USA > Iowa > Polk County > Des Moines > Des Moines and Polk County, Iowa, City Directory 1881 > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
NEWSPAPERS,
The press is a potent agency in Iowa, an outgrowth of the enterprise of the citizens/ In the number and character of the daily and weekly secular papers issued, this young State is rushing rapidly to the front. The press everywhere is intelligently and earnestly at work, always endeavoring to promote the interests of Iowa, and to aid in the develop- ment of her resources.
1
STATE INSTITUTIONS:
1
Towa is well supplied with, educational, charitable and reformatory institutions; liberally endowed by the State. In most cases expensive and appropriate buildings have been supplied, and the aggregate invest- ment in public institutions reaches into the millions. The following is a list of the several institutions and their locations: State University, Iowa City; State Agricultural College and Model Farm, Ames; Training School for Teachers, Cedar Falls; Institution for Support and Education of Deaf and Dumb! Council Bluffs; College for the Blind, Vinton; Soldiers' ¡Orphans' Home and Home for Indigent |Children, Davenport; . Asylum for Feeble-Minded. Childred]: Glenwood State Reform School, boys girls' department, Mitchellville; department, Eldora; State Reform School,
60
BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY.
Hospital for the Insane, Mt. Pleasant; Hospital for the Insane, Independ. ence; Penitentiary of the State, Ft. Madison; Additional Penitentiary, Anamosa.
EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES.
" Towa in her educational system ranks as one of the best in the Union. She has a permanent school fund, yielding an annual income of eight per cent, which is applied to the education of her youth. In addition, dis- trict and county school taxes are levied. The public schools are open and free to all between the ages of five and twenty-one years, for at least six months in the year. We have a State University, with an endowment by the State, and an Agricultural College, with an income derived from the sale of lands granted by the general government and appropriations by our State Legislature. The United States official statistics shows less percentage of individuals who cannot read or write in Iowa than in any other State in the Union. The annual expenditures for public school purposes is upward of $5,000,000. The number of teacher employed in 1$80 was 21,548; school children, 586,556. There are @1,037 school houses, valued at $6,227,943. The various religious denomina, tions have also established colleges and schools of the higher grades.
POPULATION AND GROWTH.
In December, 1846. lowa was admitted into the Union as a State, hav. ing a population then of but little over 100,000. The capital in 1857 was removed to Des Moines. The United States census of 1850 gave lowa a population of 192,214; 1860. 674.913; 1870, 1,194,020, and in 1880, 1.621.463. Des Moines is how the metropolis as well as the capital. Since 1800 the percentage of increase has been four times that of the United States at large. Mine States which, in 1870, stood above " Iowa in population now rank below Her. When we call to mind the fact that the present greatness of lowa is all the growth of less than forty years, we may well anticipate the grandeur that awaits her in the ! near future-that she is provided with all the means necessary for the more rapid development of her inexhaustible resources. In her health- ful climate. productive soil, railroad and water transportation facilities, and her intelligent, enterprising people, we have the best guaranty that- her future progress will be unprecedented.
-
-
--
DES MOINES.
-
LOCATION. 1
The founders of Des Moines, when they fixed upon the location, de- ligned by nature for the site of a great city, must have looked into the future and caught a glimpse of the coming greatness of the country, Awhile they recognized the importance of a location commanding the highways of the continent. 1
Des Moines is situated' nearly in the center of the State, in longitude 1B degrees 43 minutes 5 seconds; latitude #1 degrees 35 seconds; and has been fitly chosen as the capital of our great and growing common- wealth. Two large rivers, six hundred feet wide, spanned by nine handsome, substantial bridges, unite within the corporate limits of the city, and from the confluence of these rivers, on either side, stretches a beautiful plateau, skirted by bluffs, rising by gentle activities on all sides, affording fine residence sites, while the level portion is extensive enough to accommodate the business of a large city. Never had a city fairer location or fiper promise. No other city in the world has about it two hundred miles of as deep, rich land as Des Moines. Taking its locar tion in such a field lits distance from any overshadowing ling to these considerations the great natural advantages
bity, and add- it has, in the inexhaustible supplies of coal for chean motive power, and also lits two rivers with the milling power to turn thousands of wheels, it is plain that it.is marked by destiny as a future city of imperial power and rank. There is something about the location of our city, and best of all there is a spirit of enterprise with the business men, that makes one be- lieve that much remains to be told of the future of Des Moines. There is not a city in the United States that stands on a better basis or has a better country to support it. It is already the metropolis of Iowa -the Eden of American agriculture. God seems to have lavished upon Iowa the best gifts of production, and Des Moines is destined to become just such a city as Towa should have for het capital.
