1896

The town's budget for the past year totaled $3420.92. Expenditures of the Ossian public school were: teacher's fund—$1744.18; contingency fund—$354.56.

The city election resulted in a tie for the office of mayor between A. G. Heck and W. W. Carter; Carter was awarded the office by lot. F. C. Clark was elected recorder; C. H. Blanchaine, treasurer; J. J. Schmitz, assessor; Joseph Becker and Jas. Cahill, trustees.

Ed Reurn purchased the F. W. Dessel lot in the burned section of Main street.

He erected a 25' X 60' brick building for use as a meat market. A new refrigerator valued at $3000 was ordered for the new market. G. G. Oyloe and Joe Spillman also rebuilt their business houses with brick.

The G. F. Gunderson store offered these bargains: a stiff hat—50¢; shirt—25¢; seamless sox—5¢ 5 bib overalls—50¢; cotton pants @ 50¢, 75¢ & $1; ladies kid dongola shoes--$1.50; mens satin calf shoes--$3; every day mens shoes--$l.25; and woolen suits—$5.

Shoemaker O. A. Kingshill advertised women's shoes ranging in price from $1.55 to $2.90.

"Mud! Mud! Mud! The mud of 1896 has never been surpassed for sticking quality,’ complains editor Carder. "The price of hogs is rising; a high of $3.80 was paid this week in Ossian."

A relay bicycle race from Minneapolis to Milwaukee passed through town. Otto Figge carried the message from Ossian to Postville. His time for the 12 miles was only 36 minutes.

Some of the town's bachelors held a progressive cinch party at the opera house. The fourteen hosts were: W. M. Anderson, Dr. Pegg, J. E. Boyle, F. E. Lukenbill, Will Helwig, Chas. Green, P. McKernan, T. P. Baxter, Ed Collins, Dr. Harrington, Dr. Wells, M. J. Klein, Adolph Becker and Phil Boyle.

Ed Mann harvested a second crop of turnips from his nine acre barley field. He sold a hundred wagon loads for $1.50 each.

The Women's Hillside Cemetery Association was organized at a meeting in the M. E. Church. The following ladies were elected as officials: Mrs. S. E. Mills, president; Mrs. M. J. Carter, Sec'y and treas. Mrs. Nama Jewell, Mrs. Margaret Limbeck and Mrs. Mills were named directors. The ladies journeyed to Decorah to view that city's cemetery and gather information on how to begin the Ossian Association. We believe that the burial ground, established by the Ossian Cemetery in 1872, was located across the road from the present site. The old graves were relocated on the Hillside grounds. Vandals overturned 14 tombstones in the