Near the close of the year 1867, B. Annundson established a Norwegian printing office in Decorah, printing several publications for the college. A few years later he commenced the publication of the Decorah Posten, which is the only Norwegian paper in Iowa, and has a very large circulation.

1868.

Feb. 1, Decorah secures two mails a day.

This winter Decorah secures a course of lectures by Fred Douglas, Theodore Tilton, Henry Vincent and E. P. Whipple,

February 2, Norwegian M. E. Church on Washington Prairie dedicated.

Feb. 18, John T. Stoneman lectures in Decorah on Joe Smith, the Mormon prophet.

April, Decorah Democrat established, Bob Shurley, editor.
May 17, Norwegian celebration; oration by Prof. Larsen.

July 4, celebration at Decorah; Rev. Henderson, of Dubuque,

orator.

Oct. 7, 8 and 9, County Fair at Decorah.

In 1868, by the creation of the Circuit Court as previously described, the County Court ceased to exist. The County Judge became ex officio County Auditor, the new state of things taking effect June 1, 1869.

1869.

On New Year's day Charles Magoffin fell over the bluff overhanging the dugway, above the mill dam, Decorah. He was getting some cedar branches, and stepping on ice, slipped and fell down the bluff and was killed.

Jan. 12, Oddfellows occupied their new hall in the Dickerman building, Decorah.

March 15, paper mill company at Freeport organized.

May 12, work commenced in earnest on the Decorah branch of the railroad.

May 9, depot and six grain warehouses at Ossian burned.
June 7, A. K. Bailey appointed postmaster at Decorah.

June 13, Kramer's store burned, and depot and Lambert's store at Castalia robbed.

July 4, celebrated at Ossian and Hesper.

July 12, Calmar is incorporated as a village of the second class Aug. 24, David Self was killed by his wagon tipping over into river, on the dugway, Decorah. He was thrown under the wagon; his wife and children escaped.

Sept 15, first regular train ran into Decorah. It was a day of celebration and rejoicing.

Sept 22, 23 and 24, County Fair at Decorah.

Oct. 28, Edgar Harden, son of H. J. Harden, was fatally stabbed at Burr Oak by Jasper Jewell, who became irritated by the badinage of a party of threshers, with whom he was working.

Dec. 2, Beauseant Commandery of Knights Templar fully organized and officers installed at Decorah with a grand parade, display, etc.

The Decorah Ventilator was established this year.

This year the railroad reached Fort Atkinson, and the building of the new town commenced.

1870.

In 1870 the old Supervisor system of one from each township gave place to the present system, except that at first there were but three Supervisors; but this was changed, in 1872, to five, the present number.

In February S. S. Haislett bought E. C. Huntington's interest in the State Press newspaper, recently established at Decorah.

In March woman's suffrage lectures were delivered in Decorah by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Mrs. H. C. Reed.

A 4th of July accident occurs at Spillville by the premature explosion of an anvil, by which four men were badly hurt.

August 17, the publication of the Winneshiek Representative was commenced at Calmar by Bent Wood.

Steyer's Hall, Decorah, was completed this year.

1871.

Decorah had a lecture course for the winter of 1870 and 1871, among the lecturers being Lilian Edgerton and W. H. Milburn. February 2, a fire in Decorah destroys Goddard & Henry's store, the Howell and Heivly building occupied by P. S. Smout and Mrs. G. W. Adams' millinery store.

February 24, by legislative enactment Decorah was incorporated a city of the second class. It first election was held March 6, 1871. The first mayor was Charles F. Allen. The other officers are given in a sketch of Decorah.

May 17, Norwegian celebration at Decorah. County Fair in Decorah in September.

The number of County Supervisors was increased from three to five, as at present.

June 23, the Winneshiek Representative at Calmar suspended publication.

Decorah celebrated the 4th of July; Mahlon Willet, orator.

Sept. 6th, a homicide occurred in the evening in Frankville township. Wm. McClintock was scolding his nephew about some piece of mischief when a man, named Seeley, rode up and said: "Take one of your size." And in a quarrel that followed Seeley knocked McClintick down with a club. McClintock died three hours afterward. Seeley was held to bail in the sum of $1,000, and afterwards sent to the penitentiary.

The County Fair was held at Decorah in September.

The Decorah Democrat was discontinued, and the material taken to McGregor for a paper there.

1872.

Jan. 17, old settlers of the county organize.

March 27, Ole Bull comes to Decorah, gives two concerts and a mattinee, and is given a grand public reception by the people. July 4, Fort Atkinson celebrates, with W. H. Bennett as orator. Deborah celebrates, with Rev. Casabeer as orator and Mrs. H. Bottsford as reader.

County Fair at Decorah, Sept. 17, 18, 19 and 20.

1873.

The great storm and snow blockade commenced Jan. 7th, continuing about a week. It was in this storm that Conductor Bob Jamieson organized a rescue party and went from Calmar carrying provisions to passengers in a blockaded train a little south of Ridgeway. They made their way through the blinding storm by starting from one telegraph pole to another; the one who found the pole first shouting to the others. It was nearly two weeks before the blockade was finally lifted.

Jan. 20, the new school house at Fort Atkinson was burned. Feb. 28, Andrew Johnson of Pleasant township, starting to go home from Decorah, drunk, froze to death on his way.

March 12, W. N. Burdick, of Cresco, purchased half the interest in the Decorah Ventillator.

