Jones County History - Jones County, Iowa

PRISON STATISTICS

Statement of convicts received into and discharged from the Additional Penitentiary from October 1, 1877, to September 30, 1879, both dates inclusive:

In confinement October 1, 1877	149
Received by conviction of courts up to September 30, 1879	295
Received for safe keeping	5
Escaped prisoners, recaptured and returned	6
Total	455

Convicts Discharged—By expiration of term, 178; by pardon, 41; by commutation, 2; by escape, 14; by death, 3; by order of State Courts, 10; by order of United States Court, 6; sent to Asylum, 1; by transfer to Fort Madison Prison, 20; in confinement September 30, 1879, 180; total, 455.

    Statement of Habits—Temperate, 199; intemperate, 101; total, 300.

    Social State—Married, 92; widowers, 11; single, 197.

    Sex—Male, 299; female, 1.

    Education—Good, 36; fair, 8; common, 215; poor, 41.

    Religious Education—Adventist, 2; Baptist, 12; Catholic, 65; Christian, 6; Congregational, 7; Episcopal, 10; Evangelistic, 1; Friends, 1; Jew, 1; Lutheran, 26; Methodist, 87; None, 53; Presbyterian, 23; Quaker, 1; Unitarians, 1; United Brethren, 2; Universalist, 2.

    Statement of Term—Thirty days, 1; sixty days, 1; seventy days, 1; three months, 7; one hundred days, 3; four months, 7; five months, 1; six months, 37; eight months, 5; nine months, 12; ten months, 3; one year, 44; fourteen months, 1; fifteen months, 3; sixteen months, 4; eighteen months, 16; twenty months, 2; two years, 51; twenty-seven months, 1; thirty months. 15; three years, 30; three years and eight months, 1; four years, 10; four and one-half years, 1; five years, 17; six years, 2; seven years, 3; eight years, 1; ten years, 8; twelve and one-half years, 1; fifteen years, 1; sixteen years, 1; twenty years, 1; life, 3; safe keeping, 5; total, 300.

    Statement of Age—Sixteen years, 6; seventeen, 7; eighteen, 16; nineteen, 24; twenty, 18; twenty-one, 16; twenty-two, 20; twenty-three, 26; twenty-four, 22; twenty-five, 12; twenty-six, 10; twenty-seven, 6; twenty-eight, 10; twenty-nine, 15; thirty, 11; thirty-one, 10; thirty-two, 7; thirty-three, 5; thirty-four, 7; thirty-five, 3; thirty-six, 1; thirty-seven, 7; thirty-eight, 4; thirty-nine, 6; forty, 2; forty-two, 4; forty-three, 3; forty-four, 1; forty-six, 2; forty-seven, 1; forty-eight, 2; fifty, 2; fifty-one, 4; fifty-two, 2; fifty-three, 1; fifty-four, 1; fifty-five, 1; fifty-seven, 1; fifty-eight, 1; sixty, 2; sixty-nine, 1; total, 300.

    Statement of Nativity—Alabama, 1; Florida, 1; Illinois, 29; Indiana, 10; Iowa, 29; Kansas, 1; Kentucky, 4; Massachusetts, 7; Maine, 2; Maryland, 1; Michigan, 6; Minnesota, 2; Mississippi, 2; Missouri, 7; New Hampshire, 1; New Jersey, 4; New York, 44; Ohio, 29; Pennsylvania, 18; Rhode Island, 1; Tennessee, 1; Vermont, 2; Virginia, 4; Wisconsin, 24; West Virginia, 1; Canada, 10; Denmark, 3; England, 10; France, 1; Germany, 15; Ireland, 12; Norway, 5; Ocean, 1; Poland, 1; Prussia, 5; Scotland, 4; Sweden, 2; total, 300.

    Occupation- Baker, 1; barber, 7; blacksmith, 8; bookbinder, 1; bookkeeper, 2; bricklayer, 2; brushmaker, 1; butcher, 9; cabinet-maker, 1; carpenter, 9; carriage-trimmer, 1; chainmaker, 1; cigar-maker, 4; civil engineer, 1; clerk, 4; cook, 6; cooper, 1; druggist, 1; engineer, 1; farmer, 61; farrier, 1; file-cutter, 1; fireman, 9; galvanizer, 1; hack-driver, 1; harness-maker, 3; housework, 1; laborer, 89; machinist, 4; mason, 2; merchant, 3; miller, 1; miner, 1; molder, 1; night-watch, 1; none, 2; peddler, 2; photographer, 1; physician, 2; plasterer, 8; porter, 1; printer, 3; professor of languages, 1; railroad, 7; restaurant-keeper, 1; sailor, 3; saloon-keeper, 2; shoemaker, 7; steamboat, 2; stocking-maker, 1; stone-cutter, 2; tailor, 2; tanner, 1; teamster, 5; trader, 2; watchmaker, 1; weaver, 1; wood-carver, 1.

    Place of Crime—Allamakee, 2; Benton, 9; Black Hawk, 12; Boone, 2; Bremer, 1; Buchanan, 5; Buena Vista, 1; Butler, 9; Cedar, 6; Cerro Gordo, 7; Cherokee 1; Chickasaw, 4; Clayton, 20; Clinton, 29; Delaware, 3; Dubuque, 15; Fayette, 9; Floyd, 9; Franklin, 4; Greene, 3; Grundy, 3; Hamilton, 1; Hardin, 5; Harrison, 3; Howard, 2; Iowa, 2; Ida, 1; Jackson, 8; Johnson, 3; Jones, 13; Kossuth, 2; Linn, 19; Marshall, 12; Mitchell, 10; Monona, 1; Osceola, 5; Palo Alto, 3; Plymouth, 1; Scott, 24; Story, 10; Tama, 9; Winneshiek, 2; Woodbury, 5; North Division U. S. District of Iowa, 5.

    Crime of Convict—Adultery, 4; arson, 7; assault with intent to murder, 9; assault with intent to rape, 7; assault with intent to rob, 3; assisting prisoners to escape, 1; attempt to extort money, 2; bigamy, 3; breaking and entering, 24; breaking and entering bank building, 2; breaking and entering dwelling-house, 7; burglary, 37; conspiracy, 3; disposing of mortgaged property, 1; embezzlement, 1; felony, 3; forgery, 24; grand larceny, 14; larceny, 104; incest, 2; manslaughter, 7; murder first degree, 5; murder second degree, 2; obtaining money under false pretence. 1; perjury, 2; rape, 1; receiving stolen property, 2; robbery, 13; seduction, 1; stealing from the person, 2; uttering forged notes, 1; for safe keeping, 5; total, 300.

STATE FISH-HATCHING ESTABLISHMENT

The fish law of the State of Iowa was passed by the Fifteenth General Assembly, and is entitled an "Act to provide for the appointment of a Board of Fish Commissioners for the construction of Fishways for the protection and propagation of Fish."

The law has been amended, some portions repealed, and other enactments added. Under the provisions of the first enactment, the Governor appointed as Commissioners Messrs. S. B. Evans, of Ottumwa; B. F. Shaw, of Anamosa, and Charles A. Haines, of Waterloo.

The Commissioners met at Des Moines May 10, 1874, and elected S. B. Evans, President; B. F. Shaw, Secretary and Superintendent, and C. A. Haines, Treasurer. They divided the State into three divisions, each to superintend a division, the better to enable them to more thoroughly superintend the erection and construction of fishways. The Board continued the work instructed to their hands until the law was so changed as to require the appointment of but one Commissioner, and B. F. Shaw was appointed State Fish Commissioner, and continues to act in said capacity. Under a resolution of the Board, Mr. Shaw was authorized to build a State Hatching House, and, as far as practicable, procure spawn of valuable fish adapted to the waters of the State of Iowa, and hatch and prepare them for distribution, and, as far as practicable, assist in putting them into the waters of the State.

In the summer of 1874, Mr. Shaw built for the State, two and a half miles west of Anamosa, and near the bank of the Wapsipinicon River, a State Hatching House. A tract of twenty acres of land was purchased for the State, of Col. W. T. Shaw, for $360. The building erected thereon is 20x40 feet, and two stories high. An excavation three and a half feet in depth, the full size of the building, was first made, and a good, substantial stone wall put in to this depth for a foundation. The building, a substantial frame, is high enough to allow an eleven-foot story below, and an eight and a half one above. The upper story is finished off, lathed and plastered, neatly and tastily furnished to accommodate the keeper's family. All the appointments of the building are first-class. The building is constructed with a direct reference to the attainment of as even a temperature as possible the year round. The interval between the studding is filled with sawdust, from sills to roof, securing warmth in winter and coolness in summer. The hatching-room, the lower story, is lined throughout with ship-lapped ceiling. Nine rows of zinc-lined hatching-troughs, 16 feet long, 1 foot wide and 4 inches deep, were firmly fixed on solid benches about one and a half feet from the ground. There are two sections of these troughs, the second section being six inches lower than the first, thus giving a break in the water flow, and more thoroughly aerating all its parts with needed fresh air for the remainder of the spawn and baby fish in the second section of the troughs. In these troughs is laid a bed of clean gravel, on which rests the fish spawn. This gravel is obtained at the river-bank near by, and the very coarse and fine portions sifted out. The medium-sized gravel thus obtained is boiled, and every particle of sediment removed, in order that the ova of insects and reptiles may not be introduced into the hatching-troughs.

The above-described hatching apparatus was used for a time, and worked admirably; but Mr. Shaw, who is thoroughly posted in the propagation of fish, invented an apparatus that proves to be much superior, and the capacity of the house increased thereby ten or twelve times, and a portion only of the zinc troughs are now used for nurseries for the baby fish.

Hatching is done from the 1st of November to the middle of March, and the distribution takes place when the fish are from six to fifteen weeks old. We visited the hatching-house during the month of September, and, consequently, no hatching was being done.

The spring from which the water is supplied is ten feet in diameter, and five feet deep. The water bubbles up from the bottom, and the supply in all seasons is more than sufficient for the capacity of the hatching-house.

In addition to the work of hatching and distributing, Mr. Shaw is cultivating a few thousand of different varieties for the purpose of practically demonstrating how they should be kept and handled by those who wish to succeed in fish culture. The water that passes through the hatching-house is utilized for the purpose, and two reservoirs and three small ponds are constructed, by means of which the fish of different ages are separated. The water is kept in each of these to the depth of two to three feet. The reservoirs are about 6x8 feet, and the ponds 25x30 feet. In the reservoirs, there are about seven thousand small fish less than a year old. They are principally salmon trout, brook trout, land-locked salmon and California salmon. In the ponds, the fish are of the same varieties, only larger and older. The salmon trout two years old are from ten to fifteen inches long, and weigh, on an average, about one pound. There are about three thousand of these. The largest fish is twenty-five and a half inches long, and weighs seven pounds. It is four years old. Mr. Shaw had a life-size painting of this fish, in oil, by Vanderpool, of Chicago, on exhibition at the late County Fair at Monticello. The fish is decidedly a beauty, and the painting a good one.

The fish are fed nothing but cooked food, and the cooking is all done by steam. The cookhouse, 14x16 feet, one story high, has been erected, and a steaming apparatus, invented by Mr. Shaw, constructed by Mr. Slocum, the keeper, therein. Here the food is cooked and chopped to different degrees of fineness, according to ages of the fish to be fed. The food consists, principally, of the liver and lights of the animals slaughtered at the various meat markets.

A good, substantial barn, with wagon-shed attached, for the use of the keeper, and also a good bank-cellar and woodhouse, have been constructed, at no expense to the State, except that of the materials used. At this season of the year, Mr. Slocum, the keeper, devotes his entire time to the clearing and improvement of the land belonging to the State.

Through the action of the Commissioners, there were distributed within the State, from May 10, 1874, to May 10, 1875, 100,000 shad, 300,000 California salmon, 10,000 bass, 80,000 Penobscot salmon, 5,000 land-locked salmon, 20,000 other kinds.

The following is the summary for 1876 and 1877:

1876	Native fish distributed	1,574,200
1876	Salmon and lake trout	533,000
1876	Shad	100,000
1876	Whitefish	125,000
1876	Eels	100,000
1876	Penobscot salmon	80,000
1876	Land-locked salmon	5,000
1876	Native fish distributed from car	319,000
1877	Lake trout distributed	303,500
1877	Native fish distributed	50,000
1877	Brook trout distributed	81,000
1877	Shad distributed	150,000
1877	California salmon distributed	25,000
1877	Land-locked salmon distributed	10,000
1877	Fish on hand at hatching-house	10,000
1877	California salmon at hatching-house	100,000
1877	Lake trout eggs on hand at hatching-house	1,750,000
	Total	5,315,700

The following is the summary of the distribution made during the years 1878 and 1879, up to the 1st of September, 1879.

1878	Native fish in the Mississippi River	2,648,500
1878	Native fish in inland waters	641,500
1878	Shad in inland waters	100,000
1878	Lake trout in inland waters	800,000
1878	Salmon in inland waters	281,500
1879	Salmon in inland waters	210,000
1879	Lake trout in inland waters	620,000
1879	Land-locked salmon	15,000
1879	Brook trout	85,000

It is expected to hatch this season about the same number of eggs as were hatched last season.

