Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-03-02

IL Ind I'd the interests OF the flrm
IN this County. DGrfng its publica-
ton IN rella, it and the Blade waged
a violent personal warfare, In which
the moral character Of the combat
tants was subjected to rigid scruti-
ny. When the CopperAead took its
departure for Ottumwa the Blade
came out with a roughly executed
but amusing caricature OF the event,
representing a huge serpent borne
partly on a hearse and partly on
mems shoulders, followed by several
mourners.
In the Spring Of 1870 the proprie-
tors of the Blade, Democrat and Voter
entered into written agreement
pledging themselves to the advance
payment system on subscription, to
begin on the first of June. AT first
this was thought to be q rather haz,
ardous policy where the credit sys-
TEN had SO long been the practice.
| But the new rule, though rigidly
adhered to, has proved quite as sue
cessful as the publishers could have
desired.
Among the public institutions that
have been established in Marion Co.,
within the past few years, as evil
dence of her prosperity and enter
prise, the Iowa Central University,
Marion County Agricultural Society
and County Poor House, may be
deemed worthy of special notice.
And we regret our inability, owing
| to lack of sufficient information, to
give more detailed history of
4 them.
/ In the Spring or Summer of 1853,
a Society was organized by the Bap-
tist Church, at Pella, looking to the
establishment and endowment of a
school there, to be called the Iowa
Central University. Large endOw.
ments were secured; and, in 1856, a
beautiful and commodious brick
building was erected in the south
west part of the city, on ground do
mated for the purpose by Rev. Henry
=. Scholte. 1t was, however, not
completed till sometime in 1857, and
was first opened for the reception OF
pupils Oh the lst of Sept, OF that
year. The building stands in the
centre Of beautiful park. The di-
mensions are so by 20 feet three ste-
ries high, with basement besides;
1 I.6fitains fourteen rooms, incldding a
large chapel, library and a muse
um, and is capable of comfortably
accommodating three hundred pu-
pills. Its entire cost was between
$4,000 and $4,000. In 1857 the re-
/ port OF the trustees announced the
reception of an endowment of $780,
600, in scholarships of 800 each, and
the prospect of another large endow-
ment soon to follow. The school
has been well patrOniZed with attcd-
ance aud donations, and is now in q
fourishing condition.
In 1856 the agricultural interests OF
the County seemed to demand an
.Urganizcd plan for its encouragement,
and to facilitate the dissemination
(! OF such intelligence as might be USE
flll in the various departments Of the
| business. The only one calculated
| to effect the end desired, was to or
ganize society, appoint time and
place for general meeting Of the
farmers, and award premiums for the
best samples Of live stock, grain,
fruits, DC. So the Marion County
Agricultural Society was organized
during the year above mentioned,
and the first fair was held on the
public square in Knoxville, in Octo-
ber. Only a few animals were ex-
hibited, and, consequently, but few
premiums were awarded. For the
want of any other room for the pur-
pose, the old Court room WAS used as
a floral hall. The next exhibition,
in September Of the year following,
was held on the common alittle west
of town, where tables were set in the
open air for the display Of vegeta-
bles, small mechanical and artistic
products.
These means OF exhibition being
totally inadequate to the increasing
wants Of the society, a joint stock
company was formed in 1853, who
purchased a beautiful plat Of ground
one mile north Of town, and put It
in sufficient repair for the use Of the
society that autumn.
Eight acres of the ground belonged
to nr.,rv nyarfon and fwo m ThOfnaa