I'd not thought much until this week about what I now recognize as the observatory room, just below the cupola, that crowns Lucas County's 1858 courthouse in this remarkable view provided some years ago by Jack Hultquist of the Kearney County (Nebraska) Historical Society.
Then I came across this front-page article, published in The Chariton Democrat of Aug. 23, 1870, describing an ascent to the observatory and the view once up there.
And then, again, it occurred to me that the artist who prepared this aerial view of Chariton and its environs for the 1875 Andreas Atlas must have gained his perspective by ascending to the observatory, too. I'd always wondered about that. But obviously, the courthouse observatory was in its time the highest point in Lucas County.
The 1875 Andreas view, by the way, depicts the landscape from the southeast looking northwest, so the view of Russell mentioned in the following article is not included.
A couple of other clarifications regarding the 1870 Democrat article --- Chariton is by no means located on the highest point in Iowa (that's a considerable distance north) as the article states; the widely admired 1867 schoolhouse (the first to be located on the Columbus School site) burned in 1877; and Democrats referred to Republicans as "radicals" in 1870, so that's the translation needed here.
With all of that in mind, here's the text:
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Mr. Hobbs, editor of the Fort Madison Democrat, recently spent a day in our town, and after going home he wrote up the following complimentary sketch of what he saw:
"We spent one day last week in the flourishing town of Chariton, in Lucas county, and we believe a few words in reference to the place will be of interest to our readers. The town is situated on the Chariton river, and is said to be exactly on the 'divide' between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. We were told that water running from the east side of the Public Square finds its way to the Mississippi, and from the west runs to the Missouri. This renders Chariton the highest point in the State, and as a city set upon a hill cannot be hid, we conclude that it will always be a prominent town. We met our old-time friend, J.B. Smith, Esq., who is at present the worthy and efficient Recorder of Lucas Co. He kindly invited us to ascend to the observatory upon the top of the Court House, which invitation we gladly accepted, and felt when we reached the place that we was enjoying the most elevated position we could ever hope to occupy while Iowa remains a radical state.
"The view from that position is magnificent. For miles and miles in every direction stretches beautiful rolling prairies, dotted with farms and farm-houses, and all that goes to make a landscape lovely to look upon. Winding like a silver thread through the prairies, its banks lined with trees, flows the Chariton river in quiet beauty. Away in the distance some eight or nine miles appears the village of Russell, and the wreaths of smoke and jets of steam from its mill were as plainly discernible as if within a mile distance. No American we think, and especially a Hawk-Eye born as we are could stand upon the Observatory, and look abroad over the wide stretching prairie, limited by naught save the dark purple horizon which marks the extent of human vision, and breathe the bracing air that comes from over these natural meadows, laden with the incense gathered from wild flowers, and not feel his heart swell with the pride of domain, and a feeling of thankfulness for the beauty and grandeur of scenery vouchsafed to the American people by a kind providence.
"We descended from our lofty position and began the more practical business of noting the appearance and business of the place. The town is beautifully laid out, with wide streets crossing each other at right angles, and standing in every way square with the world. The houses are for the most part frames neatly and substantially built.
"The Court House is of brick, and a large well-arranged building. The inside was being refitted when we were there, and when done will have very neat convenient offices for the use of County officials.
"The finest building, however, is the public school house, which has just been erected at a cost of $25,000. It is upon the outside the finest school building we have seen in the State, and we regret that our limited time did not allow us to go through and examine the interior.
"The trade of Chariton, much of it comes from Missouri. The merchants from towns and villages in northern Missouri buy their goods largely of the wholesale houses in Chariton. This is of course indicative of the presence of some heavy capitalists in the goods line.
"One very important branch of business is carried on by Murray & Gow. This firm manufactures wagons, and have a large trade and widespread patronage. We looked through their shops and were somewhat surprised at the extent and variety of the tools and machinery used in their business. Among other things is a neat little steam engine, a miniature planing mill, and several other labor saving machines which enable them to turn out a vast amount of work during the year.
"In the afternoon we called upon the editor of the staunch democratic paper, The Chariton Democrat. We found Mr. Faith just removing his office to a larger and more commodious room. He had just procured a new power press, a new dress and supply of type for his paper and job office. He is an energentic worker, and a strong pungent writer. Radicals gave him just sixty days to make a failure in when he went there and commenced a small six column four page paper. He has been there now three years, has enlarged his paper to an eight page paper, containing forty-eight columns.This is the kind of failure we are in favor of.
"We wish we had space to say more of the business andprospects of this grwing town but cannot do so at the present. It is in the heart of one of the finest sections of the Mississippi Valley, and must make a fine point."
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