USA > Iowa > Story County > A history of Story county, Iowa: Carefully compiled, from the earliest settlement to the present, March 1, 1887. > Part 8
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A SAD HISTORY OF A PRAIRIE FIRE.
In the autumn of 1860, a Mr. Swearingen, his wife and four children, were moving to some point north or northwest of here and traveling on the road then leading from Nevada to Story City, and as they were strangers in this county, they knew but little as to the danger of prairie fires in a country like this was twenty-six or thirty years ago. The day was dry, windy and smokey; and as they had just passed Indian Hill in the sea section 4, township 84, range 23, (Milford township), they first discovered fire was on them when it caught in the wagon cover and then their clothing. It seems Mrs. Swearingen was driving the team, (two horses,) while Swearingen was asleep, and as they were traveling at the time, nearly north, the fire caught them as it came, at rapid speed, from the southwest in the rear of their covered wagon-caught - them on flat land where the dry grass heavily coated the ground. It seems also the horses tried to run and Mrs. S. fell out of the wagon against the horses and probably was seriously injured, while at the same time burning to death. There is but little or no won- der under such circumstances that this sad affair occurred as it did. It took place in the afternoon. Messrs. Hoxie and F. D. Thomp- son, of Nevada, were the first, or among the first, to find this family, wagon, horses and dog burnt to death. Messrs. Hoxie and Thompson hurried back to Nevada for help and to tell of the hor- ror discovered. They did not then see what had become of Mr. Swearingen. To return to Messrs. Hoxie and Thompson's narrow escape of the same sad fate before they found the burnt family, I will say, after they left Nevada for Story City, and after they had about passed the Dieffen bacher farm, they saw a covered wagon in the distance before them. It was but a few minutes after when they
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
beheld the prairie, to the southwest and west, a sea of fire. It was approaching them rapidly, and in order to save themselves they started a new fire in the grass and as soon as it was possible moved into the space burnt; by this method they saved them- selves from almost certain destruction. After the fire had passed them and had cleared their way of dry grass, they then passed on and soon found the burnt family and burning wagon. Mr. Swear- ingen managed to wander to Mr. J. E. Hoover's or was conducted by some one there, who found him and discovered his awful situa- tion. Mr. Hoover's house probably did not exceed a half a mile northeasterly from the sad spot. This sad occurrence took place near the interior center of section four, in Milford Township. Here is a brief picture of the horror. A number of individuals beside myself hurriedly rushed to the scene which may have been two hours after the sad, sad, occurrence ! On our reaching the spot we beheld a sight which, I trust, will never again be seen by me! The wife and the daughter lie near each other burnt almost to a crisp. The arms and limbs of each were burnt off and so disfigured it was hard to tell whether they were man or beast. A child, as it seemed to have been, was lying near the mother; it was so badly crisped it was scarcely recognizable what it was. The boy, (probably the oldest child), was lying, ten feet from the burning wagon and not very far from the dead horse. The boy was not burnt so badly as the other children. His boots were yet on his feet, if I mistake not. The youngest child, or next to the youngest, was burnt entirely up, I believe, as nothing of its body was visible. The off horse was lying dead close to the burning wagon; but the harness was burnt off him. . The other horse, by some means, got loose and was found wandering around but seriously burned. The dog was lying dead a few feet from the wagon. The wheels and some other parts of the wagon were burning yet when I first saw it. Mr. Swearingen could talk but little, for he was fatally burnt, but gave the people to understand much of what occurred after the fire . reached them. It is thought he might have saved himself had he not made the desperate but noble effort to save his wife and chil- dren. After a few days extraordinary suffering he died, and all were buried in the Sheffield cemetery in Howard township. What was left of the remains of the wife and children was buried in one grave; but as Mr. Swearingen lived a few days before dying, he was buried in a separate grave.
COURT HOUSE BURNED, DECEMBER 31, 1863.
