Pages 21 - 32 submitted by Kitty Root, January 8, 2010

EDITORIAL NOTICES

        We tender our sincere thanks to MR. ALEX. CHARLES, of the FARMER’S STOCK JOURNAL, for valuable favors. In another portion of this book will be found the card of the FARMER’S STOCK JOURNAL, setting forth inducements to those seeking knowledge concerning cattle and hog breeding, and the general requirements of the farmer. We find the cattle department of the STOCK JOURNAL fully up to the standard of any of our Eastern Stock Journals. The editorials are written with ability, and show the writer to be thoroughly conversant with the Short Horn. The correspondence is interesting and valuable, and generally devoid of that enviable spirit which characterizes the contributions to many of our stock papers.

        MUSCATINE MARBLE AND GRANITE WORKS, corner of Second and Walnut streets, established in 1855, W.W. Webster, proprietor, is the largest works of the kind in the northwest, the work and material are of the very best, great pains being taken to give general satisfaction and turn out a class of work that will compare with any on the continent. These works have become famous throughout the country, and have a reputation and patronage which is indeed very flattering to Mr. WEBSTER, who has labored so long and untiringly to bring the business to its present high standing. The granite furnished by this establishment is imported direct from the manufactories of Scotland and other countries by him at as low a rate as by any one in the business. The marble used is the best grades of American and Italian. As he buys in large quantities, he can, of course, get a very much better grade and at much lower rates than small houses. Muscatine has much to feel flattered with in these works, which have turned out so many fine monuments. Our own County Soldiers’ Monument, the finest in the northwest, is a specimen of the workmanship and style turned out by him. During the present season Mr. WEBSTER will commence the jobbing of Granite, and introduce on an extensive scale the Mantle business in connection with his already large trade, which will be a splendid accession to the growth and importance of Muscatine as a substantial business city, and should be encouraged buy the citizens of this city, no one having done more in the last five years to build up and encourage the present solid growth of the city. In addition to the many new improvements he has made, he is erecting a block on the corner of Second and Cedar streets, with marble front on Second street of 60 feet, and 80 feet deep, which will be the finest business block in the city. This block, in connection with the remainder of the lot, which is 60x140 feet, will be occupied by his jobbing and mantle business. He shows by his works that he has faith in Muscatine.

        The card of MR. DANIEL HAYES will be found in another part of this book, wanting to buy the use of well-bred mares to breed to his stallion TRAMP. MR. HAYES, we learn, has been paying very liberal prices where he has been suited. TRAMP’s colts are making him a big reputation. Every day or two we hear of some superior performance on the turf of some youngster of his. Trampoline is now spoken of as the COMING HORSE, and we know of no better horse to breed to than TRAMP.

[Furnished by the Tribune.]
        The MUSCATINE DAILY TRIBUNE is the morning paper of the city. The history of Muscatine journalism is involved in some obscurity, as both papers date their history with the publication of The Bloomington Herald. the first newspaper published in the city, in 1840. The TRIBUNE comes down to us from the days of the Herald, under several names, each different proprietor suiting his own taste, and has been known successively, as the Enquirer, Review, Courier, Courier and Tribune, and TRIBUNE, which last name it took under its present proprietors. In 1875 the office was removed from rented quarters, into its present handsome home nearly opposite the Opera House, on the Avenue, a two-story brick, purchased by the publishers of the Butler estate. Here steam was first introduced and such other improvements as to make the TRIBUNE press and job office, first-class in every respect. The TRIBUNE office issues a WEEKLY on Thursday.

        EDWARD E. HOLMES, successor to Humphreys & Holmes, is agent for the best non-board insurance companies in the country, such as the Girard, Amazon, Western of Toronto, Westchester, British America of Toronto, Watertown of New York, and others. Do not fail to get rates in these companies before insuring or renewing old insurance.

