125 years ago

september 20, 1889

Marion has never had brighter prospects than it has today. There is scarcely a town in the State that has “held its own” during the two or three years of depression from short crops, better than this plucky “Queen of the Cottonwood.” Our people have shown their faith in the town during these years, and especially the past year, when other towns were lifeless, by prosecuting some needed public improvements. The fine new schoolhouse, now nearing completion, the development of Chingawasa, and the building of a railroad to it and also to our splendid quarries, the expenditure of eight or ten thousands of dollars curbing, guttering and macadamizing Main street, the grading of other streets—these and other exhibitions of courage, faith and enterprise have challenged the admiration of outsiders to a great degree.

Mrs. John F. Carter, Mrs. Ben Carter, Mrs. John S. Christie, Mrs. Tom Smith, and Mrs. Ferd Funk went to St. Joseph this week to attend the great New Era Exposition.

Kieferle Bros., the boss thrashers of the Elk community, are at home putting up hay this week. They expect to return to their machine next week, as they have lots of thrashing to do yet.

Mrs. C.L. Dean has returned from the east, and C.L., who has been batching with John B. Greer during her absence, will preserve their last batch of biscuits for paperweights.