with ease.

C. H. Blanchaine sold his drug store to his son, H. H., and Adolph (Fuff) Gunderson. The new firm will he known as H. H. Blanchaine and Company. Charlie has filled the pharmaceutical needs of Ossianites for the past 28 years,.

The Citizens Bank offers home safes (children's saving hanks) with the slogan, "a dollar starts an account." These metal coin containers could he opened only by a key held at the bank. They were used to encourage saving deposits hy the young. They have become a valuable collector's item.

AL PALZER—THE GREAT WHITE HOPE

The A1 Palzer story begins in 1911 with the announcement that he will he matched with Carl Morris in a heavyweight prize fight to he held at Tulsa, Okla., on July 4th. Albert, the son of Henry Palzer, was horn in Military twp. about three miles south of Ossian on the present Barness farm. He was a strong, tough, young man, 24 years of age, with a resilient physique, capable of absorbing hard blows in the ring. He was a peer of postmaster Riveland who was also a farm boy from this area. Riveland revealed, during the period of Palzer's greatest success, that he had been able to handle A1 with ease when they were schoolmates south of town, but he wouldn't want to tackle him today.

These were the days of Iowa's two wrestling champions, Frank Gotch and Fanner Burns. Al, inspired by the legendary exploits of these fighters, traveled to New York City in the hope of launching a wrestling career. A fight manager, Tom O'Rourke, suggested his future lay in boxing and took the hopeful champion in hand

Editor Schmitz describes Palzer as, "The real, simon-pure, dyed-in-wool, white man's hope, who will surely wrest the title from Jack Johnson, the colored champ." T. F. was not alone in this opinion. No less an authority than former champion, James J. Corbett, considered Palzer the likely next champion of the world.

Considerable controversy developed between Decorah, West Union and Ossian over which community was the fighter’s home town. According to the Bee, Ossian definately has this honor--"Palzer was born a full 120 rods north of Fayette county."

The sports editor of the Minneapolis Journal commenting on this dispute, states that, in his opinion, Palzer is an over-rated fighter—no match for Johnson. He predicted that these towns, rather than vying for the honor of his origin, will eventually be referring to him as "the Ossian Ham" in Decorah, and "the Decorah Mutt" in Ossian. However, his colleague on the Minneapolis Daily Tribune called Palzer, "the corn-fed giant from Ossian, who will be the next heavyweight champ."

Ossian's great white hope compiled a formidable record of wins during 1911 and 1912. The climax of his career came with his third round knock-out of Bombardier Wells, the champion of England. An assembly of Ossian fans gathered in the C. M. & St. P. depot to witness a round-by-round account of this bout via telegraph. They immediately sent a telegram of congratulations to their hero.

The fighter's next bout was with Luther McCarthy, a prominent contender for the heavyweight crown. Over 500 local fans assembled to receive the blow-by-blow commentary over the wire. They were doomed to disappointment—their man took a terrible pounding. The fight was stopped in the 18th round to save a helpless Palzer from further punishment. Although he continued to fight, his successful career ended abruptly. Apparently, he never fully recovered from the beating administered by McCarthy. Palzer submitted to surgery in 1913. Jim Corbett reported that Al had regained his health and once more predicted he would eventually become champion of the world. But it was the summer of 1914 before he again savored victory with a fourth round K. O. of Fred Fulton.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Palzer sold their farm to Ben Borness in August of 1912 and moved to Perham, Minnesota. It was at the parent's home in this town that the tragedy that ended the fighter's life took place. While visiting the family farm residence in 1917, Al was awakened by the screams of his mother. She had been injured by her husband who was now threatening her life with a firearm. The boxer suffered a fatal wound while subduing his father. His great physical stamina can