Des Moines and Polk County, Iowa, City Directory 1891, Part 4

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Publication date: 1891
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SANDS.

An extensive deposit of silicious sand £ excellent quality exists near Des Moines, which has been proven, by actual test, capable of making glass of superior whiteness and brilliancy, equal to that from sand brought from other states. The fact that the quality is un- excelled and the quantity inexhaustible, should be sufficient inducement for the establishment of a large glass factory here in the near future. The sands lying in bars along our two rivers are, exten -! sively used in the manufacture of artifi. cial stone, and for building purposes.

POST OFFICE.

The United States Court House and .

33,000

66,900

: 5,000

DES MOINES DIRECTORY.

Post Office is a fine structure built of Joliet stone, three stories and basement and is occupied by the post office depart- ment and United States Courts, and all Government officials residing here. : The transactions of the - post office are a very fair intlex to the general business of a city, and the showing in the annual state- ment is certainly very gratifying.

The following report from Postmaster Brandt shows the business of the Des Moines post office for 1890. .

RECEIPTS.

Stamps; envelopes,

postage, jete., sold

$132,215.27

Box rent collected.

1,831.40

Domestic., money

order fees .. 1,033,82

Foreign money of-

der fees 120.96

Postal note fees 396.63

Total

$135,659.08

EXPENSES,

Clerk's pay roll . . . . $21,800.89 Letter carrier's pay roll !! 24,278.05

Special delivery !

Postals delivered by carriers .. 406,889 service 218.99

Postmaster's salary;

3,850.00

Miscellaneous ex-

penses, including

rent station A . .. .

1023.10

50.715.86

Net to Government. $84,943.32 Deposits received from sale

stampsi,etc., and from oth- er offices 39,470,82

Cash; and railway

postal

clerks

38,451.66

MONEY ORDER BUSINESS ISSUED.

Domestic orders, $106,346.09

Fees. 193.82

Foreign orders. 8,879.17 Fees. : 120.96,

Postal notes

23,994.38

Fees

396.63

Total

. $140,801.65-

MONEY ORDER BUSINESS. PAID;

Domestic orders.

$440,659.99

Foreign orders

3,698.72

Postal notes

69,108.23.

Total $510,866.94

Deposits from ' other money

offices

712,788.61

Excess sent to New York. ..

1. 382,571.33 /

REGISTERED LETTER DEPARTMENT.

Number pieces registered .

.1. . 28,349

Number pieces received in transit. . 30,747

Number pieces for city delivery41,872

Total. 93,968 MAHANG DEPARTMENT -- APPROXIM STED. Number letters dispatched . .. .18,767.304 Number postals dispatched. .. 1,380,784 Number 2d, 3d and 4th class dis- patched. 1,602,000

Total. 11,100,088. Number of pounds of newspa- pers from publishers. 967,878 FREE DELIVERY DEPARTMENT! Letters delivered by carriers .. 3,021,580

Second, third and fourth class matter delivered by carriers 1,528;844 Registered letters and packages delivered by carriers.

12.677 !

! Total .. 5,069,990 Letters collected by carriers .. Local letters collected by car- riers ..

1,355,386 :

-155,685 230,599 | 62,095

59,396

1, 868,161

2,006,770

...

Postals collected by carriers Local postals collected by car's Second, third and fourth class matter collected by carriers

Total

BOX DELIVERY. Letters and postal cards put in boxes ..

DES MOINES DIRECTORY. 1

Newspapers put in boxes.

667,586

12,775

Packages |put in boxes. : |

2,687,130

Total.

GENERAL, DELIVERY.

Letters and postal cards put in

116,435

boxes.

122,910

Newspapers

4,015

Packages.

Total.

243,360

STATION A.

Letters and postals put in boxes

47,770

Newspapers and packages put in bokds ..

88,060

Letters and postals put in gen-

21,900

Total.

184,785

COTTAGE GROVE STATION.

Letters and postals put in boxes

and general delivery ... :

· 24,220

Newspapers and packages put !

in boxes and general delivery,

83,585

Tota

107,805

STATION B.

Letters and postals put in boxes

and general delivery . ..

0,205

Newspapers and packages put

in boxes and general delivery.

1.095

Total.

