USA > Iowa > Floyd County > History of Floyd County, Iowa : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 62
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673
CHARLES CITY.
all adopted. In March, 1871, Charles City was ascertained to be a "city of the second class."
The officers elected each year since the incorporation, have been as follows:
1869 .- Mayor, Milo Gilbert; Recorder, A. W, French; Marshal, Charles P. Collins; Treasurer, Wm. Hausburg; Street Commis- sioner, A. L. Collins; Councilmen, S. G. Bryant, William Haus- burg, J. S. Root, S. M. Wilson, C. A. Slocum.
1870 .- Mayor, Milo Gilbert; Recorder, A. W. French; Mar- shal, L. G. Burroughs; Treasurer, Wm. Hausburg, Street Com- missioner, J. M. Miner; Councilmen, Jackson Wood, E. A. Teeling, William Hausburg, Sanford Harwood, J. R. Waller.
1871 .- Mayor, C. S. Otis; Recorder, George P. Morris; Mar- shal, J. L. Ferris; Treasurer, H. C. Baldwin; Street Commissioner, H. H. Case (resigned), S. G. Bryant (unexpired term); Councilmen, E. Andrews, Dr. J. W. Smith, Charles A. Slocum, John Kuck, Dr. W. L. Palmer.
1872 .- Mayor, D. W. C. Duncan; Clerk, Eugene B. Dyke; Marshal, S. O. Page; Treasurer, J. W. Lehmkuhl (resigned), H. C. Baldwin (unexpired term); Solicitor, J. Evans Owens; Street Com'r., S. O. Page; Councilmen: 1st Ward, C. W. Fletcher, J. G. Patterson; 2d Ward, Sanford Harwood, Frank Burnham; 3d Ward, C. N. Clark, F. T. Swift; 4th Ward, J. N. Parsons, John Howard.
1873 .- Mayor, J. E. Owens; Clerk, Eugene B. Dyke; Marshal, George Leaman; Treasurer, H. C. Baldwin; Solicitor, J. Evans Owens; Street Commissioner, George T. Leaman. Assessor, A. W. French; Councilmen: 1st Ward, J. G. Patterson, C. W. Fletcher; 2d Ward, Frank Burnham, Sanford Harwood; 3d Ward, F. T. Swift, A. H. Brackett; 4th Ward, J. N. Parsons, N. Phelps.
1874 .- Mayor, J. E. Owens; Clerk, Eugene B. Dyke (resigned), E. J. Gilbert (unexpired term); Marshal, L. M. Loper; Treas- urer, Morton Wilbur; Solicitor, A. M. Harrison; Street Commis- sioner, J. C. Stearns; Assessor, A. W. French; Councilmen: 1st Ward, C. W. Fletcher, L. J. Waller; 2d Ward, Frank Burnham, John Howard; 3d Ward, A. H. Brackett, Ira K. Lee; 4th Ward, J. N. Parsons, N. Phelps.
1875 .- Mayor, W. D. Balch; Clerk, J. S. Bradley; Marshal, L. M. Loper; Treasurer, Morton Wilbur; Solicitor, A. M. Harri- son; Street Commissioner, J. C. Stearns; Assessor, A. W. French; Councilmen, 1st Ward, I., J. Waller, John Ferguson; 2d Ward, John Howard, Frank Burnham; 3d Ward, Ira K. Lee, A. H. Brackett; 4th Ward, N. Phelps, T. W. Clapp.
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
1876 .- Mayor, C. W. Fletcher; Clerk, J. S. Bradley; Marshal, B. M. Loper; Treasurer, Morton Wilbur; Solicitor, S. P. Leland; Street Commissioner, J. C. Stearns; Assessor, A. W. French; Councilmen: 1st Ward, John Ferguson, Carl Merckel, Jr. ; 2d Ward, George P. Morris, John Howard; 3d Ward, A. H. Brackett, E. G. Barney; 4th Ward, T. W. Clapp, A. M. Thomas.
