It is a copy of the Leon Weekly News, dated Jan. l2, l865. That is why it is listed in the 1865 Index. Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa Thursday, June l3, l900 Mr. Morris Gardner was the first person to bring in an old Decatur County paper in response to our request. It is a copy of the Leon Weekly News, dated Jan. l2, l865. The publishers were J.P. and C.P. Finley and although the paper was a small four page sheet, the subscription price of $2.00 per year. Items of local news were scarce in those days, but the following will be interesting to the older citizens. "Prof. Beck organized a lodge of Good Templars on Saturday evening. We hope the lodge will be a success, for we all know the field for operation is large." "We learn from Mr. Ogden, the agent of the Western Stage Co. that a daily line of four horse stages is to be shortly put on the route from Chariton to Leon, passing through Garden Grove and Franklin. The principal part of the mail passing through the southern part of the State from the east to the west will take this route. The mail route from Leon directly east will not be discontinued, but the mail is to be carried in two horse coaches as heretofore." "ATTENTION CENTER DRAGOONS -- Capt. H.H. Walker's Company of Mounted Infantry will meet for drill in Leon, January 2lst at ll o'clock. By order of the Captain. J.W. Berger, O.S." "The new brick house being erected for a store room, on the corner of Commercial and Main Street, by friend Caster, is proceeding towards completion. It begins to look like a house and when finished will be a credit to the builder, owner and town." "The board of supervisors have made an appropriation of $400 to build a bridge over Weldon River, on the road from Garden Grove to Franklin and Leon. H. Brown, S.P. McNeil and A.B. Stearns are appointed a committee to build the same as cheaply and as quickly as possible. This is as it should be as the bridge will accommodate not only a majority of citizens of our county, but many in the counties west of us, who haul merchandise from Eddyville and other places in the east." There is an account of the wedding of John P. Finley Jr. to Miss Jennie C. Miller, at the residence of Geo. W. Hale, the ceremony being performed by Rev. J.C. Porter. An obituary notice of Mrs. J.P. Finley appeared in this issue. The weekly market report corrected by Richards & Hale gives the following prices: flour per hundred $7.00; corn meal bushel $l.25; wheat $l.00 to $l.25; oats 40 cents; corn $l.00; potatoes $l.00; hay $l0.00 per ton; bacon l5 cents; ham 20 cents; beef 5 to 8 cents; nails l2 l/2 cents; sorghum 75 to $l.00 per gallon; coffee 60 cents a pound; sugar 30 to 35 cents per pound; rice 22 l/2 cents; dried apples 20 cents; dried peaches 25 cents; honey l5 cents; butter 25 cents; eggs l5 cents. Among the advertisers were Richards & Hale, general merchandise; Charles S. Stout, druggist; Sales & Burton, general merchandise; M.H. Wood, boots and shoes; John Patterson, harness; James M. Coffin, Photograph gallery and jewelry; Harrow & Frederick, general merchandise; G.W. Jenree, hotel at Decatur City; Joseph Lockwood, wagon shop; Jacob Courtleyon, blacksmith; Samuel Forrey, John W. and J.S. Warner, attorneys; J.A. Snyder, tailor; P.M. Patterson, hotel and stage office; A.S. Updegraff, harness and shoes; B.F. Raiff, physician; Mrs. E. Mullinnix millinery; V.R. Porter, jeweler. At that time the county officials were: State senator, C.G. Bridges; representative, J.R. Andrew; county judge, L.N. Judd; treasurer, J.N. Porter; sheriff Ira B. Ryan; surveyor, Wm. Ryan; coroner, I. Miller; county superintendent, L.N. Hastings jr.; Justices of the peace, N. Patterson, Robert Kinnear, N. Fields; constables, J.B. Garrett, A. Campbell, R.D. Barnes. The board of supervisors consisted of one member from each township: Garden Grove, H. Brown; Eden, A. Newman; Center, James Coover; Franklin, W. Curry; Decatur, L.J. Walker; High Point, S.P. McNeil; Woodland, R.E. Hutchinson; Morgan, J.D. Wasson; Hamilton, D. Ockerman; Long Creek, W. West; Burrell, John Goer; New Buda, Charles Robbins; Fayette, A.J. Green; Bloomington, Chris Osborn; Grand River, S.C. Akes; Richland, F.G. Parker. John D. Childers was postmaster. Copied by Cordelia Suzann

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