140 years ago

july 9, 1880

There will be a grand mass meeting and basket picnic held by the temperance people of Marion County, at Marion Centre, July 24th. Gov. John P. St. John has formally accepted an invitation to be present and address the people.

Mr. Brewerton has broken ground for a fine stone business building on Main Street, 25x80. Thus the boom continues.

A train bearing General Grant westward stopped in Florence Monday afternoon long enough to give the citizens of that place an opportunity to shake the old hero’s hand.

Kable & Grady, carpenters and contractors, and proprietors of the Marion Centre steam sash and door factory, have dissolved partnership, Mr. Kable assuming the whole business and becoming responsible for the debts of the firm.

During the heavy rain storm Monday afternoon lightning struck Lockwood’s business house. It totally demolished one of the chimneys, and descending the flue entered a room in the second story occupied by Mr. Walton, following the stove pipe into the stove, scattering soot and ashes all over the room, and considerably frightening Mrs. Walton, who was in the room at the time, but doing no other damage. It was fortunate it wasn’t worse.