Clay County Courier Narratives 1873 - 1899

Submitted by Danny Moore

1873
The County Sheriff, Wm. G. Akers, has authorized the building of a two-room, 22x40 feet, courthouse on Block 20 at the corner of West First and Main, opposite the Cairo and Fulton Ry depot. A log jail will be built as soon as the courthouse is completed.
The fall term of Circuit Court met this last week in October.
The Crowley Ridge lawyers and attendants at court stayed at the Akers House and complained bitterly about the inaccessibility of the county seat to a more central location.
E. Foster Brown's new two story mansion with his law office next door on Market Street, speaks well for the future of Corning.
The Cairo and Fulton Ry has brought suit against James Stephens, James Carpenter and Hecht Bros., Levi and Morris, who claim that C. and F. Railroad cannot give local title to the area platted by the railroad. They claim the lands under the Swamp Land Grants.
The Cairo and Fulton RR began operating passenger trains on Wednesday, February 5. Train No. One that left St. Louis at 8 a.m., arrived at Corning at 9 p.m. and at Little Rock at 2 a.m. on the 6th. Passengers ferried White and Arkansas Rivers since the bridge across the streams had not been completed. Rosswell Beebe, the Iron Horse, was very magnificent in its red and gold trimmings.
The General Assembly passed an act organizing Clayton County from Greene and Randolph counties on March 24. Corning will probably be selected as county seat by three commissioners in charge of selecting the site.
The first term of court was held yesterday, May 16. Since no courthouse had been built, the session was held in Young's Grove, one block South of the town platted by the railroad. Louise Mildred Lindsey died yesterday at the family home south of Young's Grove. Wm. Lindsey is one of the oldest settlers in this community. Her remains were interred in the former Hecht City graveyard today, beside Mr. Lindsey's other wives, Eunice, buried in 1860 and Martha, buried in 1869.
Geo. W. Stephens, postmaster of Hecht City has been reappointed as postmaster of Corning. Postmaster Stephens will continue the postoffice in the Hecht Brothers Store for the present.
.'The Masons are planning to build a two-story frame lodge hall on the NW corner of Young's Grove. Orient Lodge of the Masons is in need of a meeting place.
Dr. George Beecher reports a great deal of sickness in the area due to rain. during the Summer and Fall.
Uncle John Tisdial and John J. Griffin were in Corning on business yesterday. They reported their ox teams had difficulty pulling wagons through the mud of Black Creek bottoms.
The C.R. Beloate home at Olive and Second is under construction. The family is moving to Corning, from Pocahontas as soon as the house is finished.
Capt. Beloate piloted a steamboat on the Mississippi River at Ireland No. 10, before moving to Pocahontas.
John Buck Kilgore and Miss Cynthia McKee were married yesterday, April 16, at Pocahontas. Mr. Kilgore runs the Kilgore Saloon at the corner of First and Elm and is the popular J.P. of the township named after him. The young couple will reside in the Judge's new cottage at the corner of First and Olive, opposite Carpenter's station, the caboose used by the C and F as a depot before the Corning depot on East Main was built.
James M. Stephens of Little Black was in Corning yesterday on business dealing with the lawsuit over land titles.
George W. Allen shot a nice mess of squirrels in Young's Grove last week. G.W. reports game plentiful this year.

1874
The March term of Circuit Court has brought pressure for an election to move the Clayton County seat to a more central location. Boydsville on the western slope of Crowley's Ridge is favored for the new location.
The election for a new county seat has been set for June 30th. We predict that Corning's many advantages coming from its location on a trunk line railroad will swing the election in our favor.
The election last week found Corning on the losing side of the vote for the 4th of July in Young's Grove.
A Glorious 4th of July-The picnic and mass meeting in Young's Grove was well attended. Square dancing with local fiddlers began on July 3rd and lasted until dawn on the 5th! G.W. Stephens read the Declaration of Independence to a large crowd in the afternoon. At the mass meeting which followed, the citizens vowed that possession was nine points of the law and that the election was fraudulent. A neck tie party will be given to those who attempt to move the county seat. Corning will continue to be the seat of the government of Clayton county.
The C.F. Woodyard is a great attraction to the bigger laddy bucks in Mrs. Smith's subscription school at East Main and Second. The first toot of the locomotive. Mrs. Smith is looking for a new site far away from the depot.
Citizens of Corning are urged to attend the graveyard clean up next Monday. Bring hoes and rakes, spades and utensils. The graveyard is a disgrace to the town.
New residents are arriving every week on the trains from the North. Many are coming via Cairo Ferrying the Mississippi River at Bird's Point and taking the cars to Poplar Bluff and Corning from that point.
Litigation -over land titles continues and Upper Corning suffers since legal titles are available only in Lower Corning. There is talk of platting the unplatted area South of the town for incorporation. Young's Grove is a favored site for a court square. Boydsville has not stolen our county seat yet-and never will.
Edwin R. Adams family arrived overland from Kentucky recently and are living in the frame cottage at Third and Vine. Mr. and Mrs. Adams have two beautiful young daughters, Ada and Catherine who are making a welcome addition to the younger set.
LM. Lindsey and family have arrived overland with their household goods from Iron County, Missouri last week.
The Family will build a home at Elm and Third Street. I.M. has four sons, Clarence, Hale, John and Sterling Price, and a daughter and will make a welcome addition to our community.
E.D. Estes and family have arrived overland from Walter Valley, Miss. and have located in Richwoods West of Corning, about six miles. Mr. Estes will farm and teach a subscription school if there is enough interest in education in the settlement. The Estes have two children Clyde C. and Ethel.
E.N. Royall has been elected for the new Sheriff of Clayton County. W.H. Smith of Corning is the County and Circuit Clerk. Brown of Corning was elected to the state senate, representing Clayton and Greene counties.
Dr. C.H. Ireland has hung his shingle out in Corning and will have his office at the Akers House on First Street until he builds an office building here. The doctor will find plenty of Malaria victims to care for. The wet Summer has produced a bumper crop of skeeters.

1875
The G.W. Stephens home on Market Street is a commodore family residence and with the home of E. Foster Brown next door, enhance the appearance of Market Street.
The log jail near the proposed court square, has been equipped with iron cages. A new jail will he erected as soon as the county seat question is settled. Well it will be Corning! You can bet your bottom dollar.
Atty. E. Foster Brown, State Senator for Clayton and Greene. announces the passing of his bill to change the name of our county from Clayton to Clay.
Atty, Senator John M. Clayton is the godfather of our County, There is so much hostility to his brother Powell, now U.S. Senator, that the citizens have an implacable hatred for the name. Clay will be in honor of Henry Clay of Kentucky.
--Elder Arthur Connor is holding services at the Court house at Main and West First. opposite the depot, on the 4th Sunday each month. He preaches at Richwoods on the first and third Sundays. Citizens are urged to attend the services.
Bent Taylor, aged 14, appeared before the Judge J.B. Kilgore in J.P. Court last Wednesday charged with disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct. Due to his youth, he was dismissed with a stern lecture from the Judge and released to his parents who are highly reputed law-abiding citizens of South of Young's Grove.
Orient Lodge of A and F Masons have begun a two-story frame building on the NW corner of Young's Grove the possible location of the court square since the present site of the courthouse is unavailable due to the clouded title claimed by Hecht, Stephens and Carpenter under a two-way grant title.
Barnhill and Risner have opened their new general merchandise store on First Street, just South of the Old Kentucky Saloon at Main and First. The proprietors are natives of Randolph county and think Corning on the main line of a railroad will be a promising site for a store.
The Orient Lodge convened in their new quarters on last lodge night. The building is a credit to the organization and should do much to make a permanent organization in our town.. The Lodge Hall will be used by the Knights of Honor and will be available for church services that are now abiding by the election of 1874 and are discussing holding another election to force the issue. All we say is "Just let Them Try to 'fake Our County Seat."
G. W. Stephens is building a new two-story frame building on his lots at Market and West Second. He will deal in general merchandise and will move the postoffice from its location on First Street in the Hecht Brothers Store to the Market Street location as soon as the building is completed.
The Cairo and Burton has been taken over by the St. Louis and Iron Mountain RR, Jay Gould, president and the line now operated pullman passenger cars from St. Louis Mo. to Dallas, Texas. Passenger service will be enlarged by a night train, leaving St. Louis 14 th Street terminal at 8 p.m.
C.R. Beloate is building a .frame one-story business on the Beloate lots on West Second Street, North of the alley. The Beloate drug store will provide badly needed business in Corning and will prescription for the medical men.R.E. O'Neil has moved to Corning and will begin printing a weekly paper. The Corning Courier. First issue will be off the press on July 1st.

1876
Mrs. CR.. Beloate has bought of a square model piano and is offering to teach piano lessons at her home at West Second and Olive. The town has needed musical instructions and the piano will make lessons possible for our young ladies.
Captain C.R. Beloate has been appointed postmaster following the resignation of Postmaster Stephens and the postoffice will be moved from the Stephens Store to a location in the Beloate Drug Store.
The community is grieved by the death of Emily, the beloved wife of W.T. Davis, on February 24th. The remains were interred in Corning Cemetery following services in the Davis home on Second Street. Mr. Davis and the family have the sympathy of the citizens in the loss of their wife and mother.
The cattle pen of the Iron Mountain on the passing track East of the depot is a busy place. Farmers are getting rid of cattle due to threats from the teaming buffalo gnats. The stockyard smell is increased by the mud and passengers waiting to board trains are complaining about the stench.
Ox teams are bringing in wagon loads of cotton to the cotton gin East of the railroad at the foot of Chestnut Street.
Cotton is King in Clay County and pickers are busy in the cotton fields. J. F. Mahan of Thurman reports a bumper yield on his farm in Richwoods
Levi and Morris Hecht have dissolved an interest and will be moving the Imboden family to Corning. The establishment will continue to operate in the Hecht building on West First near the Akers House.
The Swamp Grant Land Titles continue to postpone buildings in Upper Corning. The empty square is being enclosed by a lower Corning business district. Berger's Store at Second and Market and Ireland's Hotel, South of it, and The Courier office have filled in the East side of Second Street.
Disaffection is rampant on Crowley's Ridge and their demands for an election to determine the location of the county seat grow more vocal with every meeting of Circuit Court.
William S. Rhodes, seven year old son of S.W. and C.M. Rhodes, died December 30th and was laid to rest in Corning Cemetery on New Year's Eve. The Rhodes family have the sympathy of the community in their hour of sorrow. Willie was a bright and friendly lad and had just begun school at Widow Brown's School in her home at Main and East Second.
W.A. Harb of Indiana has been in Corning for a week of checking on the town on a location for his sawmill. He left on No.1 yesterday for locations between here and Little Rock. He was favorably impressed by the business done in Corning and we predict that the Harb family will be residents before the first frost of fall.
Farmers report that the buffalo gnats are so prevalent due to the wet and cool summer that their stock are dying from so many bites. Unless killing frost comes soon, the toll will make 1876 a year to be long remembered.
The Wm. B. Harb family arrived in Corning last week, coming via Cairo to Poplar Bluff and South to Corning on the morning express. Mr. Harb has rented the two story house on East First Street as the family residence. The Harb sawmill will be located on the SE corner of Block 18. The Harbs have acquired timber rights in that area and will begin cutting as soon as the sawmill is ready to operate.

1877
H.H. Williams, who moved to Corning, from Morley, Scott County, Missouri in 1878, has setup his mill at Williams and is shipping his lumber out on the Iron Mountain on the spur called Williams Switch South of Moark The settlement of Williams is growing and that mill is enlarging its force of workers quickly. H.H. owns several thousand acres of timber land the operation should continue for many years to come.
Lawlessness is on the increase in this part of the county and several Klu Klux Klans are operating both sides of Black River. Solid citizens are at the mercy of night riders who tar and feather if the first whipping has not brought the victim into line, it is becoming increasingly evident that Clay must be divided into Eastern and Western Districts. As it is now we have no legal protection. Two J.P.'s have already been bush whacked and no one knows who will be the next victim. Corning must have a court house in its square soon
M.L. Watts and family have moved to Corning from Burlington, Mo. where Mr. Watts conducted two small sawmill operations. The family has moved into the two-story rooming house at the corner of East Elm and First where Mrs Watts will run a hotel, The Illinois House. Mr. Watts will take charge of the sawmill at Schrink at Black River Bridge on the Iron Mountain. His daughter, Mary Louella, will be bookkeeper for the mill. Mr. Watts has two sons, Will and John, who will help in the business. Daughter, Effie and Kate and Young Arthur Dell will assist in operating the Illinois House. Mrs. Watts (Catherine Ogan) is an excellent cook and has operated hotels where the Watts lived in S.E. Illinois.
C.V. Beloate has rented the frame building on the N.E. corner of the square and is opening a mercantile business.
Sylvanus Bishop and family of Indiana arrived in Corning last week. Sylvanus is a carriage maker and will open a wagon making shop on his property at Second and Pine, Mr. Bishop has bought land adjoining the town on the West and is building the home on the West side of his acreage. The family consists of the parents, and five children, Anna, John, Amy, Elsie and Donald. Mr. Bishop will make coffins as a sideline to the carriage and wagon making enterprise. Hecht and Imboden have built a new cotton gin and grist mill on their property at Vine and West First and will have the cotton gin operating in time for ginning this fall.
An election for the location of the county seat for Clay County has finally been called for May 22nd. Well, let them call all the elections they want. We will still have the county seat. The recent election has been a disaster, 603 votes were pulled for Boydsville and only 42 for Corning. The Crowley Ridge gang will not be balked any longer. Corning citizens have called a mass meeting to discuss what can be done to further the progress of our town. Divided by Cache and Black Rivers and plagued by impassable roads in Winter, the sensible solution would be to set up two judicial districts, East and West.
The county seat committee has met and Lower Corning will be platted, about 30 blocks, with Block 93 designed as court square. Blocks 8 and 9 and 24 which have legal titles will be included in the new corporation and will be renumbered. J.C. Hawthorne, Corning's foremost authority on law, is in charge of the community effort.
Clay County records have been moved to the court house in Boydsville and three ox teams of six oxen each have removed the iron cages from the log jail and are moving them slowly to the new county seat. Corning may be down but we are not out. Them Crowley Ridge Hillbillies will see! Eli Loda, engineer on the Pay Car Train, was in Corning yesterday and the Pay Car handed out wages due the Iron Mountain employees at the depot.
C.R. Beloate, Postmaster, has succeeded in establishing public education in Corning.
School District No.8 has been located on West Fourth between Pine and Olive and a two room frame school house will begin the Fall term of school. Corning is growing, new families are coming in on the Iron Mountain and the school will be an inducement for them. W.L. Skaggs of Green county has been engaged to teach the new term. Anna Carr of Lawrenceville, Ill., has been hired as Prof. Skagg's assistant.
John E. Gilbert, station agent at Knobel, was up from Knobel on No. 2 yesterday and returned to his depot on No. One at 9 p.m.
W.T. Griffin of Richwoods is logging for the H.H. Williams sawmill this summer. Robert A. Hawthorne is the popular bar tender in the Jack Cassidy saloon in the former Kilgore's Saloon.
Judge J. Buck Kilgore was bushwhacked through the kitchen window of the Kilgore home at First and Olive yesterday evening at dusk. He had been holding the Kilgore baby in his arms and had just put the child in the high chair when the shot broke the window glass. No clues as to the identity of the assassin can be found.
Judge Kilgore leaves a widow and two babies to mourn his murder. Burial was in Corning Cemetery with a large attendance of angry citizens.

1878
The Iron Mountain has been stationing extra session crews on the right of way from St. Louis to Texarkana and on June 22nd the crews will begin working from dawn to dark to change the entire link from the wide gauge of five foot to the standard gauge of four feet, eight inches. There will be no trains operated during the changeover which involves moving one rail into place. Service will be speeded up since the car hoist of Texarkana to lift the coaches from five feet to four feet eight inch tracks can be abandoned. All of the Texas lines are standard gauge and very few wide gauge lines now remain in operation.
Hannibal Hawthorne age 25, died on May 16 and was buried in the Hawthorne family plot in Corning Cemetery on the 18th. Hannibal was a very promising young man and highly esteemed in the community. Funeral services were conducted by the Methodist minister James P Jernigan.
Arthur Connor Baptist minister at Richwoods has begun a revival meeting in the abandoned Court House at Main and West First. The public is invited to attend the services at 7 pm. Much interest is being shown in the revival.
P.H. Young has offered to sell Block 93 to the corporation for $300. A committee of the council is making the rounds to raise the sum needed. County script has been selling for 45 cents on the dollar, so the sensible deal is to buy script and turn it into the county for the debt. Corning has a public square fenced. The first problem is getting a courthouse built in the center of it.
R.E. O'Neil editor of The Corning Courier has met financial problems in operating the weekly and has assigned his debts to Mr. W.A. Brummage for collection. The Courier printed its first paper July 1, 1875 and the town hopes that Mr. O'Neil will be able to resolve his difficulties since the town needs a newspaper..
The blind musical troupe that performed for out of town at Masonic hall Thursday night have not been charged the customary fee charged performers since the company is donating its service to benefit the blind. The performance was well attended and worth the small fee charged.
Dr.. C. H.. Ireland died November 7 and was buried on Sunday. Rev. James P. Jernigan officiating. Dr. Ireland belonged to the Masonic Lodge and the Masons conducted the lodge ritual at the grave. He is survived by his widow Eliza Ireland of the home.
News has just arrived from Vidette of the death of J.P. Elias Cunningham on who was shot by assassins through the window of the home on December 2nd. Elias died on December 8th. He is the second J.P. to be bushwhacked in about a year. J.P. John Buck Kilgore was shot in the same manner in 1877. With no legal authority higher than J.P. from Cache to Current River lawlessness is taking over. Neither the Kilgore nor the Cunningham murderers have been apprehended.
The Court Square has been fenced by the public subscription for $40.00. The plank fence is protected by law since the council has made it a fineable offense to hitch teams to the structure.
A five mill tax has been assessed by the town council to meet the expense of the corporation of Corning.
E.D. Brazil died on December 8 and was laid to rest in Corning Cemetery on the 10th.
Ed was only 22 years of age and the sympathy of the town goes out to the Brazel family in the loss of a beloved son and brother.
With our county jail useless since the iron cells were moved to Boydsville last year and the lawlessness increasing rapidly, the council has voted to build a calaboose to hold the law breakers. Dennis Reynolds, W. W. West and J.T. Jones have been appointed on a committee to select a site for the calaboose and to raise the money needed by public subscription.
John J. Griffin is employing men to take rafts of logs down Black River to New Orleans about 30 days.
Dr.Edward Silverberg who hung out his medical shingle in Corning two years ago is a graduate of Medical University of Louisville Ky. who practiced in Pocahontas and Poplar Bluff before settling in Corning. Dr. Silverberg is highly esteemed as a physician and has a wide practice in Corning and surrounding area.
Jasper B. Smith who has farmed 80 acres on Black Creek reports that the area is beginning to need rain.
Dr. C.C. Symonds and his wife Sally C. and son arrived in Corning last week from Clay County Illinois and are building a home on Third Street near the Court Square. Dr. Symonds is a physician and surgeon and has set up an office on Second Street across from the Stephens Store.
J.W. Harb who arrived from Hartford City Ind. with the Harb family in 1876. has set up a drug store on Pine Street in Corning.

