History
Living is Cheap out in Momence
LEBANON BOY, SUCCESSFUL IN ILLINOIS, WRITES TO FRIENDS HERE
(Lebanon Courier – Pennsylvania – January 7, 1910)
Momence, Ill., Jan. 4- I enclose the following news items from central Illinois, for the Lebanon Courier and the many subscribers. The cold weather has set in early this winter. We have been having severe cold weather for four weeks; most of the time zero weather, as cold as 8 below zero, sixteen inches of snow fell and remained. Everyone is enjoying themselves sleigh riding.
The New Orleans Ice Co., which has its plant at this place, had nearly finished harvesting its ice crop of 40,000 tons of 14-inch ice.
Momence, Ill., is located 50 miles south of Chicago on the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad. The town has a population of over 3,000 inhabitants.
A good many people are out rabbit hunting, as they are plentiful in this section this year. There is no certain time for hunting. A person can secure a license and hunt any time.
The prices of farm products are as follows: Eggs, 25c and 30c per dozen; butter, 25c and 30c per pound; beef, 10c and 12 1-2c per pound; beefsteaks, 15c per pound; sirloin steak, 28c; bacon, 25c and 30c; hams, 18c to 25c; pork, 12 1-2c to 20c; pigs, alive, 9c.
Wages are good here. Everybody is working. This town is proud of having the largest Enamel Brick Works in the United States. The Tiffany Enamel Brick Works and also Emerson Typewriter factory is located here. These two employ lots of people.
Messrs, Rufus D. Donmoyer and G.H. Shell are engaged in Theatrical business.
They are conducting the Theatorium with Moving Pictures and Vaudeville, in the city of Momence, and are doing finely. They are both expert picture operators.
These boys were both born and raised in Lebanon county, near Harper’s in East Hanover township.
Your correspondent to The Report and Courier and its many readers wishes them all a happy and prosperous New Year for 1910.
Very truly yours,
GUY H. SHELL.