We are glad to state that the books and reports of Mr. Shaw are so kept that the condition of the business may be easily know at any time. Mr. Slocum, under the tutorage of the Superintendent, has acquired a thorough knowledge of the duties of keeper, and performs his duties with fidelity.

We have made careful examination of the condition of this State establishment, and we are glad to state that we feel confident that the Governor has appointed the right man to the right place in the appointment of the Hon. B. F. Shaw, State Fish Commissioner. It is more usual than it ought to be that such offices are held for the emoluments alone, but Mr. Shaw is not only competent, but likewise an enthusiast in the matter of fish culture, and he brings to his work an energy and perseverance that is worthy and commendable. We state the above as a just testimonial to the ability and the faithful performance of incumbent duties by the public official.

In the year 1877, Mr. Shaw invented a plan for a fish-way in streams where dams are necessary to utilize water privileges, which is decidedly unique and promises to be largely adopted by Fish Commissioners, and extensively used throughout the country. Several of them are now in use in this State. At a meeting of the Fish Commissioners of the State of Michigan, in the same year in which the plan was invented, for the purpose of securing the most approved and practical fish-way, for use in the streams of that State, Mr. Shaw's plan was exhibited among the many others from different States, as well as a number from England and the continent, and was unanimously adopted as the one most practical.

The Fish Commissioners of the State of Minnesota have also adopted the Shaw plan for fish-ways in the steams of that State. A thousand or more of lithographic representation of the plan have been printed for free distribution, that the plan may be known, without cost, to those wishing to use fishways.

On this, as well as on numerous of other inventions in connection with fish-hatching and fish-culture, Mr. Shaw has asked for no letters patent. As has been said, he is an enthusiast in the matter of fish-culture, and the results of his experience he freely gives, that others may be benefited thereby.

METEOROLOGICAL

We extract the following review of the meteorology of Monticello, Iowa, for the year 1854-79, prepared by M. M. Moulton, of the Volunteer Signal Service of the U. S. A. Latitude, 42.13; longitude, 91.15; elevation (above the sea), 800 feet; magnetic variations, 8.5 degrees east.

ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE

The first air thermometer was invented by Sanctorio, of Padua, in 1590. Improvements and modifications subsequently followed. Tubes terminating in bulbs, and charged with alcohol, were constructed by an Italian in 1655. Romer afterward employed mercury in lieu of alcohol. In 1714, Fahrenheit, a native of Dantzic, introduced a graduated scale, fixing the zero point at the greatest cold known to have occurred in Ireland; and since the freezing point of water is 32 degrees and the boiling point 212 degrees (at a mean atmospheric pressure), he graduated the thermometric scale between these two important points into 180 equal parts. The popular companions to Fahrenheit's thermometer are the Centigrade, employed in France, and the Reaumur, employed in Germany and Russia. The annexed thermometric record comprises a comprehensive view of the principal thermal changes, to which is affixed an equal comparative record:

OBSERVATIONS TAKEN DAILY AT 7 O'CLOCK A.M., AND 2 AND 9 O'CLOCK, P.M.
1876	Max.	Min.	Mean	Range	Temp. of Well Water
January	55	*-8	25.7	63	42
February	53	-5	25.9	58	45
March	53	7	28.4	46	46
April	73	21	48.8	52	46
May	90	37	60.9	53	50
June	90	52	69.4	38	50
July	95	62	76.4	33	51
August	93	55	71.3	38	52
September	79	40	61.3	39	54
October	72	28	45.9	44	49
November	64	3	31.7	61	50
December	40	-18	11.8	58	48
Annual, 1876	95	-18	46.4	113	48.5
Annual, 1875	92	-8	43.4	100	46.4
Annual, 1874	96	-21	46.8	117	45.2
For twenty years	102	-36	45.7	138	47.3
*A dash (-) signifies below zero.

While the past year has had several warm days and even months, the mean temperature, as a whole, has fallen below the normal. The temperature reached as high as 95 degrees above on July 8-three degrees warmer than last year-and fell as low as 18 degrees below zero on December 9-eleven degrees below last year-making a mean temperature for the year of 46.4 degrees, and 2.4 degrees below the normal. The Maquoketa River was open opposite town on February 13, after being frozen over for the space of twenty-five days, and was closed again December 2, after being open for 292 days. The last hoar-frost occurred June 21, and the first for the season was September 27, making 97 days without frost against 116 last year.

1876	Inches Rain	Rainy Days	Inches Snow	Days Snow
January	2.29	3	2.00	1
February	1.88	2	.32	2
March	4.09	3	19.50	6
April	2.83	6	1.00	1
May	4.75	9	------	---
June	7.00	13	------	---
July	10.45	8	------	---
August	5.74	11	------	---
September	8.62	11	------	---
October	1.24	4	------	---
November	2.64	2	7.25	6
December	.77	---	8.08	7
1876	52.30	72	38.15	23
1875	29.57	61	44.72	32
For 20 years	35.16	67	38.64	28

The total amount of rain for the year amounts to 52.30 inches, against 29.57 inches last year, and 17.14 inches above the normal; it being the most precipitation received for any one year since 1852, when we were treated to 59.49 inches. The snow amounts to 38.15, a trifle below the normal, and the largest share of it came last March. It rained on 72 days, mostly in the summer months, against 61 days last year, and snowed on 23 days, against 32 days last year. With that number of snowy days, we have not had enough at any one time during the year for good sleighing.

FIRST SNOW
1870	December 11	.75 inches	1873	October 29	1.40 inches
1871	October 31	1.05 do	1874	November 19	.54 do
1872	November 14	6.62 do	1875	October 26	.16 do

The following table exhibits the mean direction of the wind. The figures denote the number of times, each month, the wind prevailed in each of the eight cardinal points, together with the annual results compared with the three preceding years:

DAYS DIFFERENT WINDS PREVAILING FROM
1876	N	NE	E	SE	S	SW	W	NW	Calm
January	2	0	0	3	2	7	3	12	2
February	0	1	0	7	0	4	4	13	0
March	0	3	1	9	1	0	0	16	1
April	0	2	0	9	0	6	0	11	2
May	0	2	0	4	0	17	0	7	1
June	0	0	0	3	0	15	0	11	1
July	1	1	0	6	0	15	0	2	6
August	0	0	0	6	0	14	1	4	6
September	2	5	0	8	0	8	0	6	1
October	0	1	0	6	0	12	0	10	2
November	0	3	0	3	0	10	1	13	0
December	0	3	0	2	2	6	0	17	1
Annual 1876	5	21	1	66	5	114	9	122	23
Annual 1875	40	15	23	82	32	38	44	85	6
Annual 1874	37	12	30	93	43	36	43	67	4
Annual 1873	43	16	36	68	41	33	37	78	13

The prevailing winds are from the Northwest, coming from that direction for 122 days out of the 366 days of the year, just one-third of the whole year. In point of strength and character, they are notorious, surpassing the south and southwest winds in force and velocity, frequently attaining a velocity of 25 to 30 miles an hour. It thundered and lightened on 55 days, was foggy on 28 days, and hazy on 12 days during the year.

FLOODS AND STORMS
Year	Date	Water	Year	Date	Water
1851	June 7	3.75	1876	July 4-5	3.50
1858	August 1	4.50	1878	October 8 (tornado)	.15
1863	June 30 (hail storm)	1.00	1879	July9	5.60
1865	June 28-29	3.81	1879	August 28	3.00

The first flood was June 7, 1851. After raining several hours, the water rose in the Maquoketa, overflowed its banks, and the low, flat lands on both sides of the river were inundated. Mr. Joseph Clark was, at that time, living in a log house on the bank of Kitty Creek, just north of Lot No. 41 of the original plat, and southeast of the house now occupied by Mr. August Grassmeyer, on the road to Dubuque. The water came into Mr. Clark's house and put the fire out in the fire-place, and floated the partly consumed wood around the room, and the family had to seek other quarters for safety. At this date, the Western Stage Company were running a daily line of mail-stages from Dubuque to Iowa City, and all passengers and the mails had to be transferred across the water in a rowboat. The town lot where Mr. W. H. Proctor's brick and stone store now is was all covered with several feet of water, and the flood at one time touched Main street in front of the Monticello House. The water that fell in the rain-gauge at this storm measured 3.75 inches.

The second flood occurred August 1, 1858. The water at this time was full as high as that of the one before mentioned. The west end of the then wooden bridge over the Maquoketa River gave way and dropped on the bank, and the planks of all three of the spans were floated down stream on their way to the Mississippi. The mail and passengers had to be transferred as heretofore, and were taken in at the foot of Main street, near Mr. Doxsee's residence, and landed at the foot of the sand-hill in East Monticello. Frequently, the through mail-bags and paper-sacks were enough to fill one boat load. There were six families living at East Monticello at this date, viz., Dewey, McDonald, Moulton, N. P. Starks, Houser and Eldridge, and they had to depend upon the ferry-boat for their mail and groceries for several days. A number of emigrant teams were water-bound, and had to board with the families, for a few days, on the east side. Total amount of water-fall, 4.50.

The third was June 28 and 29, 1865. At this storm, 3.80 inches of water fell in the two days, and the water in the river came into the third story of the East Monticello Flouring Mills. The wooden bridge on the Military road was only saved by anchoring it to the large cottonwood-trees above on the banks of the stream with ropes and chains. The planks of the second bridge did not escape the flood, but were swept down-stream by the water. The water was high enough to have run into the public cistern on Main street if the reservoir had been built there at that date. Monticello celebrated the 4th of July this year, and the committee had selected the bottom land on Kitty Creek, near the river, for the speaker's stand; but it was changed on account of the water to the vacant lots on the north side of town, where Mrs. Dr. Langwerthy now lives. The orator of the day, Mr. O. P. Shires, of Dubuque, was obliged, on account of the wash-out in the railroad, to come and return with a livery team. The approaches to the railway bridge north of town were washed away and damaged so that trains could not pass the bridge for several days.

The fourth was July 4 and 5, 1876. The rain commenced to fall at 9 o'clock P. M., and continued to rain for seven hours, although a large share of three and one-half inches of water-fall was landed in about three hours. The water only came up to the junction of First and East Locust streets, near Peterson's residence, but it came with such violence as to wash away the approaches to the railroad bridge over Kitty Creek, just above the falls, and taking out the wagon and foot bridge between the two falls, root and branch, flooding all the stockyards drowning several head of hogs for Mayor Wales and William Peterson. Both iron bridges over the Maquoketa stood their ground, although they were surrounded by an ocean of water, and were not reached for several days. The wooden bridge at the foot of First street, over the creek near Skelley's. was securely anchored to the heavy stone abutments, and stood the test admirably, although it was several feet under water for hours. The water had been as high in the creek and river during the past twenty years some six or eight times, but not as destructive to roads and bridges as at this overflow. All four of these rain-storms were accompanied by the most terrific thunder and lightning, and more or less wind, and everything trembled before the onward march of the storm.

The fifth flood was July 9, 1879. The rain began to fall a few minutes before midnight, previous to the morning of the 9th. A huge bank of clouds, accompanied with thunder and lightning, was piled up in the northwest, and the wind blowing a gentle breeze from the southwest for hours previous to the commencement of the rain; in fact, the whole of the previous day had shown unmistakable signs of the coming storm; and when the wind fiercely veered around to the northwest, the storm had fairly commenced-one huge storm-cloud passing over, only to be closely followed by another, fully charged with electricity and saturated with rain; and when it ceased raining at 10 A. M., fully 5.60 inches had been caught in the rain-gauge, making 1.10 inches more than have ever been measured before at one storm during the past thirty years. The water in the Maquoketa River and Kitty Creek overflowed the banks, and reached the highest water mark about noon of the same day. The water covered the lower creek bridge, both slaughter-houses and stockyards, and stood in the street opposite Mr. Peterson's stable. The water in the river came nearly up to Mr. Grassmeyer's lot at the foot of Main street, and was a little higher than the flood of 1876, but the water in the creek fell short of the mark for the same storm. But little damage was done to the roads and bridges in the township. The railroads were only slightly damaged, and were all in running order on the following day. No damage was done in town, beyond the filling of several cellars with water, and washing away the stockyards fences.

A hail-storm took place in 1863. The flood of hail on the afternoon of July 30 will be long remembered by the citizens of Monticello. For a week previous, the weather had been extremely warm and sultry, and the whole day had shown unmistakable indications of rain. About 4 o'clock P.M., a shower of rain struck the town, with a heavy wind from the west, and was followed in a few moments by a battering shower of hail. After destroying all the glass on the west side of the buildings, the wind veered around to the east, destroying also all glass in the north and east sides of most of the buildings in Monticello. The marks of the falling hail on the fences, buildings and trees were plainly visible for several years afterwards. When the storm passed over town, it was about two miles wide, and extended from East Monticello to Stony Creek, near the south line of the township, and all crops and shrubbery embraced within its limits were battered off close to the ground. Upward of five hundred lights of glass were smashed, and most of the families had to wait until Mr. Hickok sent to Dubuque for a new stock of glass. The writer lost 100 lights of glass from his dwelling-house, and there was not an inch square of dry floor in the building. The family had to seek shelter and safety for the time being in the cellar.

