Iowa Old Press

North Iowa Times
McGregor, Clayton co. Iowa
Friday, February 6, 1857

Died.
In Monona, at the residence of Mrs. B. Megonigle, on Saturday evening, Jan. 31st. Mr. S.S. Winters, of Lung Complaint. [note: obit is in Feb. 27th issue]

"ATTENTION COMPANY" Is the enquire where can you get a fine suit of Clothes and have them Fit? BARLETT & CO.'S Is the place. They have a large assortment of fine Dress Coats, Vests and Pants, besides sild NeckTies and Handkerchiefs, Shirts and Collars. That is the place to get your fine, as well as Heavy Clothing. Nearly opposite the Bank. Bartlett & Co.

To Rent. A large 3 story Brick building 25 by 55, suitable for a Wholesale Grocery, Dry Goods or Hardware establishment. For Rent from 1st April next; on Main street, near the Levee McGregor, for one year or a term of years. Apply to H.D. Evans

WANTED. 200,000 Brick wanted by the subscriber, by the 1st of June 1857. H.D. Evans

NOTICE. Whereas my sife Magdalena Ruff has left my bed and board on Oct. 6th, A.D. 1856. This is to notify all persons not to harbor or trust hereon my account; as I shall pay no debts of her contracting after this date. McGregor, Iowa, Feb. 1, 1857. Xaver Ruff.

NOTICE!! All persona indebted to us on Book are respectfully, but urgently requested to call and settle up, as we are determined to pay our Debts, and to do this, we must have what is due us. We would also notify all, that we shall commence trade Feb. 1st, 1857, on the Cash and Paydown system. We shall continue, however, to take all kinds of Produce and every thing marketable, in exchange for Goods. In this way of doiing business we shall be able to, and will sell goods cheaper than we otherwise could. Evans & Egbert. Monona, Jan. 16, 1857.

A.S. BLAIR, & BROTHER. Have valuable lands, improved and unimproved, for sale in Clayton, Delaware, Fayette, Worth, Mitchell, Howard, Winneshiek and Allamakee Counties. Terms reasonable. Enquire of A.S. Blair, & Bro., McGregor.

Men's Heavy Thick Boots, Men's Heavy Kip Boots, Men's Heavy Calf Boots, Men's Light Calf boots, Boys Thick Boots, Boys Kip Boots, Hair Dressed Over-Shoes, Buffalo Over Shoes, Men's Rubbers; also, all kinds of Ladies' Shoes, Rubbers and Over-Shoes. Children's Shoes in great variety; also, Sole Leather, Upper Leather, Calf skins -- for sale by Merrill & Barron, McGregor.

The undersigned presents his compliments to the citizens of the City of McGregor and vicinity, and respectfully solicits their attention to his small and choice stock of GROCERIES & LIQUORS. C.H. Shaw.

LUMBER. H.C. HAYT, & CO. Have on hand and are constantly receiving a general assortment of Lumber, consisting in part of No. 1 siding, 1 inch and 1 1/4 inch flooring. Plank. Boards of all lengths and quantity. Joists, scantling, fencing, & c. Also shingles & laths of which will be sold cheap for cash. McGregor, Iowa. H.C. Hayt & O. Burdick.

FURNITURE WAREROOMS!! At M'Gregor, Iowa. The subscriber would inform the public tha he has opened a Furniture Wareroom in the New Frame Building on Main Steet, where he will keep on hand, for sale at the very lowest prices, a large stock of Furniture. Among which may be found Bedsteads, three feet common, to seven feet octagon. Also Cane-Seat and wood bottom Chairs. Also, a large assortment of Wood and Cane Seat Rockers. Bureaus of all kinds and prices, Stands, Lounges, Settees, Tables, Matrasses, Baby Wagons, and other articles too numerous to mention. Jno. Chambers, McGregor.

