125 years ago

august 23, 1889

We dropped into Mr. Donaldson’s old home place Wednesday afternoon, now the home of his father-in-law, Mr. Spees, and sampled some of the fine Concord grapes, of which there are bushels and bushels. Mr. Spees has taken splendid care of the vines, and as a result, has the finest arbor we have seen in Kansas.

This is the time of year for John Fox to come to the front. John is the best watermelon raiser in all this neck o’ woods.

We have heard from several sources that something is wrong with a good many cherry trees. The foliage on some has been unusually scant this season and on others the leaves have fallen off almost entirely and the trees are prematurely bare. We call attention of orchardists to these reports, and advise them to investigate the matter if they haven’t already.

The negotiations which have been pending for some time between Col. Hobitzell of Peabody and Dr. Hannaford of this city, looking to the establishment of an extensive brick manufactory on the latter’s place in Marion, have culminated in a “bargain,” and workmen are now busy clearing off the ground preparatory to the erection of the necessary buildings, sheds, kilns, etc. Experts pronounce the clay superior to anything yet found in the State.