On the thirty-first of December, 1863, the Court House was burned, but fortunately the County Records, with a very few ex- ceptions, were saved. The safe did not, however, prove to be a safe safe. All, or nearly all, the loose papers or money not
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
in close packages in the safe, were burnt or badly scorched. It was supposed the fire had its origin from a defect in the flue. . About eight or nine o'clock p. M., the fire was discovered, and the cry, Fire ! Fire ! Fire ! was soon heard all over Nevada. The wind was blowing southeasterly a perfect gale, and as cold as the Arctics ; for the next morning, January 1, 1864, the mercury had to stop at forty degrees below zero. But before the fire was at its greatest intensity, Mr. Ross, the County Treasurer, and two or three others, rushed into the house in the midst of great danger of perishing in the fire in order to save the County Records. They were saved, but a few of the books were somewhat injured by being thrown out at the windows. It was a narrow escape for men and books. The money loose in the safe was either burnt or badly charred. As near as could be estimated $1,672 or over was burnt. The bills that were put in tight packages were generally recognized so as to be redeemed by the government; for it was National cur- rency, etc. There were about $9,243 redeemed as that amount was all that could be recognized with certainty.
Mr. W. M. White, County Superintendent and W. G. Allen were the accountants appointed by the Board of Supervisors to make an investigation of the affairs. After careful investigation they believed the Treasurer had done his duty officially. Mr. Ross and Mr. J. M. Brainard, (the Clerk of Courts,) cheerfully gave them all the information to be reached. The Treasurer, (Mr. T. J. Ross), took or sent the charred packages of bills to Washington City in order to have them redeemed. He therefore, as already related, secured about $9,243.
COURT-HOUSE BONDS .- THE BOND QUESTION.
The total valuation of all the taxable property in Story
County for the year 1865, was. $1,795,120
The total valuation for 1874 is. 3,295,381
The gain in nine years has been. 1,500,261
The average gain in each year has been 166,685
Then taking this gain each year as a correct basis (the gain, however, will be more per year for the next ten than the last ten years,) for the valuation of each year of the ten years to come from the time (1876) of the first levy, will be as follows : Say the bonds issue July 1, 1876. . . $40,000
Interest one year to July, 1877, at 10 per cent 4,000
Total. 44,000
First levy on $3,628,771 for 1876 at 1} mills 5,443
Balance due. 38,557
Interest to July 1, 1878 3,855
Total. 42,412
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
Second levy on $3,795,466 valuation for 1877 at 1} mills. . 5,693
Balance due . 36,719
Interest to July 1, '79 3,671
Total 40,390 Third levy on $3,962,161 valuation for 1878 at 1} mills 5,943
Balance due. 34,447
Interest to July 1, '80. 3,444
Total . 37,891 Fourth levy on $4,128,856 valuation for 1879 at 1} mills .. . 6,193
Balance due. 31,698
Interest to July 1, '81 3,169
Total. 34,867 Fifth levy on $4,295,551 valuation for 1880 at 1} mills 6,443
Balance due. 28,424
Interest to July 1, '82. 2,842
Total 31,266 Sixth levy on $4,462,246 valuation for 1881 at 1} mills 6,693
Balance due 24,573
Interest to July 1, '83 2,457
Total 27,030
Seventh levy on $4,628,941 valuation for 1882 at 1} mills .. 6,943
Balance due. 20,087
Interest to July 1, '84 2,008
Total 22,095
Eighth levy on $4,795,636 valuation for 1883 at 1} mills .. . 7,193
Balance due. 14,902
Interest to July 1, '85. 1,490
Total 16,392
Ninth levy on $4,962,331 valuation for 1884 at 1} mills 7,443
Balance due 8,949
Interest to July 1, '86. 894
Total
9,843
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
Tenth levy on $5,129,026 valuation for 1885 at 2 mills .... 10,258
Overplus . 415
At 12 mills for nine years, and 2 mills for the tenth year, will pay the $40,000 bonds with their interest and have $400 of an overplus left. W. G. ALLEN.
COMMENTS BY THE EDITOR, W. H. G.
The above figuring is the most convincing, fair, and devoid of any assumption, that we have yet seen made by any person, on the Court House bond question. In fact there is only one thing against it, and that is, it has not assumed the increase of the valu- ation of property to be as fast as it actually will lie. It is not a difficult proposition for any person to comprehend, that if $1,795,120 will increase in valuation $166,695, in each year, that the valuation which we shall start with the next year-which will be about $3,500,000,-ought to increase about twice $166,695. But Mr. Allen has only assumed that the greater valuation of the next ten years will only increase as many dollars per year as the smaller valuation has during the last ten years. This, the readers will readily see, is assuming much less than the natural growth of the county will actually do. Therefore, we believe there is not a single doubt but what 1} mills' levy for the next ten years will pay the $40,000 for the Court House bonds, and more too.