1877 .- Mayor, C. W. Fletcher; Clerk, J. S. Bradley; Marshal, L. M. Loper; Treasurer, W. D. Balch; Solicitor, S. P. Leland; Street Commissioner, J. C. Stearns; Assessor, A. W. French; Councilmen: 1st Ward, Carl Merckel, Jr., John Ferguson; 2d Ward, John Howard, George P. Morris ; 3d Ward, E. G. Barney, A. H. Bracket; 4th Ward, A. M. Thomas, Charles A. Slocum.
1878 .- Mayor, C. W. Fletcher; Clerk, J. S. Bradley; Marshal, Ira K. Lee; Treasurer, Morton Wilbur; Solicitor, A. M. Harrison; Street Commissioner, J. C. Stearns; Assessor, A. W. French; Councilmen: 1st Ward, John Ferguson, Carl Merckel, Jr. ; 2d Ward, George P. Morris, John Howard; 3d Ward, A. H. Brackett, J. E. Rich; 4th Ward, Charles A. Slocum, V. E. Bort.
1879 .- Mayor, A. R. Spriggs; Clerk, J. S. Bradley; Marshal, Ira K. Lee; Treasurer, S. F. Farnham; Solicitor, A. M. Harrison; Street Commissioner, T. C. Bumgardner; Assessor, A. W. French ; Councilmen: 1st Ward, George R. May, Eli Brownell; 2d Ward, John Howard, T. A. Hand; 3d Ward, J. E. Rich, O. Pomeroy; 4th Ward, V. E. Bort, N. Phelps.
1880 .- Mayor, Carl Merckel, Jr .; Clerk, J. S. Bradley; Marshal, L. M. Loper; Treasurer, George P. Morris; Solicitor, A. M. Har- rison; Street Commissioner, T. C. Bumgardner; Assessor, Eli Brownell; Councilmen: 1st Ward, Eli Brownell, George R. May; 2d Ward, John Howard, M. Martin; 3d Ward, O. Pomeroy, George P. Smith; 4th Ward, N. Phelps, V. E. Bort.
1881 .- Mayor, P. W. Burr; Clerk, J. S. Bradley; Marshal L. M. Loper; Treasurer, George P. Morris; Solicitor, A. M. Harrison; Street Commissioner, T. C. Bumgardner; Assessor, Eli Brownell; Councilmen: 1st Ward, George R. May, C. M. Carr; 2d Ward, M. Martin, J. E. Owens; 3d Ward, George P. Smith, Carl Merckel, Jr .; 4th Ward, V. E. Bort, E. A. Teeling.
1882 .- Mayor, J. S. Trigg; Clerk, J. S. Bradley; Marshal, George T. Leaman; Treasurer, W. E. Holbrook; Solicitor, P. W. Burr; Street Commissioner, Charles Inglehart; Assessor, Eli Brownell; Councilmen: 1st Ward, C. M. Carr, W. A. G. Tripp;
675
CHARLES CITY.
2d Ward, J. H. Elliott, M. Martin; 3d Ward, Carl Merckel, Jr., W. A. Fairbank; 4th Ward, E. A. Teeling, D. H. Ferguson.
Sometimes the city has elected a board of officers and aldermen in favor of license, sometimes a board opposed to it, and occasion- ally some of both parties at the same election. This year (1882) the whole board is "no-license."
BUSINESS MEN IN EARLY DAYS.
It will be interesting here to glance at the business directory of St. Charles from 1856 to 1860, as appeared by the business cards and advertisements in the Intelligencer during those years.
General Stores-Blunt & Collins, John Ferguson & Co., Wright & McNabb, Wright & Bro., Cheney & Brackett, Montague & Co., Rumpf, Lehmkuhl & Co.
Boots and Shoes -- Ferguson & Sampson.
Hardware-Gilbert & Waller, Ferguson & Stanley ("Mill street, opposite the new hotel").
Drugs and Books-A. B. F. Hildreth, Hildreth & Carver (books, wall paper, lands, marble works, etc.), Fessenden & Montague, Smith & Atkinson.
Blacksmiths-Wm. M. Langstaff, Levi Schermerhorn, C. E. Bigelow, R. D. & C. E. Bigelow & Co., Franklin R. Wooley, Wooley & Snyder.
Architects and Builders-Theodore Mix, James Jackson, Cole & Jackson.
