NEWS FROM THE 1881 ODEBOLT OBSERVER

[Since the 1881 portion of this newspaper has not been microfilmed, Bonnie Ekse has made it her mission to
 transcribe important items about the people and happenings of 1881 in Odebolt. ]

THE OBSERVER.
Published every Wednesday, By
F. R. Bennett
Odebolt, Sac County, Iowa.
Subscription, $1.50 per year in advance

ODEBOLT OBSERVER
VOL. 1, NO. 44, May 4, 1881

--Our Boys--the firemen, are industriously drilling under the direction of Capt. Mattes.
--Bro Bennett, of the OBSERVER, has a new baby, a boy. O you lucky dog!--Sun.
       [The OBSERVER replies:] This comes of living in a parsonage.
--The Reporter has changed both its form and location. It is now a 5-column quarto, and its office removed to a room over Geist & Buehler's warehouse.
--A musical tournament by the bands on the Missouri slope is beginning to be talked up. Place and time are not yet indicated. Should the tournament come off, our boys will be "thar." It will be a windy time.
--Mr. Dell Coy is a farmer as well as a lawyer, and tickles several hundred fruitful acres in Cook township with great success. Much cattle also graze upon the flowery mead and gain fatness for his profit and behoof. Last week he finished seeding 150 acres to wheat, and this week commenced to prepare the ground for 300 acres of corn.
--Miss Gertie Burleigh will teach the summer term of the Forbes school house.
--Mr. McKeever will soon remove his harness shop one door south, and Messrs. Wilson [Willson] and Caswell will occupy the room to be vacated by Mr. McK.
--H. C. Wheeler has just finished sowing 800 acres of wheat, and 200 acres of oats. He will sow 1500 acres of flax within the next three weeks.
--In compliance with the order of the School Board, director Hanson has had the grounds about the school house seeded to tame grass and is preparing to set out shade trees thereon.
--S. S. Preston, of Grinnell, has leased in advance a room in the new bank block to be built on corner of Second and Maple streets, for a store of general merchandise, which he will occupy as soon as finished.
--May 2d Zane & Helsell commenced receiving their daily report of all papers filed for record in the Recorder's office at Sac. This is in order to render complete their Abstract books now in course of compilation.
--Quite a colony of Swedes arrived here one day last week. They managed to find quarters somewhere in town, and Saturday were buying stoves, furniture, provisions, etc. , Mr. Williams acting as interpreter for them. They were direct from the old country.

The First Presbyterian Church.

The Pastor, Elder and Trustees invite you all to be present at the dedication services of the new church building in Odebolt on Sunday, May 8th, at half-past ten, A.M.

A New Methodist Church

We understand the society and members of the M. E. church will undertake the erection of a church building here the present season. The congregation is quite large and the society is now in a flourish gin condition. No doubt our citizens will give, with their well known liberality, to the enterprize [sic], and liberal assistance is assured from the Building Association of that denomination. Rev. R. S. Fysh, the pastor, will soon take the matter in hand and see what can be done. A house of worship is badly needed by the M. E. society, and it seems as though a little well directed labor is all that is necessary to secure it.

Our Firemen.

C. E. George, corresponding secretary of the Odebolt Hook and Ladder Company, has received the following letter from the Secretary of the Council Bluffs Fire Department, in answer to an inquiry in regard to accommodations, etc., for our boys:

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA. Ap'l 30, 1881
CHAS. E. GEORGE, Esq. Dear Sir: I referred your letter to the Hotel Committee and they direct me to say to you that they have secured you accommodations for thirty men at $1.50 per day. We have given you the best we could get for that price, which I think will be perfectly satisfactory to your company. The Denison boys will be quartered with you. Let me know if our action is satisfactory.
Hoping to see you in June, I am,
Yours Truly,
JOHN W. BAIRD.

--The Odebolt Bank commences this week the erection of its brick block on the corner of Second and Maple streets. The block is to be 50x90 feet three storys [sic] including the basement. The entire upper story will be converted into a hall, and when completed will be ahead of anything in that line on this slope.
--A new bakery has been opened by Lewis Kunze, on Main street. Mr. K. is a practical Baker, having served his apprenticeship in the old country and has had five years experience in the business in America. He will keep a supply of bread, crackers, pies, cakes, and everything to be found in a first class bakery. See his local.

