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The station of Watkins is midway between Blairstown and Florence, and is located in the northwest quarter of Section 26, St. Clair Township. It was laid out in the Fall of 1873, and was named in honor of Supt. Watkins, who lost his life in a railway collision, in October of that year, about a mile east of here. An elevator was commenced as soon as the town was laid out.
Quite a little amount of business has sprung up here. There is a law office and a physician, besides the usual complement of stores.
A church is being erected by the Presbyterian society at this place. Rev. Mr. Dickey, of Blairstown, is the Pastor.
Herewith is submitted a summary of the business transacted by the grain and stock dealers of Watkins from August 1, 1877, to August 1, 1878. Car loads of grain shipped 304, equaling 116,033 bushels. Of this quantity, Geo. Danskin heads the list with 53,316 bushels, exclusive of 12,000 bushels of corn yet on hand, bought within that time. Next follows H. M. Hanford, with 86,969 bushels; Hanschild £ Hidy, 12,036 bushels; S. 0 Neel, 11,906 bushels, and G. Abraham 1,806 bushels. Of the whole amount shipped, 44,066 bushels was wheat; 64,215 bushels of corn, and 15,752 bushels of barley. Amount of money paid for grain by the several dealers within the time named, $96,187. The number of car loads of stock shipped during the same period, 67. Of this amount C. B. Hayden leads off with 34 car loads; H. K. Wooster, 26; and John Wheeler, 7. Amount paid for stock, $33,220. The amount of railway earning for the station of Watkins from the 1st day of January, 1878, up to the 1st of August, 1878, is $18,515.44.
A literary society was organized last Winter, which proved to be a vastly popular organization.
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