USA > Iowa > Polk County > Centennial history of Polk County, Iowa > Part 12
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Ayres' steam mills, built in early times, in the town, were consumed by fire.
PORK BUSINESS.
In 1858, prior to the establishment of regular Slaughter- ing and Packing Houses, Messrs. Rollins & Winters were engaged in the packing business in a limited way, packing, perhaps, about one thousand head per annum. In 1860, Albert Grefe constructed a slaughter and rendering house,
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just opposite the present residence of T. E. Brown, on a site which is now a part of that gentleman's grounds.
About the same time, J. Tuttle & Son commenced the business of packing, in a comparatively small way, in con- nection with their wholesale and retail grocery house, hand- ling about one thousand head the first year, which were principally sold for home consumption, or for the country and city trade. The cutting and packing were done in a cellar of the Sherman Block. In the winter of 1861-2, they became associated with Martin Winters, James Miller, and D.r. M. P. Turner, in the packing business. They then rented and fitted up the brick livery stable on Third street, north of Exchange Block, for cutting and curing. During that season they packed about three thousand head, at an average cost of $1.91 per hundred pounds, net-an average hog costing less than $4.00, the same to-day being worth over $12.00. The same season, good dressed pork was bought at $1.25, and at no time did the price exceed $2.50 for best net pork. The products of that winter were mostly shipped to New York and Denver; boxed cured shoulders selling in New York at $2.25, sides at $4.00, and lard at $6.00. When these low prices are taken into consideration, the reader may not be surprised that the partners, on strik- ing a dividend, after donating their labor and their time through the season to the business, realized a profit in the aggregate of $56.00, giving to each partner just $11.20! Such profits as these cured a lot of pork packers as effectu- ally as they cured their meat!
The next year Tuttle & Son built the first house ever erected in Des Moines, exclusively for packing purposes, on the site now occupied by Tuttle's stone front, on Fifth St. That season, 1862-3, the price was also very low, averaging about two cents net, until the latter part of the winter, when it advanced to three and one-half cents per pound. The number of hogs packed was about 3,500, of which two-
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thirds were hauled to Ottumwa, Victor, and Marshalltown, the western termini respectively of three railroads.
The same season, Messrs. Getchell & J. B. Miller packed about 1,000 head in one of the Savery House cellars; also, Messrs. Rawson & Harmon packed about 2,500 in a house on the site now occupied by Osgood, Wyman & Harris as a dry goods store; and Rollins & Winters packed about the same amount at their store building on Second street, since destroyed by fire.
In the Winter of 1863-4, Tuttle & Son packed at their establishment about four thousand head at prices ranging from $3.50 to $7.00 per hundred. A large amount of this was sold on the premises at figures varying from three cents to eighteen cents per pound, for smoked meats. The houses of Andrew Rollins & Harmon, and John Rollins & Winters, also packed about three thousand head each that season.
The first regular packing house in the county was built by B. F. Murphy of Chicago, in 1863, on the ground now occupied by Gen. J. M. Tuttle's packing establishment in this city. It was not extensive, and was intended only for slaughtering and dressing, preparatory to hauling to the railroads, the points for exportation by shipment on railroad, being Grinnell on the Rock Island Railroad, and Marshall- town on the Northwestern. The house had no cellar, and was not in a condition to cure meats at that time. In 1867, Gen. J. M. and his brother Martin Tuttle, under the name of Tuttle Brothers, purchased the building of Mr. Murphy, enlarged it, and put a cellar under it, adding tanks and all other appurtenances belonging to a regular packing house.
In 1870, General Tuttle became the sole proprietor, and continued the business alone till January, 1873, when he be- came associated with Lewis Igo of Warren county. In 1874, the old building was torn down, and the present large and commodious stone structure was erected, with all the mod- ern improvements of a first class establishment, having a
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capacity for handling 1,500 hogs per day. In the Spring of 1875, the General purchased the interest of Mr. Igo, and again became the sole proprietor. The number of hogs packed at this house in the winter of 1867-8, was 15,846; in 1868-9, 15,876; in 1869-70, 10,788; in 1870-1, 6,703; in 1871-2, 18,255; in 1872-3, 31,282; in 1873-4, 20,044; in 1874-5, 32,037; in 1875-6, 15,096.