1879
The Corporate Seal for Corning has been lifted from the express office and is now in use by the town council.
Jacob Brobst and family have moved to Corning and will be located at the corner of the square on Chestnut. The family comprises Mr. Mrs. Brobst, son Chas and Wife and Mary Alice. Mr. Brobst will follow his trade as a carpenter and Corning is growing. The Brobsts are natives of Ohio and should make a valued addition to our population.
The Methodists who have been attending a tent revival meeting with preaching by James F. Jernigan, evangelist, have organized as a church and will plan to build Corning's first place of worship as soon as possible. The Wests and Harbs, Stephens, Brobst and Beloate families are charter members of the new congregation. A lot has been acquired on Third and Pine for the building.
The municipal election set for the third Tuesday was a quiet affair. The following citizens were elected to serve for another year: H.F. Jones, mayor; George P. McGovern J. W. Harris, O.M. Gunner. D.W. Reynold and M. Gregg as council men; C.G. Harb, recorder. The Council will continue to meet in Stephens Store at Market and Second.
An ordinance has been passed by the council to suppress bawdy houses in the corporation. A good move but unfortunately most of the bawdy houses are located outside the corporate limits, the part of the community known as Upper Corning.
P.H. Young has filled in the abandoned well that was used by the Clark Brick Co. when the firm operated the brick kiln on the block west of Court Square.
Minnie Harb, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Harb, died June 8th at the age of two months and nine days. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. James F. Jernigan of the M.E. Church south at the hone on Second Street and Minnie was laid to rest in Corning Cemetery in the Harb family plot. 'Suffer the little Children to Come unto Me and Forbid Then Not, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven.' The community joins the family in their grief.
E.D. Estes, who was farmed in the Woodall community and taught two terms of subscription school there, has built a hone on Block 12 at Elm and Third and is moving to Corning with his family to take over The Corning Courier. The editor R.E. O'Neil, sold the property under the hammer early this year. E.D. will be assisted in the printing of The Corning Courier by his son Clyde C. Estes.
The sidewalks on the East side of the Public square have been ordered cleared of obstruction from Berger's corner to The Courier print shop.
The following licenses for operating certain businesses have been set by the City Dads: Butcher Shops, $5.00 per year; Livery Stable, $5.00 per year; Saloons and Dram Shops, $10.00 per year.
The 4th of July will be celebrated in Corning with a picnic and barbecue on the school grounds at Fourth and Olive and Pine. The all shaded campus should make a delightfully cool spot for picnic baskets to be unloaded and families served on the grounds. To insure a quiet celebration, no liquor will be allowed on the school grounds.
C.V. Beloate, treasurer, has made the report of municipal Finances, after two years of incorporation. Currency taken in $152.72, County Script, $21.00; County Funds, $172.74; paid out on order, $96.74. The treasurer advises that new sources of revenue need to be adopted to keep the finances of the corporation solvent.

1880
With no respects for a court house, the square has been rented for grazing purposes to R.J, Greene until January 1. Rent for the rest of 1880 set at $22.
Thos. F Ray and E Perkins have bought a printing press and brought it to Corning and we now have two weekly paper. The newcomers title is the Advocate. The business has begun business in the one story frame building on West Second Street., North of the home of Sarah Mullins on Pine.
The Council has called an election to annex Upper Corning to the corporation for the third Tuesday in August. Although the land title in that area remains clouded the corporation will have to increase the revenue by taking in the original plat of Corning if it hopes to remain solvent.
J.H. Hardesty is the July replacement for McCullion as the alderman on the Council.
The election board for the coming election on annexing Upper Corning ; Judges, G.L. Waugh, John Gilbert, and S. Bishop. Clerks A. J. Harb and Tom F Ray.
Wm.H Phipps deacon of the M.E. Church South has moved from Randolph County to Corning and will assist the recently organized congregation by holding preaching services in the Masonic Hall of the Second and Fourth Sundays of the month. The Methodist Sunday School meets every Sunday at 9 a.m. and the public is invited to attend.
Although Corning citizens are getting discouraged about dividing the country and getting a court house built in the public square, the town council has voted to hold on th the property, hoping for action soon. C.V. Beloate, treasurer of the corporation, informs us the note owed the county for the property is due and payments cannot be made. Alderman J. C. Hawthorne has been appointed agent for the town to cancel the judgment and renewal of the title bond to the county.
In the April municipal election Mayor H.F. Jones, Recorder C V Beloate, Alderman Stratton, See, McMullin, Stoffel and Hawthorne.
The Council will continue to meet in Stephen's Store. Market and Second Street.
A committee of citizens is canvassing the town for subscriptions to pay the coat of records for the Western District of Clay County.
The election of Atty. J Hawthorne to the State Senate assures us that Corning will again become a county seat,
G.W. Stephen,, Sylvanus Bishop and Joe Scot have been appointed as a committee to select a site for a cemetery. The old Hecht City Cemetery is now so filled with graves that additional burial 'space is a necessity.
The E. Foster Brown office East of his home on Market Street will be the voting place for all elections held in Corning this year.
H.F. Jones has been paid $10 for relinquishing any legal claims to Block 93.
Ordinance No. 11 to ban drunkenness' has passed the third reading by the Council and will be printed in the Corning Advocate, Rhea and Perkin's editors.
.J. H. Hardesty has moved outside the corporation to an address in Upper Corning and has been replaced by J.T. Cox who lives on Olive Street.
Fire is an ever present hazard in a community of wooden buildings. The town Council has drawn up specifications for flues and John Gilbert has been appointed flue inspector to cheek all flues and condemn those that are below the safety standard.
The August annexation of Upper Corning brought 21 votes for and one against. Upper Corning is now included in the corporation. The landslide vote shows that Corning Citizens will stick together to become a county seat again.
G.W. Stephan's replaces J. H. Hawthorne on the town Council. Atty. Hawthorne has resigned to canvass for State Senator in the coming election. Let West Clay and Greene counties unite behind out fellow citizen and we will have a court house in the town square.

1881
John S. Magee and Elizabeth Title were united in marriage at Vidette by Elder Arthur Connon on May 17th. The Magees are popular citizens in West Clay and the Courier joins with their many friends for a happy voyage on the sea of matrimony.
Pages 10 and 11 of the marriage license ledger have two interesting records. On July 14th Frank Thompson 33 was issued a license to wed Sarah Brooks. On July 16th, Mr Thompson returned the license stating that to his surprise Miss Sarah refused to marry him. With that matter cleared, Mr Thompson bought a license to wed Cora Brooks, age 18, this time giving his age as 23. The ceremony was said by Mayor G. W. Rhodes. Cora and Sarah are twins and Frank evidently didn't know which girl he had wooed and won! The discrepancy with his age (33 down to 21) was not explained. The Courier wishes the couple much happiness anyway.
The death of Col. George Lee Waugh, a Confederate veteran of Culpepper County, Virginia, on December 10th has deprived Corning of its two most out standing citizens in less that a week. Col. W.H. Smith having succumbed on the 6th, only four days prior to Col Waugh' s death on the 10th of December. Masonic rites were conducted at the grave by Orient Lodge.The two colonels remain unseparated in death and lie in adjoining graves.
In the April 15th municipal election, Mayor G.W. Rhodes; Recorder Wm. Secor; Alderman L. E. Imboded, W. D. McKay, J.H, Hardesty, Wm. Smith, WC Gregtson. Wm. Risner has been appointed street commissioner.
Issac M. Reed, who moved to Corning last year, has built a blacksmith shop on the East Side of Second Street at Vine and is now open for business.
B. H. Sellmeyer of Knobel was in Corning on business last Monday He returned to Knobel c No 1 at 9 p.m.
Daisy Chamelle Stephens, infant daughter of Mr and Mrs. G. W. Stephens died March 16th and was buried in the Stephens plot in the Corning Cemetery yesterday. Daisy, aged seven month was budded on earth to blossom in Heaven. The sympathy of the community is extended to the beraved parents.
Col. W. H. Smith d Montgomery County , Mo. died December 6 at the home and was buried with rites by the Orient Chapter of the Masonic Order on the following day. Col. Smith was Clayton County and Circuit County Clerk. 1874-1878 when the County seat was located in Corning.
W. C Secor is the 1881 station agent at the Iron Mountain Depot. W. C. took over the agency on January 1 and is a personable young bachelor addition to society.
The Corning Calaboose will be built on the disputed land West of Hecht and Imboden cotton gin on First Street. With no county jail and a crime wave in this part of Clay County, some sort of place for keeping law breakers is a must!
B. A. Davis has resigned as Marshall and his star commissioner Wm. Risner to drain a few of the many mud holes on First Street. The Council has voted a two and one-half mills general purpose tax.
'I'he Arkansas Legislature has passed an act dividing Clay County into districts, Eastern and Western, with county seats in Boydsville and Corning. The seats will be equal and the taxes will be spent in the districts where raised. Corning and Boydsville will elect County officers with deputies filling the offices in Corning. A two-story frame courthouse with four offices downstairs and a courtroom upstairs will appear on the court square by the time frost falls. Now, if the land titles can be cleared in Upper Corning, Corning at long last will be freed of all inconveniences. Boydsville, watch our
smoke!.
Alderman Stephens has introduced an ordinance to prohibit the selling of liquor and opening of saloons on Sunday. The ordinance was approved by a vote of three to two. For: Rhodes, Stephens and Beloate: Against: Cox and Stoffel.
Elder James F. Jernigan, of the M. E. South, registered his preaching credentials in the W. D. Marriage License Ledger on May 7, 1881. He was ordained on December 3, 1876 at Batesville Annual Conference by Bishop John Treener.
James F. Jernigan, who was assigned to Corning M. E. Church South by the annual conference of 1880, was united in marriage to Lizzie Camp of Gainesville, Greene County. The Courier joins with the community and the Methodist congregation in extending best wishes to this popular young preacher and his bride.
The marriage of David N. Thomas to Sophia West was solemnized on October 27 at the family home on Pine Street with Pastor James F. Jernigan of Corning M. E. Church South officiating.. The bride's parents Mr. and Mrs. W.W. West are highly esteemed pioneer settlers of Corning. David is a rising young businessman and the couple are leaders in the Methodist congregation The Courier joins with the community in extending felioitation for a voyage of the sea of matrimony.
Dr. Henry C. Redwine, doctor, merchant, postmaster of Vidette, was married to Mary I. Masterson on August 10 at the Masterson home. Elder Arthur Connor of the Baptist church said the vows. Dr Redwing and his bride are prominent members of the West Clay Society.

1882
L.E. Imboden, popular young merchant and partner of Morris Hecht in the firm of Imboden and Hecht on First Street, was united in marriage to Mary A. Akers of the locally prominent Akers Family on July 23rd. W. B. Harb officiating. The newly weds were given a charivari last night and Lute passed out cigars to the boys around the town.
Atty. F. G. Taylor and Miss Viola Beloate pledged their vows Wednesday night at the Beloate home at Olive and Second. The Baptist Wilder, Wm. A. Watson performed the ceremony in the presence of the family. 
The groom has established a reputation in Clay, has been admitted to the Clay County Bar and is mentioned as a prospective Circuit Judge before many years. The young couple has set up to housekeeping in their new home in Corning. The Courier and the community wish them well.
New Years 1882 begins with a fresh chapter in the wave of crime that has been sweeping this side of the County since the removal of the county seat to Boydsville in 1877. This chapter is titled Murder. On December 29th Riley Black, Bent Taylor and Wm. Mullhollen of the Vidette community after spending the day at Neelyville saloons were returning home and the body of Riley was discovered the next morning on the road out of Missouri with his throat sliced from ear to ear. A coroners jury was convened and Riley's companions have been lodged in the jail at Boydsville on charge of Murder. 
The three principals are thought to belong to the gang of outlaws that has disturbed the peace of the Western District since the 1877 bush whacking of Judge Kilgore. The Grand Jury that meets in February should give this outrage a full and complete examination.
The suit of the Iron Mountain against Levi Hecht to settle land titles in Upper Corning was settled by a degree on August. 24 1882 confirming title to the land of the plaintiff, The Railroad Co. The case has been in courts since August 11 1874 and Upper Corning platted by The Iron Mountain RR in 1873 has been hampered badly because of the clouded title, although the Railroad guaranteed their titles to the lots would be valid this confirmation of title should promote the growth of Corning, the best town in Clay County. 
Wm. D. McKay blacksmith and earlier alderman on the Town Council, died at his home on March 7, 1882. Dennis was a valued citizen in Corning and will be missed by the community as well as his family. His remains were laid to rest in Corning Cemetery with Deacon Phipps of the Methodist Church conducting the rites.
Judge W. B. Harb officiating at a double wedding ceremony at the Harb home on Second Street on November 9th. Henry Barnhill of Pocahontas and George Barnhill of Corning were united in marriage to Ellen C. Gilbert and Angie Davis, two of Corning's most highly esteemed young ladies. Both couples will reside in Corning. The Courier and the people of Corning wish the two couples much happiness.
G.W. Allen, Lecie C. Allen, Bent Taylor and Wm. Mullhollen were brought from jail at Bodysville by Sheriff J.A. McNeil to face the Grand Jury investigating the murder of Riley Black on December 29 1881. Each accused the other of the crime but evidence showed that Taylor was the guilty one.
Jacob Brobst, foreman of the Grand Jury is to be commended for the indictment. The Klan vowed death to any juror who found Taylor guilty.
The I.C. Marlos home was saddened last week by the death of little Freddie Marlos who died on August 8th., aged three years. The little form was laid to rest on Tuesday with Deacon Phipps holding graveside services. The community grieves with the parents in the early death of little Freddie.
The trial of Bent Taylor found him guilty and he has been sentenced to hang on April 21 at 1 p.m.
The Klan were in town to free him but so many deputies were on hand, they were afraid to make an attempt. The prisoner was sent to the penitentiary in Little Rock for safe keeping until execution. His partner, Wm Mullhollen, turned state's evidence and received a sentence of five years.
W. S. Magee of Vidette announces the arrival of a son, John H. on March 13, 1882. Mother and babe doing well.
Spring rains are uncovering many Indian arrowheads and a few articles made by the mound builders at the mound site West First at Pine. Corning should interest an archeologist in exploring the elevation for other relics of the Red Man who lived here long before Columbus discovered America.

