140 years ago

july 26, 1878

The hill is improving. Besides the many improvements recently completed, an addition to Mr. Doster’s residence is under headway; an addition to Mr. Pratt’s residence is nearly completed; and the editorial hovel will soon have a “tony porch.”

A four-ton team attempted to cross the James Riggs bridge near Florence last Tuesday, and a bridge closed for repairs is the result. The team was loaded with wheat and was drawn by four mules. The Mahlon Riggs bridge has been impassable for some time, and travel is consequently largely diverted to the west side of the river.

Several nice little showers this week.

Closing out sale: Desiring to close out my stock within the next 60 days, I will sell goods of all kinds at prime cost. I mean business. Come and see if I don’t. The stock consists of dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes, hats and caps, groceries, confections, glassware, queensware, woodenware, notions, etc. John Mehl, Marion Centre.

The Tooey building is being rapidly put in condition for a new dry goods and clothing store that will open just as soon as the building is ready.

Messrs. Sawyer and Sharrai of Fairplay Township are boss threshers. They are threshing oats for two cents and wheat for four cents per bushel. July 20, they threshed out 348 bushels of grain in two hours 15 minutes. The first 103 bushels were threshed in one-half hour exactly. The man that did the measuring played out; another took hold, and he gave out; then the third man finished the job.