A thunder-storm occurred August 28, 1879. It was the most terrific storm of the kind experienced at Monticello during the last decade. It commenced a few minutes before midnight, and lasted for five hours, and during the whole of this time there was an incessant roar of the heaviest of thunder, one peal following another in such rapid succession that there was one continual crash of thunder, and the lightning was one continual flash of electric light. The whole town was illuminated brighter than the noonday sun. At the close of the storm three inches of water was measured in the rain-gauge. With one exception, this is the greatest rain-fall known in years. No very serious damage was done, neither by the electricity nor the water, in Monticello. A large shade-tree in front of H. H. Monroe's residence on North Cedar street was struck by the lightning; also Frank Whittemore's dwelling near by, and several telegraph poles in the south part of town and a dozen north of town. The telegraph office, in the Union Depot, was more or less damaged. Mr. Dickerson's house, two miles east of town, was struck and slightly damaged. The steeple of the Springer Memorial Church, Mr. Dirk's barn and C. E. Marvin's Crescent Creamery were struck and slightly damaged. Mr. Curtis Stone lost a stack of hay, just east of town. Mr. T. H. Bowen lost a large barn and contents, at Sand Springs, and a cow belonging to Mr. Lawrence, of Wayne Township, four miles south of Monticello, was killed. The water burst Mr. Shur's cistern in his new block on First street, and flooded his cellar. The water washed out the newly packed-in dirt from the water-works trenches, filled up all the cisterns and not a few wells in town.

MONTHLY AND ANNUAL QUANTITY OF RAIN AND SNOW REDUCED TO WATER IN INCHES
YRS	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC	TOT
1854	0.50	1.90	1.35	1.84	5.81	0.87	2.07	3.10	1.42	3.75	0.83	0.72	24.16
1855	2.71	1.87	2.92	3.60	3.15	4.59	3.42	4.75	2.15	3.91	3.21	3.79	40.07
1856	0.91	3.97	0.77	2.86	4.15	2.76	2.97	1.17	2.67	4.97	4.21	6.99	38.40
1857	1.16	4.22	1.40	3.79	2.18	0.74	3.97	4.82	1.07	1.18	2.84	2.65	30.02
1858	1.37	2.32	2.31	2.16	7.97	6.63	7.16	4.18	6.21	5.07	4.42	2.27	52.07
1859	1.31	1.29	4.96	2.71	6.62	4.92	3.10	1.66	1.73	1.07	1.47	1.47	32.30
1860	1.23	1.16	1.23	2.08	2.11	4.21	4.72	2.98	3.14	1.25	2.83	5.96	32.90
1861	1.16	2.74	2.65	4.16	2.15	1.25	1.85	3.95	6.79	5.77	2.25	2.36	37.08
1862	1.25	1.65	4.71	5.78	4.15	6.26	4.35	6.98	6.85	3.08	3.72	1.27	50.05
1863	2.85	2.37	1.97	0.63	3.27	1.18	1.15	3.98	2.10	5.35	5.12	6.05	36.02
1864	2.48	1.56	2.18	1.14	2.42	2.57	3.29	2.37	1.17	2.55	2.57	1.83	25.83
1865	0.29	2.28	3.50	5.44	0.84	9.02	4.35	2.78	5.62	2.80	0.12	1.00	38.04
1866	3.77	1.02	1.32	2.67	3.16	4.00	5.63	8.20	3.73	3.21	1.45	2.15	40.31
1867	1.25	3.46	1.35	1.25	4.67	6.32	4.30	3.37	2.18	1.15	0.90	0.65	30.85
1868	0.30	0.55	4.02	2.78	4.59	3.75	2.90	1.70	6.72	0.65	2.05	1.58	30.78
1869	1.71	1.13	0.07	1.90	5.55	6.05	8.31	6.41	2.75	1.35	2.65	2.25	40.13
1870	1.35	1.31	3.00	1.05	4.11	1.60	5.25	3.65	3.95	1.55	1.61	1.54	29.97
1871	2.70	3.65	4.11	1.66	1.29	3.18	1.24	2.81	0.00	3.11	4.05	3.32	31.12
1872	0.90	0.92	2.62	2.63	3.47	4.79	3.63	7.05	4.12	0.43	1.38	0.93	32.87
1873	2.50	2.52	2.68	2.97	4.07	4.45	1.76	1.32	0.81	3.03	2.78	2.83	31.72
1874	3.27	2.50	1.76	1.78	0.76	3.16	0.60	1.81	6.26	1.18	3.45	3.22	29.75
1875	1.61	1.58	0.70	2.72	3.08	4.32	5.34	2.37	2.95	1.31	0.63	2.95	29.56
1876	2.29	1.88	4.09	2.83	4.75	7.00	10.45	5.74	8.62	1.24	2.64	0.77	52.30
1877	2.10	0.32	6.54	3.40	3.70	8.74	2.23	6.75	1.47	6.21	3.84	2.67	47.97
1878	0.48	1.35	2.94	2.79	5.96	5.02	2.16	3.07	6.30	3.82	0.66	1.14	35.69
1879	0.51	1.21	1.71	1.08	3.49	5.30	8.66	6.94	3.63	0.93	5.29	0.00	0.00

The following table shows the monthly value of rain and melted snow reduced to water in inches and hundredths, number of days with thunder and lightning, foggy and hazy, for the year 1879:

1879	Rain	Number of Days Rainy	Snow	Number of Days Snowy	Number of Days of Thunder and Lightning	Number of Days Foggy	Number of Days Hazy
January	0.51	0	4.40	3	0	0	8
February	1.21	2	6.50	5	0	1	3
March	1.71	6	6.25	3	3	2	3
April	1.08	4	0	0	2	0	7
May	3.49	8	0	0	11	1	6
June	5.30	6	0	0	8	0	1
July	8.66	5	0	0	7	1	0
August	6.94	10	0	0	9	0	5
September	3.63	6	0	0	5	0	5
October	0.93	3	0	0	1	0	16
November	5.29	7	1.00	1	4	3	10
December	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Annual	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

MONTICELLO METEOROLOGY, JONES COUNTY, IOWA

Monthly and Annual Maximum, Minimum and Mean Temperatures

Observations were made at the hours of 7 A.M., and 2 and 9 P.M.

YEAR

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

YEAR

MAX

MIN

MEAN

MAX

MIN

MEAN

MAX

MIN

MEAN

MAX

MIN

MEAN

MAX

MIN

MEAN

MAX

MIN

MEAN

MAX

MIN

MEAN

MAX

MIN

MEAN

MAX

MIN

MEAN

MAX

MIN

MEAN

MAX

MIN

MEAN

MAX

MIN

MEAN

MAX

MIN

MEAN

1854

-18

-17

100

-18

50.7

1855

-8

-12

-16

46.4

1856

-24

-22

102

100

-16

102

-24

44.6

1857

-32

6.5

-12

-7

-12

-32

45.7

1858

26.2

-16

33.5

51.5

62.5

73.1

53.1

-15

-16

48.9

1859

-22

13.1

-12

43.1

48.5

64.2

60.5

70.5

68.1

56.2

46.5

41.5

-23

8.1

-23

1860

-29

9.5

-9

21.5

50.5

52.1

66.5

69.1

55.1

-5

-14

13.5

-29

45.9

1861

-20

9.2

-10

24.5

50.1

57.1

68.2

67.5

77.1

61.2

53.1

-10

31.1

-20

45.5

1862

-28

4.6

-27

9.7

45.1

62.2

72.1

35.1

-14

26.3

-28

44.6

1863

26.4

-18

14.2

31.2

50.5

57.6

64.1

63.2

64.3

56.1

39.4

-11

24.4

-18

24.4

-18

43.8

1864

-28

8.1

14.1

29.2

53.4

57.8

60.1

43.8

28.4

-29

17.5

-29

43.6

1865

-13

14.1

-8

29.1

45.5

59.9

66.6

68.9

73.1

40.5

-25

17.5

-25

45.9

1866

-18

15.3

-26

13.1

26.7

47.7

56.9

69.7

73.3

66.8

54.8

50.8

37.5

23.4

-26

44.6

1867

-22

17.8

-15

28.8

-2

24.6

46.8

52.4

71.8

71.9

63.7

51.2

37.3

-4

21.2

-22

46.6

1868

-16

11.1

-10

41.9

44.5

61.2

69.6

80.2

68.1

55.1

45.6

36.4

-18

45.9

1869

-20

22.3

-8

24.5

-10

28.2

45.4

58.9

67.2

71.8

71.6

62.6

40.2

30.9

-4

21.1

-20

45.3

1870

-10

18.8

-10

25.2

29.3

53.4

67.8

102

72.4

101

78.2

70.4

67.7

51.8

-12

22.7

102

-12

49.6

1871

-8

21.2

-12

23.9

37.1

51.1

64.9

67.6

70.7

72.1`

60.2

54.7

-11

29.5

-18

14.2

-18

47.2

1872

-18

17.4

-15

21.1

-6

26.2

48.2

58.2

66.7

71.8

71.4

59.1

50.7

26.5

-36

14.4

-36

44.3

1873

-28

11.2

-20

16.4

-14

28.7

46.4

59.4

73.7

73.3

73.8

-4

30.7

-6

24.1

-28

44.4

1874

-20

19.1

-21

22.2

-2

31.9

62.3

67.9

64.6

32.2

-20

21.4

-21

46.8

1875

-26

3.6

-32

7.5

-10

27.1

45.2

65.5

70.6

67.6

62.5

-7

30.5

-8

31.2

-32

43.4

1876

-8

25.7

-5

25.9

28.4

48.8

60.9

69.4

76.4

70.3

61.3

45.9

31.7

-18

11.8

-18

46.4

1877

-20

32.8

-2

27.1

43.4

59.1

73.6

70.1

65.1

49.7

32.8

39.5

-20

47.6

1878

-6

26.1

34.6

45.8

53.2

56.6

67.4

77.2

70.9

61.2

49.9

38.6

-10

18.4

-10

49.9

1879

-18

15.7

-10

53.2

62.7

68.9

76.7

72.5

58.8

36.7

…

Time of opening, closing, and number of days closed of the Maquoketa River

Earliest and latest frost of the season, and days without frost

YEARS

Closed

Open

YEARS

Days Cl'sed

YEARS

Date of Last Frost

Date of First Frost

No. of Days Without Frost

1850

11-Jun

Sept. 29

109

1851

7-May

Sept. 16

131

1852

5-Jun

Sept. 16

102

1853

20-Apr

Sept. 10

142

1854

Dec. 5

Mar. 12

1855

1854

22-May

Sept. 20

120

1855

Dec .25

1-Apr

1856

1855

13-Jun

Sept. 27

105

1856

Dec. 13

Feb. 12

1857

1856

30-May

Sept. 20

112

1857

Nov. 27

Mar. 13

1858

107

1857

21-May

Sept. 23

124

1858

Dec. 10

Mar. 8

1859

1858

21-May

Aug. 28

1859

Dec. 8

Mar. 3

1860

1859

4-Jun

Sept. 2

1860

Dec. 12

Mar. 10

1861

1860

15-May

Sept. 12

119

1861

Dec. 3

1-Apr

1862

118

1861

16-May

Sept. 28

134

1862

Dec. 5

Mar. 13

1863

1862

19-Jun

25-Sep

1863

Dec. 6

Mar. 15

1864

1863

8-Jun

Aug. 25

1864

Dec. 8

Mar. 19

1865

100

1864

13-Jun

Sept. 19

1865

Dec. 12

Mar. 3

1866

1865

11-May

Sept. 30

141

1866

Dec. 13

Feb. 13

1867

1866

17-May

Sept. 21

126

1867

Dec. 1

Mar. 3

1868

1867

26-May

Sept. 10

106

1868

Dec. 11

Feb. 15

1869

1868

21-May

Sept. 13

114

1869

Dec. 31

Feb. 25

1870

1869

6-Jun

Sept. 26

111

1870

Dec. 30

Feb. 10

1871

1870

29-Apr

Oct. 13

166

1871

Dec. 6

Feb. 29

1872

1871

10-May

Sept. 21

133

1872

Dec. 10

Mar. 2

1873

1872

2-May

Sept. 27

147

1873

Dec. 24

Feb. 25

1874

1873

13-May

Sept. 8

117

1874

Dec. 14

Feb. 18

1875

1874

18-May

Sept. 30

134

1875

Dec.17

Feb. 13

1876

*25

1875

17-May

Sept. 11

116

1876

Dec. 2

Feb. 1

1877

1876

21-Jun

Sept. 27

**1877

Jan. 6

Jan. 13

1878

1877

10-Jun

Sept. 18

1878

Dec. 20

Mar. 7

1879

1878

10-Jun

Sept. 11

1879

Dec.