1883
The material for the cemetery fence has arrived at the Iron Mountain depot and construction of the iron and steel fence will begin as soon as the fence line can be cleared. The fence will be hog and stock proof and the graves of our dead will be protected from straying animals.
Bids for clearing the cemetery have been declared too high by the City Councilmen. Mayor Jacob Brobst has volunteered to be foreman of a ground clearing crew and the work will cost only $1.25 per day.
Workmen clearing the cemetery have completed the job and have been paid for the following time: J. W. Long, two and one-half days, John Lowrey, five and one-half days, Les York, nine and one-half days, John Daniels, two and one-half days, Mayor Brobst, 14 days. Total days, 34, at $1.25 equals $42.50. Three cheers for Mayor Brobst and the crew. In the municipal election of last Tuesday, Mayor Jacob Brobst, Recorder W. B. Harb, W. P. Lawson, C. C. Symonds, J. C. Staley, J. H. Hardesty aldermen. This is Mayor Brobst's second term as mayor and Corning expects another good year of local government.
G. W. Allen and Lecie C. Walker were married on January 23rd at the bride's home by Elder J. T. Watson, G. W. is a native of Corning. The Allen family living near court square in Hecht City days. The Courier joins with the many friends in wishing the newly weds happiness.
Woodpeckers have taken a fancy to the cedar shingles on the spire of the courthouse and keep the square awake with their drilling operations. The courthouse janitor has been ordered to shoot to kill before the spire is so pecked up that it will no longer to waterproof. 
Visitors at the cemetery forget to shut the gate when they leave and stock and pigs have had to be chased off the grounds on numerous occasions. The Council is building a stile by the entrance gate near the railroad and the gate will be locked in the future and opened only when used for funerals. The school house ditch has overflowed during the Spring rains and pupils have been unable to reach the school grounds through the back water. The town has raised $45.00 to clean the ditch and dig it deeper where needed. Louisa, wife of Thomas F. Ray, editor of The Corning Advocate, died at the Ray home, Wednesday. Services were conducted at the home Thursday afternoon by Rev. James F. Jernigan of the Methodist Church and burial was in the Corning Cemetery. Mrs. Ray was a fine Christian woman and will be missed by her many friends.
Upper Corning will soon have a 30-room two-story hotel. Daniel Monday is completing The City Hotel on West First Street, just South of the Iron Mountain Depot on East Main The hotel will be convenient for the drummers who arrive on the trains. W. T. Davis and family will manage the new hotel for Mr Moody, who also is owner the Cassidy Saloon at Elm an First.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. M. M Green, Friday, a son. He has been named Rosell E. . Mother and child are doing well and Marcus is passing out cigars celebrating their first offspring
The mayor has received the annual treasurer's report From G. W. Stephens, previous treasurer, $54.53; from J. A. McNeil, county collector. $140.40; from D. F. McDaniel. marshall-fines, $7.07, from show license, $10.00, from saloon licenses, (See and Hardesty), $35.00, Cassidy, $35.00, Williams and Dawson $22.00; Total Receipts, $299.90. Balance in treasury, $18.88.
Justice of the Peace John Gilbert united Abraham Roberts and Mrs. Martha Jane McKay in the bonds of holy matrimony at the courthouse on Tuesday, May 23rd. Mr. Roberts is a pioneer citizen of Corning and highly respected. His bride is a popular matron in local society and The Courier wishes them every happiness in years to come. 
Attorney E. Foster Brown is moving to Jonesboro to begin the practice of law in Craighead County. Mr. Brown was our first county senator. and alderman on the first city council of 1877 under G. W. Stephens. mayor, and will be missed. The Brown home on Market at Second has been bought by Ed V. Sheeks who has arrived in Corning recently.
The marriage of J. C. Boyd to Mrs. Cynthia C. Kilgore was solemnized on May 10th at seven o'clock by the Reverend Arthur Conner at the home of the bride at First and Olive. Mr. Boyd has a fine farm two miles West of Corning where the newlyweds will make their home.
Judge J. Buck Kilgore is the citizen honored by the name of our township. Pioneer citizens recall his assassination in 1877. It is the opinion that Bent Taylor, hanged last April for the murder of Riley Black, was the perpetrator of the Kilgore murder.
Bernard Sellmeyer recently appointed postmaster of Knobel,
our flourishing neighbor city, was a visitor between trains last Tuesday.
A marriage of interest to Corning socialites was performed by J.P. W. B. Harb at the Harb home on Second Street last Saturday, August 15, when W. H. Ray, editor of The Corning Advocate and Miss Laura A. Green, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M. M. Green, were united in the bonds of holy matrimony. The young couple have set up housekeeping on Market Street. The Courier joins their many friends in wishing future happiness on the seas of matrimony.

1884
The death of Mrs. Larry Boshears ( nee Jennie Montgamely ) near Thurman on last Monday has been reported to The Courier. Funeral rites were conducted by Elder Arthur Conner at the home and burial followed in the Richwood Cemetery where she was laid to reside beside the two infants who preceded her in death. The young widower has the sympathy of Corning as well as Thurman.
Knobel is growing and a new mercantile firm. Bernard and Joseph Sellmeyer. are now dealing in general merchandise in their new store there. We predict great success for these two outstanding gentlemen.
The marriage of Charles H. Crabtree. station agent at Bradford and Miss Mary Louella Watts, station agent at Russell, was celebrated at the Watts home on April 27. Rev. G. W. Blakey, Methodist South, officiated. Bradford and Russell are adjoining towns on the Iron Mountain and romance mixed with business over the telegraph line. The Watts family lived in Corning .from 1877-79 while Mr. Watts ran the sawmill at Schrink on Black River. We understand that Mr. Crabtree has bid in the station agent job at Corning and will replace W. C. Secor. The Crabtrees and Watts family are moving to Corning shortly.
J. W. Harb has returned to Corning from Walnut Ridge and will join his father, Wm. B. Harb, in the drug and mercantile business here. The Harb family have been prominent in social, business and political circles in town since their arrival in 1876. Dr. W. B. Harb and his son, Albert S., were councilmen on the first board of aldermen in 1877.
The municipal election last Tuesday resulted in the election of Thos. F. Ray as mayor, Thos. B. Staley, recorder, G. W. Stephens, Felix G. Taylor, W. P. Lawson, D. G. See, Jacob Brobst, aldermen. The Council will meet regularly at the Staley Drug Store, First and Elm, every month.
Julia G. Kelley, daughter of J.P. G. W. Kelley, and J. F. Gillis were wed at the Kelley home on Tuesday, February 17., the bride's father officiating. The groom is a citizen of Buffington, Mo. and the young couple have returned to that city to make their future home.
The Courier has printed 300 blank deeds for the Corning Cemetery. The Courier job walk is always the highest quality and we solicit the business. C. A. Robertson, printer.
The Loda Brothers, Eli and Darius, are now operating the Iron Mountain Hotel in Knobel. The Loda boys are experienced hotel men and we predict the traveling public who stop with them and willl have nothing but praise for the food and the service
G. W. Kelley has moved from his farm in Bradshaw township to Coming and is now living at the Kelley home at Elm and West Second. The Kelley family and their children. Julia. DeLa, Willie, Antony and Kirby. will make a welcome addition to our growing community.
The trial of Lafayette Melton for the murder of Frank Hale in 1871 is attracting standing room only crowds at the courthouse. H. S. Lawrence, a member of the Ku Klux, turned state's witness at the grand jury hearing and Melton was arrested and jailed. 
Lawrence testified that Melton and Wulich volunteered to bushwhack Hale for talking too much about the Klan and that Melton shot Hale in the barn lot. Hale never identified his assailant and died three days later. The jury sentenced Melton to hang and he is now in the penitentiary at Little Rock with appeal pending.
M. L. Watts and family have returned to Corning and Mr. Watts has bought the courthouse building at Main and First, abandoned in 1877 when the county seat was moved to Boydsville, and will remodel it for a general merchandise store, C. O. Watts and Co. Mr. Watts will be assisted by his daughter, Mrs. C. A. Crabtree, manager of the firm and by his younger children, Bill, John, Arthur Dell and Kate.
W. R. Wynn of Tiptonville, Tenn., has moved to Thurman and is now living on the family farm near that settlement.
G. B. Oliver, a graduate of Waynesburg, College, Waynesburg, Pa. and his sister, Miss Maude E. Oliver, a graduate of Washington Seminary, Washington, Pa., have arrived in Corning to begin the fall term of school. Capt. C. R. Beloate of the school board learned of the availability of the family teaching team and induced them to move to Arkansas The Olivers are staying at the City Hotel and are pleased with the cordial reception the patrons of the school have given them. .
J T. Gilchrist of Knobel has opened a saloon and billiard parlor there.

1885
The pond back of The City Hotel on First Street is now being drained, ditchers are now putting wooden culverts from the pond to drain it into the right of way ditch between Main and Walnut 
A tram line from the Iron Mountain to Black River will be built shortly. The City Council has authorized the use of East First street for the track to the Craigs. The tram will be about a mile in length and permit the sawmill to load lumber from the mill into boxcars eliminating the haul to the main line over bad roads.
Applicants for a wedding license should note that the law of January 1, 1885 require a bondsman to post a $100 security bond before the clerk an issue the certificate. In case of default the $100 goes into the public school fund. The Cassidy Saloon building, formerly the Kilgore, a relic of Hecht City days, and an obstruction on First and Elm Streets since it was built, has been condemned as a nuisance by the City Council. 
D. Monday owner of the building, has ignored the 30 day notice to move it, so Z. T, Davis has set it on the alley facing South on Elm Street. Cost to the town $35.00. J.H. Hardesty, owner of lot 20, block 22, lodged the complaint on the obstruction.
Professor G. B. Oliver is studying law with Hon. J. C. Hawthorne and planning to pass the bar examination by the first of 1886.
Lafayette Melton, sentenced to hanging by the jury in August last year, failed in his efforts to get his sentence lightened and Governor Hughes set the execution date for Friday, January 29. The condemned prisoner was brought to Corning from Little Rock penitentiary on the night train, January 28, and spent the night in the courthouse. After breakfast, he was allowed to have visitor and the courtroom was filled until noon, when he was served his last meal. The march to the scaffold in the goose pasture began at 1 p.m. Melton was pronounced dead at 1:35 and his body was cut down, placed in a coffin and buried beside that of Bent Taylor,hanged in 1882. The two graves are just outside the gates of the cemetery. Melton was just 23 years old and many had signed a petition for clemency. However others signed petitions for carrying out the verdict. The terror of the Ku Klux take over from 1877 to 1882 was too recent to arouse compassion.
Abraham Roberts, aged 57, whose marriage to Mrs. Mackay in 1883 was printed in the Courier that year, died at the Roberts home last Thursday and was interred in Corning Cemetery on Friday, January 4. Mrs. Roberts has the sympathy of the entire community.
Harb Brothers, J.S. and O.C. are a new general merchandise establishment on First Street. We predict a great success for these hustling young business men. 
Dr. A. R. Simpson has hung out his shingle as Corning's newest M.D. Dr. Simpson was enroute to Little Rock seeking a location, met Mr. Hall on the train and was persuaded to stop off here. He liked the town and returned to practice his profession in Corning. Corning is a growing and we predict the young doctor will never regret locating among us.
Dr. Edward Silverbert, the postmaster at Knobel since 1882, has started a stock farm at near Peach Orchard on the land he purchased recently.
Miss Bertha Dudgeon arrived recently to join her father, Joseph A. Dudgeon, who arrived last Spring. Miss Dudgeon spent a few days at The City Hotel, waiting for her father to drive in from Richwoods. She plans to teach school at Woodall school house next term.
The town is filling the big pond behind the Masonic Hall with sawdust and shavings from the local sawmill and will cover with six inches of soil.
Born to station agent Charles H. Crabtree and wife, a son, John Wesley, on Wednesday, July 9th. The proud father is passing out cigars to the train crews, the buyers of Iron Mountain tickets and the public in general. Mother and son are doing well.
Joseph A. Dudgeon of Michigan has bought a farm in West Richwoods near Woodall and is now cultivating his acres. Mr. Dudgeon came South to find a more temperate Winter and he could not have found a better place than Clay County. Arkansas for a home.
Pocahontas reports the marriage of Patrick Martin and Miss Nanllie B. Landsdell, two popular young people of that city on September 8th. The young couple are well known in Corning and The Courier extends wedding felicitations to the newlyweds.

1886
Married, James 0. Langdon and Miss Celeste Wallace by J.P. Pr. J.C. Staley on June 13. The gloom is the popular 'host' of the restaurant that bears his name and The Courier extends its wishes for a long and prosperous married life
S.R. Beloate is now Deputy County Clerk at the Western District Courthouse on the square, replacing Felix G. Taylor.
The marriage of John Avery and Henrietta Parker, both of Moark, was performed by J.P. Pr. J.C. Staley at the Staley home in East Corning on May 27th.
The M.E. South held services in their recently completed sanctuary on Sunday. Elder James C. Jernigan who was assigned to Corning in 1881, preached the first sermon to a large congregation at both morning and evening services. The frame building at the north west corner o Pine and Third is a credit to the congregation.. The church will be
affiliated with Moark, Richwoods, and OId Reno with a circuit rider appointed at the annual White River Conference next month.
Preaching services will be held on Sunday each month, with Sunday School every Sunday morning at ten. The church bell will ring at 9:30 and again ten minutes before the Sunday School session begins.
The 24-inch snow that fell Thursday and Friday has paralyzed the whole country.
Iron Mountain service stopped. school was suspended until Monday and the teachers had to dismiss school Thursday at noon to their pupils get home early. They were taken home in wagons in mid afternoon.
Service on the Iron Mountain was resumed Sunday. This was the earliest and heaviest snowfall ever recorded by the weather bureau according to Jacob Brobst who has charge of the weather bureau here.
Charles H. Crabtree, Station Agent of the Iron Mountain, died from pneumonia at the Crabtree home in Upper Corning after only a few days illness on December 16. Burial in the graveyard followed services at the home conducted by Elder James C. Jernigan. Mr. Crabtree is survived by his widow and two children, John, age one and one-half, and daughter, Effie, born October 6.
Mrs. Crabtree (Nee Louella Watts) will continue to manage C. 0. Watts and Co. at Main and West First. The sympathy of the community is extended to he widow and orphans in this untimely death of a beloved husband and father.
The community was saddened Christmas announcement of the death of Mrs. W.B. Harb (Nee Caroline Harper) at the Harb home on West Second Street on Christmas Eve. Funeral services were conducted at the M.E. Church South at 2 p.m. December 26th by Rev. James Jernigan. Interment was at the Harb lots in the Corning Cemetery.
The Harbs were among Corning's earliest newcomers, arriving in 1876.
The Harb family has had a prominent part in shaping Corning's future and the sympathy of the community is extended to them in the loss of the beloved wife and mother. 
Married Monday, March 14 at the office to Dr. J. C. Staley, J.P., John Pinter and Miss Sophia Sence of the Blue School House neighborhood. The young newlyweds are popular young people and we wish the Pinters a wedded life of happiness.
S.W. Alexander who has moved to Corning to look after his 400 acre farm, is now building a handsome home for his family on lots on Second Street. The Alexander family, his wife, Mary, and five younger children, will join him here when the home is completed.
Dr. A.R. Simpson has returned to Corning, bringing back with him his bride, formerly Miss Winnie P. Whitehead of Crystal Spring, Miss. The Simpson home on Second Street in Lower Corning was finished earlier in the year and the Doctor's bride will enhance the elegance of the mansion. During his absence, Dr. Simpson's patients were cared for by Dr. J.C. Staley, Dr. C.C. Symonds and Dr. W.B. Harb.
The annual report of the town treasury shows receipts of $221.21 and disbursements of $151.66, leaving $69.55 in the treasury. The council has voted a four and one-half mill tax to be used for corporation expenses.
Prof. G.B. Oliver has passed the County Bar examination and has hung out his shingle as an attorney at law in an office in Lower Corning.
The city calaboose, which has served the town for many a year, has been condemned as unfit to house prisoners and will be razed. The City is looking for a lot convenient to the business for a new bastille.
W.D. Bowers, foreman of Brooklyn Cooperage and Miss Mary Stewart of Union, Ill. were married there recently and have returned to set up housekeeping the Bowers property in Lower Corning.
Moving the Hecht Brothers store building on First Street has been finished and the two story frame building, a relic of Hecht City days, is no longer an obstruction to traffic. The building was condemned as a nuisance in 1885, but after Monday brought a lawsuit against Corning for moving the Cassidy Saloon, the town has been reluctant to act. Under the present compromise, Morris Hecht, owner of the building and the city will each pay $75 to Z.T. Daniels to move the obstruction back into the street line. The firm of Hecht and Imboden are occupants of the store. 
Attorney F.G. Tailor has been elected City Attorney in the damage suit that D. Monday of Pocahontas has brought against the town for moving the Cassidy Saloon last year. 
At the municipal election all the officials were re-elected:
W.R. Lawson, Mayor; T.B. Staley, Recorder; D.F. Mc Daniel, D.W. Vickery, C.A. Robertson, C.C. Symonds and J.C. Staley, Aldermen. the council meetings will continue to meet at Staley Drug Store.

1887
E. D. Estes is now holding down the office of deputy county clerk in the W. D. Clay County Courthouse.
The city attorney F. G. Tailor is still working on the suit filed by D. Monday of Pocahontas against the corporation for moving the Cassidy Saloon out of the street. Two letters to Mr. Monday seeking a compromise have been unanswered.
A lot for the new calaboose has been purchased for $15 in block 22 of Upper Corning.
W. T. Davis has replaced I. Reed as alderman on the city council. 
W. D. Polk, captain of the local baseball team, has been ordered to open
the ditch that flows across the ball diamond in Lower Corning. The players closed the ditch without legal consent and property owners are protesting that flood waters backed up on their lots. 
In order to promote attendance at council meetings, it has been voted to pay the aldermen $1.00 for attendance $12.00 a year for perfect attendance records.
The Corning graveyard was so overgrown with weeds and brush Decoration Day that it was a disgrace to the town. The condition was finally reported to the mayor and the premises have been mowed and are greatly improved. 
Jailer Clagg kept two prisoners over the weekend and has presented the town with a bill for 65c--50c for cleaning and 15c for a towel.
Following the first dog tax ever levied on dog owners of Corning, Barnhill and Risner have ordered 112 dog tags at a cost of $2.25 for use of the city marshal.
Mrs. Regina Nicklaus (nee Kecht) has removed the street obstructions on her property, lots 17 and 18, of block 22. The last meeting of the council had rated them as a nuisance and mailed a notice to Mrs. Nicklaus in Pocahontas. 
John T. Gilchrist of Knobel has opened a big new general merchandise establishment in that thriving city south of us.
Married, W. B. Snodgrass and Mrs. Judith Wilkerson, by Squire G. W. Kelley, on July 13. Mr. Snodgrass arrived in Corning from Kentucky last year. Mrs. Wilkerson is a well liked matron and the couple will live on her farm that adjoins Corning on the Northeast, across the Iron Mountain from the graveyard.
H. H. Williams reports that he has shipped timber valued at $32,000 from his big sawmill at Williams, four miles North of Corning.
Born to Squire and Mrs. John J. Griffin of Richwoods on September 12, a daughter named Rosa.
Dr. W. B. Harb, who has been visiting kinsmen in Indiana and Ohio for several weeks, died in West Milton, Ohio, of September 11. The remains were brought back to Corning and funeral services were held yesterday at the home of his son-in-law, Atty. G. B. Oliver, in Upper Corning, conducted by Rev. James C. Jernigan. Interment was in Corning Cemetery beside his wife Caroline who died Dec 24 last year. Dr. Harb is survived by two daughters, Kily and Laura and three sons, Chauncey, Lannie and Will, all businessment of the town. He was preceded in death by a daughter Minnie and son Albert. The Courier and the community extended deepest sympathy to the Harb family in the loss of mother and father in such a short span of months. 
Dr. J. M . Oliver, younger brother of Atty. G. B. Oliver, has arrived 
in Corning and has been confined to bed at the Oliver home in Upper Corning. 
Dr. Oliver has been a traveling salesman for a drug firm since the death of his wife last year and became ill at New Orleans. Brother G. B. Oliver hopes that Dr. Oliver will settle in Corning and put out his shingle here. Miss Maude Oliver, who is now teaching at Batesville, will spend Christmas holidays in Corning with her brothers.
W. W. West, city marshal, died suddenly at the West home in Central Corning on January 8th. Funeral services were conducted at home by Rev. James C. Jernigan of the Methodist church and burial in the Corning Cemetery, conducted by the I.O.O.F. Lodge. Mr. West is survived by his wife, Eliza, daughters, Sophronia and Sibyl and son, Lute. The Wests are a pioneer Corning family, active in social and religious activities of the town and The Courier and the community extends heartfelt sympathy to the family in the loss of a beloved husband an father.

