The commissioners decided to call a town election on the matter of incorporation for Feb. 7, 1876. The office of Mr. Cremer was selected as the polling site. The corporate limits were set to include all of the Brook's additions. Wm. B. Morey, editor of the Ossian Enterprise, was authorized to publish notice of the election in three consecutive editions: Jan.l3» Jan. 20 and Jan. 27* I876. Mr. G. N. Sawyer was instructed to post notices at five locations in the village: the office of W. J. Cremer, store of H. A. Baker & Bros., C. M. St. P. railroad depot, Ossian post office and the office of Justice James Malloy.

There were 174 ballots cast at the election. The incorporation barely passing with 67 votes for and 57 against.

AN OLD-TIMER'S ACCOUNT OF LOTS 1-2-3 OF BLOCK 8

When the old blacksmith shop on Main street was razed to make way for Dr. Holtey's construction of his Medical Center in 1940, O. G. Gleisner, age 87, reported on the history of this business site. Hamon Henning had a wagon factory in operation at this location when the town was incorporated in I876. Dominc Wiltgen, a carpenter and Theodore Wiltgen, a blacksmith, assisted Mr. Henning in this enterprise .

They were succeeded by Mr. Gleisner and J. J. Schmitz, both carpenters, who built coffins for the community, among their products. Often, they were forced to work all night before a funeral. The coffins were of oak and stained and varnished .

Chris Watercott, a blacksmith and Gus Draheim, a woodworker, next took over the operation of this shop. They were succeeded by William Novak, Adolph Hruska, John Staska, H. E. Cole and the Krivachek Brothers of Fort Atkinson among others.

An unidentified reader submitted the following account to the Bee: "...erected when Ossian was in its infancy, it has stood there grimly watching the changing scene, the funeral processions of Ossian, Old time merchants, the destructive flames that have licked at its very doorstep, the changing appearance of the business street, the new lights, the paving, the new fronts that constitute Ossian's modern buildings.

No more the ancient street with its hitching posts and teams crowding against each other, no more the long line of hog racks wending its way to the stock yards or the procession of wagons filled with wheat and barley on the way to DeGraff's elevator. No more the lamp lighter with his little ladder, but the busy hum of a modern street which frowns at an old landmark as being useless and out of date.

The cavalier of the gay 90*^s tipped his derby hat to the side of his head and strolled up the avenue past saloons, gambling houses, stores, amusement places, all having plenty of customers and plenty of business.

Stores full of merchandise, be-whiskered farmers with pockets full of money, homes full of happy children--those were the days of prosperity, but we didn't realize it.

At the time the shop was owned by Chris Watercott, a bewhiskered giant who roared mightily at the horses he shod and was willing to match his strength against them if they did not behave..."

ATTEMPTED KIDNAPPING AT OSSIAN

The Ossian Enterprise originated the following story during its short existence: "Thursday afternoon, the people of Ossian were excited to a white heat, by what appeared to be a very remarkable circumstance. Two men drove into town, hitched their team to a fence, and stood around for some time, apparently watching for