Sibley was the first town in Osceola county, although Shaw's store was
moved to Ashton about the same time. John L. Robinson built the first
house in
Sibley. H. K. Rogers was the first merchant and H. L. Emmert
was the first banker. Mr.
Rogers made a small fortune in the mercantile
business here, and later moved to California, where he now resides. Mr.
Emmert lost
everything in the great Chicago fire of 1871. He borrowed a
little
money, came to Sibley in 1873 and started a bank. C. I. Hill was associated with him a short time. He later
organized the First National Bank,
sold some stock, but retained the controlling interest himself. This bank
has always been one of the most substantial financial institutions of northwestern Iowa. Its
present officers are H. L. Emmert, president; W. T. Steiner,
vice-president; J. Fred Mattert, cashier. Mr. Emmert is now a
multi-millionaire, and lives in Winnipeg, Canada, where he has multiplied
his fortune several times. Mr. Steiner is the local
manager of the Emmert interests in and about
Sibley, and Mr. Mattert manages the bank.
The furniture store of M. D. Harberts, in the brick building west of the
bank, belongs to Dr. W. R. Lawrence, and stands where the old frame drug
store stood, in which Doctor Lawrence conducted his drug business many
years. Next is the old frame store which was built by C. M. Brooks, first
clerk of courts of this
county. This building is now vacant, preparatory to
being replaced by a brick block. Next to the west is the old First National
Bank
site, where the first brick building in Sibley stood, used many years
by the Emmert bank. Next is the Meader hardware building, now occupied by Cajacobs brothers as a general hardware store. Then comes the Parker
drug store. W. L. Parker was one of the early-day druggists of
Sibley. He died a few years ago and the business is now being successfully
conducted by his only son, C. E. Parker. Next stands the grocery store of
Albert Romey, a homesteader in Goewey township. He moved to Sibley in
(38)
594 O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA
the
early days and, with the exception of eight years as postmaster, has been
in business continuously since he came to town. Next is the Osceola House,
owned and managed by J. W. Hickok. This is the site of the old Stiles
hotel, where so much early history was incubated. Mr. Hickok and wife
have been here about
thirty years, and have enlarged the house in order to
keep pace with the growth of the town.
Next comes what was for
many years known as the Brown and
Chambers corner store, managed a long time by C. E. Brown and W. H.
Chambers, under the firm name of Brown & Chambers, both now dead. The
big store is now conducted by the Brown brothers, under the firm name of
C. E. Brown & Sons. Just across the street to the south is the Grohman
block, the west room of which was occupied by a general stock, which was
closed out in 1913 by C. W. Beeler, of Harris, who had purchased it. In the
second room is a moving picture show, operated by Port Wilbern. The third
room is occupied by J. C. Differding as a harness shop and store. In the last
room is a small stock of notions, owned by Mrs. Cook. Next east of the
Grohman block is the new
garage, just completed by E. S. Robertson. Following to the east is the bakery and restaurant, and then the Gazette office.
The Gazette is owned and edited by W.W. Overholser. It is the oldest
paper in the county and is one of the official papers. In politics it has always
been Republican.
Next is the
Barclay block, the first room of which is occupied by the
clothing department of C. E. Brown & Sons. In the next room east is Mrs.
Gill's
millinery store, and next is Searls' jewelry store. Then, in the O. J.
Clark
building, is the barber shop of Ed. McManus. Next, on the corner,
is the
Sibley State Bank, of which Frank Kennedy is president; A. W.
McCallum, vice-president; and C. H. Royce, cashier. This bank has a good
board of directors and is a
strong organization, doing a clean and safe banking business. This bank was started by Cline Bull and J. T. Barclay, who
also had the sale of the railroad lands, and
consequently the land business
was an important feature with this bank in the early days. Crossing the
street to the east is found H. Walton's furniture store and
undertaking establishment. Then follows in turn a
cleaning and pressing room, a shoe shop
and Clinton Hudson's
cigar store and lunch counter. Next is the harness
shop of T. F. Peel, followed by Robert Richardson's meat market. Mr.
Richardson has conducted a meat market in
Sibley more than forty years.