1888
Two fights in town last Monday. The City treasury is richer by $15. Fight a little a more ye Sullivans! We need more money.
What' s the matter with the Baptist Church building
committee?
Ghosts have been reported in several parts of town and the people are scared. We don' t believe in them.
New houses are being built in almost every part of the city.
The cotton gins and stave factories are running steadily and cannot keep up with orders, which speaks well for our business outlook.
The plant walk on West First Street will soon be finished to the schoolhouse on Walnut Street and from the corner of West Second at Walnut Street to the Southeast corner of Court Square Now, there is a good move!
Members of the Owl and Bat Club have got to snoring so much that the club can hardly keep a quorum going. Fine them, Mr. President!
Whiskey and tobacco brings a better price and is in greater demand than meat, bread and clothing. Men will go ragged dirty and hungry all for whiskey and tobacco.
Our school is getting along splendidly under the excellent management of Prof. W.A. Wells with the able assistance of Mrs. W.A. Wells and John L. Bishop. The pupils number 110, in three separate departments all under the management of Prof. Wells who is an excellent educator of much experience and ability. He has taught two sessions of eight months and will be rehired by the Board of Directors.
There were three accidents to as many wagons and teams on last Tuesday, all caused by being frightened by passing trains. No one was hurt.
If some of the candidates would put in a week of killing vagrant dogs in Corning they would gain enough friends to be elected by a handsome majority.
Eight men arrived at this place Monday from Evansville Ind. for the purpose of cutting timber on Black River. They brought several ox teams and wagons with them.
Let the citizens of our country meet and form Democratic Clubs on the 28th without fail. It is necessary.
Rev. J.S. Scholes of the Christian Church is successfully continuing his meeting at the courthouse. Forty-two additions up to yesterday.
Trains should not be allowed to pass through town at a full speed without whistling, or ringing the bell.
The kids of Corning make night hideous with their charivari performances whenever a marriage occurs.
The Ireland House has a nice hack which meets passenger trains. The hackman is polite and attentive, and the Ireland House furnishes a good table.
June 23 is the time fixed for the election to vote for the removal of the county seat from Boydsville to Greenway.
The Methodists are endeavoring to build a parsonage to their church.
Dr. J.M. Oliver has decided to locate in Corning for the practice of his profession. The doctor is talented, young physician and we hope will succeed.
The public school directors have added a new addition to our school building which will seat 35 pupils.
Sheeks, Stephens and Co's store in Corning very narrowly escaped by fire last Tuesday night, caused by an accident to a coal oil lamp used in the store. Now, people of Corning. let this he a lesson and make it your business to organize at once a hook and ladder company and , let the members be instructed in the use of ladders and buckets to the best advantage.
Visitors to Corning who have not been here for a year or more are surprised.. at the rapid growth since they last saw the town..
Rev. N. Futrell of Little Rock has been here this week organizing a lodge of K and H. He also preached two sermons and delivered one lecture at the Methodist Church.
Corning is becoming quite a market for railroad crossties, thousands of them piled along the right of way of the Iron Mountain in the corporation and more are coming every day.
Courthouse excitement runs high in the Eastern District. Every community over there wants to build a courthouse and jail and make the county a present of them. How generous! But as the Western District has both a good Courthouse and jail, we invite our neighbors to come over and hold their courts here. 
We want a railroad from Corning to some point on the St. Louis Arkansas and Texas line if our Eastern District neighbors will furnish the rest of the capital necessary and throw in their Courthouse and jail to boot. This would give us one county seat for the whole County and enable our Eastern District neighbors to get out of the woods and come to town.

1889
Now, how surprised we are. Henry Brown has taken a census of Corning and reports the population at 569, all told.
The whiskey and anti-whiskey people have put on their armor and will fight a desperate battle when county court meets in January. The Forces of each are well organized, and ready for the affray.
A snake, the like of which has not been seen for many years, was killed by Calvin Hill about three miles North of Corning on August 7. It was a rattle snake and measured seven feet in length and 14 inches in circumference around the largest part of the body. Hill stuffed the skin and gave it to Pat Martin of the City Hotel. Hill killed the mate of this one on July, 4th which measured more than 6 feet in length. He killed both them with sticks and destroyed the rattles of both of them while killing them. If the snake hung in front of one of our saloons as a specimen of the kind of goods sold over the bar at said saloon , we will take ours at some other place.
The members of the Baptist Church will make an effort soon to erect a new church building
John E. Long found another skeleton in his mound on First Street where he is building a home. This makes four in all that he has found, and the latest skeleton is supposed to be that of a negro.
Weindell's factory in charge of Mrs. W.D. Bowers, the active and go ahead foreman, is doing good work and while H.J. Weindell, the owner, was gone North, continued to be conducted to the interest of the owner and the town.
Pat Martin's pet deer is noseying, around town gardens again. Put a horse yoke on him, Pat.
Remember the 4th of July barbecues comes off August 1st.
Dr. Simpson would make a good lawyer. Dr. Symonds is already the art and Dr. Staley says blanked if he hasn't missed his calling for 70 odd years.
Sunday School has about subsided on account of warm weather.
John Hardesty has had his bar beautifully painted.
Three distinct shocks of an earthquake were felt in Corning on the 19th, at about 6:30 p.m. Crockery ware in the houses rattled and the earth trembled very perceptibly, doors and windows vibrated, the court house and even the big iron safe in the Clerk's office trembled. A distant rumbling was heard in connection with the shock.
The barbecue at Corning, which will take place August lst, will be a good one. Everything good to eat and all manner of temperance drinks, a baseball game, swings, foot races, etc. will be enjoyed and no expense will be spared by the managers to make it a success.
The United States snagboat, the Henry Sheldon, in charge of Captain Chas. Craft and 25 men is now operating between Black river railroad bridge three miles South of Corning. Capt. Craft has cleared the river of all obstrctions between here and Poplar Bluff. The boat will be arriving at the railroad bridge by tomorrow.
A young couple were refused license to marry last week by reason of being cousins. The law forbids relatives marrying in Arkansas.
Rev. Scholes of Gainesville, of the Christian Church, closed his meeting here on Sunday night last. He made arrangements to build a Christian Church in Corning.
A.L. Barnett, timber contractor, is doing a big business in his line. He deals in everything in the timber line and has a large force of men at work. He pays highest prices for wild cherry and walnut logs.
The Masonic Lodge of Corning met at their hall Sunday evening June 29, and publicly installed their officers for the ensuing year as follows: W.T. Davis, W.M.; T.F. Ray, S.W ; J.J. Cook; H. Barnhill secretary and S. Bishop, treasurer.
An unknown youth was killed by the North bound passenger train last Saturday night about 9:30. He was supposed to have been a half-wit tramp who passed through Corning Saturday afternoon. The passenger train killed him about a mile North of Black River and two miles South of Corning. He was buried in the Corning Cemetery by the County officers last Sunday.
The new Dungeon house is being occupied as fast as the rooms are completed. Every hotel and boarding house in town is full of boarders and guests and prosperity is in our town at last.
Building and Loan Association. It is better than a bank for your money. Small amounts safely invested. No possibility of loss.
The Van Etten and Randolph shingle factory is doing a heavy business shipment of shingles. The capacity of the mill is from 35 to 40 thousand shingles per day.
Our efficient City Marshal, Jim Matthews, has graded the streets, destroyed some of the weeds, cleared off the rubbish, etc. and has left two commodious canals on both sides of Second Street. We can have opposition canal routes next Winter and won't need street cars.
Dr. Prichard has a brand spanking new buggy. Now, we expect him to get a peculiar license from the County Clerk.
H. H. Williams of Williams is pushing his mill business and is selling a great deal of wagon and plow stuff.
Jacob Brobst has nearly finished his twin store houses on South Court Street and will soon be waiting for a renter or renters.
J.M. Risner received Sunday a shipment of ice from the Newport ice factory, home-made ice, so to speak, which looks just as solid and cool as any bleak old Winter ever made. "She's good, solid and cold, but comes high."
We need a bank in Corning. The best citizens of the place are anxious to have one and it is a necessity..
Jonesboro wants and will have a street railway and electric lights. We prefer factories and mills.
It is reported that the Railroad Company intends moving the rails from the branch road between Corning and Kesterson's Mill on Black River. This will be a great loss and damage to the mill and also to the town of Corning.
A shingle factory is being built near Corning. Now, let some one build a brick kiln.
Quite a number of Western District taxpayers failed to pay their taxes in time to avoid delinquency. Sell a hog or your gun and get the money. Taxes must be paid.
The Baptists are getting ready to build their Church on West Third Street. The Baptist will hold a business meeting and preach at the Methodist Church in Corning on Saturday and Sunday. Five Baptist preachers will be present.
Parties living in town who have had bad fences around their enclosures have no right to wound or kill hogs that deprecate. Let the owners of lots fence them well and they will have the law on their side.
Plank walks are nice. Keep up the good work City Fathers.
Some little fusses and fights in Upper town last Saturday; too much tanglefoot, bust-head, liquid damnation.
Let the town compel the citizens to move their front fences to the line and open up all the alleys. It is not right for a few to open alleys and other not.
Lumber is in great demand in Corning all the time. Any of the mills near Corning could make money by opening a lumber yard here in town and supplying the demand. Parties here buy lumber at Williamsville, Poplar Bluff and other places in Missouri. We would patronize home industry if we could. 
Just as we go to press, we have to chronicle the destruction by fire of J.H. Hardesty's saloon and the Hecht Store and barn, W.T. Davis' hotel barely escaped the flames. Hardesty lost his entire property.


1890
Henry Brown is slinging sugar. water and whiskey behind the bar of Jno. T. Gilchrist's retail grocery and performs his duties like an expert. It comes natural to him.
Bill Polk and others killed more than 40 rabbits one day last week and J. W. Kesterson captured a fine catfish of the shovel bill species, weight about 40 pounds and length four feet -- three inches.
State Officers: Governor. J. P . Eagle: Secretary of State. B. B. Chism: Auditor. W. S. Dunlop: Treasurer, W. E. Woodruff Jr.; Attorney General, W. E. Atkinson, Chancellor, D. W. Carroll; State Land Commissioner, Paul M. Cobbs; Superintendent of Public Instruction. W.E. Thompson. District Officers: Circuit Judge, J. E. Riddick; Prosecuting Attorney, J. D. Block.
County officials; Representative, J. W. Dollison, Greenway; County and Probate Judge, Robert Liddell, Boydsville; Deputy Clerk and Recorder, E. D. Estes, Corning: Deputy Sheriff and Collector, W. A. Brown Corning: Treasurer, A. L. Blackshare, Boydsville; Deputy Sheriff E. V. Sheeks, Corning; Assessor, John I. Blackshare, Boydsville; Surveyor, E. M. Allen, Rector; Board of Equalization for Western District, Issac Reed, V.C. Redwine, Corning; E. Silvergerg, Jr., Knobel; County Examiner for Western District, F. G. Taylor.
City of Corning officials; Mayor, Jacob Brobst, Recorder, T. B. Staley, Treasurer T. F. Ray, Marshal, J. E. Mathews, Aldermen; C.C. Symonds, B. F. Mc Daniels, W. D. Bowers, J. C. Staley, G. W. Box.
Arrival and departures of mails. The mails of Corning close at the following hours: Train number 751, South. 4:10 pm., Train Number 753, South, 9:00 p.m., Train number 752, North, 9:00 p.m., Train 754, North, 8:55 a.m.; Star route, Corning to Peru, via Reyno, leaves Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 a.m., arrives at 6 p,m, same day. All mails by rail arrive at postoffice 15 minutes after departure of train. Postoffice opens daily except Sundays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wm . Black is postmaster.
F. Johnson Esq. of Little Rock attorney for the railroad company was in attendance at Circuit Court and had his hands full at the many damage suits against his client.
Jones and Cherry of Reyno have secured a liquor license and put up a saloon just across the line in Clay County on the road to Reno.
Go to the Kentucky Saloon opposite the depot. for choice drinks and lunch goods of all kinds.
The Order of the Eastern Star chapter installed their officers on the night of the 11th. The installation was private.
There will be a festival and entertainment given at the Hall on Thursday night. January 23. for the benefit of the Baptist Church.
Pat Martin has Cooks Imperial champaign and Twin Spring whiskey. Go try it.
List of Grand Jurors: E.. L. Silverberg, Eli Loda, C. F. Ward, Charles Matthews, J. C. Wells, John Denner, W.M. Brown, John Gleghorn. Thomas Baker, M. M. Green, Fred Ermert, G W. Browne, James Smith, J. J. Shively, J. J. Cook, and C. Barnett.
List of Petit Jurors: E.V. Sheeks, J. W. Harb, J. L. Gilbert, G.. W. Lashlee, Joe Whitaker, Charles Grier, Ed McCann, . J. F. Mahan, Phillip Byars, E. J. Wilson, Dave Powers, William Magee, W. F. Cole, Charles Mabry, F. R. Adcock, Matthew Marten, Albert McKelvey, J. F. Bolo, Tom Baker, A. A. Frazier, Joe Walk, J. M. Lindsey and G. W. Box.
Wanted at the mouth of Little Black River a number of good raftsmen to raft square timber, who can make staves or chop when weather is not favorable for rafting. Joe McCracken. Corning. 
Barnhill's is the only first class barber shop in town.
The whiskey people gained the day and now three big saloons are in full blast in Corning .
The new Methodist minister, Rev. Leek, has moved to Corning with his family and is now a citizen.
There are two Sunday Schools now in Corning. One at the Methodist church and one at the Courthouse. Surely all the children and grown people will come out now.
The church supper for the Methodists passed off agreeably on the night of the 3rd, not withstanding the inclement weather. The ladies are successful as workers in the cause of religion.
Remember the Baptist. Sunday School will be at the courthouse every Sunday afternoon at 2:30. Everyone is invited to come and bring the children. Members of other denominations who have no school are invited to join with us---Mrs. S. Bishop, Mrs. Matthews, Mrs. E.D. Estes.
S.W Alexander of Corning is having a large double mill and other machinery especially built for him by the Curtis and Company Manufacturing Company. The mill is to be operated at Black River. The central point of a fine hardwood district and is the largest ever got up by the company. Some idea of its size may be held when it is stated that the husk frame is 11 feet wide and 10 feet long. Alexander will operate the mill in connection with a new engine and boiler purchased from the Curtis Company. When everything is in shape he will have one of the most successful sawmills in Arkansas, never thinks he is throwing away a few dollars when he gets machinery to suit his needs.
Nelson-- Dr. G. W. Browne' s fine Holstein bull died on the 23rd, from an overdose of tobacco.

1891
Pedestrians in Lower Corning no longer have to wade the mud to get across Second street from the Beloate Drug Store on the West side to the Post Office, recently, moved from the Beloate premises to the office across the street. The City Dads have built a wooden crossing mid-block which convenience is being used and appreciated. Three cheers for our thoughtful City Council.
The annual treasurer's report shows that the corporation is in debt $200., and an extra three mill tax has been voted to get city finances in the black again.
Corning has many blocks of wood sidewalks which have been built in the last three years so the taxpayer's money have not been wasted.
S. W. Alexander has been awarded the contract for the purchase of 35000 feet of lumber and the Alexander Mill on Black River is busy filling the order. Mr Alexander's bid was $5.00 per M f.o.b. Corning. The timber will be used to plank the mud hole in Long's Lane in S.W. Corning. The cypress planks will be 12 ft. long and three inches thick and the sleepers will be 5 x 5 inches. Joseph Walk has taken the contract for planking the lane.
The municipal election was a quiet affair with only one ticket. Elected: Joseph A. Dudgeon, mayor; George Barnhill, recorder; J. J. Cook, C. C. Symonds, Alan Clagg, D. W. Vickrey, D. F. McDaniel, aldermen.
George Barnhill has resigned as alderman and W. C. Potts has been elected to take his place by unanimous vote of the council members.
Atty. D. Hopson, a fairly recent newcomer in Corning, has been appointed city attorney by the Council, and meetings of the Council will be held in his law office.
Owners of dogs evidently believe Man's Best Friend should not be forced to wear a dog collar with tax tag attached. So few have bought tags that the Council has put a 30 day expiration date on the purchase and uncollared animals will be impounded and executed if owners do not pay for tags, plus fine:
Walnut Street has been extended from Fourth Street across the North line of the Sylvanus Bishop orchard to the corporation line on the West boundary of his tract. The extension follows an E-W line and there is a jog of a few yards in Walnut at the 4th Street end.
D.. R. Prichard is building a handsome two-story frame residence at the S. W. corner of Pine and Second. His medical office will be located in the N. E. corner of the building and will be convenient for his patient's use. The new residence makes a handsome addition to the appearance of Second Street and just another bit of evidence that Corning citizens believe Corning has a future.
Dr. J. M. Oliver and Mrs. Mary L. Crabtree were married Sunday afternoon, June 3, by Rev. DeJolma Leake, pastor of the M. E. Church South. Because of the recent bereavement, Dr. Prichard and Miss Ada Adams were the only attendants. The newlyweds will go to housekeeping in the Oliver home on the N. E. Corner of Second at Olive. Dr. Olive is a highly regarded M. D. and his bride is the manager of C. O. Watts
and Co. in Upper Corning. The Courier joins their many friends in wishes for happiness.
Rosella Kesterson, wife of S. W. Kesterson, died on Wednesday at the family home in Lower Corning. Funeral services were conducted at the home Friday afternoon and her remains were laid to rest in the Corning Cemetery.
Wm. Stephen and Miss Jennie Cox of Don (Success) were married by Squire J. C. Wells on October 15th. The young couple are well known in Corning and Wm. was a school lad here in Corning around 1872.
Corning has made another great progressive step. The city streets will be lighted. The board has ordered 24 No. 3 vapor lights to be installed from the Court Square on Second Street along the main streets and across the railroad to the corner of East Second and Walnut The new lamps cost $7.00 each and will be lighted at dusk each evening by Marshal J. E. Matthews. The street lights added to the many blocks of wood sidewalks should make for a better night life in Corning.
Dr. Prichard's new home with office is completed and the Dr. moved into his office on June 2. Sunday afternoon, June 17, the doctor and Miss Minnie Ada Adams were united in the bonds of holy wedlock by Rev. Leake, M. E. South pastor, in a quiet small wedding at the bride's home on Third and Vine. Miss Ada will resign teaching in the Corning public schools where she has been successful with intermediate pupils.
Prof. W. L. Skaggs and his two assistants, Miss Willa Kelley and Miss Anna Carr, have closed a successful term of school and the patrons are well pleased with the progress their children made this term. Closing exercises of the school were held Friday afternoon and the pupils presented a delightful program of recitations and songs.
Elmer L. Black and Miss Emma Stephens were united in holy wedlock at the bride's home on Market Street. Rev. Leake, pastor of M. E. South officiated. The couple are popular members of the young social set and members of the pioneer Corning families.

