USA > Iowa > Cedar County > A topical history of Cedar County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 10
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In August, 1854, W. H. Hammond, known as the "tinner," opened a hard- ware store. A drug and grocery combined (a queer combination one would think) was then located in the old frame building of Friend and Culbertson, which, if information is trustworthy, was almost opposite the "Palmer House" on Cedar Street or near the present site of the Geiger building. It is said that the town increased one-fourth in size this year. Misfortune came in the form of fire in 1870 and destroyed the brick building erected in 1857 by Shaw and Bogly on the corner now occupied by the National Bank building. Samuel Tomlinson built the brick the second door from Cedar Street east, north of the square, where Brotherlin and Gordon's store is now, in 1855 and the building three doors east about the same time.
The following are the recollections of Tipton in 1845 by Alonzo Shaw, who came here in July of that year :
"In the court house block was a two-story frame building about 40x50 feet ; the court room was on the ground floor, with hall and stairway on the south. It fronted to the south and the clerk's office was in the southwest corner, a room about 12x16 feet. The upper story was divided into four rooms for office rooms. The Masonic lodge had one room rented. The treasurer and recorder had one room; it was all one office then. The judge of the court was Mr. Williams, of Muscatine, a Pennsylvanian, who held the office by appointment of the president, a comical old democrat who could play the violin and clarionet and tell as good a
THE NEW ELEVATOR AT DOWNEY
VIEW OF DOWNEY
115
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
story as anyone present. He came up here to hold court on a regular term, and the Williams boys from the Wapsie (or Lowden now) and the Walton boys from Sugar Creek had running horses. They weren't very long in getting up a bet of $50 on a side. The race was to come off at 2 o'clock p. m. on the old Muscatine road, between the place now owned by Chas. Swartzlender and the Cottrell black- smith shop. It appeared as if every man in the county was here. The judge came into the court house at two o'clock p. m. and called the court, and behold there was the sheriff and two attorneys ; even the grand jury had gone to the race. The judge ordered court adjourned until the next morning at nine a. m., and went over to the Culbertson hotel and spent the balance of the day playing on the violin. In the evening the judge and the attorneys gathered in the hotel for a social. There was John P. Cook, Scott Richman, Stephen Whicher and others, singing songs, telling stories, and having a jolly good time until midnight, when J. C. Culbertson, J. P. Cook and some others were so exhausted that they could not navigate.
"In block twenty-five, south of the court house, there was but one house. It was the one recently torn down by Roy McKee. A man from Virginia by the name of Epperson lived there. He had quite a family of girls. He was a drink- ing man and when in those moods told some very large stories. To illustrate : He said in Virginia where he lived it was near the hot springs, and in the fall of the year when the hogs got fat, all they had to do was to drive the hogs through a spring and then out through a crabapple thicket and they were ready to knife and hang up.
"In block 17, east of the court house there were but two buildings; one was a two-story hewed log jail about 16x32, the lower story having two rooms. It was built double like a fort, with one window in each cell made of iron rods crossed, and Asa Young, when he was put in there for stabbing Sheriff Pat Fleming with a pen knife, said he 'Didn't like to look out o' them ten o' diamonds.' The upper story was intended for the jailor. It was built by J. K. Snyder and stood on the west end of Mrs. Stafford's lot, being lot 1, block 17. The other building in said block 17 was Addison Gillett's, now occupied by Basil Wiggins, it being a part of the old back part of said residence, and was sold to Willard Hammond in 1849.
"Block 19, west of the court house, had but two buildings upon it and they belonged to Dr. Richard Hall. One was a small frame building occupied as his residence, standing back from the street, and in front of which was a small frame building occupied by said doctor as a drug store. I think they stood on lot 4 of block 19.
"Block II, north of the court square, had but two buildings and a small stable. A. Gillett had a small general stock of goods in a small frame building about 16x24 feet, standing on lot 5 in said block 11, near where Brotherlin's drug store now stands, and that was the only store in Tipton, except Dr. Hall's drug store. The Fleming hotel stood right where the cottage stands today. It was a small story and a half building at that time. There was a small stable back on the alley, and those were all the buildings then on block II.
