Iowa
Old Press
Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee Co., Iowa
October 6, 1875
Alf HUNT, the dentist of McGregor, will visit Postville every two
months.
BIRTHS.
-F.S. BURLING, Esq. has got a new house and a new boy.
-Ed. SHEEHY rejoices in the arrival at his house a new boy.
[transcribed by S.F., Aug. 2003]
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Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee Co., Iowa
October 13, 1875
J.C. DOW and family have bade Postville adieu, to make their
future home in Tenn.
We had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Jas. Ranken and
T. G. Ewing of Myron last week. As both of these gentlemen now
take the Review and it is paid for, they must
necessarily be happy.
[transcribed by S.F., Aug. 2003 & M.D., Aug. 2004]
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Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee Co., Iowa
October 20, 1875.
MARRIED. At the residence of the bride's mother
in Postville on October 19th, 1875, by Rev. C.A. MARSHALL, Mr.
H.P. DAWES to Miss Sarah LASSEY.
Messrs. BEAVER and SHORTWEED have their blacksmith shop nearly
completed.
Mr. McMASTERS, just east of the town place, is preparing to erect
a $2,000. residence.
J.T. MOTT returned to Hot Springs, Ark. this morning. We wish him
a pleasant journey and full restoration of health.
[transcribed by S.F., Aug. 2003]
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Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee co. Iowa
October 27, 1875
TERRIBLE CALAMITY.
House and Contents Consumed. A Man Perishes by the Flames.
It becomes our painful duty to chronicle a terrible calamity by
fire, which occurred about four miles southwest of Postville, on
the Clermont road, last Thursday night, the burning of Nicholas
Rafferty's residence and fatal
burning of a young man in his employ, by the name of James
Cummings.
Cummings and a boy, who occupied the first floor with him, were
startled from sleep, about 11 o'clock at night by the approaching
fire. The boy, a lad about 15 years of age, sprang headfirst
through the window and escaped unhurt, and tried to induce his
comrade to so, but Cummings refused to leave the house until he
had warned the inmates of the danger. He attempted to reach the
family room of Mr. Rafferty, but was met by a sheet of flame and
had to return with his night clothing in flames. He got out of
doors in some way, and his cries of distress awakened Mr. and
Mrs. Rafferty, who rushed out to his relief as soon as possible
but he was horribly burned and died at 4 o'clock the following
afternoon. His mother and younger brothers
and sisters reside near Castalia, and have the heartfelt sympathy
of the community in their great affliction.
Mr. Rafferty's loss is about $2000, with about $700 insurance.
The fire is supposed to have originated in the kitchen. The
burning of valuable property -- the accumulation of years of toil
-- is bad enough, but when human life is sacrificed to the greed
of the fire-fiend, the situation becomes horrible and heart
sickening.
[transcribed by M.D., November 2006]