up very much, as at present, within two years. The only perceptible growth since has been in the residence portion, which is chiefly west of Main Street. Brick buildings have not appeared yet. The Exchange Bank, Charles Mead, president, and James Hanson, cashier, was established in 1889. There are two large elevators, one of which uses steam.
The relative importance of various lines of business has been estimated as follows, making a very liberal allowance for the single item of the tendency of retired farmers to settle. Grain and stock leads, followed by general merchandise; banking, of course, is large for this sized place; lumber has been a large element from the first opening of the depot, while machinery and furniture would be mentioned next. Other businesses naturally depend on these.
The mail has been handled since Mr. Chapman's time by the following persons: S. J. Shearer, November 19, 1883; A. P. Edgar, December 7, 1885; C. E. Campbell, March 2, 1886; James B. Hanson, December 4, 1889.
The Odd Fellows, Good Templars and Masons have gained a footing here. Collins Lodge No. 191, I. O. G. T., was organized May, 1889, with AlbertJones, C. T., and has increased to a flourishing membership of eighty-three persons. Amity Lodge No. 361, I. O. O. F., was formed August 1889, with J. P. Wells, J. W. Ozmun, J. C. Patton, I. Ozmun, C. C. Shackleford and S. W. Poorbaugh as charter members. Mr. Wells was the first noble grand, and has been succeded by W. H. Thompson. They now have thirty-nine members, and about $350 in property. The Masons have not yet organized.
Zearing is the child of the Central Iowa & North-Western Railway-the first born in Story County, and withal a comely one, as it rests on the side of a long and gentle declivity of prairie in a beautiful part of the county. Zearing is robust, too, in its business as a shipping point, and as bright as robust. Still more, it is growing, and has been from the first in both extent and activity. Main Street, with its rows of business houses lying parallel to and above the railway, seems formed purposely to gather stock, grain and produce, and roll it down into the ever greedy mouth of the freight car. No town in the county feeds the monster much better. It is but nine years old, and has about 300 inhabitants.
A non-resident, Chester B. Clark, entered the land August 20, 1855, and then years passed, 1865, 1875, and one day late in 1881, the owner, E. G. Richardson, received a proposition from the new railway to locate a town, if he would give the right of way, five acres and land for switches, with half of the lots of a twenty-acre plat. It was done, and in November, 1881, the town was a reality. The railway tried to name it Ashurst, but Mr. Richardson named it after a Mr. Zearing, of Chicago, who promised some pecuniary aid. Mr, Richardson's home was the first house on the plat, and was a log one. Very soon several business houses arose on Main, near Center Street, the first being those of "Gus" Tuttle and James Williams. Others sprang up rapidly on the north side of the street on two blocks: William Calhoun, in agricultural implements; Patton & Johnson, in hardware; W. Brooks, with a general store; A. W. Squires, as postmaster ; Gordon Wood, as grocer; the Willits drug store; Joseph Ingram, with groceries; Burkhart & Hix, with lumber ; John Rodgers, as blacksmith; J. Golly, in the hotel line; Dr. S. F. Newton, as a physician, and so on. The south side of the street soon built up, and within a year or so business was determined much as it is at present, as far as business rooms are concerned. There has been no "boom" since,