Potatoes.

I have a large supply of the Early Rose, and white and red Peach Blow potatoes. They are the best the market affords. Call and supply yourselves.
H. T. MARTIN

A News Depot

Is now established at the Drug and Book store of A. Stoops & Co., where persons can be supplied with any paper, book or periodical published. Call and give us your order. We are agent for the American Book Exchange, which is furnishing the cheapest publications in the world.

 --All persons indebted to me before April 1st last are requested to settle the same without delay and oblige - W. F. COREY
--Boardman will furnish you with any book, paper, or periodical published in the world. Call and see him if you are in need of reading matter.
--Large variety of walking canes at Brown's Jewelry store.
--An elegant stock of kid sandals and walking shoes at Jones & Brunson's.
--Onion seed in bulk at Corey & Co.'s
--APPLES--A few barrels left of those choice apples, Ben Davis, Jennet, and Willow Twig, at H. T. MARTIN's.

ODEBOLT OBSERVER
VOL. 1, NO. 45 May 11, 1881

--Acres of fun to-night at Congress Hall. Come out and give the Firemen a benefit.
--Another deadlock broken--and now there is a coolness between Doc Husen and His Honor the Mayor.
--Adam Deitzel sold his house and lot north of town last week to A. Aug. Anderson, consideration $575.
--The Reporter office was last Saturday removed to rooms over Geist & Buehler's implement warehouse.
--Mayor Ross and Alderman Lee are busy attending to the seeding of the park grounds and setting them out to trees.
--Mr. Summerwill has commenced the building of a residence on Second street in Wheeler's addition. The location is a very pleasant one.
--Rip Van Winkle by the Pardy troupe at Congress Hall tonight, for the benefit of the Hook and Ladder company. Come out and see the fun.
--F. A. Winchell is one of the fortunate ones who has secured a location on Mount What-is-it. He intends to build a residence there the present season, we believe.
--This office has been presented with a very fine specimen of the "Ben Davis" apple by Mr. Dell Coy. He informs us the fruit was raised by him--from a barrel of such in front of Martin's store.
--Banker Wright visited the city of Carroll last Monday in the interest of his new brick block on Second street. He expects to have Henry Ward Beecher or Prof. Swing here to dedicate his new hall when finished.
--Mr. William Hinton, living eleven miles North of town was severely injured by the explosion of a shot gun on Sunday morning. Dr. Hull was called and dressed the wounds. At last accounts Mr. Hinton was as comfortable as could be expected and doing well.
--Dr. Hull reports measles epidemic on the Boyer.
--Messrs. Wilson & Caswell are having the room lately vacated by E. C. McKeever, plastered and put into shape for their music store.
--It is said the new bank is to be located in the new building of Geist & Buehler, on Main street. It would be a splendid location for it.
--E. C. McKeever is now comfortably settled in his new quarters in the new school building which he has fitted up in good shape for his business.
--Wm. J. Buhman has commenced the manufacture of cigars in rooms [in] W. V. Sindt's store. Mr. B. is a practical cigar maker, has new and improved machinery, good stock and will, we hope, do well in the business.
--The many friends of Miss Lou. Beckman will be glad to learn that her eyesight has been almost wholly restored under the treatment of a celebrated oculist at Davenport, and that she will return home about the 20th inst.
--Sheriff Waddell was in town the first of the week looking for parties wanted. He had not found them when we saw him, but he and D___ [illegible] thought they had a clue--and when they have that they generally manage to lay their grippers on the same. It is mostly, then, only a matter of time.
--I. Schmitz, the enterprising furniture dealer, will commence the erection of a new brick building on Main street, as soon as the present building on the lot can be moved out of the way. The new building will be 25x70 feet on the ground and two storys high. Mr. S. expects to have it completed and ready for occupancy by August 1st.
--Operations will be conducted at the Cook farm this season upon even a larger scale than formerly. Mr. C. W. Cook, who returned from Chicago the latter part of last week, informs us he brought with him two car-loads of horses and twelve breaking plows. With them and with hired teams, he will break up and put in flax 1500 acres this spring. This in addition to the ordinary work will make the Cook farm a busy place this season.
--A team belonging to Caleb Prussia, who just arrived from Jackson county, had two run-aways Saturday morning. In the first run Will Shaw held the lines and steered the horses into the railroad embankment east of town, when he stopped them. They afterwards started to run when young Prussia was driving them. He jumped from the wagon and let them sizzle. They circled 'round and ran into the yards in the rear of the Red Front store and Rodocker's harness shop, fortunately doing no further damage than startling the denizens of that vicinity.

