125 years ago

april 16, 1886

Marion has been wild with joy since the tidings came, Wednesday, that the great Rock Island Railroad Company had formally accepted the Omaha, Abilene & Wichita proposition and would build and operate the road. Negotiations looking to this end have been pending for several weeks, but were finally consummated at the meeting in Wichita, Tuesday. The glad news gave instant and immense impetus to Marion’s boom, and the oldest inhabitant will hardly know the town in a year from now.

A good many people even right here in Marion do not fully appreciate the building and improving that is going on in this prosperous town. They stay at home and seldom get out in the portions of town remote from where they live, and so are not cognizant of the growth the town is making. We advise these to hire a buggy, some day, if they do not own a rig of their own, and take a ride around, and we promise them that they will be surprised at what they see. Marion was never growing so rapidly as now. And, we want to predict that present evidences of prosperity are but drops compared to the great tidal wave that is to sweep in upon us ere the arctic breezes of another winter silence the hum of outdoor industry.

A fine, soaking rain Monday night and succeeding sunshine since have given wonderful impetus to vegetation. Verily, “springtime has come gentle, Annie.”

At a meeting of the Directors of Marion’s big three story hotel, now approaching completion, held Monday, the new house was formally named the “Elgin Hotel.” A great many names were proposed before this one was adopted.

Mr. Orr has adorned his cozy home on Santa Fe street with a pretty porch.

Mine host Hise, of the City Hotel, has been thoroughly renovating his house, treating it to a complete new internal dressing of paper and paint, and making it look like an entirely different house. By the way, Mr. Hise is a first-rate hotel keeper, anyhow. Attentive, accommodating, pleasant to guests, and a “good provider,” setting always a good table and keeping an orderly, clean house, he has won a good reputation in spite of the unfavorable circumstances under which he has labored.

We’ve never mentioned Ben Rhodes as among the Marionites who “took in” the cheap rates to California. Such a trip is a good educator.

Charlie Ames had a horse badly mangled last week. It became frightened and ran away while attached to a plow. It was a severe loss to Mr. Ames.