        The famous DOLD BREWERY situated in South Muscatine, opposite Hershey’s mill and lumber yard, was established by the late Jacob Dold, who came to Muscatine in 1849, and for twenty-six years followed the vocation of brewer in this city. The present brewery was built in 1852, though added to in later years, and is regarded as one of the largest and best appointed establishments in the State. The property consists of four acres with buildings, and is valued at $30,000. The buildings are a handsome two-story dwelling on the street, connecting with the offices and brewery proper in the rear, a malt house and several out-houses. The brewery is two stories with attic, and built of brick. Beneath are the vaults and ice cellar, there being five vaults covering an area of 130x42 feet, and two ice cellars, one 140x22 feet, and the other 60x30 feet. The cellars have an iron flooring above, maintaining a weight of ice spread over the whole 22 feet thick. The fermenting rooms have 16 vats of 25 barrels capacity, the two largest holding 35 barrels each. The engine is of eight-horse power. Another noticeable appointment is the copper cooler, which cost $800. Owing to the poor health of the proprietor, the management, for a long time prior to his decease, was in the hands of his son, Mr. Charles Dold, who has now the exclusive management of the brewery. The shipments of this brewery extend over a wide territory, for abroad, as at home, MR. DOLD’s reputation as a brewer is A. 1. Connoisseurs pronounce the brewing equal to the best of the country. MR. DOLD has certainly, a very perfect establishment. We doubt if there is a brewery in the State planned with such nice regard to quickly and economically accommodating every want of the business.

        We take pleasure in calling the attention of our citizens to the card of MR. T. R. SAWYER, the Second street jeweler of Muscatine. MR. SAWYER is a practical jeweler, and a gentleman of excellent taste and judgment, as will be seen on examination of his elegent stock of watches, clocks, gold chains, sets of fine jewelry, rings fine solid and plated ware, and many other beautiful things too numerous to mention. Mr. S. carries a large stock and can sell as cheap as any house in the West. He keeps practical workmen employed, and gives repairing special attention.

        EDWARD FULLIAM, a young gentleman, courteous and attentive, will be pleased to see his many friends at his new drugstore on Second street. He keeps a full line of drugs, chemicals, oils, paints, &c., and sells as low as the lowest. He is a native of Muscatine, and deserves the encouragement of our citizens, as he has nailed his stakes on his native heath, and prefers casting his lot among those who have known him from childhood, to taking the chances of “a stranger in a strange land.”

        THOMAS D. SMITH.—On the front cover of this book will be found the advertisement of Mr. Thomas D. Smith, Notary Public and Real Estate, Loan, Insurance and General Agent.
        Coming to Muscatine in 1855, and having been in active business life ever since, Mr. Smith has a very extensive acquaintance in the city and county. In 1857 he entered the insurance business, in which he still continues, with a strong line of eastern companies, his being now the oldest insurance agency in the city. In 1868 he added the transaction of a general Real Estate and Loan Agency, which has proven quite satisfactory to himself as well as very useful and convenient to those who have needed his services. Always recognizing the value of printers’ ink, and in advertising, as in other things, believing that “the best is the cheapest,” he has taken care to keep his business always before the public, and his patrons have had the advantage of a very liberal advertising. Added to this is the advantage of small commissions. Property placed in his hands for sale entails no expense until a sale is made, or it is withdrawn. The drawing of the necessary papers is also included in his work of selling. Consequently it will be seen that he offers great inducements to sellers; and having now on his books a very extensive list of property, both city and country, not only in this , but other counties, and in the Sates of Iowa and Nebraska, parties desiring to buy or exchange cannot do better than give him a call.
        As a Loan Agent he has also been very successful. Being cautious, and loaning only to responsible and prompt men on first mortgages, or on unquestionably good securities, he has been fortunate in gaining the confidence and esteem of both borrowers and lenders. In loaning he is of course governed by the wishes of those furnishing the money as to the kind of security; but being careful to take only good paper, and preferring first liens on farm securities, with margin sufficient to insure promptness, and making the conditions such as to secure annual payments of interest, he has so far proven the truth of the adage that “short settlements make long friendships.” And though borrowers sometimes consider the letter of the engagements they enter into “hard,” yet in the long run they find them better for both themselves and the lender, by preventing the accumulation of interest and principal until beyond their means of payment. His charges for negotiating loans, which are moderate, being with all the expense of abstract, &c., borne by the borrower, interest annual or semi-annual, as agreed on, and all costs being secured, to be paid by the borrower, if it should be found necessary to collect by legal process, capitalists desiring to place moneys, either for a single year, or on long time, will find no better opportunities than Mr. S can offer them.
        As a General Agent, he is prepared to take charge of any kind of business which may be entrusted to his care, and especially to take charge of, rent, and look after property, either city or country, including the payment of taxes both in this and other counties of this State or Nebraska. While as a conveyancer, having three notaries public attached to his office, no delay need be feared by any one desiring his services.