1879

6-May

Sept. 9

125

*Closed December 17; open again December 20; closed January 10; open again January 17; closed again January 29; open again February 13.

**The river did not freeze over the fall of 1877

MONTHLY AND ANNUAL QUANTITIES OF SNOW IN INCHES
Years	Date of First Amount of Snow	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Date of Last Fall of Snow	Total Fall of Snow	Years
1854	12	……	4	0.9	8	4.5	2	……	……	26	19.4	1855
1855	22	3	4.5	0.1	2.2	0.65	……	……	……	21	13.05	1856
1856	4	……	7.5	13	14	15.25	6.25	1	……	8	57.5	1857
1857	8	……	1	0.16	……	10.5	3.5	2	……	13	17.16	1858
1858	9	……	10	12	4	13	6.5	……	……	20	45.5	1859
1859	10	……	1	6	5	2	0.16	……	……	25	14.16	1860
1860	2	……	4	18.75	18.25	13.5	1.75	……	……	26	56.25	1861
1861	29	0.16	2	4.5	28.5	5.75	15.75	3.25	……	8	59.91	1862
1862	2	……	4.5	……	3.25	6.5	3.5	……	……	24	21.75	1863
1863	22	2.5	6	20	0.75	10	7.5	……	……	12	46.75	1864
1864	20	1	3	12.25	2.9	10.97	6.77	5.7	……	21	42.59	1865
1865	28	4	2.5	4.62	9	14.52	4.98	……	……	28	39.62	1866
1866	27	0.05	0.3	8.5	13.4	12.5	16.25	……	……	26	51	1867
1867	11	……	……	6.81	3.45	6.88	0.75	……	……	1	17.89	1868
1868	17	……	3.61	9.5	19.14	15.58	5.4	1	……	1	54.23	1869
1869	8	……	16.09	10.65	13.62	0.25	15.11	……	……	16	55.72	1870
1870	11	……	……	0.75	5	11.5	0.87	……	……	12	18.12	1871
1871	31	1.05	4	13.25	0.95	0.87	20.33	……	……	31	40.45	1872
1872	14	……	6.62	8.27	15.09	5.15	5.55	11.25	……	9	51.93	1873
1873	29	1.4	6.35	6.75	10.25	11.55	0.25	3.5	……	27	40.05	1874
1874	19	……	0.54	8	14.96	15.8	6.5	3	0.25	1	49.05	1875
1875	26	0.16	0.25	6.3	2	0.32	19.5	1	……	2	29.53	1876
1876	6	……	7.25	8.08	17.25	0.5	26.6	2	……	29	41.68	1877
1877	1	……	11.62	0.25	2.1	2.35	……	……	……	24	16.32	1878
1878	28	0.5	……	9.55	4.4	6.5	6.25	……	……	21	29.2	1879

The science of Meteorology, as used for observation, and the description and explanation of the phenomena peculiar to the atmosphere of our earth generally, dates back twenty-five or thirty years. The Smithsonian Institution at Washington commenced the collection of data, from volunteer observers, as early as 1849. During the past five years the War Department of the United States Government have taken the matter in hand, and are making rapid progress toward foretelling the rise, progress and course of our American storms.

The following table shows the monthly maximum, minimum and mean temperature, range and temperature of well-water, for the year 1877, to which is added the annual for the past three years:

1877

Max

Min

Mean

Range

Temp of well-water

January

-20 *

February

32.8

March

-2

27.1

April

43.4

May

59.1

June

July

73.6

August

70.1

September

65.1

October

49.7

November

32.8

December

39.5

Annual, 1877

-20

47.6

113

47.9

Annual, 1876

-18

46.4

113

48.5

Annual, 1875

-8

43.4

100

46.4

Annual, 1874

-21

46.8

117

45.2

For twenty years

102

-36

45.7

138

47.3

The temperature, as a whole, has been a trifle above normal. It reached as high as 93 degrees above on the 7th of July, against 95 in 1876, and fell as low as 20 degrees below zero on January 23, against 18 degrees below last year, making a mean temperature for the year of 47.6 degrees, .3 degrees above the normal. The Maquoketa River did not freeze over opposite town during the fall for the first time in twenty-five years. The river opened February 1st, and has remained open for the last eleven months of the year. The last hoar-frost occurred June 10, and the first in the fall on September 18, making 90 days without frost, against 97 days in 1876.

The following table shows the mean direction of the wind. The figures show the number of times each month the wind prevailed in each of the eight cardinal points for the year 1878:

1878

Calm

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Annual

The following table shows the monthly value of rain and melted snow reduced to water in inches for the year 1877, and the annual value for the past two years:

1877

Rain in Inches

No. Rainy Days

Snow in Inches

No. Days of Snow

January

2.1

17.25

February

0.32

0.5

March

6.54

26.6

April

3.4

May

3.7

……

June

8.74

……

July

2.23

……

August

6.75

……

September

1.47

……

October

6.21

……

November

3.84

11.62

December

2.67

0.25

1877

47.97

58.22

1876

52.3

38.15

1875

29.57

44.72

For twenty years

35.16

38.64

The total amount of rain-fall and melted snow reduced to water, measures 47.97 inches, against 52.30 inches, and was 12.81 inches above the normal-the most precipitation received in any one year for the past twenty-five years, except the years 1858, 1862 and 1876.

The first snow was landed on All Saints' Day, November 1, five days earlier than last year, making 185 days between the last and first snow-storms of the season. The snow for the year amounted to 58.22 inches, the largest share of it was landed in January and March. All the sleighing for the year was enjoyed in those months. It rained on sixty-seven days against seventy-two days in 1876, and snowed on twenty-two days, against twenty-three days in 1876.

The following table shows the mean direction of the wind. The figures show the number of times each month the wind prevailed in each of the eight cardinal points, together with the annual results for the past four preceding years:

1877

Calm

January

…

February

…

March

…

April

…

May

…

June

July

…

August

…

September

…

October

…

November

…

December

…

Annual, 1877

Annual, 1876

114

122

Annual, 1875

Annual, 1874

Annual, 1873

Southeast has been the prevailing wind—it coming from that direction for eighty-two days during the year. It has thundered or lightened on sixty-three days, against fifty-five days in 1876. It was foggy on sixty-three days against twenty-eight days in 1876, and was hazy on eighteen days, against twelve days in 1876.

The following table shows the mean degrees of temperature for each year since 1854. The month of December, 1853, is added to January and February, 1854, to make the mean temperature for the winter of 1854.

YEAR

Winter Months

Spring Months

Summer Months

Fall Months

1854

51.3

54.6**

1855

33.6

46.6

70.3

47.6

1856

45.3

1857

16.5

41.3*

70.3

48.6

1858

30.9

69.6

1859

16.3

51.9**

66.3

1860

13.3

48.8

67.2

51.4

1861

15.7

46.4***

70.9

48.7

1862

15.1

46.4***

69.3

49.3

1863

22.3

46.2***

63.8*

39.9*

1864

15.5

46.8

71.3

44.1

1865

19.1

44.8

68.3

54.2

1866

15.3

43.7

69.9

47.7***

1867

23.3

41.4

71.8

50.7

1868

18.4

49.2

72.6

45.7

1869

20.6

44.1

70.2***

44.5

1870

21.7

50.1

73.6**

52.5

1871

22.6

70.1

48.1

1872

17.5

44.2

69.9

45.4

1873

44.8

73.6**

42.2

1874

21.8

44.4

71.3

49.9

1875

10.8*

45.9

67.9

1876

27.5

46.3

1877

19.2**

43.2

66.9

52.5

1878

33.4

51.8

71.8

49.9

1879

18.7

50.9

72.5

51.1

* Minimum ** Maximum *** Mean

Below we give the amount of snow and rain, including melted snow, and the number of rainy and snowy days during the winter of 1876-77. The first snow was landed November 6, 1876, and the last was recorded April 29, 1877, making 174 days between the first and the last snow-storms:

Rain

Rainy Days

Snow

Snowy Days

November

1876

2.64

7.25

December

1876

0.77

8.08

January

1877

2.1

17.25

February

1877

0.32

0.5

March

1877

6.54

26.6

Total

15.77

61.68

1875--6

15.98

29.53

1874--5

12.58

49.05

While we measured 61.68 inches of snow, and distributed all along through six months, we only had thirty-six days good sleighing, and that in the two months of January and March, viz.: from January 9 to the 29th, and from March 7 to the 22d. In the previous winter we did not have enough snow any one day for good sleighing during the whole six months of the snowy weather.

It would prove a paying investment in the end for the different State and county agricultural societies to offer liberal premiums for the best meteorological records for the preceding year or years. The science is yet in its infancy. It has attracted but little attention until the past twenty or twenty-five years, but just at the present time is receiving a great deal of attention, as it is a very important adjunct to commerce and agriculture. The farmers are not indebted alone to good soil and proper attention for a good crop of farm products on the well-tilled farm, for with the best of attention and care his labor is all for naught if the weather during the growing season proves unfavorable for the growing crops. Now if the weather for the future could be predicted with any degree of certainty and the knowledge properly disseminated among the farming communities, the farmers would be enabled to put in such seed as would be likely to pay the best for such a season as would be anticipated.

To the farmer, information about storms, and more particularly about rain, is of much greater importance than indications concerning the wind. In haying and harvest time, as well as the time of thrashing or sowing the grain, a knowledge of approaching rain-storms may determine a whole season's crop for good or bad; and information as to severe expected frosts might save farmers, horticulturists, florists, nurserymen and persons engaged in raising garden products, a whole year's labor from destruction.

Many times, if it could be known to the farmers and mechanics, even twenty-four hours ahead, what weather might be expected, they could make a great savings in their work on hand and in planning work for the future. An agreed-upon storm signal could be attached to all locomotives that left any city or station, after one had been properly displayed in the place of departure, and be continued until it has been lowered by authority from headquarters. In this manner it could be seen by all interested parties living along the line of the railway.

All of this, and very much more, will eventually be accomplished in the near future by the aid of the telegraph, telephone and the science of meteorology. By the aid of liberal premiums offered by the several State and county agricultural societies, it will stimulate all persons to a thorough and better knowledge of the science and hasten the day when we all shall have ample time to prepare for all coming storms and consult the morning daily papers for information on the day's anticipation of the coming weather, with that regularity and confidence that we now do for the foreign and domestic news, and the daily fluctuations in the price of farm products. Now, who will move first in this good work and thoroughly test the matter as to its utility and benefit generally to commerce and agriculture.

The following table shows the monthly value of rain and melted snow reduced to water, in inches, for the year 1878:

1878

Rain in Inches

No. Rainy Days

Snow in Inches

No. Days of Snow

January

0.48

2.1

February

1.35

2.35

March

2.94

……

…

April

2.79

……

…

May

5.96

……

…

June

5.02

……

…

July

1.16

……

…

August

3.07

……

…

September

6.3

……

…

October

3.82

0.5

November

0.66

……

…

December

1.14

……

9.55

Annual

35.69

14.5

The total amount of precipitation was 35.69 inches against 47.97 inches in 1877, and only .08 inches above the normal. It rained on 76 days, against 67 days in 1877, and snowed on 17 days, against 22 days in 1877, and there were only 18 days of sleighing during the year.

The Signal Service of the United States and the Iowa Weather Service have both become fixed institutions of the country, and are both working out wonders, from a meteorological standpoint, for the benefit of the community at large. The former is regularly receiving reports from upward of five hundred different stations and is publishing a daily weather bulletin and record of the weather at 12 o'clock at midnight, and adding an estimate of the weather for the coming day, with an average of ninety per cent of their predictions proving correct. The latter has only eighty-seven different stations in the ninety-nine counties of the State. It has been in successful operation a little over three years, but has been regularly recognized by our State Legislature, they making an appropriation of $2,000, to pay the necessary expense of a central office, and the furnishing of blanks and postage for the different volunteer observers.

The following table shows the monthly maximum, minimum and mean temperature, range, and temperature of well-water, for the year 1878:

1878

Max

Min

Mean

Range

Temp of well-water

January

-6*

26.1

February

34.6

March

45.8

April

53.2

May

56.6

June

67.4

July

77.2

August

70.9

September

61.2

October

49.9

November

38.6

December

-10*

18.4

Annual

-10*

49.9

107

49.5

* A dash (-) signifies below zero

The temperature for 1878, as a whole, has been above the normal. The highest temperature reached for the year was 97 degrees, July 16, against 93 degrees last year. The lowest temperature reached was10 degrees below zero on December 23, against 20 degrees below zero last year, making a mean temperature for the year of 49.9 degrees, 3.81 degrees above the normal. The Maquoketa River was open on January 13, after being frozen over only seven days, and was closed again December 20, after being open for 341 days. The last hoar-frost was June 10, and the first of the season was September 11, making 92 days without frost, against 99 days in 1877.

