1886: expensive gifts, gambling, and real estate for sale

Compiled by Betty Jane Wilson, society president

A sundry of news items from the Valley Falls New Era in the late 1880s and 1890s —

Valley Falls New Era, Jan. 7, 1886:
"Mrs. R.H. Crosby made her husband a present of a handsome solid gold watch and chain a day or so ago. R.H. returned the compliment by purchasing his wife an equally handsome time piece and made his daughter Lottie a present of a $1,500 Chickering Piano, one of the handsomest instruments of the kind ever brought to Valley Falls."

Jan. 28, 1886:
"Wonder if it's a fact that a gambling den and whiskey joint is in operation over Geo. Lewis's barbershop? If it is a fact that the city marshal is in league with the outfit said to be holding forth over Lewis's barbershop?"

Feb. 11, 1886:
"Wednesday evening, Feb. 3, Geo. Lewis entered the Era office and cowardly assaulted the editor for his article of Jan. 28, initiated under 'Wonder if it's a fact that a gambling den, etc.' The only redress was to go before Police Judge Simpson and swear out a warrant for Lewis's arrest, the judge imposing a fine of $10 on the graceless scamp. It was probably not more than 10 minutes from the time Lewis entered our office until the police judge passed sentence."

Feb. 4, 1886:
"The old Hillyer House building is offered for sale. This means a new and commodious structure will be erected on the old site this coming summer."

March 4, 1886:
"According to the enumeration for 1885, Valley Falls had a population of 1,335. Of this number, 1,212 are native born and 123 foreign; 1,206 white and 129 colored. The nativity of this population from foreign countries is as follows: Germany 36, Ireland 21, England and Wales 17, Scotland 3, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark 7, France 2, Autro-Hungary and south of Europe 27, and British American 10."

April 22, 1886:
"For sale, the Octagon Hotel and furniture. The site was chosen, edifice built, and is still owned and occupied by Dr. L. Northrup as his resident hotel. The first floor contains well, cistern, kitchen, hotel office, dining room, and office bedroom. The second floor, parlor and chambers. Third and fourth floors, all chambers. It is a stone structure and being octagon in form, makes it the strongest building in the country. The inside is furnished in walnut throughout. The hotel grounds front, 137 feet on the north side of Broadway and 204 feet on the east side of Maple Street, and in addition to the above, joining on the east side of the hotel driveway running north, are ornamental grounds and four business lots fronting on Broadway with four building lots north of them. All can be bought for ten thousand dollars. This is the first time the Octagon has been for sale."

May 13, 1886:
"School ends May 21. This will be the first annual commencement of the Valley Falls High School."

The society's museum will be open at 10 a.m. Saturday.