Then comes the Italian fruit and
candy store. That brings the public square
around to the Central block, in the first room of which is the
Sibley post
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA. 595
office and
George Baxter's news stand. In the second room is the drug
room is found the
Sibley Dry Goods Company, of which C. E. Hanchett is
manager. Mr. Hanchett came here as a school teacher and eventually became a merchant.
Following this comes E. M. Taylor, the popular clothier.
Mr. Taylor is a native of this county, having lived here from boyhood and
married an Osceola
county girl. Then comes Hoeck & Richardson's grocery store on the
corner, and still in Central block.
Crossing the street to the east is found Pulscher & Eyler's farm implement business. Crossing the street north and west is found Mr. Gould's new and
up-to-date bakery. The next place of business is Mr. Deitrich's
photograph gallery. Mr. Deitrich is the present mayor of Sibley. On the
west is the Academy of Music, owned by J. S. Campbell, in the east room of
which is Emil Tott's
grocery store. In the basement under this store is Len
Durfee, the plumber. In the west room and basement is J. J. Ellerbroek's
"Kash Savin Stor." In the second
story of this building is the opera house,
managed by Dixon & Ellerbroek. In the next building is Madison Brothers'
hardware store. On the corner is the Evans' Mercantile Company, with a
general stock of merchandise. On the north is John Johannes' cream station, and across the
alley is the Tribune office. The building is owned by J.
S. Campbell, and the Tribune is owned and managed by J.H. Bahne & Son.
The Tribune is an old and well established paper. Formerly it was all
thing's to all men. At present it is Democratic in politics, edited by a lifelong Republican and well edited. Few old-time Republicans could handle
Democratic issues so well and with such
apparent sincerity. Across the
street, on the corner, is A. Morton, with his garage.
Around the corner south, and in the same building as the Sibley State
Bank, is the Iowa Investment Company, managed by T. S. Redmond and A.
C. Winterfield. In the next building south is the Fitzsimmons pool hall,
lunch counter and
cigar stands. Across the alley farther south is the
Arend block, in the north room of which is the saloon of W.H. Peterson, and
in the south room a quick-meal restaurant and lunch counter. On the next
block south is the big feed barn, where seventy to eighty teams can drive in
and be cared for at
any time of the day or night. Crossing to the east side
of the street is found the
three-story Windsor hotel, owned and conducted by
C. A. Windsor. Next north is the Joe Gill livery barn, converted into a livery
and auto garage, conducted by Mr. Wachtel. South from the Grohman
block is George Marshall's blacksmith and auto repair shop.
On the next block south is Frank Cram, the county bridge builder and
house mover, and across the street west is John Werkheirer's blacksmith and
596 O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
wagon repair shop, and near by is the Sibley creamery, and farmers' elevator,
which handles
grain, coal and feed. Farther north, on the Omaha side
track, are the stock yards, followed by the L. B. Spracher grain elevator and
coal sheds. Still farther north is the Brown elevator, now owned by
Spracher & Wheeler. East of this is the Shell Lumber Company. Mr. Shell,
the senior member of this firm, was one of the first lumber merchants of
Sibley, having been here continuously for over forty years. North of the
Shell Lumber Company is the Lampert Lumber Company. To the east, on
North street and the
alley, is W. L. Mitchell, with farm implements, buggies
and farm
wagons. On the same block is Mrs. Gardner's millinery store.
In
many of the two-story buildings are offices occupied by men of
various
professions. The lawyers are mentioned in the chapter on the legal
fraternity and the doctors in the medical chapter. Dr. M. M. Trainer has
an office in Central block and Dr.
J. H. Harvey holds forth in the Barclay block. The late W. J. Miller, justice of the peace and general broker,
also had his office in the Barclay block. W. W. Turnbull, land agent, has
his office in the Gazette
building. Mr. Hunt has a blacksmith shop across
the street from the Central block.
The
Sibley Cement Works, owned principally by the Shell Lumber Company and managed by Charles Anderson, is located in East Sibley, and is
doing an extensive business, employing a number of men the year round.
