WALNUT ITEMS FROM THE AVOCA DELTA
BEFORE WALNUT HAD ITS OWN NEWSPAPER
(Continued from October 2022 ACR)
Walnut Kernels.
BY KAINTUCK.
Gentle Spring is at hand and with it has brought to our town faces new, actual settlers who come here to till the virgin soil and make it to blossom like the rose. Many of those men came here last fall and purchased land then returned home to prepare for their journey to this new Eldorado of the west, while others are here for the first time and are looking for soft snaps and desirable locations. And the cry is still they come and in consequence the land men and other scalpers are happy. The side track is full of cars loaded with stock, household furniture and truck, and “you might say” that Walnut is receiving a larger emigration than any town west of Chicago, the Black Hills perhaps excepted, and strangers coming west, no doubt take this place for the fitting out point for the hills, but, it ain’t. The emigrants arriving this spring seem to belong to the better class of eastern farmers and are provided with the necessary wherewith to make valuable improvements and commence farming in a substantial way.
Our business men you know are an amiable set of Inglers, and at present look as smiling as a June morning, this Colfax ailment may be accounted for from the fact that spring trade is opening up in lively style, lumber, grain, agricultural dealers and business men of every shade anticipate huge harvests.
Quite a sensation was created in our town last Friday morning, during the switching of some cars and while the train was backing up at a rapid rate, the forward car run over a hog and was thrown from the track, struck against the depot building and moved it eight feet west when it stopped for repairs, the cost of which will equal a new building. Mr. Bigaby’s [Bixby’s?] infant son Willis and another boy was in the building at the time of the smash up but I am glad to say no one was hurt.
Our people were highly entertained last Tuesday evening by addresses by your silver-tongued Babcock and the Granger orator M. B. Darnell delivered under the auspices of the Walnut Literary Society, subject George and his little hatchet.
Squire Bergen has extended an invitation to a goodly number of our young townsmen to visit your city on Tuesday, wonder what the old Gent wants of them? (March 2, 1876, p. 3)
In our notice of the train running into the depot at Walnut we mentioned that the infant son of the agent and another small boy were the only ones in the building. Later intelligence conveys the information that the small boy alluded to was Dr. Hanna. Dr. says there’s a mistake some where—but he had to treat all the same.
Our neighboring town of Walnut are making preparations to incorporate. (March 30, 1876, p. 3)
Walnut has had an accession the past week of a meat market, two Millinery stores and shoe shop. (April 13, 1876, p. 3)
Mills & Brinton (?), have opened an Insurance office at Walnut. They represent a number of Eastern companies with a capital of $50,000,000. (April 20, 1876, p. 3)
Walnut Items.
Insurance agents numerous.
Lightning rod vendors, ditto.
Leader Lodge and lady, of firm of Lodge Bros., are indulging in a trip to Massachusetts for both health and pleasure.
Mrs. Hardenbrook has opened a new millinery store, displaying a fine assortment of goods.
Madam rumor has it that John Sankey has taken unto himself a Rib–further the despondent(?) sayeth not.
The Wisconsin House under the Management of Mine Host S. S. St John, is building up a No 1 reputation.
Will Hill is the happiest butcher in Pottawattamie. He loads himself down with rubber rattle boxes and rings every time he goes home.
Five new buildings enclosed and occupied, lumber on the ground for ten more and others in contemplation.
Our lumber and agricultural dealers are rejoicing over a fair trade and in fact our merchants are all well satisfied with the result of their spring labors. Even Dr. F Hanna is praying for less practice or better roads. Who ever heard of a Physician complaining before? Walnut against the world. (May 4, 1876, p. 3)
Proposals for Bridge Building.
W. H. LINFOR.
One bridge 50 feet long, 8 piles 30 feet long, to be built on the Hays and Huntington road in James township, two miles west of . . . (?) Grove.
One bridge 50 feet long, 8 piles 20 feet long, to be built three miles east of Avoca, Knox township, near O.O. England’s.
One bridge 40 feet long, 8 piles 11 feet long, to be built near Howard’s: also one bridge 20 feet long, 8 piles 18 feet long, with a trestle approach, with hand rail on sides; also one bridge 18 feet long, 12 piles 12 feet long. The last two bridges and approach to be built near Howard’s six miles southeast of the town of Walnut, in Layton township. (May 4, 1876, p. 3)
Last Saturday, as a freight train was crossing the Shinn bridge between here and Walnut, a brake beam on one of the cars caught in the ties and rolled them up in a bunch. Three cars were thrown from the track and seven stood on the stringers of the bridge. No one was hurt. A fellow in one of the cars beating his way through, says he didn’t feel hardly natural when the car he was in rolled over the bank with the bundles of shingles jingling musically around his ears. The wreck was cleared away promptly and on Monday trains were running as usual. (May 4, 1876, p. 3)
KH