Iowa
Old Press
Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee Co., Iowa
September 1, 1875
THE COMMERCIAL HOTEL
Last week we promised to "write up" the new hotel in
detail. Not yet being entirely completed, we are unable to give
it as full and complete a showing up as we would like, but from
the following description the public can gather a very good idea
of the structure and its details.
To begin at the foundation, the building is 50 by 71 feet on the
ground, outside, Fronting (sic) north on Green street. The
basement is of solid stone, and is about one-half above ground,
giving ample light through a
number of half windows. The basement story is nine feet in the
clear, and divided into three rooms of equal size, 24 X 50 feet
outside. The west or corner room is occupied by Mr. Humphrey as a
billiard hall, and two of the J. M. Brunswick & Blake
billiard tables, latest and best pattern, are already in
position, and a splendid circular bar is to be added, with chairs
and the necessary furniture, to make it the best and most tasty
hall in the country.
The next room east is to be subdivided into store rooms for the
two side main rooms with a cellar for the house in the center,
and a commodious and convenient wash room in the rear, with a
well and pump in the room, and connected with the first floor by
a stairway. The east room of the basement is not yet finished,
but will be finished substantially the same as the west room, and
will be for rent for some business purpose. This finishes the
description of the basement. It is reached by steps from the
sidewalk at the east and west corners.
Ascending the steps in front to the first floor and entering
through the right hand entrance, we open into a commodious hall
from which the main stairway passes. The first room to the right
is the sitting room, a
pleasant room 16 X 24, with a bed room opening on the west, and
the family rooms on the south. South of this are the kitchen
pantry, closet &c., all large and conveniently arranged. To
the east of the kitchen is the dining hall, 24 X 39 feet.
Entering by the left hand front entrance, or through the hall at
the foot of the main stairway, we are in the office, a fine room
24 feet square, which will be well furnished. Opening from the
office, in the northeast corner of the building, is the sample
room, and it will be a pleasant one too. The balance of this
floor will be occupied by the wash room which is to be finished
in marble in elegant style, and the baggage room.
Ascending the main stairway to the second floor the parlor, with
bedroom attached, is on the right or in the northwest section.
The balance of this floor is divided into rooms and suits of
rooms, all of them light and airy
and all of them commodious. Exclusive of the parlor there are 22
rooms on this floor, all of which are to be tastefully, if not
elegantly furnished. A stairway leads from this story to the roof
and long windows open to the
veranda in front. This story, as well as the first story is 12
feet from floor to ceiling, making the rooms all high and
pleasant. All the windows drop from the top with weights and
raise from the bottom, with a patent fastner (sic). A stairway
also ascends to this story from the rear.
Outwardly the building is of white Clermont brick, laid around a
substantial wood frame sheeted up, commonly termed
"veneered" work. The mason work was done by Samuel
Keiser, and we should say it was a good and tasty job. The
carpenter and joiner work is by Barhans &Darling, and will
compare favorably
with the best work in the country. When the painter and grainer
have gone over it it will present as near a perfect appearance as
we ordinarily find anywhere. We should have said in the proper
place that the roof is of tin, with a pitch of two feet in fifty.
This, we believe gives a general outline of the Commercial Hotel,
Postville, Iowa, H. S. Humphrey proprietor, which next week will
be open to the public during the Fair, and perhaps permanently,
although the finishing touches of the grainers and painters will
not then be all on. The bare building, exclusive of furniture and
fixtures of every and any kind, will cost not far from $10,000,
and it is a building of which Postville and Northern Iowa may
well feel proud, as there is no such building in this section of
the State. Long may it stand, a monument to the energy of the
owner and his faith in the future of Postville. May it be to him
a source of ample profit, as well as a "thing of beauty and
a joy forever."
--
DIED. Of spinal meningitis, on the 29th of August, A.M.J.
KOVENIG, only son of Joseph and Katharyn KOVENIG, aged 9 months
and 19 days.
MERE MENTIONS.
-Scott ROBERTS new residence is up and the outside work is
progressing rapidly. It will be the largest and finest residence
in town.
-Miss Lois HARDIN, a blind girl from Burr Oak, who has been in
the asylum at Vinton for seven years, is stopping at Mrs. MOIR'S.
We had the pleasure of seeing her write by means of the blind
alphabet and hearing her play and sing.
WAUKON STANDARD ITEMS.
-On Tuesday, John RAYMOND was thrown from a load of grain and
quite seriously injured.
-On Sunday evening last, while Andrew EELS was returning home
from Waukon, he was accidently thrown from his wagon and several
ribs broken.