May 17, Norwegian celebration at Decorah. Addresses by Rev. Larsen and L. Reque.

June 7, Ole Bull again visited Decorah and gave a concert.
Sept. 18, the district fair was held at Hesper.

County fair was held at Decorah, Sept. 23, 24 and 26.

1874.

March 31, death of C. H. Henry, of the firm of Goddard & Henry, Decorah.

April 5, death of F. E. Ruth, of the firm of Ruth Bros., Decorah.

May 24th, about this date the business part of Ridgway burned. Twenty-five buildings were destroyed and $50,000 worth of property.

Fourth of July celebrated in Decorah. Rev. H. B. Woodworth, pastor of Congregational Church, orator.

July 31, new bridge over Iowa river at Decorah finished.

Aug. 11, Decorah Independent started by Ed. Wood and S. S. Haislet.

Aug. 13, corner stone of the M. E. Church laid.

Sept. 11 and 12 State Line fair at Hesper.

Sept. 15, 16, 17, county fair at Decorah.

Oct. 3, H. H. Buck, of Decorah, committed suicide.

Nov. 3, A. A. Aiken's Trot Run woolen factory burned.

Greer & Hunter's mill was completed this month.

Dec. 2, final completion and dedication of one wing of the Norwegian College.

Dec. 20, new M. E. Church, of Decorah, dedicated. Bishop Andrews, of Des Moines, presiding.

In November, 1874, Aiken & Woodruff, purchased the Winneshiek Register, published at Decorah (which was the successor of the Decorah Ventillator,) of Geo. W. Haislet. In February, 1875, the Saturday Bee was published from the Register office, and during the snow blockade about that time, and afterwards, at times when occasion demanded, it was issued daily. The present Decorah Journal, Henry Woodruff, editor and publisher, is the successor to the Register, having absorbed the Independent; the Bee also becoming a part of the Journal establishment.

1875.

February 4th, a snow blockade continued several days.

March 3d, Ole Anderson, who lived north of Hesper, going home from Decorah, froze his hands and feet. A suit against H. D. Lolberge followed, in which $6,000 damage was awarded Anderson's wife.

March 31st, it was decided to erect a new Episcopal Church in Decorah this year.

May 9, Rev. Father McNulty, pastor of the Catholic Church, Decorah, died.

June 23, this night occured the great flood of Dry Run, supposed to have been caused by a water spout. Three small dwellings were carried away, and five bridges over Dry Run; Washington Street bridge being the only one saved. All the bridges and much of the railroad track between Decorah and Conover were washed away.

July 2, Presiding Elder Wm. Smith of the M. E. Church, died. July 7, County Supervisors provided for new iron bridges in various parts of the county.

July 17, death of D. Addicken, of Decorah.

July 19, death of Horace S. Weiser, of Decorah.
September 21, 22, 28, State Line fair at Hesper.

1876.

January 4, John B. Stickles died, it was supposed that he was poisoned. The famous murder trials resulting from his death, are recorded in previous chapters.

January 9, Charles Meyers, Supervisor from Second district, died.

January 31, J. Ellen Foster lectured at the Court House on temperance.

March 3, first accident on the Decorah branch of the railroad. Train was ditched three miles from the city. Eleven persons were hurt, but none were killed.

March 14, the new Episcopal Church at Decorah was dedicated. April 7, Peter Duffin, an old settler, died.

June 18, Luther Church, Decorah, was dedicated.

June 6, alleged remains of Decorah, the Indian Chief, taken up, so as to improve the Court House grounds; they were re-interred inside the new wall.

July 4, Centennial celebration at Decorah, with oration by H. B. Woodworth, and meeting of the old settlers in the afternoon. Oct. 10, 1876, Geo. W. Haislet, who had been engaged in various newspaper enterprises in Decorah, Cresco, Lansing, McGregor, and lately for about a year at Dubuque, came back to Decorah and established the Decorah Radical, which he published till the time of his death in the spring of 1881, as recorded under that date.

July 9, in Frankville township Simeon Oleson shot and killed Anderson Theonson, who came to a party uninvited. After two trials Oleson was acquitted. An account of the case is given in a preceding chapter.

Sept. 6th, Capt. T. W. Burdick was nominated for Congress, being the first Representative from Winneshiek County, and was

elected.

Sept 19-21, Fair at Hesper.

At the November election a $12,000 tax, divided between two years, was voted to build a new jail.

Dec. 21, 1876, near Locust Lane, while several teams were on the way home from Decorah, a quarrel arose, and Helge Nelson struck Ed. Torfin a fatal blow on the head with a club. Nelson escaped with six months in the penitentiary.

1877.

Feb. 1, a new hotel, the Arlington House, was opened at Decorah.

Lectures this month in Decorah by James M. Bailey, of the Danbury News, and Mong Chin Foo, followed by others.

May 30, first observance of Decoration day, in Decorah. H. S. Henderson, orator, and C. Wellington, reader.

June 8, death of Joseph Grinsell, station agent at Decorah, his body being found in an unoccupied house at Prairie du Chien. June 14, in the District Court Helge Nelson was convicted of manslaughter in killing Edwin Torfin, December 21, 1876. Particulars are given in account of murder trials in this county.

July 4, celebrated by old settlers, reunion at Weiser's grove. July, James Relf, a pioneer, died.

July 4, Howard's livery stable, Decorah, burned, and othe property greatly endangered.

This same month it was concluded to have an artesian well in Decorah.