The
carpenters and builders are W. H. Suter, Edward Brand, Andrew Culver, Frank Gross and Mr. Henthorn. The
painters and decorators are Elmer
Stamm, S. A. Brand and William Pittman. Sanders & Lutterman own and
operate the Rome Steam Laundry. Ira Fox owns and operates the Sibley
dray line. C. B. Morrison has recently started another dray line. W. B.
Winney is constable and conducts a livery stable and occupies a section of
the
big feed barn. William Schroeder has a team of horses and an automoble for
livery. Robert Dove runs an automobile as a livery.
The
city has a sewerage system, gas for lighting, water works, and has
recently voted, by a large majority, to install an electric lighting system.
The
city has a town hall, in which is a lockup for the disorderlies, as well as
the fire
fighting apparatus. The city sustains a free public library, well
equipped with books. The building is commodious and was donated by the
Grand Army of the Republic post. The Sibley Hospital is located at the
northeast
part of town and is under the management and control of Dr. F. S.
Hough, and receives considerable patronage. Mrs. Julia McColm is the head
nurse in the hospital.
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA. 597
The present city officers are as follows: George F. Dietrick, mayor; C. W. Brown, C. E. Parker, Henry Pulscher, E. M. Taylor and w. T. Stiener. councilmen; Oscar Meyers, clerk; Albert Romey, assessor. John Worden, a veteran of the Civil War, is marshal, and Albert Dittoo is night watchman. W. H. Chase is street commissioner.
The land
department of the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad Company
laid out the town of Ashton in
1872. It was first called St. Oilman, but in
1882 the name was
changed to Ashton. The town has a fine location on the
west side of Otter creek. The
ground gradually rises until it reaches quite
an elevation, on top of which stands the large Roman Catholic church and
school. Ashton is a
thrifty town surrounded by territory that for productive
soil is unexcelled in the state. There are no more
thrifty class of farmers
anywhere than those tributary to the town of Ashton.
The first
building placed on the town site was moved there by T. J.
Shaw and still stands and is used as a
pool room and lunch counter. Mr.
Shaw first erected this store
building on section 32, in Oilman township, before the town of Ashton was laid out. Mr. Shaw left Osceola
county in
1888 and moved to
Oregon, where he is reported to have died a few years
ago. The next building to be erected was a warehouse in 1873 by Brown &
Roundsville. Then followed a blacksmith
shop, run by Charles Miller, who
sold to John Lee, and in 1878 Lee sold to I. B. Lucas, who continued the
business about as
long as he was able to work. Mr. Lucas was always a
prominent man and took great interest in all public affairs until the time of
his death. Soon another store followed, then a milliner store and an ever present saloon. Then followed the grasshopper scourge, when all business
at Ashton
gradually dwindled away. The storekeepers sold what they could
and
silently drifted away. The hotel man had no customers, the saloonkeeper
no
patrons, millinery goods were not in demand and no grain came to market; stagnation was complete.
J. D. Billings was the first justice of the peace and one of the first
school officers. He later moved to Sheldon. His daughter, Mary, was the
first child born in the town.
In 1883 Nick Boor moved to town and opened up a grain, coal and
lumber business. About the same time A. and G. W. Patterson (father and
son) came and brought some money, which they commenced to loan. This
loan business developed into the Bank of Ashton, which was always a help
598 O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
to the town. A. Patterson is now dead and G.W. Patterson is in Worthington, Minnesota. From this time the town has continued to grow and
prosper, until now it is thrifty and prosperous.
The Ashton State Bank, with W.L. Benjamin as president and principal stockholder, and R. M. Yappen as cashier, has thirty-five thousand
dollars paid-up capital and is doing a safe and profitable business. It is one
of the sound financial institutions of the
county. Among the commercial and
mercantile establishments are Nick Klees, harness shop; Angie Melcher,
milliner shop; Frank Holmes, meat market; Aykens & DeBoer, general merchandise; Dries & Krogman, implements: Simeon Miller, cream, poultry and
junk, and S. J. Gallagher, garage and auto livery; F. J. Gallagher is the
dentist and
J. M. Cadwallader is the only physician and surgeon. The Hotel
Ashton is managed by Mr. Adams. This hotel has had a hard experience,
there being scarcely patronage enough to maintain as good a house as is
demanded. Mr. Adams is
striving to keep a house that will meet the requirements and it is hoped by the inhabitants of the town that it may prove
a financial success.