"In block 10, northwest diagonal from the court square, there were but two buildings and a stable. A large two-story log house about 20x36 feet stood on
116
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
lot I in said block 10, and a man by the name of Lee and his family lived there. There was a shed addition on the west side about 12 feet wide, and John Stubble- field's father was running a saddle and harness shop in it. This was where the First National Bank now stands.
"The old J. C. Culbertson hotel, the most prominent place in Tipton at that time, was located where the City Hall now stands. It was a two-story frame building about 16x32 feet, with a porch the length of the front and a story and a half log building in the rear as an ell, used as a dining room and kitchen, 16x20 feet, and a small stable on the alley. These were all the buildings on block 10.
"The first store in Tipton was started in the log house on the corner where the National Bank now is. J. P. Cook brought an old stock of goods from the mouth of Pine Creek on the Mississippi, below Davenport, and started a store in this building. After a time Judge W. H. Tuthill came to Tipton. He had pre- viously located at Moscow, buying a saloon there and running it about six months. But selling whisky wasn't congenial to the Judge and he sold out and came to Tipton and bought J. P. Cook's store, and was consequently the second merchant of Tipton. The Judge having been raised in the city of New York and having his full share of egotism, the people sought to reduce his pride and make a western man of him. In the spring he went to St. Louis for goods to replenish his store. Our elections were then held in the spring of the year. While the Judge was absent they elected him for constable, having no idea that he would accept it under any circumstances, but the Judge disappointed them. He accepted the office, qualified and made one of the best constables they ever had.
"As an illustration of western character, Col. Preston, late of Marion, Iowa, father of Judge Preston, had located in Iowa City in the early forties, a graduate of the law, and stuck out his shingle. When the next election came he was nomi- nated for constable. There was a noted Newfoundland dog in the town and the men wrote tickets putting on the name of the dog, which was elected constable. It made the colonel quite out of patience to be treated in that way and he pulled down his shingle, left town and located in Marion, where he became one of the most popular and noted prosecutors in the law in the state of Iowa.
"In block 5, due north of 10, there were but two buildings. One was a story and a half frame house occupied by Jacob A. Haight and his family. His wife died here and in 1849 he went over the plains to Oregon. His son Charles lives near The Dalles in Oregon. The other building was a blacksmith shop built by Robert Adams, and afterwards was burned, it being the first building burned in Tipton.
"In block 4, east of block 10, there were two buildings. On lot 8 there was a. log house 16x24 feet, occupied by Dr. Whitlock, with a family of five children. The doctor was a character. While a very good physician he was always in trouble with some one, and his associations were bad; he was said to have be- longed to the Mormon church. Tipton rejoiced when he and his family left for California in 1849. On lot 10 in said block 4 was the residence of Wm. H. Tuthill, a small story and a half frame house.
"In Jennings's addition to Tipton, on lot 8 in block 3, was a log house where Mr. Huff and his wife lived; it was where Peter Monk now lives. Mr. Huff was a brother-in law of Solomon Aldrich ; he went to California in 1849.
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1903
DOWNEY SAVACS BANK
DOWNEY SAVINGS BANK
FIFTH STREET NORTH OF SQUARE, TIPTON Old Hammond store shown third from the right.
119
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
"On lots 5 and 6 in block 4, Jennings's addition to Tipton, was a house and barn. They were built by John P. Cook and he lived in the house. It was the old part of the house where E. C. Gillam now lives. I bought the J. P. Cook house and lots and he moved across the street into a house then vacant on lot I in block 5. Capt. Wm. Dean afterwards purchased the property. He tore down the old house and built the present one thereon.
"Then on lots 5 and 6 in block 10, Uncle Abraham Lett lived in a frame house with an Iowa stable north of the house, and an 80-acre farm, it being a part of the Hartwell place.
"On the first Monday morning of January, 1846, I saddled my horse and rode to Dubuque to the land office and entered a quarter section of land, it being the 80 acres now the Sherwood farm, and the 80 acres now a part of the J. W. Reeder farm, lying on the road and joining on the south the county farm.
