Article by J. W. Shaffer

In the archives is a photocopy of an article that appeared in the Jan. 21, 1909 edition of the "Clay County Dispatch", entitled A LITTLE DULL THERE NOW

J. W. Shaffer writes of Conditions in California Fruit Regions-Old Times in Kansas

Morgan Hill, Calif., Jan. 11 - You and the friends of Clay county have not heard from me for some time.

This is the land of flowers and fine weather.  However the last few days have been rainy and chilly.  We have a slight earth shake occasionally, but are not too fearful.  We have had some frost and thin ice a few mornings.

Times are rather dull here at present.  A light fruit crop and low prices are the causes: There are many fine fruit ranches for sale now, at low prices, but the stayer will win as this is one of the finest fruit sections in the state.  If any of my old time friends would come to Morgan Hill they would see my shingle out on the main street - J. W. Shaffer, Wind mills, pumps, tanks, water supplies.  If any of the Clay Center people are coming this way tell them to stop off and see me.  The latch string is out, I read the Dispatch first of all my papers and while there are many I do not know there now, there are man names that sounds like old times.  I noticed some time since that Elder Underwood's write up of Old Settlers of Clay county.  I think he must have forgotten Uncle Dave Shaffer, my father, who settled in Clay county in the spring of 1866.  I am well pleased with California and still do not care to return to live east of the Rocky mountains.  I noticed in the Dispatch after it was too late that A. F. Dexter was visiting in Oakland and had I known it when he was there I certainly would have gone to see him, as I consider him first of Clay county's pioneers.  You may hear more from me later.  Very Truly - J. W. Shaffer