A new and largely foreign class came in after the war. J. P. Duea opened a store in the Estell building about the close of the war. Then this became a point on the stage line, first from Colorado, then Nevada. Norman & Hegland started a store about 1866, and afterward sold to the Larsons. Norman afterward opened a hardware and drug store. Late in the sixties John Swan began his various enterprises, and Allen & Amlund opened a drug store. From this time on railway agitation flourished, and Ames and Nevada vied with each other to secure the renewed town's aid for a cross-line across the county either to Des Moines or to the southeast. A tax was finally voted, on condition that a town be laid out and the track laid by a given time. This was in 1878, and R. E. Hurley, of the railway construction company, together with L. R. and E. R. Larson and Capt. Wier laid Out the plat of Story City by December of that year. Building was at once begun on Broad Street, and Fairview business all moved over. J. A. Oien built the first building on the site of the American House, but it was burned before completion. For the next two years there was a " boom " in business, as it raised its many fronts on both sides of Broad Street, between Park and Elm, and took on much of its present appearance. The main growth since then has been in residences and general improvements. In 1881 the Story City branch of the Town Central received a Subscription from the people of a few thousand dollars, and a new railway outlet was made to Marshalltown. Business, however, was but slightly affected by this, an the appearance of rival towns to the east divided a heretofore large trade. The widening of the gauge by the North-Western people's line was of considerable advantage, and has led to the solid, permanent growth of Story City. The receipt charges for March, 1890 by the North-Western agent here were $1,024; shipment charges, $2,312; and ticket sales, $375, which is an average month, and the average for the Iowa Central office per month is $295.14 receipts and $325.47 forwarding.
The leading business, in which there is the greatest activity, is generally merchandise houses, with S. R. Corneliussen & Co. and Larsen, Hansen & Cassem taking the lead. Probably hardware, headed by Boyd, Henryson & Co., would follow next. Lumber and grain assumes large proportions in the hands of John Butler, C. & George P. Christianson, and others. The Citizens' Bank (private), which was established in 1882 by John Swan and Mr. Charlson, with $10,000 capital, may be mentioned about next in importance. The death of Mr. Charlson soon left Mr. Swan alone. His capital has since been increased to $15,000, and his correspondents are the Prairie State National Bank of Chicago, and the Citizens' National Bank of Des Moines. Next to this in investment may be named Swan's flouring-mill, one of the largest in the State, with a capacity of sixty barrels daily. It was built in 1880 at a cost of $24,000. Mr, Swan has a creamery also, but next in importance to Story City is the hog and cattle trade, in which Thomas Johnson and Ward & Pyle probably lead the rest. Close upon this is M. A. Tendeland's butter and egg shipment, which will soon have brick quarters in the new Opera Block. S. H. Thompson's cooper factory may come next, as a supply to Mr. Tendeland's trade. Butler & Molstre's Brick and Tile Works, with a 50,000 a week each of brick and tile production, easily comes next, while among many others may be mentioned Overland's implement and blacksmith shops, Holm Bros' harness shops, furniture stores, drug stores, jewelers, barber shops, liveries, dress-making, etc., in abundance.
The Story City improvement Company,