WALNUT ITEMS FROM THE AVOCA DELTA BEFORE WALNUT HAD ITS OWN NEWSPAPER
WALNUT. Improvements for 1875. (Continued from Jan. 2022 ACR)
J. H. HENRY’S ELEVATOR
situated on the north switch of the Rock Island railway track, fronting on Pearl street is one of the most important and noticeable improvements for the year 1875. The structure is 31 feet high, main building 24 x 40 in size with engine room attached 12 x 24, and contains 14 bins with a capacity of 20,000 bushels. The engine is a ten horse power portable. The whole building is covered with a fire proof metallic coat, and is very compactly built. This elevator has been in constant operation during the entire fall and winter, and has received and shipped about 100,000 bushels of grain—which may be regarded as very loud and lively for one season’s business in a town the size of Walnut. It cost $6,000. In addition to this Mr. Henry has also erected a neat little residence, at a cost of about $1,500.
E. R. HINCKLEY
His residence on Main street, is the finest one in the city—an improvement well worthy of a much larger and more pretentious town. It is two stories high, double L. main building 14 x 36 and 16 x 25, which, in connection with a fine barn—the best we have seen since we came to Iowa, and probably the best in Western Iowa—and other out buildings cost about $7,500.
This constitutes the more important improvements for 1875. A number of smaller buildings have been erected, and additions made which will bring the expenditure in improvements in Walnut for the year 1875, notwithstanding the draw backs incident to hard times and other causes fully up to, if not more than that of 1874.
The following are the different branches of business conducted in the town.
Avery Spangler & Co, Grain buyers, elevator on Pearl street, are doing a large business. They also have a large trade in lumber.
F. H. & J. D. Green, hardware, carry on business on Highland street. These gentlemen are fine business men, and having the oldest hardware business in the town, are of course doing well.
Jas. Ledwich & Co. land agents, are doing a thriving business.
Lodge Bros., general merchandise.
Dr. W. F. Waird, druggist.
Packard & Spangler, general merchandise—doing a very fine business.
Chas. Geddis, is in the restaurant business, and has a nobby outfit.
Dalrymple & Bruce, druggists, are both pleasant gentlemen and we do not wonder that they have a large business.
Naugle Bros., are in the hardware business, combined with groceries and are business-in-a-minute.
Lebeck & Johnson, dealers in general merchandise.
Burns & Co., manufacturers of plows, and agricultural machinery, are doing remarkably well, and are turning out good work.
Our old friend S. Chamberlin is doing a thriving business in groceries.
Charley Merrill, formerly of Avoca, is running a boot and shoe store, and has a fine run of custom.
(January 6, 1876, p. 4)
(To Be Continued in a Future ACR.)
KH