Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-06-19
ONEIDA and IT'S
BUSINESS men
INTERESTING DESCRIPTION OF
i ONEIDA AND ITS .S f
y 80 INDUSTRIES.
lis A. MOST PROGRESSIVE E TOWN
Former Gov. johnson Of Minnesota,
Was One Time Resident1l&%
Of Oneida.

Oneida, the little town Of possibil-
tiles is located eight miles north east
of Manchester in one of the richest
agricultural belts OF Iowa. Bounded
by rich meadows and waving fields
Of grain, it forms a commercial center
uneQualled from the; standpoint OF the
farmer. The three railoads-Ch Chicago,
Great Western, C. NJ. & St p: and
the Manchester and Oneida-gives it
railroad facilities not afforded = by
the majority Of towns many times
Its size. It's nine places Of business
are all in a thriving condition, and
are doing prosperous trade. :-s-
The town; derived the name from
the tribes Of Oneida Indiana (, that
used to inhabit this section Of the
country. When the Chicago. Mil
waukee and St. Paul, then the Della
ware County railroad, nosed its way
through the country, In 1876 it
found nothing but bare stretches Of
prairie dotted here and there. with
the lone buildings of q settler.
The real founding of Oneida dates
back to December, 1887, when the
Chicago, St. Paul and Kansas City,
now the Chicago Great Western. Sc
cured the right Of way and commence
building operations. Il
1t is interesting to note that
st The time Of this construction the
late Governor Johnson Of Minnesota
conducted a small store at Oneida.
At this early date this great man
date of American politics .waa q
>oor Swedish youth. following the
.ailroad construction gangs and con
lucting small provisions stand. The
cider settlers Of the community we'll
.semember this light haired boy and
when he came into place Of M.
.ional importance liked to consider
him as one of their old friends.
This store that he established; was
conducted for number of years by
different owners and started the.
commercial activity Of the town. A
Few years later the railroad sent q
boomer to the town who establish
e. q Farmers Cooperative Store.
from this time on the town progress
ed slowly but 1t was not until a.
Iout twelve years ago that the Chi
,ago Great Western established q
.egular station there and the Milwau-
zee soon followed! About ten years
ago q company organized at Man;
chester, built a railrod. known, ~ the
Manchester & Oneida. connecting the
wo towns and giving the little vii.
age another railroad outlet. With
.hree railroads, six mails and twelve
passenger trains daily and the innum.
.,rable amount OF freights It gives
he town splendid business oppoFtuni-
lies and furnishes many openinEa; for
other enterprises.
I, The first plat Of the village was
made in October. 1896. by the; county
surveyor, with the assistance Of .Eg-
bert; Hoag, and the Oneida Building
md improvement company. which
covered about four blocks. In 1898
mother plat of about two blocks
vas, made, known as the Hoag add
ion. and in 1890 a plat of about three
clocks was laid out. known as the.
Parker addition. These lots have been
we'll settled and are the scenes Of
many comfortable and beautiful
homes. The present population Is
over one hundred and twenty-five.
J. B. Durham is at present the
veteran merchant Of the town, He
is known all over the country % an
Expert watch repairer and optician.
He has a well equipped repair shop
and carries a complete, line Of watch
IS and tewelry. s. *
S. r. Knox located in the town
light years ago, purchasing the drug
:tock of William Thomas. He was
Immediately appointed postmaster and
has served continuously in that ca
oacity ever since. After the recent
incorporation he was elected mayor
of the little village. He takes much
pride in it's improvement and advance
ment and is. doing his best to make
Oneida larger spot upon the map.
In his store he carries complete
line of paints and oils. with an up
.o-date drug stock. 'e5
w. H. Mcconnell is fast becom.
ing one of the older men Of the
place, having been established In
the general, merchandise store for
over seven years. This store. pre-
,ious to his ownership, was one OF
the Oldest and most wen established
enterprises in the village.
z Every town is proud OF good ho-
tel and Oneida has cause to be
proud Of the Ferris House Of which
c. w. Ferris is proprietor. He erect
ed the .bMlding three years ago and
til up-to-date equipment and con-
lI>,;a,oas coon made Il tho fov of