USA > Iowa > Story County > A history of Story county, Iowa: Carefully compiled, from the earliest settlement to the present, March 1, 1887. > Part 11
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The building improvements of Union township have been quite marked, especially in the line of business houses. By including the improvements which were begun during the last two or three months of 1881 with those wholy belonging to the present year. The total expenditures amount to about $75,000. Of this amount $65,000 have been put into business houses, an elevator and the railroad buildings. The other $10,000 has been appro- priated to the erection of new residences or the repairing of old ones. This is a noble record, especially in view of the fact that the said improvements are confined almost wholly to the town of Cambridge. The township improvements would probably swell the amount to $80,000.
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
From Indian Creek we have a close estimate on the building improvements in Maxwell. And as the town is really less than a year old, the improvements comprehend its entire growth. The figures are 53,000. If to these figures are added the probable cost of the railroad buildings, tile works, and the various minor im- provements of the township at large, the total will not fall much, if any, below $75,000. These are figures that show commendable enterprise.
The building improvements in Collins township foot up about $37,000. Though a goodly share of this expenditure has been in the town of Collins, still a larger part than usual seems to have been in the township at large. Evidently the towns and town- ships on the line of the Milwaukee have had a regular building boom during the year.
The building improvements of the whole county during the year can be safely estimated at $375,000, and fuller returns may raise the figures to $400,000. This is an indication of prosperity in which we can all rejoice.
NEVADA FOUNDRY.
The foundry of A. Hague is not a very pretentious establish- ment, and we presume there are not twenty men in the town or county who have any just comprehension of the amount and supe- rior quality of work that is being wrought therein. And yet this unpretending iron manufacturing institution, in addition to the usual range of foundry business is turning out in certain special lines, work that is attracting more than state wide attention. One of the special lines of work is cresting. Mr. Hague, by elegance of design and the substantial character of workmanship has pro- duced for himself in this article quite a boom. Some of the places outside of Story County where his cresting ornaments public or private buildings are Webster City, Eldora, Albia, Tipton, Ottumwa, Iowa City, Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Galesburg, Ill. Another special line of work is iron fronts. Samples of his work in this line may be seen in several of our brick blocks, notably the fine columns of the National bank building. Mr. H. frequently receives large orders for this class of work from various cities of the state. We mention one more specialty-cast runners. Of these Mr. H. has made during the past season no less than one hundred and twenty- five sets, one hundred of which have been shipped on specific orders outside the county. We might still further particularize as to the excellent character of the work, special and general done at the Nevada foundry; but we have written enough to show that this iron business which has been carried on for years single handed and with insufficient capital, might, with the right combi- nations, be developed into a business that would prove highly prof- itable to its projectors and beneficial to the town. We hope to see the day when Mr. Hague's knowledge and skill as a worker in iron shall be supplemented with such capital and business ability as shall greatly extend the capacity and prosperity of the Nevada foundry .- (March 28, 1883.)
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
TILE FACTORY.
One of the new and important enterprises of Nevada is the tile factory now in process of construction by Messrs. Lockridge & Beatty. It is located just south of the depot and West of Hague's foundry. In the matter of shipments this location will prove a great convenience, besides being advantageous in many other respects. Much of the necessary machinery is already on the ground. It includes an engine of 20-horse power, and a boiler of 25-horse power. The tile machine which has been purchased is provided with all the latest improvements, and is capable of making tile from 2₺ to 12 inches in diameter. The crusher secured is of the largest size. Brick is already on the ground for the build- ing of two kilns with a capacity of 13,000 tiles each, or 26,000 per week. The proprietors of these works expect to be ready for man- ufacturing by the first of May. And it goes without saying that the men who are back of this enterprise will spare no effort nor expense needed to make as good tile as can be found in the market .- (March 28, 1883.)
COUNTY FUNDS-RECAPITULATION, JAN. 17, 1883.
County Treasurer, Dr.