1892
The Cannon Ball passenger train was delayed several hours Wednesday morning on account of the deep snow.
Mrs. E D. Estes and Mrs. Elmer Black have formed a copartnership in the millinery business and moved the stock formerly owned by Mrs. Estes to the Barnhill building next door to the Ferguson and Wheeler Store.
A gay party from Corning's elite society, consisting of Mrs. West, Misses Sadie Landon and Willie Kelly and Mrs. D. Hopson, E. J Landon and Harry Lassater went to Poplar Bluff, Monday night to attend the grand ball given at that place.
G. B. Oliver Esq. has purchased the material and Cornine's efficient and tasty contractor and builder, J. M. Phillips, will proceed at once to erect a handsome two-story residence on Mr. Oliver's beautiful lots near the Methodist Church.
The fence around our beautiful little courthouse is in a dilapidated condition and the proper authorities ought to have a substantial one built that the shade trees and grounds can be protected from the ravages of hogs, cows, mules, horses and other animals. It is shame to allow stock of all kinds to roam over and despoil so lovely a place as the court square. It should be kept in proper condition.
R. P Kistner of this place was arrested last week upon the very ugly charge of stealing ten dollars from a lady whose husband was lying a corpse in the house at the time of the theft. At an examining trial before Esquire Kelly was committed to jail to await the action of the grand jury. If he is guilty of the ghoulish and infamous act he ought to be sent to the penitentiary for life and branded as the meanest criminal in Arkansas.
A 15 year old Negro girl who was being conducted to jail by county officers last Saturday night on a charge of poisoning the whole family of white people with whom she lived, near Bayville, La. was seized by a party of masked men and hanged to a tree on the road side.
A mass meeting was called by Mayor Dudgeon, was held at the courthouse in Corning last Saturday afternoon, for the purpose of nominating a municipal ticket for the ensuing year. Mayor Dudgeon called the house to order and announced the object of the meeting. On motion Jacob Brobst was elected chairman and Dr. Vickery secretary. The first order of business was the nomination of a mayor. M. M. Green was declared the nominee. Several gentlemen being placed in nomination on the first ballot, it was agreed that all named except the two highest be dropped. This left the contest between Green and N. F. Jones. The nominations for recorder and alderman next followed in the same manner at the conclusion of which the following results were announced: For Mayor. M. M. Green: Recorder. D. W. Vickery; Aldermen. Dr. C. C. Symonds, J. J. Cook, D. F. McDaniel, Joseph Walk and Isaac Reed.
A number of citizens, some of whom were not present at the mass meeting, were dissatisfied with the result, and circulated a petition asking the county election commissioners to certify a new ticket, which is composed of the following citizens: For Mayor, N.F. Jones; Recorder, C. Harb; Aldermen, S. W. Alexander, S. Bishop, Dr. C. C. Symonds, J. J. Cook and W. A. Brown. This makes two tickets in the field.
Those who failed to pay their taxes will find a very interesting article on first page headed, Delinquent Tax Sales.
The following inscription, verbatim et literatim, appears on an old rough stone slab of small dimension in the Corning Cemetery --E. G. Wart Born Feb. 21,1814. Died July 24, 1815.
One of. the early southbound passenger trains ran over and killed five head of cattle at the crossing near the depot Monday morning and crippled two or three others, the results of trains running through Corning at full speed.
The citizens of Corning met in mass convention at the courthouse on Monday night, May 30. The chairman, C. V. Beloate stated that the object of the meeting was to determine whether or not we would have a celebration here on the 4th of July and, if so, what kind and to make necessary preliminary arrangements for it. It was moved and carried that we celebrate by giving a public barbecue.
We, the undersigned, hereby agree to close our place of business from ten o'clock in the forenoon until four o'clock in the afternoon on the 4th of July 1892, in case a barbecue shall be held on that day: Sheeks and Stephens Store CO., Klein and Rosenblum, M. Symonds and Company, C. R. Beloate, Namie Barnhill, P. Clifton, W. F Barnes, Issac Reed, S. Bishop, McKinney and Davis, A. L Barnett, Fereuson and Wheeler, Estes and Co., J. W Harb, Staley and Son, W. T David, M. C. Green, Oliver and Co,. Pat Martin, J. C. Webb, J H. Miller and Co, R. J. Robert and D. W. Vickery.
The Peoples Party held a convention in Corning last Saturday and instructed for the following named gentlemen for county officers: For Sheriff Joseph Gilbert; For County and Probate Judge, W. T. Griffin;
They also nominated township officers as follows: For Justice of the Peace, Henry White, For Constable, ED Paul. And for Congress, they instructed for J. W. Dollison.
The Republican or PP who think that either or both of their parties can beat the Democratic party in Clay County of any of its officers this year is certainly a fit subject for the insane asylum. The party nominated and the party will elect.
McCulloch badges were numerous in Corning Tuesday. Wonder is Trieber's friends did not think enough of him to get badges. It looked too one-sided.
A dark shadow was cast over the White House last Tuesday morning at 1:45 o'clock and the entire nation made to sympathize with President Harrison on account of the death of his beloved wife. Mrs. Harrison has been ailing for two years from a severe attack of la grippe which led to consumption with the above sad results.
Cotton is going at two cents in the seed and seven cents in the bale in Corning.
Cyclones, earthquakes, comets and Democrats seem to have taken full possession of late.
When a small boy stumps his toe very severely he revenges himself by kicking the rock that hurt him. It makes him feel better. By the same rule the Republicans are comforting themselves by arresting Arkansas election judges.
The large milling and mercanaille firm of Ferguson and Wheeler are indeed hustlers and good business men. They have received an order for six million feet of gum lumber.
A sensation was caused at the David House the other day by a traveling man who claimed that someone stole $3.00 from him. Old Jim Kennedy as he is commonly called, was present, and as usual, was drunk. He was accused of the robbery and was arrested and taken before Esq. Harb who dismissed the case for want of prosecution, the prosecuting witness failing to show up.
What is the matter with making Corning the main County Seat of Clay County? She has a much better location than Piggott, has a good safe jail. Piggott has none since we come to think of it. Corning has a well paying telegraph office, too.
The North bound passenger train, due here at 9:20 a.m. met with an accident yesterday morning near Minturn which delayed it about six hours. The baggage and mail cars jumped the tracks and, breaking loose from the train, landed wrong side up in the ditch.
Corning last week voted against licensing dram shops. For two years the druggists and blind tiger keepers will have a monopoly on the whiskey trade. Well perhaps so, and perhaps not. The tiger may show up but we are quite certain that neither of our druggists will sell whiskey on the sly.
The citizens of the new school district, 59, over the river. are building a new schoolhouse, 24 by 36 feet. It will be also used for preaching when the occasion
requires.
Corn is selling for 35 and 40 cents per bushel delivered in Corning.
The Catholics held services in the City Hotel. Sunday.
For cranberries, kraut, pickles, turnips, potatoes, onions, cabbage, grapes, mincemeat, buckwheat flour, etc. -- go to Beloates.
W. F. Barnes. undertaker and dealer in Furniture for doors, sash, curtains, wallpaper. etc. All kinds of coffins, caskets, trimmings, etc. In fact, everything usually found in a first class furniture and undertakers establishment. in Corning, Arkansas.
There is but little excitement here over the election. Our township polled 155 votes, a gain of 26 votes over the September election: but as the votes have not yet been counted. We cannot give the official count.
A boxcar which was left standing too close to the end of the switch was struck by a passing train here the other day and lifted off the track, throwing the tracks on one side and the box on the other.
Wanted: An editor who can read write, and argue politics at the same time be religious, funny, scientific and historical at will, write to please everybody, know everything without being told, always have something to say about somebody else, live on wind and make no enemies. For such a man a good opening will be made-in the graveyard.
Other parties come and go, but the Democratic party goes on forever. Federalism lived and died, Whigism lived and died, Republicanism lives and suicided, but Democracy lives and never dies. 
A wandering "cannon ball" comet, claimed by astronomers to be Biela's has made it appearance in the east and is traveling at an earthly rate of speed, and if it should come in contact with the earth, which the star gazers say it is likely to do, there will be a general shaking up of things.
Mrs. Jacob Brobst has woven 300 yards of carpet in the last six weeks. And yet Jake goes on just killing himself at work as though no member of the family were earning a cent except himself.
Cal Woodall is one of the largest and best farmers and stock raisers in the county and is a good financier. Last year when cotton was so low he held his crop, about 40 bales, for a raise, which never came until this fall when he sold his old crop at a clear gain of about $500.00. His present crop, we are informed will reach 40 bales.
Sheeks-Stephens Store Co. shipped a car load of hogs to St. Louis last Saturday. This makes about six or seven carloads that have been shipped out from this section in the last few weeks.

1893
The court yard fence is of no particular use, just as well have none-gates can't be kept shut and cattle, horses and hogs constantly in courtyard. Messrs Commissioners, please see to it, in behalf of your sovereigns, the people. It is no use to spend $1,000 for nothing Have a court yard that will be "a thing of beauty". Can't do it unless you keep the razorback hogs out.
The ice gatherers have out up large quantities of ice and Corning can supply adjacent towns next summer.
The wood business is getting to be a nuisance. More people will burn coal next winter and let the wood getters go. They want ten cents for measuring the wood in addition to the price of the wood. Coal is cheaper and better.
Oliver and Company at it again. Prices everlastingly slashed! Oliver and Company opposite Depot, Corning, Arkansas.
The Medical fraternity of Corning and vicinity have organized under the same of Clay County Medical Society, in order to advance their medical knowledge and for the purpose of advancing the science of medicine.
The new railroad project is having some opposition to contend with. Just so, with everything. The ditches in the Western District of Clay county have met with violent op- position, and anybody with "three grains of sense," knows that good ditches will greatly increase the value of the property in the county.
Jas. M. Phillips, the, wide awake enterprising business man has discovered and proposed to fill a long felt want in Corning. He has started the Pleasant Valley Dairy and isn't he the right man in the proper place, having had experience in the dairy business.
It does look like the people of Corning should relax themselves from work at Christmas time and make the little ones and the big ones happy by presenting a large Christmas tree at the Courthouse and for once in the entire year rejoice and give free vent to the greatest of all blessings -- charity.
The following are the names of pupils in the Intermediate department at Corning Public School who were neither absent nor tardy during the month: Bessie Barnhill, Clarence Beloate, Maude Sheeks, Jessie Stephens, Ida Taylor, Lizzie Fear, John Hettel, Alfred Hettel, Beulah Olive, Lulu Reed, Bertha Thomas, Getrude Reed, Bertis Rodenbach, Roscoe Atkinson, Clyde Richards, Luty Stanley, George Roberts, Leona McCollum.
Primary Department-Cecil Ray, Mary Carrithers, Della Grensten, Katie Hettel, May Brown, Lizzie Hudson, Carrie Lancaster, Iva Redman, Maud Oliver, Nina McKinney, Verna Barnes, Julia Sickles, Perry Simpson. Lyman Barnett, Jimmie Collins, Freddie Harg, Arthur Hicks, Clarence Larkin Wesley VanNada, Annie Pots
The Board of Directors of school district No.8 have decided to admit pupils either under or over school age to the schools of the district on the payment of $2.00 per month.
Two of Corning next door neighbor women are engaged in a controversy over a Plymouth Rock Rooster. The plaintiff and her witness appeared in Judge Harbs's Court one day last week to try for rights of property, but on account of an error in the papers, the defendent failed to appear and the case was continued until today.
The railroad company is putting in tilling just North of the depot. In a few days the pond of water in that neighborhood will be numbered with the unpleasant things that "were".
The following notice was found pasted on a man's farm in an adjoining county last week and handed us for publication: "If any man's cow or woman's cow or oxen get in these here oats, his or her tail will be cut off as the case may be. I am a Christian and pays my taxes, but damn a man who lets his critters run loose."
We wonder how many people have and will start to the World's Fair without enough money to see half the things they charge 50 cents to look at?
A baptising at the lake caused quite a crowd last Sunday. They were baptised by immersion and one by sprinkling. 
The Williams railroad extension nearing completion. They expect to have trains running into Bridgeport by July 8th.
The picnic and barbecue at Moark last Saturday was well attended and the dinner, which was free to all, was equal to the occasion. A number of races were run in the afternoon among which was won by M.M. Green's yellow horse and a little gray belonging to a party from Moark which was decided in favor of the latter, several footrace were run also.
The barbecues and celebration in general at Knobel Tuesday, was a splendid success. The crowd was the largest that ever assembled in Knobel and was estimated at from 1500 to 2000 people. At 2:30 p.m. the race stock appeared on the track. The first race was by Dr. Clark's little black mare and M. Ketchem's lightfooted bay, which was decided by the judge in favor of the latter. E. J. Langdon, our efficient station agent, reports the sale of 132 tickets to Knobel on the fourth.
Our talented young friend, Jerry Taylor, opened up the public school at the Richwoods house a week ago last Monday morning with an attendance of 35 pupils. This is Jerry's first school
Neely, who is in jail here for the murder of Asa Holland, it is said claims to have been a full fledged member of Sam Hilderbrand's gang.
The property of J.W. Goolsby, consisting of a log wagon, three oxen, two cows and a calf, a cross cut saw and a grindstone which were sold under an at tachment in favor of Dr. A.B. McKinney, brought $99.70 Will Teters bought the wagon for $15.50. Joseph Dudgeon bought the dry cow for $9.50 and Bud Eastwood the saw and grind stone for 30 cents.
We are glad to learn that Dr. Simpson and family have decided to become permanent citizens of Corning again. The doctor will have his office in the room now occupied by Judge Hopson.
The new City Council met in special session last Saturday night and reelected the
following for another term: J.E. Matthews, Marshal; C.V Beloate, Treasurer; T.B. Barker, City Attorney. They also introduce an ordinance to prohibit the sale of intoxicants within the corporate limits of Corning which was read the second time and referred to
proper committee.
An effort is being made by some of the property owners of Corning to have the town resurveyed, or at least to have one corner properly and permanently established, to enable them to ascertain the correct location of their respective lines.
The new brick hotel is growing rapidly. The masons are getting the stand completed in Corning by the fourth of July. Mr. and Mrs. M.M Green we are informed will occupy it.
The Lutheran church near Williams mill will be dedicated or the second Sunday in April, which will be the 9th day of this month, 1893, services will be rendered in the German language at 10 o'clock a.m. and in the English language at 2 o'clock p.m. by Rev. Miller of Little Rock Everyone is cordials invited to attend. Rev. Bangerter.
Men who have no respect for themselves their families and the better elements of society of their own town and community than to engage in such unbecoming and disgraceful conduct on the Holy Sabbath as did two or three of Corning's citizens last Sunday, are to be pitied, indeed. When it come to men getting beastly drunk on Sunday and falling around on the streets and smashing in glass front of business houses and finally having to be locked up in the calaboose, it is time for such ones to lay the social cup aside and turn their attentions to something more elevating and more profitable. They submitted their case before Mayor Green Monday morning and was fined $5.00 and trimmings each.
Following is the result of the municipal election at this place last Tuesday: Mayor Jacob Brobst; Recorder, H.B. McGlofllin; Aldermen, R. Prichard, DDF. McDonald, F. M. Carter, J.M. Phillips and A.W. Roberts.
The courthouse which is being erected at Piggott will be a right creditable little frame structure when completed. It is 44 x 44 feet square. It is built in the same place of the courthouse at this place but it is larger, ours being only 36 x 40.
Miss Mattie Curry, who has just closed a three months school east of town in the Cantwell neighborhood, returned to her home Troy, Tenn., last Saturday.
S.W. Alexander has sold his large saw mill at Black River bridge to a Michner, formerly of the saw mill of Michner and Brown of Peach Orchard.
Stephens Store Co. have erected some good hitching racks in front of their store for the accommodations of the customers and the general public.
Corning has four butcher shops, but beef still commands a high price retailed.

