WALNUT ITEMS FROM THE AVOCA DELTA
Before Walnut Had Its Own Newspaper
Our flouring mill will steam up again in a few days. The company are putting in some new machinery. They turn out the best quality of flour that appears in the Walnut market. Mr. Lemar understands his “biz” as a miller. Our Sabbath School is in a flourishing condition. Mr. Little is the Superintendent. The lumber business has been very brisk the past two weeks. Lots of wheat coming to market. Packard & Spangler are laying in a big stock of goods—they have a big trade. Grasshoppers are leaving.
Charley Hinckley will commence work on the race course north of town in a few days. Mumps, measles, and whooping cough have been having a run. R. W. Kite’s house was struck by lightning a few days since. No one hurt, but mashed up things lively. (Thursday, May 28, 1874, p. 3)
Our “mutual friend,” A. G. Lodge returned last Sunday evening from Council Bluffs, where he has languished five weeks on the jury bench, though his physical rotundity looks in good trim—which speaks well for C. B. beer. John Work sold his farm, 80 acres, last week for $30 per acre, in cash. O. F. Lodge sold his place, 240 acres, at $29 per acre. Saturday evening express while bowling along at the rate of 30 miles per hour, picked up a cow and carried her about forty rods, when the train stopped her ladyship walked deliberately away, evidently disgusted with the familiar way in which she had been greeted. Prize packages are having a run here now. E. R. Hinckley sold several tracts of land this week. Business brisk. Mill will commence work this week. (Thursday, June 4, 1874, p. 3)
Our mill is again in working trim having put in more machinery. Let the farmers come along with their wheat. E. R. Hinckley has a section of land, ¼ of a mile from town, almost broken out, and will have a splendid farm there in a few years.
Avery, Spangler & Co., have purchased a 16 horse power engine for their elevator, which will arrive in a few days.
Real estate is on the rise, and has been on a regular bender the past week. H. Libz(?)ery sold a quarter 2 miles south of here to John Work for $3,600. O. F. Lodge bought a quarter 2 ½ miles southwest of town at $14.50 per acre. Lafe and Frank Strahl sold their quarter at $20 per acre. The Strawberry festival last week was a grand success. Mrs. E. R. Hinckley, Mrs. H. Orcutt, Mrs. J. C. Stevens and Mrs. Linfor certainly deserve the thanks of the community for having rendered the occasion the most enjoyable of the season. Snyder’s Hall echoed to the sound of joyous revelry that night, and such a jolly time is not often had anywhere.
Lumber trade is brisk. The Catholic society here will commence the erection of a church Sept. 1st. Levi T. Spangler is spending a few days here visiting his brothers—he is charmed with the country.
Some grasshoppers here, but not enough to do any material damage. We now sport a wagon and carriage shop—just what we needed. A. S. Avery’s residence is nearly completed and makes a very fine appearance. The recent heavy rains have rendered our roads anything but lovely—the bridge between Walnut & Avoca, east of Amos Wright’s house ought to be fixed at once. (Thursday, June 18, 1874, p. 3)
After a long silence we again come to the front…. Lodge Bros. are putting an addition to their store 20×30, are putting in new counters and a glass front to their old store. When completed it will be really nobby…. Packard & Spangler have built an addition 20×20 to their store and they now have a large and commodious room, and so rapidly has their business increased that they will probably have to increase the size of their building still more…. J. T. Naugle is erecting a store room 20×60, he will run hardware. Chas ___ has his lumber on the ground for a building 20×20…. Pete Kal is building an edifice 24×40, with an L 20×30 to be used upstairs for a hall and down for a saloon…. J. R. Johnson is erecting a very fine dwelling house…. J. T. Spangler’s new residence is ready for the dobbers…. The Board or School Directors held a meeting last Saturday evening, and adopted a plan for the Walnut School house. It will be 30×48, 22 feet high, and when completed will cost $4,000. Four more new school houses will be built in this Tp. this fall…. The lumber trade is lively, and is expected to be red hot this fall…. Grain is coming in rapidly, and when the crop begins fairly it will rush our elevators to handle it. The wheat, barley, oats, and flax crops in this vicinity is very fine…. Miss Nixon has opened a select school in Snyder’s Hall…. Mr. Bixby from DeSoto, has been appointed Station Agent—successor to A. S. Avery. S. (Thursday, August 6, 1874, p. 3)
There is still a great rap and tap of hammers in Walnut…. J. F. Naugle’s new building is ready for the plasterers, and also the new German store-room…. Peter Ball’s building is enclosed…. Henry Ott’s addition to his hotel is enclosed…. W. H. Coats is keeping boarding house, and his boarders are satisfied with the way that he serves up hash, and all patrons will find him and his lady A number one…. Lodge Brothers new store is about ready to receive their new stock of goods. They will have a fine store room—20×60. They pay the highest cash price for wheat—plenty of room to store the grain…. The flouring mill of Shinn & Co. is now running day and night and are turning out a good band of flour. They pay the highest cash price for wheat…. The store of Packard & Spangler is doing as driving a business as ever, although we miss the genial face of friend Packard, who is absent at the bedside of his sick mother near Iowa City. It is hoped he may soon return…. W. H. Linfor has a large stock of goods on hand, and, judging from the throng of customers at his store he is doing a lively business…. More farmers in town last Saturday than was ever known since Walnut had a name. Wagon after wagon load of lumber disappeared in the mist. EAST END. (Thursday, August 27, 1874, p. 3)
The Modocs are on the war-path, and an engagement has already taken place between the Governor and Deacon. The Governor was repulsed and the Deacon withdrew in good order to the capital…. Business is red-hot…. Henry Orcutt shipped five car-loads of prime cattle on Friday last…. Wheat is coming into this market in large quantities, and our buyers are paying 72 cents and for some lots 73 cents…. The Thursday night express train squeezed the wind out of a steer belonging to Mr. James Woodhouse…. Anna, daughter of J. W. and Cecelia Snyder, died on the evening of the 19th inst. Rev. A. Herron, of Avoca, preached a touching funeral discourse, and her remains were consigned to the tomb, surrounded by a host of sorrowing friends who deeply sympathized with the bereaved parents…. The Methodist society met here on Thursday evening to organize a class. Bro. T. A. Lampman is minister for the ensuing year on the next circuit…. An Advent minister preached here on Sunday last to a fair audience…. The steam thresher is still in hearing distance of town…. The plasterer is putting the finishing touches on J. F. Naugle’s new building…. Improvements of all kinds are progressing rapidly. The new buildings that have gone up here this summer would astonish you, and our population has increased over one-half…. Mr. W. H. Linfor is still in business, and by his fair and honorable method of doing business is daily attracting new customers to his house. He always keeps a good stock and is genial and obliging—is the secret of his success…. Lots of new farms have been opened around Walnut this year and improvements in the country have more than kept pace with the town…. More trouble is anticipated, as the petticoat reserve is still in the hands of the Modocs. (Thursday, September 24, 1874, p. 3)
Rev. T. A. Lampman is giving entire satisfaction at Walnut, and shows himself as well versed. . . logic as Blackstone.
Wm. Kerney, of Walnut Station, while out hunting last Friday, shot off part of his fore-finger. Dr. Nye amputated it below the ragged edge, and the young man is now doing finely.
(Thursday, November 5, 1874, p. 3)
The lady in Walnut who sued the saloon keepers of that place for selling liquor to her husband ain’t on the compromise and won’t let up worth a cent—she will probably make it hot for them. (Thursday, November 12, 1874, p. 3)