dwelling of fine style and finish. It is one of the good ones of Lafayette Township.
In the descriptions given of buildings and barns I do not design to describe town dwellings unless in a very few cases. Business houses, church buildings, school houses, fine brick blocks, etc., are generally described, but usually am confined to the improvements out of town.
Now will return to Mr. J. F. Brown's new barn. This barn, when finished, will beat anything of the kind that was noticed in Lafayette Township, but I did not see nearall of them. This barn has a basement of heavy rock, and the barn stands on this foundation. The arrangements in the basement for stock are good. It is 48 1/3x56 1/3; feet on the ground, and covers 2,722 square feet of ground. From the basement floor it is about forty feet to the cone vertically. It is substantial and well planned, yet there are larger barns to be found. It overlooks his humble dwelling so boastfully that "Jim" must make his new 'dwelling bid defiance a little to the barn.
We now pass to Howard Township. It is one of the good townships in Story County. Roland, its only town and post-office, has been described elsewhere. Near the north of Roland, Mr. Michael Erickson resides, and owns a fine farm, and on it is another one of those splendid barns. It is 132x32 feet square, and covers about 4,224 square feet of ground. The basement story is made of heavy rock. The frame is a strong one and rests on the heavy basement. The posts are eighteen feet post, making two stories high up to the square above basement, three stories high in all. It has two ventillators, or cupolas, to it in the roof. There is a flowing well in the barn-yard which supplies abundance of water for all kinds of his stock and at all times. This is one of the best barns noticed in Howard Township, and is class one. Howard has many excellent barns and dwellings. Am inclined to believe as to the number of its excellent barns, Howard will lead all the other townships. Howard is a well improved township.
The church, one and a quarter miles southwest of Roland is called the Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, and has about 400 members. The large church in Roland has, as is understood, about 1,000 members. This is the Lutheran Church, and was built in 1873. The St. Peter's Lutheran Church at Story City is a type of the Lutheran church building at Roland, and was built in 1875, and it is claimed has a membership of 960. Each church cost about $6,000. The Evangelical Lutheran Church at Story City is not a very large building, but modest in appearance, and it is claimed has 150 members. This church is called the Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church and cost probably $2,000.
In and close to the southwest corner of Howard Township is the fine residence of Sol. SWITZER. His house is "on the hill-top" and his barn " in the valley." He has a class two house and barn. The water from Watkins' and Brown's flowing wells seems to run