"There was a small story and a half house standing on lots 5 and 6 in block 9, as near as I can now locate it, empty. It belonged to the Cummins estate, he having died in that house, the widow having moved away. She afterwards became the wife of the Rev. John W. Kynett. The only other house then standing in Tipton, including the Jennings addition, was the old Petrikin house, quite a large two-story frame building, standing on block 7 in said Jennings addition. It was somewhat dilapidated at that time, having been previously used for public meetings of all kinds and for a school house. This includes all the buildings standing in Tipton in 1845, and there wasn't a tree growing of any kind except a crabapple and plum grove thicket with a few scrub oak on block 14. Some of those scrub oaks are now large trees. It seems strange to me that growth of trees in fifty years will make such a change in the surface of a prairie country, and the denuding of a country of its timber makes fully as much change.
"In the early '40s I bought lot I in block 19, for $25. Within a year the Congregationalists wanted it to build a church on, and gave me $75 for it, and the church stood there until the land became valuable for business purposes.
"I built the first brick house in Tipton in 1850. The house has since been built over and is now owned and occupied by Ab Keller.
"The only person living in Tipton that was living here in 1845 is Mrs. Ellen McClure, she being the daughter of Abraham Lett. All others have either died or moved away."
Manby and Ingman began business as clothiers in the new Tomlinson build- ing in 1856.
Casad and Gilmore opened their "Great Western Clothing Emporium" in Sep- tember, 1856. They bought out the firm of Manby and Ingman in '57 and con- tinued their business at the same stand for many years. This business is con- tinued by Gilmore and Rhoelk at this time at the same stand, one of two in Tipton of such long standing. At that time there were four hotels in the place and much business activity, but no railroad yet, and this prevented rapid growth. Under the chapter on transportation will be found the struggle for an outlet by rail. What occurred during war times must be told elsewhere.
The town of Tipton was incorporated in 1852, when the first attempt at organi- zation was made. No regularly organized council attempted to do business, according to "Advertiser" files, until 1855. The paper for July 22, 1854, states
120
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
that : "We are now on the second year of our town's incorporation, and as yet nothing has been done by the councilmen toward so much as an organization to do business. We suffered the incumbency of one set of town officers for fourteen long months without any activity. At our last town election we changed hands on our Board of Town Supervisors and hope we have profited by the bargain, but as yet we have no assurance that they will do any better than the old ones." From a further statement the first active council must have met the following year, for it reads as follows: "At the first meeting of the Town Council, Mon- day, August 6, 1855, J. W. Cattell was elected president and Geo. Bagley clerk. At a meeting held on Saturday, August II, S. S. Daniels and Wells Spicer were appointed a committee to draft a new charter."100 In November, 1855, the people voted against a city charter, but two years later approved it, so that it was incorporated in 1857 subject to an act of the assembly. An election was held in February on the question and it is supposed to have carried since officers under the charter were elected the following April. In 1865 the old charter was aban- doned and the town came under the general law of the state relating to corpora- tions. From the council records the following is taken: "On motion a com- mittee of two was appointed to circulate a petition for signature of those who were in favor of abandoning the old charter and organizing under the present law. Parsons and Smith, committee. A petition with fifty-six names in favor of abandonment was presented. The election on the subject was called and duly carried with only one dissenting vote. Presumption is in favor of the conclusion that reorganization took place at once, although records are wanting on the subject."101
The population of Tipton in 1858 was given by the census then taken as 1,285-three colored and three in jail. It was about this time that property took on a large increase in value, for it is mentioned in a very enthusiastic way that in a single transaction the entire amount of $2,000 was paid in cash, an unheard-of thing up to this date. This was due to the new railroad in the northern part of the county, the C. I. & N. (C. & N. W.)
In 1881 the first project for lighting the town is referred to when a Mr. Brown, representing the Brush Electric Light Company, met with the council and a number of business men, and laid before them the proposition which was substantially as follows: The parties proposing the plant stood ready to make an investment of seven or eight thousand dollars and to erect upon an iron tube forty feet above the court house cupola four lights of 2,000 candle power each, warranted to furnish good and satisfactory light for at least half a mile in all directions, and to furnish and maintain the same for an annual rental of five hundred dollars per annum. This upon condition that the town furnish the neces- sary care of the engine and that twelve business houses agree to light with elec- tricity at an annual rental of seventy-five dollars each. Only twelve could be supplied with the generator in contemplation and ten at this time had agreed to do so.
