USA > Iowa > Carroll County > Manning > History of Manning [Iowa] a true record of the early surveys municipal history, and the business enterprises > Part 1
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Gc 977.702 M31r 1848004
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01084 8940
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018
https://archive.org/details/historyofmanning00robb
Ex-Lieutenant Governor O. H. MANNING,
In whose Honor the town of Manning was named.
Part 1
History of Manning Dowa
giving as nearly as possible a true record of the early surveys
.. that led up to the present location of the town site; the early conten- tions of the railroad companies; the incorporation of the town and its municipal history; its political, moral, social and business developments and the business enterprises existing at the present time.
Illustrated.
By f. L. ROBB. Published by BERTHOLD KRAUS.
1848004
To Our Friends.
In compiling this history of Manning, we have met with many discouraging problems, and have been compelled to overcome many difficulties; however, we hope and trust-should any occur-the public will overlook the little imperfections, that may have passed our scrutiny.
Heretofore, many enterprises started under the name of "history" have turned out to be only advertising schemes and were composed prin- cipally of "business-write-ups", biographies and cuts of those who were willing to pay well for them. This is not our plan. We expect to pay our expenses through the sale of the work, and in order to accomplish this end, we shall endeavor to make it a work of valuable information and record; granting favors to none, and treating subjects only to the extent that may be of interest to the public, and especially, to the com- ing generation; for the history that treats of the present or recent events may not be of as much interest at the present time as it will in years to come, as history which we help to make, does not appeal to us as such but simply as passing events, however, we shall endeavor to review
many interesting accounts of the early history of the town, thus producing a record, that is not only of interest and value at the present time, but will increase in value as the years pass by.
That which will be as valuablein the records as the reading matter, will be the illustrations which will be distributed throughout the work. These will consist of maps, Pictures of the town in 1882, a view of Main street in 1887, a view of Main street at the present time, the fire ruins of 1895, a number of views of the town at the present time, from elevated positions, also, our most prominent buildings, such as the school house and School, and numerous other cuts that space will not permit mentioning.
$45.00- P.O. 2772-1-15-75 Hieronyplass
We hope that the public will not permit themselves to be dis- appointed in not finding this to be a free will offering but will-if they appreciate our efforts-exhibit their appreciation by giving us a reason- ably large subscription, for we trust that all will realize the expense that has already accrued in doing the public a service. What.ever you will do for us in this line, will be thankfully received and productive of much encouragement to us.
Very Respectfully, J. L. Robb. Berthold Kraus.
Manning, Iowa, May, 1898.
MERCANTICO
Main Street, Looking North.
How the Town was Named.
C HE "TOWN OF MANNING" was named in honor of Ex-Lieutenant Governor O. H. Manning, who, in 1881, was attorney for the lowa South-western branch of the C. & N. W. system.
Mr. Manning was born at Albington, Wayne County, Indiana, May 18, 1848. When six years of age his parents moved to Adel, Dallas County, Iowa, where they remained until 1858, when they mov- ed to Linn County, where, O. H. Manning entered Western College preparatory to his matriculation at Cornell College. In 1868 he taught school, and read law in the office of Head & Russel of Jefferson, Iowa. He was admitted to the bar in 1868 and located at Carroll, where he built up an enviable law practice.
He was first honored politically by being elected to the office of County Treasurer, in which capacity he served out one term. In 1875 at the age of 28, he was elected to the Legislature. He was re-elected in 1877, when he was appointed chairman of the House Committee on Rail Roads, and led the movement for the Commissioner Bill, of which he was the author, and which became a law. He made a very brilliant record and surprised his most sanguine friends, by his skill as a leader and strength as a debater. In 1881 he was nominated for the office of Lieutenant Governor in a manner that demonstrated the confidence be- stowed in him by his party. This trust was further demonstrated by the handsome majority he received at the coming election. He was in- stalled as Lieutenant Governor January 12, 1882. He was re-nominated and re-elected in 1883. He is the youngest man who has yet served in the presiding chair of the Senate. With his youth he displayed an ability to discharge his duties wisely, while his sense of honor enabled him to discharge them faithfully.