7,300

Total number pieces mail re- ceived for, 1890 10,262,499

Total number pieces mail lis-

patched for 1890. 12,067,966

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

There is no more accurate criterion of. prosperity or the reverse iif any city than the degree of activity shown in the re- ` ports of the clearing house, so closely re- lated to its producing and distributing in- dustries are the banking facilities. Des Moines is coming to the front in its bank

clearance statements. The clearances have so far this year shown an actual lu- crease from week to week of from twen- ty-five to fifty per cent more. The in- crease represents an actual. increase in business:" For a long time Des Moines has been struggling upward toward the $1,000,000 per week figure and this has now been reached and passed.

Comparative : statements rank us far in advance of any city of the same popu- lation in the west in number and amount of surplus deposits.

BANKS --- The banks of Des Moines draw from the principal- mercantile and corporate institutions throughout western and northern Iowa. and furnish a safe de-

posite for the bankers and merchants in the counties of central Iowa. ' They are as follows; !

Citizens' National, Iowa National, Des. Moines National, Valley National, Capi- tal City,| Fairburn & Aitchison, and the Des Moines. . Polk County, American, State. Peoples, Marquardt, Home and Grand Avenue Swings Banks.

LOAN AND TRUFF COMPANIES. - There are. also a `number of strong and reliable loan and trust companies, all of whom are doing a large amount. of busi- ness. They are as follows: . Iowa Loan and Trust Comphry, Central Loan and Trust Company, New England Loan and Trust Company, Security Loan and Trust Company, Lewis Investment Company, Stott's Investment Company, Des Moines 1 Loan and Trust Company, Continental ' -Loan and Trust Company, and the Far- mer's Loan and Trust Company.

Eastern | investors have universally - found their leans made in Des Moines safe and sound, and to-day there is no other city in the west that stands so well . with, capitalists as Des Moines.

HOME INSURANCE COMPANIES -- There are fifteen institutions including fire, life, ? live stock/' and- accident, in addi-

eral livery

44 1

DES MOINES DIRECTORY.

tion to an army of agents representing every company, in good standing in the country. The strict insurance laws of Iowa have tended to materially protect the policy holders in the companies doing business under a state charter. The home companies are as follows:

Fire -- State, Hawkeye, Capital, Des Moines, Mer- chants and Bankers, Fidelity Mutual, Mill Owners Mutual and Farmers Mutu- al. The life companies are the Equitable of Iowa, Bankers, Des Moines, Royal Union Mutual, Odd Fellows Annuity, and St. Stephens Brotherhood, while the Northwestern Masonic Accident 'and" Northwestern Live Stock complete the list. These companies received in premi- ums last year, nearly two million dollars, an increase of over a quarter of a million the year betore. .1

LOAN AND BUILDING ASSOCIATIONS-WE have a number of loan and building asso- ciations, strong organizations, who are do- ing a good business and who have been important factors in building up the city .. Through this means many who could not otherwise have been enabled to build are to-day in the enjoyment of pleasant and comfortable homes of their own. The companies are as follows: Iowa Savings and Loan, Cottage Home, Iowa Deposit ¡ and Loan Co., Lowa, Iowa National, Polk County, Syndicate, and Union Loan and Building Association.

REAL ESTATE.

The demand for real estate has been, and is now, good-the recorded transfers. for the year of 1890 amounting to nearly eleven millions of dollars by actual com-' putation from the record. or about a mil- lion per month. It is a well known fact and admitted every, where, that Des Moines real estate --- both business and résidence property -- is valued much lower than in any other city in the west. In fact values are so moderate that any in- vestment in any part of the city at pres- ent prices could not possibly be a mistake.

The prices fixed upon property to-day are such as absolutely insures a great degree of profit to him who buys. Des Moines' growth has been the outcome of legiti- mate demands for enlargement. , When these things are considered it is not sur- prising that there is a, firmness apparent in Des Moines real property, with a cer- tain prospect of a rise in valuations.

The activity in real estate is principally in property intended for large business houses and office buildings, or for magni- ficent residences, but the demandlis great for manufacturing sites, for smaller busi- ness houses, for homes for tradesmen and artisans, and for the necessities of a con- stantly growing population. New addi- tions are being laid out, which, while sufficiently near to the business center to beleasily reached by our numerous lines of rapid transit, are sold at prices which offer unsurpassed inducements to those. of modest means-working men, clerks, and those doing business upon a 'small capital, to insure homes of a comparative. economy of cost, and which will increase in value from year to year. The confi- dence of its residents in the future of the city is evinced by the general demand; on the part of those able to invest for a site for a business house or a home. The: advantages of Des Moines are being ex- tensively advertised, and the consequence is that the city is growing more rapidly to-day than ever before, so that every man's business will increase with the growth of the city and every man's prop- erty is bound to grow in value. The ac- tual figures on real estate transfers dur ing the year 1890 were $10,881,000.

