The saloon keeper, John Hurst, was arrested.—Zearing, December 16, 1885.)
Zearing has been rather quiet lately, as the railroad has been blockaded with snow nearly all the time for the past ten days. The last storm which commenced Thursday and lasted four days was one of the worst storms for years, a genuine blizzard and very cold. Some report thirty-five degrees below zero. The regular train run up to Story City on Thursday and could not get back until Monday, when they succeeded in getting the road clear from Marshalltown to Story City. Ed. Richardson had a car of hogs and John Peck also had one ready to ship from Zearing the day of the storm and had to bold them till Monday. They only lost three hogs by the storm.—(Jan. 13, 1886.)
C. N. Thatcher, of Lincoln, near Zearing, is just completing a large and convenient barn. It has ample capacity for horses, cows, hay, grain and carriages. An inside well and other modern conveniences make it a model building.—( Nevada Representative July 21, 1886.)
Zearing was laid out as a town in October, 1881; was incorporated in 1883. The Crucible (a newspaper) commenced about November 1, 1885, and quit about April 1,1886. The Northern Light commenced at Latrobe (McCallsburg) about 1882; then moved in January, 1883. to Zearing, and took the name of Zearing Register, and commenced there about January 20, 1883.
It has had three postmasters since the post-office was created, viz: A. W. Squires, John C. Burkhart and A. D. HIX, the present one. Zearing has also had three mayors, viz: A. M. Williams, Joseph Johnson, C. Burgess. Mr. B. is the present mayor (1886).
Lincoln Township has no native timber in it, unless it be brush in the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section one. It is a township of good land; some wet lands, but are being drained and made productive. It is being well settled and good houses are dotting the prairie. School houses of fair quality are being built. Zearing is a place of stir for a young town. It was laid out in October, 1881, and was incorporated in 1883. It is situated on the west half of the northeast quarter of section 21, township 85, range 21. The population of the township in 1880 was 387, but is now much greater than that. It is about to become an independent school district. It already has a nice school building two stories high with a bell on it. Zearing must contain a population of two hundred or more, and it is a good point of trade for lumber and stock. See under the head " Directory" elsewhere for its business men. The Iowa Central and Nortwestern railroad passes through it. The road enters the county one and a quarter miles north of southeast corner of Lincoln Township and passes east and west