Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1892-10-20
Audubon ut Fourteen.

/
A very few of our people probably
recalled the fact that last Saturday,
Oct, 10, was the fourteenth anniversary
Of the first sale of lots in Audubon.
Among the few of our present citizens
who were in Audubon that day we
may mention Wm. Cloughly, w. ii.
Scott, Chas. Van Gorder, +. j. Freeman,
ID. III. Walker, u. +, IIowald, is. Wat
lies, Il. Baxter, John Frahm, Jas. Ellis,
Jos. Tharnish aud no doubt Others.
Capt. Stuart and DR.. J. Il. Cloughly,
both deceased were with these pioneers.
During August of '7S man from Belle
Plaine moved the ground upon which
Audubon now stands and secured fifty
tons of hay VIM. Cloughly and car
penter, Jas. Smith, were the first men
to bunk on the ground, Sleeping under
q shed on the ground where B. L. How
aids store stands, and their slumbers
were disturbed by the yclp of prairie
wolves. In these days of waiting for
tho sale the gentlemen secured their
mail and supplies from Old llamlin and
Extra, On the 10Th OF October lS7S-a
rainy day--the auction sale of business
lots was made, prices ranging from
$3.50 for lots in the middle of the block
to 300 for corner lots, and they went
like hot cakes. About a month later
the railroad reached the new plat and
brought q town with Ii. The stranger
had to go through an apprenticeship
to get place III the primitive hotels,
sleeping first on the door step, later IN
the hall, barroom and stairway, and
finally after the tedious routine and
having paid his board bill he secured u
bed, These were times of rush and nc.
tivity and rustic which have only been
equaled in the mining camps. The
company had advertised the town, its
prospects aud the sale and the rush.
The newspapers soon followed, and
star of empire had fairly settled over
Audubon.
On the fourteenth anniversary OF its
birth, October 18th, 1892, Audubon is u
proud little city of two thousand in.
habitants, enjoying all of the comforts
and conyenienoes which enterprise and
thrift provide for modern civilization.
rhe spirit of enterprise with which the
town was established has continued TO
pervade the community aud many en-.
terprises have been undertaken and
successfully prosecuted which have bat
He'd the energy OF slower going munic-
Qualities. AuduDon's early growth was
phenomenal. The location was the
center of an unoocupied territory, rich
with promise of reward for industry.
a whole town was moved in In day,
and buildings were erected hurriedly
and cheaply On her seventh anniver-
sary 1t was town composed of frame
buildings, with four exceptions the
Stuart Office, the Stuart hotel, the Au-
dubon County Bank and the court
house. From that time more sub
stantial and abiding prosperity dated.
The temporary buildings have given
place to structures Of brick, stone and
mortar. The men who located In early
days have prospered aud evidenced
their faith in tho town by investing
their earnings in buildings which will
endure for years beyond our concern.
Their example has been followed by
others attracted by the fair name of the
town. This better building has brought
with II an era. of prosperity that chal-
lenges all Iowa for parallel. Ii is to-
day town of massive business blocks,
magnificent residences and happy, pros
porous people, proud of their town and
confident Of its future. Today we have
1000 people, Methodist, Presbyterian,
Baptist, German Lutheran, Advent
and Catholic churches, 600 children OF
school age enjoying thecpriyileges OF
unexcelled public school, a normal
school successfully established, two
railroads and the third surveyed, an I'M
equaled system of electric lights, good
water works, and bears the stamp Of
enterprise on every street and corner.
The moral atmosphere of the commu-
nifty is healthy and dominated by u So
cial order which is self-respecting and
exacting. In short Audubon Is beau
tiful little city, proud Of its past and
trustful of its future, city unexcelled
| In all Iowa.
While these thoughts, suggested by
the anniversary, pertain particularly to
Audubon, not less should be said Of its
tributary territory, which has known a
parallel OF prosperity. The farming
lands which were bought at a nominal
figure have each year without failure
grown profitable crops and have in
creased in value until they are worth
today $3o, S35, $40 and Si5 per acre,
with gradual tendency upward. The
men who have tilled this fertile land
and prospered, have increased their
herds, have built barns; have replaced
the temporary house by one Of better
material and greater dimensions; have
provided more comforts for the home
and secured greater advantages for the
children and live today in comfort and
independence unsurpassed.