TORNADO AT MONTICELLO

The people of Monticello will have occasion to date back to Tuesday, October 8, 1878, for the next two generations at the least. It was general election day for the State, county and township officers, and, just as the town clock in the schoolhouse tower indicated 5:30 in the afternoon, a destructive tornado struck the southwestern portion of the town, and, passing off in a northeasterly direction, totally destroyed ten dwelling-houses, two churches, nine barns and stables and one icehouse, and more or less damaging forty-two other buildings. The day opened with the temperature 55° at 7 A.M., nimbus clouds and a fresh breeze from the south, with a little sprinkling of rain at 10 A.M., and also again at noon. The temperature at noon was 73°, and there were nimbus clouds and a gentle breeze from the east. The temperature remained at 73° up to and including the time of the tornado. The wind came from the east until the arrival of a stronger current of air from the southwest, when the weather-vane backed around, via the north, to the southwest. For an hour previous to the arrival of the storm, a huge bank of nimbus clouds was seen piled up in the west and southwest, with occasional vivid flashes of lightning, accompanied with loud peals of thunder; and, when this ocean of nimbus clouds approached from the southwest, a light strip appeared at the horizon, and widened as the storm made headway in its course. The friction of the wind rolled up the underside of the black clouds, and they had very much the appearance of the waves of the ocean coming in from sea before a heavy gale of wind.

The first damage done was the total destruction of E. R. Murdock's dwell-house, three miles west and one mile south of Monticello, in Castle Grove Township. Then, following a line northeasterly, it destroyed the dwelling-house of Mr. Brunthaver, in this township, and damaging the school building in District No. 3. Then, passing through the south portion of town, crossing Kitty Creek at Skelly's Ford, it totally destroyed James Sloan's dwelling, in Section 23, two miles east of town Then, crossing the Maquoketa River, it destroyed the German Church in Richland Township, Section 19, four miles northeast of town. The storm was one-fourth of a mile in width, and lasted less than a minute in any one place, and traveled the whole course of eight or ten miles in a few moments. In the center of the track of the storm the ruins were mostly left in a northeasterly direction, but on either side of the center of the track the debris is left at every point of the compass. A little hail and rain fell a few moments before and during the work of the destruction. In all, it measured less than a quarter of an inch-not enough to wet through the plastering of the houses that lost the roofs. During the whole of the storm, there was a loud, roaring noise, like the roar of the approaching of a thousand trains of cars, or the noise of the ocean while being lashed by a furious storm.

The signal service can never give warning of these sudden freaks of the wind, no matter how perfect it may yet become in its other weather prognostications. Their causes are altogether local and altogether unexpected in their appearance. They are copies, in miniature, of the tropical cyclones, and are governed, in their smaller sphere, by the same laws. Experts now describe all storms as rotary, and caused by the meeting of opposing currents of air of different temperatures, having a local motion around a constantly advancing center. North of the equator, this motion is almost universally from right to left. In the southern hemisphere the rule is reversed. Ninety per cent of the fifty tornados noted in the United States during eighty years have exhibited the same characteristics—a general eastward course, with a greater or less deflection to the north. It follows that a person who sees a tornado approaching from the west may escape by running southward, but to run northward is, in all probability, to run into its very vortex. The singular weather, with its thick atmosphere, frequent rains and excess of electrical force, is just the weather which tempts the elements into frequent freaks of this kind. How all signs may fail, thus receives another illustration; because the frequency of these violent storms is believed to depend upon, or, rather, to coincide with, the greater or less number of spots on the sun, of which there are fewer this year than usual.

The northwest has been the prevailing wind, its coming from that direction for 94 days, against 77 days last year. It was clear on 63 days, cloudy on 91 days, foggy on 15 days, and hazy on 85 days. It thundered and lightened on 52 days. Frost on 138 days during the year.

Below is given the amount of snow and rain, and the number of rainy and snowy days during the winter of 1877–78, and a comparison with the past three winters:


	Rain	R. D.	Snow	S. D.
November, 1877	3.68	5	11.62	6
December, 1877	2.67	6	0.25	1
January, 1878	0.48	1	2.1	3
Total	8.34	13	16.32	13
1876—77	15.77	13	61.68	28
1875—76	15.98	32	29.53	17
1874—75	12.58	11	49.05	36

The following table shows the monthly maximum, minimum and mean temperature, temperature of well-water, number of days with frost, clear and cloudy, for each month during the year 1879:

1879	Max	Min	Mean	Temp of Well Water	No. of Days of Frost	No. of Days Clear	No. of Days Cloudy
Jan	45	-18	15.7	50	31	12	7
Feb	47	-10	22	49	28	8	8
Mar	74	5	36	50	20	8	7
Apr	84	22	53.2	50	4	17	5
May	88	37	62.7	50	2	6	10
Jun	90	50	68.9	50	0	9	7
Jul	93	61	76.7	51	0	12	5
Aug	92	54	72	50	0	11	5
Sep	82	37	58.8	50	5	10	2
Oct	85	22	58	50	9	15	2
Nov	70	12	36.7	50	19	10	11
Dec	……	……	……	……	……	……	……
Annual	……	……	……	……	……	……	……

The following table shows the mean direction of the wind. The figures show the number of times, each month, the wind prevailed in each of the eight cardinal points for the year 1879:

1877	N	NE	E	SE	S	SW	W	NW	Calm
January	3	2	0	5	4	4	4	9	0
February	2	2	0	8	2	1	2	11	0
March	3	0	2	9	2	0	5	10	0
April	6	2	1	7	4	2	1	7	0
May	1	2	2	10	6	3	3	4	0
June	3	2	3	5	8	2	3	4	0
July	0	5	0	4	1	9	1	2	9
August	1	6	0	6	6	5	3	3	1
September	1	2	0	5	5	3	8	6	0
October	1	0	0	6	11	5	2	5	1
November	1	1	0	7	4	2	4	11	0
December	……	……	……	……	……	……	……	……	……
Annual	……	……	……	……	……	……	……	……	……

FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP

This township is situated in the western part of the county, north of Greenfield, the southwestern township. There is a good deal of timber in this township, the timber-land occupying nearly two-thirds of the area. The timber is mostly oak, and for quality is not excelled in this portion of the State. Many of the trees of the original forest have been cut down and removed, and their places are now occupied by numberless young and thrifty second-growths. In the northeastern portion, there is some prairie land, and the southwestern third of the township is also prairie. In these portions may be seen some of the finest farms in the county. The Wapsipinicon River enters the township near the northwest corner, crosses somewhat diagonally, and enters Jackson Township, on the east, near the center of the line running north and south. Buffalo Creek enters Fairview from the north, and unites with the Wapsipinicon just west of the site of Anamosa. On these streams are a number of excellent mill-privileges, and a goodly number are occupied by substantial flouring-mills. The whole township is well watered by these streams and their numerous tributaries. The village of Fairview is situated a little west of the geographical center, and Anamosa, the county seat, four miles northwest of it. The Additional Penitentiary of the State and the State Fish-Hatching Establishment are situated in this township, and in the north and west are the famous stone quarries described elsewhere. As a whole, this township ranks first in importance in the county.

EARLY SETTLEMENT OF ANAMOSA AND FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP

From a letter to Mr. Edmund Booth from Gideon H. Ford, of Webster City, Hamilton County, this State, under date of October 4, 1872, we quote the following in regard to the early settlement of Anamosa and Fairview Township: "The first settlement of Buffalo Forks was commenced in April, 1838, by George Russ and Sherebiah Dakin, from the State of Maine. They laid claim to Secs. 2, 3, 4, one-quarter of 9 and one-quarter of 10. There were with them John H. Bartlett, wife and child, also a man named Smith, another named Carpenter and David G. Dumars. These came in the spring of 1838. Three of the above died that season, viz., Russ, Smith and Carpenter. Dakin was a millwright; worked in Dubuque. Then came George H. Russ, son of George Russ.

"I arrived at Dubuque on the 22d of October, and fell in with S. Dakin. He was going to Buffalo Forks next day, and asked me to go with him. He wished to sell his interest in the claim. So, in company with Timothy Davis, we started for the Forks, arriving next day in a snow-storm, the snow three inches deep. I bought Dakin's interest in the claim for $1,000. Young Russ held his father's share. Young Russ soon got homesick and I bought his share for $500. I then sold two-thirds of the claim to Davis and Walworth for $2,000. This was in January, 1839. We commenced building the mills the next spring. John H. Bartlett, I am told, is now living in Dubuque."

Mr. Edmund Booth writes: "I arrived at 'the Forks,' as they were familiarly termed—meaning Buffalo Forks of the Wapsipinicon, often abbreviated to Wapsi—in August, 1839. If I remember aright, it was on the 18th of August. I had reached Dubuque from the East some days previously, and made inquiry for George H. Walworth. I was referred to Timothy Davis; sought and found him in his little lawyer's office on Main street. He informed me he was a partner of Walworth, and that the latter was at the 'Buffalo Forks of the Wapsipinicon.' He proposed to let me have a horse which he wished to send to the Forks, and suggested the next day for starting; distance, forty miles. He informed me that a new road, known as the United States Military Road, was being laid out to the Forks, and seemed to apprehend no difficulty about the way. This Timothy Davis was, some years later, member of the Lower House of Congress for Iowa. He died about a year ago, of paralysis (1872). He was a lawyer from Missouri, a man of good intellect, clear head, and at the time, 1839, the best lawyer in Northern Iowa. His nature was ever kindly.

"In the course of the evening, after seeing Mr. Davis as above described, he called on me at Tim Fanning's log tavern, the only hotel in Dubuque, and informed me that two men would start next morning for Iowa City, then just laid out as the capital of the Territory of Iowa. They were going to attend the first sale of lots. Next morning we started accordingly. The name of one of the men was Bartlett-whether the Bartlett mentioned by Ford or not, I do not know; but judge not, as he did not appear to have any knowledge of the road, nor did he mention aught to lead one to suppose he had acquaintance with the locality of the 'Forks.' The name of the other man I have forgotten; but he was a blacksmith of Dubuque. For the journey, I had a large, strong horse, not spirited, but good. The two men were mounted on ponies. They rode at a continual slow trot, the natural pace of a pony. My horse taking longer strides, I allowed them to proceed some distance, and then a trot brought me up to them. And so it was all the way.

"As before said, the military road was being laid out, Congress having appropriated $20,000. We found a newly broken furrow along one side of the road, which, by the way, was merely a track through the grass of the prairies, and a mound of turf raised three or four feet high at intervals of a half-mile, more or less. At about noon, we reached the house of a Mr. Hamilton, two miles or so before reaching Cascade. Here we took dinner and fed the horses. There was only a woman—probably Mrs. Hamilton—in the house, and they had a small field in cultivation, no larger than a garden to appearance. The man was away. Continuing on, we soon reached Cascade. South of the river (North Fork of the Maquoketa) was a log cabin belonging to Mr. Dulong, an urbane Kentuckian. North of the river was the unfinished frame hotel of Mr. Thomas, and these were all the buildings of the place. Mr. Dulong was an elderly man, apparently forty to fifty years of age. He died some years since. Continuing on, it began to grow dark before we reached the timber of the South Fork of the Maquoketa.

"Passing through the timber, the new road being pretty good, the light from the chinks of a log cabin at last gave us assurance of human habitation, and a chance for a night's lodging. It proved to be the dwelling of Daniel Varvel, situated on the South Fork of the Maquoketa, and where is now a portion of the town of Monticello. On the maps of the place, it is designated as Monticello. Reaching Varvel's, he put the horses in a stable, near by—a log stable, by the way, with a loft above for hay. In the house were some dozen or fifteen men, in the employ of the U. S. Government contractor, and engaged in laying out the Military road. They had come thus far with the work. Varvel prepared supper. He was at that time wifeless, and no woman in the house. Supper of ham and eggs, corn dodgers and coffee. Breakfast, ditto, the next morning, eaten with a hearty relish after such a long ride. No beds for us with this crowd. After an hour's talk, Varvel took the lantern and led the way to the stable. We mounted the ladder outside, and with our saddle-blankets for covering, slept on the hay (we three) till morning, the horses feeding and resting beneath us. And this was my first night in Iowa after leaving Dubuque. A word here about Varvel. He was from Kentucky; married some years after this, our first meeting; with George H. Walworth, he laid out the town of Monticello, south of the river.

"His children grew up and removed further West. He followed them a few years since, and I do not know now whether he is living or dead. After breakfast, we left Varvel's, as the place was called until Monticello was laid out and named. The road was tolerably well marked by wagons, and at about noon, we passed the first land plowed since leaving Hamilton's, and Hamilton's was the only plowed land we had seen since leaving Dubuque. This second piece of plowed land, then just broken, consisted of five acres, the claim belonging to David G. Dumars, and the identical ground on which the county fair had been held for some years. Passing by this, and when at about the intersection of what is now Main and High streets, Anamosa, a large-sized man came lazily along the road toward us. We stopped and made inquiry. He told me to take a road to the right a few rods further on. This man was David G. Dumars. He went on toward his breaking; and, bidding good-bye to my two companions, who were bound for the new capital of the Territory and prospective wealth through the purchase of town lots, I turned into the road to the right. A mile and a half brought me to the log cabin referred to in G. H. Ford's letter, the body which had been built by Russ & Dakin. Here I found G. H. Walworth, who was an old acquaintance, and about fifteen to twenty other persons engaged in building a dam and saw-mill. The day was Sunday, and the people scattered, some reading, some lounging about, some gone to "the Prairie," as the settlement south of the timber was called. That settlement then consisted of eighteen log dwellings, and extended along the south border of the timber from Highland Grove to Viola; of course, these two latter names not being given till years afterward. I have related my journey as above merely to convey some idea of the aspect of the country, buildings, etc., and have named every dwelling we saw after leaving the little hamlet of Dubuque.