Church Dedication.

The dedication services at the Presbyterian church last Sabbath were well attended, and the result must have been as gratifying to the society as it was to the people generally. Rev. Mr. Avery, of Sioux City, preached an impressive sermon in the morning, after which Rev. Bailey gave a statement of the financial condition of the church which showed the amount owing on the building to be $250, and asked that this debt be wiped out. With genuine Western liberality the whole was subscribed in less than an hour! Fifteen persons present subscribed $10 each, and a letter was received from Mr. Phil. Schaller, of Sac, enclosing $10 for himself and $5 for Jas. N. Miller. The remaining amount was donated in smaller sums. Rev. Vail, the pastor, feelingly expressed his thanks to those present and absent who had contributed toward the erection of the church building, and thus placed it free and unincumbered [sic] in the hands of the society. The ceremony of dedication then took place, then the congregation was dismissed. It is a matter for congratulation among non-church people as well as among its members, that this good work is done and that the society have this beautiful little church entirely free from debt or incumbrance of any kind.

--S. H. Bowman & Co., now have their new lumber yards in operation at Battle Creek and Danbury.
--Miss Jennie Buchanan returned home from Glidden this morning, her sister, Mrs. Jas. Campbell, accompanying her.
--It is rumored that C. J. Pitsor has been appointed as committee on selection of voices from this part of the country to attend the musical convention at Des Moines next fall.
--Dr. Boardman will at once commence the erection of a residence on the hill east of Main street, where he has been so fortunate as to secure a very desirable location.
--Mel. Bennett has removed his building to the corner lot west of the Buchanan property on Second street, and W. E. Helsell is erecting a fine residence on the lot vacated by Mr. B.
--H. C. Wheeler, C. S. Lee and John Dinges each purchased fine range cook stoves of J. H. Ketterer & Co.'s last week. Go thou and do likewise.

ODEBOLT OBSERVER
Volume 1, No. 46, May 18, 1881

Sac and Ida Counties as Viewed by an
Inter-Ocean Representative.

A representative of the Chicago Inter-Ocean, who was here about the first week in April writing up Sac and Ida counties for his paper, after giving a short topography of the two counties in which he spoke of their advantages in the way of agriculture, &c., &c., adds:

POPULATION

With all these combined advantages, it is not surprising that the population of Sac county, which was only 2,873 in 1875, should have increased to 8,744 in 1880; and Ida from a mere nominal number to 4,382.  We were told by Schaller & Early, who are loaning Eastern money and real estate agents, that their sales the past year were about 18,000 acres, averaging tracts of 160 acres each at an average price of $6.25 per acre, over seven-eighths of which was for actual and immediate improvement, and their business is perhaps a fair proportionate index of the sales of Mr. Burns; George and Wright, of Odebolt, also loan brokers, abstracters and dealers in real estate, and others.  By the way, parties desiring information which we have not space to write by corresponding with George and Wright, will receive valuable circulars imparting important facts.

Another feature of great value to the settler is the flax interest, which enables a good crop from new breaking, requiring only about three pecks per acre for seed, and yielding an average of seven bushels, a little over half the crop obtain[ed] from old ground. Northwestern Iowa is taking the lead in flax culture, and will soon become the most prominent instrumentality in excluding the importation of Calcutta linseed, for which our American crushers have been paying over

FOUR MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY.

Sac County is twenty-four miles square, and contains 368,640 acres.  Ida county is eighteen by twenty-four miles, making 275,480 acres, or a total under the notice of our pencil of 645,120 acres, fully one-fourth of which will be in the hands of earnest yeomen within the present year, and, he who buys subsequently will doubtless pay the increased value which the lands will acquire from surrounding improvements, hence the present is an auspicious time to visit these counties.

The taxable real estate of Sac if $1,700,103; personal property, $275,996; railroad property, $75,325; of Ida, real estate, $1,063,956; personal property, $155,226; railroad, $48,024, being in each on the basis of about one-third actual value.