Messrs. Murphy & Co., composed of M. M. Murphy, T. E. Johnson, and Joseph Shissler, established a packing house in 1869. In 1872, Mr. Shissler purchased the interest of the other members of the firm, and has since been the sole proprietor. In the Spring of the same year, an addition was made to the house, giving it a capacity of six hundred head per day. This house is also supplied with all the modern improvements pertaining to the business. The books show that in the Winter of 1869-70, 1,600 hogs were packed; in 1870-71, 3,600; in 1871-2, 10,526; in 1872-3, 7,686; in 1873-4, 2,000; in 1874-5, 12,703. The lowest price paid for hogs by this house was $2.50 per hundred in 1871, and highest was $9.50 in 1869.
This establishment did all the cooking for the great soldiers reunion at Des Moines in 1870, as mentioned else- where.
The packing house now owned by J. H. Windsor & Co., East of the Des Moines river, was built by Stower's Pork Packing and Provision Company, of Scranton, Pa., March 29th, 1871. During the two seasons of 1871-2 and 1872-3, in which it was operated by this Company, no report has reached us of the business done. It was bought by J. H. Windsor & Co., in the Fall of 1873; and it is still owned by them.
During the season of 1873-4, this house packed 23,600 hogs. In the season of 1874-5, 22,500 were packed. In the Fall of 1875, large additions were made to the estab- lishment, giving it a Summer Packing House, at a cost of
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$25,000. The Winter capacity of the house is 1,200 hogs per day, and the Summer capacity, 600. In the Winter of 1875-6, 28,000 hogs were killed; and in the Summer of 1876, 24,000 were killed.
The Summer meats are cut for foreign markets, and are shipped direct across the water. The house is now putting up a large box factory, to save bringing boxes from abroad, for the English market. The ice-house, for the storage of ice for Summer use, has a capacity of 12,000 tons.
James W. Davis, in 1861, packed 200 sugar-cured hams for the city retail trade. In 1863, Davis & Dennis took the business, which increased from 1,000 to 2,000 annually, until 1868. In 1869, Dennis & Keyes bought out Davis & Dennis, and until 1874, packed annually an average of 8,000 hams, 2,000 sugar-cured shoulders, and 100,000 pounds of clear sides, mostly for this market.
In 1874, Dennis & Keyes sold out to Keyes, Thompson & Reeves. The latter firm have put up 25,000 sugar cured hams, 10,000 sugar-cured shoulders, 300,000 pounds of clear sides, and 300 barrels and tierces of lard and pickled pork. Half of these products were sold in Central Iowa, and the other half in Boston, New York, Baltimore, and San Fran- cisco.
We had hoped to obtain statistics on this subject from the old house of Murphy & Co .; but this hope has not been realized. It is well known, however, that an immense bu- siness was done by this house. B. F. Allen was connected with it; and his abundant means gave to it a great degree of efficiency and prosperity.
RAILROADS.
An election was held at Fort Des Moines, September 19, 1853, on the proposition of issuing the bonds of the county, to the amount of $150,000, to aid in the construction of the second section of the Lyons & Iowa Central Railroad. The
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vote stood 366 for the proposition, and 162 against. The adoption of the proposition was ordered by Judge Rice to be published in the Iowa Star.
On the 20th day of September, 1856, a proposition to issue bonds to the amount of $300,000, to aid in the con- struction of the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad from Iowa City to Fort Des Moines, was adopted by a majority of 229 votes. Both of the above propositions resulted in disap- pointment.
It will be seen, therefore, that more than twenty years ago our citizens began to anticipate the near coming of the Iron Horse; but we regret to say that their anticipations were for a long time illusory and vain. As time pro- gressed, one hope after another was crushed out by the mer- ciless heel of disappointment, until public confidence in this class of enterprise, gave place to distrust and discour- agement. At last, the Des Moines Valley Company, anima- ted by local subsidies and a magnificent land grant, and controlling in a great measure the franchises of the old Des Moines Navigation and Railroad Company, began to push its line northward and westward up the valley. Reaching Eddyville in 1861, it remained there several years, com- pelling our people to travel in coaches nearly a hundred miles; and after an exasperating delay, which would have tried the patience of the old martyrs, the cars on this road reached the Capital on the 29th day of August, 1866, a day memorable in our history. Not long after, this line was completed to Ft. Dodge.
In 1859, the M. & M. Railroad Company, a feeble corpo- ration from the start, but from which important results were expected, ran its engines into Iowa City, where it tarried for time to take breath; after which it proceeded leisurely to Marengo. The Company at length became hopelessly bank- rupt, and by a specific negotiation, its franchises were trans- ferred bodily to the C., R. I. & P. Railroad Company, one
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of the most vigorous and reliable corporations in the coun- try. The cars on this road made their triumphant entry into Des Moines in September, 1867, pushing on westward to Council Bluffs not long afterward.