"I give here a list of the early settlers of the township; most of the list was obtained from John G. Joslin, ten years ago; Clement Russell and family arrived in July, 1837; John G. Joslin and family, in August, 1837; Ambrose Parsons and family, in May, 1838; Benonia Brown and family, in October, 1838; Lathrop Olmsted and family, in April, 1838; James Parsons, with his son Silas, in April, 1838; John Leonard and wife arrived in the autumn of 1838; Calvin C. Reed, in 1838; Gideon H. Peet, in the spring of 1839; Henry Van Buskirk, in the spring of 1839; Samuel Kelly, in 1838; Edmund Booth, in August, 1839; Henry Booth, in May, 1840; Col. David Wood, in June, 1840."

THE VILLAGE OF FAIRVIEW

This small village of about fifty inhabitants, is situated a little west of the geographical center of the township of Fairview, and four miles southwest of the city of Anamosa. It is situated at the border of the timber-land, on the most delightful portions of the prairie land of Fairview Township. Near this village are found some of the first farms in the county of Jones, and had it been the fortune of its inhabitants to have secured the passage of one of the several lines of railroads that traverse the county, it would doubtless have made one of the first towns in this part of the State. The situation is indeed a delightful one.

At present, there is one small general and a small grocery store. The Postmaster is Mr. A. Merrill, and he is also the proprietor of the grocery store. He is an old resident of the place, having resided in the house where he now lives since 1853. There is a two-story frame schoolhouse and two churches. The Baptist Church is the oldest in the county, a history of which is given elsewhere.

The Methodist Church was built last year and dedicated June 28, 1878. The Pastor is W. F. Dove. The cost of the building was $1,200, and, though the society is small, they have paid all indebtedness and own their church without any incumbrance. The Trustees are William Manly, John Reed, Fredrick Leper, J. B. J. Porter and A. Dawes. The Methodists have had an organization for many years, but no church edifice until last year as stated above.

The Church of God have an organization, but no church edifice. They contemplate building soon. Nathan Blood is their Pastor.

A CHAPTER OF EARLY HISTORY

Previous to June, 1837, no white man had settled in what afterward became the village of Fairview or in the township of that name. At the date named, Clement Russell, wife and four or five children, originally from the State of New York and last from Michigan, reached the place by wagon, in the search for a permanent location combining both prairie and timber land. Here he fixed his abode, and the aspect was really one of beauty. The prairie, six miles in width, ran east and west, and the sun apparently rising out of the prairie on the east and setting into the prairie on the west.

Russell, having lived in Michigan, was already a frontier's man, a farmer by occupation, and, in the course of the first year, had erected his log cabin, some 25x18 feet, and opened up a farm. John G. Joslin, Benonia Brown and others, with their families, came in the months following the arrival of Russell, and, in 1839, there were along the timber border of the prairie eighteen log dwellings, all, except one or two over the line in Linn County, being in Fairview Township.

In 1839 or 1840, Lucas being Territorial Governor, a speck of war-cloud arose along the line separating Iowa from Missouri. Word was passed for a meeting of young men, at Russell's house, with a view of enlistments for the deadly fray. Of those who enlisted, eighteen placed themselves in line as volunteers. Some were armed with guns, and some, for the fun of the thing, with poles or cornstalks. The war-cloud soon blew over, and Lucas, the testy, rested in peace.

At that time and subsequently, down to the removal of the county seat to Anamosa (then Lexington), Russell's was the place for public meetings other than religious, and for general elections, except for the last year or two before removal, when, through some agency or other of some person, the election was ordered by the County Commissioners to be held at Eli Brown's new frame barn. This was at the east end of the "settlement," so called, at that day, and not at all agreeable to the general public; but it was near the center of the township, and "center" of township or county has been a catchword ever since, without regard to center of convenience or population. The scenes at Russell's-the familiar name of the locality-were various, and often amusing. It was the point where all roads met, and the main road-the military-leaving that place, was the one leading to the bridge across the Wapsipinicon. Hence Russell's was the general rendezvous of the settlement.

For several years, the number of votes polled in the precinct was about 33, and so it continued until 1847, when C. C. Rockwell, the first lawyer in the county, came and set up in his profession at Lexington, and, as Deputy to William Hutton, County Clerk, inserted Lexington in the order for the next general vote of the precinct, to the great disgust of Eli Brown's barn and everybody living near it. The balance of the public wondered somewhat at what they looked upon as a bit of legal impudence, but as Lexington was not objectionable and was more respectable than a barn, general acquiescence followed.

Russell's, as already stated, was the point for public meetings. It was also the place for discussions of all kinds, and for brawls as well, when such occurred. The few persons of that day now living can remember bloody faces and black eyes, and most frequently the bloody faces and black eyes were confined to two or three persons. The quarrels usually grew out of difference of opinions, combined with whisky, and the enmities generated were never permanent. In less than a week, all were as friendly as ever, and ready to extend a kindness or a helping hand to each other.

The nearest store was at Dubuque, over forty miles away. Of the prominent men residing here and in the vicinity, John G. Joslin was one of the most intelligent, and most influential and most respected; Ambrose Parsons was solid, good-hearted and naturally dignified; Gideon Peet was kindly and pleasant; Benonia Brown was industrious and thrifty, and died at the age of 103; Clement Russell was of wiry make, nervous-bilious in temperament, good-hearted at bottom and throughout, and disputative; John Leonard was of large frame, great physical strength, and indolent, but worked well, and was often employed by his neighbors for that reason. Besides those named above, the settlers, as a whole, were good men and women and orderly. In short, they were good samples of the best people residing in New York and New England.

In 1841, Russell laid out the village of Fairview. Reuben Bunce and Mr. Gilchrist came soon after with a load of goods, which they were peddling through the territory. They stopped at Russell's, then a general tavern for travelers, and concluded to remain and open a store. The front portion of Russell's log cabin was set off for the purpose. They also purchased a number of lots of the newly laid-out town. Gilchrist soon sold out to Bunce and left. Out of the question of paying for the lots, litigation arose, and the District Court, for several terms, had it on hand. Lathrop Olmstead, who lived just outside the plat of Fairview, was tall and slender, and, for all the world, remained one of Washington Irving's Ichabod Crane. He, at Fairview, and Barrett Whittemore, at Bowen's Prairie, were the first two persons who undertook to teach school in this county, and both at about the same time-winter of 1840-41. Olmstead started overland for California in 1849 or 1850, and is supposed to have died on the way, as nothing was ever heard of him afterward. The first school he taught was in Marlin Peet's house, which was empty at the time.

Among the residents of Fairview after 1840 were Edmund Booth and Dr. Sylvester G. Matson. In the vicinity, and extending eastward along the border of the timber, were John G. Joslin, Henry Booth, Benonia Brown, Dr. Clark Joslin, Eli and George H. Brown, and westward were Julius A. Peet, Marlin Peet, James. Silas and Neely Parsons, Gideon Peet (the father of the Peet family in the settlement) and Gideon N. Peet. Next to the last was Ambrose Parsons. Then came Alex. Rhoton and John Crow. John Crow and family came from Virginia. He was a courtly and dignified gentleman, and had the handsomest couple of mastiffs and horses in the settlement. The names given above are only of the heads of families of that time.

FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE

The first schoolhouse built within the township was on the Marion road, near a mile from the village. It should have been in the village, but unfavorable feelings against Russell and the town, on the part of outsiders, located it otherwise. It was a log cabin perhaps 18x20 feet, and served the growing generations for some years.

THE FIRST POST OFFICE

In 1840, a weekly horseback mail was placed on the route between Dubuque and Iowa City, via Edinburg, the then county seat, and coming into the military road at Dartmouth, now Anamosa. In 1841, Gideon N. Peet procured the establishment of a post office at his residence, a mile west of Russell's, and was appointed Postmaster. This was the first post office and Postmaster in the township. The nearest post offices being then at Edinburg, James Hutton, Postmaster; Big Woods, Mr. Grauel, Postmaster; Rome (now Olin), Norman B. Seely, Postmaster; Springville, Col. Butler, Postmaster, and Monticello, William Clark, Postmaster. Mr. Peet conducted his post office well, but the business was light, for the people were few, and the rates of letter postage were burdensome. Money was a scarce article, the country not having recovered from the effects of the crash of 1837, and the Government accepting nothing at the land offices or post offices except gold and silver. The money mostly current was "red-dog," "wildcat," and "stump-tail," that is, the money of State banks, and no man receiving it one day could tell what it would be worth on the next. In such a condition of things, and every man hoarding to pay the Government for his land, the amount of mail sent and received was small. After some months, Mr. Peet wished to rid himself of the care of the office. Russell desired the position, as he said, "so that he could read all the papers," and the expression may have been one of his many jests. In some way, and through his personal friend, Senator A. C. Dodge, at Washington, his wish was gratified. Months passed. The mail came weekly at about the noon hour. Almost daily, Russell might be seen stepping to his door after dinner, and, with vexation depicted on his face, looking up the road leading into the timber and to the Wapsipinicon bridge. Waiting for the mail kept him from his farm work, and finally he declared the post office was "nothing but a plague," and sent in to Washington his resignation in favor of A. B. Dumont.

Dumont was a carpenter, one of the two sons of J. B. Dumont, then recently arrived from the State of New York, and settled in Fairview. The other son was Fred, and invalid at the time, and now one of the substantial farmers near Fairview. The new Postmaster, Mr. Dumont, had a job at Marion, Linn Co., and placed the office in charge of Edmund Booth, his next-door neighbor, for a few weeks. The time ran into six months, and, still having work at Marion, Dumont concluded to resign. Dr. Sylvester G. Matson, then living on the military road just south of Reed's Creek, desired it, and Mr. Dumont resigned in his favor. Mr. Booth remarks that during the six months the post office was in his care, the sum total of his compensation, that is, Postmaster's percentage on receipts, was just $6. Dr. Matson held the position some months, and, like his predecessors, found the glory small and the pay still smaller. He, too, threw up the affair, and another man succeeded him. The name of the office all this time was Pamaho, suggested by Mr. Peet in his petition to the Department in 1841, Mr. Peet stating it was the name of an Indian chief in Wisconsin. It was while Dr. Matson was thus Postmaster at Fairview that a post office was established at Lexington (Anamosa). Pratt R. Skinner was appointed Postmaster. He was a well-educated, intelligent and enterprising man, brother of Dr. William M. Skinner, now one of the leading druggists in Anamosa, and is now living in Oregon.

Anamosa has had successive Postmasters: Pratt R. Skinner, C. L. D. Crockwell, Samuel Cunningham, Alex Shaffer, J. H. Show, Amos H. Peaslee, of Fisher, now Gillen House-Dr. N. G. Sales, H. C. Metcalf, Richard McDaniels and H. Hollenbeck. During the administrations of Pierce and Buchanan, a period of eight years, no less than seven different Postmasters were appointed in succession for her accommodation.

It was during this that the old site-down-town-of Anamosa, was being gradually deserted by the business men for up-town. The building of the Fisher House and the general building of residences on the higher ground, had started the movement. Some hard feelings among the down-towners grew out of this and the post office was removed alternately, up and down town, with the advent of each new Postmaster, until Peaslee's appointment, after which its stay up town became permanent. When Shaffer was appointed was appointed, he said in view of these alternate removals, that he would get a wheelbarrow. Meeting Mr. Booth, he remarked: "Up-town has come down town," to which the latter replied, "'Up-town' will turn 'down-town' upside down." These are quoted as showing some of the humors of the time.

Since 1869, Charles W. Coe has held the position of Postmaster, a period of ten years, and to the satisfaction of the public.

The Court House too, was, for a time, a bone of contention between up and down town.

The facts above recorded were obtained from old settlers, and from those whom the writer has reason to believe to be wholly reliable.

ANAMOSA

The name of the present county seat of Jones was suggested by Edmund Booth. The incident that led to the selection of the name Anamosa is related elsewhere, as is also the history of its early settlement. The place was first named Dartmouth, then Lexington, and afterward Anamosa. The site of Anamosa is quite romantic and beautiful, the scenery in the vicinity adding much to the attractiveness of the city, which sits upon a delightful portion of the undulating timber-land situated at the junction of the Buffalo Creek with the Wapsipinicon River. The situation possesses the natural advantages necessary to the permanence and prosperity of a town. The abundant water-power afforded by the Buffalo and Wapsipinicon has been somewhat utilized, although the interests of the citizens of Anamosa demand a much more liberal use of these inanimate and tireless forces. The quarries of most excellent building stone, in the neighborhood, constitute a never-failing source of cheap and ever-lasting material for building purposes.