The bonded indebtedness of Sac is $75,000, mostly at 8 per cent, with no floating debt and bonds at par; the bonded indebtedness of Ida is $12,100, floating debit $9,100, with county warrants at 95 cents; both counties have money on hand to pay all legitimate expenses and obligations as they mature.  The general taxes, State, county, school, bridge, bond and poor, in Sac, are seventeen mills, the local school taxes in addition ranging from nine to twenty-five mills in different townships and districts; in Ida the general tax is twelve mills, increased as above from ten to forty-eight mills.

SCHOOL STATISTICS.

Sac—Eighty-eight frame and four brick school-houses, valued at $46,157.  Number of teachers employed, 51 males and 122 females; total, 173.  Number of graded schools, 6; ungraded, 91; children between 5 and 21 years number 2,971; enrollment, 2,041; average attendance, 1,264; average cost of tuition per capita per month, $2.18.  The several school funds show cash on hand as follows:  School house, $3,755.98; teachers, [$]10,053; contingent, $4,545.64.

Ida—Forty-four frame school houses; value, $19,340.  Teachers employed, male, 24; female, 60; total, 84.  Graded schools, none; ungraded, 46; children between 5 and 21, 1,368; enrollment, 861; average attendance, 495; average cost each scholar per month, $3.  Cash on hand in the several school funds as follows:  School-house, $6,765.10; teachers, $7,338.19; contingent, $1,875.26

ODEBOLT,

with a population of 875, occupies a commanding situation for trade in the southwestern portion of the county, on the Maple River branch of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway.  It is surrounded by a splendid agricultural country, well settled.  Three churches, the Methodist Episcopal, Advent and Presbyterian, with an aggregate seating capacity of 400, and a good school, of four rooms and three teachers, indicate their provision for the spiritual and mental needs of old and young.  Quite a number of Swede settlers abound in this portion of the county.  The various civic societies, A. F. and A. M., United Workmen and Legion of Honor, have each a liberal membership.  A new hall, 50x90, with stage and handsome appointments, is projected this spring.  It will be of brick.  Five general stores, four groceries, three lumber yards, two elevators, two hardware houses, two hotels, and a liberal number of other branches of business and professions bespeak their importance.  Two newspapers, the Odebolt Reporter, F. L. Dennis, editor, and the Odebolt Observer, F. R. Bennett, publisher, lend their valuable aid as public educators and exponents of their rapidly increasing commercial importance.  Their needs are a flouring mill and a creamery and more of the g-ahead spirit of their neighboring towns.  Our thanks are due C. E. George, attorney, for his assistance and valuable suggestions.
 

ODEBOLT OBSERVER
Volume 1, No. 46, May 18, 1881

--Banker Wright wants to hire men and teams.
--The Hook and Ladder company's benefit netted $23.25.
--A. T. Cobb, the shoemaker, has returned from Michigan.
--Remember the Maple Sugar Festival at Masonic Hall, to-night.
--This week will finish up most of the corn planting in this vicinity.
--Charley Stearns has started a town herd. It already numbers 40 head.
--Work in commenced on our streets under direction of Marshal Kennedy.
--The foot race last Saturday between firemen George and Sindt, resulted in a victory for the former.
--There were three dentists in town Monday, all prepared to pull or plant teeth with or without pain.
--BORN--To Mr. And Mrs. Wm. Sampson, Thursday, May 12th, a son. To Mr. And Mrs. C. S. Lee, May 11, a son.
--The mail going east from this place closes at 3:15 P.M.; that going west, at 9 A.M. Office open Sundays from 12 M. to 1 P.M.
--Hans Martins, a German, died last Friday morning of pneumonia, at the German House, and was buried Friday afternoon.
--Miss Carrie Willis, sister of Mrs. Doctor Hull, arrived yesterday morning and will hereafter make her home in the doctor's family.
--Old residents here will remember a rough and bully here, by the name of Frank Steele. He was recently shot and killed in a row in New Mexico.
--The many friends of Mr. F. P. Motie will be glad to learn that he is selected as one of the first bass singers to attend the great musical convention this fall.
Stone[s] are being delivered on the ground for the basement of Mr. Wright's new block on Second street, also for the new building of L. Schmitz on Main street.
--We are requested to announce that there will be communion services at the Presbyterian church at a quarter before 11 o'clock, A. M. next Sunday. Preparatory services and preaching will be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week.
--A representative of the OBSERVER visited the new town of Fletcher [later named Lake View], situated on the shore of Wall Lake [later named Black Hawk Lake], in this county last week. He spoke encouragingly of the embryo city; …Who knows what the future may have in store for the little town by the lake?
--In the absence of the pastor, the pulpit of the M. E. Church was filled Sunday evening by Mr. Beardsley.
--Mr. F. A. Winchell informs us that last year there were 2,000 bushels of flax seed loaned to farmers in this vicinity for seed and from this point there were shipped 60,000 bushels. There have been this spring 5,000 bushels of flax loaned for seed and good judges estimate that the flax shipped from this place of this spring's mowing will exceed 125,000 bushels. It is thought the price of flax will be about 80 cents.

