100 years ago
The New Bank
Attention is called to the advertisement of the new Marion National Bank in this issue. The bank is now doing business although their room is not entirely completed, and is in every way worthy of the confidence of the public. It has a paid up capital stock of $25,000 and its stock is held by about forty shareholders, among them being some of the wealthiest and best business men of the county. Mr. Christian Siebert, the president, has been a resident of the county for a good many years, and is one of our most successful farmers, and ranks financially as one of the strong men of the community.
Bown Corby, the cashier, has grown up from childhood in this county, and has a wide acquaintance, and is well worthy the confidence shown him by his selection as cashier of the institution.
The board of directors, composed of Fred J. Funk, Christian Siebert, MA Low, Albert H. Wheeler, Brown Corby, Abram Burkholder, JP Paddock, Charles Kleinhammer and Joseph C. Lilley, is a sufficient guarantee that the bank affair will be wisely administered.
The Marion National Bank starts out under most favorable auspices, and we doubt not will soon rank with the leading banks in this part of the state.
Lots of Booze Destroyed
Acting under orders of the district court, Sheriff Evans proceeded, Monday morning, in the presence of a number of ladies and gentlemen, who were invited to witness the affair, to destroy a lot of liquor that had been taken in a number of joints in the county during the past summer. The liquor was emptied into the sewer catch-basin back of the post-office, and included 2,008 bottles of beer, 100 gallons of whisky, 20 gallons of wine, 10 gallons of gin, 10 gallons of blackberry brandy, and 10 gallons of grape and claret wine, 3,000 empty beer bottles were also broken. The sheriff says he has another invoice on hand awaiting the orders of the court.
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Mr. J. P. Sheldon had a run-away Tuesday which caused the loss of a valuable mare. He hitched his team to a post in front of Magathan's bakery, and during his absence the team pulled the post over, which frightened them and they started to run. Mr. Sheldon caught one of the horses by the bridle but the bit broke and he was compelled to let loose. The team ran up Third street and collided with Dockstader's hack which was standing in front of the Elgin, one of the iron bars which supports the rear springs on the hack penetrating the chest of the mare causing death in a few moments. The animal was a valuable one, and is a severe loss to Mr. Sheldon.
The remodeling of the front to the Wheeler block is about completed, and is a great improvement on the old one. Bauer, Kern & Co., who occupy the west room, now have two splendid show windows, and the entrance door to the store is probably the handsomest in town, being a large single door with beveled edge French plate glass almost the entire length of the door. The east room, occupied by Stanford & Billings, has the largest single plate glass in town, and it makes a magnificent view both inside and out of the room. Marion is getting quite citified in store appearances, and the Wheeler block will compare favorably with the best of them.
Opening of the Auditorium
In the completion of and opening entertainment in Marion's new auditorium, our people witnessed the realization of what has seemed at times a futile dream, and that which was only a castle in the air is now a beautiful building, standing as a monument to the enterprise, generosity and public spirit of a number of our business men, assisted by the general public. They have proved anew the strength of the Arabian story of old and the Genie was in our midst, Aladdin's lamp was found, the magical touch was given and lo, the structure arose. Discouragements were met during the process of construction, but the optimistic spirit of the men who know no such word as fail, was to all obstacles as the north wind to the thistle down.
It now remains for the people to show due appreciation, by giving good well filled houses to the entertainments that will be furnished by the management. The Auditorium was not built as a money making venture but solely for the purpose of furnishing one of the needs of every well balanced community, a place of healthful, moral entertainment, diversion and instruction. With these objects in view, we are assured of the very best in every line of entertainment. The most critical person can see no fault to this fine building, architecturally it is beautiful, the interior finishing and furnishing is in keeping with the exterior — it is all fine. The seats are models of comfort, and the gas plant works to perfection.
The Lockes, the company that gave the opening entertainment, have given general satisfaction, presenting, each evening, plays full of merit, with nothing to condemn. The acting was good, exemplifying the new school of acting, that of appearing nearly like people in real life as possible, avoiding the old fashioned "stagy" effect, sought by actors some twenty years ago. The company is above the average troupe that come to towns the size of this. While the audiences were fair each evening, the patronage was not what the management had reason to expect of the public.
