150 years ago

april 7, 1876

That 124-year-old tobacco box belonging to Mr. John Fox is not the oldest “institution” in the county. The wife of our friend Mr. Wm. Bates has in her possession a lady’s cloak about 150 years old in good state of preservation. It is not probable that anything older than this will be discovered in the county unless some old main can be induced to tell her age.

Friday night last was a dark, stormy one. Some cattle belonging to Russian Mennonite Henry Hart escaped from his premises in Risley Township and crossed the swollen south branch of the Cottonwood River. Hart, fearing that his cattle would be lost, started on horseback in pursuit, but in crossing the stream, Hart and his pony were swept away. The horse swam ashore minus its rider, whose body was not found until several days afterward.

On Tuesday of this week, Coroner T. T. Davis was called upon to hold an inquest. This, we believe, is the second time a coroner in Marion County has been called upon in an official capacity. The other time was in the case of the ashy remains of a man found in high grass near the railroad just east of Florence five or six years ago.

It is an absolute fact, from the best and most reliable statistics, that nearly all those who left the state on account of grasshoppers only a little more than a year ago have returned like the prodigal son.