An Apology

We are informed that our statement made last week, that there was a coolness between the Mayor and Doc Huson needs modification--or to put it more plainly, we must apologise [sic]. If there is anything an editor likes to do, it is to apologise. He would tumble into trouble every day in the week, just for the fun of apologising--of course he would. But circumstances sometimes govern the apology. If our man of blood was here, or Doc's weight was less, think you we would apologise? By the great horn spoons, No! We might outrun the Mayor, but if the Doc should ever sit down on us there would not be enough left of us to bury, and our numerous heirs and assigns would be cheated out of a first-class funeral. There is nothing glorious in the contemplation of such an exit. We'd rather hire a reaper to run over us, or undertake to ride to glory on a big buzz saw. But we'd rather apologise than do either, and we therefore say right here, without further preamble, that if the coolness referred to between these gentlemen has abated, the abatement was, in our opinion, hastened and accelerated by their throwing themselves outside of something warm. We hope this apology will be entirely satisfactory and restore former amicable relations between all the parties.

Cook Township

There is a crying need of a second Peter the Hermit or some other ecclesiastical crusader to gird up his loins and preach the 3d commandment "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy." Last Lord's day the clicking of the corn-planter could be heard from early morn to dewy eve, interspersed with the cracking of many cattle whips and loud shouts, bellowing of cattle, blatting of calves and much profanity as about 1,000 head of cattle under Job Whaler's guardianship left the township housed for a summer's residence in Cherokee county. After this cavalcade had passed the clans mustered their forces upon B. A. Coy's meadow and finished up the day in hurling the speroid [sic] and galloping around the bases, in the truly American game of base-ball. Truly preachers and a Sabbath school at the Center school house seems to be of no avail. A camp-meeting or a crusade will have to be resorted to.

--That enterprising firm, J. H. Ketterer & Co., are having an immense trade in barb wire this spring, having already sold a car load of the celebrated "Glidden," and another car load will arrive in a few days. They also sell largely of the "Marshalltown" wire, said to be the best five-pointed wire made. We have before had occasion to speak of the success of Messrs. K. & Co., and we always do so with pleasure. Their motto of Good Goods, Low Prices and Square Dealing has been a winning card with the trading public.

--The houses are going up so fast we cannot keep track of them all. In our last week's record of new ones just commenced we omitted that of Mr. L. Olney, corner of First and Walnut streets, which is a very neat story and a half dwelling.

From Sac City.

Sac City is making arrangements to have a grand time on the coming fourth of July. A meeting was held in the Treasurer's office last Thursday evening and initial steps taken towards that object. We trust Odebolt will co-operate with us and make the occasion one long to be remembered.

--It is said that the man with the small pox is now engaged in scratching his back against the Y down below Wall Lake. Sulphur and grease are said to be good.
--The Pardy troupe seem to have a pard up here. They sent word by Dr. Woodbridge to "that big fat saloon keeper" that they would play here sometime before long. Their acquaintance here, although not extensive, seems to be confined principally to adipose tissue.
--R. D. Mason is teaching school in Cook township this summer.
--We have about concluded to keep Mr. Zane with us. We are so used to having him here that we can't very well spare him.
--We met Sidney Smith on the street the other day when without any provocation on our part he began on us in this way: "Where did Victor Hugo?" Thinking that he was asking us a question for information we politely answered that we didn't know, whereupon he said, "Where did A. S. Roe?" without waiting for an answer he said "Whom did Eugene Sue; was it Bayards' Taylor?" My young man, we replied, taking him be the collar, what are your Wordsworth: He didn't appear to mind us but said "What did Leigh Hunt?" "I don't know," we fairly yelled, then he blandly said, "What did Oliver Twist and what made Joseph Strutt?" Then we said mournfully, "Go away, young man, you Payne us," but he kept on and wanted to know how Horace climbed the Walpole and what made Crusoe run from De Foe and what did Charles Reade and what did Ivanhoe. We placed him in custody of an officer and made our escape at last, and now go armed with two bowie-knives and a horse-pistol.

