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 40
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Among the principal corporations mining coal in 1880 were the Eureka Coal and Mining Company, south of the 'Coon near Sevastopol, Norman Haskins Vol. I-19
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president and James Cormac secretary ; the Polk County Coal Company, oper- ating the Sypher mine, in South Des Moines on the Winterset branch, Wesley Redhead, president, and Norman Haskins, secretary; the Pleasant Hill Coal Company at Sevastopol, owned by W. R. White and Kenneth McRae; and the Wallers & Garver mine, at the head of Seventeenth street, East Des Moines.
The eleven firms manufacturing brick in Des Moines were, in 1880, making nearly twelve million brick, valued at $80,000. Of this output S. A. Robertson reported three million.
The "building boom" of 1880 represented a grand total of $1,195,091, as es- timated by the Leader. The biggest items in the list were: H. R. Heath's ele- vator, $17,000; Capitol engine house and sewer, $122,391; Garver's residence, East Tenth, $12,000; Garver's block extension, $10,000; Walters & Garver's new coal bank, $10,000 ; Ankeny Brothers, $15,000; Clarkson Brothers, $9,000; C. . & N. W., depots and round house, $12,500; sewers, $47,000; C. B. & Q. bridge, $85,000 ; Aborn House improvements, $10,000; C. & N. W. grading, broaden- ing tracks and water tank, $70,000; twelve four-story brick houses on Chestnut street, $48,000 ; eight brick houses, Ninth and Scott, $20,800; R. G. Orwig, $10,- 000; Callanan College, $16,500; Glucose works, $16,500; Windsor block, $16,- 000 ; Good block, $40,000; Gault House, $12,000; M. E. Church, $35,000; Mc- Cain block, $16,000; South Des Moines improvements, $50,000; improvements not otherwise reported, $100,000; Polk County Coal Company improvements, $10,000.
1881-THE YEAR GARFIELD WAS ASSASSINATED.
A new rail outlet to connect Des Moines with the Wabash system at St. Louis was the Register's new year announcement in 1881. On December 15, of the previous year, the Des Moines & St. Louis Company was organized with J. S. Clarkson, president; J. S. Runnells, vice president ; F. M. Hubbell, secre- tary, and J. S. Polk treasurer. The connection was to be made on the presen- tation of $100,000 in subsidies. This sum would have to be raised in Des Moines and along the route to be chosen. This the local company undertook to do.
The local campaign of 1881 brought out for State Senator the pioneer, Bar- low Granger, whose democracy dated from his birth and remained steadfast to the end. But Polk county, by, easy transition had nearly thirty years before passed from democracy to whiggery and a little later from whiggery to repub- licanism, and the habit of electing republicans had become so well-fixed, that even that pioneer of pioneers went down a victim of the republican habit, Hiram Y. Smith, republican, defeating him by more than thirteen hundred plurality.
The assassination of President Garfield on July 2, chilled and appalled every heart. Though the times were not as critical as in '65, when Lincoln's life went out, yet a feeling of uncertainty as to the future of the republic impressed every one to whom the news came that, a second time in the history of the country, the President had gone down before the onslaught of a notoriety-loving crank. After weeks of suffering and hoping against hope, the end came, on the 19th of September, and a wave of sorrow passed over the community ob- literating all partisan and party differences. From that sad Sunday morning when the announcement of the shooting was made in Des Moines, until the de- plorable certainty was known, there were many evidences of intense anxiety per- vading all classes of the community. The dignified and reassuring acceptance of the burden of the presidency by Vice President Arthur did much to calm per- turbed minds everywhere. It was not long before the Des Moines friends of the dead President, who had thoroughly distrusted Arthur, the New York poli- tician, vied with one another in commending the wise and patriotic administration of President Arthur.
September 13, Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Youngerman celebrated their silver wedding anniversary, at their new and elegant home on Third and Chestnut
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streets. Judge Casady on behalf of the Knights Templar of Des Moines pre- sented them with a bronze clock and a silver ice-pitcher.
Late in September the Leader newspaper was bodily transferred from its old quarters to new and elegant quarters where it would have room to expand and grow. The working force of the Leader was then as follows: Editor, L. W. Goode, associate editor, H. J. Philpott, city editor, G. G. Wright, Jr., tele- graph editor, John M. Pope, advertising man, John F. Olsen, subscription man, Ed. D. Finch.