        FIFTY YEARS AGO.—Of all the wonderful changes in the commercial interests of the country there is non more noted or surprising than that of Insurance.
        Go back a half century, and not one dwelling in one hundred was insured.
        Now, the uninsured are the exception, and not the rule, and the capital employed in the United States exceeds $125,000,000. Then, as now, the principles and details were not understood. People looked upon the whole subject as something shrouded in mystery and applied rules and reasonings differently from any other branch of business. Whereas, the same rules of common sense should apply to this as to any other.
        In buying any article of merchandise, the quality being equal, we all propose to buy where we can buy the cheapest. We get ten yards of cloth for ten dollars, the merchant takes your cash, you take your cloth, it’s a gair trade, and that closes the transaction. Not so with Insurance. The money paid is placed as a part of a Trust Fund, to be drawn upon in the contingency of a loss by fire, and if placed in the hands of irresponsible parties, and then misfortune comes, and you look for relief in the hour of your direst necessity, you lean upon a broken reed.
        Within the last fifty years at least one thousand corporations calling themselves Insurance Companies have entered upon their business career with little or no capital, except long promises and flaming advertisements, and after a brief experience have gone out in smoke, leaving no trace but disappointment and ruin for insurers and insured.
        Safety can only be found in such companies as the Insurance Company of North America, of large experience, having paid over thirty-five millions of dollars to policy holders to this date, with solid cash assets of over $5,000,000, as a safety fund for future contingencies.
        Or the Continental, of New York, with an experience of over a quarter of a century. Losses paid, nearly ten millions of dollars. Or the Imperial and Northern, of London, sixty years old. Losses paid, sixty millions of dollars; cash assets, twenty-five millions, well invested. Or the Phenix of Brooklyn; Springfield, of Springfield, Mass.; German-American, of New York; St. Paul, of St. Paul; Franklin, of Philadelphia; all managed with decided ability and skill, and with from one to five million dollars in cash assets to each company. A policy held in such companies has real value, and sure indemnity, while many hundreds of dollars are annually paid to cheap companies, whose policies are of doubtful value. No man ought to accept a policy of insurance from any company until he knows the company is just as GOOD, as RESPONSIBLE, and has as good a reputation for FAIR DEALINGS AS THE BANK WHERE HE DEPOSITS HIS MONEY.

        Messrs. Hawley, Hoover & Griffin, of Muscatine, have, during the last ten years, adjusted and paid over one hundred losses by their companies, with as near universal satisfaction as is possible in any business transactions. They have a large and growing business, extending over eight counties. (See first page of this Directory.)

        MR. FRANK A. OGILVIE, of the Board of Trade Grocery is a young man native to the hills and creeks of Muscatine. His stock of groceries, at the corner of Second and sycamore streets is fully up to the requirements of his many customers, and his motto is cheap sales, &c. Call and see him.

        JAMES E. MARSHALL, Esq. who has lately returned from Alabama’s sunny clime, finds new beauties in his native hills more attractive than white cotton fields and dusky-browed tillers of the soil, and has started a business which Muscatine has so long felt the need of—confectionery, fruit, nuts, ice cream, cake, and in fact, everything to be found in a first-class store of the kind. MR. MARSHALL’s ice cream is the most delicious we ever tasted, being made from pure, unadulterated cream, obtained from the farm of W. H. Marshall, Esq. We would say to our country friends that MR. MARSHALL has fitted up a neat, comfortable room at his store, where they can take their families and get anything in the way of lunch they may desire at very low prices. MARSHALL sells the best five cent cigar in the town. No beer sold there.

