The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-04-15
OUR COUNTY TOWNS.
CL ARENCE

Icy toAa w" ~ >SNeA S'N''tSf "''' va
the line of the Chicago & Northwestern
Railroad. The original plat of the town
comprised about one hundred acres in
the east part. of sections % and % in
| township So, range 2; and additions
were afterwards made by Fred Hecht of
Of 120 acres in the northeast quarter of
section p as above, and by G. NJ. Gil
! bert of half of the northwest quarter of
section 26, making the town with its
additions at present contains nearly
three hundred acres.
The town Of Onion Grove grew and
prospered for few years, when its citi-
zens happily thought that name of so
little euphony and so much odor might
be improved upon, and therefore select
ed and obtained the pretty name, CLAIR
ENCE, whereby they should be desgnat-
ed among the villages Of Iowa. AS it IS
the Clarence of the present to which
this article is devoted, we will not at
tempt any Of the past history of the
town but turn our attention, at once, to
a brief sketch of what it is to day, leav-
ing our readers to gather therefrom as
best they may what its prospects are for
the future
The town has population, according
to the census just taken, of 725 souls
all white, so far as can be judged 10y the
color of the skin. II contains 1875 dwell
ling houses, a large number, in proper
ton, of business houses, and about
$4,000 of taxable property. AS the
town is laid out in beral lots of 1Ss by
66 feet, with streets so feet in width :;
and is located-eXcept the parts directly
along the railroad track-upon a beauti-
full rise of ground that declines gently
toward each point of the compass and
"a nearly all the dwelling houses are
pretty and comfortable, many Of them
handsome and not a few really elegant,
it is no tlattery to say that Clarence is
far more inviting in appearance than
the majority of railroad towns, or even
that it is as pretty and pleasant village
as any one could desire in which to
make home. Sidewalks are the rule
throughout the town, and the lack of
them the exception; and the numbers of
handsome young trees which have been
set out along many of the streets will
very soon more than repay the cost
and labor bestowed upon them, not only
by adding beauty and consequent value
to the premises in their immediate vi
entity, but also by greatly benetittns
the general appearance of the town aid
increasing the desrability of residence
therein.
If there is any one thing that stran-
gers inGuiring about western town
look upon as the true exponent of that
towns social, moral and intellectual
condition, as well as its enterprise, and
in fact its general desirability as loca
ton, that thing is the activity or stagna-
ton of church and school enterprises.
To the one inquiring concerning Clar-
ence in this particular, the facts will
show an interest and activity in these
matters as unusual as it is commenda-
BILE. -Four regular religious organiza-
tions have an existence in Clarence
three of which own pleasant and sut1i-
GENTLY commodious
CHURCHES.
The Lutheran denomination have the
largest and best church edifice, at pres
ent, and are quite strong in the COM
munity in point of numbers and in
fluence. The charge has been minister
ed to for several years by the Rev. Jesse
Helsel!, man of much ability, whose
quick moral sense and great moral cour-
age have made him acute in the detec-
ton Of error and fearless in its denounce-
ment. Mr.. Helsell has very recently
severed his pastoral relation with the
Clarence Lutheran church, having
preached his farewell sermon only a
week ago last Sabbath.
The New School Presbyterians have a
church building suitable to their neces-
sites; but, at present, have no settled
pastor. This is want they hope soon
to supply, being both able and willing
to support minister. The United
Presbytcrians also worship in their own
house, and are now, as they have been
for number Of years, under the pasto-
raj care of the Rev. J. S. Buchanan.
The Methodist Society are just OIL the
eve Of building church, which, when
completed, will be, as Methodist
churches throughout the West seem
usually to be, the best in town. The
dimensions Of the church are to be IS
by 80 feet; and the entire interior will
be utilized by recess sunk in the rear
wall sufficiently large to accommodate
the choir and organ. The building will
be of brick, with a corner tower, such an
one as is an honor to the Society owning
and an ornament to the town contain
ing it. The brick of which it is to be
constructed will be brought from Lis
bon, in Linn county, about sixteen
miles from Clarence, by rail. Rev. w.
A. Allen is the pastor of the charge for
the present Conference year.
THE NEW SCHOOL HOUSE
is rightfully the particular boast Of the