Of course, the levy asked for is 2 mills per year, but that is in the nature of a discretionary power conferred upon the Board, which they will only use in the case of necessity. As a pledge that they will only use it in case of necessity, we have their own words published over their own signatures in our issue of Septem- ber 10th, in the article in which they gave their reasons for sub- mitting the question. The following is their language as then expressed :
"Now the proposed levy for the Court House is only 2 mills on the dollar, which at the present valuation of over $3,000,000 of tax- able property in the county will pay for the Court House in less than ten years, and we believe it safe to calculate that 1} mills on the dollar, with the increase in valuation of property in the county, will fully pay it in the length of time the bonds have to run. In case the bonds should be voted, we think it expedient for the Board of Supervisors for the first three or four years to not levy over 1} mills on the dollar, which will be one-half mill less than is now levied, so that the county tax, notwithstanding the building of the Court House, cannot be increased, and with proper management may be decreased."
Now, Mr. Evanson and M. Carr are among the heaviest tax- payers of the county, and of course neither of them, nor Mr. Evanson, as long as they are members of the Board, will be in favor of making the yearly levies heavier than is actually necessary.
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
Even should they or any future Board be disposed to levy the full 2 mills each year, with the intention of building more than a $40,000 Court House, they could not do that, for the Supreme Court has decided that not a dollar can be put into the building of a Court House that is not actually voted by the people. There- fore, the only difference between a 2 mills' levy, or a 1} mills' levy, would be that the one would pay the $40,000 in from six to eight years, while the other would require, probably, the full ten years.
As far as the Board is concerned at present and as far as all. whom we have talked with, have expressed any opinion, it has been universally in favor of the bonds.
FROM STORY COUNTY. From the Boone Republican, 1875.
The confluence of the melifluous sounding Skunk and Squaw Creeks is found in the southern part of this country with timber, some coal, water power and an abundance of stock water ; add to this an inexhaustible soil, with prudent, industrious and enterpris- ing people, and you have all the elements of a prosperous county. Nevada and Ames, on the N. W. R. R. divide the trade and the population pretty equally between themselves, each claiming 1,200 people. The former has the Court House, the latter the Agricul- tural College, and each makes a pet of its " peculiar institution."
Nevada is destitute of a single saloon or licensed drug store, and still they prosper, have one of the most intelligent and refined little communities in the State of Iowa, and certainly know the art of treating a visitor in the most hospitable manner.
The Normal Institute closes this week, seventy teachers having been present, an excellent course of evening lectures well attended, and everything has passed off to the entire satisfaction of our earn- est working Superintendent Franks.
Iowa boasts of no more modest, neat and sparkling gem among her hundred jewels than Story County.
THE KIRKMAN MURDER. From the Representative.
Since the publication of our last paper, some new steps have been taken in reference to the Kirkman murder, but as far as we can learn, we cannot say as any definite conclusion has been arrived at as to who were the actual perpetrators of the deed. That seems to be the main point of interest, and it is the most difficult to solve. If the public could have known to a certainty who did the deed, it would have taken but a very few moments time to have ascertained what steps to have taken in the matter. But owing to un- certainty surrounding the whole thing, and the doubt as to who
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
and how many were engaged in the murderous act, renders the pro- gress of the Grand Jury very slow. We can only hope, however, that their efforts will be successful, and that a punishment equal to the enormity of the crime committed will overtake the villains .- May 21, 1875.
The Coroner's jury, after spending a week in taking testimony and examining some seventy-five witnesses, believed that there was sufficient grounds for the apprehension of Geo. E. Woodman, Len- ford Fisher, Wm. E. Parr, Daniel Kirkman and John Mclaughlin, and in accordance therewith they were arrested on Sunday and Monday last and are now lying in jail awaiting the action of the Grand Jury. The following short sketch of the parties under arrest we take from the last Watchman:
Woodman is a farmer by occupation, has lived the past seven years in Washington township, Polk County, and within one mile of the place where Kirkman was hung. He was born in New Hampshire, has lived in Illinois, been to California six times and has seen considerable of frontier life. He is in good circumstances, having a large farm well stocked and out of debt. The following is a correct description of Mr. Woodman: He is forty-seven years of age, five feet five inches in height, square built, sandy hair and whiskers which are sprinkled with gray, florid complexion, gray eyes and is a good talker. Mr. Woodman says that all he wishes is a fair and impartial trial, and he has no fear but what he can establish his innocence.
