A Booming Town

1896 - from the Clarion Monitor

Did it ever occur to you that Clarion makes an excellent showing in all that goes to make a good to live town? This being the first of the year, an enumeration of the various institutions to be found may not be without interest and should be kept for comparison a year hence. We have:

3 general stores 2 grocery stores

3 hardware stores 4 hotels

3 restaurants 3 meat markets

2 harness shops 3 barber shops

3 blacksmith shops 4 grain and stock buyers

3 millinery stores 3 agricultural implement dealers

2 banks 1 shoe store

3 drug stores 8 physicians

5 real estate firms 2 livery stables

1 planing mill 8 carpenters

1 dentist 1 clothing house

2 lumber yards 1 tailor shop, employing 6 workmen

insurance agents 4 stone masons

3 brick-layers 2 furniture stores

2 abstract offices 6 lawyers

1 laundry 2 shoemakers

2 wagon makers 2 dealers in musical instruments

5 painters 1 photograph studio

2 dress makers 3 jewelry stores

2 express agents 2 railroads

2 newspapers 6 churches

1 school with six departments

Masonic, Odd Fellows, and K.P. organizations, and 1500 wide-awake inhabitants as can be found in any locality. Add to this the fact that we are located in a farming country that cannot be excelled and it seems to us our people have no just cause for complaint or being backward in letting the world know that Clarion is "in the swim" in all that goes to make a live, progressive town and a desirable place of residence.