[transcribed by S.F., May 2005]

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North Iowa Times
McGregor, Clayton co. Iowa
February 13, 1857

Died.
In Monona, at the residence of his Mother, on Tuesday morning, Feb. 10th, Hiram McCartney, of Lung Fever. The deceased was one whom to know, was to respect, and though but just budding into manhood his acquaintance was large and his friends numerous. Death is at all times solemn and fearful, but when the victim is youth, overflowing with brilliant hopes, and animated by those fond anticipations of future happiness, indulged by the young, the blow seems more cruel, and the loss is more keenly felt. Let us console ourselves with the thought, he has obeyed the call of the Infinite, and though our sorrow is undiminished; it will soften the blow to know, that he is in the presence of the Sun of Righteousness.

[transcribed by S.F., May 2005]

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North Iowa Times
McGregor, Clayton co. Iowa
February 20, 1857

We are rejoiced to see the many indications of thrift on the part of enterprising citizens. Many costly buildings will be erected here the present season. Persons residing abroad have made large investments here recently. The vacant lots in the Southern portion of the city will soon be occupied by the homes of strangers.

We learn that Mr. Hagensick, of Garnavillo, is about to erect a block, intended for store rooms, on the lot adjoining the Farmers Home.

Mr. Boettcher, is about building a large addition to his house, which, when completed, will render the Farmers Home, a pleasant retreat for travelers.

Mr. Stowe is erecting a dwelling on the terrace, East of the Times office. The query is suggested to us, why don't our citizens build upon the terrace, rather than upon Main Street? By a little grading and at a trifling expense a beautiful site for residences might be formed. Main street, at least in the lower and central portion, will be occupied by business houses. The wife and minor responsibilities, must make way for the coffee bags, hardware and "dress goods."

We learn that Messrs. McCraney, Noble and Pearson are about erecting a mammoth block, near the Public Square.

Improvements are being made so fast, buildings springing up "like a goard in the night", and "late arrivals" are so frequent that it's almost impossible to keep track of them.
--
Death of Mr. LaCossitt.
H.D. LaCossitt the senior editor of the DuBuque North West, died at Iowa City on Sunday morning, Feb. 8th of inflamatory rheumatism. It is with deep regret we make this announcement. LaCossitt was a gifted writer, an estimable citizen, a pleasant companion and a kind husband and father. His loss will be felt by the democracy of the state, and he has left a void in the editorial ranks of Iowa that can not be so nobly filled. He leaves a wife and four children to mourn his loss.

[transcribed by S.F., May 2005]

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North Iowa Times
McGregor, Clayton co. Iowa
February 27, 1857

OBITUARY.
Died, at the residence of Mrs. B. Megonigle, of Monona, Jan. 31st., Saxton S. Winters, aged 34 years. Seldom does it become our duty to record the death of a more estimable young man. We are ever prone to exalt the virtues of the dead, and to discover excellent traits of character which we failed to notice when the subject of our mourning was one among us. But a united community will join in saying that the friend whose removal we now deplore was one of those whom to know was to esteem. He was an affectionate husband and a dutiful son, a beloved brother, and a worthy citizen and neighbor. A few months since he made preparations to go to California for the recovery of his companion's health; but alas! how uncertain is life and all its brightest hopes! when the mourned lesson is sounded in our ears, we are led to exclaim "what shadows we are and what shadows we pursue." We drop a tear for the loss of his society, yet believe that he lives again where there are no sorrows, no blasted hopes, no mourning over the sundered ties of earthly love.

"Ave turn and weep,
'Tis manliness to be heart-broken here;
For the grave of earth's noblest
Is watered with a tear."

[note: see also, Feb. 6th issue]

Rail Road Meeting.
The Mayor of Gutenberg, Hon. Moses Crawford, announces a meeting of the citizens of Clayton, Delaware, Fayette and Grant Counties to take place at Gutenberg on Monday, March 9. The object of the meeting is to consider the propriety of an early survey of the Turkey River Valley Road, and the submission to the people of the question of pledging the credit of the Counties interested, to the construction of the Turkey River V. Road and the McGregor Rail Road Company. Let every man who can walk or ride be on hand! Rail Roads are the great arteries of commerce and without them your country can not prosper.