1894
A number of leading citizens of the county and town have suggested the advisability of calling a meeting of citizens of Corning vicinity, in order to discuss the feasibility of putting in a canning plant here at Corning and canning different kind of vegetables such as tomatoes, beans, pumpkins. This has been suggested before, but no action taken.
Jack McGonnigal's suit for divorce against his wife, Sarah J. McGonnigal was decided Saturday night by being reversed, she's getting a divorce from him , and the costs were taxed against him; Jack being afraid that it was going against him and the day before the divorce was granted he had a fight with his son-in-law, Mel Album, and had 25 pounds of flour, three chickens and a ham of meat cooked and put into a sack, got his clothes and "lit out" for the woods, that dark, deep dismal woods lying in the heavy bottoms of Little Black River Northwest of here about nine or ten miles on the line of Missouri and Arkansas, where no man hath habitation., and there he resides, perhaps in a hollow log. His son-in- law got the best of the fight before it was mentioned. And now comes Mrs. Jack McGonnigal and claims damages of her lawyer. F. G. Taylor, Esq. for getting her a divorce from Jack. She said she didn't apply for a divorce, didn't want it and wouldn't have it : that there certainly was some trick in it for getting the divorce she is now homeless and moneyless and Jack has sold her cow and all of her 16 geese and five hogs. and paid the money for this divorce and she is determined to have it changed if she has to get some other lawyer. She said all she wanted was maintenance and no divorce, and the Court gave her a divorce and no maintenance, entirely"agin her will." She is going to have it tried over and annulled.
A funny trial took place in Circuit Court here this session The plaintiff who owned a mill, which was run by the defendant for money advanced to pay the defendant mill hands, amounting to five or six hundred dollars, and the jury gave the plaintiffs mill to the defendant. That is while suing for the money advanced, he lost his mill.
The new minister of the Methodist Church is giving satisfaction, and the members of that church being very conscientious and faithful workers, will, without a doubt, keep up the good reputation they have enjoyed and justly merit, for so many years past.
The Baptist Church, we regret to say, is not so prosperous. We hope to see it, and the Christian and Catholic congregations, who as yet have no church houses, all prosper for there is nothing so wholesome and elevation as religious exercised.
A. L. Barnett's new brick double store on first street approaches completion ad looks like a city building with its splendid glass front and in really the handsomest and the best store in Corning. Mr Barnett will soon transfer his large stock of general merchandise from his present quarters into the building William Felsberg is the architect and builder of the woodwork in the new building, and show plainly that he is entirely equal to the occasion and is a first-class artist. E. H. Clark and Sons are to be praised for the brickwork. T. F. Ray the hardware and furniture dealer of Poplar Bluff, furnished the tin roof.
J. E. Matthews is a regular deputy marshal of Corning now, and his former success will. recommend him as the best man for the place. The blind tiger that pokes his head out anywhere in Corning is very liable to get badly used up. 
Thomas Warren, who owns and lives upon a good form two miles North of town is now at work making a large brick kiln on his form. This is a good investment. Bricks will always be in demand here, for, so far, Corning is a Wooden town with exception of only three brick houses. Make plenty of good brick. They will always sell here at a good price.
The teachers for the Corning Public School arrived last Saturday. They are as follows: L. S. Gillis, principal of Mountain Home, Miss Viola B. Cundiff, intermediate, Of Cairo Ill., Miss Edna Harris, primary of Union City, Tell. The school being under entirely new management throughout is hoped that the advancement of the pupils will be encouraging in the future, as it has been in the past. Corning Public School has all the advantages that can be given and is a credit to the town, and the directors and citizens are determined to keep it fully in front and up to the times. 
At the daily morning noon and evening hours can be heard the sounds of the many steam whistles at the different mills and factories in and about Corning and almost encircling the town: the sounds varying in the musical scale from the heavy steamboat bass of the Southern Cooperative Company factor in Corning, in different notes, to high C at Ferguson and Wheeler's mill on Black River near town. The sounds are pleasant because it notes that many hundreds of worthy laboring people have good and prosperous work and thereby the country prospers.
James B. Smith an old settler and resident of Richwoods had a fine mare stolen on the evening of Sunday, August 1 while he and his family were at preaching, the horse being hitched near the churchhouse which place his son Joe had ridden the horse.
Contractor McDonald of Paragould will please take notice that the incomplete condition of the courthouse vault is becoming wearisome to everybody. The plastering and cement has never dried and never will. It is not properly dome and must be scraped off and new cement of the right consistency put on. The vault is an absolute necessity for the preservation of the books and archives at once as they are now exposed to loss or destruction by fire. Mr. Shaw of the Felton Metallic Manufacturing Company of Jamestown N.Y. who contracted to put steel roller shelves and document files in the vault, was here this week taking measurements , and the files and shelves will soon be here for placing, but they cannot be fitted until the vault is completed, necessitating another delay.
Our school opened Monday with an enrollment of 184 in grades one through eight.
A. L. Barnett, the uptown general merchant, has received a cotton gin and is preparing to put it in position just North of the depot.
As far as known from the election returns, whiskey was voted out of Cache, Kilgore, Cleveland, Brown and Carpenter townships. Nelson voted for it.
P. M. Deckard of Rockport, Spencer County, Ind. has arrived in Corning and reports that several families from the North will move to Corning in the near future.
The streets are just literally crowded now by wagons and teams hauling. Seems like a new hold has been taken on the timber business, everybody, farmers and all, have gone to hauling logs, bolts, shingles, staves, lumber and square timbers and shipping some over the railroad. Prosperity has come and everybody feel good.
The Christian Church has decided to build their church on Elm Street at an early date having decided upon the plans and made arrangements for the necessary material and labor.
W. D. Polk has employed Contractor Joe Walk to haul sand from about a mile Southwest of town which he is having piled with stacks of brick high in the center of his lot., where he and others will build the bank building. The building will be two story. 25 x 50.
A big drove of mules from the North are being corralled here now for sale to the farmers and citizens. Our farmers should raise their own stock which can be done here as will as any place in the United States.
The St. James Hotel will change management on the 1st of Nov. J. S. Jordan assuming control.
The idea of a town the size of Corning with the business having a bank. Why, it is ridiculous. Can't we manage to get one somehow?
A party comprised of D. W. Vickery, Charles Lasater, Will Matthews and Dave Brewer went out on a hunting trip last week and succeeded in bagging one deer, four turkeys, eight quails and 145 squirrels.
The Clay County Medical Society is flourishing and the doctors generally have joined and under the leadership o f Dr. A. R. Simpson: president: Dr A. B. McKinney, Secretary and Dr. C. C. Symonds, Treasurer, are progressing.
The electric lights enterprise is being talked up in businessway. H. J. Weindel whose big stave factory engine here in town would give power enough to ensure matters, but we have information that a good 20- horsepower engine and boiler will be planted in town soon with the express purpose of furnishing power for the street lights and during the day it will be lumber. We made an estimate of the number of lights the citizens would be likely to take, and putting them very low in number counted more that 100; but when we spoke to a good many of the parties they agreed to take more than we allowed them, some of them twice as many, some housed we counted said that they would take one light but the owners thereof agreed on their own motions to take three or four of these lights at 75 cents each per month. cash in advance will bring in a neat little sum for the contractors. The city will light up the principal part of First and Second Streets West of the railway.
H. J. Weindel's stave factory was temporarily closed down on Thursday noon, March 1,1894. Factory men were thus thrown out of employment and a payroll of about $1600 a month stops operations. It is hoped that the close down will not last long and that Mr Weindel will resume business at his manufacturing works at an early date.
An ice depot in Corning is absolutely necessary. People must have ice, and will have it.
George Feissler of St. Louis has employed Z. T Daniel to plan and
lay off town lots his 17 acres of land laying immediately South of town. Lots will be sold cheaply.
About 15 or 20 people joined the Baptist Church during the last few days.
Perry Simpson and Edgar Stephens the little sportsman, have commenced with a yale goat. They feed him on tomato cans, stove pipe, elbows and waste paper and ride him double.
The Fourth of July general celebration, which is inevitable must come as usual, and a large, growing town like Corning should contribute its share to the National Jubilee.
Corning needs electric lights, a Bank, a college, a flour mill, a tailor, a canning factory, more brick building and more railroads.
The Christian denominations will endeavor to build a church house ii the near future and it is the duty of all to help the Christian Church to erect theirs.
A very heavy earthquake shock was felt by every citizen of Corning at about 7:10 a.m., Wednesday, July 18th. And a dull rumbling noise, plainly to be heard and apparently coming from the Southeast. The sheriff was in the courthouse at the time and said that the whole thing rock and the woodwork cracked and the glass it the windows rattled. Even the large iron safe in the clerk's office which weighs seven or eight tons, vibrated.
S. V. Beloate has on exhibition a his store a beautiful oil heating stove bought for the benefit of the pastor of the Methodist Church. I will be used to heat the pulpit and seats near it.
Everybody should contribute and take an interest in the movement to have a Christmas Tree. Announcement was made last Sunday at the M.E. Church that a collection will be taken next Sunday and liberal contributions will be expected. Collections are also being made throughout the town and all will have an opportunity to contribute something.
A wreck at Black River where four cars were ditched, caused the Northbound local freight to be several hours late Saturday.
Ben Davis, the butcher, went on a bear hunt Monday and brought in a 200 pound cub alive. He also killed another one and left it at Reyno.. 
The Courier turned over to the St. James Hotel one of the largest turnips given it by J.W. Osburn and it was cooked and furnished two meals for 31 people, and each had as much as is usually eaten by one person.
People with capital will not come to this town to build factories unless we show a disposition to do some of the building ourselves. So then let us get off our coats and go to work with a will that will result in the erection of a canning factory and flouring mill.
The new sawmill in central Corning is running full-handed and under the management of its owner, Issac Reed, who has opened up quite a lively industry here, having a general hardware store, wagon shop, blacksmith shop and grist mill. The work in all is pushed by Mr. Reed's usual tact and industry. He is deserving of praise for his spirit. It is almost impossible to keep up with the improvements now going on in Corning and the surrounding country. Buildings are going up all over the land and farms are being opened and fenced. Now, people are coming into the country and the splendid corps, good health and evident prosperity of everyone is having a good effect and now the tariff bill has been in a manner settled, greater confidence will be established, and money will soon be plentiful here in this neck of the woods will flourish as never before.
The Corning band boys have received bids from Neelyville, Knobel, Bearfield and Reyno to play on the 4th of July. They will probably go to Knobel.
The courthouse vault is finished and the whole North side, first floor of the Courthouse is now the Clerk's office.
Improvements and building still go on in this town just as if there were no hard times. The strike of railroad men has extended to the Iron Mountain railroad and we expect to feel hard times just like the balance of the world.
The front part of the M.E Church building is being remodeled by Carpenter A.M. Kelley.
Will Wynn and Jerry Taylor were excited this week about robbers, but we can't see anything about them. that a robber would fancy.