Four years since, the C., R. I. & P. Railroad Company opened up railroad communication with Indianola and Winterset, establishing lines from the Capital to these places.
NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD.
This road requires something more than the brief histor- ical notice which we have given it, in connection with the other railroads of Des Moines. It is specifically a Polk County enterprise, owing its existence, and its present pros- perous condition, to the intelligence and liberality of our citizens. Fred. M. Hubbell, Esq., of this city, has furnished us a concise, well written, and very interesting history of this road, which we take pleasure in transferring, without alteration, to this place, as follows:
Thursday evening, February 8, 1866, there assembled at the Court House, in Des Moines, a number of its citizens to attend a railroad meeting. Hon. George G. Wright was called to the Chair, and George C. Tichenor was elected Secretary.
At this meeting the Iowa & Minnesota Railway Company was organized. Articles of incorporation were adopted, and seventeen gentlemen were selected as Directors for the ensuing year, to-wit: B. F. Allen, P. M. Casady, J. M. Tuttle, Hoyt Sherman, T. K. Brooks, J. B. Stewart, Wesley Redhead, George G. Wright, B. F. Roberts, S. F. Spofford, C. G. Bridges, John Scott, L. Q. Hoggatt, John Porter, John Cheshire, T. B. Knapp, and M. D. McHenry.
The Board of Directors immediately organized by elect- ing the following officers:
President-P. M. Casady.
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Vice President-B. F. Roberts.
Treasurer-B. F. Allen.
Secretary-Hoyt Sherman.
The object of this Company, as stated in its Articles of Incorporation, was to construct a railroad to the North and South lines of the State of Iowa. On the 18th of July, of that year, the road was located from Des Moines North to Ames, and South to Indianola; and ten days later, the con- tract for grading and bridging the road was awarded to S. W. Collins and B. F. Roberts, Contractors.
These gentlemen graded a part of the Road North of Polk City, and a portion in Warren county; but owing to some financial troubles, they did not complete their work. The Company struggled along, frequently changing officers, until November 20th, 1868, when work was stopped, and the enterprise seemed a failure. About this time, the cred- itors began to sue and obtain judgments against the Com- pany in such large amounts, that it was found impossible to go on under the old organization; so on the 30th day of April, 1869, the Road was divided, and that portion South of the track of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway, was transferred to the Des Moines, Indianola & Missouri Railroad Company; and a few months later that portion of the road between Des Moines and Ames, passed into the hands of Polk & Hubbell, by purchase at Sheriff's sale.
DES MOINES AND MINNESOTA RAILROAD COMPANY.
This Company was organized on the 1st day of August 1870, by the following gentlemen who signed the Articles of Incorporation, viz: J. S. Polk, F. M. Hubbell, J. B. Stewart, R. L. Tidrick, J. M. Walker, A. S. Welch, L. Q. Hoggatt, B. F. Allen, C. J. Clark, N. R. Kuntz. The Direc- tors selected to serve for the first year, were B. F. Allen, J. S. Polk, J. B. Stewart, J. M. Walker, A. S. Welch.
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At a meeting of the Directors held the same day, the following officers were elected:
President-B. F. Allen.
Vice-President-J. M. Walker.
Secretary-J. S. Polk.
On the 2d day of September, 1870, Washington township, Story county, voted a tax of 5 per cent to this Company.
On the 5th of October, of the same year, Madison town- ship, Polk county, voted a three per cent. tax; and on the 11th of the same month, Polk county voted to donate its swamp lands to this company.
On the 24th of August, 1871, Des Moines township voted a one per cent. tax, and Lee township, on the 23d of Sep- tember following, voted a fifteen mill tax.
The subsidies now voted were as follows:
Washington township tax . $ 12,000
Madison township tax. 16,000
Des Moines township tax 34,000
Lee township tax . 16,000
Polk county swamp lands, 8,300 acres, es- timated at. 40,000
Total subsidies. . $118,000
It was believed that this amount if offered to the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Co., would be sufficient to induce it to construct its road from Ames to Des Moines. This offer was accordingly made by letter and in person, through F. M. Hubbell, Secretary, at different times during the years 1871 and 1872, but was as often declined; so, early in 1873, the company determined to wait no longer for outside help, but to solicit subscriptions to its stock, and when enough had been pledged, to commence the construction.
The citizens of Ames subscribed to the stock .. $10,000 Citizens of Madison township. 5,000 Citizens of Des Moines . 22,000
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The largest subscription was by Capt. F. R. West, who gave $1,000.
