married Nell Olsen who was teaching here in the public schools. They built the home now occupied by the Hladik family in west Battle Creek.

Shortly after 1900, O. H. Maas sold his interest in the Maas and Haman Drug Company to his partner, Mr. Haman, and purchased the Hall and Meincke Store. He operated this business for a number of years and abut 1910 sold to E. F. Hans. Hans in turn sold to the Farmer's Co-operative in the early 192-'s and it in turn sold to F. L. Slobodny who owned the last general mercantile store in this spot, quitting business about 1930.

The old Edens-Brecheisen saloon by 1900 was operated by Pat Ingolsbe. Mr. Ingolsbe, a Virginian, was a quiet, friendly man, and for the most part, had the old Germans of the community as his customers. Then for some time Jim Koryta operated this business, quitting when the state went dry in 1918. Mr. Koryta built the home now occupied by the Frank Moore family.

Mention has been made of the State "Prohibition" period. In 1917, a majority of the people voting under the initiative referendum law voted for prohibition and the state became dry. Then, like now, people were asked to vote on "amendments" which were either worded so that they had to vote "yes" when they were against or vote "no" when they were for, or, to say the least, they did not fully understand the legislation, they were being asked to vote on. The law was declared unconstitutional and then repealed during Franklin D. Roosevelt's first term. Then our State Legislature passed a new law leaving the liquor question to local option. Battle Creek voters then voted for the sale of beer and hard liquor by the drink. Five applications for the sale of beer were granted; three of these also included the sale of hard liquor by the drink, all were granted.

For some time Jim Blahovek had a pool hall in the corner building to the east of the lot where the Recreation Hall now stands and which in early days housed Mrs. Martin's restaurant, and later for a time, Jesse Martin's Grocery Store. The old frame building was torn down about 1914 and George Barnes, son of White Barnes, who had come down from Nenzel, Nebraska, erected the two story block building for a pool hall. It now houses the Municipal Light and Power Stock and on the second floor is the Recreation Hall. the building was bought by the town board at tax sale during the "dirty thirties."

Across the street to the north, the Maxwell Opera House stood. This was actually the first school house built southwest of town and then moved into town in the Reeves block and later bought by Mrs. Maxwell as the Maxwell Opera House. It was later occupied by Charles Martin where he had a grocery store and ice cream parlor. Mr. Martin was one of the three Martin brothers, Jesse, who married Lottie Knesl, and moved to California; Frank E., married Anna Zimmerman, sister of George and Peter Zimmerman (Frank upon the death of Mr. Scott purchased the Enterprise); and Charles married Gertrude Wade. About 1920 he quit business and he and his family moved to

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