History of Allamakee County

CHAPTER II

Botany, Zoology and Entomology; Climate; Storms and Tornadoes; Agriculture, Live Stock and Manufacturing Interests; Tables of Statistics.

History of Winneshiek and Allamakee Counties Iowa,1882
by W. E. Alexander
Sioux City, Iowa: Western Publishing Co., 1882
Reprinted by Winneshiek County Historical Society

The botany of Allamakee County is rich in species, both of exogens and endogens. The country on the whole may be considered well wooded, through many of the groves that now dot the prairie are the result of forethought on the part of the early settlers, who planted trees for shelter from the winds of winter and the summer sun, and are well repaid by the enhanced beauty and value of their farms thereby.

Among the forest trees and shrubs of the county are found the oaks, white, black, and minor varieties; the hard and soft maples, which here grow to perfection; the hickory, butternut, black walnut, hackberry; ash, white and black; elms, cottonwood, poplar, birch, willows, several species; basswood, honey locust and mulberry; rare; wild plum, crab-apple, wild cherry, iron-wood, thorn-apple, elder, sumach, hazel, gooseberry, raspberry, blackberry, wild grape, etc., among the deciduous varieties; and the common white juniper among the evergreens. Besides these, all the hardier varieties of fruit trees, ornamental shade trees and shrubs, do well when introduced into this region, as the apple, pear, cherry, grape, currants, chestnut, buckeye, mountain ash, larch, spruce, arbor-vitae, etc.

In regard to fruit trees, the experience of most of the early comers who attempted to grow apples of the varieties which had prospered well in their former homes, was discouraging in the extreme, and the trees killing out winter after winter induced nearly all to give up the attempt. There were a few, however, in different portions of the county, who believed that with judicious selection and management the apple would be made a success, and about 1855 and 1856 there were numerous nurseries established, nearly every one of which proved failures. Among those who entered this branch of horticulture was D. W. Adams, who established a nursery at Waukon in 1856, and persevering year after year, casting aside as worthless such varieties as winter-killed and propagating only such as readily became acclimated, he succeeded in establishing the fact that some of the best apples in the country can be easily grown in this region. He to-day has forty acres of bearing orchard, probably as fine as any in the Northwest, which has yielded as high as 2,000 bushels per annum. Throughout the county, too, are many orchards in bearing, supplied with the varieties, which have proven themselves well adapted to this climate----some of them seedlings of remarkable excellence.

Of the herbs and small shrubs the number is very great. From early spring, when the anemone or windflower appears upon the hill-side, until the late frosts of fall, there is a constant succession of floral beauties. Among the more common of these herbs and flowers may be mentioned the buttercups, liverwort, cowslip, prairie pinks, blood root, sorrel, dandelion (said to have first appeared with the coming of the white man), thistles, lilies, sunflowers (many varieties), asters, bone-set or thoroughwort, wild rose, strawberry, may weed, lobelia, cardinal flower, wild pea, lady's slipper (yellow and purple, the latter not common), May apple or mandrake, several species of milk-weed, morning glory, etc., as well as many kinds of beautiful ferns and mosses in the shady dells. Of course a number of plants and grasses have been introduced that have become practically indigenous. The tame grasses have found a congenial home in the rich prairie soil, and afford the most luxuriant pasturage for all kinds of live stock.

This chapter would be incomplete without an allusion to the lotus, or the beautiful and fragrant cream-colored water lily, which expands ten inches in diameter, and is found in the sloughs along the Mississippi river. It is said to grow in but few localities in North American.

The natural history of Allamakee County deserves to be studied with more care and scientific accuracy than has yet been bestowed thereon. And especially should the young people be encouraged to take an interest in a study so attractive as well as useful. Species once common are becoming extinct, and others not native here are appearing year by year and taking the place of those that are disappearing. Not one in twenty of our boys knows what insects are useful to the farmer, nor what birds; and of the latter great numbers are annually slaughtered in wanton sport, which, had their lives been spared, would render valuable aid to the farmer and horticulturist in ridding him of annoying and destructive insect pests.

