leaving Des Moines about the same time. Mr. Foster, of course, was on foot. The roads were nearly impassable. But. Suel Foster had the grit and nerve to undertake just such a trip, when business called, and did not scare at a little mud on his boots. Foster and Day voted for the location of the Farm in Story County. They were good men; but both have left us and have "passed over the river."
CLOSING REMARKS.
NOW AND THEN.
There are many excellent improvements all over the County that I did not get to see. I have not any doubt of this fact.—None at all. It is true, however, that what I did see far exceeded my expectations. Just to think of the changes made since 1853-4-5, and up to 1860! Why, it is marvelous!
The writer hereof is one of many others in the County who have been permitted to gaze on the wild expanse of prairie, thirty and thirty-four years ago, when there was nothing to disturb the grass but wolves, cranes, geese, ducks and prairie chickens. True, there were a few straggling Indians, and the business of some of them was to herd or drive away the few deer and elk we had then on the prairies. But now what is our situation in the close of 1886? The prairies are now changed to magnificent grain fields, pastures, orchards, hedges, etc. Fine dwellings and splendid barns, good churches and good school houses are seen in every direction. Innumerable cultivated groves of timber are now found to dot the prairies in every direction.
We now have in Story County four good railroads—three running east and west and one running north and south through the County, giving us seventeen railroad towns in the County, and eighteen postoffices—all on railroads except Iowa Center. We have two Presidential postoffices—Ames and Nevada—in the County. Such postmasters are nominated by the President and confirmed or rejected by the United States Senate. Postmasters not receiving $1,000 per year are appointed by the Postmaster-general.
We now have trading points all around us, and we ship large quantities of grain, live stock, poultry, eggs, butter, etc., from our County. We have ten money order offices in the County, viz.: Nevada, Ames, Collins, Cambridge, Colo, Maxwell, Roland, Sheldahl, Story City and Zearing. The postoffice now at Sheldahl really is in Polk County, but has been in Story County.
We have two steam-power presses in the County—one used by the Highway Press, of Nevada, the other by J. E. Duncan, of the