After his term of office expired, he continued the practice of law, and in 1888, moved his law office from Carroll to Council Bluffs. Thus Carroll lost one of the ablest attorneys in western Iowa. He resigned the office of Lieutenant Governor in1885 and moved to Topeka Kan- sas to accept the position as Legal Counsel for the Central National
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Bank of Topeka. In 1887 the Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company induced him to move to Denver and act as its attorney and counsel in the State of Colorado, as it was then building to Denver and making large extensions to its system in Colorado.
Mr. Manning was with the Santa Fe until April 1889, when he moved to Chicago to take charge of the legal interests of a number of Illinois corporations under a fifteen year contract.
He at present resides at No. 3431 Michigan Avenue, Chicago, and still retains a lively interest in the vigorous town of Manning, which ยท bears his name.
Rail Road Surveys.
In the spring of 1880, the Chicago & North-western Railway Company wished to extend its system, by running a branch from Carroll to Harlan, and with that object in view, ran a survey and laid its road bed as far as Kirkman. This branch was called the Iowa South-western R.R. About a year after this, in the Autumn of 1881, the Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company wished to extend their main line from Marion to Council Bluffs, Iowa. They ran a survey west- ward until they reached the eastern boundry of Shelby County, where, on running out "feelers", they discovered an obstacle in their way com- monly known as the Guthrie Hills. The instruction to the chief engineer had been, to keep about half way between the main lines of the Rock Island and North-western Rail Roads, but in order to pass these hills, they had to go to a great expense for grading, or veer off to the north, which brought them closer to the C. & N. W. than was desirable; so in order to determine the best route to take, a number of surveys was made from near this point.
The base of survey was located near the point where the C. M. & St. P. R. R. now crosses the southern boundry line of Carroll County. The first line was run along the southern line of the county, passing about two hundred yards south of where Samuel Bingham Sr. now lives. It continued down the hollow south of school No. 9 and crossed the C & N. W. branch at nearly the same point where the section line be- tween Sections 30 & 31 of Warren Township intersects the same. This survey was made in the autumn of 1881, but was abandoned on account of the grade necessary to cross the divide between Elk Run Creek and a small tributary to the Nishnabotna River.
In the Spring of 1882 another line was run - where the present right -of way now is-as far as the east boundry line in Sec. 12 of Warren Township. It then ran nearly due west through Sections 12, 11, 10 & 9, then veered north west through sections 8, 5 & 6, when it changes again and takes a south-westerly direction back and joined what
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is now the main line, at the center of section 15 of Iowa Township in Crawford County. G. W. Bennett who was surveyor at this time, helped to run part of this line and is the authority for its location. This survey, however, was abandoned also, as it brought the road too near the C & N. W. and also made it some longer although it presented a much better profile. The chief engineer was acting under instructions, that when he could shorten the route a mile at an extra expense of $35,000.00, to do so. Had it not been for the Guthrie Hills, the road would probably have run from ten to fifteen miles farther south than it now does. As it now stands, the last survey was the one finally adopted.
How the Town site was Located.
The Western Town Lot Company, anticipating that the crossing of the C & N. W. by the C. M. & St. P. would be where the first survey was made, bought 80 acres of land of Samuel Bingham and started to plat the town lots, which were to be situated on the W 1/2 of the S. W. 14 of Sec. 30 in Warren Township. This was abandoned when the first survey was rejected, and O. H. Manning, who was the representative of the Western Town Lot Co., purchased land where the Town of M.inning now stands. This land was entered by A. J. Jeffries in 1874, who emi- grated to this county in 1872. Mr. Jeffries conveyed the S. W. 14 of Sec. 17 to George Gray June 21, 1881. George Gray then transferred -on the same day- to the Western Town Lot Company the following: "commencing at the N.E. corner of the S.W. 14 of Sec. 17, T 82, R 36, running S. to the road bed of the C. M & St. P. R. R., thence W. to a point 50 ft. from center of the main line of I. S. W. R. R. bed, thence N. E. parallel with the last named road bed and 50 ft. distant from its center at all points, to N. line of said S. W. 14 of Sec, 17., T 82, R 36., thence E. along said line no place of beginning." The consideration of the conveyance from Jeffries to Gray was $3,800.00., and the consider- ation for the above described parcel of land by conveyance from Gray to the W. T. L. Co., was $1,500.00. the last transfer included everything between Center St., the C. M & St. P. R. R., and the I. S. W. R.R.
