USA > Iowa > Cedar County > A topical history of Cedar County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 39
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The Patrons of Husbandry was a small publication printed in the office of the Post, and published in support of the order from which it took its name. Wm. Knott was president of the company that published it and L. L. Sweet was the editor. The first number appeared April 30, 1872, but it only continued one month.
The Cedar County Clipper, democrat, was established at Tipton in the sum- mer of 1866 by J. T. Rice and David Roush. It did not prosper, however, and was discontinued in December of the same year.
The first printing press brought to Clarence was owned by Judge E. R. Thayer, when in 1868 he established his Iowa Age at that place. It was dem- ocratic in politics and ably conducted, but the field was too limited and in less than a year Judge Thayer removed the paper to Clinton where it is now conducted, it being recognized as one of the able papers of the state.
In Oct., 1870, there were a number of the enterprising citizens of West Branch, among whom was W. W. Gruwell, the present editor of the Times, (1897) attended a meeting to consider the question of establishing a newspaper in the village. The result was a few weeks after, a little paper, printed on 8 by 12 manilla wrapping paper, was issued, with Geo. Barrington editor. This was only issued occasionally. In the fall of '71 A. M. Russell and C. E. Craig-
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head established a printing office and issued a larger paper called the Index. In April, 1875, L. W. Raber superseded them and called the paper the Times. E. Grinnell became owner for two years, he in turn selling to L. Warring- ton, who sold in the fall of '78 to C. H. Wickersham. The latter changed the name to the Local Record. After these years W. W. Gruwell became owner, re- taining it eight years, when he sold to S. E. Albin, who changed the name back to the Times. In June, 1892, it was bought back by W. W. Gruwell, who, with his son, A. C., continued to issue it. Ross Leech succeeded the Gruwells in this paper in 1901 and is now the editor and proprietor. It is published every Thurs- day. It has the largest circulation of any paper outside the county seat.
The first paper in Stanwood, the Express, came into existence in the spring of 1872. E. L. Derby was the editor. It is said that he published a paper big enough for a city, but the patronage failed to materialize sufficiently to sup- port it, and it yielded to its cruel fate and died the next year.
The Cedar County Farmer was published at Tipton for about one year. Commencing in Feb., 1874, L. W. and W. L. Raber were publishers and Isaiah Doane, of Webster City was editor. It was democratic in politics. It failed for want of support.
The Tipton Conservative was established March 31, 1875, by M. R. Jackson. It has since then given the county news and proclaimed democratic doctrine. The Conservative founded by Mr. M. R. Jackson in 1875 continued to be edited by him until the year 1902 when he sold it to Wm. Wisener, the present editor Mr. Jackson had the longest continuous service of any man who occupied such a position in the county. Only one man in this section of the state had a longer service-John Mahin of the Muscatine Journal-at the time of Mr. Jackson's retirement. Mr. Wisener continues the paper and maintains its reputation.
In Feb., '96, F. W. Casterline came from Kansas and established the Bennett Independent, which was true to its name. After about one year at Bennett the plant was moved to Tipton and published under the combined name of Cedar County Republican and Bennett Independent. It was Republican in politics, and among the last newspaper ventures in the county seat. It was sold to the Ad- vertiser.
In Feb., 1897, the Clarence Gazette was established. It was started by Crane and McLaughlan, law partners, according to the Cedar County History ; while the Clarence Sun states that it was founded by Chas. E. Cosley who was suc- ceeded by Geo. F. Couch. After about two years the paper suspended publica- tion.
The Gazette was followed by the Independent established by E. L. Derby, who soon sold it to D. W. Carothers, who in turn sold it to Wood and Wooster. The publication, however, lived but a brief time. It is also stated that after the Independent came the True Delta, which was published for a few months by Burton and Company.
The Clarence Sun was established by Geo. Williams, later of Minneapolis, in April, 1879. A year or two later John W. Owen, from Illinois, obtained pos- session of it, and conducted it prosperously for eight years. In Feb., 1892, he sold it to Geo. Crawford, formerly of Mineral Point, Wis. In July of the same year he sold it to Clark Smith who came from Lansing, Mich. Mr. Smith was
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successful, owned his building, and possessed a good plant. Chas. A. Seaton succeeded Mr. Smith and is the present editor and publisher of the Sun.