Carpenters-Lutz & Terry.
Cabinet Maker-John Howard.
Painters-Heath & Atkinson, John Heath.
Tailor-T. Donohue.
Clocks, Watches and Jewelry -- D. Gilbert, Haskins & Sawyer. Harness and Saddlery-Pettit & Ferguson.
Livery -- J. N. Montgomery.
Baker -- John Muir.
Shingles-Uzziel Weeks.
Real Estate-A. L. Collins, Abner Root, Patterson, Lee & Ronaldson (land agents, surveyors and civil engineers).
Law and Real Estate -- Samuel B. Starr, G. G. Reiniger.
Law-A. K. Eaton, T. D. Pooler, Wm. H. Sawyer, French, Wiltse & Fairfield, G. G. Reiniger, I. W. Card & R. G. Reiniger, H. C. Stinson, D. W. Poindexter, J. G. Patterson.
Justice of the Peace-Joshua Jackson.
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Physicians-J. W. Smith (Eclectic), W. A. Fessenden, S. Riddill.
Bankers-Ferguson, Eastman & Co.
Insurance-Wm. B. Fairfield.
Hotels-Joseph Kelly (" St. Charles Hotel"), Christopher Mar- tin (leased the former in February, 1857), Smith & Goddard (opened a new hotel Jan. 1, 1857, called the " Magnolia House").
Miller -- Joseph Kelly.
Nursery-Geo. E. Dunbar.
Sugar Mill-Sanford Howard. (Probably the first in the county).
Newspaper-St. Charles Intelligencer, started July 31, 1856, the first number of which was sold at auction for $20. A full account is given in the chapter on the Press.
We now reach a point in the growth of Charles City, where, according to the law of divergence of functions, as taught in modern scientific works in connection with evolution, material and moral interests differentiate into distinct departments, as business associations, factories, banks, schools, temperance organizations, military affairs, railroads, churches, clubs and a great variety of other movements ; and while most of these are treated to some extent, and some of them thoroughly, in more appropriate chap- ters in this work, it is our duty here more fully to detail those things which in their bearings are confined almost or quite exclu- sively to Charles City. Our order will be, first, factories and banks ; then churches, secular societies, educational affairs and miscellaneous.
MANUFACTORIES, ETC.
Water-Power .- A log dam was first built at St. Charles in 1854, by Joseph Kelly, the original owner. The same year and the year following he started a saw-mill for an upright saw, and also the foundation of a flouring mill ; and in the summer of 185 he entered into contract with Col. John P. Knight, to start a three- run flouring mill. This was built, and put in operation in February 1856 ; and at that time it was the only mill in Floyd County, or indeed in all this part of the country, the nearest. neighboring mill being at Cedar Falls. It was known as the frontier mill, and for many years it alone held sway throughout this region, patrons coming even from Minnesota,-from as far north as Blue Earth County. This mill was operated until 1875, when it was torn down to make room for the present structure.
677
CHARLES CITY.
The Charles City Water-Power Company was organized in March, 1875, with Milo Gilbert, President ; John G. Patterson, Secretary ; and W. D. Balch, Treasurer. The Board of Directors comprised the above named men and F. T. Swift, John P. Taylor, R. G. Reiniger and A. R. Spriggs. There were seventy-two stock- holders, subscribing from $250 to $8,000 each in $25 shares, making a total of $100,000. They immediately assessed ten per cent. on the stock and proceeded to build a new dam.
March 4, 1876, the water-power was conveyed to this company, the deed filed for record, and the keys to the grist-mill given up to President Gilbert, who employed E. A. Teeling to take charge of the same. Mrs. Kelly carried out her verbal agreement to the letter and subscribed $4,000 stock. She also yielded the claim for rent against the lessee of the mill property. She sold the power for $25,000, after she had been previously offered $50,000, and $70,000, so desirous was she to revive business and property value in Charles City.
