USA > Iowa > Polk County > Des Moines > Des Moines, the pioneer of municipal progress and reform of the middle West, together with the history of Polk County, Iowa, the largest, most populous and most prosperous county in the state of Iowa; Volume I > Part 12
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For several years after the suspension of the Journal, the whigs remained with- out an organ. In February, 1856, Thomas H. Sypherd started the Iowa Citizen as a "Free Soil" Republican paper. He was backed by A. J. Stephens, a local banker. After a year's experience, Sypherd retired, leaving the banker "holding the bag." Mr. Stephens installed W. H. Farner and J. M. Dixon as editors and publishers, and under their management the paper became an influential ex- ponent of the new republican party. In August, 1857, the Citizen was bought by J. C. Savery, Farner retiring and Dixon remaining as editor. In December of that year, John Teesdale, the newly elected State Printer, bought the Citizen, retaining Dixon as associate editor.
The long story of pioneer journalism in Fort Des Moines ends with the ad- vent of the State Capitol, in 1857. The new era finds the old democratic party and the new republican party represented each by a newspaper ably edited and well-conducted, each looking forward to a brilliant future for the Capital city, and eager to lead the way in the constructive work of the coming year.
When we compare these primitive journalistic struggles for existence in old Fort Des Moines, with the many-paged and prosperous dailies of twentieth cen- tury Des Moines, we cannot but feel mingled sympathy and admiration for the men who bravely bore the brunt of the long-drawn-out battle for the life of their respective journals. Their many pleas and admissions would be amusing, were they not pathetic. Theirs was verily "the day of small things." The money now expended by any one of our four dailies, or by any one of our four phenom- enally successful farm and home papers, in a single month, would have bought the entire outfit of both rival papers, paid their editors good salaries and paid all the expenses of composition, press-work, paper, office-rent, etc., from the dates of their birth to that of their death-and would have prolonged their existence- at least to the point of adequate support from the increased trade and population of the town and county ! And yet, who can over-estimate the value of those first crude exponents of the life and the ambition of the little frontier town of Fort Des Moines ! Verily "the day of small things" is not to be despised, for wrapped up therein is the promise and potency of the future.
Vol. I-6
CHAPTER VI.
FRONTIER TOWN LIFE, AS REFLECTED IN THE NEWSPAPERS OF THE PERIOD.
A community's actual history is not so much a chronicle of official acts as it is a reflex of community life "year in and year out." Even the least pretentious newspaper file is, for this reason, a veritable treasure-trove to the local histori- ographer, and a collection of newspapers1 is of priceless historical value.
The only continuous report we have of the life led by the people of the fron- tier town of Fort Des Moines, and of the pioneer county of Polk, is that which has been handed down to the present generation in the time-worn volumes of the Fort Des Moines Star, published from the spring of 1849 till the late sum- mer of 1854, this supplemented by the shorter-lived Gazette and its successor, the Journal,-the one commencing with January II, 1850, and ending with February 6, 1851 ; the other taking up the burden on February 28, 1851 and laying it down on the 26th of August, 1852. Between the suspension of the Star in '54 and the close of the pioneer era in '58, there is a break in the newspaper story of com- munity life which probably will never be filled. Not that there were no news- papers during that period ; but unfortunately, no one, not even the sole surviving editor of that period, Will Porter, of Des Moines, thought them sufficiently valuable to be preserved.
Let us run through the files mentioned and note the early happenings in the little community huddled about the forks of the two rivers,-the "unconsidered trifles" which show the run of the current of events in the little town at the Forks.
The first death chronicled is that of Mary Eunice, infant daughter of Mr. Thrift, regimental tailor for the First Dragoons. The announcement appears in' the Star of August 31, 1849. Among the deaths which soon followed were Mrs. Jordan, wife of John Jordan, and Ruth J., wife of George C. Shell.
The first marriage notice published was that of John H. Posegate, the gun- maker of Fort Des Moines, and Miss Harriet N. Kellogg, Rev. Thompson Bird- officiating. The event occurred on the 20th of September, 1849. "The printers were not forgotten, but were filled to repletion with the choicest cake, which never fails to secure the happy young couple the constant protection of all good Genii!"
