For the local stories, all Ms. Winona had to do was walk around Centerville, meet with business leaders and the City Council, but for state, national or world news she relied on three-day old copies of big city newspapers. This morning, she read through the Chicago Tribune looking for more news on the upcoming presidential race. Ms. Lisa was nearby when Ms. Winona found a story that would no doubt shock many locals.

“The Republican Party is falling apart,” Ms. Winona said. “It’s no longer a North and South race.”

“What do you mean?” Ms. Lisa asked.

“Grover Cleveland is from New York. He was their governor. And he was originally from New Jersey. Both northern states with enough electoral votes to turn the election. He is expected to take those states.”

“A democrat taking northern states.” Ms. Lisa said. “Iowan’s are not going to like this.”

“Iowans, yes,” Ms. Winona said. “But here in Appanoose County they’ve wrapped their arms around Baron Anderson’s plan that was based on information from Grover Cleveland. It might just actually be better for us.”

* * * * *

Ms. Connie and Ms. Christine had never been enterprising types. Ever since the loss of their late husbands and moving in together on Ms. Christine’s farm to share resources, they had just learned to get by, day by day. It seemed like such a waste of a once beautiful and productive farm, but what could they do? The women were childhood friends, rarely quarreled over anything, and they completely trusted and depended on each other, so when Tycoon Harrington agreed to back their loan, it gave them both a jolt of energy they’d not had since their youth.

They talked to the hog seller at the stockyards, and he estimated each piglet to cost about .78 cents. They would want to do some modifications and repairs to their pig pen, work that they’d have to hire done, and the material costs. Plus, emergency funds, should there be a failure in the markets. It wasn’t just about hard work; it was about being prudent.

With all this in mind, they calculated their loan to be twenty-five dollars. Less than ten dollars to buy twelve piglets, and the rest to provide the care needed until taking the pigs to market in October. When the two women arrived at the stockyards and saw the Hampshire piglets milling about in their pen, a wave of emotion struck Ms. Connie. She remembered her late husband, and after they were married and how they cared for just two hogs together. She couldn’t help but believe that he would be very proud of her now.

Ms. Christine interrupted her thoughts. “Should we buy them all?”

Ms. Connie looked down at the baby animals. “You know we can only buy twelve. That is our budget.”

They made delivery of their piglets by the stockyard, and in the meantime paid the carpenter to modify the pig pen in their barn. After the arrival of the piglets, Ms. Connie and Ms. Christine walked them about the meadows, allowing them to forage, and then penned them up at night, feeding them from a slop bucket that for years had only been thrown into their garden. It was a new beginning.

* * * * *

Teamster Thomas had no recollection of a time so busy, a time delivering the same product to farms west of Centerville, to Clarkdale, and south of Mystic. A trip he made so many times that he drove the route in his sleep. The spools of barbed wire were heavy, making the muscles of his arms and lower back sore, and during the night and at the start of the next day, he felt every bit of the soreness.

Baron Anderson and Tycoon Harrington were now focused on the corn crop, knowing that it was already plowing and planting time, and that implements would be in high demand.

Tycoon Harrington met with the largest corn grower in Appanoose County, G. Eddy, whose expertise was badly needed in this time of investment, development, and desired growth for the community. G. Eddy wasted no time suggesting the need of a cooperative, where corn growers could benefit from the entire market system.

“I like what you’re saying, Mr. Harrington,” Mr. Eddy said. “I will be honored to be a leader and part of our community’s development. But I must insist that we focus on corn and completely abandon large crops of wheat. Small crops are needed for our local flower mills, but large crops for the markets are too risky. The Iowa climate is too wet, and wheat does much better in sunny, arid climates.”

 

Baron Anderson met with G. Guffey with the news of fifty sections of land being secured by leases, and thirty of those for corn crops. The need for implements would be essential.

“That is fantastic news,” Mr. Guffey said. “I will telegraph the factories to get more plows, planters, and cultivators on order. I am starting a new venture with McCormick as well as John Deere, and those implements are already on the rails headed this way.”

“You’ll sell out, Mr. Guffey,” Baron Anderson said. “This new demand will have to be accompanied by the farmers working together to help each other out. Mr. Eddy’s idea of a cooperative is a genius plan to make it work.”

“Absolutely,” Mr. Guffey said. “And there is a farmer in Exline, a Mr. Sleeth who purchased all the equipment to do work for hire. Many of the older farmers have the land but they don’t have the ability to run a plow horse anymore. Mr. Sleeth has taken this opportunity to turn it into a business.”

“That’s perfect,” the Baron said. “Mr. Sleeth is going to be very busy in the fields this spring.”

* * * * *

Tycoon Strickling’s railroad, which stretched from Moravia to Mystic, and soon to Seymour in Wayne County, brought even more prosperity and development to the booming coal town of Mystic. No one appreciated it more than Ms. Marty, whose lumber yard and sawmill, struggled to keep up with the constant demand for building materials and railroad timbers. For this reason she met Tycoon Strickling at his rail car office to thank him personally.

“I am pleased with the quality of your materials, Ms. Marty,” Tycoon Strickling said. “My men have praised your sawmill and the timbers we use for the rail lines.”

“I appreciate your business,” Mr. Strickling. “And I speak on behalf of my entire family and workers at the sawmill and lumberyard.”

“I also appreciate your work with the less fortunate,” Tycoon Strickling said. “It appears that Mr. Meng has adapted very well to your compassion.”

“Yes, he is bathed and clothed and well fed now,” Ms. Marty said. “He is helping us fill orders at the lumberyard. It’s something he can do even in his old age. But he talks non-stop about his wishes to open his own hotel.”

“Well, don’t let him wear you down.”

“He is no trouble,” Ms. Marty said. “I admire his renewed spirit, but remind him to take it one day at a time. And Mr. Bonus has taken a keen liking to him.”

* * * * *

In the next episode of Centerville 1884: Mr. Meng tells more about his hotel plans to Mr. Bonus. Implements are delivered to the farms and farmers as well as Mr. Sleeth get busy plowing the fields. Another farmer uses his own plows to help with the demand. The Daily Iowegian publishes an article on the outlook of the upcoming election and the community responds.