The Directors had a meeting on the 6th day of September 1873, and amended the Articles of Incorporation, increasing the capital stock to $300,000; and on the 9th of the same month, Polk & Hubbell conveyed to the company so much of the right-of-way and road bed of the old Iowa & Minne- sota Railway as was situated in Polk and Story counties. The Directors then elected the following officers under whose management the road was constructed:
Samuel Merrill, President.
J. B. Stewart, Vice-President.
F. M. Hubbell, Secretary.
James Callanan, Treasurer.
Frank Pelton, Chief Engineer.
The laying of track began on the 12th day of January, 1874, Gov. C. C. Carpenter driving the first spike. The first locomotive, "The Granger," was purchased March 5, 1874, at a cost of $7,500.00. But little track was laid until the month of May; and about the first of August, 1874, the road was completed to Ames, a distance of thirty-seven miles. There have been expended in building and equipping this road, $300,000.00. It owns 4 locomotives, 3 passenger cars, 1 combined passenger and baggage, 3 baggage cars, 23 box cars, 18 flat cars, and 10 stock cars.
Its officers at present are: James Callanan, President.
J. J. Smart, Vice-President and Superintendent.
J. B. Stewart, Secretary.
C. H. Getchell, Treasurer.
This road, during the time of its construction, was greatly harassed by litigation. Not less than two hundred citizens of Des Moines, Lee and Madison townships, instituted chan- cery suits against it, to enjoin the collection of taxes voted. By reason of these suits, the subsidy which otherwise would
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be considered liberal, was largely reduced, and great ex- pense incurred by the company to defend suits, at a time when all its funds were needed for construction.
The company has always enjoyed the best of credit, and is prosperous financially.
OUR PRESENT RAILROADS.
Polk County has at this time the benefit of six railroads, all of which communicate with Des Moines. They are named as follows: Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific; Indi- anola & Missouri; Winterset & Southwestern; Des Moines & Fort Dodge; Keokuk & Des Moines; and Des Moines & Minnesota (Narrow Gauge.) Two other roads are in pro- gress, one connecting us with Oskaloosa via Indianola R. R., and the other with Albia via Knoxville, both roads leading into Des Moines.
The Des Moines & Fort Dodge; Des Moines & Minne- sota; and one or two other Des Moines roads, propose a speedy extension of their lines.
In the summer of 1875, the Rock Island Company erected a fine depot building in Des Moines, in place of the rather shabby structure which had previously been used for depot purposes.
Several other lines of railway, communicating with the Capital, have been projected, some of which are in process of completion. We have not space to speak of these roads in detail; but enough has been said on this point, to indi- cate the significant fact, that Des Moines is destined in time to become a great railroad center, with its lines of commu- nication reaching out ambitiously toward all points of the compass, and bringing back to us the tribute which the world owes to a city under the guardianship of manifest destiny.
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COUNTY RAILROAD STATIONS.
On the line of the Rock Island Railroad, west of Des Moines, are Valley Junction, and Commerce. On this road, east of the City, are Altoona and Mitchellville. On the Narrow Gauge Railroad, are Saylor Station, Ankeny, Pel- ton, Polk City, Ulm, and Sheldahl. On the line of the Des Moines & Fort Dodge Railroad, west of the City, are Val- ley Junction and Ashewa. On this road, east of Des Moines, are Oakwood Station, Altoona, and Mitchellville Station. On the Indianola & Winterset Railroad, is Avon Station.
Of all these stations, Mitchellville, Polk City, and Al- toona are the largest. The stations on the Narrow Gauge Railroad have all, with the exception of Polk City, grown up since the completion of that road to Ames.
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AGRICULTURE.
FARMING STATISTICS, ETC.
From the last Census Report, we learn that by far the greater part of the lands of the County are under improve- ment; many thousand acres displaying the highest condi- tion of cultivation. Of Spring wheat, in 1875, 37,686 acres were sown, and 563,389 bushels were harvested. Of corn, 77,497 acres were planted, and 3,272,040 bushels were har- vested. Of oats, 12,188 acres were sown, and 431,841 bush- els were harvested. Of horses, there were 10,927; of cat- tle, 22,240; of hogs, 62,318; of sheep, 8,830; of butter, 606,965 pounds. The value of farm products was $2,140,023; of garden products, $22,887; of orchard products, $18,926; of small fruits, $17,081; of herd products, $674,011; of the dairy, $109,603; of forest products, $51,134. The number of bearing apple trees in the County, in 1874, was 51,182; of cherry trees, 7,077. The equalized valuation of the lands is $15 per acre, the aggregate value of which, as per as- sessment, is $5,000,000. In every rural township, there are farms which will not suffer by comparison with the most flourishing sections of the country. The lands are proverb- ially rich, composed of black alluvion, expressly adapted to the production of corn, wheat, and other great staples, which constitute the real sustenance of the world. As a farming region, Polk County is not surpassed; and, indeed, it has but few peers, or rivals, in the great Northwest.