The Star of September 28, following, notes the presence of the famous geologist, Dr. Owen, and a corps of assistants who have just completed their survey of the Upper Des Moines valley. After ascending the stream about 150 miles, they returned and ascended the Raccoon, as far as the stream was navi- gable with canoes. On the evening of the 26th the Doctor by request delivered a lecture on the result of his explorations. The prophetic utterances of this pio- neer geologist of Iowa are well worth copying. "Located as your town is in the center of this great State-a State situated midway between the two great oceans of the world, and washed on two sides by the two mighty rivers of the continent- with a soil of unsurpassed fertility, and vast stores of mineral wealth, yours must assume a proud place among the States of the Union. When, in a few years, the Atlantic and Pacific are united by a railroad, it will in all probability pierce
1 Such as fill the basement of the State's Historical building.
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your State and scale your town, giving you easy communication with every part of the world. This is nature's choice for the great interior city of the State, and it needs not the spirit of prophecy to foresee that such must be its destiny."
The Doctor then goes into detail as to the abundance of coal, the immense ledges of gypsum and the presence of iron ore along the Des Moines river; the picturesqueness of the scenery, the abundance of timber and the unsurpassed richness of the soil along the river. The lecturer greatly enlarges the view of his deeply interested auditors and sends everybody home supremely happy !
The Dubuque Express about this time notes the return to Fort Des Moines of a party of surveyors headed by one Marsh. The party were robbed by Sioux Indians of their horses and everything else of value in their possession. The Sioux, smarting under their recent defeat by the Winnebagoes, indemnified them- selves in a measure by attacking the surveyors.
Messrs. Buckingham, Dean & Scott began the survey of their addition to Fort Des Moines November 2.
A Young Men's Association was organized Saturday, November 3. The meeting took place "at early candle lighting" at the office of Louis Whitten, Esq.
Continuing into the Fifties, the story of events and of "unconsidered trifles," we find that the Rev. Thompson Bird begins the year 1850 with preaching at the Court House. "on the first and third Sabbath of each month at II o'clock and also at candle-lighting.
The Fort Des Moines Lyceum met regularly that fall at the Court House every Thursday evening. One of the questions discussed was: "Would Iowa be benefited by the introduction of a banking system into the State?" W. T. Mar- vin presided, and the debate was opened by Wm. McKay, with Dr. Vaughan, in the negative.
The Fort Des Moines Benevolent Society is another organized activity of 1849-50. A meeting is announced to be held at the home of J. E. Jewett.
The expensiveness of candles at this time, led to the use of gas lamps, and the enterprising R. W. Sypher was the first to bring them to Fort Des Moines. The Star pronounces them "a decided improvement over candles."
On January 18, 1850, appears the Star's first market report. In it we find flour quoted in Keokuk at $4.50 and $5.00 pr bbl .; at Fort Des Moines at $7.50; wheat (fall) at Keokuk 75 and 80; at Des Moines 60. Market prices in Fort Des Moines are quoted as follows : Corn 35, Oats 25, Coffee 15, Sugar 12, Pork $2.50 per 100, Meal 50 pr bu., Butter 15, Eggs 10, Iron bar 10 to 1212, Leather- sole 30 pr lb., kip $3 to $4.50 per side.
In the Gazette of January 19, Hoyt Sherman, postmaster, announces the arrival and departure of mails from Fort Des Moines as follows :
East, via Oskaloosa, arriving every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, at 6 p. m. and departing Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, at 5 a. m.
East, via Iowa City, arriving every Saturday and Wednesday, at 6 p. m. ยท and departing every Monday and Thursday, at 6 p. m.
South, via Knoxville, arriving Saturday at 7 p. m., and departing Monday at 7 a. m., the mail closing on Saturday at 6 p. m.
West, to Council Bluffs, arriving Sunday at 7 p. m., and departing Monday at 8 a. m.
West, to Adel, arriving Friday at 12 M. and departing same day at I p. m.
Southwest, to Winterset, arriving Friday at 12 M, departing same day at I p. m.
In this brief schedule of mails we see in outline the entire system of intercom- munication with the outside world which the future capital of Iowa then enjoyed !
The same number of the Gazette notes in January, an organization effected by "the ladies generally of Fort Des Moines"-"a Sewing Society, the proceeds of their industry to be appropriated to church uses." It will thus be seen that at
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this early day, before the permanent foundation of any church in the community, there was substantial, working Christian union.
The Star of January 25 says the Presbyterians are arranging to build in the spring, quaintly adding: "Our religion is rather prospective than otherwise, yet several congregations have respectable congregations."
