Mills County, Iowa


Newspaper Articles


Pacific City Enterprise
August 6, 1857

PACIFIC CITY
STILL PROGRESSING
Over seventy buildings are now completed in our city, yet the click of the hammer rings out as incessantly and as cheerily as when the first house was built here six weeks ago. Pacific just now is a bad place for persons with nervous headache to live in, as the constant din and clamor of mechanical operations is really deafening. We know of contracts existing for the completion of nearly thirty more buildings before October. The cry is onward, upward, and still they come.

COMPLETED
The new School House on Chestnut street will be completed by Saturday next, and will be open for the reception of pupils early next week. Great credit is due to Mr. Hibbs for his energy and perseverance in perfecting this really good work.

JOB WORK
We are prepared to do every description of Job Work at this office at the lowest possible rates, and in a style that cannot be excelled west of St. Louis. Country merchants and others requiring Job Work, will please give us a call.

TO ADVERTISERS:
Like the growth of our city, so has been the growth of our subscription list, rapid, successful and great. Advertisers will find the "Enterprise" one of the best mediums for notifying the public of their wants or business, now published on the upper Missouri.

TERPSICHOREAN
A ball will be given this evening in the large new building just completed by Mr. Gillerland, on Broadway. Mr. Painter will furnish the supper.

PALMER'S STORE
We had occasion to visit this admirably stocked store a few days ago. Mr. Palmer has one of the best assortments of goods to be found west of St. Louis, and is determined to sell at the very lowest prices. Among the choice articles in his store, we noticed fresh and pickled cove oysters, preserved fruits, the very best brands of champagne, sparkling and still wines. His stock of teas, sugars, etc. is large and fine.

Dr. Morgan
In another column of our paper today, will be found the Card of Dr. Morgan (a gentleman of high standing in the medical profession); who has became a resident of our city. We welcome the doctor to Pacific and cordially commend him to the confidence and regard of our readers.

Shinn & Co.'s Hacks
We are glad to learn that this excellent line of hacks is being largely patronized. The admirable manner in which it is managed entitles to it unbounded success.

LONDON MULLEN, ESQ.
This gentleman has arrived in our city, and will at once engage in business here. His new banking house on Main Street will be completed this week.


HARMONY
This town is situated on the S.W. quarter of Section 23 Township No. 72, North of Range No 40 west. It is about 15 miles east of Glenwood, the county seat, and 20 miles east of the Missouri river, and nearly two miles west of the county line between Montgomery and Mills counties. It is beautifully located on a high rolling prairie, of the first quality, and afford a fine view of the county in every direction. The county roads east to west and north to south, will directly pass it on either side; while the Burlington and Missouri Railroad and Indian Creek will run in full view a few rods below it on the South. There are some 30 industries and thriving families already settled in the neighborhood. The county is healthy and rapidly filling up. A good supply of timber for fuel and building purposes along the creek, and an excellent stone quarry, and five saw mills are additional advantages. The town is already laid out, and all persons seeking a home or investments, are invited to consider the advantages this place affords. The lots are much larger than usual, being 60 feet in front, and 180 feet deep, with alley 18 feet wide. This liberal arrangement has been made not merely as an inducement to purchasers, but to make families who locate upon them more happy. Storekeepers, Blacksmiths, Shoemakers and others, will find it advantageous to start with the town. Every man in the west understands this. The following liberal terms are offered to the public:

   1st. One town lot will be donated to say person who will erect upon it a neat wood building, not less than 15 by 20, planed and painted, by Oct. 1st, 1857.
   2nd. One town lot will be donated to any mechanic who will erect upon it a good house, painted, not less than 16 by 20, and shall commence business therein by Oct. 1st, 1857.
   3rd. One corner lot will be donated to any person who will elect upon it a good store house, painted, not less than 20 by 30, and shall commence trade therein by Oct. 1, 1857.
   4th One choice corner lot shall be donated to any person who will erect upon it a good Temperance Hotel for the accommodation of Travelers, not less than 24 by 32, by January 1st, 1858.

