| Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa Thursday, December 8, l904 The thriving little town of Woodland in the east part of the county suffered a severe loss by fire about three o'clock last Thursday morning when the fine new store of J.L. STILL & CO. was discovered to be on fire, and the flames had made such progress when discovered that nothing could be saved from the building and it was a total loss. The building was a two story structure 24x50 feet with a warehouse l4x30 feet. The building was erected about a year ago by STILL & CO., the second story being built by the Yeoman Lodge which used it as a Lodge Room. The stock of general merchandise carried by STILL & CO. was valued at $4,500 and they had $3,800 insurance, $2,000 being in the Des Moines Insurance Co., and $l,800 in the Iowa State Co. of Keokuk. They also had $600 insurance on their building in the Des Moines Insurance Co., which was valued at $l,000, and the Yeoman's Lodge Room was also insured for $400 in the same company, their loss being about $500. A small building adjoining the store owned by STILL & CO. and occupied by F.P. MCDANIEL's Restaurant was also burned. The building was valued at $300 and was insured for $l50. MCDANIEL saved most of his goods, his loss being placed at $75, fully covered by insurance. MR. STILL was in Leon Tuesday and informs us that the insurance companies had already been to Woodland and adjusted the losses to the entire satisfaction of all the parties. He says that as quick as the weather will permit in the spring he will erect a new store building and again engage in business. Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert August 7, 2003 |
| Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa Thursday, December 8, l904 C.M. KELLER and D.W. STANLEY left Tuesday in charge of a large party of prospective land buyers for Bolivar, Mo., and will also stop at various places in the southern part of the State to look at lands which these gentlemen have for sale. MESSRS. KELLER and STANLEY are two of the greatest hustlers in the real estate line to be found in the State of Iowa and can furnish their customers with any kind of lands they desire. In the party which left Leon Tuesday were H.J. LANDIS, F.F. BEDIER, WARREN KELLER, S.W. BARRY, M.C. ALLEY, LYS JENKINS, OSCAR THOMPSON, GEORGE JOHNSON and FRANK ATTEBURY and son. Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert August 7, 2003 |
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Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa The County Treasurer's office was a busy place Monday, the occasion being the annual sale of lands on which the taxes were delinquent. The list which was first published was an unusually large one, but before the day of sale a great many persons had paid the taxes so their land did not go to sale, there being about 200 sales made. It is interesting to many persons to know how the sale is carried on. Treasurer YOUNG would read the owner's name and the description of the property on which the taxes were delinquent. First some of the speculators present would bid the tax for the land, another would offer to pay the taxes for a half of the land, another would bid a fourth, then someone a hundredth, and so on just like an auction sale until the property was finally knocked off to someone. In some cases the bidding was quite spirited, a notable instance being the old INGRAM land in the west side of the county which was advertised in the name of ROBERT STRAHORN. The taxes amounted to over $700 and after a long siege of bidding it was finally knocked off to STEPHEN VARGA who offered to pay the taxes for the 5,000th part of the land, evidently feeling sure that the property would be redeemed and that he would not have to take a small parcel of it for the money which he advanced. After the property is sold the owner has three years in which to redeem, but the buyer draws a stiff rate of interest on the money which he invests. Years ago many valuable pieces of property were secured by buying tax titles but in later years it is a rare thing for a purchaser to get a tax title deed. At the sale Monday the principal buyers were MAJOR J.L. YOUNG, MRS. H.J. CLOSE, PATRICK GRIFFIN, and S. VARGA, who were buying simply as an investment. Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert |
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Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa Mrs. McGarry, the State Agent for the Children's Home Finder, was in town last week and through the aid of L.A. Brown, President of our local board, secured possession of the five little step-children of WILLIAM MARTIN MITCHELL, a denizen of the hills east of town, who is hardly able to take care of himself and wife, to say nothing of properly providing for and educating the children. Mrs. McGarry left here with the children for the Home and from there they will eventually be sent to private homes and the opportunity given them to grow into useful men and women. It is your duty if you know of any little ones in destitute surroundings to make the fact known to the local board and they will be looked after. --DAVIS CITY LARIAT. Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert |
| Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa Thursday, December 29, l904 A very singular accident happened to ED CLARK Sunday. While looking at some of his cattle east of town his large dog which weighs l60 pounds, started a rabbit, which ran by MR. CLARK, with the dog in hot pursuit. The dog struck MR. CLARK's leg with sufficient force to knock him down and render him unable to walk for some time. It was thought the leg had been broken. Later investigations proved such not to be the case; however, the limb was badly swollen and quite painful. --GARDEN GROVE EXPRESS. Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert August 7, 2003 |
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