The Star of January 25 informs "all the world and the rest of mankind" that Fort Des Moines is fast becoming metropolitan, having in 1850, nine dry-good stores, with assortments of clothing, groceries, hardware, etc .; one hardware store, two drug stores, two provision stores, one tinware manufactory, one bakery, two printing offices, two weekly newspapers, one gunsmith, three or four blacksmith shops, six or eight builders, six or eight plasterers, one barrel factory, several shoe shops, cabinet makers, painters, tailor shops, etc., two hotels-the Demoine House and the Marvin-the former a large and commodious building mostly erected the past season, and the latter being enlarged by the addition of a spa- cious building to be finished early in the coming spring." Among the town's other available assets were "seventeen or eighteen lawyers, seven or eight physicians and half that number of patients ;" also "two prospective saw-mills." The Star concludes with the assurance that "one year more will make this far the largest town in the State off the Mississippi."
The Gazette of February 22, reports a number of improvements in Fort Des Moines, among the number a large business house begun by G. Holland, and soon to be completed on Second street, the first story to be occupied by Chap- line & Thompson, dry-goods merchants, the second story to be finished off for the Odd Fellows. Benjamin Saylor was building a beautiful cottage on Court avenue. Marvin & Luce, the popular proprietors of the Marvin House were putting up a large hotel building on Third and Walnut. E. Wise & Com- pany's new store on Second and Elm was nearly ready, the second story to be used as a printing office. James Hall was building a dwelling on Court and Water streets ;- -Filson on Third and "the Avenue." A Female Seminary, in the north part of town, erected by Thompson Bird, was to be completed in April. At least two hundred houses would be completed during the next building season. Dean & Cole's new steam saw-mill, on the east bank of the "Desmoines" river, was announced as in operation, making "two steam saw-mills in sight of town."
The Star of March I copies a letter published in the Keokuk Whig and Reg- ister urging a plank road from Keokuk to Fort Des Moines, the main trunk running through the flourishing towns along the ridge, having lateral roads or branches ranging in length from three to ten miles to the various beautiful little towns on the banks of the Des Moines and the Skunk, or Checaqua rivers, at a probable cost of $2,000 a mile. The writer proposes the building of the road through the cooperation of several local companies, farmers along the road sup- plying lumber, teams and labor.
The Star complains that it has received Cincinnati papers, also papers and let- ters from Washington "that have only been forty days on the route !"
In May, the Fort Des Moines postoffice was removed from the old log cabin at the fort to a new and more commodious building opposite Sypher's store; that William Ramsey, having found excellent clay, had erected a large building for a pottery in Scott's sub-division, that "the sound of the hammer and saw are heard everywhere, that some fifteen families have located in town since spring opened, and house building is in full blast." In May, the editor of the Star, says : "We Des Moinese begin seriously to entertain the opinion that if the Fort is not the Capital it is destined to be the city of interior Iowa."
The Gazette of June 28 reports six or eight hundred Indians, chiefly Iowas and Pottawatomies, camped on the Skunk river, with a determination to stay till fall. Major Woods with two hundred dragoons and infantrymen were camped near them awaiting expiration of the time given them to remove to their reser- vation beyond the Missouri. Many settlers, fearing collision, abandoned their houses and crops, and removed into the settlements. "The Indians have put in
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some forty or fifty acres of corn and they ask to stay until they can gather it, but the edict has gone forth that they must go."
Frink, Walker & Co., in July, put on a line of hacks between Fort Des Moines and Council Bluffs, leaving each point every Monday.
The Star of July 18 notes the encampment of some three or four hundred Sacs and Foxes near town. "On Tuesday about seventy warriors made 'a grand entree' on horseback, armed and painted, and after marching through our prin- cipal streets, shouting and singing they proceeded to the public square and in the presence of some two or three hundred citizens, displayed the 'light fantastic toe' for about an hour on the green sward."
The slowness of returns is seen in an announcement of the Star, August 8, 1850, that "up to the time of writing this article (Thursday) we have no definite means of knowing how Polk county has gone, owing to the closeness of the votes polled and their mixed character." It was, however, apparent to the Star that Williamson, whig, had carried the county against Babbitt for representative, owing to "local influences." Next week's Star was apparently no wiser!
The Gazette of August 9 turns from national politics to home improvements, noting many new houses. "Never before has the town been so prosperous."
In its issue of August 23, the Gazette announces District Court in Fort Des Moines September 2; also a new hack to Keokuk-"a decided improvement." Frink & Walker now have a continuous line of stages through Fort Des Moines, Keokuk to Council Bluffs.