The same company at this time had a plant at Dubuque ready for trial when the moon did not shine, and it was to go from there to DesMoines for trial. The agent offered to bring it here for trial on the way to DesMoines if the cost was borne locally and it was adopted if satisfactory.102
GEOLOGICAL SECTION DEEP WELL-TIPTON
syS- TEM
STAGE
SUB- STAGE
DEPTH
ALT.
ROCK NATURE
125
810 685
LOESS GLACIALTIN
SILURIAN
NIAGARA CLINTON
GOWER DEL- AWARE
520
290
HUDSON RIVER
MAQUO- KETA
645 745
65
SHALE UNKNOWN
65
ORDOVICIAN
TRENTON
GALENA TRENTON
1030
220
SAINT PETER
1085
-275
SANDSTONE-WHITE GRAINS
DOLOMITE - HARD GRAY CRYSTALLINE IN PLACES DRENACEOUS
1462
-655
JORDAN
1580
-770
SANDSTONE- BUFF CALCIF- EROUS, SOME PLACES- DOLOMITE
DOLOMITE - GRAY MARL WITH MUCH FINE QUARTZOSE MATTER, GREEN AND PINK
SAINT LAW- RENCE
2100
-1290
MARL MICROSCOPIC PINK, ETC.
CROIX
SANDSTONE, WHITE OF FINE GRAIN, HARD
BASAL SAND- 2445 STONE
SANDSTONE-RED BROWN PURPLISH-CLEAN-OF FINE GRAIN-HARD
26962
1886€
GEO. SUR
CAMBRIAN
SANDSTONE, FINE GRAINER SOME WITH SECONDARY FACETS, AT 1845 COARSE GRAINS
SAINT
DOLOMITE- GRAY LIMESTONE-BLUISH GRAY SHALE-GREEN
ROLLED
ONEOTA
DOLOMITE HARD GRAY AND BUFF WITH SOME CHERL
123
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
In accordance with the plan it came about in May, 1882, that a practical test of the Brush light was made in Tipton. A temporary structure was erected above the court house cupola and three globes suspended from the top. The description of the arc lamp is made very minute in the statement "that it con- sisted of a glass globe surrounding two carbon points or sticks made of ground coke pressed into shape and thinly coated with copper, with only sufficient apparatus to hold them in position and permit the upper one to slide up and down, etc." The complete analysis of the process, now familiar to every school boy, was at that time a marvel.
On the night trial three lamps of three thousand candle power each produced the impression that was expected. The general verdict from the observers, which included the entire population of the town and considerable of the sur- rounding country was enthusiastically in favor of the light. The council at once passed a resolution agreeing to pay the five hundred dollars annually for five years and the subscribers for the twelve individual lights were soon secured. A stock company was organized with a capital of five thousand dollars to finance the company, the shares being placed at fifty dollars each to encourage a large number of stockholders. The company when organization was completed adopted the name, "The Tipton Electric Light and Power Company," and the first stock- holders numbered twenty, holding shares from one to twenty.
In July, 1882, the tower, one hundred and fifty-six feet high, was completed and temporary connections made for illumination. This plant was used for sev- eral years, when it was burned and later an ordinance, number fifty-five, was sub- mitted for approval of the voters of the corporation which granted the privilege of operating a plant for ten years to a company.
An enterprise of considerable importance at the time was the construction of the old steam mill in 1850 by a joint stock company. It had a capacity of one hundred and fifty bushels per day, but its operation was not continuous. In December, 1886, this old mill went up in smoke. Its original cost was about. twelve thousand dollars, in the hands of the original stockholders, J. P. Cook, Judge Tuthill, Samuel Long, Jr., and others, which amount would be equivalent to double that now.103 The Shearers owned it for some years and ran it success- fully until the days of making flour from wheat grown at home had passed. It then became a mill for feed and meal only in the hands of D. Meyers, who had possession when it burned.
The city water works were first mentioned in a practical way in August, 1887. At that time Judge Treichler reported $1,300 raised by subscription to commence the drilling of a deep well. From September, 1887, to April, 1888, the well was put down 2,000 feet. The attempt was made to secure a flowing well and a depth of 2,699 feet finally reached by the contractor before drilling ceased. The last two hundred feet cost the sum of $1,440, the total cost amounting to $8,815.