The fall of 1881 witnessed the advent of a business enterprise which was destined to become one of the foremost institutions of the city, with agencies in every part of the globe. Lowell Chamberlain, of the firm of Chamberlain & Company, of Marion, Iowa, late in September completed arrangements for a removal of the company's business to Des Moines. He purchased a residence on Eighth street, and leased for business purposes two stories and the basement of the Kuhn building on Court avenue. On the Ist of October the company moved in. This company began business in a small way some time in 1874, and their business had grown so rapidly that a change was inevitable. The com- pany soon found their new quarters too small, and moved to the three-story building on Locust and Fifth. Thence, later, to the large and well-appointed brick building at the top of the hill on Sixth avenue, where by persistent push- ing and the merit of their proprietary medicines, the business of the Chamber- lain Medical Company has grown to enormous proportions, being one of the large employing manufactories in the city.
Near the close of the year 1881, a Des Moines Charitable Aid Society was organized with sub-organizations in every ward, the worthy purpose of which was to systematize charity work, to study causes and effects, and begin at the foundation of all effective relief work, a removal or mitigation of the causes of pauperism. Many of the leading women of the city were interested in the organization.
The Last of Captain Allen's Men.
In 1881 there died in California one of the last of the little band of enlisted men who came to Des Moines with Captain Allen in 1843, Josiah M. Thrift, by name. His widow, Mrs. Eunice Jewett Thrift is undoubtedly the oldest sur- vivor of the military period of Fort Des Moines' history. The widow came to the Fort the bride of that useful personage, the tailor of the garrison. Eunice Jewett was nineteen years old when she left her home in Jefferson county to take up her new life with the little garrison. Her prospective husband came up the river with Captain Allen in the spring of '43, and in November of that year went back to Libertyville for his bride. The two were wedded in Decem- ber and soon after made the journey to the Fort. Thrift soon took a squatter's claim on a piece of land on the high ground in what is now Union Park. Here he erected a log cabin which is still to be seen in the park. Here their daughter Hannah was born, in March, 1845,-the first white child born in Polk county, and here in 1847, was born their son, William H. Thrift, the first male white child born in the county, and thought to be the oldest native-born Iowan now living.2 Mrs. Thrift's father and mother, David and Mary Jewett,3 followed the daughter to Fort Des Moines in 1845 and settled on the land just east of the Thrift claim, in what is now Capital Park addition. The father died in 1850, and was buried in a cemetery near west 16th and High streets, no trace of which now remains. Widow Jewett lived on the farm for many years. J. M. Thrift went to California in 1850, leaving his wife on the home place. Three years later he returned and opened a tailor shop on Second street, then the
2 Gen. William H. Thrift was Adjutant-General of Iowa during the administration of Governor Cummins, and is now custodian of the National Cemetery at Pineville, La.
3 Grandfather and grandmother of George A. Jewett, long one of Des Moines' most prominent citizens.
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business street of Des Moines. In '56 the Thrifts removed to Boonsboro; and in '73 to California where, eight years later, Mr. Thrift died. Mrs. Thrift is still living with a younger son, Sabin. She has two daughters, Sarah and Ella, who live near Des Moines.4
Hon. Thomas Power O'Connor, the famous Irish Member of Parliament and orator, was introduced to a Des Moines audience December 23, Vicar-Gen- eral Brazill making the presentation. His brilliant address, a plea for home rule in Ireland was vigorously applauded.
Des Moines had by the close of the year 1880 become the metropolis of the State, and a year later it had far out-distanced all its river-town rivals. Its jobbers were reaching out into all fields, and its manufacturers were enlarging and drawing other manufactories to the commercial center which they had helped create. Out of the confusion of rival interests and repeated failures leading on to success, the invincible faith of the city and of its captains of in- dustry and advance agents of prosperity had splendidly achieved and was still achieving. It is impossible to follow all the ins and outs of promotion during those railroad-building years. To note even the meetings held would have been to extend this work even beyond the generous limits of a local history. The most that can be done is to present the product of that railroad-construction period as witnessed in actual connections made with the outside world. The roads centering in Des Moines in 1881 were the Rock Island, the Burlington, the Northwestern, the Wabash, the St. Louis & Pacific, the Keokuk & Des Moines, the Des Moines & Fort Dodge, the Des Moines, Indianola & Missouri, and the Des Moines, Winterset & Southwestern. Many of these lines have since been consolidated with the main trunk lines, as will be shown in a separate chapter.
The roads planned, and in process of construction were the Des Moines, Osceola & Southern, the Des Moines, Boone & Northern, the Minneapolis, Des Moines & St. Louis, the Des Moines, Marshalltown & Milwaukee, the Des Moines & Kansas City and a branch of the Milwaukee.