The Cedar County News of Tipton was established about July 15, 1889. Its editor was Harry Hazlett. It lasted about two years. Independent in politics and an interesting local sheet, it finally failed in 1891.
The Stanwood News began publication Oct. 7, 1892. Floyd and Ranenbush editors and publishers. Floyd soon retired from the firm. The paper was con- tinued until Aug., '93, and the publishers fled and the paper died.
The Stanwood Herald, edited by Harry J. Burke, began publication April 10, '94. In Oct. of the same year, to use the words of Mr. Shipley, "One M. E. Shipley, of the sand hills of Nebraska, became seized with the publication," and continued it with good success as an independent local paper.278.
A number of editors have had charge of the Herald since the date mentioned above. J. N. Boling controlled it for some time. One Thompson had an inter- est in it later. W. A. Spry, pastor of the Methodist church, conducted it, then Gau and Evers. They were followed by Bushnell and Evers, and since 1905 A. W. Bushnell has managed the paper. It is an eight page paper with two pages of home print.
The "Lowden News" is published from the office of the "Clarence Sun," George Mueller being the local editor.
The present editor of the Durant Star came to this county to work on the Bennett Independent at the time of its establishment by Mr. Casterline and he came with Mr. Casterline to Tipton when the Republican was started there. The Stanwood Herald was once in his charge, 1898 to 1900. The history of the papers in the eastern part of the county included in the following which comes largely from C. W. Hamilton. He was postmaster at Bennett and resigned this office to take charge of the Durant Star.
Bennett's first paper was the Bennett Independent, established in January, 1896, by F. W. Casterline, who presided over its destinies until March of the following year when the plant was moved to Tipton where Mr. Casterline es- tablished the Cedar County Republican. In January, 1902, C. W. Hamilton started the Bennett Opinion which he conducted until July, 1907, when the management passed to Thos. P. Barnes. Mr. Barnes presided over the destinies of the Opinion until September, 1909, when the ownership reverted to the former publisher who moved the plant to Durant where the paper was consolidated with the Durant Star, the subscribers being furnished the Star instead of the Opinion. The Durant Star still maintains a representative at Bennett to look after the news and whatever advertising and job printing may be needed.
The Durant Star was established in October, 1898, by Herman Kuehl who con- ducted the paper until January, 1902, when its destinies passed into the hands of Harry C. Ellingsworth. After two years at the helm Mr. Ellingsworth was succeeded by W. S. Price who published the paper for three and one-half years, being succeeded July 1, 1907, by the present publisher, C. W. Hamilton. Mr. Price, during his editorship of the paper, added a page devoted to the town of Walcott, carrying the news and advertising from that town. This page is be- ing kept up under the present management, and the consolidation of the Bennett Opinion with the Star in September, 1909, gives the Star a large territory to
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cover in the southeast corner of Cedar, the southwest corner of Scott and the northeast corner of Muscatine counties. 279
In 1860 a real organization of a library association was formed in Tipton. Before this time some individual plans had been formed for loaning books. At the time of organization the books in their possession for circulation numbered about 160 volumes. This movement continued for some years under different management, sometimes under the control of literary organizations and on one occasion was cared for by the Ancient Order of United Workmen which fra- ternity had at that time a lodge in the place. Some of the old books purchased at that time are not yet out of circulation so far as being off the loaning lists. The public school library was made the beneficiary of the old books, the re- mains of, no one knows how many, different purchases and collections when these institutions ceased to exist. Some of the old tags are yet visible as one may see by examining the copies, some of which are now in the Public Library, if he takes the trouble to turn back the present possessors' stamp of ownership.