The board immediately took possession of the old mill which stood upon the water-power erected in 1855 by Joseph Kelly, Sr., and operated the same until some time in July following, when it was taken down to make room for the present mill and improve- ments then being made by the company ; and the erection of the dam and the digging of the race through the solid rock for the present flouring mill power continued until the south side basement was built. The present mill was put in operation in February 1876, and the Water-Power Company has continued to operate it until the present time. It is now under the management of H. C. Ireland, Superintendent, who has had charge of all the matters pertaining to the company for the last three years. The company at present is officered by Milo Gilbert, President ; J. P. Taylor, Vice-President ; S. F. Farnham, Treasurer; and Alexander Spriggs, Secretary.
The works consist of a flouring mill, with a capacity of 200 barrels of flour per day ; one sixty-inch turbine wheel, under a' nine-foot four-inch head of water, being equal to about sixty-five horse-power. It has a full set of Stephens corrugated rolls, and all modern machinery of a first-class flouring mill. The brands manufactured here are the " Directors', " " Fancy Patent, " " Min- nesota Patent," "Straight " and "Family." The structure has also attached to it a feed mill for wheat, rye, buckwheat and corn, consisting of two run of stone, propelled by a Leffel turbine wheel
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
affording an eighty-five horse power. A portion of the power is now being attached to the plow factory in process of erection by the Charles City Plow Company. The presses of the Intelligencer office are also run by this power, communicated by cable over the tops of the intervening buildings.
This great flour manufactory is called the "Centennial Mills, " in honor of the year it was put in operation. Much of the time it is run night and day, and the products are marketed mostly at home and in Dakota.
The present dam is substantial and neat, permitting a beautiful. sheet of water to fall over its crest and slide down an apron at an angle of forty-five degrees, thus affording a pleasant and attractive scene to all passers by upon the bridge a few rods below. A remarkable feat is performed here occasionally by some young men which we ought not to leave unnoticed. Undressed they proceed out to near the middle of the dam, and slide headlong down the apron, a distance of about twelve feet, into the depths below, sometimes upon their backs and sometimes with their faces downward. Like loons they emerge in the distance unharmed and happy.
Charles City Plow Factory .- This institution had its origin in the efforts of its present senior proprietor, F. R. Wooley, who in 1856 commenced blacksmithing here in a small way, and in 1859 commenced the manufacture of plows in this place, which were superior to those of Eastern make. In 1862 he built a factory which he conducted until 1876, where the present shop stands, opposite the east corner of the public square. The business so in- creased that this year (1882), the company erected, across Main street from the Centennial Mills, a three-story brick building, 34x80 feet, at a cost of about $3,500, with power derived by shaft. and pulley from the mills just mentioned, equal to twenty-five horse power, leased for ten years. The machinery and other works are of course not included in the above estimate of cost The company is about to be formed, or re-organized, on the stock principle, and will manufacture plows for all grades of farm work; breaking, riding, sulky, corn plows, etc., and make repairs. They use patent steel, branding their plows after the name of the city, and contemplate extending their trade over the broad prairies of the North and West.
"Boss Harrow" Company .- The initiatory of the business of this company is given in the biographical sketch of H. S. Howard, in a subsequent portion of this work. The harrows made by this
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CHARLES CITY.
company were patented by John E. Perkinson, of Wisconsin, and introduced here by Mr. Howard. In the winter of 1877-'78, Messrs. Howard and Gulchers made 120 of these harrows and began to wholesale them. They sent a few to Fargo, Dakota, and Lake Park, Minn. The winter of 1878, 300 were manufactured, under the firm name of Quinby & Howard, and they extended their trade to a number of points in Minnesota, Dakota, and Iowa.
In 1879-'80, Mr. W.H. Davis purchased Mr. Quinby's interest, and the firm became H. S. Howard & Co., and they manufactured 600 harrows. The winter of 1880-'81, Mr. Howard, W. H. Davis, and Walter Davis from Wisconsin, manufactured 2,000 harrows, and built a small factory near Mr. Tait's Tow Mill in Charles City, using Mr. Tait's power. In July, 1881, H. C. Raymond, of Charles City, became a partner in the business, furnishing one-half the cash capital; and the fall of 1881 and spring of 1882, the company manufactured between 3,000 and 4,000 harrows. The spring of 1882, Walter Davis retired from the firm, and W. H. Davis and H. C. Raymond, deciding that the business demanded new shops and better facilities for manufacturing, built their present shops, adding improved machinery, and an engine. They now occupy a building 250 feet long by 24 wide, and give direct employment to sixteen men. This factory is one of the leading manufactories of Charles City.