The principle mammalia found in the county by the early settlers were the panther, gray wolf, prairie wolf, lynx, wild cat, raccoon, skunk, mink, weasel, beaver, otter, muskrat, rabbit (hare), bat, shrew, mole, fox, black bear, gray squirrel, fox squirrel, flying squirrel, strip squirrel (or chipmunk), gray gopher and stripped gopher (or ground squirrels), woodchuck or ground hog, the pouched or pocket gopher, and mice of several species. Rats were so early an importation by steamers that it would not be surprising to see some gray veteran, with the impudence of his race, appear and claim a share of the banquet at a pioneer's meeting. The porcupine has also been found in this region, we believe. An occasional red squirrel has been obtained of late years, though not observed when the county was first settled. Since white men settled in the county its prairies have not been shaken by the tramp of buffalo (more properly bison), which were undoubtedly at one time to be found within our borders. Elk were found here at first, but have disappeared long since. Red deer were very plentiful for many years after the county was settled, and a few are killed each year to this day along the bluffy regions of the Iowa and Yellow Rivers. At as late a date as December 1870, we have an instance of no less than ten being shot in a three days' hunt, participated in by four men, in the Iowa Valley. The latest instance we have of the capture of a beaver in our county borders was in November 26, 1874, when one was killed on the farm of C. J. F. Newell, on the Yellow River, in Franklin Township. This specimen was three feet, eight inches long, and weighed forty-eight pounds. Of wolves, wild cats and foxes, there are still a sufficient number to warrant the county in paying a bounty upon their scalps, and they do not seem to decrease as rapidly as the sheep and poultry owners might wish, as the following comparison will show: In the five months' ending, June 1, 1871, the county paid bounties upon 47 wolves (including whelps), 37 wild cats and 40 foxes. In the year ending, December 31, 1881, the number paid for was ---- wolves 88, wildcats 43, and foxes 23. Occasional lynx are included in this number and classed among the cats.

The birds of this county are those of a large portion of North America, though we are more favored in numbers of varieties than many sections because of our varied topography---a combination of prairie, valley, bluff, woods and water---affording breeding places for nearly all the species that inhabit this climate in North America. Several species are only occasional visitors; many others go southward during the winter; while a small number remain here the year around. Among the birds of prey (Raptores) the bald eagle holds the first place, and may still be seen perched in solitary state in lofty trees, and is known to breed in this county. Among other species of this order which are supposed to nest in this region may be mentioned the buzzard, duck hawk, pigeon hawk, sparrow hawk, goshawk, Cooper's hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, red-tailed or hen-hawk, barn owl, great horned owl, mottled or screech owl, golden eagle, fish hawk, and barred owl. The great gray and snowy owls of the northern regions are often seen in winter.

Of the Scansores, or climbers; the red and the black-billed cuckoos, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, the black woodcock (rare), and the yellow-bellied, redheaded, golden-winged, and perhaps some other woodpeckers. It is an idea of some, but fast becoming exploded, that some varieties of woodpeckers do great injury to fruit trees, etc.; but the fact is that no other industrious insect hunter exists, and these species should be protected instead of exterminated. They seldom peck away any but decayed wood, and the good they do is vastly greater than the injury.