At this time Des Moines had a board of trade which was doing much to develop the city's trade and manufactures and to compile statistics for promotive purposes. The Board was fortunate in having as its secretary J. P. Bush- nell, a statistician with a genius for promotion. Mr. Bushnell was a prototype of the modern professional city promoter. Much of his work, valuable as it was then, has proved invaluable since.
The year 188I was pronounced by the Register the greatest epoch experi- enced in the city's building history. The building reported during the year ag- gregated $2,029,344. Thirty-seven business blocks and 725 residences were built during the year. The principal items reported were: On the new Cap- itol, $135,834.43 ; Kidd's Alcohol Works, $175,000; Turner Street Car company, $13,500; Watt, Cochrane & Sperry, $20,000; Aborn House addition, $22,000; Morgan House, $30,000; First M. E. Church, $40,000; Iowa Tile Company, $21,000 ; H. M. Rollins, five houses, $10,000; H. E. Bernard, residence, $12,- 000; Weeks pottery, $10,000; Clapp, on block, $10,000; C. A. Johnson, block, $15,000; J. Trostel, block, $14,000; J. M. Coggeshall, dwelling, $12,000; F. Meek, dwelling, etc., $10,000; J. S. Runnells, dwelling, $10,000; State Journal Association brick block, $30,000; C. S. Vorse, block, $30,000; Hawkeye Insur- ance company, addition, $13,000; School building, Third, $12,000; C. & N. W. road freight depot, etc., $40,000; J. S. Clark, block, 15,000; Wabash railroad bridge, $34,000 ; F. Dillon & Son, $15,000; T. E. Brown, $10,000. Tile works, East side, $30,000; improvements on University Place by the Drake University Land Company, $22,000.
4 For most of the data in this sketch, the author is indebted to Mr. George A. Jewett, whose sketch of his aunt appeared in The Christian Worker, Des Moines, May, 19II.
DES MOINES SECOND COURT HOUSE Torn down to make place for the new court house
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It was a great year for S. A. Robertson's brick works, and for building material sales. Conrad Youngerman, F. S. Whiting, C. H. Atkins and other builders had all they could do. The coal output was about 26,000 tons more than the year before. The real estate changing hands aggregated 2,232 separate sales, representing $2,721,993. The manufactures were reported as exceeding $3,770,- 000. The aggregate business done in the city during the year was estimated at $25,014,118.
1882-THE YEAR OF THE AMENDMENT CAMPAIGN.
The Des Moines Board of Trade, having more than made good in '81, or- ganized for 1882 with new hope and assurance and with many new members. Its officers were: J. H. Windsor, president; Thomas Hatton, and George H. Maish, vice presidents ; treasurer, Simon Casady ; secretary, J. P. Bushnell. Its directors were: W. W. Witmer, E. J. Ingersoll, T. S. Wright, H. C. Colver and L. Mott. Its "Address to Manufacturers and Others in Search of a new Home or Business Location," can scarcely be improved as a piece of modern city advertising.
The Ninteenth General Assembly found the Des Moines Congressional Dis- trict unanimously urging the selection of John A. Kasson for United States Sen- ator. But it became apparent that James F. Wilson would be elected and con- sequently, in the republican caucus early in January, Senator H. Y. Smith, of Polk, with authority from his candidate, withdrew Mr. Kasson's name and seconded that of Mr. Wilson.
The inauguration of Governor Buren R. Sherman, at Moore's Opera House January 10, was attended by many local and state dignitaries.'
"The Sons of Vermont," sat down together at the Exposition building Jan- uary 18. The banquet of the year before was so enjoyable that it was repeated and with even a greater degree of success. S. S. Brinsmaid, C. A. Dudley, Cromwell Bowen and others supplied the flow of soul.
On the 19th of January, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the organization of the Constitutional Convention of 1857, the surviving members of that body-the body that finally settled the question of a removal of the Capitol to Des Moines -- assembled in the Capital city which they had helped create. It was a his- toric gathering. Opened with prayer by Rev. J. A. Nash, and a song of welcome by local singers, the address of welcome was delivered by Judge Wright, the response by Francis Springer, who was president of the convention. Senator- elect Wilson delivered the formal address. The session lasted two days. On the evening of the first day a reception was given the visiting statesmen at the hospitable home of Louis Harbach.
In February Judge and Mrs. Cole threw open Colechester Place to states- men of the General Assembly and citizens of Des Moines and their wives and daughters. Fully five hundred persons were in attendance.