To keep up the courage of his readers during the winter, the editor of the Star, of December 5, says he is looking to such a degree of river navigation in the spring as shall make Fort Des Moines "the center of creation."
Early in '51. the Council settled a vexed local issue by declaring that wood- piles on the public streets were a nuisance.
On February 20, 1851, J. Frink & Company announced after next May a tri-weekly four-horse post-coach from Fort Des Moines via Winterset, Wah- tawah, Indian Town and Kanesville to Council Bluffs.
The Journal of March 7 reports the suicide of a young man named Volney M. Hagar. The shocking event, coupled with the then recent affray which ended with the death of Jacob Pea, was the occasion of a powerful sermon to young men delivered by Rev. J. A. Nash, and published in the Journal of March 21. The sermon is more than a plea for sobriety and the religious life. It assails the "rumsellers" with all the fervor and none of the drolleries of the foremost assailant of "booze" in our time. "But for your infernal traffic," he exclaims, "Volney Hagar would doubtless have been this evening sitting in our midst, a sober, respectable young man. But for your abominable work, Jacob Pea might still be living and Lewis Jewitt would not be in the strong clutches of the law. I tell you, rumsellers, when you present the poison to the lips of others, you are awakening a demon in their bosoms which it is not in your power to control; you are placing a dagger in the assassin's hands, and stimulating with unnatural power the arm that aims the deadly thrust. You may laugh defiance at the civil law, but there is a tribunal that you cannot escape."
The Star of May 29, comments on the unprecedented floods, the scarcity of flour, and the departure of Hoyt Sherman, and others, in a skiff for St. Louis.
June 23, the Star refers to its complaint of mud-holes two weeks before, and is glad to state that the city fathers are now making rapid improvement in the city streets. It is convinced by the almost-unparalleled exertions of Commissioner Div that the worst time in the street-history of Fort Des Moines is past.
The 6th of July, was made noteworthy by the arrival of the steamer Caleb Cope, having run the obstructions at Bonaparte and brought up from St. Louis a load of much needed provisions, the floods having isolated the town from the outside world. Everybody was in the mood to celebrate, and the steamer was chartered for an excursion up the river. The Star reports "the Des Moines Band" was engaged for the occasion, "and the light fantastic toe brought into
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requisition. Our city belles and beaux understand the performance well-in fact, are hard to beat." Mr. Andrews, in his "Pioneers of Polk County," says the Des Moines Band on that occasion consisted of "two or three fiddlers."
James Campbell and party, after a six weeks hunt in the Sioux country in June and July, '51, report twenty-nine elk, eight deer, five bears, one wolf, two badgers, three foxes and a large quantity of small game.
In the summer of 1851 the Journal points . with pride to two flourishing Sunday schools in Fort Des Moines, the Presbyterian and the combined Baptist and Methodist.
The Star of August 7, '51, admits that in Fort Des Moines township the democrats were "badly whipped-beaten so outrageously that even the Whigs themselves are greatly disappointed at their own success !" The Star indulges in a charge not very complimentary to its own party, namely : that "tricks, decep- tion and fraud were resorted to by our opponents." That paper elsewhere admits that there was much disaffection among democrats, with charges of unfairness in the nominating convention.
"The Fort" had scarcely more than a horseback connection with the State Capital in '51. On September 15, the postmaster at Iowa City advertised for "horseback mail service," twice a week, on Route No. 4667, between Iowa City and Fort Des Moines, the service to cease July 1, 1852. Proposals for service by two-horse hacks would also be received.
In a study of the public life of the early pioneer period one must be impressed with the frequent recurrence of the well known names. While there was, even in territorial days, a distinct cleavage between the democrats and whigs and little consideration given the independent voter ; there was a free and generous coming together in all movements to boom the city, county and State. Strongly, even bitterly, partisan for a few weeks before election time; the election over, they were as one man in support of movements for the good of the community and the general welfare.