The titles of the volumes suggest their day and they are chiefly valuable to the one interested in history or theology. They were not trivial books by any means and those who made the selection must have been serious minded people. Library movements did not cease during the years following the preliminary efforts from the very beginning in the time before the war and it may be interest- ing to know that in 1858 there was a lecture course and an association to procure books and a room where they could be secured from some one who volunteered to be responsible. Books were procured from New York. A fee of $1.50 was charged and dues of ten cents. S. S. Daniels, the war editor of the Advertiser, announced the information to be furnished at his office concerning the books on hand, and the number loaned in a single week reached seventy-two.
There was a library tax proposition in 1872 since the books on hand furnished the nucleus for a public library.
Springdale had an organization of the same nature and the movement was further emphasized by the Burns Club that held its meetings at stated times. Special mention is made of a meeting at Clarence in 1871.
The first reading room opened for public use was in 1891. A few periodicals were on file and a small library was loaned by Mr. Glines. In March, 1901, the free Public Library was opened in the Rowell building as mentioned in the concluding part of this section of library history.
It was in the afternoon of a day in 1896 that a few friends visiting together discussed the work of women's clubs in general. A comparison of facts brought out the one that the individual club work was strengthened by the union or fed- eration of all the clubs in the vicinity. The suggestion was there made that the four study clubs of Tipton unite for mutual benefit and this was accomplished by July first of that year.
The first meeting was at the home of Mrs. J. H. Gunsolus where the Search- Light club gave the program. These programs were continued during the year at stated periods and resulted in "mutual improvement" as the constitution of the federation read. But this was not all the women had in view. Then they saw somewhere in the distant future the building now (1903) in process of erection but to them it seemed a long way off.
YLOLK LION SKY
PUBLIC LIBRARY, WEST BRANCH
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
At a business meeting of the federation in 1897 a plan of enlarging the club and its mission was discussed but no definite action taken, later, however, resolving itself into "The. Village Improvement Society." The committees were appointed-one to work for the beautifying of the city and the other to work for a library. The first committee was soon abandoned for good and sufficient reasons and all the efforts centered on the one idea of a library.
In January, 1898, the club was entertained by the one division called the Nineteenth Century Club and at this meeting Mrs. Van Vechten, of Cedar Rapids, President of the State Federation was present. She pointed out the wisdom of opening the doors of the club to all women who were interested in the same object that we were working for. At this suggestion the Federation of Clubs was changed to the "Women's Club." Any woman willing to give something of her time and strength was eligible to membership. The mem- bership has averaged thirty-five.
At this time the program feature of the club was given up and the mercenary side entered into with spirit fitting the cause. The thought now was to convert the effort into dollars and cents as fast as able that the desired end might the sooner be reached.
Very little encouragement was received from the men. No one openly opposed the movement but there was a feeling of indifference, that while the library might be a benefit to the community, it would be an expense to maintain, and, recalling the previous efforts to do such things without sufficient equip- ment, that it could not be made a success.
The nucleus for a library fund had been raised in 1897 by a concert given under the direction of the Women's Clubs Federation, Athene, Nineteenth Cen- tury, Treble Clef, and Search-Light, and amounted to fifteen and one-half dol- lars. Mrs. Van Vechten, on her trip to the federation donated her traveling expenses and this was the first donation to the public library. The earnings of the club from that time to the laying of the cornerstone were more than one thousand dollars. The most discouraging thing occurred at the first-something that would have led men to abandon the enterprise very likely-the lecture course conducted by the organization left them with a deficit of fifty dollars. The largest sum ever received from an entertainment was "The Darktown Swells," which probably suggests some assistance from the men of the community.
Among the few cash donations the largest came from the Universalist So- ciety when the church was discontinued here.
The determination that the club held, not to open a library until it could be "free," proved to be the right attitude, for the movement was now being agitated in the entire state. Finally in the winter of 1899-1900 the lawmakers at Des Moines passed a law allowing, by amendment to section 727 of the Code, a town to vote at a general or special election upon the question, "Shall a Free Public Library be Established?" February 1, 1900, found the club with a bank deposit of $700 when the request was made to the city council to place the matter be- fore the people. When put to a vote it carried by a majority of 141 votes.