After the construction of the deep well in '87 and '88 the proposition to vote bonds for water works was submitted to the people. The vote took place in August of the latter year and stood 271 in favor of the proposition to 32 against it. The amount voted, seven thousand dollars, provided mains for four blocks only, the remaining portion of the town being left for some future extension of
124
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
mains. The cost of the well, 2,6991/2 feet deep, was given as $8,815 for the drilling alone, and the bond issue was to provide for its immediate use.
The lowest bid on the standpipe when bids were opened in the fall of 1888 was $11,300 for brick 118 feet high. This alone being beyond the amount voted for the purpose, the council was compelled to wait for further expression of the public opinion on the subject. This meant the postponement of any action for this year. In 1889, January 15, bids were opened for the construction of the city water works. The lowest bidder, George C. Morgan of Chicago, was awarded the contract for the entire work. The bid as made was $9,997, but some additions where increased cost was necessary due to change in plans were made to this price. Some discussion occurred at that time relative to the location of the water tower, whether on the highest point in the corporation or at the well. At a later meeting of the city council it was put on the property already owned by the town for economy's sake.
There are many items of interest in connection with the town life that have no real sequence as to the results that may come from them. A suggestion here and there that at the time bears no fruit, yet a long time after it can be traced in the actions taken by individuals or authorities. This is illustrated by the time it took to secure fire protection in any of the smaller towns. Not until severe catastrophe had come upon the town did any movement to secure apparatus succeed. In 1870 negotiations were opened to secure a fire engine, but none was purchased until 1875. The first investment amounted to $2,000.
This is not necessarily connected with the great improvement in residence property in 1892, yet it may have some bearing on the investment of capital in such form. In addition to the taking on of city improvements in 1896 Tipton became a city of the second class when it was divided into three wards as now.
During the year 1898 the improvements were especially noted, an amount given as sixty thousand dollars being invested in buildings, both residence and business property. The papers made special note of the growth during that year. The hotel built by a stock company had been completed in 1894.104 About 1901 the paving proposition came before the council, which resulted in the work com- mencing in the business section in October of that year. This was laid then on two sides of the square and business section only. The brick paving in the busi- ness street south of the square and the residence portion of Fourth Street, or that which is called the Boulevard, was completed in the fall of 1903. Since that time it has been in litigation either on the part of the town or property holders for a number of years after the contractor pronounced his part of the work finished. The courts have decided in the end that the work was not done accord- ing to specifications and for that reason the contractor has never been able to collect his money. The supreme court has said that the contract must be com- pleted exactly as specified.
The present city officials are: Mayor, Dr. W. A. Grove; Clerk, Chas. Foy ; Councilmen, L. F. Kuhn, W. T. Gilmore, L. J. Rowell, Paul Downing, Ed. S. Stofflet.
Among the first settlers in Springdale Township was E. K. Morse, then a young man, who entered a tract of land on the Muscatine County line not far from the west line of Cedar. This was near the present site of Downey. Here
City Park
'Town Hall
Water Works
Washington Street, Looking West VIEWS OF DURANT, IOWA
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127
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
he built a cabin and afterward, about 1840, sold this claim to Andrew and Wm. Brisbane.
These two, with A. G. Smith, Enos Nyce, George Barnes and Chester Cole- man formed the first settlement in the township. Their nearest mill was Rock Island or Moline. The Indians were numerous in this neighborhood then and they were not willing, exactly, to surrender these happy hunting grounds to the white man. They did not hesitate to remove fences nor to run their ponies through growing crops. In this connection it may be mentioned that they were charged with the murder of a pioneer preacher by the name of Atwood. None of them could be found whose guilt was certain enough to make the execution of a penalty possible. In 1847 John Larue, Simeon Barnes, and in 1849 A. B. Cornwall, Reuben Elliott, Hanson Gregg and John Wright had settled in the township.
One authority is of the opinion that the settlement of this township proper did not begin in earnest until about 1850. Since this territory west of the river was all in one township at first it may be difficult to tell just the point of time in the settlement of individuals. Not until 1853 was this township made a sepa- rate jurisdiction. It then included part of the present township of Gower, and remained so for two years. The first justices were Thomas James and Joseph Chase; Constable, Levi Coppock; Trustees, Moses Varney and Samuel Macy. The first election was held in 1852 at the Springdale post office.
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