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CENTRAL IOWA DISTRICT ASSOCIATION.
This organization came into being in 1860, and was com- posed of the following counties: Polk, Boone, Dallas, Hamilton, Hardin, Jasper, Marion, Madison, Marshall, Story, Warren, and Webster. Besides the ordinary officers chosen for such a body, there was a Board of Directors, composed of two from each county.
The specific object was to build up Agricultural Fairs, or Exhibitions, in Central Iowa; and this was to be accom- plished by judiciously changing the places for holding such Fairs, from one county to another, stimulating, in this way, a general interest among the people, and leading, as a re- sult, to the establishment of a Society in each one of the counties. The principal place for the transaction of busi- ness, was Des Moines. There were fifteen exhibitions in all; and in 1874, after having fully accomplished its mis- sion, the Association was discontinued. During its exist- ence, it was instrumental in doing much good, especially in our own County, in which a large majority of the Fairs were held, and in which, too, it received very liberal sup- port and encouragement.
Its Fairs were held as follows: In 1861, at Newton; in 1862-3, at Des Moines; 1864-5, at Knoxville; from 1866 to 1871, at Des Moines; 1872, Council Bluffs; 1873-4, at Des Moines.
From time to time, after the original organization, the following counties were annexed: Adair, Audubon, Cass, Greene, Guthrie, Lucas, Mahaska, Poweshiek, and Potta- wattamie.
In 1863, P. F. Bartle, of this city, was elected Secretary, and he retained this position by successive elections, until 1873. S. F. Spofford was, from first to last, an efficient friend and officer of the Association. In 1871, Horace Greeley, through the agency of Mr. Bartle, delivered an
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Agricultural Address before the Association, on the Driving Park grounds. Under the same auspices, the famous pe- destrian, Edward Payson Weston, achieved one of his great walking exploits on the Fair Grounds, in September, 1871.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.
The first Fair, or Agricultural Exhibition in the county, was held in October, 1852, in the old court house yard. It is recorded of this fair, that the attendance was small, and the exhibitions meagre. In September, 1853, another Fair was held on the grounds afterwards occupied by the Dis- trict Association, in the valley of the Raccoon River, near Horse Shoe Lake, and within a short distance of the town. A large rail pen was constructed on the grounds by John D. McGlaughlin and Thomas Mitchell, which was employed in exhibiting a number of animals of blooded stock, owned by Dr. J. C. Bennett of Polk City.
Mr. Mitchell showed a fine Durham Bull; and Jacob Fredrick and Son exhibited fine wooled sheep. Dr. Brooks, the President of the Society, showed good horses. Good specimens of wheat and corn, as well as potatoes and im- mense squashes, were on exhibition. The Directors were: Thomas Mitchell, B. F. Allen and F. R. West.
There were no specimens of fancy work, and no female equestrianism on the grounds. These were reserved for fairs of a later date.
After this period, exhibitions were kept up at the same place with much regularity, and frequently with great suc- cess. It is well remembered, that the fair held in the Au- tumn of 1857, was very largely attended, reflecting much credit on the managers, and on our citizens generally. For a new country, it was one of the most successful on record. Fine specimens of fancy work were introduced; and the splendid equestrianism of Mrs. Hanley, Mrs. J. C. Savery, and other ladies, excited general admiration. The Fine
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Art Hall was a circular tent, in which, among other things, were some excellent photographic views by J. P. Sharman of this city. A singular feature was the introduction of a team of forty-two yoke of oxen. Several Californians made sport for the multitude, by imitating the exploit of lassoing wild horses in Spanish style.
The Polk County Agricultural and Industrial Association was organized May 14th, 1870. The Central Iowa District Association, of which we have written in preceding para- graphs, had conducted most of the Fairs previous to 1870. Many of our agricultural citizens came to the conclusion at this time, that Polk County alone, without any extraneous assistance, was able now to run its own Fairs successfully. This Association was incorporated under the laws of the State, with a franchise which extended from May 14th, 1870, to May 14th, 1890, a period of twenty years. The capital stock was $50,000. The private property of members was not held liable for the debts of the corporation. The object of the organization was to promote the farming, and other industrial interests, of the county. The payment of $100 gave to the member all the privileges of the Society.
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