CHURCHES. .

The churches of Des Moines number sixty-five, divided among the various denominations as follows: Baptist; six ;. Methodist, sixteen; : Presbyterian, six Congregational four; Lutheran, seven; Christian, four; Evangelical, five; United Presbyterian, three; Episcopal, two

DES

MOINES DIRECTORY:

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Friends, two; Roman Catholic, three; Hebrew, two; United / Brethren, two; Seventh Day Adventist, one; Latter Day Saints, one; Unitarian, one.

Many of these have elegant and imposing houses of worship, and a few are among the finest church buildings in the West. That Des Moines is known throughout the country as a city of morals, and her citizens as law-abiding, cultured and re- fined, is due largely to the influence of her numerous churches and schools.

THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIA- rrod, which has a large and flourishing branch in Des Moines, numbering several hundred members, is a power for good. It is now established in a permanent home of its own, a large and handsome building, fully | equipped ( with 'reading rooms, parlors, library, music hall, gym- nasjum, baths, dete. The rooms are al- ways open for young men to visit, and to spend their evenings of leisure hours, and any assistance that can be given them, jis cheerfully renderedl.

EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES.

IEducation, is the corner stone upon which Iowa has built such a superstruct- ure as has made her school system the admiration of the world, and in no por- tion of the State are the educational advantages so varied and complete as in our city. The controlling minds in the public policy been in favor of liberal jof the city 'have / always" measures for increasing and perfecting her educational facilities, which have become a source of pride and gratification to her citizens.

The Des Moines public schools, for excellence of work, won a bronze medal, at the Centennial in Philadelphia in 1876; also in diploma at the World's Fair, at New Orleans in 1885.

In seeking a home one considers what a place can offer to his children, in the way of educational

advantages, and of.

these Des Moines has all that can be desired. Beginning in the kindergarten, which has been termed "the enchanted entrance to the Temple of Learning," the pupil

Ican pass through the various grades of the public schools, graduating from the High : School, then pursue & course in one of our colleges, and finally in our | professional schools, cau fit himself for his chosen work in life, thus obtaining a thoroughly finished educa- tion at home " The excellence of our educational facilities has contributed largely to the rapid growth of Des Moines, as very many families of refine- ment and culture have located in our city, in order to secure the best advant- ages for their children. 1

DES MOINES COLLEGE. -

.The oldest educational institution in Des Moines, outside of the public schools, is Des Moines College, it. having been founded in 1866. | It is under the auspices of the 'Baptist denomination, and its .. history has been full of all the changes incidental to founding a school of higher learning in a western city, but this year has seen it placed upon a solid financial basis .: It has secured $100,000 for per- manent: endowment; and sufficient in i addition to provide for all its indebted-,' ness. This makes it one of the best . endowed colleges in the State. It has a fine, large campus on West Ninth street, a short distance from the business center, and commodious buildings. The faculty. is composed exclusively of graduates of colleges of good standing. They are all scholarly and capable instructors. The. president of the institution is Rev. H. L. Stetson, D. D., through 'whose efforts and plans very largely the college has been placed in its present prosperous condi- tion. The number of students the past 'year was double that of the preced- ing year. It has always been the aim of

DES MOINES DIRECTORY.

this school to secure the best scholarship and it has the highest grade of college work of any school in this section of the · country. The requirements for admis- sion to the. Freshman class are the high- est of any college in the State. The college has been highly, favored in the class of students it has had, a large per cent. of whom gave been Christians, thus a healthful moral tone has always existed.

It offers to young men and women the advantages of an education of the higher grade, under men and women who have had thorough training for their work and wide experience in teaching.'

· DRAKE UNIVERSITY ..

Drake University is under the auspices of the Christian denomination. It is located in a beautiful grove in the north- western portion of the city, the college building is a handsome structure, and the college campus contains eight acres, on a slight knoll, beautifully diversified with magnificent for ast trees. This school has just closed itt; tenth session, and each year has showr jan increase in attendance, facilities for instruction, and general . efficiency.

As showing the reputation of the school for advanced and thorough work " it is worthy of notice that sixteen' other . colleges "have contributed to the ad- .vanced and professional classes. Several of these students from other institutions have been pursuing | o t-gra luate courses in the literary jand scientific departments of this school .:

The college . department of the Uni- versity alfead : organized include Col- legiate, Normi , Preparatory, Theological, Business, Law, Medical, Musical and Art schools. The' + have an aggregate teach- ing force oft hore that fifty able and experienced instructors, and are well supplied with apparatus, libraries, muse- ums, and other helps.