To County fund on hand
$ 682 18
" State 66
66
101 21
County school fund. on hand. 525 03
66 66 bond 66
66
2,470 29
66 poor fund on hand
1,773 52
66 insane 66
66
151 54
66 school house fund on hand
344 87
" teacher's
66
66
2,251 40
66 contingent
66
928 21
66 road 66 66
66
260 37
cemetery 66
66
10 16
66 railroad 66
66
4,705 27
66 institute
66
601 07
66
school house site fund on hand
79 50
66 permanent school 66
66
181 76
66 temporary 66
66
66
. 300 44
" board of health 66
66
6 97
745 27
66 corporation 66
Funds in County treasury . $16,120 06
Night niail service was inaugurated between Chicago and Omaha on the C. & N. W., the C., R. I. & P., and the C., B. & Q. railroads last Monday night. This new arrangement is specially advan- tageous to the lesser towns on these lines Hitherto the night mail has been sent in locked pouches to important points only. Under the new order of things, all stations at which express trains stop are served by night as well as by day; and the delivery of much
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
of the mail is thus hastened twelve hours. These increased postal facilities result from the extraordinary development of the country largely consequent upon the great amount of railroad building which has been done during the last few years. It is not unusual for the day line west to leave Cedar Rapids with 1,500 to 2,000 lbs. of paper mail; and the amount is constantly increasing. On the Northwestern two postal clerks are employed for the day service and one for the night. Soon two clerks in every mail car will be a necessity. Frank Dana, of this city, who has been employed on this route for some months, is transferred to the night service. The change is a promotion with increase of salary, and is an emphatic declaration of 'his efficiency in the service of Uncle Sam. -(Jan. 24, 1883.)
Matters at the court house are progressing favorably. The jury civil cases have been disposed of, but several equity cases are yet to be submitted to the court. The cases so far that have created the most interest have been the liquor cases and the Scott Ozmun cat- tle stealing case. The former cases on one plea and another have been virtually dismissed. The latter case occupied the time of the court all day yesterday, and will not go to the jury before noon to-day. The attendance of witnesses and other persons from the southeastern part of the county was quite large and a good deal of interest shown in the testimony given. The Porter murder case is set for to-day. Of this there are to be two trials. Mrs. Porter and John the youngest son are defendants in the first trial, and George Porter in the second. These trials will awaken a great deal of interest throughout the county, and the attendance will be large. The prosecution is to be conducted by John R. Hays. assisted by F. D. Thompson and J. F. Martin. The defense is in the hands of Funson & Gifford and J. S. Frazier. The prospects are now that the session will extend into next week, though the ability and dis- position of Judge Henderson to dispatch business may bring about an earlier adjournment .- ( Jan. 31, 1883.)
SOUTHEAST NEVADA.
George W. Mullen will quit farming and go into the ministry He will commence his new work in April.
E. D. Heck is holding a musical institute at Summit chapel.
The parsonage at New Hope is at a standstill; when completed it will make a pleasant residence.
Rev. A. K. Bone was the recipient of a fine donation at his church Friday evening. An ample supper was prepared of which over one hundred persons partook. All enjoyed themselves hugely. The receipts of the evening were quite large .- (Jan. 31, 1883.)
REPORT OF COUNTY FARM COMMITTEE.
Having been committee of the county farm for the! past year and knowing that there is a desire among the people to learn some-
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
thing more of the farm than can be gathered from the proceedings of the board or the auditor's report, I take the liberty to make a statement of my doings during the year 1882 as such committee. On account of the invoice of January 1, 1882, having been mislaid, I am not able to give any showing as to stock or grain on hand at that time, except that there were nineteen hogs only on the farm, ninety-six head having died of cholera. There have been during the year from seventeen to twenty-one inmates, making, with the family and help, twenty-five persons during the summer months. There were raised on this farm this year 108 bushels of wheat, 170 bushels of oats, sixty acres of corn-all fed except 900 bushels on hand-eleven calves and sixty shoats. There have been sold or butchered for use, seventeen head of fat cattle, and forty-six head of hogs. Butter has been sold to the amount of $72.00, and other property to the value of $22.00; aggregating, with the stock and grain on hand, and sold during the year, $3,331.81.
There has been paid for stock and improvements during the year, for one two-horse wagon, $65.00; one new double harness, $40.00; one large cook stove, $32.50; lumber and carpenter work for cell, cow shed and picket fence, $136.13; for 290 rods of open ditch twenty-eight inches deep, four feet at the top and two feet at the bottom at twenty-five cents per rod; 185 rods of tile ditching at seventy cents per rod; rebuilding chimneys torn down by the cyclone; breaking fourteen acres of prairie; the purchase of forty head of hogs, one bull, and thirty tons of coal at $2.62} per ton; the whole aggregating $926.76; leaving a balance above the expenditure for improvements of $2,405.15.
