in almost an insensible condition from extreme cold. Mr. Funk's house, that time, was his salvation.
There are several creeks in the township, but none large. A branch of Minerva Creek, coming from New Albany Township, and crossing the north line of the section, a little east of the north quarter section, corner of 2, passing into a wide, flat or wet prairie, in the northeast quarter of section 2, and continues so to the east line of section one. A small branch of Clear Creek runs through section 13, southeasterly, and leaves the county a little south of the southeast corner of section 13. A larger branch of Clear Creek shows itself in section 23, then passes through sections 26 and 35—leaving the county a little east of the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of southeast quarter of section 35. A small branch showing itself in section 26 and passes through section 35. Wolf Creek commences in section 29, then flows through sections 29 and 33-cutting off a little of southwest quarter of section 34, leaving the county eighty or one hundred rods east of southwest corner of section 34.
Defiance was laid out as a town, in May, 1856, in the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of section 36, and a small part of it in the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 36. Recorded in Record Book B, page 383. This town is one of long standing, and it may be possible there is a house on it, or in sight of it. It has no hotels, churches nor colleges. The town of Collins came up early in 1882, and has done well. It is a place of stir and life. It is situated mainly on the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 21. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway passes through its southern border. Collins is four and one-half miles east and three-quarters of a mile north of Maxwell. Nevertheless it is destined to be one of our business points —being nicely located and in the midst of a productive country. One of its valuable points is the coal fields being so near to it. This fact must help it if the coal is abundant and of good quality. Of the latter, the claim of quality is good.
The railroad enters the county a little south of the northeast corner of section 24, curving a little so as to cut sections 13, 14 and 23—then the road on a straight line with but little or no curving, running a little south of west through sections 22, 21, 20 and 19—quitting the township at or near the southwest corner of section 19.
At this time no newspaper is published in Collins.
The nine school houses of this township seem to be, all of them, in regular order—forming nine school districts, each being two miles square. This is business. The town of Collins has a high school building, or for graded schools, in addition to the nine others.
Native timber is scarce. There may yet be some in sections 24,25, 26, 35 and 36. There once was a little timber on Wolf Creek