What a contrast between the value of the above described parcel of land then, and that of the present time. But a short time ago, a bare lot with a 25 ft. front was offered for sale at $1500, the owner refusing to consider an offer for less with any terms. This, if figured out, will make the land worth $ .50 per square foot, or $.0035 per square inch. Here is a problem : at 31/2 mills per square inch, what would one acre of Manning's most desirable land be worth?
Rail Road Rivalry.
It was not expected that two competing companies could meet at a common point without one or both resorting to more or less strategy to further their own interests and to gain supremacy. At about the time that the C. M & St. P. was running its lines of survey, the C & N. W. anticipated building a branch from the I. S. W. R. R. to Audubon, and had run three lines of survey; one with a junction near Halbur, running S. by W. through Sections 34 & 35 of Washington Township, and Sections 1, 12, 13, 24 and 26 of Warren Township, where in the last named section it took the course of the present road bed. Another line was run the same as above to Section 12 of Warren Township, there crossed the divide between the two branches of the Nishnabotna River and followed the eastern branch through Sections 7, 17, 20, 28 & 34 of Eden Township. Still another line was run around north of Manning, through Section 16, and striking the present road bed about the N. E. corner of Sec. 21. These first two lines were abandoned as the C. M & St. P. had a previous claim through the second survey; then to force the C. M & St. P. to pay them a large bonus for the right to cross their line, the C. & N. W. started a line of survey at a point near where the section line between sections 17 & 20 intersect it, and run in a zig-zag manner so that the third line of the C. M & St. P. survey could not be run without crossing the third of the C. & N. W's. survey nearly half a dozen times.
The C. M & St. P. Ry. Co. was forced to pay the C & N. W. Co. $38.000. for the right of crossing the branch running to Kirkman which was already constructed. The C. & N. W. had wished to cause the C. M & St. P. more inconveniance and expense through the "Audubon Branch" of the Iowa South-western Rail Road. The C. & N. W. Co. thought by running a previous survey they could demand of the C. M. & St. P. a bonus for the right to cross. In this they were mistaken, for the strict interpretation of the law read -- the company that had laid a part of its road bed, another company was barred from crossing that part of the line that was in process of construction without paying a reasonable sum for the right, which crossing must be granted by the other company, for no company can prevent another from laying its road across theirs; although the company that is doing the crossing is liable for the damages incurred on the other company as well as a reasonable bonus; so on the 14th of May, 1881, the C. M & St. P. Ry. Co. run a third survey which intersected the third survey of the C. & N. W. The night of May, 14th. about three hundred men and teams, suddenly made their appearance and pitched their tents on the hill just west of town. They immediately set to designate the right of way, as laid out according to their third survey, and by morning there was several miles of way thus designated and the men commenced grading and laying the track.
Town of Manning, Looking North
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By this bit of strategy the C. M. & St. P. Ry. Co. compelled the C. & N.W. to either straighten out their track or pay a heavy bonus, which was most gracefully conformed with, in the former requirements.
After the C. M. & St. P. had gained their right of way, the C. & N. W. decided that the curve required to connect the "Audubon Branch" with the "Kirkman Branch" would be too small at 300 feet, so concluded to make it 1500 feet by making a junction about 250 feet north of where the C. M. & St. P. intersected the " Kirkman Branch." This necessitated their crossing the C. M. & St. P's. right of way, and for which the latter charged the C. & N. W. the same sum that the C. & N. W. had demanded of them for crossing the "Kirkman Branch." So the C. M. & St. P. vir- tually crossed the C. & N. W. track without, as is usually the case, having to pay a heavy bonus, although the latter had previous claim. The "Audubon Branch" was built in 1882.
The Milwaukee.
Some objections were raised against the location of the station grounds at Manning, on account of the topography of the country. If a station be made at all the road bed would have to be raised quite a number of feet, and the depot would have to be located at the center of a curve with a grade on both sides. Another objection was that the company owned no other land than their right of way, and would have to buy the same of individual parties. To overcome these contingencies, the town of Manning had a committee appointed to confer with the officials of the road at Marion and, if possible, secure the location of its depot grounds here instead of placing them at Warrick, which was located about two miles east. The result of the interview was, that the company agreed to put in a station and freight yards, providing that the town pay them a bonus of $5,000, with which to buy the grounds. The town accepted this proposition, and on September the 5th.