For any information as to town plat or lots, apply either to Mr. H.G. Chipman, Indian Creek Post Office, Mills County, Iowa, or to the proprietors, David Remick, Esq., Glenwood, Mills County, Iowa; or to Rev. D.L. Hughes, Rock Spring, Center County, Pennsylvania.


PACIFIC CITY
August 27, 1857

Not more than three months have elapsed since the site on which our beautiful city now so proudly stands, was a bleak prairie--the Mayfield farm. The change which this brief time has produced is really wonderful; it throws old fogyism into hysterics, proves that this is an age of progress and no mistake, and crowns Young America with the brightest laurel leaves he has ever yet worn. The dreary prairie of three months ago is now a large, beautiful and thriving city, with regular and finely graded streets, (graded by the hand of nature,) with stores and marts for business, school-houses, places of worship, hotels and workshops. Where, heretofore, the scythe, rake and fork were alone needed to gather in the products of the field, now the labors of the professional man, the minister, the lawyer, the physician and the engineer, are all in demand; hundreds of mechanics are daily and actively employed, and the click of the adz and hammer resounds continually throughout our busy town. Our streets are lined with the teams of the farmers from the surrounding country, while the ruddy, laughing faces of their buxom wives and beautiful daughters are to be seen at all hours in our stores purchasing dry-goods or groceries for family wear and use. This is truly a great and wonderful change!

What has caused it?

To answer this question would be to give a history of the Company--commencing from the time when a dozen shrewd, far-seeing, determined and enterprising business men associated themselves together with a view of purchasing the Mayfield farm and establishing a town on its level grass-covered acres. These men, from experience, knew the value of the site, scanned closely its geographical position, and learned at an early day the railroad advantages which must inevitably reach here. Acting on this experience, guided by this knowledge, they formed a Company, and amid sneers and taunts, and oftentimes execrations, poured copiously out by the envious, the malicious and the dishonest, they engaged manfully in the work, left home, and comfort, and convenience, and sought in the wild prairie the realization of their hopes. Surely their having found it (and they have), is but a meet reward for their faith, energy and endurance. When, years hence, in some lordly hall of this, then great city, the young men and maidens shall convene to commemorate the anniversary of the foundation of Pacific, the names of these men will be referred to with reverence and devotion, the recital of their trials and difficulties will be given and listened to with sympathy and admiration, and their memories will be blessed by thousands upon thousands of her happy citizens.

We could here refer to many things (calculated, from their infamy and bitterness, to stir up the worst passions of the citizens), which were thrown in the way of these determined men to hinder them in their operations. But as they have overcome these things, we will not now heed them. It is sufficient for us to know that their enemies are now reaping a just reward. Their property is fast depreciating, and the falsity of their statements in regard to our city having been discovered, their words and characters are infinitely below par. True, they still continue to talk, to lie and to villify, but it is useless. As they could not stop the progress of our city in its incipiency, so now they cannot overtake her with their abuse and slander. She is far ahead of them and is daily gaining ground. In howling at her now, they do but follow the example of other dogs of larger growth, and "bay the moon."

Yes, Pacific City, not long since but a mere experiment in the minds of some, is now a fixed fact. With the very best men, the shrewdest speculators and the largest capitalists in the country interested in her welfare, it cannot for a moment be doubted that she will be the city of western Iowa. Railroads must come here--we have got the capital and influence to bring them. Business must come here--we have got the stores, the goods, and above all, the prices to induce it. Capital must come here--we have got the inducements for it, the location, the advantages, the property and the remuneration for any investment made here.

In view of these things, can we fail to believe in our future prosperity and greatness!

DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
Among the visitors to our city during the past week, were Judges Kinney and Black, of Nebraska, and Col. Wm. Thompson, of Burlington, formerly members of Congress from this State. These distinguished gentlemen expressed themselves well pleased with our city, and as an evidence of their faith and confidence in its future prosperity, made large investments in real estate here before leaving. Pacific is not only exciting great attention abroad, but is fast securing the confidence and interest of every prominent western man. Her future cannot be otherwise than great and prosperous.

MAIN STREET
The business like appearance of Main street, is beginning to attract universal attention. It is, in our opinion, destined to be the great business thoroughfare of the city. During the past week two new stores were completed, on this street, and are informed that several others will be completed this fall.


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