Insessores, or perchers. This order is represented by an innumerable variety, so that we can mention but a few of the most common; such as: Ruby-throated humming bird, chimney swallow, whippoorwill, night hawk, belted kingfisher, king bird, pewee or Phoebe bird, wood thrush, common robin, blue-bird, black and white creeper, Maryland yellow-throat, chestnut-sided warbler, scarlet tanager, barn swallow, cliff swallow, bank swallow, purple martin, shrike or butcher-bird, red-eyed vires or fly-catcher, cat-bird, brown thrush, house wren, winter wren, nut-hatch, tit-mouse or chickadee, horned lark, finch, yellow bird, white throated sparrow, tree sparrow, chipping sparrow, sing sparrow, rose-breasted grosbeak, indigo-bird, chewink, bobolink, cow-bird, re-winged black-bird, meadow lark, Baltimore oriole, orchard oriole, crow black-bird, blue jay, etc. The mocking bird breeds here, rarely. The crow is not common, though for more so than twenty years ago. The snow bunting is found in winter. The black snowbird is seen in countless numbers, spring and fall, as it migrates to the north or south. The rose-breasted grosbeak has increased in numbers wonderfully in the last fifteen years, since the advent of the potato bug, of which it is inordinately fond.

The order of Racores, which includes many of our game birds, is represented by the wild or passenger pigeon, Carolina dove, pinnated grouse or prairie chicken, which is scare compared with the early years, ruffed grouse or partridge, and the quail. The wild turkey is said to have been found occasionally when the country was new, but if so they have long since disappeared.

Among the Grallatores, or waders, we have the sand-hill crane occasionally, the bittern, green heron, golden plover, killdeer plover, king plover, black-bellied plover, turnstone, woodcock, Wilson's snipe, rail, and others.

Among the Natatores, or swimmers, we might mention a great variety of species that tarry in our waters a greater or less period in passing to and from their northern breeding grounds in spring and fall, including the wild goose, brant, mallard, green and blue-winged teal, midgeon, red-head, canvas-back, golden-eye, butter-ball, and other varieties of ducks and geese; and the great northern diver, or loon. The summer duck, and some other species of this order, breed with us. The swan is sometimes found; as is also the white pelican.

Reptiles are neither very numerous nor formidable, though, when first settled, several sections of the county were considerably infested by more or less dangerous specimens. The yellow rattlesnake and the massasauga or prairie rattlesnake were frequently encountered, and the former sometimes attained great sizes. It found a congenial habitat along the bluffs among the rocks, and there are traditions of dens of these hideous reptiles similar to that described by O. W. Holmes in "Elsie Venner", inhabited by monsters of fabulous number and size. Single specimens, and some quite large, are still found occasionally, and their possible presence is still, to the timid, a terror in those otherwise delightful dells that break through the bluff wall. The water snake survives in the streams. The blacksnake, the blue racer, the ground snake and garter-snake the most common comprise the other species, and they are every year decreasing in number. There are three or four species of turtle, possibly one lizard, and one or two salamanders, besides the usual varieties of frogs and toads.

Fishes abound in all the streams of any size ranging from the minnow to the gigantic buffalo and catfish. Among the more common are the perch, bass, pike, pickerel, sucker, sturgeon, eel, red horse, chub, garpike, dogfish, etc. The only brook or speckled trout found in Iowa are caught in the cold, swift, creeks that empty into the Upper Iowa. They were formerly very numerous in Patterson, Silver and French creeks, but these streams have been so persistently fished that comparatively few are now to be found. The other varieties are caught in great numbers in both the Mississippi and the Iowa.

Of the crustaceous, the crawfish, or crab, is our best-known representative; and of the mollusks, the snail.

The insects include representatives of all the great families. The lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) have many species, varying greatly in size, from the great cecropia moth, five inches across the wings, to the tiny tinea, less than half an inch, which does so much damage to uncared for carpets, etc. The hymneoptera include the membraneous winged insects, such as bees, wasps, ichneumons, sawflies, ants, and their allies; the dipterea, the two-winged insects, as flies, mosquitoes, etc.; the coleoptera, or sheath-winged insects, are numerous, and many of them large and beautifully colored. This class embraces the beetles, among the troublesome and destructive borers of many species, the scavenger bugs, and the potato bug. The beautiful and useful ladybugs belong also to this division. Many of the borers are remarkable for the length of their antennioe, and for the strangeness and elegance of their forms. The apple-tree borer is about three-fourths of an inch long in its beetle state. It lays its eggs on the bark, near the foot of the tree. The larvae are whitish, with small, horny, brown-colored heads. They remain in the larvae state two or three years, during which it is they do the damage. Their transformation is usually completed in June, when the perfect beetle emerges. The ladybug is destructive to aphides, or plant lice, and should therefore be preserved. The Colorado potato bug first appeared in this county, we believe, in the season of 1867. It is a native of the Far West, and when making this "invasion" spread over the country to the eastward at an average of about sixty miles a year.