1895
Work on the bank building was resumed Tuesday after a week of idleness caused by snow.
The Order of the Eastern Star will install their new hall Monday evening, on which occasion the ladies of this order will spread a supper and entertain many of their friends.
James White and D.A Milam, who contracted to build the bank building, drew money from Mr. Polk Saturday night to pay their workmen, but instead of doing so started to take a walk lo Missouri. City Marshall Matthews followed them on the nine o'clock train and caught them at Moark where they had already gone to take the same train North. Matthews took them on to Poplar Bluff and Sheriff Hogg had them there until Wednesday evening when they were brought back to Corning. The grand jury has indicted them for embezzlement and they will be tried at the present term of court.
It is said J.E. Long will open immediately an addition to Southwest Corning. He has a fine tract of land which fronts North.
Oliver and Company will soon add 30 more feet to rear end of the store occupied by them up town, and boom their immense business more than ever.
Prof. C.H. Beard and Madam Rozell, who made balloon ascensions, are in town.
The daughters of Rebekah, Brilliant Lodge No. 54, had its annual installation of officers Monday evening at the hall.
The largest hog ever raised in this country was among the lot shipped by C.F'. Ward, Tuesday. It was of the Poland China breed and weighed 750 pounds and was
raised near Palatka by J.M. Redwine.
First Street, the most prominent one in the town from the reason of its running parallel with the railroad, presents a view for passengers on the trains that every citizen should be ashamed of. Last week, after the heavy rains, it was covered with water from one to two feet for a block and in other places there were several pools and there is a great deal of it standing there yet. For the good appearance of the town this should not he allowed, for what kind of a reputation will we get all along the line of the railroad from the traveling public; besides it is unhealthy. The cost of a blind ditch to the lake would he comparatively small, to what it will cost the town in reputation and the residents of First Street in health if allowed to remain as it is, and should be put in at once.
Over 30 acres in the Geissler and Bishop additions have been sold, with the exception of one or two lots.
It is reported that there are several men engaged in peddling whiskey about town This boot-legging business must stop.
About two o'clock, yesterday afternoon a Northbound through freight train came into Corning at a rapid rate and at the first switch a defective frog caused the last truck of a flat car loaded with bridge iron to leave the track., jerking the front truck of the box car with it. The train ran a quarter before it could be stopped dragging these two cars now off and on the track at intervals with them, and just as the wrecked cars passed the station house the end of the car caught the supporting timbers of the platform and tore the whole North end of it down. A lot of freight was on the platform and part of it was demolished. A wrecking crew came up from down the road and cleared away the wreck.
In compliance with an order of the City Council the railroad company has removed all their fences from along the tracks within the corporation limits, with the exception of the one on the west side of Joseph Dudgeon's oat field Southeast of town.
Free--- A look at our stock of beautiful spring and summer dress goods. Cheap. Oliver and Company.
There is one thing about Corning that most towns cannot say, and that is we have the poorest sidewalks in the world.
There is some talk of J. H. Williams widening his railroad to standard gauge and extending it on from Bridgeport to Current View.
The City Council met last evening and accepted reports from investigation committees on streets, alleys, etc.., and will act on their reports, and employ a city marshal next Thursday.'
Coal Oil, per gallon, 15c; Diamond Axle Grease, per box 3c; Sugar Cured Ham, per pound, 11c; Pure Hog Lard, per pound, l0c; Compound Lard, per pound, 8c.-Sheeks- Stephens Store. ,
The downtown kids and the uptown kids will play a game of ball down town tomorrow afternoon.
The Peoples Building and Loan Association is doing a good business here with a large number of stockholders.
B. H. Sellmeyer came up from Knobel Monday and filed in the Clerk's Office articles of in-corporation for the Knobel Building and Loan Association just organized at that place.
Prominent business men of Corning are discussing the feasibility of a railroad from here Northeastward, connecting the other lines to the Mississippi River.. Such a line would be of inestimable value to Corning and this end of the country, opening fine timber and agricultural lands and reducing freight rates both North and South.
The Messrs. Garretson of St. Louis came down and enjoyed fishing and hunting on the river near David Bennetts and the upper club house last week. the elder Mr. Garretson is about 80 years old and it is said is the only surviving member of a club wealthy St. Louisians formed years ago for fishing and hunting on Black River.
While roaming near and on the railroad track last Saturday and Sunday, six of J. E. Long's yearling colts were so badly crippled that they had to be killed. They were appraised at $20 per head, but this does not quite reach Long's figure as he demands $40 and Claim agent Brandon has been here several days trying to adjust the matter. It is said that it will result in a law suit.
The Corning Gun Club had another shoot yesterday and made the best score recorded since the organization was founded. Out of a possible 48; H. W, Lasater broke 33, G. B. Oliver 29, I.M. Lindsey 27, R. H. Cantwell 25, D. W. Vickery 23. The members have had scarcely any experience at trap shooting.
The City Council met in regular session last evening and elected J. S. Gordon, city attorney and W. C. Potts, city marshal. The railroad right-of- way fence question was
taken under advisement and will be settled at the next meeting. This is a knotty question and will require consideration work and judgement.
Transferring the Earth--D. Hopson and wife to W.D. Polk lot 7 of block 10 Corning' consideration $300. Mrs. M.C. Estes to C.C. Estes lot 13. block 22 Corning, consideration $500.
The Board of School Directors met Monday evening and elected the following teachers for the next term: L.S. Ferguson, principal; William Donaghy of Naylor, Mo., intermediate teacher and Miss Catie Adams will have charge of the primary department. 
The factory after a shutdown of three weeks, will begin operations Monday. New boiler walls of St. Louis brick were put in besides the improvements made to the building.
W.A. Vandover was acquitted of the charge of illegally selling liquor in Brown township by the justice court last Friday. He was tried in Justice Griffith's Court last Monday on a similar charge and the jury stood eight to one against acquittal.
Eli Loda and wife and B.H Sellmeyer and wife and Joseph Sellmeyer and wife have had a plat made of the town of Knobel
The long-haired doctor took his jug with him to the show Saturday night and became disorderly and was taken before his honor by City Marshall Potts and had $5 and trimmings added to the original cost of his jug.
The young ladies of Corning have organized a brass band with Miss Anna Barnett as leader. They will give festivals soon to secure money with which to buy instruments.
The prettiest piece of homemade carpet ever seen in Corning is on sale at Bishop, Furniture Store at 40 cents a yard.
A resident of Williams by the name of Fleenor was shot by watchmen last Thursday night. Fleenor, it is said, was attempting to steal flour from a car standing on a side track when the watchmen fired on him, wounding him in the left side with buckshot. His injuries are said to be serious though not dangerous..
Gorley and Davis have opened a new business in Corning, a sodawater bottling works. This firm occupies the room in the St. James Hotel building lately occupied by The Courier. This is the first concern of this kind ever located in Corning and is a big thing for the town. They will supply neighboring towns with soda pop by the wholesale. They have three large copper generators for filing bottles, also tanks for soda fountains.
The City Council meets in. special session this evening to talk with an agent and consider the feasibility of buying a first class eight-horse steel street grader.
The St. James Hotel building is now equipped with water pipes throughout which carry water from a tank to all parts of the building.
First Street now presents an appearance somewhat resembling a plowed field, but it will be put in shape as soon as the mud has dried up.
Dr. E. Silverberg, a former resident of our town, who is now traveling as a specialist in chronic diseases, has an office at the St James Hotel. The doctor is too well known to our older citizens to need our recommendations. He has been at Knobel for the last two months.
William Yarborough a young man living near Palatka was brought in today by Constable Henry Brown and placed in jail for the crime of stealing 45 cents. William, as it was brought out in the trial before 'Squire Russell', had a young lady friend with a well-developed appetite for sweet things, and in order to appease that appetite he stole 45 cents and investing 20 of it in candy, which he presented to her.
Corning Bottling Works is proclaimed to the public in a large sign stretched across Pine Street in front of Gourley and Davis soda water factory.
Corning has a few people who kick at everything suggesting improvement. God bless them, we often wonder if they have ever realized what a great benefit to the world they are.
Corning School District has the largest amount of money of any of the school districts in this county. Knobel is a close second,
Marshal Potts finished his job of enumerating the census of Corning Wednesday. He reports that there are 1111 people inhabiting the town. Squire Kelley is the oldest being 82 years of age and an infant of Robert Hall is the youngest. B. F. Nance has the largest family, himself wife. and ten children.
Many complaints are being heard about hogs dying in all parts of town. The sick animals crawl under buildings and die which gives Marshall Potts an immense lot of trouble removing them.
1.O. Boyer, while clearing land for W.B. Teters on the edge of Black River bottoms near Moark reports having seen a lion within 60 yards of him one day this week.
'Squire Wells' of Success reported Little Black River running up stream Tuesday. It was crowded backward by the very high water in Current River, which was caused by the awful waterspout at Winona, Me. and other rain above here in Missouri.
Our city dads ought to have the dog fennel and jimson weeds cut before they go to seed.
An oak log was brought in from I. W. Phillips land near here lately which measured 18 feet in circumference at the large end. It was ten feet long and contained nearly 1500 feet of lumber.
A. L. Barnett is placing building material on the Southwest corner of East First and Main streets for the erection of a residence..
John W. Shaver of Reyno. who recently embarked in the mercantile business at that place, and John McCrary, were in town on business Tuesday.
It is reported that smallpox is raging in Cache bottoms just West of Boydsville and that a shotgun quarantine had been established at Boydsville. Several deaths are said to have been caused and a number are seriously affected by the disease.
Marshall Potts has had a force of working men clearing the rubbish from the cemetery, which should greatly improve the appearance of Corning's home of the dead.
It is reported that E. V. Sheeks has bought the Arnold corner on First Street opposite the railroad station and will erect a fine brick building thereon.
The City of Corning was first started in 1872 when the Iron Mountain Railroad was first graded through and called Hecht City, after two of the first merchants in the town, the Hecht brothers. The city is in two townships, the southern portion of the town was incorporated in 1873 under the name of Cornng, which name was given to it by the railroad. the northern half being left out of the incorporation, In 1878 the upper part of the city partitioned to be taken in and the whole city became as one. Several additions have been made since. The first mayor of the new city was George W. Stephens.
One of the chief industries of our little city is lumbering and this trade is something wonderful as is shown by the numerous mills in and around town, as well as, those at a distance who make this their shipping point., The monthly output from these mills aggregates something over 1,000,000 feet and still in spite of this vast amount of timber that is being taken out of the county, there does not seem to be any noticeable decrease in the supply in the county.
Henry Barnett's team ran away from Klein and Rosenblums corner near court square, turning over the wagon at Sheeks-Stephans Store Company corner and leaving the hind wheels at Dr. McKinney's office, they touched at the postoffice and left the front wheels at the St. James Hotel. After racing up First Street, they were caught and brought back by Mr Bennett.
While at Neelyville last Friday Dr. A.R. Simpson dressed the wounds of six men who had been injured there during the week.
Hunters say that catching a tiger is a most difficult undertaking. but we doubt if it is more difficult than catching a flea.
Petty local jealousies have done more to retard growth of Corning than anything else. No one is able to present a sound argument against the building of a bridge across Black River.
Cotton is being sold for $2.40 in the seed and at eight cents in the lint.
The Courier is now established in its own building (thank the Lord) and will cease worrying as to the whereabouts of the where with all to pay rent.
Contractors and builders continue to discuss the large brick buildings contemplated for the North of First Street. It is believed that they will be built at an early date.
At a recent election of the Corning Baptist Church, Elder W. J. Beardon was elected pastor for another year.
One barrel of choice apple vinegar for sale at 20 cents a gallon as long as it lasts at S. Bishop's Furniture Store.
Last Friday night just before 11 o clock a large volume of flames
burst from the center of the building owned and operated by D. F. McDaniels and before the alarm could be given, the fire had gained such headway that it was impossible to conquer it. The flames rapidly spread to a vacant storeroom, owned by J. C. Staley and Son on the East side of the McDaniel property, and August Peterson's dwelling on the West side and they were consumed in a few minutes.
A steady downpour of rain which prevailed several hours previous to and during the fire was the only cause that prevented the whole Northern part of Corning from being burned. J. B. McGloflin, who boarded with McDaniels, occupied a room on a second floor of the building. He was waked by the family, but being a man allowed nothing to excite him, was evidently overconfident of escaping safety. He must have delayed long enough to dress before attempting to get out of the building, and when he did make an effort, found the doors bolted or locked by the sinking timbers of the building. He burst through a window in the southwest corner of the building and was found lying between the sidewalk and the burning building fatally burned. All of his clothes having been burned from his body and limbs. He was literally roasted from the top of his head to his ankles and even his socks were burned down below his shoe tops. Mr McGloflin ran a carpenter shop near central Corning. He came to Corning from Mississippi in 1885.
The heroic work of Sam Neal and others on Ferguson Wheeler's feed store near their main store prevented the fire from spreading south and hot difficult work by T. B. Staley and a force of fire fighters saved Dr. J. C.Staley and Sons Drug Store.
There is one sneak thief in Corning, who, if he is not already cured of this weakness for stealing, ought to be. The chances are now that he is doctoring a bullet wound received Monday night just after dark while attempting to get away with a five-gallon keg of molasses, from D. W. Vickery's smoke house. Mrs Vickery shot him with a pistol.
Ten thousand yards of the best calico at four and one-half cents a yard at the Racket Store. Twenty-five dozens extra heavy flannel drawers at 30 cents a pair, worth 60 cents, at the Racket Store.
The slight hail storm here yesterday brought up a general conversation about hail storms at one of the stores up town. The storm which took place recently at and near Middlebrook, Randolph County, was the main topics of conversation and some facts from truthful persons were brought out that doubtless many people about Corning have never heard. Hail stones larger than a man's head fell; one of which tore its way into Carroll Odom's residence going through the shingles, sheeting and ceiling to the floor.
The Corning City Council met last evening with Recorder Lindsey in the president's chair and Alderman Barringer in the Recorder's chair. Alderman Cook, Burk, McKinney and Huff were present. The most important among the proceedings was the almost unanimous passage of a bill to establish a base corner in order to have a new and correct survey of the town.
Deputy United States Marshal Sappington and Robinson of Little Rock came up Friday and took back with them Saturday morning the pair of counterfeiters, William Moss and G. W. Johnston, who were arrested at Knobel last Thursday.
Between 50 and 100 empty "hot tea" cases can be seen almost every day at the station ready to be shipped back to the wholesaler for refilling. Fifty seven empty cases were in one stack on the station platform yesterday and they were several full cases in the freight room. Each case contains 24 quart bottles and thousands of bottles of the vile stuff--stale beer--are consumed in Corning.
Oh Lord! Give us one good soaking rain, there is a gentleman in town who needs a bath.
Eight births are reported about town that oil was struck at the Horton Land and Lumber Company test well near Naylor the first part of the week. We hope the report is true, but as yet has not been confirmed.
The City Council met in extra session Tuesday evening and ordered the newly elected City Engineer to make survey of the town and establish corners and lines as soon as practicable, after which considerable new sidewalk will be laid, a greater part of which will be in the Eastern part of the town and the old sidewalks will be repaired.
A curiosity in the record book of deeds can be seen in deed record 11 at the courthouse. It is a plain every day promissory note for $10.00, dated May 23 and due November 1, given by G.W.S. Watson to William Holder. This is only instance in the history of the county that a promissory note has been recorded.
Corning is in need of dwelling houses. There is not an empty house in town and in several instances two families occupy one small house. 
Rev. T. A. Boycan will preach at the courthouse Sunday morning and evening. Rev Boycan is a Free Will Baptist and has regular appointments here for the first Sunday in each month.
Immigrants are arriving in Corning in increasing numbers daily, and the demand for farms by both buyers and renters has materially advanced the price of real estate in this part of the county.
The earthquake at 5:10 o'clock yesterday morning, the greatest shake felt since 1812, agitated a large area with the center of disturbance as far as can be ascertained, at Cairo, Illinois. Reports from Charleston,Mo. say that a hundred or more large fissures in the earth are pouring forth sand and water.
Several brick buildings in Corning were cracked.

1896
Judge Hopson of this city, W.H. Brown of Peach Orchard and B.H. Sellmeyer of Knobel attended the Good Roads convention in Little Rock, Tuesday. Sellmeyer was accompanied to the capital city by his wife.
Walter Cloud died last Sunday afternoon at the home of Hans Shanks in this city. He had been ill with pneumonia and congestion several days prior to his death and was a patient sufferer, not giving up until the last day when he said that he felt very badly. He was an employee in the stacking department of the stave factory, under Hans Shank who is the foreman of that department. He was an industrious, honest quiet and popular young man with many warm friends, especially the members of the Corning Coronet Band of which he was a member. His brother band boys in compliance with one of his last requests look charge of his remains and conducted his funeral and burial, marching first to the Baptist Church where Elder W J Bearden held funeral services over the remains then to the city cemetery. They rendered touching sacred music at both places.
A convention of all public spirited and progressive citizens interested in good roads and improvements of this section of the county is called to meet at the courthouse in Corning on Saturday March 14. Everybody should attend.
A man and his wife stopped in Corning last Monday night both started without any breakfast Tuesday morning, to walk about 18 miles and the man had more than five dollars in his pocket, too. When revailed on to eat and after having been offered breakfast free, the man said his wife was young and could walk without eating.
Old Uncle John Tisdial and his son Andrew left Monday morning for Randolph county on the hunt of some horses that strayed from the farm, Sunday. Monday evening John Tisdial and Thomas Long found the horses on what is known as the Alexander farm, four miles West of Richwoods Church.
Even Change -- Tobacco, 14c: Arbuckle's Coffee, 20c' Spot Cash Baking Powder, 6c Salt, per barrel, $1.15. Sheeks Stephens Store Co.
When you come in to pay your taxes don't forget to call The Courier office and subscribe for the paper. If you are an old subscriber and in the area, please call and settle up.
Mayor and Mrs. H.W. Lasater, assisted by Mrs. C.M. Landon, will entertain a large number of their young married friends and a few who are not married, at an "at home," Saturday evening.
S.F. Druley has moved with his family from the S.P. Druley farm three miles Northeast of here and now occupies the dwelling lately occupied by J.E. Long. (This was the old Mound house, located on the Indian mound at First and Pine.)
Ordinance No. 59 -An ordinance to prohibit Gambling.
Any person who shall bet any money or any other valuable thing, or any representative of any thing of value on any game of poker, whist, seven-up, brag, bluff, euchre or other games of cards, with or without a name within the limits of the incorporated town of Corning, Arkansas, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not less than five dollars or more than twenty five dollars. 


1897
Law and Order Year in Corning:
Ordinance No. 65 - An Ordinance to prohibit assault and battery and aggravated assault.
Ordinance No. 64 - An Ordinance to prohibit obscenity and fixing a penalty therefor.
Ordinance No. 66 - An Ordinance to prohibit the carrying of weapons.
Ordinance No. 74 - An Ordinance to prohibit profanity.
Ordinance No. 75 - An Ordinance to prevent Sabbath breaking. 
Ordinance No. 76 - An Ordinance to prohibit petit larceny.
Ordinance No. 77-- An Ordinance to prohibit the sale of liquor to minors.
Ordinance No. 69 - An Ordinance requiring dram shops and drinking houses to be closed on election days. 
Ordinance No. 70 -An Ordinance to prohibit gambling and betting. 
Ordinance No. 71-An Ordinance to prohibit the sale or gift of tobacco to minors. Ordinance No. 73 - An Ordinance to prevent minors from gambling in saloons. Ordinance No. 84 - An Ordinance for the collection of fines to compel the same to be worked out and to provide for commitment upon failure of defendant to pay the same. Ordinance No. 85 - An Ordinance to prohibit fast riding or driving a horse mule or other animal on the streets of the incorporated town of Corning. 
Ordinance No. 86 - An Ordinance to prevent shooting fire arms within the limits of the incorporated town of Corning.
Ordinance No. 82-An Ordinance to prevent the sale or giving away of intoxicating liquors within the incorporated town of Corning. 
Ordinance No. 81-An Ordinance to prohibit illegal cohabitation. That if any man and woman shall cohabit together as husband and wife within the incorporated town of Corning Arkansas without being married each of them shall be deemed of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not less than $ 20.00.

