have onlv 500 in all. Her monthly sale of eggs, she said, never averaged less than $7 (seven dollars) per month, or $84 per year. Who can beat that on eggs? It was noticed that Theodore Baldus has a good house about class three, and two very good red barns on the southeast quarter of section 35.
At Story City I find a very nice brick Business House, on the south side of Broad Street, costing, perhaps, $8,000. It is owned by S. Larson, and for general merchandise. As a part of the incorporation, made December 12, 1881, Fairview, laid off June, 1855, is included. Story City was laid off December, 1878,—being twenty-three years younger than Fairview. Since the two railroads have reached it, it has become quite a point for business. It is the only village in Lafayette Township. In this township we find the curiosities of flowing wells. We may include Howard Township. The " Watkins " well, on the southeast of the northeast quarter of section 26, township 85, range 24, is one of great curiosity, not only of the County, but of the State. The one who tested the volume of water rushing out of two large tubes, say ten inches in diameter, with great force, counts 368 gallons passing every minute. Mr. W. has it so arranged as to turn the water into the lake near by, or he can let it on a wheel, twenty-eight feet in diameter, while running machinery to grind corn, but not yet with good success. The lake is said to be twelve by forty rods, containing three acres. It is from three to six or seven feet deep, and has two little boats or skiffs for pleasure riding. The water passing out of the tubes is seven or eight feet above level ground. The water's outlet of the lake is near the northwest corner of it, and makes quite a stream of water. The embankment to confine the water for the lake is about eight feet wide on top and average four to five feet above the outside level—making about 68,640 cubic feet, or near it, of embankment. This must have been quite an item of cost to Mr Watkins. The lake and the well with the machinery make an attractive scenery. The other fixtures are very ordinary indeed. It is claimed by some that the kind of picnics and gatherings that assemble there often do no credit nor good for the morals of the surrounding neighborhood.
Mr. James F. Brown has a fine flowing well on his farm which throws out a great deal of water, but is a small affair compared with Watkins' well. Mr. Brown's is half a mile north of Watkins' well, and Watkins' well is half a mile north of Mr. Brown's residence. Between the creek and Mr. Brown's magnificent new barn, and about eight rods from the barn is a flowing fountain of water to furnish his stock at all times. Then a short distance south of Brown's, but on the south side of Keigley's branch is another flowing well. Well, it's wells here all around, and Story City is increasing her stock of artesian wells. They of Lafayette are not going " to grass" as fast as to " water."
As Capt. W. A. WEIR does not reside on the town plat, but is in the corporate limits of Story City, I will say he has a very fine