The Charles City Furniture Manufactory, by Stevens, Hering & Co., was established in April, 1870, under the firm of Elkins & Hering. In 1872 the firm became Stevens, Hering & Co., the par- ties being B. W. Stevens, W. C. Hering and E. J. Fisher; the lat- ter is manager of the factory. This institution gives employment to twenty-five men, who make fine furniture of all kinds, bank and store counters, church, office and lodge furniture, shelving, etc. This stock is sold both by wholesale and retail at their store on Main street. This building is twenty-two feet front by ninety feet deep, and two stories high. One man is employed as a travel- ing agent. This is one of the leading business institutions of Charles City.
Elm Springs Creamery .- This is a new and rapidly growing in- stitution, located about twenty rods below the bridge on the west side of the river, where there is a large spring of perfectly pure water, shaded by a noble elm. The original building is two stories,
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
with basement 24 x40 feet in size, for a cheese factory, and a wing 18 x 36 for a creamery, two stories high. The lower floors are in a quarry where stone has been dug. One basement floor is of wood, with a drain; the other is flagged with smooth lime- stone. In one corner of the cheese factory is the boiler room, for furnishing steam to heat the milk from which the cheese is made. This room is so close that no heat gets through the partition or emerges through the door; so the only heat which gets there must come through the steam pipes into the milk vats. A stone vault or sub-cellar is cut off from the creamery of the basement, where the finished butter is kept before shipping. In the main butter-room are water reservoirs, where the cream is raised or cooled before churning.
On the second and third floors we find the storage for cheese while in process of curing, and another room for receiving the milk and cream daily. One churn changes cream into 160 to 250 pounds of butter at a churning.
During the season of 1882, a large addition to the south side of this building has been made, one story and a deep basement.
The present proprietors are Burt White, J. S. Trigg and H. C. Raymond.
G. H. Bennett, in the spring of 1863, put in operation a good carding machine in Charles City. Mr. Rider, of Floyd, a disabled soldier and an experienced workman, was employed to superin- tend it.
Treat & Klepper's Marble Works are located on Main street near corner of Water street. These works were first established by E. B. Moore some ten years ago. Six years since Mr. Treat bought out the yard and conducted the business alone until August, 1882, when the present copartnership was formed. They turn out first-class work.
W. Winternik started the first marble works in the county eighteen years ago. At that time there were but two marble yards in the State-one at Dubuque and a small shop at Cedar Falls. His works are located on Main street, near Kelly street. He works all kinds of marble, granite, etc., and has a good custom. He formerly worked in Chicago, commencing there thirty-five years ago.
Quarries .- The Cedar River, near Charles City, is lined with good building-stone, and several quarries have been worked. A number of beautiful buildings-in fact all the best of them-are
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CHARLES CITY.
built of this stone, as the Union House block, Dr. Smith's busi- ness block and residence, the two school-houses, two churches, etc .. Some of this stone is capable of receiving a very high polish, and hence has been called " St. Charles marble." One species has. been used for grave-stones but for this purpose it is not very durable.
IMPROVEMENTS GENERALLY.
In the winter of 1871-'2, the enterprising citizens of Charles City began to feel that special efforts should be made to secure manufactories and public institutions, as additional improvements to their beautiful town. Accordingly Feb. 3, 1872, a meeting was held and an executive committee appointed to forward the interests of the place. Feb. 10 a mass meeting was held at Raymond's Hall, where Judge Reiniger, being called upon, stated the object of the meeting. He said that Charles City had attained its full growth unless something be done in the way of public improve- ments; that there were projects for securing a State Normal School, manufacturing establishments of various kinds and for the location here of the machine shops of the I. & D. division of the M. & St. P. R. R. After remarks were made by several gentlemen respecting normal schools, Hon. J. G. Patterson offered the following reso- lution which was adopted: " That Hon. R. G. Reiniger, Prof. I. Shep- ard and Mr. J. F. Spaulding be appointed a committee to correspond with our Representatives in the Legislature on the subject of the passage of a normal school bill; that they select in or near Charles City a suitable site for such a school, ascertain for what it can be purchased, and learn from the citizens individually, as far as possible, what can be relied on in the way of money and means as a donation to secure the location of such a school at this place.