The name and plat of the town as Dartmouth were lost because no record was made. The town as Lexington was laid out in the year 1846, by R. J. Cleaveland, of Olin, now dead. He was a graduate of Harvard, intelligent, chivalrous, kind and noble hearted; was a genuine patriot, joined the Ninth Iowa Volunteers in the war of the rebellion, was sixty or nearly that old, at the time, but Col. Wm. Vandever, of Dubuque, was a personal friend of his, and, in consequence of this fact, he was mustered into the service, notwithstanding his age. During the war, he acted as army correspondent, and signed himself "Leonidas." He died a year or more ago, at the age of seventy-two. The name Lexington was changed for Anamosa, and that portion of the city now called "down-town" by some, by others, "Dublin," corresponds to the original town of Lexington, or Anamosa. To the original town there have been made the following additions and subdivisions:

1—Crockwell's Addition in the year 1848.

2—Crockwell's Out—Lots in the year 1847.

3—Ford's Addition in the year 1848.

4—Walworth's Addition in the year 1849.

5—Walworth's Out—Lots in the year 1849.

6—Fisher's East Anamosa in the year 1850.

7—Fisher's Addition in the year 1865.

8—Webster's Out—Lots in the year 1854.

9—Haddock's Out—Lots, 27, East Anamosa

10—Keller's Subdivision of Lot 1, Fisher's Addition.

11—Warren's Subdivision of part of Walworth's Addition.

12—Shaw's Subdivision of Lot 1, Section 11, Town 84, Range 4.

13—Soper & Boardman's Subdivision of Lots 25, 26, 28, 29, Fisher's East Anamosa.

14—Kimball's Subdivision of 5, 6 and part of 7, Webster's Out—Lots.

15—Peters' Subdivision of the west half of Lot 4 of Fisher's Addition.

16—Gibb's Addition.

17—Skinner's Addition.

18—Boardman's Subdivision of Lots 2 and 3 of Webster's Out—Lots.

19—Peters' Subdivision of Lot 30, and west half of Lot 31 of Walworth's Addition.

20—Huber's Subdivision.

21—Shaw's Subdivision of the east half of Lot 4 of Fisher's Addition, and part of the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 2, Town 84, Range 4.

22—Hick's Addition.

23—Shaw's Subdivision of Lot 25 of Fisher's East Anamosa.

24—Sales' Subdivision of Out—Lot 1 of Walworth's Addition.

25—Boardman & Soper's Subdivision of Lots 6, 7 and 10 of Anamosa.

26—Booth's Subdivision of Lot 2 of Fisher's Addition.

27—Crane's Subdivision of part of Walworth's Addition.

28—Osborne's Subdivision of part of Walworth's Addition.

29—Fisher's Subdivision of part of Walworth's Addition.

30—Subdivision A of Skinner's Addition.

31—Shaw's Subdivision of Lot 26 of Fisher's East Anamosa.

32—Shaw's Subd'n of part of Lot 4, and the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Secs. 10, Town 84, Range 4, west of the Fifth Principal Meridian.

The first hotel-keeper was G. H. Ford, who was also the first blacksmith. The house he kept as a hotel was built by E. Booth and sold to Ford.

The second hotel-keeper was C. L. D. Crockwell. He built the "Waverly House" for a hotel, and it continues to be kept as such at the present.

Mahan and John Crockwell kept the first store, which was a small affair, and the principal commodity kept for sale is said to have been poor whisky.

The second mercantile firm was that of Skinner & Clark in 1847. Messrs. Gillett & Osborne opened out as dealers in general merchandise about the same time.

Dr. Clark Joslin was the first physician, and is still in practice as such is company with his son, J. M. D. Joslin.

Dr. Joslin and Crockwell established the first drug store. Crockwell, it is said, after a time went to Utah and became a Mormon.

About 1848 or 1849, J. H. Fisher opened a store at the mill on the Buffalo, and after a time, moved his stock to the town and continued the business.

Messrs. Cary & Show were among the early mercantile men of Anamosa and kept jewelry, boots and shoes, etc., for sale. Show emigrated to Missouri and became a Judge on the Supreme Bench of the State. Cary moved to Utah, and is in the real-estate business at Ogden.

The first tailor was William Sterling, in 1848. He was afterward County Recorder and also Treasurer of the county.

The first lawyer was Rockwell, in 1847. In 1849, he was Chief Clerk of the State Senate.

The first child born was Maria Ford, daughter of Gideon H. and Hannah Ford. This child grew up and married Israel Fisher, and they now live at Webster City in this State.

The city now numbers (1879) upwards of two thousand inhabitants, mostly Americans. The census of 1875 showed a population of 1,598. The census was taken by the Township Assessors, and, it is thought by some, was not very carefully made.

Anamosa was incorporated as a village in 1856, and as a city in 1872. Col. W. T. Shaw was the first Mayor.

At this date, Anamosa contains a number of elegant private residences, many handsome cottages, and a very fine display of good and substantial business houses. With a magnificent system of water-works and three well-organized fire companies, the city is well protected from the ravages of fire. There are six churches, two newspapers, two graded schools (including Strawberry Hill, which is so related to the city as to properly belong with it), two private schools, one bookstore, two news depots, two libraries, two banks, seven dry-goods stores, two clothing stores, three drug stores, three millinery stores, five hardware stores, seven grocery stores, one candy manufactory, four confectioneries and restaurants, one cigar manufactory, one cemetery association, one marble shop, two undertakers and furniture dealers, one art gallery, one cigar and tobacco store, three shoe-shops, four blacksmith-shops, three harness-shops, three wagon-shops, one machine-shop, three flouring-mills, two grain elevator warehouses, two-lumber-yards, three tailor-shops, one planing-mill, one cooper-shop, five hotels, three jewelry stores, two provision stores, one feed and sale stable, two livery stables, two dentists, four architects, one civil engineer, one general insurance office, one express office, two meat markets, three barber-shops, one soap-factory, one water-works company, three fire companies, one opera house, eight secret societies, two railroad offices, two ice-houses, one brewery and three saloons. There are twelve doctors and fifteen lawyers.

The business houses are compactly built of brick and stone, and present a neat and handsome appearance. The public walks are mostly made of stone, and the principal streets well macadamized. The county has no Court House, but owns good and commodious rooms in the Shaw Block, where the court-room and county offices are conveniently arranged. The jail is a substantial building for the safe keeping of those unfortunate enough to become its inmates.

The public school buildings and churches are sufficiently large and commodious to meet the wants of the people and are neat and handsome structures.

The Additional Penitentiary is within the city limits, and, when completed, will add much to the architectural appearance of the city. The inhabitants are an intelligent and industrious people, and the morale of the city is most excellent.

CITY OFFICERS

Anamosa held its first elections as an organized town on the first Monday of April, 1856. Mayor, William T. Shaw; Recorder, C. C. Peet; Council, G. W. Keller, Joseph Mann, S. T. Buxton, H. C. Metcalf.

1857—Mayor, Robert Dott; Recorder, Charles D. Perfect; Councilmen, H. C. Metcalf, S. S. McDaniels, E. Cutler, Burton Peet.

1858—Mayor, A. H. Peaslee; Recorder, E. Cutler; Council, E. T. Mellett, W. R. Locke, J. J. Welsh, A. P. Carter.

1859—Mayor, George W. Field; Recorder, C. L. Hayes; Council, J. J. Welsh, W. R. Locke, A. P. Carter, J. L. Brown.

1860—Mayor, N. G. Sales; Recorder, O. Burke; Council, P. Flannery, J. J. Dickinson, David Graham, J. L. Brown.

1861—Mayor, N. G. Sales; Recorder, O. Burke; Council, William Skehan, Cornelius Peaslee, Benjamin Chaplin, J. J. Dickinson.

1862—Mayor, N. G. Sales; Recorder, J. J. Dickinson; Council, E. B. Alderman, Benjamin Chaplin, F. S. McKean, J. D. Walworth.

1863—Mayor, J. H. Benjamin; Recorder, Robert Dott; Council, E. M. Harvey, B. L. Watson, C. J. Higby, E. M. Littlefield.

1864—Mayor, Israel Fisher; Recorder, E. M. Littlefield; Council, A. P. Carter, W. M. Skinner, J. S. Belknap, J. S. Perfect.

1865—Mayor, Israel Fisher; Recorder, E. M. Littlefield; Council, A. P. Carter, J. S. Belknap, W. M. Skinner, John S. Stacy.

1866—Mayor, John S. Stacy; Recorder, C. T. Lamson; Council, H. C. Metcalf, J. C. Dietz, H. Lehmkuhl, P. Haines.

1867—Mayor, J. C. Dietz; Recorder, A. P. Carter; Council, S. G. Matson, C. W. Hollenbeck, M. H. French, Robert Dott, E. B. Alderman.

1868—Mayor, D. McCarn; Recorder, A. P. Carter; Council, L. Niles, A. Heitchen, B. F. Shaw, H. C. Metcalf, C. W. Hollenbeck.

1869—Mayor, J. C. Dietz; Recorder, E. M. Littlefield; Council, H. C. Metcalf, Thomas Perfect, J. H. Fisher, E. F. Clark, Lyman Niles.

1870—Mayor, E. Blakeslee; Recorder, B. F. Shaw; Council, H. C. Metcalf, J. H. Fisher, B. P. Simmons, A. B. Cox, Lyman Niles.

1871—Mayor, Charles Cline; Recorder, C. M. Failing; Council, B. F. Shaw, W. W. Hollenbeck, D. C. Tice, O. M. Ellis, W. S. Benton.

March 5, 1872, Anamosa was organized as a city, with the following officers: Mayor, Robert Dott; City Clerk, C. M. Failing; Council, A. Heitchen, A. B. Cox, S. G. Matson, J. L. Brown, O. Dunning, S. Needhan, Frank Fisher, C. H. Lull.

1873—Mayor, Robert Dott; Clerk, E. M. Littlefield; Council, A. Heitchen, S. G. Matson, O. Dunning, Frank Fisher, Milton Remley, L. Schoonover, J. G. Parsons, A. V. Eaton.

1874—Mayor, Robert Dott; Clerk, L. B. Peck; Council, Milton Remley, L. Schoonover, B. P. Simmons, A. V. Eaton, J. T. Rigby, J. S. Belknap, J. B. McQueen, Harmon Dorgeloh.

1875—Mayor, Robert Dott; Clerk, L. B. Peck; Council, J. T. Rigby, J. S. Belknap, C. M. Failing, J. B. McQueen, E. B. Alderman, L. Schoonover, George Waters, A. V. Eaton.

1876—Mayor, E. Steever (resigned in June and Robert Dott elected to fill vacancy); Clerk, L. B. Peck; Council, E. B. Alderman, L. Schoonover, George Waters, A. V. Eaton, T. Clancy, J. T. Rigby, D. M. Hakes, J. S. Belknap.

1877—Mayor, A. S. Noble; Clerk, L. B. Peck; Council, T. Clancy, J. T. Rigby, D. M. Hakes, J. S. Belknap, C. L. Niles, D. Chadwick, L. Schoonover, L. J. Adair.

1878—Mayor, A. V. Eaton; Clerk, L. B. Peck; Council, C. L. Niles, D. Chadwick, L. Schoonover, L. J. Adair, E. J. Wood, H. W. Sigworth, W. A. Cunningham, T. R. Ercanbrack.

1879—Mayor, A. V. Eaton; Clerk, C. M. Brown; Council, H. W. Sigworth, E. J. Wood, W. A. Cunningham, T. R. Ercanbrack, I. Fisher, M. Heisey, R. L. Duer, J. P. Scroggs.

ORIGIN OF THE NAME ANAMOSA

The name of this city has a somewhat romantic origin, and is derived from a simple incident in its early history. This incident occurred in the house of G. H. Ford about 1842, and is thus related by Edmund Booth, who happened to be present: "One day three Indians came in. At a glance, it was seen, that they were not of the common, skin-dressed, half wild and dirty class. They were a man, woman and daughter, and all wore a look of intelligence quite different from the generally dull aspect of their race. The man and woman were dressed mostly in the costume of white people, with some Indian mixed; but the girl, bright and pleasant-faced, and apparently about eight or ten years old, was wholly in Indian dress. One can form some tolerable idea of her appearance from the carved full-length figures sometimes found in front of tobacco and cigar shops in the cities. These are not always fancy figures, but taken from real life, though such are rarely, if ever, seen among Indians, as they travel from one part of the country to another. The girl was dressed as became the daughter of a chief. She was really a handsome girl. Her dress was entirely Indian, bright as was the expressions of her face, tasteful, and yet not gaudy. She wore ornamented leggings and moccasins, and her whole appearance was that of a well-dressed Indian belle.

