shipments brought in return good round sums for our grain and stock dealers.  Corn made 60 bushels per acre, which was considered a good yield.  Hog cholera was bad that year.

          Soon after 1900 and through the 1920's, Dallas Center became the largest horse-buying center in the area.  Many large horse sales were held regularly at the various livery stables in town.  Buyers came from the east coast as well as west and northwestern states.  There was a real demand for good draft horses.  Some went to the lumber areas of Wisconsin, and mules were needed for coal mining areas.  New York and New Jersey farmers did not winter their horses.  Instead, they purchased other horses each spring.  Barney Murphy, local long-time horse buyer, shipped a carload of horses each week from Dallas Center many times.

          Unusual winter seems to make headline news in many places including the Dallas Center area.  On May 11, 1877, a heavy wet snow came after the corn was practically all planted, breaking shrubs and trees and freezing the fruit.  January 12, 1888, saw a blizzard which lasted 48 hours with 16 degrees below zero during the day and 30 degrees below by the next morning, along with 40 mile an hour winds.  There was not ten minutes during that day that a building could be distinguished across (continued on next page)

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IN MEMORY OF     

Hamms - Des Moines Beer Company, Inc.