The question of asking for the location of railroad shops here at this time was a delicate one, as the county had been so backward in paying up its railroad tax. After considerable discussion, it was agreed to ask the railroad company how much bonus they would require, over and above the unpayed taxes due, to induce them to locate their machine shops at this place.
Mr. Taylor, from the committee on manufactures, reported that $250 had been subscribed for buying a lot for Stevens, Elkins & Co., to build a furniture factory upon, and asked for further time; which was granted.
42
682
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
The water-power question again came up, and after some deliber- ation a committee was appointed to ascertain the terms for which the water-power could be bought or leased, and to ask Mr. Joseph Kelly, the proprietor, how much he would help the enterprise.
Another committee was appointed to look after the manufactur- ing interests of Charles City generally. Milo Gilbert, R. G. Reiniger and J. P. Taylor constituted this committee. Messrs. Patterson, Mahara and Boulton offered donations of ground for manufactories. It was stated that during the preceding year $20,000 worth of plows had been sold in the city, which could just as well have been manufactured here.
Meanwhile the Intelligencer was working industriously to ad- vance all these local interests.
At the next meeting, one week subsequently, most of the com- mittees reported progress, and were continued in duty. On the water-power, the committee reported Mr. Kelly's terms, and were continued. Subscriptions were taken for this enterprise to the amount of $7,000, and the committee instructed to raise tliis to $10,000, as a bonus to any company that would purchase and im- prove the water-power. The enterprise of Stevens, Elkins & Co. was reported as making progress, a respectable subscription was raised " on the spot," and the committee instructed to "push things." At the next meeting, Feb. 24, $600, the amount required, was raised for the furniture factory. A. R. Spriggs, A. G. Case and J. G. Patterson were appointed a committee to secure the services of a competent engineer for examining the water-power and determining its capacity.
In March a letter from Mr. Lawler was published, informing the citizens of Charles City that the Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R. Co., being embittered against the county for its dilatoriness in paying the tax it had agreed to pay, peremptorily declined to locate their shops at this place.
June 1 the committee on the water-power reported that they had entered into a contract with Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, whereby they had the refusal of the power for forty-five days for any company or corporation that might be organized to purchase the same, at $40,000, payable $4,000 in cash, and the balance on or before ninety-nine years from date, with interest at eight and three-fourths per cent., payable semi-annually. The committee was instructed to proceed with the raising of subscriptions as speedily as practi- cable.
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CHARLES CITY.
The idea of levying a tax was advanced, but, after some discus- sion, was abandoned. Then the plan of raising stock, in $100 shares, was proposed and adopted. A committee was appointed to draft articles of incorporation, and all hands resolved to rush. business.
At a meeting held in the Christian church, April 30, 1881, to encourage the proposed railroad and local enterprises generally, F. A. Roziene, H. C. Raymond, A. R. Spriggs, V. G. Barney, J. P. Taylor and Milo Gilbert were appointed a committee to pre- pare a constitution and by laws for a board of trade, with power to correspond with railroad companies and capitalists in relation to any of the interests of Charles City; to call a meeting to receive their report and for organization. May 17 following this company organized as the "Charles City Improvement Association," with constitution and by-laws, and by the election of the following of- ficers: F. A. Roziene, President; H. Raymond, Vice-President; D. Townsend, Secretary; W. D. Balch, Treasurer; A. R. Spriggs, V. C. Barney and Dr. J. W. Smith, Executive Committee. Ar- ticle II of the constitution states the object of the association to be " to promote manufacturing industries now located or to be located here; to encourage the development of desirable enterprises of whatever character, looking to the material advancement and im- provement of our city." The constitution was signed by nearly or quite all the business men of the city, who took hold in "solid earnest." The present officers are the same as at first elected. The association is now watching for opportunities.
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