It is situated in the center of a marvelously productive State, in the richest agricultural region of the world, and this farming land, which is the foundation of wealth, can never be removed. These advantages are, therefore, permanent.
The surrounding country is abundantly supplied with streams of the purest water, upon of valuable timber. the banks of which are found numerous, varieties Underlying the whole city and surrounding country. are inexhaustible Heds of coal. The Des Moines and Raccoon rivers i furnish a never-failing water power, and clays and sands found in this vicinity are of superior quality for the manufacture of all articles from hrenaceous and argillaceous compounds .
62
BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY, DIRECTORY.
EARLY HISTORY. --
In early times those who settled here had in some way or other pro phetic assurance that their little beginning would some day attain great things, and they were always ready to work Hard and earnestly to see these hopes realized. In area Des Moines includes twelve square miles, which was originally part of the Sac and Fox | Indian Reservation. In 3841-42 the westward march of civilization alarmed the Indians, a encroachments were made by white men upon the territory so highly prized by these tribe :.
The goverubient, seeing the demand for it, purchased the reservation from the Indians, October 11. 1842. To protect the settlers from the depredations of the Pottawattamie and Sioux Indians. a detachment of troops was sent by the government, arriving May 9, 1843, by the steamer lone, landing where Court avenue bridge now stands. They immediately proceeded to erect barracks, and the post was named from the river-Fort Des Moines.
The county of Volk was organized by the Legislature in 1846, and a board of commissioners appointed to locate the county seat, which was fixed at Des Moines. The first survey of the town was made July 8, 1846 On the 221 day of September, 1851, the citizens voted to have it incor- porated as a town, and articles of incorporation were adopted by the people on the 8th of October, 1851. The first election occurred Octo- ber 20 of the same year. This was ratified by the Legislature in 1853, and in 1854 an act was passed by which Fort Des Moines became the capital of the State. In 1857 the archives of the State were removed here from Iowa City and deposited in the new State House. During the same year, also, the city of Des Moines was incorporated (without the prefix of " Fort").
POPULATION AND GROWTH.
In 1846 the town contained one hundred and twenty-seven inhabi- tants; in 1850, five hundred and two; in 1860, 3,965; in 1865, 5,650; in 1870, 12,033: in 1875, 15,782; in June, 1880, 22,696, as given by the United States census, and we can safely claim to-day, from a caro- ful causass just made. in preparing the city directory for 1881, & population of 25.397. Des Moines is the largest city in Iowa, and we doubt not the next United States census will show her population to be 75,000. The progress made during the past year has been very grati; fying. The improvements which have been made are great in many respects, and the business transactions very large. The records of the year 1880 show an era of unprecedented prosperity. It is an indis putable fact that, in all departments of business, there has been a steadily increasing development. It is due to an increase of facilities that many of the impediments have been resisted and overcome. ; Al- most daily, new and improved forms of procedure are being introduced to the convenience and assistance of mercantile operations. The won- derful advances which have been so characteristic of our city are at- tributable to the indomitable energy and enterprise of the people. In 1 "no section is there a greater element of industry than here manifested.
1 ,
DESMOINES BIFORT DODGE.
D. M.& N. WESTERN.
DES MOINES & KEOKUK.
PACIFIC.
C.R. L. &
C. B.
Rivera
DES MOINES
----. MOINES & KAN, CITY DESMOINES D.M
Des Moines Hiver
WABASH ST LOUIS & PACIFIC.
Raccoon
THE RAILROAD CENTRE OF
-
--
--
*
Q
ERSET.
OWA.
*- Cool shafts in operation
DesMoines River
MINNEAPOLIS & ST. LOUIS
-
CHICAGO & N. WESTERN.
CHICAGO MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL
CHICAGO ROCK ISLAND & PACIFIC.
DESMOINES & INDIANOLA
1
-
64
BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY.
Des Moines has no rivals in Iowa in location and natural advantages. But Nature, lavishly as she may endow allocation for a city, cannot make a city. It takes men of energy and enterprise, which Des Moines his to do that.