An act to create a library commission and to promote the establishment and efficiency of free public libraries in the state was of much help to the local in- terests allowing a Board of Trustees to be appointed by the Mayor of the town.
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August first, 1900, the Board, consisting of five men and four women, was ap- pointed under this law, and into their hands the work was placed.
The buying of books, arranging for rooms, and preliminary work required several months and the rooms were not opened formally until March 4th, 1901. Under the supervision of Miss Alice Tyler of the State Commission, all the mod- ern methods of library work were employed and the whole effort begun in an up-to-date manner.
The popularity of the library exceeded all expectations and the demand for more room became imperative. The generosity of Mr. Carnegie to other towns in the state led the club to hope for assistance from him in securing a building, but meantime the president of the Board having the same thought in mind had written him concerning the matter as explained later and with the result as now known.
No separate account can be given of the work of the Women's Club and the public library so far as the present building is concerned. Its inception was a matter first considered by this club, and Mrs. Anna S. Yates, who was one of the leading spirits of the organization and for many years a much appreciated librarian is the one to whom credit should be given for the facts as here enu- merated leading to the results as found in the present library equipment. At the laying of the cornerstone, Wed. May 6, 1903, the paper written by Mrs. Yates. and read by Miss Addie Dean, then Secretary, gave a full history from the time the Women's Club took it up to the date of the exercises.
The President of the Board of Trustees, Judge W. N. Treichler, introduced the president of the club, Mrs. I. J. Hamiel, who spread the cement upon the spot where the stone was to lie while the derrick held it in readiness for its position. This stone contains a copper receptacle which holds a copy of the Bible, the constitution of Iowa, constitution and by-laws of the Women's Club and of the Board of Trustees, copy of Andrew Carnegie's letter making the gift to the city, copy of the city council and board of trustees records of ac- ceptance of the same, an account of the public library opening, a roll of the Women's Club, and of the Board of Trustees, a copy of the paper read by Miss Dean, written by Mrs. Yates, copies of the Tipton papers and coins of the years 1902 and 1903.
At the exercises of laying the cornerstone Rev. R. D. Parsons, who used to play upon these grounds as a school boy referred to the changes that had come since he had known the old school building that stands just across the street. His address was full of appreciation of the gift of the donor of the building, Mr. Carnegie.
January, 1902, a letter came to Judge Treichler which reads as follows: "New York, Jan. 9, 1902. "W. N. Treichler, Esq., Tipton, Iowa.
"Dear Sir :- Responding to your letters. If the city of Tipton will pledge itself to support a free library (by resolution of council) at a cost of not less than one thousand dollars per year, Mr. Carnegie will be glad to provide ten thousand dollars for a free public library building. The city must also furnish a suitable site.
Respectfully yours,
"JAS. BERTRAM, Private Secretary."
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
The first steps taken to secure the above offer were during the fall of 1901, when Judge Treichler wrote Mr. Carnegie, giving him a history of the efforts made by the Women's Club to establish and maintain a free public library, and the support afterward given by the city. Not much publicity was given to the effort to interest Mr. Carnegie, not even the members of the library board being aware of the correspondence. No response was received from the first letter and hope of any result was about given up when a second letter was sent, this time bringing a prompt answer asking for information concerning the city, pop- ulation and details in other particulars.
The letter quoted was the result of information furnished. The city council immediately passed the desired resolution and Mr. Carnegie was notified that his conditions had been accepted.
The question of a site for the library was for some time under discussion when it was finally settled by the county board of supervisors granting the use of the Monument Square. This necessitated the moving of the soldiers' monu- ment to its present position and its resetting.
Measures were soon taken to beautify the grounds under the direction of the board advised by a competent landscape gardener who came here for the purpose.
The library building was completed and occupied in December, 1903, but the dedication proper did not occur until the following July when a formal program was followed, Mr. Johnson Brigham, State Librarian, giving the principal ad- dress. The students from the library summer school at the State University came with Miss Tyler to hear the program but more to see the library itself as a model for others to be built in the future. Reports were given by the secretary and officers of the club that helped to erect it.