The River.
From present appearances the Mississippi will open unusually early. The mildness of the weather is having its influence on the ice and the safety of the winter Bridge at this point is questionable even for footmen. Teams declined the risk several days ago. The rise inthe River is also having a salutary effect in breaking the ice and we may hope that a few days only will be required to ship towards the Gulf as large a fleet of Ice-bergs as ever left the Upper River. Every interest hereaway is wishing it a speedy departure. The winter has been cold in the extreme but it has not been tiresomely long. Business is already looking up, in anticipation of an early opening of navigation.

County Seat.
This question is to be decided at the April election. The advocates of Gutenberg and Elkader are waking up the sovereighns to a sense of their duty, and we may expect soon to see a beautiful fight [remainder cut off my copy]

Drowned.
While passing up the Maquoketa on Friday last was met some men who were searching that stream for the body of a woman who was carried down by the current the day before. It seems that she was in company with a young man who attempted to cross, in a cutter. The depth and swiftness of the water overturned the cutter and both were carried with lightning speed down the stream. The man caught the branches of an overhanging willow and was rescued -- the woman was scarcely seen after the accident, and up to Friday 10 o'clock her body had not been found. We learned no names.

Correspondence. For the North Iowa Times.
Bradford, the County Seat of Chickasaw County, Iowa, is situated eighty miles West of McGregor and about one hundred and twenty miles North-Westerly from Dubuque, at the junction of the McGregor, St. Peters & Missouri River Rail Road with the Cedar Valley R.R.

The town plat is delightfully located on the East bank of Cedar River, on a table land, elevated some thirty feet above the river at that point, and finely studed with Burr Oak trees, making it appear truly beautiful and picturesque, and resembling much some of the Old New England Towns.

The original village plat was laid out about four years ago, which contained forty acres of land, but such has been its rapid and healty growth that, repeated additions have subsequently been made, until at present it comprises two hundred and eighty acres within its limits.

Its population has steadily increased, much more rapidly, however, during the past summer and fall than previously, and at present numbers about eight hundred and fifty inhabitants.

"The Big Woods," containing twenty-six thousand acres of very heavy timber and by far the finest timber in North Iowa, lies west and northwest of the town, serving the double purpose of furnishing fuel and lumber for this region of country, and also affording a very desirable shelter to the town from stroms, to which so many towns in the far west are exposed.

Among the timber will be found all the varieties of Oak, Ash, Elm, and Maple, also Hickory, Baswood, Butternut and Black Walnut, are very abundant, the latter attaining an enormous size. The carriage, plough and cabinet maker, in fact all who use lumber in manufacturing, will here find it in any desirable quantity and in quality unsurpassed by any in the state.

All who visit Bradford are invariably pleased with its surpassing beauty, and at once discover with what wisdom and prudence its location has been made and how admirably it is adapted to the surrounding county, that situated in the famous Cedar Valley, with water power susceptible of being improved to any desirable extent, with timber in abundance, and in the midst of such an immense fertile region, which is coursed by a thousand streams of pure spring water and which is capable of sustaining a dense population, where extreme healthfulness prevails, the atmosphere being dry and pure -- surely a high destiny awaits it, that of becoming the great commercial emporium of Northern Iowa.

Some idea of its present business and future prospects may be gathered from the following:

HOTELS
Bradford has three Hotels; the Farmers, St. Nicholas and the Bronson Hotel. The latter has recently been enlarged to about three times its original capacity, is now very commodious and beautiful, furnished elegantly and is equal to any hotel in the Cedar Valley. Col. George Bronson, the proprietor, as usual is on hand, and whoever has once been his guest, will not fail to improve all subsequent opportunites of the kind. There is also a large three story Hotel being built, called the Brink House which will probably be open in July next, and it will be far superior and magnificent to any public house in Northern Iowa. It will be elegantly furnished in a style commensurate with its magnitude and future importance. In addition to the hotels there are some dozen boarding houses in town.

