I came across the following snapshot of Chariton as it stood during August of 1868 in The Chicago Evening Post of Aug. 12, 1868, under the collective headline, "Letters from Iowa." There were similar "letters" from other towns along the route of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad written by a traveler taking advantage of the latest technology --- the telegraph had reached Lucas County along with the railroad in 1867 and so it was possible to wire a story to Chicago from Chariton for publication.
Chariton was booming at the time this was published. During 1860, just before the Civil War, the city's population stood at 641. By 1870, population had increased by 170 percent --- to 1,728.
Politics were in the air. The final paragraph refers to the presidential race between the Republican ticket, Ulysses S. Grant and Schuyler Colfax, and the Democrats --- Horatio Seymour and Francis P. Blair.
There's also an error --- perhaps a deliberate slight on the part of a writer with obvious Republican sympathies. Copperhead Democrat John V. Faith had started publishing The Chariton Democrat a year earlier. So there actually were two newspapers in town even though only the Republican-leaning Patriiot was mentioned. The advertisements here are taken from The Democrat of Aug. 15, 1868. Back issues of the Patriot for these early years have not survived.
And by the way, the "brick store" mentioned in O.L. Palmer's advertisement at the end of the post still stands on the east side of the Chariton square.
Here's the article:
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Chariton, Iowa, Aug. 10.
This place is the county seat of Lucas county, and has a population of from 1,800 to 2,000, and is located upon rolling ground, and from its court house square the water flows on one side to the Mississippi, and from the other to the Missouri rivers. The great want of this town is a flouring mill capable of turning out 300 or 400 barrels of flour per day --- there being but one mill in the county, and that can do but little towards supplying the demand. Flour is brought from Eddyville, Monroe and other towns to supply the local demand. Capitalists that desire to engage in the milling business cannot find a better point in the State, or where it would be more remunerative. There is also great need of a woolen factory here.
The surrounding country is an inviting one to farmers who desire to purchase cheap land and bring it under cultivation. The price for improved lands from two to five miles out of town is from $5 to $15 per acre, according to location and quality.
There is a school house in process of erection, costing over $20,000, which is architecturally a fine one. The only mill in the county is owned by Lewis & Bro., has three run of stone and is doing an excellent business. E.D. Rand & Co. are doing an extensive lumber business; also deal in shingles, lath, doors, sash, etc., and have the reputation of being first-class business men. T.E. Palmer & Son are doing a large business in hardware, stoves and tinware. G.A. Lockwood is a jeweler and dealer in watches, clocks and Yankee notions. Geo. W. Blake & Co. deal extensively in hardware, iron and nail. W.K. Bell & Co. are dealers in groceries, provisions and flour. Alexander & Co. deal in furniture, dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, and queensware.
The following firms do a general merchandising business: S. Stewart & Son, Waynick & Davis, G.J. Stewart and C. W. Kittridge. L.A. Ray is a wholesale and retail druggist, and Smith & Watson are in the commission and forwarding and dealers in produce, salt and agricultural implements. C.H. Younkin & Co. are dealers in books, stationery and fancy goods. S.H. Van Sickle does a large business in the grocery line.
The town is a pleasant one, and considering its age and the short time that lumber could be brought otherwise than by teams, 130 miles from the Mississippi river, is well built. Chariton has two hotels --- the Hatcher House, just taken by B.F. Bates, and the Chariton House, kept by Chas. G. Ubeller, formerly traveling agent for C.M. Henderson & Co., of Chicago, who knows just what the traveler wants and furnishes it.
It has an excellent weekly, the Chariton Patriot, published by enterprising men and deserving liberal patronage.
The Grant and Colfax men are just beginning to work in earnest in this part of the State, and will give a good account of themselves on the 3d of November next. The Copperheads are making their desperate death struggles, and are conducting their campaign with a malignity and bitterness that shows conclusively the hopelessness of their cause.
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