The hermiptera comprises bugs, cicadas or harvest flies, and the like. In this division we find the chinchbug, which has been very destructive to wheat in this county for a number of years. It is of the same family and genus (cimex) as the bed bug. The seventeen-year locust also comes under this class. It appeared in this county, or portions of it, in immense numbers in 1864, and again in 1881. There are several different broods throughout the country, so that in various sections they are found in different years. Entomologists tell us there is another variety, which re-appears in thirteen years. They are short-lived and harmless, except that they injure the looks of the foliage where they are abundant.

Orthoptera are the straight-winged insects, like the grasshoppers, katydids, cockroaches, crickets, etc.; and the neuroptera are nerve-winged, like the dragonflies, or "devil's darning needles", and their allies. The arachnidoe, or spiders, and the myriapoda, or centipedes, are of course found everywhere in their accustomed haunts.

It will be seen that the geology and natural history of this county offers an ample field for the amateur collector, or for the naturalist who seeks to lay a broad foundation for future investigation by first acquiring a through knowledge of the local flora and fauna. It is far from creditable to the scientific spirit of the county, and especially to its high schools, that no better collections illustrating local geology, botany, zoology, or entomology, exist within its borders. Teachers, especially the able principals of schools, could easily awaken an interest in the minds of their pupils that might not only result in the development of enthusiastic practical naturalists, but in the formation of collections that would be both of value in teaching and objects of interest through the future. Moreover, knowledge derived from the study of nature has a pecuniary value not easily established. The man who has knowledge of botany is not liable to be tricked into buying worthless vegetable wonders. The existence of the borers, the potato beetle, the chinch bug, and the many other enemies of the horticulturist and the farmer, demonstrate the need of at least a passing acquaintance with insects and their habits, in order to the better combat with them, and teachers should lead in impressing on the minds of all the importance of such knowledge. The loss annually sustained by Iowa farmers by the ravages of insects is several millions of dollars, of which Allamakee county bears her full share; and a large portion of this immense sum might be readily saved by a proper popular knowledge of them and measures to be taken for their destruction.

In general, the air of this region is bracing, healthful, and invigorating. Miasma and malaria are not prevalent, except along the sloughs of the Mississippi where attacks of ague are imminent at certain seasons. It is seldom that consumption is contracted here, although our climate is not now considered, as formerly, a specific for that disease. The prevailing winds are westerly-northwest being most prevalent, the southwest next, and southeast third in order. The annual precipitation of moisture averages about 36 inches; and the mean annual temperature is not far from 45 degrees Fahrenheit. In general the winters are cold and long continued, with plenty of snow, though exceptions are not infrequent. The open winter of 1877-78 will long be remembered, when mud prevailed and roads were nearly impassible for weeks. Flowers bloomed on the open ground the last week in December; bees were at work on Christmas day; and at Lansing an excursion by ferry boat on the Mississippi was indulged in. Peas and greens grew five inches high in gardens in early January, ducks were flying north, and considerable plowing was done. So, also, will be remembered the severe winter of 1880-81, with its long continued and frequently repeated snow-blockades; and the winter of 1856-57, when the deeply drifted snow was covered with a crust that supported ox teams in places, and deer were run down by men on foot because their sharp hoofs penetrated the crust which impeded their speed and lacerated their legs.