1898
Mr. Dixon, one of the most progressive of Corning Merchants, is having a number of feed stalls built on the rear of his lots North of the Bank.
The Nelson will case has been the all-absorbing topic in Court since, yesterday. Martha Mullins is trying to have a jury set aside the will of her deceased father, Wm. Nelsom
The new fence of steel and iron, enclosing the Corning Cemetery, has been completed by Contractor H.D. Schweingruber. The fence is made of galvanized wire woven on steel posts.
The Southern Cooperage works in this city is fitting up an immense steam force pump with pipes of large capacity, to be used at their factory in case of fire. Water will be drawn from the lake nearby.
The new heading and stave factory has been running day and night since electric lights were put in the factory building last week. A crowd of employees went to work tmid- night last Sunday night.
A half dozen or more train men of the Iron Mountain Railroad besides Road Master Sheridan were witnesses in Court here this week on account of stock killed by trains since the last term of court.
W. H. Clark and Sons have been setting up their new brick and tile machinery this week near the railroad a mile North of town. They operated the machinery for the purpose of testing it and made some samples of very fine pressed brick. They have ordered a 20 horsepower engine and boiler which will be here in a few days. Then operations will begin on a large scale.
Sheriff Kelley took Henry Rathley from Corning to the penitentiary at Little Rock. Yesterday Rathley pleaded guilty to grand larceny committed at Moark a few days ago. He forged an order to Mrs. Wilson's store signing a fellow employee's name to it. He pleaded guilty to the crime of grand larceny and took one year in the pen rather than stand trial or plead guilty to forgery and be sentenced two years.
Clothing and quilts were stolen from four clothes lines in the eastern part of Corning Tuesday night. It is thought by some that the robbers belong to the shiftless idle class of movers traveling South through this city, while others think the thieves are residents of this city. Considerable small stealing has been going on in this section during the past year and the guilty person should be caught and given hours to leave, before our town looses the good reputation it has long enjoyed as a town with very few, if any, thieves or other criminals.
J. W. Black is planning to remove his grocery store from the Barnes corner to the first floor of the T.B. Barker's brick building.
The City Council met in extra session Wednesday evening and granted a franchise to W.R. Brown to erect telephone poles and wires in the streets of Corning.
Rev J. M. Talkington, the new minister for Corning, delivered two able sermons at the M. E. Church last Sunday and returned Monday to his home in Searcy.
Current View is about two years old and has four stores, one sawmill, one planting mill, two blacksmiths shops and one hotel with ten rooms, one good church house, a good school building and a population of about 200. The town is high, dry and healthy.
Lookout for the log rolling at Dick Cantwell's on Friday.
Tramps are getting thicker around town than flies on boarding house butter.
Olivcr and Company is having a cash system of wires and baskets put in their store, and soon will have their store looking like a city store
H. P. Jones of West Tennessee, is visiting Mayor Barker. Mr. Jones may become a citizen of Corning and says he thinks he o an induce a colony of wealthy Tennesseans to move here. By all means let then come and help in the boom is experiencing. Now is the accepted time to get in on the ground floor of this growing town, and those who take advantage of the opportunities will make good investments.
John Long and Miss Fannie Gwynn of this city were married at the residents of T.B. Barker last Sunday Esq. Beloate officiating.
During the process of a dance at Jeff McCollum's dwelling in the Eastern part of town about one o'clock this morning some person whose identity and purpose is unknown. fired a charge of dynamite or some other explosive near McCollum's house. The concussion shocked and waked the people in all part of Corning. The mysterious explosion is as much talked of as the coming war with Spain.
Mayor-elect: George Barnhill, Recorder-elect: E.L. Black and Alderman-elect: D. T. Akers, L. 0, Burk, O..B. Simpson, J.W.Harb and Pat Martin met Wednesday night at George Barnhill' s barber shop and were sworn into their respective office by R.C. Beloate Esq.
The first matters disposed of by the new council were the election of a City Attorney and Treasurer. J.L . Taylor was chosen for City Attorney and Jacob Klein, City Treasurer.
Captain W.A. Lindsey appointed for the purpose of enrolling all men in Killgore township between the ages of 18 and 45 and of certain height and weights for the reserve militia of Arkansas has been taking names in town for several days and will go into the country and complete his lists. This is being done in every township in the state for the purpose of showing the fighting strength of Arkansas.
Ed Filleo, lately employed as a teamster in Corning died at the Missouri Pacific Hospital in ST. Louis from injuries received when he jumped off the northbound passenger train at Moark last Friday. The car wheel mangled his left leg between the knee and foot.
Seventeen of Corning' s invincibles from five or six to about a dozen years of age have organized themselves a squad of soldiers. They are all manly, patriotic and happy little fellows and with their toy guns make a fine drill corps. They have had Clothier E.L. Black take their measures for military uniforms and caps. Their names are: John. Crabtree, Denzil Barnhill, Charlie Pearson, Tommie Wynn, Olan Potts, Fred Harb. Curt Black, Grover Hettel, Pierre Simpson, Andy Martin, John Jordan, Elijah McNitt, Edgar Stephens, Rex Jones, Alfred Hettel, Henry Beech and Charley Black.
W.R. McGrew of near Palatka killed the biggest turkey gobbler that we have heard of lately. It weighed 25 pounds.
J.E. Mustain and family expect to leave their home in Moark next week in a covered wagon with a tent and camp outfit for a trip to the Ozark Mountains in. Western Arkansas.
The raising of the United States Flag, burning of the Spanish Flag and hanging and burning of Weyler in effigy on the vacant lot north of the Leader office, Saturday evening, accompanied by anvil shooting, was a patriotic demonstration attended by a large crowd. The band played and Rev. Hicks delivered a patriotic speech.
An agreement has been entered by the merchants of Corning to close their stores every evening at eight o'clock beginning yesterday. The postoffice will also be closed at eight o'clock.
Exciting trials drew large crowds to the Mayor's court at the Courthouse Monday and Wednesday. I.M. Lindsey was tried for swearing at Rev. Hicks. The first trial resulted in a hung jury, and in the second trial the jury acquitted Mr. Lindsey of the charge. Rev. Hicks was the prosecuting witness and he or his bondsmen, J.E. Long and S. Bishop will have the costs to pay, which amount to over $28.
Dr. N.J. Latimer of this city went to Crockett Wednesday and was married to Miss May Johns of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Latimer arrived home in Corning yesterday. They are popular and well known all over Clay County and their hosts of friends including the Courier, tender best wishes for their future happiness.
A meeting was held at W.R. Brown's store last night, presided over by Elder H.S. Mobley, chairman , to arrange plans for a Fourth of July celebration in Corning. Named to committees were: W.R. Barringer, Dr. J.M. Oliver, W.A. Lindsey, H. W. Lasater, Henry Gilbert, C.V. Beloate, J.E. Matthews, E.L. Black, B.A. Davis, C.C. Estes, W.A.
Vandover and A.T. Webb.
A light mulatto negro was found dead in a ditch beside the railroad about a mile South of Moark by travelers from Moark to Corning yesterday morning, who reported the case to Constable Potts and Esq. Roberts. These officers summoned a coroner's jury and had disposed of the case. The jury decided that the negro came to his death after hanging onto a car until he was thrown violently into the ditch.
J. W. Hawkins and family of Richwoods were in town yesterday and while here Mr. Hawkins called The Courier office and exhibited his right forearm showing where a streak of lightning had struck that member burning or singeing the hairs off a strip about an inch wide and from the wrist to the elbow. The bolt of lightning came from a small cloud, struck a tree under the shade of which Mr. Hawkins was repairing a pitchfork with a magnetized tack hammer. He and his little son who was with him were both knocked down and Mr. Hawkins was rendered unconscious. His limbs were paralyzed for a short time. but he has now recovered from the injury.
J.H. Nelson was tried before Mayor Barnhill and a jury last Monday, and convicted of running a house of ill fame in Corning. He was found guilty and fined $10 and costs, making over $42. He was jailed on account of his failure to pay. and is now working out his fine and costs on the streets.
Captain C. W. Huff and crew arrive Saturday with his little steamboat which he will run in Black River between Poplar Bluff and points South of here. About a month's time was taken to bring the boat from Fisk on the St. Francis down the Mississippi and up the White, Current and Black Rivers to Corning, a distance of about 1,500 miles.
F. X. Frappie and vivacious daughter, Miss Emma, who have been residents of Corning for about one year, took French leave of their creditors one night this week for parts unknown. He conducted the hickory mill here, and as time rolled on he became deeper and deeper in debt to his employees and others, until finally they were confronted with the alarming enigma, "Billy, My Board bill's due, and what the devil must I do," so they flew the coop.
J.E. Long, Sr., has an old gander that follows him all over town, and fights viciously everybody and everything that approaches Mr. Long even his little baby. We have heard of pet pigs, dogs, etc., but never before knew of a goose following and taking up for a man..
Patronize home industry. The best sodawater manufactured by the Corning Bottling Works, on First Street in the Richardson building, Corning, for sale by the bottle or case, at low prices. R.G. Scarborough, Manager.
The Corning brass band. led by Larry Lasater, paraded last night. The boys halted and rendered some of their best music in front of the St. James Hotel .
The physicians of the city have arranged by agreement, their office hours, as follows: Dr. Latimer, 6:30 to 8:00 a.m.: 12 noon to 2pm. and 7 to 8 p.m.: Dr. McKinney. 7 to 8:30am.: 3 to 5pm. and 7 to 8pm.: Dr. Simpson. 7 to 9am : 4 to 5 pm. Dr.Scott. 7 to 9 a.m. 2 to 4 pm. and 7 to 9 pm.
Dr. Simpson was called to Black River bridge Sunday morning to attend to the injuries of Ed Wells and Chas. Jones employees of Alexander's Mill, who got in the way of a train while coming from Knobel , Saturday night.. They were probably intoxicated. Wells is badly, bruised, though not fatally.
Tramps frequently pass by on the road but seldom stop for grub. They don't like our diet of plain cornbread with the bran left in it. Try this on them; -- if you have anything more don't give it to them, and when you cook especially for their benefit season it with a little krough-on rats. -- Ring Neighborhood
Dr. Dixon head of the Corning Mercantile Co., has bought of W.D. Polk and D. Hudson the five lots from the Bank North to the corner of Vine Street. Dr. Dixon will build a large brick store on the corner and will also build large sheds for sheltering the farmers' teams and wagons on the lots.
An ordinance is being put through by the Municipal officers of Corning which will reduce the corporation license for selling whiskey from $ 1500 to $ 500.
Mr. Ball formerly a resident East of Knobel, but now a ranchman of West Plains, Mo., assisted by his son in law, W.E. Nutt, and others, drove a herd of 205 cattle through town yesterday on their way to Mr. Ball's ranch. The cattle came from the Cache bottoms. The herdsmen made them swim the river at Bennett's ferry yesterday at noon.
J.L. Taylor and Miss Grace Brown were married at Brookings last Wednesday. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are keeping house in the Rodenbeck dwelling lately vacated by J.T. Cox Mack Ward. Mr. Taylor is a popular and enterprising young lawyer and business man of this city.
A most deplorable accident occurred in the Ring neighborhood yesterday afternoon, resulting in the death of Sam Cummins, from the effects of a stray bullet out of Clinton Wood's gun. The crowd of hunters were running deer through the thickets and Cummins and Wood by chance were slipping toward the same deer which passed between them when they both fired simultaneously killing the deer. The shots, 21 in each charge whistled past each hunter and one struck Cummins, penetrating between two ribs just below the heart, causing death in about 40 minutes. The camp was broken up and Cummins remains were brought to Corning last night and interred today. Woods was almost crazed on account of the accident and with thus, attempted suicide, which was prevented by D. B. Laws.
Long hair on a man is very apt to cover a multitude of cranky ideas.

1899
Don't fail to hear Blind Boone, the wonderful negro piano playing prodigy, at Masonic Hall, Monday night, January 9.
Mack Ward has the best barber shop, the finest sharpest razors and everybody knows that Mack's shop is the place to get the best work in Northeast Arkansas.
Two flat cars loaded with light cannon without a whiskey license. Peach Orchard has a whiskey saloon.
W.O. Beard is the new station agent in Corning for the Iron Mountain Railway. He came from Neelyville.
The Possum Walk at the Masonic Hall last Friday night - was too funny to be expressed in words.
The vacant house which stands close to the round bale cotton gin in Corning is reported to be haunted. The ghostly visitor also prowls about in the gin.
We understand that J.P. Potter will open a drugstore in the Dr. Simpson building about March 1, where it will be located until his new brick is ready for occupancy.
H. W. Lasater, Dr. Green and C.L Daniel have started the ball to rolling and now there is to be a grand ball and a general good time among the Terpsaehoreans once a week, every 'Thursday evening, at the courthouse, the second story of which has been renovated and otherwise prepared for the dancers.
Henry Barnhall bas gone into the fishing business and caught a 46 pound catfish out of Black River one day last week.
E..V. Sheeks is having the poles set for the electric street lights and has placed an order for the dynamo, which wall be shipped as soon as the manufacturers can get it ready which will be about three weeks.
Since the. Knobel Club determined to build a new and elegant cottage at Corning Lake in addition to the club house it has there, several members have been added.
On July 4th there will be a celebration on the shores of Corning Lake that will stir up the natives, the occasion being the formal opening of the ladies' annex building; There will be music, fireworks, fishing, feasting and a Fourth of July oration by Uncle Alex H. Smith on the stories of this great country, its fish and game and especially the beauties and attractions of Knobel Club's preserve. The Knobel Club contains the names of most of the representative citizens of St. Louis.
If all the devils were cast out of some people there would not be much left.
Men will wrangle for religion-write for it, fight for it, die for it-anything but live for it.
W.A. Vandover will soon let the contractor for the building of a fine residence for himself and family in the Western part of town.
The Corning Brass Band has been recently reorganized and is making progress practicing for the IOOF celebration at Jonesboro.
Pat Martin and a large force of men engaged in an old fashioned logrolling on Martin's farm near Moark today.
It is said the H.H. Williams expects soon to build a new railroad from Williams Switch, on the Iron Mountain, over the right-of-way of the old Arkansas-Northeastern to Success, and maybe on to Maynard, for the purpose of hauling timber, principally railroad crossties from Little Black and Current River bottoms. Why not have the road built from Corning instead of Williams switch to Maynard? 
Captain Joe McCracken left last night for New Orleans to attend to his large shipments of square timber which went down the rivers a few days ago to the city, from which point they will be located on ships for Liverpool. The Captain will not take the passage on ship at New Orleans, but will return to Corning and go to New York City or Montreal, Canada and embark for Liverpool.
A very good crowd was here Monday from neighboring towns, this being the time for letting the contract for the erection of the new brick courthouses.
The passenger train due at Corning at 9:46 Sunday night was wrecked just South of Tip Top, Mo. by a calf getting in front of the engine, which was ditched, and several cars were badly wrecked. The firemen was instantly killed and the engineer seriously scalded.
This paper has been conducted under different names and in various towns of Clay County, continuously for about 25 years, having been located in Corning, Rector and Greenway at different times. With this issue The Courier completes its 15th year under the present name and has been under the same management for six years.
Long Brothers say they will make a big barbecue and celebration take place at the school grounds, on July 4th, in spite of all opposition.
O.C. Harb received an order Monday for 400 loaves of bread and 20 cases of soda for the big barbecue at Pitman the 4th.
The Board of Directors has employed as teachers in the Corning public schools for the ensuring year, besides J.K. Browning of Piggott as Principal, Mrs. Anne Cooledge, Mrs. Ada Prichard and Miss Sue Hill of this place and Ora Edwards of Brookings.
It is pretty generally understood that Judge Felix G. Taylor will be in the race for Congress, of course no one knows yet what opposition he will have, but the Judge is a popular man and he knows to conduct a campaign.
The glorious 4th of July was celebrated at the school house grounds in Corning in spite of the fact that a great many of our citizens spent the day at Pittman, Jonesboro and other places where big celebrations were to be held. The celebration was one of the most orderly in the history of Corning, there was no infractions of the law, or casualties. At noon, a barbecue was spread on the grounds by Long Brothers, the butchers, who dispensed barbecued meats, bread and pickles to the hungry crowd at 20 cents a meal. Governor Jones returned from Pitman in time to deliver a short but patriotic speech in the evening before he left on the 9:46 train for Little Rock. The Corning band being employed at Jonesboro, the management of the barbecue secured the services of the negro brass band of Poplar Bluff which furnished music for the day.
Dr. J.C. Staley died at his home in Corning at eight o'clock last Friday evening after an illness of several months, and his remains were laid to rest in the presence of a large number of friends.
Boyd Wells says that those young folks who are getting married now are shaking hands with corn bread for the balance of their lives.
Joab Creps Staley was born in Shepherdstown, Va., March 18, 1820 and at the age of 22 graduated from the Baltimore Medical College and went to Perryville, Mo., the same year where he married Miss Anna Louise Carlat in 1853. He came to Corning in 1881, and went into the drug business on the site now occupied by the store and also ran what is now the Hotel Green, then known as the Akers House, one year. He read law and was admitted to the bar in Corning about 1877, but retired from active public life a few years later and devoted his entire time to beautifying and caring for his home.
Corning now has telephone lines via Reyno and Pocahontas to Maynard.
A festival was given at the Christian Church last evening to raise money to finish paying for the church building.
W.A. Vandover has his fine new residence In the Bishop addition about finished and will move his family into it in a short while. It is a beautiful dwelling house and one of the finest finished in Clay County, the interior decorations and finish of the rooms on the first floor being particularly fine.
Frank Masterson came over from Palatka yesterday to get some photos of his youngest child. Mr. and Mrs. Masterson undoubtedly have the largest and fattest baby boy in the Northeast Arkansas. The photos were made when the little fellow was three months old and weighed 22 pounds. He is now five months old and weighs over 30 pounds and has never been sick.
Dr. J.P. Price, Springfield, Ill., arrived in this city Wednesday and has opened an office at the Dudgeon house.
There will be seven saloons in the Western district of this county on January 1. four of these saloons will be in Corning, a license having been issued Tuesday to W.A. Vandover, Jas. Johnson, A.T. Webb and Co and Whitehead and Boshears.
Whitehead and Boshears have bought J.C. Webb and Co's saloon and will continue to run same in its present location.
A.T. Webb and J.E. Matthews are preparing to open a saloon next Monday in the room lately occupied by George Barnhill, next door South of McCann's restaurant.
Jas. Johnson and Wm. Fisher will open a beer saloon at Success January 1.
D.W. McPherson has license to sell whiskey at Knobel and Jno. Baker has the same for Peach Orchard.
Marriage License--Thos. Reed and Miss Beulah Lewis Pitman; Horace McNabb and Lillie Christian of Palatka.
The Sheeks-Stephens cotton gin was destroyed by fire last Saturday. The fire broke out about 12 :15 and despite the energetic work of a bucket brigade the whole interior off the building was soon inflames.
A man whose name was unable to learn, left his team in front of Harb Brothers store Tuesday without troubling himself to tie them, and when the noon train came along they departed, leaving fragments of the wagon all along the route. This thing of leaving teams standing loose in the streets is getting too common and if the council will pass an ordinance prohibiting it, it may save some one getting run over and killed by a runaway team.
Mayor George Barnhill was arrested Wednesday night and put under $500 bond, the warrant charging that he had committed the offense of saying the marriage ceremony. for Chas. Long and Saide Matthews without having legal authorities to do so. The parties are living together as man and wife. J.E. Matthews is the prosecuting witness and had Deputy Prosecutor Moore bring the action against the mayor.
A negro hod carrier, Horace Josephs, who had been employed on the Court house and later in W.D. Polk's new store building, got in a row at the Railroad Hotel Tuesday morning and received a severe knife wound in his back near the spinal column. Dr. Latimer dressed the wound, which he said was about two inches deep, but not necessarily fatal. City Marshal Martin requested to take charge of the negro, who was very much frightened and protect him until he could leave town, and the marshal escorted him to the bushes South of town about noon Tuesday and told him to skip, which he did and this is the last seen of him as far as the Corning public knows. Since this occurrence the small number of negroes who were in Corning have all become frightened and left town.
City Recorder E.L. Black has taken a list of the taxpayers within the limits of the incorporated town of Corning, for the purpose of having them charged with the five mill tax levied by the council.
A party was given by the young friends of Miss Elhel Walk at the home of her parents, Saturday night in anticipation of her return from a visit to Illinois. She was expected to arrive on the 9: 46 but failed to come until 3:22 o'clock Sunday morning Several of the party met her at that hour.
Mayor's Court--The poker playing fraternity had a sitting recently and a passel of them were in to see the mayor about it yesterday. No partially was shown; they all looked alike and $10 fine and $5.90 costs seemed to about meet the requirements in each case.
A crowd of Gipsies decorated with the usual amount of dirt, and possessed of the usual number of crowbait horses passed through town yesterday.
The governor belt on the engine at the electric light plant broke one night last week. and before Mr. Canfield could reach the throttle and shut down. the engine had picked up speed enough to burn out 17 lights on the commercial circuit.
J.O. Langdon. the restaurant man has been laid up a day or two this week on account of a bilious attack. but it is now able to be up again.
Governor Jones has appointed and commissioned E.V. Sheeks of Corning. R.A. Hawthorne of Palatka and Damus Loda of Knobel to serve as the Board of Equalization for the Western District from August 1. 1899 to June 31. 1901.
The ceremonies attendant on laying the cornerstone took place Tuesday afternoon on the foundation of the new courthouse being erected in Corning. The stone was filled with various papers and lists of members of several lodges and sealed. The most prominent participants in the ceremonies were Court House contractor. and Chas, V. Beloate as noble grand with other officers and members of the Oddfellows. It is a smooth block and has the names of E.J. Royall, county Judge: H.H. Williams. J.G. Rinker and C.R. Beloate. Courthouse commissioners and Chas. L. Thompson. architect. on the sides.
What was probably the father of all rattlesnakes was killed in the woods near I.H. Day and Sons' sawmill six miles West of Corning by Bill Williams last Wednesday morning. Williams is a teamster in the employ of Day and Sons and in driving through the woods he ran his wagon over that he supposed to be a log, but scarcely had the wheels struck it when the terrible danger signal of the rattlesnake was sounded and the creature, with a jerk that almost overturned the heavy wagon, coiled itself with head erect and instantly straightened itself again in the deadly strike, discharging at least half a pint of venom. But owing to the fact that snakes are blind during the dog days and hence the aim was bad, the only damage done was to break about six feet off the rear end of the reach or coupling pole where it extended past the hind axle. Though badly frightened, Williams seized his axe from the rack on the wagon and dispatched the monster before it could coil and strike again. He was unable to load it on the wagon, on account of its great size, so he fastened a log chain around its neck and dragged it to the mill. Dragging it over the rough ground, however, wore it out so badly as to leave only a strip of skin, but it showed the snake to have been at least 27 feet long. It was about three feet in diameter and had 131 rattles and a button.