        BURNETT’s BOOKSTORE was established in 1852. Mr. BURNETT has occupied the same room ever since, and is now the oldest bookstore in the State of Iowa. He keeps a full stock in his line, and his dealings with his many customers during nearly a quarter of a century, has given good satisfaction and won for him the confidence of all.

        W. A. EWING, the boss furniture dealer and undertaker is invincible. It does one good to circulate around his immense store and gaze upon his magnificent Parlor and Bed Room suits at prices that really make you feel like buying, whether you need them or not. It is strange but true. And when it comes down to Coffins, why, they are so lovely and cheap that a fellow feels like dying just to get “WILS” to bury him.

        The advertisement of Mr. S. E. Whicher will be found on the front inside cover of this book. Mr. WHICHER has been identified with the real estate business of this section for twenty years, and his long experience has perfected his knowledge of the different branches of the business to such a degree that his opinions concerning all property in this State are regarded as authority. He has devoted much of his time to Western Iowa lands, and parties desiring such lands could not do better than consult him. MR. WHICHER also negotiates loans, representing Eastern capital.

        The citizens of this county in need of anything in the watch, clock, jewelry or plated ware line, can do no better anywhere west of Chicago than at the store of MR. T. K. CHASE, of West Liberty. His stock is well-assorted and carefully selected, and his prices are as reasonable as could be asked. Birthday and bridal presents always on hand.

        MR. J. L. GIVANS, the champion stable keeper of West Liberty, has as fine turn-outs as can be found in the State, and his obliging manner is such a striking contrast to the general brusqueness of the HORSE man, that it is a real pleasure to do business with him. Call and see him.

        DR. R. E. THOMPSON has bought out the drugstore formerly owned by S St, John Thompson & Co, and will run it fully up to the standard of first-class drugstores. He has retained Walter Platt prescription clerk, and as Walter has no superior in the business of pill-making, &c., we predict for the new firm a continuance of the splendid patronage received by the late firm. DR. R. E. THOMPSON will give the business his personal attention.

        $30,000 has already been saved to citizens of this vicinity by the “Wholesale Cost Purchasing Agency” (next to National Hotel.) First, by the reduced cost of its own goods, and next, by its having forced other dealers in that line to abate largely on their former exorbitant profits. It can be proved that over $100 was actually saved on the price of a single gold watch and chain (both of finest quality), which came from “URMSTON’s AGENCY.” Every customer is requested to have the honest quality of his goods proved at the bank, or by any honest and capable person. Many goods in the jewelry line used to be sold at 1000 per cent. profit, and some at 2500 per cent. clear profit, as MR. URMSTON will prove by exposing the actual wholesale cost of such goods. Go to URMSTON’s (by National Hotel) to save your money.

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GREEN’S BASHAW AND TROTTING STOCK.