We invite any of Story County's citizens to go and see the farm at any time, and observe the able manner in which it is conducted by J. S. Horst and wife. R. W. BALLARD.
(February 14, 1883.)
The patent poultry freezing apparatus, or general refrigerator, in the Boardman building is an interesting arrangement. It con- sists of a basement room fifteen by twenty feet with twelve feet ceiling. On two opposite sides of this room are ranged thirty galvanized iron pipes, fifteen on each side. These pipes are about ten inches in diameter, and reach from the floor below to trap doors in the floor above. When a freezing temperature is required the trap doors are lifted and the pipes filled with ice and salt. The water which is produced by the melting ice is conducted away by drainage pipes. The room is simply an ordinary freezer on a large scale. It is finely adapted to the preservation and storage of poul- try and butter during the warm portions of the year .- ( Feb- ruary 28, 1883.)
Maxwell Times: D. Shope shipped four car loads of stock, all raised by himself .- ( Dec. 29, 1882.)
Frank Curtis, the first of the week, sold to a Mr. Campbell, of Tama City, forty-two head of steers at an average price of four
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
and a half cents per pound. The delivery is to be made this week. -( Dec. 29, 1882.)
Mr. J. S. Hutchins started yesterday for a trip via. the Topeka, Santa Fe and Southern Pacific railways to California. During the next three months he expects to breathe the perfume of orange groves in the vicinity of Los Angeles, and to be fanned by balmy, Pacific breezes at Santa Barbara, San Diego and intermediate coast points. May good luck attend him .- ( Dec. 27, 1882.)
MR. EDITOR: If the manner in which public property, in any community, is cared for, is an index to the spirit of the people, surely the people of Pleasant Grove, Milford township, are thrifty and enterprising. During the latter part of the summer their beautiful M. E. church was newly kalsomined, and the woodwork well painted, outside and inside. The young ladies of the neigh- borhood concluded that other improvements could be made to add to the comfort of the church, nicely carpeted the aisles and ros- trum, also put up to the windows very neat and tasty shades, giv- ing their church a most homelike appearance. The cemetery grounds adjoining and in the same enclosure with the church were next put in good shape, and but a few days ago, a fine row of stalls for the comfort of the teams of those who attended church, was put on the grounds adjoining. Among the leaders in these public improvements aside from the young ladies, we might mention Hon. Mr. Curtis, Mr. McClure, Mr. Sowers and Mr. McLain. Surely . our county has reason to be proud of their neighborhood of enter- prising farmers .- ( Jan. 6, 1883.) Z.
The Christian church at this place has assured their former magnitude by the addition of forty-four new members. Their church had been reduced to almost poverty by removals to other parts and desertions; for a while it seemed as though it hardly. had existence under the load of debt incurred in building the church edifice. It has been nine years since the debt was incurred, though there was ample enough subscribed to liquidate it, but before it was all collected the subscription book was consumed in the burn- ing of the late A. H. Beedle's residence, consequently it was never collected. The recent revival was the outgrowth of a united effort of the friends of the church to shape things for a more prosperous future .- ( Jan. 6, 1883.)
Robert Richardson of Elwell shipped yesterday from this sta- tion five car loads of cattle and one of hogs .- ( Jan. 6, 1883. )
Dunklebarger & Son shipped three car loads of stock on Mon- day .-- ( Dec. 29, 1882.)
An accident, which might have been serious, but fortunately was not, occurred to the Sunday night east-bound train. About two and a half miles west of town the engine struck the raised end of a rail and shivered five or more feet of it into pieces from the size of
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
a thimble to that of a fist. Specimens of the pieces can be seen at the jewelry store of Will Hansel who was on the train at the time of the accident. The engine kept to the track, but one of the sleepers left it in part. This and another coach were somewhat disabled, but none of the passengers were injured. The train was delayed about two hours .- (Feb. 21, 1883.)
For chicken cholera boil a bushel of smartweed in ten gallons of water until thoroughly steeped. Mix the decoction with the fowls' food twice a day for three days, when the disease is worse; then diminish the feeding of it to every other day for a week until cured. It is said to be effective .- ( Feb. 21, 1883.)
The school house in district No. 7, New Albany township, was burned, with all its contents including school books, last Wednes- day night. It is not known how the fire caught. Thanks to the foresight of the directors this house with the others of the town- ship were well insured. The insurance in this case is $400, which will go far toward rebuilding .- ( Feb. 28, 1883.)