EARLY ITEMS.
EARLY, Iowa, May 14, 1881.

--The Boyer is very high on account of the heavy rains we have had lately. There is a good deal of complaint about the bridges in this township, especially at the Prentice crossing, it being impassable for loaded wagons. 'Tis strange that some one is not compelled to fix them up.
--Mr. Willard Davenport has a yoke of oxen which weighs 3,900 pounds.
--Bacon for sale at the P. O. building in Early.
--There are no cases of small-pox in Early, so bring in your butter and eggs where you can get goods cheap, and a good price for your produce.
--E. M. Powers has sent to Pennsylvania for two pairs of thoroughbred dogs.
--Andrew McCormick has bought the Messenger stallion of Geo. Drey, Jr., FARMER

Ansel Briggs, the first Governor of Iowa under the State constitution, died at Omaha, Neb., last Thursday, aged 76 years. When Iowa was admitted to the Union in 1846, Mr. Briggs was elected Governor and served until 1850.

The West Side Enterprise says that Bennett of the OBSERVER, "when aroused has a tendency to do mischief. Once going he is like a herd of buffaloes stampeded, you can't stop him." Maybe he used to be that way, but we think Sac county has tamed him a little. -[Sac City] Sun.  [OBSERVER says:] If this is what you call taming, we kinder, sorter like it. Go on with the process.

Farm Machiney [sic] at Cost!  - To make room for Harvesting Machinery, we will sell, Keystone, Standard and Champion Corn Planters, John Deere, Moline and Standard Corn Plows, John Deere, Moline and Buford Stirring Plows, both riding and walking, at actual cost! This is no humbug. We mean just what we say. Come and satisfy yourselves that these things are so.  VOIGHT AND FAIRBANKS

Large stock of croquet sets at Boardman's, cheap.

Fishing Tackle. - Joint fishing rods, hooks, spoon hooks, braided line, reels, and all kinds of fishing tackle. A great variety of walking canes at Brown's jewelry store.

Mrs. Rodocker has engaged Mrs. Ida Lemon an experienced trimmer and is prepared to trim hats in the latest style.

Dr. Hull is now supplied with a quantity of pure vaccine virus. Those wishing vaccination please take notice.

Henry Rinehart, of the Boyer Valley Stock Farm, was in town last week and bought 2,500 pounds of the celebrated Glidden Barb Wire of J. H. Ketterer & Co.

For a smooth and easy shave, try the new barbers, Messrs. Glass & Tincher, in the Sprague building on Main street.

I would respectfully invite all those indebted to me for goods, to call and settle up, either by note or cash at once. WM. SAMPSON
Don't worry about it, but come and do it, as I need the money. W.S.

Farmers will do well to insure their growing crops against wind and hail, for the cyclone cometh when no man expects it.
Insurance written at low rates in the Pennsylvania Fire, Aetna, Home Phoenix, Hawkeye and Northwestern. Insurance against wind or hail in the Iowa Tornado. Your life insured for any amount. DELL COY -  At Bank of Odebolt

Full assortment of Base Balls and bats at Boardman's drug store.

White fish, mackerel and herring by the kit or ¼ barrel at Hanson, Mattes & Co.'s.

Curtains and Lambrequins, the noblest thing out, at Burleigh & Summerwill's.

The Cup that Cheers. - Old government, Java coffee, Moca , Mexican and Rio at LEE'S

Hotel For Sale. - I offer for sale the property on Second street known as the Odebolt House. The hotel is now rented until January next, and is doing a good business. The house is nearly new, conveniently arranged, and located on one of the best business streets of the town. Price low and terms of payment easy. For further particulars enquire of
J. C. BROWN, Odebolt, Iowa.

Trunks and Valises at A. C. Rodocker's.

Three dozen ladies' cloaks of the latest style to arrive in a few days at McKibben Bros'.