Lenford Fisher is a son-in-law of the murdered man, lives in Washington Township Polk County, and within six miles of the Kirkman residence, has been in the State six years and a farmer by occupation. He was raised in Ohio, is twenty-six years old, five feet eight inches in height, spare built, hair and whiskers light brown, gray eyes and a fair complexion. Mr. Fisher, like Mr. Woodman, is sanguine of establishing his innocence when the time of his trial comes.
Wm. E. Parr is an Englishman by birth, has been in this county five years, lived in Peoria City, Polk County, during that time, working at the business of blacksmithing. Parr is twenty- eight years old, five feet six inches in height, square built, dark hair and eyes, and a fair complexion.
Daniel Kirkman is a son of the murdered man. He is twenty- one years old, was born in Story County on the farm where the murder was committed. He is five feet six inches high, brown hair and eyes and fair complexion.
John Mclaughlin is an Irishmam by birth, twenty-four years old, five feet eleven inches high, brown hair and eyes, has lived in Polk County the past eleven years and worked for Kirkman some three years of that time .- (1875.)
The day following the arrest of the above, Mrs. Kirkman was also arrested as being accessory to the crime, and is now in the .custody of the law, at the residence of Mr. D. H. McCord. We
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
think the only evidence against her, thus far, is in the fact of the doors being unlocked, when, if we are correctly informed, it was the habit of Mr. Kirkman, since the commencement of these troubles, to always keep the doors locked. In connection with this we might also add that after the murder of Mr. Kirkman, Mrs. Kirkman sent a telegraph dispatch to Mr. Zinsmaster and the children, at Des Moines, to be' at the funeral, and entirely forgot the oldest son, James Kirkman, in Union, Hardin County. The first that James heard of his father's death was through the Rep- resentative account of the tragedy which was copied into the State Register. But it seems that when he did find it out he com- prehended the situation at once, as he came down on Monday last, and has been enquiring about the condition and shape of the prop- erty very carefully.
The will which Mr. Kirkman made after the separation of him- self and wife, was carefully destroyed before they commenced liv- ing together the last time. A copy had been kept by Mrs. Haynes, unbeknown to Mrs. Kirkman, until a few days ago, when that was also burned by Mrs. Kirkman as soon as she discovered it. Many other strange moves have been made by this or that one of this family, enough to make a curious volume, could they all be collected together.
MORE OF THE MURDER.
A recent number of the State Register says that Polk County was disgraced by a mob of citizens in the hanging of Howard, and now Story County has been disgraced by a mob of its citizens in the hanging of Mr. Kirkman .- (1875.)
The first part of the Register's statement above, is correct, namely, that Polk County was disgraced by the hanging of How- ard by a mob; but the second part, namely, that Story County has been disgraced by a mob of its citizens in the hanging of Kirkman, is not correct. The facts developed by the testimony of nearly seventy-five witnesses who appeared before the coroner's jury as near as we can find out, casts no suspicion upon any citizen in Story County as being engaged in the murder of the late Geo. N. Kirkman. All of the parties arrested upon suspicion, thus far, are residents of Polk County. Not one of the five arrested on Sunday and Monday last, reside in Story County. In short we believe that the late inhuman and brutal murder of Geo. N. Kirkman is the result of the loose way in which the Howard murder was inquired into and the semi-official winking at it, given it by the Polk County authorities. We don't claim that the Polk County people, generally, are any more evily disposed than the majority of the people of Story, but it is nevertheless a fact, that in this particular case, all of the suspicioned characters do reside in that county. At this writing, Thursday afternoon, the Grand Jury are still investi- gating the case, but what conclusion they will arrive at we cannot .
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
say. We can only hope that a sufficient amount of evidence will be brought to light to clearly establish the guilt of the correct par- ties, and that they may be brought to speedy and sure justice, if such a thing as justice, under our present laws can be meeted out to them.
ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST FOLLOW MADE UP OF DIFFERENT DATES AS SELECTED FROM OUR COUNTY PAPERS AND OTHERWISE.
Summer of 1876 we cull : "The McHose boys have made this season over six hundred thousand brick. The most of them have been used in building the new Court House. As they have the contract for that nearly filled they are now prepared to fill all orders from a church to a chimney."