As has been seen, the town of Fort Des Moines began its history-making career at birth-more than five years before its formal christening! On the 30th day of August, 1851, about fifty-five citizens united in a petition to the county judge of Polk praying for articles of incorporation. Among the signers of this petition are the names of the "boosters" of the period, men inseparably identified with the history of the town and county. The list includes such well- known names as J. E. Jewett, Lampson P. Sherman, B. F. Allen, Phineas M. Casady, M. L. Morris, Barlow Granger, Charles Mckay, J. A. Nash, W. W. Williamson, A. M. Lyon, Thompson Bird, Wesley Redhead; etc.2
On file with this petition was the bond of E. R. Clapp for constable. Mr. Clapp who at the time of his death in 1905, was one of Des Moines' foremost citizens, was in '51, a poor young man to whom the constable's fees were very acceptable. His bond 3 was signed by H. M. Hoxie, long afterward a millionaire in New York, and Dr. T. K. Brooks, one of the boomers extraordinary of his period.
President Thompson Bird and Commissioners P. M. Casady and L. P. Sher- man constituted a citizen's committee to draft articles of incorporation. The re- sult of their labors was adopted by the voters of Fort Des Moines on the 18th day of October, 1851.
2 The additional names of incorporators are: William Kraus, James Campbell, J. M. Thrift. R. W. Sypher, Hiram M. Saylor, M. McGregor, William Scholto, B. Zelle, M. Tucker, James Stanton, J. M. Perry, John L. Gray, H. Stephenson. J. M. Reichsucker, Edward L. Collett. John J. Sanders, J. S. Dicks, W. T. Marvin, L. D. Karnes, J. F. Ward, B. Stephens, John Hays, Samuel Gray, P. Myers, S. G. Keene, John Tyler, Henry Gray, M. M. Champlin, H. C. Lamereaux. Matt Kraus. Thomas McMullin. Alex. Bowers, W. W. Keene, J. T. Gar- rison, William Mear, Win. C. Busick, Henry Hawkins, George Elias Feller, Thomas Campbell and Samuel Van Atta.
3 7 he bond was unearthed, years afterwards by County Auditor Amos Brandt.
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The town charter reported was published October 16, 1851, and voted for on the following Saturday. On the first Monday in November, the following were elected councilmen: Thompson Bird, W. T. Marvin, C. D. Reinking, R. W. Sypher, Jesse S. Dix, Hoyt Sherman and P. M. Casady.
The Lyceum was revived in the fall of '51. In a meeting at the courthouse the subject under discussion was "Resolved, that all men have by nature equal mental endowments." The affirmative side was taken by J. E. Jewett and P. M. Casady ; the negative, by J. A. Nash and Madison Young.
The Star of October 25 announces that Miss M. K. Allen who has recently arrived from Cincinnati will open a select school in the courthouse.
The expression "early candle-light," commonly used in the Forties and early Fifties, awakens memories of other days. The Journal of October 30 announces a meeting of the Lyceum in the court house "at early candlelight," promising "a delightful treat of eloquence and erudition." The subject to be discussed was : "That the instruction of representatives is in contravention of the highest pos- sible degree of civil liberty." At a later meeting the perennial question of "Capi- tal Punishment" was settled !
In October the Journal editor informs the Burlington Hawkeye that "Bloomerism" has not yet reached the Forks. "While the people of this section are eminently practical, and while they deplore the pernicious effects of the present female costume, they fail to see any valuable improvement in the Bloomer."
In November Senator Dodge and Representative Henn visited Fort Des Moines to inspect the political "fences," before going to Washington.
The democratic friends of Curtis Bates gave an oyster supper in his honor at the Pennsylvania House one evening late in January, 1852, following the Judge's nomination, against Grimes, for the Governorship. About 175 ladies and gentlemen attended. Among the toasts read by Dr. A. Y. Hull was "Fort Des Moines-the Mecca of Iowa, to which we invite the citizens of our own and other States to make a pilgrimage." Responses to toasts were made by Bates, Casady, Hull, T. A. Walker and J. W. Morris.
Joint discussions were numerous in the Fifties, the candidates traveling to- gether and personally on the friendliest terms; but, the unwritten law among the politicians was: "Friendship ceases when we mount the stump." In July, 1852, the whig and democratic candidates for the state senate discussed jointly at Carlisle-then in Polk county, now in Warren,-on the 16th, at Lafayette on the 17th and at Mitchell's on the 19th.
The Fourth of July celebration by the Sunday schools in Fort Des Moines in '52 was reported as a fine affair, "especially when the word was given to 'fall to.'" The good things were spread upon two tables each 150 feet long. A rain came up which compelled a lively scampering for the M. E. Church where the after-dinner ceremonies were held. Rev. Mr. Cree was chaplain, W. W. William- son reader and Rev. S. Haines, orator of the day.
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