-Mrs. BATES at Lansing, mother of J.W. and C.C. BATES, died
Tuesday morning after a short illness.
-The condition of John GOODYKOONTZ is considered quite low, with
little hope of recovery. Mr. GOODYKOONTZ's brothers and a sister
from Indiana, are at his bedside and could their care and good
wishes from the community avail, he be restored to us free from
the consuming of the past few months.
-Mrs. G.R. TEEPLE, of Ludlow township died of consumption, on
Tuesday morning after a lingering illness of two months.
[transcribed by S.F., August 2003 & M.D., August 2004]
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Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee Co., Iowa
September 8, 1875.
MARRIED.
-At the residence of the brides father, Nelson JOHNSON, Esq. 4
miles southeast of Decorah, September 1st, 1875, by Rev. J.L.
PAINE; Prof. John E. ANDERSON and Miss Martha A. JOHNSON.
-At the residence of the brides father in Winneshiek co., by Rev.
E.P. MEAD, September 1st; Mr. D.E. BAILEY of Kent Co. Michigan
and Mrs. C. WILKINS.
DIED. On Sunday, Sept. 5th, Alice, daughter of Mr. Mrs. A CURTIN,
aged 11 months and 27 days of diarrhea.
The following are the delegates chosen to represent Post township
in the Republican county convention next Saturday: Jas. ROLL, H.
A. STOWE, J. W. PATTERSON, Wm. CARITHERS, W. N. BURDICK, A. HART,
and E. N. CLARK.
[transcribed by S.F., August 2003 & M.D., December 2004]
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Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee co. Iowa
September 15, 1875
Last week we gave the credit of the mason work on the new
Commerical Hotel to Samuel KEISER instead of the rightful party,
Lorenzo GIBBS, of Castalia. Mr. KEISER done the plastering and
Mr. GIBBS the stone and brick work. We were misinformed, and
cheerfully make the correction. Both jobs were good ones and each
should have the proper credit.
DIED. -- Near Luana, Aug. 19th, 1875, of typhoid pneumonia,
Charles O. CRAWFORD, son of Tamzon CRAWFORD, aged five years and
10 months.
MARRIED. -- On the 7th inst. by the Rev. Thomas URE, of this
city, A. M. MERRILL, of Castalia, Winneshiek county, and Mary J.
BARNHART, of Clayton county. -- McGregor Times
COM'ERCIAL HOTEL - Corner Green and Reynolds STS - Postville,
Iowa
H. S. HUMPHREYS. Proprietor
This hotel has just been erected, the rooms are all large, well
lighted and supplied with new furniture throughout. A good sample
room for Commerical travelers, and good stabling attached. A
share of patronage solicited.
[transcribed by M.D., December 2004]
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Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee Co., Iowa
September 22, 1875.
MARRIED.
At Postville, on the 15th of Sep., by T. STILES, Esq. N.G. CLARK
and Sarah E. HOWE, both of Post township, Allamakee Co. Iowa.
DIED.
In Postville Saturday, September 11th, Baby, infant son of Mr.
and Mrs. N.W. STILES aged 5 months and 5 days.
The large chromometer at the Commerical Hotel, was procured at
Mr. FERREY's jewelry store. It is one of the first class clocks,
with its regular hour-dial, and dial to indicate the day of the
week, the month and figures. Orders in his line promptly filled.
The Waukon Standard contains a notice of the death of
Mr. John GOODYKOONTZ, at Waukon, Tuesday, Sept. 14th, at the age
of 57 years. Mr. GOODYKOONTZ was an old citizen, having come to
Iowa in June, 1856, since which time he has been a resident of
Waukon. He was widely known, very highly esteemeded, and was an
active member of the Methodist Church.
[transcribed by S.F., August 2003 & M.D., December 2004]
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Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee co. Iowa
September 29, 1875
While at Postville last week we put up at the "Commerical
House," the new hotel just opened by Mr. H. HUMPHREY. It is
handsome and commodious, near the depot and has opened up in
first-rate style, and at reasonable rates. We judge Mr. HUMPHREY
has been a hotelist before -- He surely knows how. If space
permitted we would like to give a discription of his house. Go
and see for yourself. -- Waukon Standard.
MARRIED. -- BATES - COLE. -- At Castalia, Iowa, on the 12th day
of Sept. 1875, by Rev. E. P. MEAD, Mr. C. W. BATES and Miss M. A.
COLE.
[transcribed by M.D., December 2004]