newly finished one and a half story building on the southeast quarter of section 32 by I. N. Briley. It seems to be a well finished house. Mr. G. Ferguson, on the southeast quarter of section 15, and near a fine brick school house, has a fine residence. The house, grove and out fixtures on "Bible Creek" show well. Mr. J. B. Grove's fine house, on the hill-top, makes a fine appearance. He has a good one. Mr. Grove's house is on the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 23. Mr. Wm. Arrasmith has not so fine a house and barn as some others, but he has a lovely situation. His native grove, for protection, is surely nice and valuable. He resides on the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 23, and is one of the first settlers of Story County. He is a good one. Yes, nearly all the old settlers are good ones.
In passing by Bloomington a short distance to reach the cemetery, several nice improvements were noticed. At the cemetery I found the very worthy name of a very worthy man on a nice monument, situated near the center of the cemetery. This name was "John Miller," with whom I had been acquainted for many years. I think, as an honest, a noble man, he had but few to excell him. In getting the names and ages of the dead in the cemetery for my history, I had then about 2,600 of the dead listed when I approached the monument of "John Miller." There have been but few of that number that brought to my mind so much of the past and present. He was, as my cemetery list shows, near eighty-four and a half years old.
Passing a short distance below Bloomington a good frame building in the southwest corner of section 30, township S4, range 23, just in Milford Township. This residence belongs to M. J. Craig. Still a little south is a fine two story brick building owned by J. E. Davis. This is in the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 36, township 84, range 24. While he has one of the excellent dwellings of the county, he has also a very fine barn and outfixtures. His front yard is ornamented with evergreens-an evergreen fence or hedge, nicely trimmed so as to be about four feet high, makes a fine appearance. Why should Mr. Davis not beautify his premises since "Prairie City is just across the street east of his brick, and since he owns the entire city. It once had a house on it, and one John Vest had some goods and groceries for sale. Go in, Mr. Davis! The town was laid off January, 1854.
There are many valuable improvements, I did not get to see, in the township, for which reason I cannot give them. The bridge across Skunk River, on the south line of the township is a good one. The iron bridge across Skunk at Hannum's mill probably is one of the best in the county. A very good bridge is placed across Squaw Creek on the middle line of section 20 running east and west.