Early December, 1874, seems to have been a slow period for news in Chariton and that inspired Dan Baker, editor of The Leader, to make little on his own. Of the two newspapers then publishing in the Lucas County seat, Dan's was the livelier --- reflecting his personality; one reason why he had as sound a subscriber and advertising base as The Patriot even though his Democrat politics often were deplored in a community that leaned heavily toward the Republican party, then the more progressive of the two.
So he hopped on a Monday morning train eastbound to Russell on Dec. 7 and spent much of the day visiting there --- no doubt prospecting for news and advertising, too, as he roamed from business to business. The result of his visit was an essay published in The Leader of Saturday, Dec. 12, under the headline, "Down to Russell."
At the time of Dan's visit Russell --- founded as railside town seven years earlier, in 1867 when the westbound tracks of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad were constructed through the site ---still was in its infancy. The plat map here dates from 1896, when the city was nearly 30 years old. At that time, several business buildings still faced the railroad tracks rather than Shaw Street a block south, as most did in later years. Here's Dan's report:
DOWN TO RUSSELL
On Monday of this week, having a little leisure time to devote to our friends, we took advantage of the occasion to run down to Russell, which place we found in a lively, flourishing condition. We called upon Messrs Sprague & Brother, who run the best drug store in the county, outside of Chariton, and found them full of business and enlarging their storeroom to accommodate their fine stock of goods.
We next stepped into the furniture and hardware store of A.J. Woodman, who opened out business not long ago. Mr. Woodman is a good-looking young fellow, and is establishing a fine trade among the Russellites. It was whispered to us that he was clandestinely married on last Sunday and of the fair belles of that vicinity. He denies it, however, and Mrs. (would-be) Woodman denies it too. They ought to know, so we won't dispute the question with them.
We next called upon that jolly, whole-souled firm of Cook & Bro. The Bro. we don't know, but Cook was in one of his genial moods, and reported business fine and trade good. They carry a large stock of dry goods, groceries, &c., and deal extensively in grain.
Across the street we found the office of Boggs & Plotts, the prominent grain buyers of the village, both of them receiving and weighing corn and oats at a rate that astonished us; at all events they are distributing greenbacks among the farmers in quantities that promise peace and plenty for all of them.
Aleck Gordon, the blacksmith, was pounding away at his anvil as though he had just received an order from Jove for a fresh installment of thunder-bolts.
In fact, everyone we saw was busy. Dr. Powell reported medicine a little dull, but still a fair amount of work for a doctor to do. His partner, Dr. Palmer, is off East attending a course of medical lectures this winter.
We were informed that there was some talk of a newspaper, independent in politics and religion, being started there this winter. While we rejoiced in the moral courage of the man who would undertake it, we dropped a silent tear of sorrow for his coming financial calamities.
Russell contains two hotels, one flouring mill, two meat shops and three saloons. What on earth she wants with so many mills, hotels and meat shops is one of the unsolved suptuary problems that will ever remain a mystery to the wises oracle of the age.
Some verdant genius, of more enterprise than judgment, talked of starting a bakery and running a milk wagon, but the saloon keepers laughed him out of countenance. His mouldering corpse now reposes in the valley.
A grand sleight of hand performance by world renowned jugglers was announced on the day that we were there, and our friend Cook pressed us to stay and get an item. We were sorely tempted, but the thoughts of our freezing orphans at home, and the wretchedly dull wood-saw that our wife had with which to prepare the accustomed evening's fuel, compelled us to tear ourself away from the prospective rapturous scene of the evening.
Our visit was a pleasant one to us, and the cordial good-will exhibited towards us by all made us conclude to call again in the spring.
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A.J. Woodman was Alfred J. Woodman, then in his mid-20s, who would go on to build one of Lucas County's most successful and enduring hardware, furniture and undertaking establishment, carried forward after his retirement by his son, John.
And although Dan seemed a little doubtful, A.J. still was single at the time of the Leader visitation. He did, however, marry Alice Butts on Sept. 1, 1875. They went on to have six children, including the aforementioned John.
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