STORES
Arthur Billings, General Variety; Pooler & Nicholas, do; Corey & Co., do; Harrison Gurley, Clothing; Haynes and Foster, Drugists; Dixon & Co., Hardware and Stoves; Lockwood & Busby, Furniture; Horace Smith, Books and Jewelry; David Purg, Groceries and Provisions.

SHOPS
Wm. Thompson, Saddle and Harness; Mr. W. Rhoda, Boot and Shoe; Ream, Tailor; Heald & Brother, Wagon and Sleigh; Albert Slatee, do; Hall, Cooper; August Preudhon, Cabinets; L.C. Petit, Blacksmith; Burdie & Babcock, do; Lewis Ellis, do; A. Babcock, do; Perkins, do; Delas Dixon, Tin and Sheet Iron; William Frager, Carpenter; Mathias Shane, do; Mrs. Lewis Ellis, Milliner; Mrs. George Pomeroy, do.

MISCELLANEOUS
Babcock & Sidney, Meat Market; Bums & Davis, Saloon; Crandall & Clark, Livery; Frager & Co., Brick Yard; Wm. Perry, Stone Quarry.

MILLS
Curtis Salsbury & Francis, one Steam Circular Saw Mill and Lath Machine, fifteen horse power; Taylor & Perry, do, with Shingle Machine, fifteen horse power; J.J. Bird, one do, with Planing Machine, thirty horse power; W.W. Foster, two water saw mills on the Cedar River. All the above named mills are in good order and have been doing a fine business except during the coldest weather. In addition to those above named there are two others within one and a half miles from town. Michael Cagley, Steam Circular Saws and Shingle Machine. Notwithstanding the abundant facilities for manufacturing lumber here, the demand has been so great, that but small quantities can be found on hand and at prices ranging from fifteen to thirty dollars per M.

NURSERIES
Dr. Isaac Noges & David Fritelier have each a fine nursery planted and doing well.

OFFICES
The office of the Second Division of the McGregor, St. Peters & Missouri R. Rail Road Company. Banking Office of Haskell & Bronson; Land & Exchange, do, Kimball & Co.; Land Agency, do, Smith Overfield, Lonson Corey and G.W. Howard.

LAWYERS
A.G. Case, L.B. Noyes, G.W. Howard and D.A. Babcock.

PHYSICIANS
Dr. S.C. Haynes, Dr. S.S. Troy, Dr. Isaac Noyes, Physician and Surgeon J.E. Smith.

RELIGIOUS
One Episcopal Methodist organization, Rev. Mr. Kendall; one Baptists do., Rev. Avery Babcock; one Congregationalists, do., Rev. Osias Littlefield and one Episcopalian being organized. The Methodist are preparing to build a church the coming summer and the Episcopalians will follow their example.

CIVIL ENGINEER
D.B. Kimball

MILLWRIGHTS
Ward S. Wells

MASTER BUILDERS
D.L. Campbell, Wm. F. Wrights, Mathias Shane, Henry Skank, John Dohorty.

CARPENTERS & JOINERS
Isaac Chapell, Jos. Cole, Samuel Lake, George Overfield, William Thayer, L.D. York, John Osborn, A. Rutherford and Burton Barney.

STONE & BRICK MASONS
J.F. Hawkins, L.J. Dored, Richard Brigges, Marcus Everests.