Voted a Bond of $5,000.
The C. & N. W. Co. was notified of this action, and by their attor- neys, Hubbard & Clark of Cedar Rapids, sued out an injunction in the district court, enjoining the mayor and town council from turning the money over to the C. M. & St. P. Ry. company, or in any way dis- posing of it.
The notices were served on the above named officers the evening of September 26, 1882. This action on the part of the C. & N. W. aroused the antagonism of the entire town, which expressed its indig- nation by offering to draw up a mutual agreement to boycott the C. &
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N. W. Co. for two years. This threat, however, was never carried out. The trial of
The Case Against the Town,
came up in the fall term of court before Judge J. R. Reed; G. W. Makepeace of Manning and J. Dadue, attorney for the Milwaukee, appeared for the Trustees and asked for a change of venue. A change being granted, the case was carried to the U. S. District Court of the southern district of Iowa, which convened at Council Bluffs, with Judge McCreery presiding. During the course of the trial, in the spring of 1882, the people of Manning demanded of the C. & N. W. a crossing at the end of 3rd street, which the company refused. This compelled the farmers living north and west to follow the section line roads cross the C. M. & St. P. and C. & N. W. and approach the town from the south. This refusal, again aggravated the people of Manning, who, in order to show their good will towards the C. M. & St. P. and to assist in securing a station and yards in the town and, possibly, to spite the C. & N. W., held a mass meeting, at which they took up a subscription to be due in nine months, and which was to take the place of the bond for $5,000, that the town had voted September 5th. With this sub- scription as a basis, a number of subscribers gave their individual notes and borrowed $3,000, which the C. M. & St P. Ry. company accepted. The company then located their station and laid out the freight yards. To show their indignation, the people of Manning entered into a com- pact, by which nearly all of the business men bound themselves not to ship any goods or produce over the C. & N. W. system for a period of one year, unless the C. & N. W. Ry. company would consent to the withdrawal of the suit without further cost to the town. The C. & N. W. Ry. company finally withdrew and the case was settled in June 1883. With this ended the rail-road war between the two companies at this point.
The Milwaukee Bridge and Trestle.
The C. M. & St. P. bridge and trestle across the Nishnabotna river and valley, was completed June 1, 1882, and cost the company $11,000. The entire lenght of the trestle-as first constructed-was 1150 feet, including two wooden trusses over the C. & N. W. tracks. In the autumn of 1897, the C. M. & St. P. Ry. company filled in 510 feet of the trestle work at the east end, and 100 feet at the west end. This necessitated their changing the course of the Nishnabotna river, which crossed their right of way at the east end of the trestle. The course of the river was changed by digging a ditch along the right of way of the C. & N. W. thus cutting out the bend, straightening the
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water course and improving the condition of the highway on the south side of the road.
By filling in the trestle-work, the road bed was made firmer and safer and the trestle-work was reduced to 540 feet, with two iron girders, one spanning the new channel of the Nishnabotna river and the other the C. & N. W. track. There is now 1140 feet of "fill" and 540 feet of trestle- work and iron girders. The first passenger train was run over the road July 14, 1882, while the depot was not completed till October of that year.
The depot, freight yards, etc., of the C. & N. W. were.constructed the summer of 1881, thus giving it the advantage of II months uncom- peted traffic. The first trains were run over the road September 10, 1881. The cars used for passenger accommodation were common box cars with seats nailed to the sides and windows cut out above them.
Incorporation.
In compliance with the law, as it read at that time, the proper course had been pursued by way of applying to the courts for an order, authorizing the people of Manning to hold an election for the purpose of deciding whether a majority were in favor or against incorporation, which, if carried, would give them an independent city government. The following entries made in the court docket will serve to show the course pursued and necessary to obtain incorporation :
APPLICATION FOR INCORPORATION.
