Des Moines and Polk County, Iowa, City Directory 1892, Part 2

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Publication date: 1892
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DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY

able city directory merit the support of the citizens, we have no doubt that it will be accorded.

Population.

.It'is the custom of directory publishers; to estimate the population of their respec- tive cities from the date of the annual can- vass, and these estimates have been found to closely approximate state and, govern- ment censuses, and are believed by many to be more nearly correct. In common with other citizens, we' have looked forward - with considerable interest to the result that would be revealed by the thorough and searching canvass that we know has, been made for every name that properly : belongs in the Directory. But as the can- vass progressed any apprehension that it .would fall short of expectations were dis- pelled. The result is such conclusive evi- : dence of Des Moines' steady, even and rapid growth that it must prove most satis- factory to, all. There are in this Directory 24,936 names, an increase over last year of 5,437 names. The total pum- ber of names in this volume, 24,936, gul- tiplied by 234, gives Des Moines a popula- tion of 68,574. 1 :

But our estimate is made on the most conservative basis-perhaps too conserva- tive, for many publishers multiply the number of names by 3. On this basis Des Moines' population is 74,808. Buf- falo uses 31/4 as a multiplier, Milwaukee 2.90, Brooklyn 414, St Louis |3, Min- neapolis 212. The older cities of the East use a larger multiplier than young Western cities, upon the hypothesis that the names in other directories more generally repre- sent heads of families.

In order that it may be seen how Des Moines combares with other cities in the increase of the number of names, as rex vealed by the 1892 directory, we cite the following:

No. of

City.

Year Names '

In- crease

Indianapolis

1892 52,008

2,960

Seattle

.1891 21,515

3,971

Denver

.1890

54,548 10,979

Omaha

1891 47,067.

1,400

Milwaukee

1890 76,521

3,789

Des Moines

1892 24,936

5,437

When it is remembered that Des Moines is Idevoid of the boom" elements and methods-which she has never encouraged -and the transitory and fluctuating popu- lation

incident thereto, the remarkable

growth shown by this issue of the Directoryl must be all the more gratifying, for here it means a permanent and lasting accretion. 1 We could cite some high pressure "boom" cities, the latest directories of which show a very large decrease in the number of names. The following table of population of Des Moines will show how steadily the city has grown, and that here there has been no period of retrogression-no col- lapse of "booms":

In 1850 the population was 1,502

In 1860

3,695 .

In 1870

12,055

In 1880 22,696

In 1890 153,406

In 1892 (R. L. Polk & Co.'s canvass)_ 68,574

That the city is developing and expand- ing in all her varied industries, and rap- idly gaining on some of her ambitious riv- als where | high pressure" methods /have prevailed, is shown beyond peradventure by the figures above given! !

R. L. POLK & CO.

DES MOINES.

YEARS ago, before the white man had cest longing leyes upon the fertile valleys of what was destined to be the great State of Iowa, the, Sac and Fox Indians held sway over the territory surrounding ! the present city of Des Moines.

But the pressure off immigration begun to be felt long before the middle of the present century dawned, and on October 11; 1842, commissioners appointed by the United States Govern" ment purchased from these Indian tribes the land in what is now the western por- tion of the State, the treaty occurring at Agency City, one of the expressed stipula- tions being that a military fort should be established at the junction of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. . On May 9, 1843, the little steamer Ione arrived, bear ing a detachment of officers and soldiers, and a fort was soon erected and christened Fort Des Moines. { This was the small acord from which has grown the great city which | today adorns and beautifes the valley | of the two | rivers | which i here unite and flow on together on their four- ney'to the sea-a city of beautiful homes, numerous |churches, schools and colleges; a city poted for its .sterling and enterpris- ing business men and lovely women, and one of which every Inhabitant is justly proud.

The first election in Polk County was held on the first Monday in April, 1846, the number of votes cast being as follows : Fort Des Moines, 70; Camp Creek, 42,' Allen's Creek, 03, or a total of 175. July 15, 1810, in pursuance of an order by the County Board of Supervisors, there oc-

curred the first public sale of lots in Des Moines. The Federal authorities estab- lished a postoffice the same year, the post- master carrying the mail around in his hat and dispensing it to his patrons as he met them "about town," and it is a matter of record that neither were his duties arduous : bor his emoluments large. The first wed- I ding occurred June 11, 1846, the first frame . house was built in 1847, and the first court house was erected in 1848.

