SERIOUS ACCIDENT.--Two workmen on the Maple River R. R., in Clinton township, were caught under a falling ton of earth last week. One had both bones of a leg broken, and the other suffered dislocation of the hip and internal injuries. Drs. Mansfield and Duncan went down and made them as comfortable as possible.
A CLEVER SWINDLE.--A telegram from Dubuque to the Inter-Ocean says:
"Some months ago an individual named Samuel Beswich came here, purporting to be an agent sent out by the English bondholders of the Iowa Pacific Road to investigate the affairs of the company. The road officers here paid him great attention, took him over the road in a special train, paid all his hotel bills, bought him wines and cigars, and in fact made as much of him as if he were the grand Duke Alexis. He was highly pleased with the prospects of the company, and proposed to make as flattering report as could be desired to the London folks. He departed with a great flourish, since when nothing has been heard from him or his report till within a few days past he has been unearthed as the keeper of a one-horse saloon in a town in the western part of the State, and the Iowa Pacific folks have the satisfaction of knowing that they have been most egregiously sold."
RAILROADISTIC.--There is many a slip between the cup and lip. So many of our people now think about the advantage the railroad is going to be for us, or whether its advantages are not going to be "over the left," or in other words in our injury rather than our benefit. The Lord help these railroad magnates in another world, where no right of way can be forced under the cover of law, nor where they can build their own towns with utter selfishness. We understand that our friends in Sac county through which the road proposes to run, are of the opinion that the value of their lands are lessened rather than increased by the road. If this is so, why will it not be so in Ida county: We will see.--Pioneer.
D. Carr Early completed his Sac house--the finest in northern Iowa--begun the year before, and is now living in it, though the furnishing is not quite complete. Not less than $10,000 was expended by the Judge during 1876 alone.
THE Clinton township folks had a pleasant party Friday evening, although they must have had a cold ride.
MARRIED.--Jan. 21, 1877, at the residence of the bride's father, by Rev. O. S. Bryan, Mr. Albert B. Freeman to Miss Maria L. Phoenix, both of Boyer Valley, Sac Co., Iowa.
NOTES FROM MERCER.--Seven years ago, in this part of Sac county, it was quite uncommon to have any callers, or see any teams passing. If occasionally there was a straggler, he came in to see where he was and to inquire the way. Not a house could be seen in any direction, where now they are thickly dotted. Within a radius of about three miles we have three school houses and 30 or 40 farm houses. Our roads are now well beaten by constant travel.
For the last two weeks, almost every hour in the day teams have been passing heavy laden with bridge timber for our new R. R. The carpenters follow up the pile-driver, and by daylight each morning may be heard the sound of hammers and saws, erecting the bridges, which we are credibly informed will be completed from the Junction to the Boyer River before Spring.
The R. R. Co. have located a town site on sec. 7, 86, 36. It is a good location and we have been informed that President Hall says it will make the best town on the new route. A Splendid ridge road north and south from this point and leading up into the rich farming lands of Boyer Valley and Eden, give it immense advantage. We learn that some of the more sanguine have already selected a beautiful site for court house. The coal and lumber trade will receive due attention at an early day, as no less than six or eight firms and would-be firms are thinking of locating here as soon as the track is laid.
Citizens living near Mercer P. O. are up and doing about a town; have held a meeting and appointed a committee to work for it. The proposed sight [sic] is a good one, but it is rumored that the President thinks there is no need of a town here at present.
The hotel building west of the lake is already raised and well under way. ABEL
MERCER.--This is the name of the new post-office established on the route from the City to Arcadia, in Viola township.
(transcribed by B. Ekse from microfilm, October, 2003)
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