Friday night, April 27, 1877, an old-fashioned northeast snowstorm set in, and continued almost steadily until Sunday afternoon. The roads were blockaded by drifts, which rose in places to the depth of four feet. Very late heavy frosts are on record for the 11th, 12th and 13th of May 1878, and ice formed to considerable thickness May 22d and 23d, 1882. Although these are exceptional cases, frosts have been known in June and July. Aug. 22d and 23d, 1875, severe frost injured corn in low lands; and frosts are usually liable to occur after Sept. 10th. The beautiful Indian summer weather of late fall is one of the prominent features of our climate, though it is sometimes crowded out of the annual programme entirely.

Our county has so far since its settlement escaped the ravages of severe tornadoes to a great extent, the most serious storm of that character which has visited us entered the county from the southwest, on the afternoon of the 26th of September, 1881; passing just north of Postville, it demolished the houses of several farmers in Post township, especially at Lybrand, and passed northward through Jefferson Township, unroofing houses and twisting off or uprooting trees in its course, finally disappearing east of Waukon. Undoubtedly had the storm struck a town there would have been loss of life as well as property. As it was, several were very severely injured in Post Township and all their personal effects swept away. Sept. 24, 1872, several buildings were blown down at Monoma, including the depot and the Catholic Church, but no lives were lost.

Of the other severe storms, the following are the most noteworthy: A severe wind and hail storm destroyed the crops in its path in July, 1854, unroofing Scott Shattuck's large barn at Waukon, and blowing down the frame of the Makee school house. May 21st, 1870, a storm passed eastwardly through Union Prairie, Makee, Center, and Lafayette, unroofing the West Ridge Catholic church, and the hail broke window glass all along its course. July 14th of the same season severe hail, rain and wind destroyed crops in Ludlow, the hail destroying a great deal of window glass and cutting the heads of people exposed to its fury. April 29th, 1872, a severe storm visited the southern portion of the county, unroofing houses and blowing down trees. August 4th, 1872, a hailstorm extended over a good share of the county, doing great damage to crops in Post and Franklin. One of the most terrible "blizzards" ever experienced in this region raged January 7th, 8th and 9th, 1873, when the snow was drifted to unprecedented heights, the air was filled with the fine, cutting particles so that travel was impossible, and the mercury ranged from 20 to 36 degrees below zero. This was the time trains were snowed in for three days in Winneshiek County, and passengers passed forty-eight hours of suffering therein. In the night of June 23rd, 1875, a terrible rain flooded the valleys of Paint and Village creeks, the Iowa and its tributaries, sweeping away many county bridges, mill dams, etc. The Yellow river was treated to a similar destructive flood June 1st, 1878.

On the 10th of July, 1878, began our heaviest rain fall on record, raging at intervals from Wednesday evening until Friday morning, when the rain gauge showed 6.70 inches of rain in thirty-six hours (at Waukon), and on Sunday .66 in addition fell. This flood was general all over the county and did untold damage at Lansing and Village Creek; several had narrow escapes from drowning; almost every bridge along Village Creek was swept away, and the damage along the valley was estimated at $50,000. The valleys of the Iowa and Yellow Rivers did not escape with less injury.

But the rainy season of 1880 was more remarkable in many respects, though generally not so destructive, except on Yellow River where the damage was unprecedented. This series of rains began May 24th, and continued nearly through June, the months of May and June showing a rainfall of 14.68 inches at Waukon. The first storms was most severe in the northern portion of the county, while that of June 14th was particularly destructive along Yellow River, sweeping away crops, bridges, dams, and even mills. Great rains prevailed throughout the Upper Mississippi valley, so that river was higher than ever before known, during the latter part of June. Along our border it reached its highest about June 22d, nearly a foot higher than the previous high water mark of April, 1870.

June 24, 1882, the lower Village Creek valley experienced its highest water on record, from rains of that morning and the preceding night. Families in the village of that name narrowly escaped with their lives, and the wagon and railroad bridges at the mouth of the creek were both taken out.

