The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1905-08-24

4 brick business bullding on the
square, owned by w u. Street and
q. w. Baer. The adjoining lot was
vacant and the next two contained
small wooden buildings containing
groceries. One OF them was kept by
Wesley Mettler. II Is stated that Mr..
Mettlers frugal habits prompted him
10 invoice his little stock OF grocer.
les quite often. One day n customer
called and found the door locked.
Asking the reason, the proprietor
answered, I'VE are deyoicing, sir"
On the Mahaska County Bank cor
ner stood the old oskaioosa House.
IL was two story frame in front
with a porch above and below. The
proprietor was John N. Kinsman.
Mr.. Kingman was eIecteo county
treasurer in 1860. We are told that
during the early years this hotel had
no superior in the town. Across
south on the Will Sewers corner
we're one story frame buildings.
Henry Howard kept grocery store
there at one time. Continuing east,
at the Boyer corner was two story
wooden building IN which A. G. Phil.
lips kept a dry goods store In 1851.
south side OF the square were small
shacks of wooden buildings. In one
OF these Chas: Evans, brother OF
Capt. Evans, kept a bakery for a
time. Across the alley was first n
one.story frame and then a one ana
one-half story with some vacant lots.
On the Neagle corner stood a two
story frame, the second floor OF which
was for several years the home OF
the Oskaloosa Herald. On the eye
tooth corner southeast Of the SQUARE
was a one-story frame in which a
John Hagey kept grocery. Across
the street TO the north John nott.
gomery had q general store In a two
story frame on the corner, and one
story brick residence adjoining set
back Into the lot. Next came little
frame building with a tin shop, and
then the Madison House, which was
known between the rivers as the
Fhome OF the tired and hungry traveller
In the earlier years before the west
was thoroughly organized, the hotel
became the headquarters not only for
| ibe travelling public, but fo- strand
ed humanity from whatever cause.
John r. Baer relates that In 1856 a
California emigrant, returning east,
sutNh - NJ Hr %.
ern. AS there were no provisions for
the care Of such cases in the city,
the patient remained at the hotel un.
III he died. The authorities found IL
very dificult TO get anyone to care
for the body. The case appealed to
his father, Geo. w. Baer, and he vol
unteered TO assist in preparing the
body for burial. When all was over
he took down with the same deadly
trouble. While he was yet III, Mrs.
Bear was smItten ana died at the
early age OF 35 yeRs. His fathers
only sister, who made her home III
the family, also became victim. shs
had cared for Mrs. Baer during her
illness and went down rapidly to an
early grave. The home Of the Baer
family at that time was in what IL
now an old story and a half house
still standing at the corner Of A ave.
nue. and D street. II is a mute Sc J.
tinel of the old days and has afford
ed shelter 10 an OskalooGa family for
more than fifty years.
The ground on which this old .iotel
stood has never been used for any
other purpose except hotel site. In
1856 Major +. l.. Downing purchased
the Madison House, and being espe-
clally fitted by nature and culture TO
handle the public, he made great
success. He related 70 a friend that
during those early years when two
TO four stages stopped every morning
for breakfast, he made $4,000 in If
teen months from ten rooms.
In 1874 the old house was removed
and an elegant threestory brick, co
x110 feet, was erected and when fur.
nished cost $4,000. The new build.
ing took the name OF the Downing
House. With but few interruptions
Mr.. Downing was connected with this
hotel for rs years, until the time
OF his death, April q, 1881. He was
at all times one OF OskaIoosa's most
enterprising citizens. In recent years
the Downing has been remodeIed and
another story added.
Across the alley where the court
house now stands was Yankee Smiths
grocery. ID. w. OgIevie had a cloth
ing store on the next lot. Passing a
vacant lot, John w Irwin had jew.
elry store. Next 10 the corner was
Macon Brothers drug store, and on
the corner Hardy, searIe & Young
kept stock Of dry goods. All these
were temporary One-story buildings.
This corner and across the street
north, when vacant. are said 70 have
been the show grounds Of the town
in the earlier years. The northeast
corner OF the square at this time was
without buildings.
The north boundary on the original