        Prominent among the institutions of Iowa stands Bashaw, Mr. Jos. A. Green’s celebrated trotting stallion. Bashaw is an old and honored citizen of Iowa, and by the brilliant achievements on the turf of himself and progeny for years past, his name has become a household word, and is familiar to even the little children of our land. Our theory in regard to trotting horses is, that they must be PROPERLY bred to trot, or to get trotters. Of course there are isolated cases where a few horses of UNKNOWN breeding have trotted fast, but they are something like angel’s visits.
        The kindred of Bashaw have for more than half a century astonished the world by their wonderful performances of speed and endurance. He is directly descended from two of the GREATEST TROTTING STRAINS, and when we carefully analyse his full pedigree, and find it so replete with the requisite features of the trotter, it is no matter of wonder that he was in every sense of the word a trotter himself, and is the getter of trotters who have made for themselves a reputation extending over our entire land. Long Island Blackhawk, the grandsire of Bashaw, was in his day the champion stallion of the turf, and a large number of the best horses of the time were either his colts or closely allied to him. The bones of the nervy old horse are interred in a grave near the village of Montgomery, Orange county, New York, and a handsome tombstone stands over his grave as a token of esteem, erected by his many friends of Orange county. Lantern, the world-renowned—in fact, the only horse that Ethan Allen ever found competitor with running mate, was one of Black Hawk’s sons, and uncle to Bashaw. Lantern’s many brilliant performances will stand as interesting turf history for ages to come. Jake Oakley, the celebrated two-mile heat wagon horse, was sired by Black Hawk, and also uncle to Bashaw. We do we remember the last race this old white-eyed, white-legged flyer (Oakley) every trotted. It was at Mobile, Alabama, against the New York mare, Miller’s Damsel. Jake Oakley and Miller’s Damsel were old acquaintances; they had met often at Union Course, Long Island, in former days and victory had alternated between them, but on this last gala day for old Oakley, his wonderful powers of endurance on a heavy, sandy track, brought him out victor over Nr. Nick Duryee’s famous Miller’s Damsel. Jake Oakley was bought in New York and carried to Alabama by Mr. J. H. Caffee, now of Greenland Driving Park, Louisville, Kentucky. Eureka, a son of Long Island Black Hawk, and uncle to Bashaw, was purchased in New York by Maj. Wm Robinson for a large sum of money, and taken to Alabama under the name of Dandy Jim. He was in the stud there for several year, and almost every one of his colts were fine roadsters and trotters, may of them trotting better than 2:35, and several better than 2:30. The old horse’s name to-day is regarded with respect by the horsemen of that country.
        Bashaw’s grand dam, the Charles Kent mare, was the mother of Rysdyk’s Hambletonian, forming a close kindred between Brashaw and Rysdyk’s Hambletonian. It is useless to speak at length of this honorable branch of Brashaw’s family. They are too well known. Such names as Dexter, goldsmith Maid, Nettie, Gloster and Bodine are familiar to everyone.
        The colts of Bashaw, where they have had any chance whatever, prove conclusively that he transmits all of those rare qualities of his illustrious ancestors to his progeny. Kirkwood was one of the best campaign horses brought out during several years. He met such horses as Rolla Golddust, Pilot Temple, Jim Rockey (Chicago), W. K Thomas and Silas Rich, and defeated them oftener than he was defeated. He has left a record which Muscatine County can wll be proud of—2:24. Bashaw Junior is well-known to our readers, and we will only say, that for superior qualities of endurance, and a general campaign horse, he has never been surpasses. His record is but little behind Kirkwood—2:24 ¾. Wild Oats, a younger son of Bashaw, is to-day one of the most promising horses in America. He can trot as fast as he pleases, and is an honor to his county. He has a record of 2:29 ¼; he is in training at the Fair Grounds, and from the way he is working, we predict that he will bring some of the Eastern flyers to grief before the season is over.
       Wapsie took first premium at Iowa State Fair, 1871, for trotting stallions, best time, 2:35.
       Brasaw Drury sold in February, 1873, to S. W. Wheelock, Moline, Illinois, for $10,000; best time, 2:35.
       Nettie Green trotted at Rock Island, November, 1874, 2:35.
       Belle NcNair, record in California, 2:34.
       Rose of Washington, no record, but can speed a thirty “gait,” and a hundred others like the above go to show that Bashaw is one of the very best horses that ever graced the breeding interests of this State.

HAMBLEHAWK.

        The name of this rarely-bred stallion is suggestive of everything requisite to the make-up of a trotter. He was sired by Rysdyk’s Hambletonian, and his dam was by Long Island Black Hawk out of a Messenger mare. Could we desire anything better? It is a well-known fact that Rysdyk’s Hambletonian is the sire, grandsire or great grandsire of more than one-half of the trotting horses in America. Old Messenger was the great grandsire of Rysdyk’s Hambletonian, and ninety-nine hundredths of the fast trotters of the country are descended from Messenger. Long Island Blackhawk had no superior in his day, and his descendants of to-day have all of his characteristics. (Find an extended account of him in article on Bashaw.)
        Hamblehawk is the only colt of Rysdyk’s Hambletonian in the county, and as he is as well-bred on his dam’s side as could be wished, that fact alone places him in the front rank of the rarely-bred horses of Iowa.

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