J. H. Carmichael, druggist and pharmacist, is one of the
substantial men of the town. Jake Keul runs a pool hall and billiard parlor.
George Bathen is a merchant. E. A. Balzell operates a barber shop. The
moving picture industry has a room on the main street. A new brick block is
occupied by Ed. Gaster, postmaster and a meat market. The grains and coal
business is conducted by A. Streit. Val. Dries is the stock buyer. North of
the
depot is the Farmers Elevator, managed by R. C. Yappen. John Jackley
has a
garage and auto livery. John Johannes has a hardware store. Winchell & Hoffman run a
pool hall and lunch counter. Frank Jackley, a general
store. Charles Seivert has a furniture store, and Anton Hintgen a clothing
store. William M. Busch is the rural mail carrier. John DeGroot and
Elmer DeVries are
draymen. Gustavus Ehlers conducts the cream station.
There is also the usual number of masons, painters and paper hangers.
The
public schools and churches will be mentioned in the proper chapters.
The
city officials at present are as follows: Mayor, J. E. Townsend;
clerk, J. W. Clark: councilmen, W.L. Benjamin, R. M. Yappen, Joe Reis,
A. Streit and Charles King; treasurer, R. C. Yappen.
Soon after the Burlington. Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad was constructed through this county, A.W. Harris and Philip Proper bought
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA. 599
several acres of land and
platted it into lots in 1889 and called it Harris. The
railroad
promptly established a station there.
D.A.W. Perkins, in his History of Osceola County, published 1892,
says: "This is a station on the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad, on the eastern side of the county. At present it does not claim to be
metropolitan, but expects some time in the future to acquire prominence as
one of the towns in the
county. It is well located and when the country
around it becomes more settled the town will
grow correspondingly. It
has one
general store, managed by Rufus Townsend, who is also postmaster,
and the store has a good trade. M. B. Smith has a lumber yard and a harness shop. J. Ryckman runs a coal yard and John Watling is the blacksmith. The station
agent is Homer Richards, and Frank P. Burley is a
decorative
painter. This about comprises the business interests of Harris,
and no doubt the historian ten
years from now will be able to make an extensive record which will come from its future growth."
This town of Harris
organized a city government during the spring of
1898, with George W. Thomas as mayor and A. Reimers as clerk. Among
the first councilmen were A. C. Winterfield, A. T. Winterfield and Fred
Dietz, with A. W. Burley as assessor and I. Harris as city marshal. The
little
city now has a population of five or six hundred people, and with its
large white school house, two neat churches, many comfortable homes and
business houses, together with its many thrifty shade trees, makes a very
attractive
sight and breaks the monotony of the once treeless prairie.
The Harris
Savings Bank has a substantial two-story brick building,
the second
story of which is used for lodge rooms. Next to the bank building stands a cement block building occupied by the telephone exchange and
city barber shop. Commencing near the depot appears J. B. Wilson's livery
barn and feed stable, followed by the Harris Hardware Company, owned
and managed by George Wilson and Fred Geronsin. Next to that is a restaurant, operated by Fred Schladt, the real estate office of H. C. Harris, the
general store of C. W. Beeler and the barber shop of Fred Lowrey. Mr.
Lowrey opened a barber shop here soon after the town was started, coming
from
Sibley, and by thrift and industry has acquired a comfortable home
and the shop in which he operates. He has the finest and best equipped
barber shop in the county, thus demonstrating what steady industry will
accomplish. Then follows the telephone exchange, managed by O. F. Unz,
with about seventy-five town, and one hundred and twenty-five rural subscribers.
The Harris Savings Bank, with G. W. Moeller as cashier, is doing a
600 O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
safe banking business, writes insurance and negotiates farm loans. R. J.
Robertson, a real estate dealer, has offices in the bank building. He is also
an extensive land owner. He also
negotiates farm loans and writes town
and farm insurance. Dr. C.C. Cady is a general practitioner and has an
extensive
practice. A. W. Burley has a blacksmith shop and also conducts
an automobile business and
garage. George Bowers handles farm implements. John Burrows has a blacksmith shop. F. W. Hill, druggist and
pharmacist, keeps a general stock of drugs. He also has a soda fountain and
dispenses soft drinks and ice cream in season.