Walter A. Wood will manufacture nothing but twine binders for the coming season. - VOIGHT & FAIRBANKS, Agents.

Hard wood plank from 8 to 16 feet long and one to three inches thick--oak, ash and hickory at G. H. Parker's.

Will the person who has my autograph album please return it, and oblige.  EUGENE A. MOODY.

Money to loan for 3 to 5 years on real estate security, at 7 to 8 per cent. interest. Apply to FRANK A. ROSS.

Cash for Hides! - I will pay the highest market price in cash for hides and pelts. S. H. PARSONS.

A Boy Wanted. - I want to hire a careful, steady boy, 12 to 16 years old, to take care of horses. Apply at office of A. H. HULL, M.D.

Call and see the Weir self-lift sulky plow at Geist & Buehler's.

Notice, Notice, Notice! - We wish to announce that on and after this date we will be prepared to furnish our customers with dry goods, boots, shoes, hats and caps, and other general merchandise, in exchange for butter, eggs, and country produce.   F. P. MOTIE & CO., Red Front.

Oranges, lemons, and cranberries, very cheap and nice, at Sampson's.

Some nice pitted cherries at the Red Front.

ODEBOLT OBSERVER
Vol. 1, No. 47, May 25, 1881

We hear complaints from those living in the vicinity of the stock yards of the fearful stench arising therefrom. It is said the yards have not been cleaned out for three years. Will the Marshal enforce sanitary measures there and oblige the public?

--A raid was made upon the finny denizens of the raging Boyer last Friday by a party composed of Messrs. C. S. Lee, C. E. George and J. W. Burnside. We didn't see the fish they brought home, but they must have had a wagon load, for the fishermen all looked so tired. We have heard that it is considerable fun at first, but after catching a half bushel or so it grows a little monotonous, and by the time a wagon box is filled, a fellow is apt to get tired, hungry and cross as a bear.

--L. Schmitz commences the erection of his brick building this week.
--Tincher and Worsley lost a valuable horse last Sunday, of lung fever.
--A number of our citizens took advantage of the pleasant weather last Sunday, to ride out.
--A strawberry festival will be given by the ladies of the M.E. Society during the first week in June.

The Odebolt Nursery

We yesterday accepted the invitation of Messrs. Waters & Co. to visit their nursery situated a few rods north of the railroad track. The land embraced comprises about five acres and contains 10,000 saleable apple and crab trees; 10,000 Snyderblackberries; 5000 grapevines of the Concord, Jaynesville and Worden varieties; 1,000 De Soto plum trees, besides currant, gooseberry, raspberry and dwarf June berry in endless variety. There were also timber plants of elm, ash, hard and soft maple, black walnut, etc., etc. As an Odebolt institution it is an important accession and is also a great convenience to those desiring trees or shrubbery that they can get them here at home that are acclimated and true to name.

--We have received a pleasant call from W. L. Turney, correspondent and solicitor for the Iowa State Leader, published at Des Moines, who is canvassing this section in the interests of that paper, and who, we are glad to learn is meeting with excellent success. The Leader is one of the best Iowa papers.

Eureka Items

The northwest corner of the county has not been honored with a correspondent to your paper, so we will write a few words.

We are always interested in the prosperity of the western portion of the county and are glad to see a paper that will fully represent our interests, as we trust the OBSERVER will. Quite a large portion of the trade of this township naturally falls to Odebolt and no better farming country can be found in the west than that which is tributary to that town, and its enterprizing [sic]merchants fully appreciate this fact.

Everything is thriving here. The crops that are up bid fair to make an abundant yield. The township is improving very rapidly and a more peaceable and intelligent community cannot be found in the county. Industry is the standard by which we are guided while indolence is at a discount.

There are five school houses in the township and two more to build. The number of pupils are fully adequate to the demand for school houses, and a great deal of pride is taken in having good teachers and paying a fair compensation for their services.

We will give a more complete outline of the business of the township at some future time. A.

--A new street crossing has been put in on Main and Third streets.
--A neat soda fount at Boardman's with any tincture your palete [sic] craves. Golly, it's jolly.
--Next Friday night the firemen will appear in regalia. The uniforms have just been received from Chicago, and are said to be very pretty and becoming.

(Researched and typed from microfilm of the Odebolt Observer by B. Ekse)

 

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