100 years ago
JULY 7, 1904 — The valley portion of Marion was flooded for the second time this year, yesterday. The daily rains for the past week culminated Tuesday night in a very heavy downpour, nearly two inches of water falling in the town and even heaving rains falling all around the horse-shoe territory drained by the streams which pass through this town. The flood was anticipated and merchants and others were ready for it. The water rose steadily all day yesterday, reaching the highest mark in the history of the town — several inches higher than the flood of last year, which broke all records up to that date. Oldest inhabitants here, including Uncle George Griffith, who has been here forty years and more, have never before known the rivers to leave their banks in July.
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Mr. Frank Schmersey and Miss Pearl Sumner were married at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Sumner, in this city, last Thursday evening, June 30th, Rev. Mr. Kjellin officiating. The groom is one of Thompson & Co's most popular salesman, a fine young man in every way. The bride has been in the telephone office for a number of years, and is a most excellent young lady. The RECORD extends hearty congratulations and well wishes to this well mated and worthy young couple.
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The RECORD repeats all its former warnings concerning precautions to prevent sickness as a result of the flood, with emphasis. No former overflow occurred so late in the season. The hot weather is here, which increases the danger. Clean up the premises. Burn the grass and weeds as soon as they will burn. Clean out the cellars and sprinkle lime in them. But above all, clean out the wells, thoroughly.
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Capt. Joe Dickerson, a veteran of the civil war, a brother of Mr. Thomas Dickerson, and therefore a relative of the RECORD, has been here the past week from his home in Seattle, visiting relatives and friends, including his sister, Mrs. Davis Harrison. He is a very interesting man to meet, full of war and frontier reminiscence, and bubbling over with patriotic enthusiasm.
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The young fellows (and old fellows, too) who have had "fun" floating other people's sidewalks off, should be compelled to return them. A calamity like this flood is bad enough without help from hoodlums.
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31 Years Ago
From the Record Files July 5, 1872
We need rain!
The Presbyterian church is enclosed and floored.
The fourth of July was celebrated in good old fashioned style in Marion Centre this year T.W. Bown was President of the day. E.W. Hoch read the Declaration of Independence in a very able manner and was listened to by the audience with marked attention. Cap. Sam R. Peters was orator of the day, and his address was an excellent one, full of original thought and sound sense. Short speeches were also made by L.F. Keller, Col. Bates, and Rev. McDonald. As soon as the exercises in the grove were finished the lively strains of a string band was heard issuing from the hall, and not many minutes elapsed ere beautiful women and brave men were tripping the light fantastic, which amusement was kept up until the ushering in of the Sabbath. It is estimated that fully one thousand people were here and among all this vast number the utmost harmony and good feeling prevailed. All together it was a great day for Marion Centre.
Cap. S.R. Peters is daily receiving encouragement as a candidate for the State Senate this fall. He will faithfully represent the people if elected, and be an honor to Marion County. He has already been endorsed by many of the leading citizens of Chase and Morris counties as their first choice.
The oat crop in Reno county is nearly a failure on account of the drouth.
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Two of Marion's teachers, Miss Angie Stout and Miss Lena Sheets, are visiting the World's Fair together.
Charlie Locklin caught a Buffalo fish last week that weighed a few ounces over forty pounds.
Peabody drafted a Fourth of July orator from its home talent, and had a finer speech than most any imported orator would have given them. Fred Potter was the orator.
That manly little boy, Randolph Carpenter, went to Kansas City, Monday, to join his mother who has been visiting her sister.
Two feet of water in a printing office is not conducive to happiness to the editorial, reportorial and typographical force.
Dr. Smith reports a patriotic Fourth at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alpheus Adkins. It is a boy.
Ferd Funk is in St. Louis attending the two big shows — the World's Fair and the Democratic National Convention.
Mr. H.H. Dunn, who bought the Adams farm, is enjoying a visit from his mother, from Clay county.
We preferred to have the World's Fair held in Marion, because it is a much prettier and more centrally located town than St. Louis, but candor compels us to admit that it has been a trifle too wet here this season for successful Fair purposes.
(Copied by Joan Meyer from the 1904 microfilm files of the Marion Record.)