STATE OF IOWA,
-
ss. CARROLL COUNTY
Be it remembered, that at a term of the Circuit Court, within and for the County and State aforesaid, begun and holden at the court house in Carroll City, on the 19th day of June, A. D., 1892, Hon. C. F. Loofborrow, sole Judge of the Circuit Court in and for the 13th Judicial District of said State, presiding. On the 6th day of said term, it being the 24th day of January, A. D., 1892, among other, the following proceedings were had done and entered of record, to- wit :
In the matter of the Incorporation of the Town of Manning :-
Now, to-wit, on the 24th day of January, A. D., 1882, this cause comes on for hearing, and G. W. Makepeace, Esq., appearing forthwith, for the Town of Manning, and the petition for Incorporation of said town being presented, properly signed, and accompanied by proper plats, from which it appears the land sought to be incorporated into said Town of Manning, is as follows, to-wit: All of section seventeen (17) and east 14 section eighteen (18) and north one-fourth (14) of section twenty (20) and northeast one-fourth (14) of the northeast one-fourth (14) of section nineteen (19), township eighty-two (82) north, range thirty-six (36) west, of the fifth (5) principal meridian; all in Carroll
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county, Iowa, and praying that commissioners be appointed by this court to hold an election on the question of incorporation of said town.
Therefore, it is ordered by the court that N. F. Spear, M. W. Moody, Alex. Young, J. G. Wolf and S. L. Wilson be and they are hereby appointed commissioners for the purpose of holding said election, and they are ordered to report to this court the result thereof.
Commissioners Organization.
In compliance with the law in such cases made and provided, and in obedience to the above order of the Circuit Court of Carroll county, Iowa, the above named commissioners, appointed to hold an election for the purpose of the incorporation of the Town of Manning, Iowa, held a meeting at the MONITOR office, in Manning, lowa, aud organ- ized by the election of S. J .. Wilson as president of the board and J. G. Wolf secretary. On motion of A. Young it was voted to hold an elec- tion for the incorporation of the Town of Manning, on Friday, the 17th day of February, A. D., 1882, at the office of Wolf & Nodle, in Man- ning, Iowa. On motion the meeting adjourned.
Election Call.
Notice is hereby given, that, in pursuance of an order from the Circuit Court of Carroll County, Ia., dated January 25, 1882, an election will be held on Friday, the 17th day of February, 1882, at the office of Wolf & Nodle, in Manning, Iowa, for the purpose of voting on the ques- tion of the incorporation of Manning, Iowa, said town to compose the following desired territory, to-wit: * * * as described in the petition to the said court, a description and plat of which are on file in the office of the clerk of the Circuit Court of said county, and that the poles be open on the said day at the said place of polling at the hour of 9 o'clock a. m., and will continue till 6 o'clock p. m.
Board of commissioners appointed by said ( N. F. SPEAR, J. G. WOLF, court, January 24, 1882, to hold said ? A. YOUNG, 1 M. MOODY, election. S. L. WILSON.
Ballot on Incorporation.
On the 17th day of February, 1882, between the hours of 9 o'clock a. m. and 6 o'clock p. m., the above appointed commissioners did hold an election to decide on the incorporation of the Town of Manning. The result of the above ballot was that there were 171 votes cast in favor of incorporation and 4 votes against said incorporation, the judges thus declaring that there was a majority in favor of said incorporation. * * It is therefore ordered * * and the same is hereby declared to be the "Incorporated Town of Manning, Iowa."
In testimony whereof, I, William Lynch, Jr., clerk of the Circuit Court in and for said County of Carroll, herewith set my hand and affix the seal of said Circuit Court, at Carroll, Iowa, this 18th day of February, 1882.
WM. LYNCH, JR., Clerk of Circuit Court.
----- SEAL
G. W. LAFLAR
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Notice of Election of Town Officers.
Notice is hereby given that an election of the qualified voters of the Incorporated Town of Manning, Iowa, will be held at the office of Wolfe & Nodle, in Manning, on Friday, March 10, 1882, for the purpose of electing the following officers of said town, to-wit: One Mayor, one Recorder and six Trustees.
Dated at Manning, Iowa, February 23, 1882.
[Signed] BOARD OF COM. OF ELECTION.
Now that the people of Manning had a local city government, it was necessary that there be in election held to fill the various offices in-
FIRST DWELLING HOUSE ERECTED IN MANNING.
The house was built-where it now stands-by John Ferguson in the autumn of 1881. The property is now owned and occupied by H. G. A. Brunnier.
stituted by the court. In compliance with the foregoing order, an elec- tion was held on Friday, March 10, 1882, for the purpose of electing a Mayor, Recorder and six Councilmen. This being
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