On February 23, John B. Gough, the world-famous temperance orator made a Des Moines audience laugh and weep alternately.
Vice President Hopkins of the Wabash System visited Des Moines March 2, accompanied by the officers of the new Iowa division of his road. He came to arrange the final connection of the Wabash with its Des Moines line.
In the Register of April 5, J. S. Clarkson printed a lengthy dispatch, contain- ing the good news he had long been waiting for, namely, that the building of the Wisconsin, Iowa & Nebraska road (the "Diagonal") was an assured fact, if the people along the line would but do their part. Contracts had been signed for all the money necessary to build the road and equip it. In anticipation of this announcement, a local company had already been organized, with Dr. George Glick, of Marshalltown, president, Samuel Merrill, vice president, Hoyt Sherman, treasurer. The desirability of this line was strongly presented and generally accepted as fact.
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The old schoolhouse on the corner of Second and Locust streets, built in 1848,-the building once occupied by Mrs. Thompson Bird as a private school,- was burned down April II, thus removing another old landmark. Among those who saw, or read of, the fire with many a regret were L. H. Bush, H. Y. Smith, Henry Good, W. K. Bird, Mrs. W. W. Moore, Mrs. F. M. Hubbell, Mrs. Ma- tilda Henry and Mrs. Gus Smith, former pupils of Mrs. Bird.
John McCullough, who made his first appearance in 1880, returned to Des Moines in April, '82, and made a powerful impression upon large audiences in his more robust tragic rôles.
The gathering storm of sentiment in favor of Constitutional Prohibition received new strength locally, when Judge W. H. McHenry, of the District court, a rock-ribbed democrat, announced by letter at a Business Men's Tem- perance Meeting April 10, that he would support the proposed amendment, giv- ing his reasons therefor.
A historic Fort Des Moines home, that of Rev. Thompson Bird, erected in 1847, in the open space surrounded with hazel brush on the square east of Fourth street on Grand avenue, was destroyed by fire April 19.
"The Big Distillery," the International Alcohol Works, was in full operation early in May, changing the simple elements of corn, etc., into alcohol, to sup- ply the Glasgow and Marseilles market.
The first commencement at Drake University occurred in June, 1882, and was an event from which date many improvements in the northwestern end of the city, and, far more than that, an event of great significance to the intellec- tual and moral life of the community, and of the middle west.
The deadly tornado, early in June, which destroyed so many lives and dam- aged so much property in Grinnell-deeply stirred the sympathies of the people of Des Moines. Mayor Carey called on the city for aid and the response was speedy, eliciting hearty thanks from Mayor Perry of Grinnell. At a meeting of citizens $1,217.26 was promptly raised as a relief fund, and plans were laid for early shipment of clothing. Subscriptions came in later increasing the total by several hundred dollars. A home benefit concert still further increased the fund.
Miss Frances Willard, the temperance evangel, president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union made two addresses in Des Moines June II, one in Moore's Opera House, the other at Lewis's Opera House on the east side. This womanly woman made a profound impression, stirring many to action for the cause of Prohibition.
The Sheuerman Brothers came from Marengo to Des Moines, and, overhaul- ing the glucose factory, Eighth and Vine, at an expense of $75,000, inaugurated the Capital City Woolen Mill, which in the summer of '82 was in full running order with a small army of employes. They also opened a salesroom on Locust street and began reaching out for the large business which afterward was drawn their way. The Woolen Mill was a conspicuous example of what the aggressive railroad policy of local promoters was doing and was destined to do for Des Moines, for the removal from Marengo was because of the shipping advantages offered by Des Moines.
The Close of the Amendment Campaign.
Then came the 27th of June, the day on which the voters of Iowa were called upon to decide the open question of an amendment to the Constitution prohib- iting the sale of intoxicants as a beverage within the limits of the State. The approaches to the date were marked by frequent prohibition rallies and by thor- ough organization on the part of the opponents of the measure. To the last the issue was in doubt. The women took an active part in the canvass and at the polls. Prayer meetings were held in the churches, and relays of women worked at the polls. The river cities polled a large vote against the amendment ; but most of the interior cities and nearly all the interior counties gave majori-
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ties for it. In the size of its majority Des Moines led all the rest, giving 1,259 majority for the measure. The amendment carried the state by more than 29,000. There was jubilation in Des Moines. The bell of the Presbyterian church, at 10.30 that evening, rang out the signal of victory.