J. I. Dobbin is postmaster and editor of the >Harris Herald. The meat
market is conducted by Wentler Brothers. The pool room is owned by Oscar
Miller, who also buys and ships stock. Mrs. S. Crichton conducts a private
hotel. The hotel is now
occupied by private families, there not being residences enough to furnish homes for all the people. Harris needs more
houses at the
present time. Henry Hentz sells automobiles and manages a
garage. The Harris Mercantile Company occupies a large two-story building on the corner, with an extensive stock of general merchandise. It is
managed by Patrick Mahn, H. A. Wiemir is an implement dealer. Cream
station by George Wernstrum. George Wernstrum conducts a cream station
and restaurant. A
pool room and lunch counter are operated by John
Heppler. C. A. Barnes, one of the early-day merchants, conducts a hardware business. Next is a stock of furniture by C. W. Beeler.
The
Superior Lumber Company has a commodious lumber and coal
yard, conducted by L. J. Hagerty. The grain elevator of Anderson & Company is under the local management of H. P. Umland. A. A. Thompson
manages the Stockdale & Dietz elevator. Mr. Thompson also handles town
and farm
property. The Gregg & Zeeman elevator is under the management of A. C. Wettestead. The Standard Oil Company has a station here
managed by George Geroesin. George Blend is a mason and F. Blais is a
contractor and builder. John Forbes is a carpenter and Earl Wheeler is a
painter and decorator. The Harris Creamery is doing a nice business with
the surrounding farmers. That Harris is surrounded by a good farming
country is evidenced by the fact that during the year of 1912 there were
shipped from that station two hundred and twenty cars of grain, stock and
hay.
The
present city government is carefully looked after by competent
officials. W. W. Smith, a retired merchant, is mayor. The present council
is composed of George Geronesin, George Bauer, Fred Wentler, Henry
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA. 601
Hintz and A. W. Burley. L.J. Hagerty is clerk and Clint Gregory is city marshal. Thus Harris is putting on city airs with a street fair and carnival after harvest each year. Harris has two churches, Methodist Episcopal and German Lutheran, both of which are discussed in the chapter on churches.
The town of
Ocheyedan was started in the early fall of 1884, after the
coming of the Burlington. Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad. The first
building of the town was a temporary affair for the use of James Wood
while a more substantial structure was
being erected. James Wood, Charles
Woodworth, William Smith, Kout Brothers and L. B. Boyd were on the
ground in the fall of 1884 with stores of general merchandise. During the
same fall Dr. C. Teal
put up a building and occupied it with a stock of drugs
and at the same time practiced medicine.
Thus was the
beginning of a clean and enterprising little city. It has
a beautiful location on a
high ridge, which affords good natural drainage.
It has well
graded streets, substantial brick blocks and an excellent high
school. It owns its water
system and has a volunteer fire department. It
has fine shade trees
along the streets and in the yards, beautiful lawns and
as good residences as can be found in towns of larger population. It has
two
strong banks and several stores in brick buildings. It looks as one approaches it like a ready-made city set on a hill.
Instead of the few business houses, as in 1884, it now has the following: The Bank of Ocheyedan, under the efficient management of James
Porter, president; William M. Roth, cashier, and Charles Morton, assistant
cashier. It does a
general banking business and negotiates farm loans. The
post office is held by Mrs. Underwood. Mr. Underwood, who edited the
Ocheyedan Press for many years, was postmaster until the time of his death,
a few
years ago, when Mrs. Underwood was appointed to take her husband's
place. It is understood that J. B. Callender is to succeed Mrs. Underwood at the
expiration of her term. The Ocheyedan Press is now managed and edited by E. E. Roland. M. S. Gole has a stock of general merchandise and
millinery goods. C. A. Cook is the popular druggist and pharmacist. Albert Fritz runs a general butcher shop. Alesen Brothers are
clothiers. The town has two cream stations which are well
patronized by the
farmers. Fred Meyers is a blacksmith. Furniture and undertaking wants
are supplied by William Marshall. Mrs. L. M. Hamilton runs a raquet
store. Philip Cleveland has a hotel and restaurant. Metz is the barber.