As early as 1850 the people of this city began to. agitate the removal of the State Capital to Des Moines. After a long and hard fought battle, the State Legislature in 1854 passed a bill providing that the Capi- tal should be located here two years later. February 3, 1850, by act of legislature, the town of Fort Des Moines was incorpor- ated as a city with the shorter and more euphonious title of " Des Moines!

The first State House was built imme -!. diately south of the present one, | the cost being $65,000, and in those days it, was considered a pretty fine building. Now, standing in the midst of a sloping and beautiful park, soon to be dotted with fountains, trees and statues, arises, in stately and imposing proportions a struct- pre costing over $3,000,000, and it is the boast of the State that it was built without ·the creation of one penny of indebtedness, and without suspicion of jobbery or fraud. Upon a commanding, elevation, reached by a gradual rise from the river, the Pride of Iowa," as it is affectionately termed, stands to-day an example and la "proof off the wealth, wisdom and patriot-

DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY.

ism of the people of this great State. With its golden domes catching and re- flecting back the sunlight, it lies upon the bosom of the city like a beautiful gem, and at : night, when its myriad windows blaze with light, it seems a veritable Alad- din's palace.

Advantages of Location.

The city of Des Moines has a most ad- vantageous geographical location, Lying in a beautiful valley at the junction of two rivers, with a gradual rise from the water's edge to the high and tree-crowned bluffs which surround the city on nearly all sides, it presents to the eye a view of varied and panoramic beauty. The Des Moines river; flowing from the northwest, sweeps around to the east, then bends shapely to the south until it strikes the Raccoon in the southeastern portion of the city. The lat- ter river, coming in from the west, skirts the former southern boundaries, and after its junction with the Des Moines the blended streams flow ' toward the Missis- sippi and the Gulf. A rich |farming country surrounds the city, giving guaran- tee of substantial : and continued pros- perity, and that there shall be no lack of bread for the busy thousands, "each of whom is doing his part in the grand work of building up a city of which every resident is proud, and the fame of which has spread to every quarter of this broad land.

That Des Moines is destined at no dis- tant day to be a great center of popula- tion and commerce: is susceptible of easy proof. Its history in the past and the logic of its natural advantages and re- sources tend to show this.

Natural Resources.

While the growth in population of Des Moines can not fail to be a subject of gratulation to her citizens, the natural re- sources of the city and vicinity constitute one of the leading reasons for that growth. Prominent among these, and a great factor . in the upbuilding of a manufacturing and

commercial center, is the item of coal. This is found here in inexahustible quan- tity and of exceptional quality, and is fur- nished at a price so low, especially that used for manufacturing purposes, that no manufacturer seeking a location can fail to be favorably impressed with this point. Slack for firing boilers is sold at an aver- age price of 50 cents per ton, delivered, . and its heating power is almost as good as that of the best lump coal.

Clay of the best quality for the manafac- ture of brick is also found here, including the variety used in making the common brick of commerce| white or " Milwaukee." brick clay, paving-brick clay; potter's clay, terra cotta clay, and an especially excellent kind of clay suitable for use in the finer branches of the art. ; In all, there are six- teen varieties to be found in this vicinity ...

There are also valuable deposits of sand here, suitable for, the manufacture of glass and artificial stone, and for use in building purposes.

The water" power of the Des Moines' River is good, and has been improved by the erection of a substantial dam north of the Walnut street bridge, being utilized in the production of electric power and light.

Business Resources.

The wholesale and retail business of Des Moines has grown into vast proportions within the past few years, and is a subject of so much variety and interest that it can not be

properly treated in the limited space allotted to this sketch. However, a brief synopsis will give the reader a fair understanding of how it has increased, and of how the business of a city is carried on:

FINANCIAL -By reference to pages 56 and 57, it will be seen that Des Moines has thirteen banks and a clearing house, be- sides numerous loan and trust, savings and deposit, building and loan. and other associations. These institutions are all solid and substantial, conservatively man- aged, and rate high in the commercial publications.

