The social news or gossip columns in the old newspapers are always fascinating to read. A special section in the newspaper was devoted to the social media of the day. The whereabouts of local people and events were often featured in these columns. Here are a few from the News Messenger of Lyon County on October 11, 1895:

Mr. H.P. Sanden, of Florence, was in Marshall on Thursday and stopped at the News-Messenger office long enough to remark that the News-Messenger was necessary to his existence for another year.

Wonder if next week will bring a repetition of the great blizzard which swept over this section fifteen years ago next Wednesday? Doesn’t look much like it, with lawns still green, the foliage just beginning to receive autumn’s beautiful tints, and men going about town in the middle of the day in their shirt sleeves, even though fires have been indispensable the past three weeks, and fur coats in evidence.

Schneider, Hollo, & Co. have introduced a new cash register and check system in their store. The register is a beauty, and the checks are given with every purchase, entitling the purchaser to a discount on the purchase of a certain amount.

Waterworks are being put into the court house this week.

The Case building on the corner of Main and Third streets is nearly completed and part of it will be ready for occupancy in another week. Hoagland’s shoe store is to occupy the main store room, and it will be a handsome location. R.R. Bumford will have his real estate and abstract office also in rooms on the first floor.

Albert Jones died Sunday morning, from an attack of typhoid fever and congestive chills. He was taken ill on Monday of last week, while working for Eli Blanchard and was brought to town Friday.

The Congregational ladies are going to hold a Halloween sociable with Mrs. H.M. Langland.

The Tracy people through the Board of Trade are taking steps to improve the water of Lake Siegel which supplies all their ice. The water in the lake has become very low and poor, and the ice is said to be unfit for use. It is proposed to fill up the outlets of the lake.

The photograph featured this week from the museum’s collection shows the Case building on the corner of Main and Third Streets in Marshall. The photograph was taken after the Baldwin building (featured in last week’s article) was destroyed by a fire in 1902 and before The First National Bank was renovated in 1917. The great blizzard that was in the Home Gossip, as mentioned above, refers to the Long Winter of 1880-1881. Next week’s article will be about this event.

The Lyon County Historical Society (LCHS) is a non-profit, member-supported organization. LCHS operates the Lyon County Museum at 301 W Lyon St in Marshall. The museum is open! For hours and more information, visit our website: www.lyoncomuseum.org, call: 507-537-6580, email: director@lyoncomuseum.org, or check our Facebook page.