602 O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
Peter Graves
operates a hotel and restaurant. George DeFries runs the
saloon. The Harris Auto Company is managed by Stahly & Son. The Porter Company is managed by J. N. Kuntz. Slade & Shuttleworth also run a lumber
yard. Mr. Slade is the local man, while Mr. Shuttleworth resides in
Sibley. The Farmers Elevator Company is managed by Fred Bremmer.
The F. A. Brown & Company elevator and the Gregg & Zeemer elevator are
well managed concerns. The stock buyers are John Ward. Perry Harmel
and A. C. Bowersock. Charles
Spencer is a blacksmith. Fred Berands
handles
wagons, buggies and all kinds of farm implements. The livery
barn, formerly managed by Mike Welsh, is now an automobile garage and
under the control of the Ocheyedan Auto Company, with Albert Stewart as
local
manager. Christ Gardner conducts a meat market. On this same side
hill is found the office of Dean & Broderick, extensive land owners and
dealers. In the same office is Ezra Cleveland, who has been for
many years
justice of the peace. Callender Brothers manage a pool hall. The McGowen Mercantile Company occupies the corner where the elder McGowen,
who died a few years ago, succeeded Kout Brothers, one of the original
firms. R.J.C. McGowen, the elder, was succeeded by his son, Bert McGowen, who now conducts the business in a fine two-story brick building.
Chris Wassmann runs the livery and feed barn. The Ocheyedan Savings
Bank, after a varied experience under different managers, has settled down
to a
thrifty and careful banking business under the efficient management of
C. R. Richards. Doctor Kinney is the only dentist of the town. C. A. Cook
manages the telephone exchange. The Ocheyedan Hardware Company is
managed by Miller & Cobb. Hanford Produce Company has a cream station here, managed by William Noehren. Doctors R. S. Hamilton, Ely,
Lass and White are the
practicing physicians. S. Schmidt is the harness
maker. Harly Cleveland cleans and presses clothes. J. L. Packard handles
hardware.
August Arends deals in boots and shoes. Mary Graves has general merchandise and farm
implements. Frank Graves and daughter are the
photographers. The Farmers Co-operative Creamery is managed by Frank
Lintner, president of the company. Charles Timmons is a land dealer. The
Ocheyedan opera house is managed by the Callender Brothers. A. M. Randall handles
apples direct from the Ozarks. John Armstrong and wife are
carpet weavers.
Ocheyedan has two rural mail routes which cover fifty-two miles and
serve two hundred
patrons. The graded school and several churches will be
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA. 603
mentioned in the school and church chapters. The present city officers are as follows: H. E. Dean, mayor; William Roth, August Arends, Chris Timmons, C. R. Richards and Bert McGowen, councilmen; Charles Morton, clerk; C. H. Callender, assessor; T. A. Cramer, marshal.
This village is on the Gowrie branch of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. There are a few retired farmers living here. The school is one mile north of the village. Cloverdale is located on the south line of East Holman and the north line of Goewey township, midway between Sibley and Melvin, and is in the midst of a rich farming territory. While it is not putting on metropolitan airs it is a very good trading point. The principal interests represented are grain, lumber and merchandise. Here we find the Lampert Lumber Company, managed by George B. Branson, which handles all kinds of building material, coal, wire fence and gates. The Davenport Elevator Company handles grain, with William Schlicht as manager. Stockdale & Dietz Company, grain buyers, are represented by Fred Hankins as agent. Peter Sherbondy is a general merchant and serves as postmaster.
Allendorf is a station on the main line of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, midway between Sibley and Ocheyedan. It makes a very convenient place from which to ship stock and grain for that neighborhood. Farmers can get nearly anything they need at this town. There is one bank, owned principally by George W. Schee of Primghar. Clyde Wheaton is cashier and local manager. There is one general store, owned by McGowen Company, and managed by Ray Williams, who is also postmaster. There is one lumber yard, owned by Shell Lumber Company of Sibley, and managed by C. Shuttleworth. There are two grain elevators, one of which is owned and managed by I. Broderick, and the other by Calender Brothers, of Ocheyedan. D. D. Garberson handles agricultural implements. The blacksmith is C. H. Rickabaugh, who also runs a threshing machine in season. Rev. O.J. Conway is pastor of the United Evangelican church. Peter Sand is the station agent. George Protexter owns the telephone line and Charley Protexter is the local manager.