DES MOINES OITY DIRECTORY.

INSURANCE. The city has a number of values are constantly rising. No safer in- home insurance companies all equipped { vestment need be sought than real estate in } with abundant capital and doing a good this city, and no larger returns on the. money invested can be secured in any other legitimate direction. - business!" | some carrying assets running into the millions. Under the wise, insur-[ ance laws of the state of Iowa, the holder of a policy in a home company is guaran- teed full protection against loss, and this is one of the great secrets of the success which attends insurance companies or- ganized within this state ... Nearly all the prominent companies of other states and also foreign organizations have branch of- fices berel and the volume lof] business transacted yearly by these different |cor- porations is very large.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL. Des Moines is building up a large wholesale trade, and owing to its valuable location .between Chicago and other large Western cities it is sure to increase from year to year until it becomes one of the most important item; in the yearly balance sheet !. The retail business of the city has doubled and trebled within the last few years. Statistics are dry reading, but those bearing on the in crease of Des Moines' wholesale and retail business during the past ten years read all most like a romance. Suffice it to say that no other Western city of equal population. has during that time increased its business at so rapid a rate and kept the increase.

REAL ESTATE. The real estate marke of a city is not always a true -index to its prosperity. Inflated prices sometimes give to a town or| city a fictitious standing bull sooner or later the pendulum is sure to swing back, affairs resume their normal "condition and a crash comes that leave values and business below the real level {As we have before said, Des Moines has' never suffered the calamity of a "boom !! for a i boom " is a calamity, of the worst sort. The growth of values in Des Moines real estate has been steady; healthy and solid, and to-day, so great is the demand for property from those who wish to buy for business purposes and those who desire to make this city their permanent home that ;

SOLIDITY OF ITS BUSINESS FIRMS -It is a great matter of pride to the business men of this city that Des Moines has a very low percentage of business failures. This is largely due to the careful and conserva -. tive manner iu which the different firms carry on their affairs, there being no wild scramble, each to outdo the other por to shine with at fictitious | brilliancy which must sooner or later either be paid for one hundred cents on the dollar or else be avoided by the fraudulent failures which stain the fair mame of so many! other cities. The business men of Des Moines, as a class, are possessed of sound discretion, good judgment and unimpeach- able, integrity, and with the commerce of the city in such hands as these there can be no question as to the future prosperity of the city and its varled commercial in- terests, What is said of the business men is alike true of the citizens in general, and with such a/ people, filled with love of home, honesty of purpose, pride of their city and desire for its advancement, Des Moines is sure to go on to a bright and glorious future.

Public Conveniences.

STREET RAILWAY. - Des Moines has the finest street car system in the West. Pro- pelled and ilighted by electricity, the cars glide along|smoothly over solid roadbeds, making fast time and close! connections. There are twelve separate lines or routes (See page. 73), all of which converge at the transfer office, at 201 Fifth street, where a comfortable room is provided for those compelled to wait a few moments for cars. By a system of transfer slips, one is en- abled to ride the entire distance from one end of the city to the other for a single fare of five cents. ' The system has over thirty- five miles of track, including switches, and ----

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DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY.

is thoroughly equipped in the way of roll- ing stock. A vast power house on the east bank of the Des Moines river furnishes all the current needed to send the cars flying over the various lines, and that the. people of the city appreciate the system and its management is evidenced by the - immense patronage it enjoys.

WATER WORKS. -- Pure water is one of the - greatest blessings that, has been bestowed upon man, but it would be of but little' use to him in a city, like this had not human skill and ingenuity devised a way of fur- nishing it in such shape that it shall be ac- cessible in needed quantities. Des Moines, by reason of the; two rivers that flow through its borders, is assured of an| ever- failing supply of water; the Des Moines Water Works Company, by its splendid and complete system of water works, ren- ders it certain that the supply shall be fur- nished as needed, and further that the fire protection of the city shall be ample to meet any emergency that. may arise. -

RAILWAYS .- The railway facilities of Des Moines are unsurpassed by those of any other city in the Northwest, and are far superior to those of many places of greater population. The different lines, radiating in all directions, give ready egress and in- gress to the various mercantile commodi- ties, and are the spokes of aj wheel' of which Des Moines forms the hub. New lines are yearly seeking admission to the city, and as the roads already here bear every indication of prosperity and success it is safe to say

that railroad building in the state of Iowa will not come to a stand- still. One especial feature connected with this subject worthy of commendation is the Des Moines Union Railway, Company, composed of home men,! which owns its: own engines, tracks, right-of-way, etc., its business being to switch from one track to another the locomotives and cars of the various lines entering the city.

