing out, Lambert fired at him with a single barrel pistol through the grating of the cell door. He aimed a death deal, but the ball struck the fleshy part of his thigh and ranged downward, striking the bone and glancing. He fell forward, but immediately sprang up and out of the door and away.
    The alarm being given at the first onset, Mr. Weber, a neighbor, ran in to help, but was knocked down by one of the three men, all of whom reached the street and started on the double quick for the timber. Lambert was released from the cell by Mr. Fannen, who was too infirm to run, and immediately gave chase. Others joined in.
    Carter was overtaken in the field just south of Wm. Hedge’s residence by Mr. James Scull, Carter made show of resistance, when Scull tripped him up, and he was secured and brought back.
    Pink Avery ran to a point just west of Geo. Barnhart’s residence, over a half mile distant, hotly pursued, where, climbing over a fence, he sank down exhausted, his wound bleeding profusely. He was taken in hand at once by Thomas Burnsides and Ed. McClure, who were close on his heels, and escorted back to his prison home. His wound is not considered to be fatal, but will be very painful. Avery claims he has been shot at twenty-three times, making several hairbreadth escapes. But, Pink, death will claim you one day: hadn’t you better make friends with him before he comes around!

LIST OF LETTERS 
    Letters remaining unclaimed in the Postoffice in Rushville, State of Illinois, on the first day of February, 1872.
    To obtain any of these letters, the applicant must call for “advertised letters.”
    If not called for within one month they will be sent to the Dead Letter Office.
    Letters are not advertised until they have remained in the office one month. G.W. SCRIPPS, P.M.
Allen Henry
Black William
Boser —-
Barker Luke
Briggs A M
Dickey Jas M 4
Dickson Samuel C
Fulks Margaret Mrs
Handy S
Hackwith Wm
Howard Alf.
Hackworth Preston
Hess A
Johnson Virgil
Kelly Joel S
Kuhn Geo E & Co
Little Sarah
Lyter John M
Little Walter Dr
Lowry Samuel R
Medley Fulton
Metz Peter
Pearson Thomas
Rhone Henry
Reynolds Henry
Rose B B
Smith Nancy
Sellars Mahala
Smith R M Mrs
Swan Lars
Stodgel Albert T
Stevens Argall
Sigler Sarah Jane
Williams R C
Wilson Sally
Weaver John

DIED 
    CORBRIDGE.–At his residence, in this place, on the 25th of January, 1872, WILLIAM CORBRIDGE, in the 50th year of his age.
    Mr. Corbridge was born in England, June 18th, 1822; emigrated with his parents to New York in 1833; in 1835 came to Schuyler county at the same time with Wm. Hinman; in 1837 came to Rushville and engaged with Wm. Longley as an apprentice in the house and sign painting business. In March, 1842 he was married to Miss Mary Boice, whom he now leaves a widow with six children. Several years since he was badly burned about the chest by the explosion of an oil lamp, since which time he has been subject to fainting spells, making him fear to go from home alone. On Monday prior to his death he had something like a congestive chill, that prostrated him, but he was apparently getting better, till early Thursday morning, when, after eating his breakfast, while sitting in bed and conversing with a neighbor, his head suddenly fell forward, he attempted to call his wife but his tongue failed, and in a moment more life was extinct. He was buried on Sunday following, a large number being in attendance at the funeral despite the cold weather. The Rev. Mr. Rucker conducted the funeral services.
    CAMPBELL.–Suddenly, at the residence of his brother, William, several miles from Tecumseh, Nebraska, on the 29th day of January, THOMAS CAMPBELL, aged 24 years.

CORRESPONDENCE
From Kansas.
    Editor Schuyler Citizen:–Having been entertained and instructed by the perusal of several letters from various parts of the West, published in the CITIZEN, I have concluded that a few facts and figures concerning the “head center” of Kansas might interest some of your readers.
    Lawrence has the first requisite of a large inland town, namely, a surrounding country unsurpassed in feritlity, and capable of supporting a dense population. In a commercial point of view, few western towns possess superior advantages. The Kansas Pacific railroad extends forty miles east to Kansas City, where it connects with several routes east; it also extends west to Denver. The Leavenworth branch of the Kansas Pacific will give us several additional routes east as soon as the bridge over the Missouri at Leavenworth is completed. The St. Louis, Lawrence & Denver road, better known as the Pleasant Hill road, is completed to Pleasant Hill, a point on the Missouri, Pacific, sixty miles south-east of Lawrence. This road was one of our pet enterprises, and was built to obtain a competing route to St. Louis. The Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston railroad runs to the south line of the state, and will ultimately be extended through the Indian country, and Texas to the Gulf.
    Bonds are voted to aid in building a road to the coal mines in Osage county. This short line will not only give us cheap fuel, but will give us connection with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad, which already extends to the almost uninhabited regions of the south-west. The distance from Lawrence to Atchison is forty miles. What is known as the “Joy interest” controls the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston road running south from Lawrence; also a road running from Atchison to Lincoln, Nebraska. this forty mile gap will, of course, be spanned by the iron rail in a year or two. Topeka interest and enterprise from that city to Lawrence, to connect with our Pleasant Hill road, recently completed. So that considering Lawrence as the center, we have railroads radiating in five different directions, and when the Carbondale, the Topeka and Atchison are built, we will have eight. After that our railroad interest will take care of itself.
    Our educational facilities are very superior. The public schools of Lawrence, in point of architecture, school furniture, and all that constitute the make-up of a first-class school system, would do credit to an eastern city. The university of Kansas is sutuated on Mount Oread, in the western part of the city. Although in its infancy it has three hundred students. It is destined to be one of the most popular institutions of learning in the country. It is richly endowed by land grant, and its current expenses are defrayed by the people of the state through the Legislature.
    Ours is pronounced a very moral town by visitors. The religious denominations are well represented. The Baptists and Congregationalists have church edifices that cost about forty thousand dollars each. Many of other societies have neat, substantial churches.
    Business is well represented in all its departments. We have three first-class banking houses, two daily and three weekly newspapers, more than thirty grocery houses, besides clothing and dry goods stores, etc., in proportion.
    Our streets used to be as muddy as Rushville was when your correspondent had the pleasure of passing through in ’69, but we have our main street wood paved for a half mile; and we have also two miles of street railway in operation. Don’t you think that will do for a town of ten thousand inhabitants? If you happen our way, Mr. Editor, I know a man who will take you to see the sights; and what is still better you know him, too. You can then see the nice residences surrounded by trees, and well-kept lawns, in which our people live. You will see that our young city wears a permanent home-like look. I like Lawrence, and so would you.
VERITAS. LAWRENCE, KANSAS, Jan. 24th, ’72.

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