"It was evident that these Indians were, as we said, not of the common order, and this fact excited more interest in us and Mr. and Mrs. Ford, no other persons being present, than was usually the case at that day, when the sight of native sons and daughters of the wild frontier was a common occurrence. The three were entirely free from the dull, wary watchfulness of their kind, and, though somewhat reserved at first, were possessed of an easy dignity. They readily became cheerful, and, but for their light red color, would be taken for well-bred white people. They were from Wisconsin and on their way West.

"We inquired their names. The father's was Nasinus. The name of the mother was a longer one and has escaped our memory. The name of the daughter was Anamosa-pronounced, by the mother, An-a-mo-sah, as is the usual way, and corresponds to the Indian pronunciation of Sar-a-to-gah, the Saratoga of New York. When we asked the mother the name of her daughter, the latter laughed the pleasant, half-bashful laugh of a young girl, showing she understood the question, but did not speak. This interview was decidedly agreeable all around. After more than an hour spent in conversation, having taken dinner, they departed on the military road westward, leaving a pleasant impression behind them.

"It occurred to us that the names of the father and daughter were suitable for new towns-in fact, infinitely preferable to repeating Washington and various others for the hundredth time. Unfortunately, we neglected to ascertain of them the meaning of their names; but, some years later, Pratt R. Skinner removed here from Dubuque and established a land agency, subsequently a dry-goods store, under the firm of Skinner & Clark. Mr. Skinner had been engaged in government surveys in this part of Iowa, and was no stranger to the Indians and their language. He said the word Anamosa signified white fawn, and the probability of such being the case is natural enough, when we consider the Indian custom of naming persons from individual objects.

"After Lexington had been platted on this spot and had become the county seat, we brought forward the subject of changing the name of the town, and thus avoiding the numerous delays and losses in mail matter, resulting from similarity of post-office name, almost every northern State having its Lexington. Skinner and C. C. Rockwell, joined in the move, but, on consultation, the Board of County Commissioners concluded they had no power in the premises, and that it was the province of the District Court. At the first session of that Court held in Lexington, a petition, gotten up mainly by Skinner and Rockwell, was presented. Judge Wilson assented, and since then the town has borne the name of Anamosa."

INCORPORATION

In the early part of 1854, a petition was presented to the County Judge of Jones County, requesting the appointment of an election to decide whether or not Anamosa should become an incorporated town. The Judge granted the petition, and named May 1, 1854, as the day on which said election should be held, and at which election persons residing in the platted village of Anamosa should be electors. The result was in favor of an incorporation.

A second election was ordered to be held in the Court House of Anamosa on the 27th of May following, to choose five persons who should prepare a charter for the proposed town. This election resulted in the choice of C. L. D. Crockwell, D. Kinert, P. R. Skinner, S. T. Pierce and Joseph Dimmitt.

The charter was not submitted for adoption for almost two years, being adopted March 19, 1856, and submitted for the consideration of the County Judge. By him the first election was immediately ordered, resulting in the choice of William T. Shaw, Mayor; C. C. Peet, Recorder, and G. W. Keller, Joseph Mann, S. T. Buxton and H. C. Metcalf, Councilmen.

Anamosa was divided into wards and declared organized as a city February 6, 1872, by the Town Council. This organization was completed by the first city election held March 4, 1872, when two Councilmen were elected from each ward.

THE PRESS

No better index to the state of society or the thrift of a community can be found than the press it supports. Decide the question as you may, whether the press is the power behind the throne, or simply the mirror of public thought, the newspaper does not thrive in a virgin soil, but prospers only in a cultivated garden. The press of Anamosa and of other towns of the county show the people of Jones to be not one whit behind the standard which culture would demand in the support of the newspapers.

The first news sheet issued in Jones County was called the Anamosa News, started by William Haddock in February, 1852. He purchased an old press and type in Wisconsin, paying therefor $300. In 1856, he sold the affair to Nathan G. Sales, who conducted the sheet in such a manner as to pique the Republicans of Anamosa and surrounding country; whereupon, some of the more vengeful and enterprising spirits determined to have an organ of their own. J. E. Lovejoy, of Scotch Grove Township, brother of Owen Lovejoy, being a practical printer, talked of selling his farm and starting a paper. It was likewise one of the ambitions of C. L. D. Crockwell to be the proprietor of a journal. They entered into partnership, Lovejoy making out a list of types and machinery needed, and sending to Cincinnati for the same. Crockwell became security for the payment of purchase money.

The first issue of the paper came out in August, 1856. After three issues, Lovejoy, not enjoying the hardships and labor connected with journalism on the border, and owing to sickness in his family, returned to his farm, leaving the entire affair on Crockwell's hands. The latter was a druggist, and had but little time or inclination to devote to editorial duties. He therefore asked Mr. Edmund Booth to contribute editorials to the young enterprise, which he did for some months. Matt Parrott, now State binder and publisher of the Iowa State Reporter at Waterloo, bought an interest in the paper in January, 1858. May 3 of the same year, found the journal, which was called the Eureka, under the ownership of Crockwell, Parrott & Booth. June 28, 1859, Crockwell retired, and December 12, 1862, Edmund Booth became sole owner of the paper. His son, T. E. Booth, was received into partnership October 10, 1867, and for the past twelve years the Eureka has had a prosperous existence under the proprietorship of E. Booth & Son.

It was the original purpose to call the paper the Free Soiler, and such was the name in the first prospectus, that being the time of the Free-Soil movement. Crockwell, however, who delighted in oddities, gave it the name it still wears-Eureka (I have found it). The journal was first issued in the first brick building erected in Anamosa, being only one story high, fifteen feet square, built for a physician's office. It has since occupied quarters in the brick building of S. T. Buxton, H. C. Metcalf, and for the past nine years has found a home on the second floor of the building on the corner of Ford and Main streets, built by E. Booth & Son for the purpose.

The original size of the Eureka was a seven-column folio, which was enlarged to eight columns in October, 1866, at which time the office purchased a Hoe power-press, the first power-press for a country office in this part of the State. Edmund Booth continues political editor of the sheet, which has ever been Republican. T. E. Booth cares for the local page and attends to the business affairs connected with the office. The circulation is now 1,500.

It may now be amiss to state in this connection that J. E. Lovejoy, the first proprietor of the Eureka, was brother to the celebrated Owen Lovejoy, of Illinois, and likewise brother of Elijah P. Lovejoy, who was killed by a mob at Alton, Ill., in 1838.

George H. Walworth, a brother-in-law of Edmund Booth, was one of the defenders of Elijah P. Lovejoy, and was in the building when Lovejoy was shot. Mr. Walworth was elected to the Iowa Legislature in 1839, for Jones and Cedar Counties, and after Jones was entitled to a Representative, Walworth represented the county for two or three terms. He afterward went South and was killed by an accident. Mr. Walworth was a man of fine abilities and remarkable personal attractions, and was noted for his energy and enterprise.

Anamosa Journal-The organ of the Democratic party at the county seat of Jones, is a seven-column folio weekly paper, published every Thursday and entitled the Anamosa Journal. This paper was established in the year 1872, by one A. L. Smith as editor and proprietor. Under the management of Smith, the enterprise seems not to have proved a success, and, on the 1st of January, 1874, it passed into the hands of P. D. Swigart. On the 7th day of the same month, a half-interest was sold to J. M. Swigart, and the publication continued under the firm name of Swigart Bros., until the 29th of June, 1874, when J. M. Swigart disposed of his interest to C. H. Monger, the firm changing to Monger & Swigart. On the 1st of August in the same year, J. A. Monger purchased the interest of Swigart and the firm changed to Monger Bros. J. A. Monger continued as one of the proprietors for a year, when the Journal passed into the hands of C. H. Monger, sole editor and proprietor from that time to the present.

The real prosperity of the Journal may be said to date from the time it passed under the management of C. H. Monger. The parties connected with the paper prior to that time were not educated to journalism and were not well calculated to succeed in such an enterprise. Mr. C. H. Monger had been somewhat educated in the newspaper business before he came to Jones County, and his success is in a measure due to that fact.

The political complexion of the Journal, as has been indicated, has been throughout unhesitatingly Democratic. Mr. Monger, by birth and education, possesses the qualifications essential to the publication of a Democratic journal. He is not Democrat from choice but by nature, and he engages in the work of his hand with all the ardor of his soul.

The policy of the Journal, under its present management, has been decidedly aggressive and outspoken. No one can be at a loss to know on which side of all public questions the Journal stands. What can be said of the independence of the Journal on political questions, may likewise be said in reference to all social questions. Under the management of Mr. Monger, the Journal has steadily increased its patronage and has a large circulation.

EDUCATIONAL

March 25, 1859, a petition, signed by ten voters of the town of Anamosa, was presented to the Town Council praying an election to be held in said town to decide whether the corporation and territory adjoining, which had previously been attached for school purposes, should become a separate and independent district in accordance with certain powers conferred by the State Board of Education during the previous year.

In answer to this petition, the Mayor, by order of the Council, proclaimed an election, to be held on the second Monday of April following, to decide the matter. In this election an unanimous vote of seventy ballots was cast in favor of a separate district.

The first Board was elected April 19, 1859, and was composed of William T. Shaw, President; J. S. Dimmitt, Vice President; J. J. Dickenson, Secretary; Israel Fisher, R. S. Hadley, R. Crane and David Graham, Directors.

There were at that time five teachers employed in the district. During the summer of 1859, school was kept in what was known as the "Brick Schoolhouse" and the United Brethren Church—two teachers in each. The schools were kept in session forty-four weeks out of fifty-two, and the school year was divided into a summer and winter term of twenty-two weeks each.

The old schoolhouse, in what was known as the Belknap District, was at once sold by the new Board to Adain Snyder for $130. In the winter of 1859-60, the M. E. Church was rented for school purposes. In the summer of 1861, St. Marks' Episcopal and the Congregational Churches were rented by the district. In these buildings and other rented rooms the public schools were kept until the erection of the present school building. The site of this structure, which is commonly called the Graded School, was purchased in the spring of 1861 of Burton Peet, being two and a half acres of the northeast corner of Section 10, in Fairview Township. In April, 1861, bids were received for the erection of a building in accordance with the specifications and plans already prepared. Two bids were presented only—E. C. Holt, $4,600, and Alonzo Spaulding $4,475. The latter was awarded the contract, and in June a tax of five mills was levied toward meeting the wants of the building fund. The house was not completed until the winter of 1862-63, and, when plastered and furnished, cost almost double the original bid.

An addition was made to the building in 1872, to defray the expenses of which bonds of the district were voted to the amount of $5,000, being five $1,000 bonds due in one, two three, four and five years. The addition was not built by single contract.

To accommodate pupils in that portion of the district, a schoolhouse was erected in the summer of 1867, in the direction of the stone-quarry. This was burned in 1871 by a fire originating from a locomotive, and sweeping through the timber in which the schoolhouse was located. A new building was immediately erected at a cost of $1,000.

In April, 1877, that portion of the Independent District south of the Wapsipinicon was set off to the Fairview District, the river being declared a legal obstruction, preventing the attendance of children from the opposite side.

April 8, 1872, the Independent District of Strawberry Hill was separated from the Independent District of Anamosa by a vote of the electors of the former corporation. The vote stood 23 to 2 in favor of a district organization.

A course of study was formally adopted in 1874, arranging for a high school department of three years. At that time, there was an indebtedness of $6,500 hanging over the district, which has all been since removed.

The present schools of Anamosa comprise the Quarry School, which is not graded, and is in every respect a country school, save that it is under city government, and the Graded School, which includes seven departments. This two-story brick building occupies a conspicuous location, and is a comfortable habitation for the rising generation of the city. The school year now comprises nine months, usually beginning in September.

The report for the term ending June 20, 1879, shows: Total enrollment, 367; average attendance, 284; percent of attendance, 92. The teachers elect with their salaries are: Principal, Park Hill, $900 per year; Assistant Principal, Mrs. L. M. Noble, $40 per month; Room 2, Miss M. Scroggs, $30 per month; Room 3, Miss S. L. Cunningham, $30 per month; Room 4, Miss Julia Foos, $30 per month; Room 5, Miss Ella Foos, $30 per month; Room 6, Miss J. Chapman, $30 per month; Room 7, Miss Abbie Porter, $30 per month; Quarry School, Miss Nellie Beardsley, $30 per month.

The present Board of Directors; I. H. Brasted, President; J. C. Dietz, Secretary; T. W. Shapley, Treasurer: L. J. Adair, J. S. Stacy, B. Huggins, James Lister, Linus Pitcher.

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History, Biographies, Stories, News

Û History of Jones County, Iowa

Western Historical Company, 1879.

PRISON STATISTICS

STATE FISH-HATCHING ESTABLISHMENT

METEOROLOGICAL

ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE

TORNADO AT MONTICELLO

FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP

EARLY SETTLEMENT OF ANAMOSA AND FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP

THE VILLAGE OF FAIRVIEW

A CHAPTER OF EARLY HISTORY

FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE

THE FIRST POST OFFICE

ANAMOSA

CITY OFFICERS

ORIGIN OF THE NAME ANAMOSA

INCORPORATION

THE PRESS

EDUCATIONAL