July, 1876 .- "The ninth number of Highway Papers, Rev. I. Reid, editor, has just been issued from this office. For the last three or four numbers 800 copies have been issued each time. This large edition shows the popularity and acceptableness of it to its readers. May it continue to increase till its issue shall be num- bered by thousands."
September, 1876 .- A serious accident happened to Mr. Wm. Coke, of Lincoln Township on Thursday of last week. While out hunting he had the misfortune to accidentally discharge his gun in such a manner as' to shoot off his left arm and two fingers of his right hand.
July, 1876 .- " Mr. J. B. Randall, the Court House contractor, was in town last week, viewing the progress of the building. The Court House is now completed to the top of the first story windows and the joist for the second floor are being laid over portions of the structure. The building now begins to show something of its style and beauty, and that it will be truly a magnificent structure. The oval caps for the windows are truly ornamental and already add much beauty to the building, even in its unfinished state."
July, 1876 .- " Mr. W. G. Allen has invented a new way of attaching barbs to wire fence, which for durability or stability ex- ceeds any other device we ever saw. The barbs can be attached to old fences as well as new, and they remain absolutely secure in the position in which they are put. A patent has just been secured, and eastern parties are already in communication with Mr. Allen in reference to the purchase of the right."
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
1878 .-- " During the month of November the business transac- tions at the Nevada depot were as follows :
Freight Received.
Charges.
No. cars of lumber, 45.
$1,757.86
66
66
other freight, 67.
789.99
66
lbs. of merchandise, 214,817
919.79
" cars of grain, 38.
2,053.37
66 66 live stock, 11 ..
704.50
66 66 other freight, 3. . 39.96
66 lbs. of merchandise, 41,214
158.26
66 tickets sold, 897. 806.74
January 2, 1878 .- " Mr. Tho. Hemstock's residence was destroyed by fire about two weeks ago, total loss being about $2,000. It was insured in the Hawkeye of Des Moines for $500, which amount he will doubtless receive promptly. A policy for $750 in some other company expired in September last, and consequently will be of no account in the present loss. Cause, a defective flue."
January 2, 1878 .- "Messrs. Jacobs, Mead & Co., lost one shipment of dressed poultry during the recent warm weather, amounting in value to about $800. A very important item about these days.'
1878 .- " At a re-union of the Jones family at the house of W. J. Freed, near Ontario, Story County, on May 30th, there were pres- ent sixty-three men, women and children, among whom were Mr. Giles Aylsworth and wife, of Porter County, Indiana; also his two sons living near here, and their families; Mr. T. F. Jones of Ames, his six sons and one daughter, three of whom had their families, and others to make up the above number. The occasion was one of much good feeling and enjoyment, and was appreciated by all, especially those engaged in getting up the party." (Incident extra.) "Mr. W. J. Freed had a hive of bees to throw off a swarm on May 5th, another May 17th, another on May 18th, and another on May 24th."
June 5, 1878 .- " The first postal money-order was issued seven years ago last Sunday."
September 20, 1878 .- " Four loads of hogs were brought in Tues- day all the way from White Oak Grove, Polk County, more than half way to Des Moines, and sold for $3.10 per 100 1bs. to T. J. Ross."
September 20, 1878 .- " The six prisoners confined in the jail got up another scene last Tuesday evening and attracted some atten- tion. They took advantage of the absence of Mr. Tyler and barri- caded the doors, and when Joe Morse took up their suppers they refused to admit him. Sheriff Gillespie was called, and when he demanded them to remove the barricade, which they had made by taking to pieces the bedsteads, they still refused, and, after consid-
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
erable talk, in which the prisoners appeared very defiant, the Sheriff, in order to give them to understand that he meant business, fired a couple of shots through the grating of the door, which had the desired effect, and they at once removed the obstruction. There is no doubt but what these prisoners are a hard lot, but it is a disgrace to our county to have a jail with only one room in which to keep prisoners, be they many or few, male or female."
The above opinion as to a jail of one room only for prisoners, the writer hereof thinks the same. Such an arrangement for a jail is a shameful disgrace. "Just so long as so many prisoners are kept in one room there will be trouble, and the wonder is that it is not more serious. Prisoners should behave themselves. Still they should have decent quarters."
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