Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-14
UNIFORMITY BROKEN
~ ONE LONE FAMILY
Settlement" 10 Progressive and I'm.
partmsnts 20 Houses and Farms Are
Of the esst-Farmsr Near Mecalls.
burg Wires House In Anticipation o.
Electric Service in the Future.

ton. Yankees" Germans. Irish.
Scotch. English, Danes and several
other kinds of people are usually to be
found within a six mile square and the
traveller who finds this condition soon
becomes so accustomed TO this state of
affairs that he hardly gives the sub
ject thought. 1t is when variety il
lacking that one is reminded he Is
travelling in settlement"
In one township in Grundy county
1t is said that every man except two
who ever operated a farm within its
borders was or Is German or of
German descent, the two Americans.
who formed the exceptions. having
moved out many years ago.
Almost the same condition exists In
at least one of the Story county town
ships where it is said that one lone
family breaks the uniformity Of ma
tionality, only in this case 1t is the
Norwegian and his descendants who
have possessed themselves Of the land.
If reports are true they had pretty
hard time of 1t at first, too. The
country is low and flat, wet seasons
worked havoc with the efforts Of the
farmer, markets were few and far be-
tween yet the Norwegian stayed and
gives every promise at this time OF
prolonging his stay indefinitely. He
has developed the region into one of
fine and prosperous farms in the mean
time. The epoch of hardships passed
long ago and that Of modern houses
and woven wire fences was established
and still prevails.
One farmer near McCallsburg last
summer putaup a very fine residence.
He anticipated possibilities Of wiring
the building for electric lights. He
doesn't know yet where the current Is
to come from but believes that the
farmer of the future Is about to discard
the old kerosene lamp for the electric
bulb so he wired his new house so as to
be ready when the time comes. One of
the very fine farms in this locality is
that of the Tjernagel brothers north
east Of town !, 1t is surrounded by q
woven wire fence with massive cement
corner posts, the intervening ones be-
ing of the same material
There is q wide stretched from Story
City to Roland along which an electric
current is conducted for light and pow
or for the latter town. Four farmers
along this line have wired their houses
and barns and are lighting these build
ings with electricity.
One of the interesting reminders OF
earlier days in this locality is what is
known as "Christietown. It is told
that q. good many years ago one Chris
tie settled at point a few miles from
where Story City now stands. A store.
blacksmith shop. ETC.. were established
and for awhile the point enjoyed con-
siderable trade. Some twenty or more
little five to eight acre farms were de-
veloped on the prairie and to this day
there live number of these old set
tiers on the diminutive farms. The
highway passing thru the community
is commonly known as the Christie
town road" 1t would be interesting to
know how many Of these old time In
land towns were put out Of existence
by the building of railroads which
failed to come near enough to make
their permanence practicable. The
number could 1t be known would as
tonish those who never gave the matter
any thought
A farmer living near here has team
of ponies which has seen good deal
of the world. The little spotted fell
lows were once o part of the Yankee
Robinson show. When that "aggrega-
ton disbanded the horses were dis
posed of and the present owner secured
this pair They belonged to the trained
pony department and still remember 4
number of the tricks which once de-
lighted great audience all over the
country.
BY the side of road leading thru
the timber along Skunk river there is
a curiosity for the student of forest
life. Two big elm trees Of different
va rieties have grown up, standing