. The location-Des Moines-adds a

peculiar interest to the Law and Medical departments. A city of Jurists, Libra- ries, Courts and Legislatures; of Hospitals and eminent Physicians and Surgeons.

A building a half block from the Post- office has just been purchased for these two schools.

CALLANAN COLLEGE.

This college, which was formerly an ndependent school, is now one of the colleges of Drake University. It owes its existence to the liberality of Mr. Jamesl Callanan, of this city, for whom it is named. The large college buildings are pleasantly located on Eleventh and Pleas- ant streets, the grounds are admirably adapted for the purposes of the school and command one of the most beautiful views about the city. ; At this college are located the normal, musical and com- mercial departments of Drake University, with a full and efficient faculty.

Its thorough training course for the beginner, and its now famous School of Methods, its Musical and other Summer Schools, mark it many degrees above the average Normal School.

HIGHLAND PARK NORMAL COLLEGE.

This institution of learning, situated at Highland Park, and overlooking the whole city, has had a phenomenal growth.] The gentlemen who built | this college conceived the idea of building and thor- oughly equipping the school' with. the best faculty which could be secured, as well as the very latest apparatus, and then opening the doors for students, a novel idea and a reversal of the usual custom. In this bold, yet business-like undertaking, their hopes were more than realized.

Opening September 2nd, 1890, the attendance the first term was three hundred and sixty-four, and during the first year more than eight hundred students were enrolled. There are many reasons for this unequaled prosperity

DES MOINES DIRECTORY!

The location, the accommodations, the number of departments, the fine equip- ments, the strength of the faculty and the minimum expense have all combined to make it' a popular school from the beginning.

It is a school where a student may fit himself for any profession. It is thor- oughly! Christian, but non-sectarian. In organizing the faculty of this college great care was used in selecting the teachers, and every teacher selected was chosen because of his ability to teach. 1

The courses of study are Preparatory or Review, Didactic, Special Training; Scientific, Classical, Literary, Civil Engin- eering, Electrical Engineering, Pharmacy, Business, Music, Art, Telegraphy, Short- hand and Typewriting, and Elocution:

.] The accommodations at Highland Park College are not equalled by any other school in the west, .The college building itself is provided with large, light; airy recitation rooms that are models of neat- ness and taste. The rooms for students are all that could be desired. They are large light and diry, heated by steam, lighted by| electricity, water on every floor | of the buildings andi every, con- venience that the student needs. Every- thing is new, clean and neat.

No expense has been spared in the thorough and complete equipment neces- sary in every department of the college. The library is |a | remarkably choice 'collection of books containing about 4,000 volumes of the best reference books. and wholesome literature !! The apparatus for the successful prosecution of the " work in the different departments is. all that would be desired in any school. A brilliant future for this school is already assured.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Des Moines stands in the front rank of Iowa cities in her interest in education, and in the number and excellence of her .schools!

: various

The thirty-five public school buildings of Des Moines, all well constructed, with improved: systems of ventilating and heating, well ighted' and splendidly equipped, attest in part the strength of the educational i spirit of the people of. this city. " The public schools of this city have three hundred and fifty teachers, who have charge of nearly fifteen thous -. iand children. The, several colleges of the city have had an enrollment of about twenty five hundred students during the , past year.

Des Moines was the second city, west of. the |Mississippi (St. Louis being the first) to inaugurate the kindergarten, of which there are now eighteen, as a department of the public schools, in this respect .being five years in advance of Boston and Philadelphia.

The two high schools of Des Moines qecupy magnilie ut i. ings, one 1 Grected at an exp us-to! , and the other costilig 840,000. 1 : are thor- oughly equipped with the tje-tapparatus and the bestiappliances for watching the . branches if the curriculum: The West side high school offers five courses of study. slunely, a 'business course of two years, including bookkeeping, type- Writing . and stenography, an English course, a scientific course, a Latin and a classical course-each four years. An interesting and valuable feature in. this school is the industrial training. Three rooms of the fine building have been 1 fitted up: with the best appliances-one for 'drawing, one for shop work, and one for cooking, and the work of directing and teaching has been put in charge of tivo of the most competent instructors in thede branches in the country. ; The students, numbering about: three hun dred, are permitted to take up these lines of work in connection with the ordinary exercises of a high school .;

In addition to the public schools of the city there are excellent parochial schools

....