604 O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
In the
year 1900 the Gowrie branch of the Rock Island Railroad was
finished to
Sibley and the town of Melvin was platted and buildings began
to
go up on every hand. Now it is a busy little city, with grain elevators,
stores, churches and a graded school. The streets are nicely graded and
main street is
heavily graveled. Melvin is situated in the midst of as fine an
agricultural section as there is in the state and it gives that part of the county
a good market.
The
following are the principal business interests of the town: The
railroad depot is on the eastern outskirts and H. I. Ramsey is the station
agent. The Davenport Elevator Company is managed by Edward Jacobs.
The Farmers Elevator Company, recently reorganized, is managed by W. H.
Hubbard and a board of directors. F. W. Year & Company buys and
handles live stock. The
Royal Lumber Company has extensive lumber yard
and sheds. Their lumber is
nearly all under cover. One of the prominent
buildings is the Woodmen's hall, which also serves as a public hall. The
lodge rooms are in the second story. This building was one of the first
buildings in the town, having been originally erected by Peter Shaw, of
Sibley. He conducted a pool hall and lunch counter eight years in the first
story, while he occupied the second story as a residence. The Melvin Telephone Company is owned and operated by H. M. Quiggle, who is a son of
the old homesteader, Frank Quiggle. This line has about two hundred and
sixty patrons. The Melvin hotel is managed by Mrs. Frederica Zack. The
German
Savings Bank is in charge of George A. Schee, as cashier. The
principal backer of this bank is George W. Schee, of Primghar. A. C.
Boeke's hardware store and
Joseph B. Bohlen's general store are flourishing
establishments. George Kraft has the post office in his general store room.
From this
post office one rural route is run, covering twenty-eight miles and
accommodating over one hundred patrons. L. A. Shields has a restaurant
and lunch counter. Imhoff & Riecks have a lunch counter and
pool hall.
The First National Bank has
George A. Romey as cashier and Arthur Evans
as assistant cashier. The
president of the bank is J. Fred Mattert, and
vice-president, W. T. Steiner, both of Sibley. This bank is a strong institution and
doing an extensive business. H. W. Jobes has the furniture and
drug store and handles furniture, carpets, rugs, drugs, oils and paints. The
meat market is conducted
by C. D. Koontz. The "Poor Man's Theater" is conducted
by Jobes & Graves. W. A. Fairbrother is a contractor and
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA. 605
builder. Knapp & Banghert conduct a general store and carry a large stock for a town of this size. A. F. Buckholtz has a full line of farm implements and hardware. The Watchel Auto Company operates in Melvin and Sibley, and is managed by Joseph Wachtel. The barber shop is owned and operated by Frank Arrasmith. D. C. Steelsmith is the doctor and at present the representative of this county in the General Assembly. There is a garage, managed by Graves Brothers, who also handle agricultural implements. A. G. Myrell is the blacksmith. A saloon is run by Henry E. Massmann. The Melvin Argus, a local and Democratic newspaper, is owned and edited by Charles W. Scott. The Hanford Creamery Company has a cream station here managed by Lyle Daggett. The town owns a building used for a town hall, which also contains the lighting plant and fire apparatus. The city feed barn is a large cement block structure. It can accommodate two hundred teams and is managed by H. D. Year. The town has three churches, the German Lutheran, Rev. Alberts, pastor; the Methodist Episcopal, with J. A. Smith as pastor, and a German Reform church. The Hollanders hold services but as yet have no building. The farmers own a successful creamery. A. L. Blackmore and Louis Frederking are painters and paper hangers. John Gontges and Rudolph Hokuf run city drays. The city officers of Melvin are as follows: H.J. Ramsey, mayor; Arthur M. Evans, clerk; George Kraft, George A. Romey, P. J. Knapp, C. D. Koontz, W. F. Arrasmith, councilmen; Henry Bangert, assessor; Frank Knapp, marshal.