ELECTRIC AND GAS LIGHT PLANTS .-- There are in this city one gas and three electric 1

light and power plants, thus assuring the citizens abundance of artificial light and power to propel the machinery in the var- ious shops and factories. The streets in the business part of the city are lighted mainly by arc lights, with incandescent and gas lamps in the resident portions.

Principal Buildings.

Des Moines is graced by many stately business blocks and public buildings, erect- ed in a solid and substantial manner, yet in such a way as to be pleasing to the eye. Prominent among these and now just ap- proaching completion is the eight-story of- fice building of the Equitable Life Assur- ance Society of New York, at the corner of Sixth avenue and Locust street. Near at hand, and almost directly across Sixth avenue, stands the, Essex building, a six- story structure, occupied by the Des Moines: branch of the Columbus Buggy Company. The Savery Hotel Building at the corner of Fourth and Locust streets, is an impres- sive-looking structure finished in pressed brick with stone trimmings. One block north of it stands the new Y. M. C. A. building, and the Des Moines Club House! is one block west of the latter. | On the corner of Fourth and Walnut streets stands the Kirkwood House block, and at the corner of Court avenue and Fifth street the Federal Postoffice building commands attention by its solidity and beauty of con- 1. structure. The Iowa Loan and Trust Com- pany's building was among the first of the large office structures to be erected in Des Moines. | Directly across the street from the latter building stands the handsome new office block of Conrad Youngerman,

and north of it is the Clapp block, one of the earliest office buildings in the city. The Marquardt block at Fifth and Locust, the Good block at Fifth and Walnut, the Grand Opera House on Fourth street, Fos- ter's Opera House at Eighth and Walnut, and the Goldstone Hotel on the East Side, are all deserving of more mention than our limited space will permit. . A new block

DES MOINES DITY DIRECTORY.

now in process of erection is " The Illiad, on the site of the old Exposition building at Eigth and Walnut, which, when com- pleted will be one of the handsomest and most convenient in the city. | The new } Harris Emery building, the Masonic Tem- ple and a score of other structures should bel described in detail, but if mention; were made of all deserving of it, a good sized volume would be required to coptain their descriptions.

Churches, Schools and Col- leges !.

One great cause of pride to Des Moines people is the large number of churches, schools and colleges within her borders. By reference to pages 57, 58 and 59 it will. be seen that no less than nineteen different denominations maintain an organization within the city, being divided into sixty five congregations or societies. | These bodies own a number of very fine church edifices, several being built entirely| of stone'land finished on the interior in a luxurious man- net.

The public school system is one of the best in the State or West, there being thirty two school buildings in the city thoroughly| equipped with trained / and skillful principals and teachers and all the needed apparatus | for carrying out the work of educating the rising generation, `Numerous as are the public schools they are supplemented by a university and several colleges, so that untess the student desires to study some unusually rare branch, he can obtain a most thorough and . complete education within the boundaries of the cityl

Commercial |Organizations.

One of the surest evidences that | Des Moines has emerged from the chrysalis of village and town life into the perfect state of a great city is furnished by a glande at the different commercial organizations by means of which the business men keep in touch with the state of trade and have at command at all, times a detailed knowledge

of the various resources; needs and oppor- tunities of the city. Organization" is the supreme watchword nowadays in every! branch of trade and business, and that which has been demonstrated to be so bene- ficial to the components must necessarily be much more 'so to the whole Acting upon this theory, and with a view to bring- ing into closer relation the business men of the city, a few enterprising spirits organ-

From a small body, held together at first by frail threads, the Exchange has grown into a powerful factor for good to the whole city. Not only are' the complex problems of business discussed, and ways and means devised to overcome the diff- culties that atise, but at their regular and most enjoyable lunches, held in the sump tuous diningrooms of the leading hotels,

tion and are discussed!

of the Exchange, is the inducement of manufacturers to locate within the city. Much good work has been done in this direction in the past, and as the Exchange is now stronger and more aggressive than ever before, it is fair to presume that their efforts in this line will continue to bear more and better fruit as the years go by.