DES MOINES DIRECTORY.

maintained by the Roman Catholics, Lutherans and Hebrews. There are also private schools, and a young ladies' sem- inary (Catholic) of a high order.

BUSINESS COLLEGES. 1

Des Moines has four excellent schools, which impart a thorough business educa- tion to young men and women, fitting them for active commercial life. Their graduates make our best business men and women, and are eagerly sought for by our most enterprising establishments, and given positions of responsibility and trust. | These institutions Have a reputa- tion among the foremost schools in the country devoted to the business training of the young, and they are attended by large numbers of students from all parts of this 'and other states. They are the Iowa Business College, the Capital City Commercial College, the Des Moines Business and the People's Commercial College.

MUSIC SCHOOLS.

The advantages offered by the Des 1 Mbine's Musical College for the acquire- ment of a thorough musical education are unsurpassed in the west, and whether the stjident is desirous of obtaining a theoretical or practical knowledge of mu- sie, instrumental or vocal, the instructors in this school are fully competent to im- part the knowledge desired.

......

Theframe of Prof. M. L. Bartlett is synonymous with the energy and charac- ter in Iowa. He is beyond question the greatest musical director west of Chica- go. . We Have among our teachers of niusic in Des Moines a number who are not surpassed as instructors in any part of the country, and who pursue a system of training admirably adapted to the object sought.

LAW SCHOOLS.

The Iowa College of Law is located in the city of Des Moines, and the city can

not be excelled as a location for legal training, for as the capital. of the state it affords the student rare advantages of jurists, courts, legislatures and libraries, the students having free access to the. State Library (one of the largest in the

whole country) containing thousands of volumes of law books, including the re- ports of all the states and most of the for- eign countries complete. The aim of the faculty is to give thorough instruction and the final examinations are full and complete, requiring faithful work of the student in order to graduate.

MEDICAL COLLEGES."

Des Moines has four medical : schools, the Iowa College of Physicians and Sur- geons, the Iowa Medical College, the King Electric Medical College and the Iowa Institute of Homeopathy which of- fer excellent advantages for the jacquire- ment of a thorough medical and surgical education.

IOWA VETERINARY COLLEGE.

This institution, as its name implies, is devoted exclusively. to the teaching of veterinary medicine and surgery. - The facilities of the college for instructing students in the practice of veterinary science, together with hygiene, breeding and general management of the, domestic aninial are ample. There never was a time in the history of this country when the services of educated veterinarians were so much sought after as at present; hence the importance of educating. men for the profession and of furnishing re- iable works for study is very evident. It is the barnest desire and intention of the faculty of this college to fit their students that they may take high standing with other graduates of this noble 'profession. -

LIBRARIES.

The value of well equipped public if braries cannot be. too strongly emphasit ed. | They exert a powerful influence fp elevating the standard of intelligence in

DES MOINES DIRECTORY.

every ' community. The State Library which- occupies elegant quarters fin the Capitol building ranks among the first of the libraries in the Union. : The depart- iments in law, science, history, biography. and fiction are well filled. The library contains about 50,000 volumes which are. used for public reference. A valuable addition to the State library is what is known as the "Aldrich Collection," being a collection of photographs, autographs and mementoes of notable men .and

women of the past andpresent, in this! country and the old world. The collec- tion is very rich and full, and occupies a large number of beautiful cases made especially for its preservation. It is the gift of Hon. Charles Aldrich of Webster City, to the State of Iowa, and the generous donor is constantly adding' to, and enriching the collection, which now numbers many thousand specimens. The city library is of all public institu- tions the best patronized and fraught with the greatest interest to the people | of any institution in Des Moines. It is located on Fourth street in the new Y. M. C. A. building and contains over 5,000 volumes, together with leading daily newspapers, city publications and a large supply of ex- pellent magazine literature, all of which are free to the public. It was organized in December, 1866, by a number of enter- prising citizens, and in 1882 was turned aver to the management of the City Coun- cil. The board of trustees is composed of three members of the | council, and two chosen from the library association. It is a great poon to every reading citizen of Des Moines to haye [access to a good li- Brary, and it is an institution, worthy of the best attention and support that can be bestowed upon it. It is well patronized, -.. the membership estimated by cards' is- sted, being a little more than seven thousand, and there is a constant demand for new books.

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Des Moines and Polk County, Iowa, City Directory 1891, Part 4

Author: Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author:
Publication date: 1891
Publisher:
Number of Pages: