The following poem written in 1910 by H. W. Marks pretty well describes the town at that time.

MURRAY AS SEEN BY A POET

Nobody knows just who I am,
Nobody seems to give a ham,
I came from Murray, a good old place.
The town that beats in every race
It is a town.-best in the state
An always was on any date.
In sixtyeight the town was built
It was no larger than a quilt
But now it's large and can't be beat,
And many a store lines up its street
Two hardware stores that can't be beat
And also two places to sell meat.
A restaurant here, Oyes, there's three
They'll black your boots and do it free.
Four grocery stores, two lumber yards
Three barber shops—where they play cards.
Two stores for drugs and a big brick school,
A photo gallery and a place to play pool.
A shoe store here the only one
Three poultry houses where they have fun,
Two papers in this city thrive,
Two doctors keep the people alive.
Two livery stables are good and big
Where many a man hires out a rig
one dentist in this town alone
Also three lodges here are known.
Two jewelry stores, a feed store, too,
An oil house which is well to do,
One bank is here with a good name
Two millinery stores which have the same
The new store is large and great
An implement house right up to date.
The cop is out most every night
To see that we all do just right
The street lights light the street like ink,
At the opera house and skating rink
This town is known far off from here
For its drinks, as whiskey and beer,
And all the people from every town
They all come here to drink it down.

Top Left — R. Cook and Son Hardware in first
Cook Hardware off west side of street.

Top Center — A. H. Sells' Dry Goods store in operation here for several years.

Bottom Center — Maple Street looking north.

Bottom — Road south out of town leading to the cemetery.