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         Mr. George Frain, an old resident of Rochester, has kept a diary of current local events, that dates back to the time of his first settlement on Cedar River, from which he has permitted a few extracts to be taken. He says:

         Steamboats made their appearance in Cedar River about 1845, and plied between New Boston, Mercer County, Illinois, and Cedar Rapids. The trade was continued, especially in times of high water, until 1868, when the navigation of Cedar River was abandoned, and from that time until May of the present year, 1878, the quiet of the people along the banks of the . . .

Pg 451

. . .river were not disturbed by the puffing and snorting of steam water craft. At the last date, however, the steamboat Lillie, Captain S. H. Dennem, went up as far as Cedar Rapids, loaded with pork, and returned. The Lillie is a boat of sixty tons burden, and was built for the coal, wood and stone trade. In times like the present (June 10,1878), when the river is swollen and full—spreading out over the bottoms and overflowing the farms, as it has overflowed the Gower farm at Cedar Bluff—largest Mississippi River boats would have no difficulty in ‘making the riffle.’

         In 1838-39-40 and even later, Mr. Frain says the cry was “hard times.” Dressed pork sold for $1.25-$2.00 per hundred pounds, and beef at $2.50 per hundred. “About these times, it was hard to command a little cash, and when we bought goods of a merchant, we would give a note something like this:

          “‘For value received, I will pay W. H. Tuthill, in wheat, at thirty-three cents per bushel, after harvest, on account of a store bill of six dollars. Dated this 10th day of May, 1841.

          “’Signed, T. B. SMITH.

          “In 1840, fish were very plenty in Cedar River and its tributaries and some very large ones were caught. I remember one pike of four feet and some inches in length and weighing thirty pounds, and a few were caught that weighed several pounds more. It was not uncommon in the fishing season of that year to catch from five to seven bushels of an evening, in Rock Creek. Besides pike and cat fish there was every other kind peculiar to the waters of the Mississippi.

         The following weather items are gleaned from Mr. Frain’s weather and thermometrical record:

         1861—Snow fall, 44 ¾ inches; rain fall, 34 ¼ inches; range of the thermometer, highest in the shade, 98 degrees; lowest, 20 degrees.

         1872—Snow fall, 24 ½ inches; rain fall, 46 ¾ inches; coldest morning, 15° below zero; hottest day, 97 degrees above.

         1873—January, snow fall, 46 ½ inches; rain fall 23 ¼ inches.

         1874—Snow fall, 46 ¼ inches; rain fall, 38 1/16 inches; lowest range of thermometer, 32 degrees; highest, 97 degrees.

         1875—Snow fall, 28 ¾ inches; rain fall, 59 ¼ inches.

         1876—Snow fall, 30 ¼ inches; rain fall, 59 ¼ inches.

         1877—Snow fall, 4 ¼ inches; rail fall, 57 1/19 inches.

         1878—January, snow fall, 2 ½ inches. February, snow fall, 4 ¼ inches; rain fall, 1 ½ inches. March, rain fall, 2 ½ inches. April, rain fall, 5 ½ inches. Lowest range of the thermometer 4 degrees below zero.

         The above records cover the entire year, from the 1st of January to the last day of December.

KILLED BY LIGHTNING.

         Willie Davidson and Johnnie Pugh, two boys aged about 10 years each, whose parents reside about two miles west of Tipton, were killed by lightning on the 2d day of June, 1876.