Coal has been discovered by Mr. J. C. Lovell on his farm in this county at a depth of 250 feet. The vein is said to be three feet eight inches thick .- (March 14, 1883.)
Station Agent Ingalls received word Saturday to ship no freight and to sell no tickets for the Winona and St. Peter branch of the Northwestern until further notice, the road being again blockaded with snow .- (March 14, 1883.)
THE STUBBS MURDER.
About three o'clock in the morning of the fifteenth of last April, Mayor R. W. Stubbs of Polk City was brutally shot and killed in his own house. So unprovoked was the deadly assault and so carefully were the tracks of the murderers covered up, that it was not until December that any arrests of any moment were made. At that time William Kline and John Weir were arrested. The trial of these parties, though unearthing some ugly circumstances against them, failed to fix upon them the responsibility of the murder; and the public were beginning to fear that the real crim- inals would never be found. But last Sunday morning's Register published the confession of one Charles Wilcox which clears up the dense mystery that has surrounded the case, and fixes the mur- der upon William Kline. Wilcox was arrested about a month ago in the eastern part of Kansas, to which locality he had fled with his family from Colfax, Jasper county, in the early fall, and brought back to Des Moines. Wilcox's confession outlines the work of the three desperadoes about as follows: They went from Des Moines to Polk City, the night of the murder, in two buggies. They did not intend to kill Mr. Stubbs but to rob him of $3,000 which they believed to be in his possession. The horses were left in charge of Weir about three-quarters of a mile from Mr. Stubb's
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
residence while Kline and Wilcox went to the house and entered it by a rear window. The two reached Stubb's room and accidentally awoke Mrs. Stubbs by flashing the light of their dark lantern in her face. Mr. Stubbs was soon awake, out of bed and in hot pur- suit of the burglars. Kline received him at the chamber door with the deadly shot, and then fled with Wilcox. Reaching their teams they hastily made their way back to Des Moines and thence to Altoona where they separated, Weir going to Colfax and Kline and Wilcox to Clyde. The unearthing of this diabolical crime is largely due to the sleepless thought and persistent efforts of Mr. Tirrell, father-in-law of the murdered mayor, and the detective scheme of G. W. French, marshal of Colfax. Mr. French followed Mr. Wilcox to his home in Kansas, made his acquaintance and gained his entire confidence by passing himself off as a fugitive murderer and counterfeiter from Ohio. The confession as detailed above and subsequent arrest followed this successful ruse. The public will be glad to learn of the successful hunting down of these men, and if they are guilty, as it seems quite certain they are, will be still further gratified when they shall have received the punishment their cruel and unprovoked murder deserves .- ( Feb- ruary 22, 1883.)
The residence of Wm. Elliot, Collins township, was destroyed by fire Saturday with most of its contents .- (March 17, 1883.)
Col. Scott enters immediately on his duties as professor of mili- tary tactics. He takes a liberal and generous view of the necessarily limited and subordinate place that must be assigned to military drill in the organization of the Agricultural college .- (March 17, 1883.)
The postoffice Latrobe has been changed to McCallsburg. This makes the name of town and office one and the same .- (April 18, 1883.)
One car load of Dakota emigrant goods was shipped from this station Monday night and three loads went Tuesday night .- (April 18, 1883.)
The shipments from the Nevada station during the last fifteen days have averaged at least two car loads a day. The lading con- sisted principally of grain, stock, hay, and household goods bound for Dakota .- (March 28, 1883.)
Milton Elliott, of Minerva, lost recently eleven head of cattle from being poisoned with white lead with which a leak in their watering trough had been mended. Mr. E. hopes other people may profit by his loss .- (March 28, 1883.)
G. W. Sowers, F. Curtis, and J. Duea shipped to Chicago the early part of last week eight car loads of cattle and four of hogs. They were shipped from Roland and Story City, two loads going
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
by the way of Ames and the main line of the Northwestern and ten over the Toledo route. The shippers, we are glad to learn, struck a good market .- (March 28, 1883.)
Mr. S. F. Griffin has received $949 back pension money, and invested it in rich alluvial of Story County. We are always glad to see the old soldiers come to the front with a back pension. They earned it-every one of them .- (Feb. 3, 1883.)
DELAYED GILBERT GATHERINGS .- The thermometer stood thirty- five degrees below zero last Sabbath, the weather suspending all kinds of business.
Miss Lizzie Keigley was not able to reach her school in Norway this week, owing to the bad weather .- (Feb. 5, 1883.)
A prime lot of hogs was brought to this town Thursday by R. J. Barbour of Richland township; they were thirteen in number; weight, 6,280 lbs .; average, 483 1-13 lbs .; receipts, the trifle of $379.80. The purchaser was O. Dunkelbarger .- (Feb. 14, 1883.)
Sheriff Banks, assisted by Dan. McCarthy, started for Ft. Madi- son penitentiary with Mrs. Elizabeth and John Porter last Monday afternoon, the 11:15 train being two hours late. There were large but orderly crowds at the depots in Nevada and Ames to witness. the departure of the prisoners. Mr. Banks expects to remain a day or two with Warden McMillan, and will not return before Thursday or Friday .- (Feb. 14, 1883.)
Col. Scott was in Lincoln, Nebraska, last week in attendance at. the Nebraska State Stock Breeder's association. The colonel entered quite freely into the discussion of the occasion, besides. reading an extended paper on " Breeding and Feeding for Beef, and Supplying the Market." The Daily State Journal, of Lincoln, referring to the address characterizes it as "remarkably able," and adds: "It will be printed soon in the agricultural edition of the Journal. There has been but one comment upon it by those who heard it, that it was the soundest ever delivered in Nebraska upon any similar occasion."-(Feb. 14, 1883.)
H. Barnes has a hog that takes the ribbon for a "long faster," it having been buried under a straw. stack, without food or water, for sixty-five days. It now, since its release, seems to be hale and hearty, but somewhat weak .- (Feb. 17, 1883.) XXX.
The idea that farmers' sons do not attend-the Agricultural Col- lege is dispelled by the record, which shows that of the 280 pupils last year, 118 were farmers, twenty-two mechanics, three millers, three nurserymen, and four manufacturers. The remainder had no profession or trade .- (Feb. 17, 1883.)
After the careful examination of the sworn statements of J. E. Duncan, W. P. Payne and V. A. Ballou, relative to the circulation
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
of their respective newspapers within Story County, and it being found that the Ames Intelligencer has a circulation of seven hun- dred and forty-eight copies, the Nevada Representative, six hundred and seventy and the Story County Watchman, six hundred and sixty-seven respectively, it is therefore, on motion, ordered that the Ames Intelligencer and the Nevada Representative be selected as the official papers of Story County for the ensuing year. Those voting yea, were Ballard, Ersland and Hale. Nays, none .- (Jan- uary 17, 1883.)
We learn that a farm house near Gilbert, was destroyed by fire, Wednesday morning. We have no particulars .- (January 21, 1883.)
There was quite a sharp little contest before the board of Super- visors last Friday, as to whether or not a druggist's permit should be granted Mr. Ed. Barstow, of Ames. The applicant was repre- sented by D. McCarthy and the remonstrants by Prof. McComber, K. W. Brown, B. Bisbee and Rev. Mr. Bennett. The petition for the permit was numerously signed as was also the remonstrance. After a full and patient hearing of the pros and cons the Board took the case under advisement; and subsequently granted the per- mit .- (January 10, 1883.)
Thirty sheep, belonging to Hon. F. Curtis, were either killed or crippled by dogs last Tuesday. The dogs that did the mischief were shot, we are rejoiced to learn, and their ownership ascertained; but unfortunately, the responsibility of the ownership for damages is questionable. This and similar dog depredations upon the sheep flocks of the State, cry out for an efficient dog law in the interest of our sheep raisers. There should be a tax levied on dogs sufficient to provide a fund to pay all losses occasioned by the dogs of unknown or irresponsible parties. Two of the questions that should be put throughout the State to our next applicants for legis- lative honors should be: First, will you vote for an efficient dog law for the protection of sheep owners, if one is introduced, and sec- ond, will you introduce such a law if no one else does? ' If they do not say yes, then they should be elected to stay at home .- (Jan- uary 17, 1883.)
Rev. A. K. Bone, pastor of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, in the southeast part of Nevada Township, who was in town Mon- day, expressed himself very much pleased with the donation sur- prise gathering at his church last Friday evening. The financial results of the occasion were forty dollars in cash and valuables. About two hundred persons were present and the social cheer seemed to be greatly enjoyed by all. Mr. Bone has been the pastor of the church for four years and has evidently done a good work and made many friends. He preaches one-half the time at Iowa Center .- (January 31, 1883.)
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