135 years ago

august 5, 1887

The Record, in a wild, jubilant moment some months ago, ventured to say, in announcing numerous booms, that it wouldn’t be surprised if street cars were secured to the town inside of a year, and now it seems that we were not so visionary as we thought.

The Marion Street Railway Co. has been organized and chartered with a capital stock of $10,000 and the following officers: president R.C. Coble; vice president J.M. Young; secretary C.W. Winslow; treasurer W.W. Loveless; and directors, R.C. Coble, J.M. Young, W.W. Loveless, S.L. McClannahan, and C.S. Winslow.

The city council has granted the new company proper franchises.

Mr. J.N. Woodward, the new Rock Island telegrapher at this point, together with his wife and four children, were poisoned last Saturday night by some deadly substance lurking in a can of peaches of which they partook freely. Drs. Werthner and Rogers, together with some willing helpers, labored nearly all night with the sufferers and finally brought them around safely.

The contracts for the new YMCA building were let last Friday. Harper and Rhind were awarded the stone contract, and Henry Kable the remainder of the building. The building will cost, when completed, including steam heat, etc., about $15,000, and will be the handsomest building in the county. The excavation is nearing completion, and building operations will begin at once.