Allamakee County has always been classed as one of the best of agricultural regions, because of the diversity and fertility of its soil. The principal products have been wheat, corn, oats, barley and potatoes. But owing to the partial failure of what was formerly the staple crop-spring wheat---continuing for several years in succession, the attention of the farmers have been turned to a greater variety of resources, having learned from dear experience how greatly the universal dependence upon the wheat crop will impoverish a region through impoverishment of the soil. Butter and eggs, hogs and cattle, etc., have always been produced for export to a considerable extent, but have been more relied upon within a few years, with the addition of flax, sorghum, onions, etc. Fine stock and the dairy, especially, are beginning to receive that attention which they demand; and these, with the increase of manufactories, will prove the pecuniary salvation of our people.

There was not a creamery in the county until 1880, when one was established at Waukon, which has made this season (1882) as high as 2,000 pounds of butter per day, and ordinarily 1500 pounds per day. There are now five of these establishments in the county manufacturing from 400 to 1,500 pounds per day.

Our manufactures are not extensive as yet, but the many unimproved waterpowers and other natural advantages for that class of industries are a guarantee that they will one day become as important as our agricultural resources. They consist at present of one large lumbering establishment, one foundry, one brewery, five creameries, numerous wagon and plow shops, brick yards, etc., and flouring mills, and last but not least, a woolen mill. The latter is situated at Village Creek, and was established by H. O. Dayton in 1865, the building being of stone, three and a half stories. It did a large business until October 28, 1868, when it was destroyed by fire, involving a loss of $35,000---nothing but the bare walls being left. It was rebuilt and new machinery put in, but on May 21, 1875, it was again destroyed by fire, at a loss of $25,000. In less than a year the mill was once more in operation, and has since continued to do a large business, notwithstanding the proprietors, Messrs. Howard, Carroll & Ratcliffe, have met with many discouragements in the shape of disastrous floods, which have washed out the dam, time and again, causing great loss of time and expense for repairs.

Of the flouring and gristmills, they are between twenty-five and thirty in number, although all are not now in operation, owing to the great decrease in the wheat crops in the last few years.

From the latest available statistics (the results of the census of 1880 not having been made public yet except in regard to some items) we have compiled the following tables relating to agricultural and manufacturing matters, and where practicable have given opportunity for a comparison of different years.

In 1880 the amount exempt from taxation in Allamakee County on account of fruit and forest trees planted was $7,250.

LIVESTOCK IN ALLAMKEE COUNTY
Year Horses Cattle Sheep Swine
1867........................... 4864 15132 11657 *24956
1873........................... 6897 14686 5697 y11027
1875........................... 7610 19652 7372 19770
1880........................... 7921 16408 4055 22939
1882........................... 7365 17708 4774 17760
* All ages. yOver six months old.

Number of engines................................................................................................ 7
Horse power......................................................................................................... 156
Number of wheels................................................................................................. 16
Horse power........................................................................................................ 240
Average number of hands employed in 1874........................................................ 199
Tons of pig and scrap iron consumed.................................................................... 250
Cubic feet of wood consumed................................................................................. 3,539,274
Pounds of Wool...................................................................................................... 27,020
Pounds of leather................................................................................................. 8,000
Bushels of wheat................................................................................................... 280,000
Bushels of corn...................................................................................................... 10,400
Bushels of barley................................................................................................... 7,000
Value of goods made in 1874................................................................................. $745,072

Agreeable to a notice signed by Geo. C. Shattuck, John Raymond, D. H. Gilbert, John A. Townsend, Thos. A. Minard and Robert Isted, a meeting was held at Waukon, on the 7th day of June, 1853, of which John Raymond was President and Joel Baker Secretary, and which resulted in the formation of the "Allamakee County Agricultural and Mechanical Society". The first officers of the society were:

John Raymond, John S. Clark, Robert Isted, M. B. Lyons, John A. Wakefield, Reuben Smith, C. W. Cutler, Absalom Thornburg, L. S. Pratt, M. Lashman, G. C. Shattuck, D. H. Gilbert, J. M. Cushing, Ezra Reed, A. J. Hersey, Scott Shattuck, Austin Smith, John Haney, Jr.