HOUSE & CARRIAGE PAINTERS
James Heald, M.W. Brooks, R.P. Watson

PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Two at present are in operation, No. 1, taught by Geo. B. Holcom. No. 2, taught by F.D. Bosworth. The Bradford Institute will go into operation in the Spring. The Institute Building is a large two story one, built of pressed brick, is of elegant construction and speaks in the highest terms of commendation for the tastes and enterprise of the inhabitants of Bradford. The Bradford LIterary Association has recently been organized which holds its meeting weekly -- L.B. Noyes, President.

OFFICES
Lorenzo Baily, County Judge; D.F. Hall, District Attorney; G.W. Howard, Recorder & Treasurer; Alfred Bigelow, Sheriff; F.D. Bosworth, Deputy clerk of Court; Wm. F. Wright, School Fund Commission; John Bird Esq., Police Justice; M.B. TAylor & James Heald, Police Constables.

IN PROSPECT
Arrangements are being perfected by which a Flour Mill with four run of Burrs, will be erected the coming season, which will greatly augment the present business and supply a desideratum long felt. Ample provisions have also been made for making one and a half millions of Brick, for which there is abundant material of excellent quality, several hundred thousand are already contracted for and will be wrought into buildings as soon as made. An extensive Wagon and Carriage Factory will be erected and go into operation the coming Spring by gentlemen from Wisconsin. Arrangements for a Printing Press are also nearly completed, and when perfected, a weekly paper will be published, commencing probably in March or April.

MAIL FACILITIES
A tri-weekly mail is now being carried from West Union to Bradford and Osage, which will become a daily route after the opening of navigation. A semi-weekly line runs from Independence through Bradford to Osage. Walker's daily line of four horse coaches run from Dubuque and McGregor through this place last summer and will resume the daily line again in the Spring.

PRICE OF PROPERTY
Business lots on the principal business streets range in price from two hundred to five hundred dollars each, while those more remote and finely located for residences are worth from fifty to one hundred dollars each. Improved farms in the vicinity of Bradford are worth from ten to forty dollars, per acre according to location and natural advantages. Unimproved from four to ten. Timber land from ten to thirty.

WANTS
Bradford wants mechanics of all kinds, especially Carpenters and Masons, of whom two or three dozen would find very profitable employment the next summer. This point possesses great natural advantages rarely found elsewhere, in addition to inducements offered by its inhabitants, for men of capital who will establish an extensive chair and cabinet factory, a plough factory, and factories for making reapers, mowers, and thrashing machines. Being so far in the interios, so remote from the Mississippi river and competition in the Cedar Valley with no other points equally available, and with such a vast region tributary to it, makes it a capital place for such establishments. Who, then, will be the fortunate persons to [illegible words] opportunities?

RAIL ROADS
The McGregor, St. Peters & Missouri River Rail Road and the Cedar VAlley R. Road, were both located through this town last fall, the former has been advertised to be put under contract, and we understand that it will be finished to Braford by the fall of 1858. We also understand that a company are organized to build a rail road from Galena in a north-westerly direction through Bradford to Mankato, Minnesota. This when accomplished, will make our rail road system complete. When we will bein direct communication with Chicago to the South East, St. Louis to the South, the Upper Missouri VAlley to the West, the St. Peters Valley and salt region to the North West, St. Paul and the prairies to the North, and more particularly with McGregor and Millwaukee to the East.

Real Estate is advancing rapidly and constantly changing hands. The inhabitants of Bradford are chiefly from New York and the New England States, from whence others are arriving almost daily, are moral, intelligent and energetic, and whatever is attempted here is pushed forward with an energy that defies competition. A brilliant future is awaiting Bradford. Her skies are unobscured. Prosperity abounds every where around her, and success inveriably crowns all her efforts. Come on then, all ye capitalists, mechanics and farmers, who wish to invest and secure healthy and happy homes in this Garden of Iowa! Here are advantages paramount to those of any other place; here is a country truly inviting, where religious and educational privileges are engaged in their fullest extent.
GEODESY.

[transcribed by S.F., May 2005]


Iowa Old Press
Clayton County