The total cost as reported then was $13,957. The furniture was purchased by the Women's Club, that organization that kept the matter moving until the present equipment was secured. They have kept contributing to the building improvement ever since and their plans are always to add a little more to the grounds in appearance or to the funds to buy more books. The number of volumes at the present time is about four thousand.
The last annual report of the present librarian, Miss Milligan, gives the fol- lowing summary of all reports: Total number of volumes in library, 3,850, but since then the number is much above four thousand. Five hundred volumes were added in 1909, the total circulation for that year being over 9,000 volumes. One-third of all the children's books were at some time drawn out and one-half of the adult books that go into circulation. About one thousand borrowers' cards were then in force and this number is now largely increased. The library was open for 308 days during the year, for an average of thirty-nine hours per week. In April, 1910, the township of Center entered into a contract through the board of trustees with the trustees of the Tipton public library whereby the township levies a tax of one-half mill for library support and the citizens of the township have the same library privileges as those of the corporation of Tipton. The present officers and trustees of the library are: W. N. Treichler, Mrs. H. L. Huber, Mrs. C. R. Aurner, C. S. Neiman, Sherman Yates, Mrs. W. A. Grove,
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Miss Mattie Coutts, Geo. H. Kellogg, and J. C. France. Miss Flora Milligan, Librarian.
The financial report shows total receipts of $2,557 and expenditures of $1,968, leaving a balance at the end of the year 1909 of $580 when figures are given in round numbers.
On Oct. 22, 1901, a meeting of representatives from the young people's socie- ties of the various churches met to organize a Young People's Union in West Branch. A good citizenship committee was elected and this committee decided that the town's greatest need was a public library. A canvass of the town was made to secure literature, and a hundred and fifty books were secured besides magazines for the reading table. Three good rooms were obtained and Mr. Ross Stratton was elected librarian. The expenses were met by subscription and a small charge for the use of the books. The first year $211.00 was raised mostly by socials, suppers, etc. In 1903 "The Spinster's Return" was given, which netted $145 which was expended in books.
In the fall of 1903 one of the public spirited citizens, Mrs. Hulda Enlow, in- formed the city council that she would donate to the town a public library build- ing if the town would vote the necessary taxes for its support. This was done, and in July, 1904, the library was moved to the new building, which had been erected at an expense of $2,000. Sept. 30th the dedicatory exercises were held, the citizens expressing their appreciation of Mrs. Enslow's generous gift. The Young People's Union donated their books and magazines and are still giving what aid they can.
The library board formerly was composed of C. H. Hathaway, president ; S. H. Mott, vice president ; G. H. Hoover, secretary ; O. L. Townsend, Dr. C. J. Leech, A. C. Hunter, E. L. Hollingsworth, Miss Cora Varney, and Miss Bertha Armstrong, a number of whom are still members according to the librarian's report which follows :
"The library year just closed shows a remarkable gain in the library over pre- ceding years. During the last year there were 5,080 books and magazines issued. The magazine circulation alone was 1,226 numbers. There are 24 different magazines on the library tables, and all but the current numbers are allowed to circulate under the same rules which govern the circulation of books.
"In the last twelve months 7,573 visitors came to the library. An appreciable number of these came for the use of the reference and class books. While the reference department is not as well stocked in volumes as could be desired, yet the material is good and the library attendant is willing at all times to aid in the securing of reference material by the use of the Poole's Index, Reader's Guide and other available means. Material on special subjects can be obtained for clubs and students, from the Library Commission at Des Moines, and held ex- clusively for their use.
"The juvenile department has been a source of pleasure to the little folks. A table, exclusively their own has been placed in the juvenile corner, and the books for children have been put on shelves where they can easily be obtained by them. By the addition of the parent's signature to the reader's card, the little folks can get books under the same rules as govern adults.
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"This year there has been added 124 books, several of these being donations. As it is very hard to keep the library as well supplied with books as is desired, the donation of books, either fiction, reference or class books is very acceptable. All books added are classed, listed and placed by the Dewey decimal system of classification.
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