PRESENT OUTLOOK.
Des Moines is growing in wealth and importance-society improving schools enlarging, and many strangers coming within her borders daily. The business portion is rapidly solidifying-much more rapidly thu our busiest citizens take note of, and on every side il heard the constant(music of the hammer and the trowel, and rumors of numerous astonishing enterprises in the way of public buildings and factories are current in business circles. Everywhere trade is active and pushing. The streets are crowded with the products of commerce and of our prairies. The footways are overflowing with energetic, pushing people, who everywhere seem fall of life and stir. Everything is here, or ad- vertised as on the way; and, situated on the great lines of railway span- ning the continent, one feels allied to the ardor Und enthusiasm which fow along these great arteries of commerce.
-
RAILROADS.
Few cities are more favorably situated than Des Moines, so far as railroads are concerned. The growth of the city has been rapid since the advent and opening of railroads, which couverge here from every part of the State (freighted with the various products of the richest agricultural region of the world), making this city the convenient market for a territory hundreds of miles in extent. It is blain to be seen that our railroads sustain a very important relation in an industrial way to the people of Iowa, and contribute largely to thy general. prosperity. Situated in the valley of the Des Moines river, which abound( in timber and coal, it should and will be, if her business men have the sagacity to utilize the resources which Nature has placed in their hands, a great man; ufacturing city, and with a system of railroads leading out in all direct tions, it is already one of the best distributing points of the Northwest (and all' portions of the country are looking to Des Moines aa the metropo- lis of Iowa). The first railroad train entered the city Angust 29, 1866, on the Des Moines Valley Railroad (now the Keokuk & Des Moines).
The roads now centering here are the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Chicago & Northwestern, Keokuk & Des Moines, Des Moines & Ft. Dodge, Des Moines, Winterset & South -! western, Des Moines, Indianola & Missouri, and the Des Moines & Northwestern. Other companies which contemplate the construction of their roads to Des Moines are the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, the Wabash, now under contract, the Minneapolis & St. Louis, the; Mil. waukee, Marion, Marshalltown & Des Moines, the Des Moines & Kansas City, and the Des Moines & St. Louis. The Des Moines & Northwestern Company will add to their road this year thirty miles of track into one of the richest portions of Iowa, and this country will thus be rendered trib. utary to Des Moines,
-
:
BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY.
65
The Chicago & Northwestern propose to build during the present year two hundred and fifty hules of road, widening the narrow gauge north of Ames, extending it by way of Webster City and Algone to. Blue Earth, here connection will be made with the St. P., M. & O. R.R., and over this line trains can be run directly from Des Moines to St. Paul. It is migo the intention of this company to extend the line from Callanan to Like City. The Chicago, Burlington &| Quincy, and the Chicago, Rock Land & Pacific also contemplate the construction of various Branches: 14 feeders to their main lines into Des Moines. In fact, all portions of the State are asking for railroad connection with the metropolis of Iowa. Des Moines has developed more real energy and enterprise in the action of the business men than any other city in the West.
in The desirability| f securing the Wabash road in Central Towa, with its bew water route : barge system to the sea, and with its line to the East, Independent ul Chichigo, is apparent to all. There never was a project presented to our people which met with so immediate a responsel from all concerned! | The desire of the people of Iowa now is to get an- lother direct connection with the East; also with St. Louis and the barge Jaystem down the Mississippi river. The prospect of getting this great rond into central Towa arouses this whole portion of the State. Des Moines began the movement last year, in securing for herself a direct line to St. Louis! to be operated as, a part of the great system
. . known as the Wabash road. All the preliminary work is well advanced and the project is fairly and firmly established, so that we may consider the Wabash as a certainty for Des Moines within the present year ..
That the Milwaukee road will be built this year is stated upon the authority of Mr. Mitchell, President of this road, as an established fact, They will take the Marshalltown and Des Moines route, and run to a point below Des Moines for both their Council Bluffs and ' Kansas City lines, or the Council Bluffs line will run north of Des Moines. be- tween the Northwestern and Chicago & Rock Island roads, and the Kan- Bas City line will go through Des Moines; so this city is reasonably sure of having this road this year:
The Des Moines and Kansas City road is one of the most important of Des Moines' railroads! | This road will be entirely independent of all other lines now centering in our city. The work will be commenced as early in the spring as the weather will permit, and rapidly pushed to completion: For several months engineers have been at, work locating the line, which will leave Des Moines, running southwest, and crossing the C. B. & Q. at Osceola, Murray or Afton, thence to Kansas City, mak- ing the route about one hundred and ninety miles in length. | This will give Des Moines connection with Kansas, southern Colorado, northern and western New Mexico, southern Arizona, northern Mexico, southern California and San Francisco, yia the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe with the Southern Pacific .:
With this extensive network of railroads centering in our city, together with our many natural resources, the advantages for the growth and prosperity of Des Moines are almost unlimited, | The year 1881 prom- ises to be unprecedented in railroad building for Iowa. The main lines of rond in our State, nearly all of which touch Des Moines, are among s the best equipped, having' the most secure road-beds and the finest .
. .
66
BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY.
rolling stock in the United States, and the management rests with gentlemen of honor and experience in their business. | The railroads of Des Moines extend in almost every direction, so that we can leave our city for Chicago, by any one of three trunk lines, arriving there about the same time and without change of cars. | We can go to St. Louis by two different roads. and to St. Paul, Minneapolis or Milwaukee byleither of two almost direct lines; to Kansas City, Leavenworth and the South- west; and we can take any one of three principal roads for Council Bluf, Denver and the Pacific Coast. The many roads centering bere will ere long unite in the building of a union depot. Efforts are nof being made to accomplish this object, which has become an imperative necessity.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER ROUTE.
The proposed Mississippi river route to the principal European mar- kets is jone of general interest and :of great advantage to Iowa, and especially jto Des Moines shippers. . It is apparent that this route to Eu- rope is growing steadily in business and in favor with the people. The fact that St. Louis is now contracting to send grain to Liverpool by New Orleans, via the barge lines downsthe river, for . ten cents less than it can be sent to Liverpool by New York, demonstrates the capacity of that city to be the highest paying market for Western grain.| This is an important item for our Des Moines shippers. If corn had the access to St. Louis which it should have, millions of dollars would be gained on this crop alone. In like manner, wheat and cats would largely decrease in rates to European markets. Competent judges, who have made the grain business a study and who have specially examined into this matter, estimate that. with this new route fully opened, the grain crops of Iowa will sell for from ten to twelve millions of dollars more antifally at St. Louis than at Chicago; and this is too vast a sum to be allowed to be taken from our purse unregarded. The importance of this movement as regards its effect upon lowa products can hardly be over-estimated, and it is now attracting general attention all over the West and Northwest. The Des Moines Board of Trade has adopted and forwarded resolutions memorializing Congress in regard to the improvement of the Mississippi river. as follows:
Whennas. The rapid and wonderful increase of the products peculiar to the Mississippi . Valley, and especially of the territory west of that river, together with the growing demand therefor in the markets of the Old World, has created a necessity for additionalfand cheaper methods of transportation which is constantly becoming thore urgent, and bide fair to con- tinue with ever increasing forer: and
WHEREAS, We believe that by such an improvement of the channels of the Mississippi river. as will permit safely the transportation of products to foreign marts, an invaluable ald will be recured, and many obstacles which now impede progress in the transportation of products can bejovercome ; and
WHEREAS. We believe that the great channel of the Mississippi river does now afford one of the means for meeting this demand, and that a wise and prudent. development and ins provement of its capacity and capabilities would materially enlarge the advantages of that great channel of commerce as a gateway to the sea; and
WHEREAS, We believe that it is the duty of the Government, and the part of wise states- manship, toaid in all plans to increase the facilities for moving and handling the products of the country ; and :
BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY| DIRECTORY
-
67
WHEREAS, Situated as we are in the great producing region, which is really being more felly developed by an Increase of acreage, and the constant demand for our products in the countries of the Old World, we in common with the entire country are interested deeply th All that tends to foster, aid and encourage the producer. Now, therefore,
Resolved, That we, the Board of Trade of the City of Des Moines, State of Iowa hereby re- quest the Representatives and Senators from Idwa In Congress assembled to use all proper ind legitimate means upon a scale so broad and Liberal as will tend to secure such legislation for the speedy improvement of the channels of the Mississippi river, thereby enlarging its capacity as a commercial highway, affording cheaper and boundless facilities for transporta- Mon, creating a moro healthy condition in the way of competition, and. landing together in bands of mutual interest the sections of the North and South by this line of inter-communi. Cation now widely pnd unnaturally separated in their' mutual Interest's.
Resolved, That our President and Secretary be instructed to forward this preamble and fesolutions to our Senators and members in Congress, accompanied by a petition that it be . presented to the respective houses of Congress, and referred to the proper committees for their earnest consideration .;
DES MOINES, January 5. 1881. By Des Moines Board of Trade! J. P. BUSHNELL, Secretary.
P. S. WRIGHT; Committee. M. C. COLVERI'S
J. In WINDSOR, Presu
TELEGRAPH LINES,
Both the Western Union and the American Union Telegraph Com- panics have offices in Des Moines, and these lines give us direct commu -. nication with the oceanic cables, and all the useful lines of importance to the mercantile world.
TELEPHONE LINES.
Few persons have any idea of the magnitude of the business trans- acted ih Des Moines by telephone. i The average of daily connections made is about fifteen hundred. Superintendent Beech, of: Chicago, will Ispon visit our city, and expects to give us a telephone service equal to that of Chicago of New York. The improvements proposed will proba- bly include the new automatic service Hoard recently tested in Boston .;
EXPRESS COMPANIES.
Both the United States and the American Express Companies have offices in this city, with connection in all directions.
NEWSPAPERS.
In all these marvelous advances, nothing impresses the mind more than the wonderful progress in journalism, and the eminence attained : by the newspapers of Des Moines, and the power which they have exerted in the growth of our city. No other city in Iowa has as many newspa- pers and publications as Des Moines ;! and certainly in proportion and extent of circulation, no other city of the same population in the country can make a better exhibit. Our papers are always alive to the inter- ests of Des Moines. The whole editorial staff are a wide awake and en- terprising fraternity, and we predict for them a most prosperous career,
i.
68
BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY.
The following are the principal papers: The Iowa State Register, daily and weekly; Iowa State, Leader, daily and' weekly; Iowa State Journal, weekly; Des Moines News, weekly; Plain Talk, weekly; Lowa Home stead and Western Farm Journal, weekly; Iowa Staats Anzeiger (Ger- man and English), weekly; State Independent, weekly; Iowa State Tri- bune, weekly: The Saturday Evening Mail Car, weekly; The State Pro- hibitionist, weekly. The Western Jurist, monthly; The Western News paper I'nion, auxiliary publishers of Towa and Nebraska weekly papers The press is a potent agency in Des Moines, and is earnestly and intel- ligently at work to promote the best interests of the city.
DES MOINES POST-OFFICE .;
States Post-office and Court house was created a few
war- at an expense of' about $200.000. It is a five three-story stone building with basement. and is finished and furnished in elegant style. The record of business transacted at the Des Moines office for the year Jesu is one in which our citizens take just pride, and is shown by the following statistics: General account, receipts amounted to $50,- 3 5.78. the expenses being 89.604.19, leaving a net income of $10,491.54. In the manes poder department there was freedived 894,808.80, and dis- bursed $99212.39. In the mailing departuient, the number of letters, postal cards, newspapers, transient printed and merchandise packages dispatched amounted to 5,135,532. In the registered letter department; there were received 16.290, and sent out 17,825 letters and packages .! Nine carriers were employed, who delivered 2.102,277 letters, postal cards and newspapers in the city. No city in the West, having the salve population as Des Moines, can show a post-office business of greater. magnitude for the year 1880.
HANKS.
j
The city of Des Moines has a solid financial status, and comparative statements rank us far in advance of any city in the west of the same pop- ulation, in number and amount of surplus deposits. . A commercial city is always in a great degree dependent upon its banking facilities The exhibits of the Des Moines banks have proved this to beya greater financial center than many suppose. The banks of Des Moines draw from the principal mercantile and corporate institutions throughout. western and northern Iowa, and furnish a safe deposit for the banks. . and merchants in the counties of central Iowa. Eastern exchange sold by Des Moines banks amounts to millions annually. Our city has six good banks; two are National banks, the others private; all reliable and. sound, holding about one million dollars of deposits, and doing alsafe business. Money was abundant throughout the past year, and could be obtained, with reliable securities, at a reasonable rate of interest. There have been no changes made in our banking institutions for several years, and their prosperity has kept pace with our city's growth. Their stock- holders are among the most reliable business men of Des Moines, and : their affairs are managed with prudence and ability.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.