"June 23d at a meeting of the directors it was voted that there be a County Fair at Waukon on the 13th of November. At this Fair Ezra Reed and G. C. Shattuck took premiums on sheep. Robert Isted, John M. Cushing, and Shattuck, took premiums on swine. Patrick Keenan, John Raymond, D. H. Gilbert, Robert Isted, and Abraham Bush, took premiums on cattle. Jehial Johnson, J. B. Cutler, Moses Shaft, G. C. Shattuck, took premiums on vegetables. L. Abbott took premiums on wheat. Moses Shaft on corn. John A. Wakefield on best ten acres of corn. Benjamin Beard, L. Abbott, Mrs. L. T. Woodcock, Mrs. J. A. Townsend, Mrs. J. M. Cushing, and Mrs. Prescott, took premiums on household products. This was the first Agricultural Society or Fair ever held in the County, and for those early days was a grand success, although held on the open prairie."

The following years D. W. Adams was elected President of the society. Although we have no record of the old society at hand to refer to, we know that for several years quite successful Fairs were held, for those days.

At the suggestion of Mr. Adams and John Plank, Sr., a meeting was held at Waukon Jan. 8th, 1868, for the purpose of reorganizing a County Agricultural Society, which was successfully accomplished, and this organization has held a County Fair each year since then, nearly all of which have been successful ones, and the society is prosperous. At that meeting the following officers were elected:

President, John Haney, Jr.; Vice President, John Plank, Sr.; Secretary, D. W. Adams; Treasurer, Charles Paulk.

Directors-Center township, John Stillman; Fairview, D. F. Spaulding; Franklin, Selden Candee; French Creek, Porter Bellows; Hanover, Hans G. Hanson; Iowa, A. B. Hays; Jefferson, C. D. Beeman; Lafayette, W. Smith; Lansing, G. Kerndt; Linton, Harvey Miner; Ludlow, Thos. Feely; Makee, C. O. Howard; Paint Creek, John Smeby; Post, W. H. Carithers; Taylor, James Carrigan; Union City, Benj. Ratcliffe; Union Prairie, A. L. Grippen; Waterloo, W. Robinson.

It was decided to purchase grounds adjoining Waukon, and each director was made an agent for the sale of life and annual membership tickets to accomplish this.

The present fair grounds, comprising seventeen acres, admirably adapted to the purpose, were purchased and paid for, inclosed by an eight-foot tight board fence, and a half-mile track made with the inclosure, at the following cost;

Cost of grounds.................................................................................$ 800.00
Labor and material............................................................................ 634.60
Lumber, etc....................................................................................... 684.88
Total cost.....................................................................................$ 2, 129.48

On which, after paying all the premiums of the first fair in full, there was at the annual meeting in January, 1869, a remaining debt of only $483.58 unprovided for.

In the autumn of 1869 the society erected a new hall, 39 by 60 feet, and still further reduced its debt. The society has continued to make improvements upon its grounds from time to time, including an addition to the exhibition hall in 1881. It is now almost entirely out of debt, and is one of the most flourishing societies of its kind in a wide region around.

Directors-John Johnson, Center; Eugene Perry, Fairview; C. F. Newell, Franklin; J. Doughterty, French Creek; H. G. Hanson, Hanover; A. B. Hays, Iowa; T. B. Wiley, Jefferson; Andrew Sandry, Lansing; E. D. Tisdale, Lafayette; Robt. Henderson, Linton; Simon Opfer, Sr., Ludlow; J. A. Townsend, Makee; R. Sencebaugh, Paint Creek; W. H. Carithers, Post; Robert Banks, Taylor; B. Ratcliffe, Union City; T. W. David, Union Prairie; A. P. Dille, Waterloo.