On the evening following, the courthouse was crowded with jubilant women and men eager to find expression for their overflowing enthusiasm. That vet- eran in the prohibition cause, Judge Nourse, called the meeting to order. Mr. Sobeiski, who had taken active part in the canvass, first spoke. He was followed by Mrs. Laura G. Fixen, who had worked among the Scandinavians, Mrs. L. D. Carhart, State President of W. C. T. U., Mrs. Skelton, Miss Willard, Mrs. J. Ellen Foster and other prominent members of the W. C. T. U. It had been preeminently a woman's campaign, and the women felt they had a right to lead in celebrating the victory,-and the men cheerfully conceded their right.
On July 7, Mr. Kasson, the Des Moines candidate, was nominated for Con- gress by acclamation.
The National Tariff Commission convened at the Aborn House September 15. This new body, created by President Arthur, as authorized by Congress, came to Des Moines to investigate the general conditions in the West with a view to reporting such revision of the tariff as in its judgment was found to . be necessary. The Board of Trade entertained the Commission and a number of leading citizens presented conditions in Iowa. The wide scope of the com- mission's inquiry may be inferred from the following committees appointed to present Iowa conditions to the attention of that body :
Farm Products-C. F. Clarkson, B. F. Gue.
Agricultural Implements-J. H. Given, Adam Dickey.
Iron and Steel-S. J. Loughran, H. A. Noble.
Lumber-C. H. Getchell, Robert Fullerton.
Wool and Woolens-H. Sheuerman, W. W. Carpenter.
Mining-Wesley Redhead, Rufus Ford.
Labor-F. S. Whiting, Conrad Youngerman, J. P. Clark, J. C. Regan.
Miscellaneous Industries-George Lendrum, J. H. Windsor, L. H. Goode, W. E. Andrews, O. H. Perkins, J. A. Wilson, F. M. Gilbert, B. M. Ford, J. A. Ankeny, J. P. Bushnell, J. R. Serrin, F. V. Stone, F. M. Mills, N. W. Hunter.
The Commission spent two days in listening to papers, also to speeches by Henry J. Philpott and W. W. Witmer, representing the Iowa Free Trade League ; Messrs. Loughran, Goode, Andrews, Gue, Noble, and others, on subjects of State and local interest. The value of this visit may have been inestimable: but few there be now who even know there existed a tariff commission prior to the one of recent creation !
All this while "The Diagonal" was reported progressing, but with Des Moines apparently left out, the city having thus far failed to respond to the road's de- mands. Another movement to vote a tax was started; but in September 26 the proposed tax was voted down by over 1,300 majority.
The Des Moines Northern was at this time open to Boone and running one train a day between Des Moines and Boone.
On November 6 Des Moines was favored with through sleeping car service to and from St. Louis.
The promoters of Des Moines' railroad interests, undeterred by the recent adverse vote, renewed negotiations with the Diagonal management, though with little apparent show of success. Meetings were held, committees were appointed, and from time to time thereafter the prospects were thought to be good; but the desired end was still far in the future.
The new City Hall, which was thought to be quite elegant in its time, was turned over to the city officials late in December. Even then the jail was thought
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to be too small. But at the time there was a "Carnival of Crime," which crowded the jail.
The Board of Trade in its report for 1882 showed that Des Moines' grain and wholesale trade shipments exceeded those of the previous year by about 20%, and that the manufacturing interests of the city had increased in about the same ratio. The city's coal interests had also been greatly developed.
The Register's annual statement of Des Moines' building improvements makes 1882 the best year yet, showing improvements aggregating nearly $3,000,000. Among the larger items in its list are: R. P. Clarkson, residence, $12,000; W. L. White, residence, $10,000; O. H. Perkins, block, $30,000; State Insurance Company, building, $18,500; Goldman & Hyman, store buildings, $12,000; H. J. Rice, $12,000; City Hall, $25,000; F. Meek. business, $12,000; Warfield & Howell, $30,000; Wabash Round House and Machine Shops, $15,- 000 ; Clarkson Bros., Register block, $15,000; Des Moines Water Works, $75,- 000; Harry Elliott, dwelling, $12,000; Des Moines Bank, $14,500; street pav- ing, $157,750; sewerage, $58,051; curbing, $24,161; sidewalks, $35,000; new Capitol building, $200,000; Pipe & Tile Company, machinery, $15,000; East Side City building, $18,000; F. W. Vorse building, $16,000; George Garver, dwelling, $18.000; the Gilcrests building, $15,200; International Distillery, $500,000 ; Gilbert Starch Works, $25,000; Gas Company, $50,000; Drake Univ- ersity, $21,150; J. D. Seeberger, residence, $35,000.
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