Another organization of the same gen. eral character, but laid on somewhat different lines, is the Producers' Associa- Itioni. While one of the objects of both or- ganizations is to further the best interests of the city, the more particular object of the Producers' Association is to push the sale, of Des Moines made products of every kind. This organization is yet young, dat- ing only from 1800, but it has already shown itself a power, for good in advertis- . ing to the world the varied products of the Capital City, and by its unique methods has done more in the last two years to ad- vertise Des Moines to the trade than could have been accomplished in double the > time by the usual

slow-going methods.

DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY.

The association is worthy of the fullest commmendation and support of every resident of the city, and its motto, "Was ; it made in Des Moines?" should be the shibboleth to lead on to a sweeping com- mercial and business triumph.

The real estate men have also organ- ; ized an Exchange, and its numerous and alert membership take care that the realty interests of the city are kept well to the front. As stated on another page of this · sketch, real estate in Des Moines is one of the best and safest investments that can be made, and every memberof the Real Estate Exchange stands prepared to back up this assertion with facts and figures that cannot fail to convince the most skeptical. Empty houses are a rarity in Des Moines, and the purchase of lots and building of houses to let is one of the most profitable branches of business in the city.

The City Buildings.

The present City Hall has long been in- adequate to accommodate properly the various officers charged with the adminis- tration of municipal affairs. . Recognizing this fact, the City Council recently con- tracted for the erection of a new public building at the corner of Second street and Grandi avenue, and before next winter's snow flies Des Moines will have a City Hall that will take rank with those of other cities of the first class. The old and weather-beaten structure which has so long indifferently sheltered the firemen and, their apparatus will disappear soon, as a new fire station is to be erected near the new City Hall. 'Its demolition, while .i will be a relief, will yet remove a Jand- mark with which every citizen of Des Moines is familiar.

! .

A City of Homes! -

In closing this hurried and imperfect sketch, we cannot refrain from speaking of one trait of the people of Des Moines that 'never fails to strike the stranger who tarries for a while within her gates, and that is the love they bear for their city and their 1

homes. Love of home and country has been sung by the poets from time imme- morial as one of the greatest virtues of a people, and if this was true in olden time, when the yoke of the tyrant kings and lords lay heavy upon the necks of their unwilling subjects, how much truer it must be in a land of liberty and among a free people! Meet a Des Moines man where you will, no matter how tempting. may be his environ- ment, his love for his home city is proof against all other charms, and he sturdily maintains its superiority to that of all oth- ers. Des Moines is indeed essentially a "City of Homes," and it is a title which it might well adopt and wear with highest . pride. The broad, well-shaded streets and avenues, stately homes, well-kept lawns and cosy cottages that abound in all direc- tions, from the business center to the utter- most limits of the city, evidence the fact that the people of Des Moines are sober, industrious aud home-loving, and that they constitute a class of citizens of which lany city might well be proud.

The Capital of Iowa is indeed a pleasant / place. Favorably located as 'regards geo- graphical position; its business interests in safe and conservative hands, backed by the support of a strong financial standing; with numerous schools and colleges dotting the city and furnishing ample opportunity, for a thorough education; with churches suffi- cient to meet all the varied views upon the | great questions involved in man's relation to the future; with civic and religious so- cieties in large number, and with all the modern improvements that go to make life in a city desirable, the people of Des Moines are to be congratulated upon their happy situation and future : prospects, and the publishers of this work, in presenting them with the first issue of their regular amtual Directory,' express, the confident hope that they may see Des Moines grow into a great city, and they guarantee that as the years go by and the population in- creases, the Directory will keep pace in : every particular with the growth of the Queen City of the Northwest.

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Des Moines and Polk County, Iowa, City Directory 1892, Part 2

Author: Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author:
Publication date: 1892
Publisher:
Number of Pages: