USA > Iowa > Benton County > History of Benton County, Iowa. From materials in the public archives, the Iowa Historical society's collection, the newspapers, and data of personal interviews > Part 13
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The completion of the first bridge across the Cedar river, at Vinton, June 27, 1857. and the abandonment of the old ferry. which had been used for five years, marked the first step in really sub- stantial progress toward giving the people of Benton county fair means of communication with their neighbors and transportation for their goods and farm products. It cost $8,000, and was a toll bridge. but the charges were no higher than the usual ferry rates. and the villagers proudly preened their feathers, as-"'ours is, at the present time, we believe. the only bridge now completed across the Cedar above Cedar Rapids."
BUILDING OF THE FIRST REAL BRIDGE.
It is true that the legislature had provided for state roads as carly as 1847, and had also declared the Red Cedar river a naviga- ble stream worthy of being improved by congress; but the improve- ment, both of roadways and waterways, had been largely confined to suggestions of what should be done. But the building of a sub- stantial bridge brought practical men to the front, who had well defined ideas about steamboats and stages and also those who were before their times in the building of railroads. That $8,000 bridge was a plain notice that Vinton and Benton county were in the race for western development and wanted to get in touch with every-
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thing that was going on. The first crossing of a team was safely made on Saturday, June 27, 1857.
In November, 1856, a construction company was organized com- posed of J. C. Traer. J. E. Palmer. J. W. Filkins, John Mason, J. S. Hunt and others, and in the following January a license was granted to the Vinton Bridge Company (Mr. Traer, president) io ereei. the bridge at the north end of Main street. As completed. it was 462 feet long. the superstructure resting on eight piers. each composed of sixteen piles driven twelve feet into the bed of the river. There was a clear passage-way of sixteen feet. but. as became forcibly evident, due allowance had not been made for am- bitions captains with cabined steamboats. The structure remained a toll bridge until 1862. when it was sold to the county. One of its spans was swept away by high water in 1865, and soon after- ward it was taken down.
DAILY STAGE COMMUNICATION.
Since the spring of 1855, Vinton had enjoyed daily stage com- munication with Cedar Rapids and in January, 1856, the Western Stage Company put on a daily line of four-horse coaches between Iowa City and Cedar Falls via Vinton. A line was also run be- tween Cedar Rapids and Cedar Falls by John Weare. Jr .. these means of communication and transportation forestalling her rail- roads of the later days. The Western Stage Company disposed of its route in July 1861. about the time that the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad (now Chicago and Northwestern) was completed through the southern part of the county, via Blairs- town and Belle Plaine.
By 1862 Vinton and the county had outgrown the system of toll bridges-anything that impeded free communication with the outer world and general progress of the commmity was to be re- moved. Hence the agitation for a free bridge across the Cedar river, which resulted in the purchase of the toll affair by the county. during the later part of 1862. and throwing it open to the public traffic-"free, gratis, for nothing." The wooden bridge of 1867, the ends of which rested on wooden abutments made of piles. be- came so decaved and unsafe by the spring of 1876 that an iron structure was completed in that year by the Clinton Bridge Com- pany at a cost of $20,000. Its abutments were of course constructed of stone. Six years before the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Min- nesota Road had built its 1.500 ft. bridge over the Cedar river-
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the largest which spanned that stream -- and trains had been run- ning for a number of years through the northern part of the county over what is now the Chicago. Rock Island and Pacific sys- tem.
But before the railroads came to stay the steamboats had to have their little day on Cedar river.
THE STEAMBOAT ERA, 1858-1860.
The shallowness of Cedar river so limited the usefulness of steamboat navigation that the excitement and trials of that period covered less than two years of time. The "Black Hawk" (alias "Export"'), which was the first and only representative of this means of transportation, drew eighteen inches of water-except during the low stages of summer and autumn, when she "stuek,"' or was laid up until a heavy rain came.
DOINGS OF THE STEAMER "EXPORT."
The steamer "Export." which was built at Cedar Rapids by F. Sinith and Company, in the sunner and fall of 1858. was one hun- dred feet in length. nineteen feet beam, and two and a half feet hold. The engine was sixty horse-power. three feet stroke and nine inch cylinders; the boiler twelve feet long, and the side wheels twelve feet in diameter. While the boat was in process of building notice was served on the Vinton Bridge Company, requiring that corporation either to construct a suitable draw or abate the bridge which was claimed to obstruct navigation. in violation of the legis- lative prommeiamento which declared the Red Cedar river a nav- igable stream.
The "Export" arrived at Vinton October 2, 1858. at high noon on her trial trip to Waterloo. She was received at the bank landing by a delegation of citizens and a shouting crowd of school children, while a loud-monthed brass, cannon, also in the foreground. added emphasis to the importance of the occasion. The ordinance was not quite equal to its duties, as it shed one of its rings, "which struck Mr. A. K. Webb. cansing quite a serious injury-" but "we are happy to learn he is rapidly recovering." An anvil salute also was a feature of the reception. After discharging a portion of her sixty-ton cargo, the " Export" proceeded on her way to Waterloo without further incident. As she had no cabin above deck. at this time. she had no trouble in passing under the Vinton bridge.
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BECOMES THE "BLACK HAWK."
Before the season closed the "Export" made four round trips between Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, via Vinton, but in the spring of 1859 she changed ownership. was overhauled. repainted and christened "Black Hawk." A cabin was also built above deck. The first trip of that season began at Cedar Rapids March 16th. with J. J. Snouffer. master and clerk; W. D. Watrous, mate; Thomas Stanley, engineer, and W. Vance, pilot. Captain Snouffer, an- ticipating trouble with the Vinton Bridge Company on account of the "Black Hawks's" new cabin. had shipped an extra force of men and provided them with ropes and tackle, with orders to tear down the bridge in case he could not pass under it. Under the cirenmistances, that corporation knew that the Red Cedar river was being obstructed. in violation of law, and Captain Snouffer and his men were not obliged to adopt violent measures. Instead, the "Black Hawk" triumphantly passed through one of the spans of the bridge which had been raised by its owners. As there were several cargoes of goods awaiting shipment from Vinton, the boat did not visit Waterloo until the accumulation had been removed.
The Benton County Democrat notes the arrival of the steamer thus, in its issue of March 19th : "The new steamer 'Black Hawk' arrived at our wharf on Thursday, morning with freight and passengers from Cedar Rapids. She returned the same day with one thousand sacks of corn. Her trips will not be extended above Vinton until the large amount of grain in store is shipped off. Captain Snouffer commands the 'Black Hawk,' and under his management the boat will lose no time. Further improvements will be made on the landing as soon as the weather will pernit." Two young men were left behind in Vinton on this trip and the Democrat truly sympathizes with them: "How they are to get to Cedar Rapids, unless they await the return of the boat is a question yet to be decided, as the roads are in such bad condition that no kind of vehicle can be got through." A little illustration of the drawbacks of these times. which were not really pioneer either !
LAST TRIPS OF THE "BLACK HAWK."
The first three trips of the "Black Hawk" appeared most encouraging. She brought to Vinton forty tons of freight and took
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away, in produce, about four hundred. During the season of 1859 she made twenty-nine round trips, one of Captain Snouffer's con- signments being forty barrels of whiskey for parties in Waterloo, . which cost six dollars per barrel delivered. But the uncertainties of the traffic indneed the owners of the "Black Hawk" to sell it in the fall, and a period was put to steamboating on the Cedar, as a commercial factor, in the spring of 1860. The steamboat passed Vinton on her first trip of that season, on Tuesday, March 13th, returning on the following evening. Thursday morning she left for Cedar Rapids with a small load of grain, as the river was very low, and it was stated by the Democrat "she will not probably come up again until we have rain to raise the river." The season of 1860 settled the fate of the "Black Hawk." as it was a succession of groundings and lay-ups.
The boat was taken to the lower Mississippi and, during the Civil war, went to pieces by running into an obstruction near Mem- phis, Tennessee.
EARLY STATE ROADS IN BENTON COUNTY.
Section 5 of "An act for laying out and establishing certain roads therein named." approved February 18, 1847, appointed James Leverich, of Linn county. Charles Cantonwine, of Benton, and William Hunt. of Black Hawk county, commissioners to lay ont and establish a State road. beginning at Cedar Rapids; thence to or near the house of Mr. Strawn, in Lin county; thence to the county seat of Benton: thence to the Falls of the Cedar.
By aet approved. February 25, 1847, E. B. Spencer, Sammel M. Lockhart, and William Bells, were appointed commissioners to establish a State road from the county seat of Benton county to Quasqueton. Buchanan county.
Section 10 of "An act to locate and establish certain roads." approved February 5. 1851, appointed James Allenworth, of Linn, John Alexander. of Benton. and David S. Pratt, of Black Hawk, to locate and establish a State road from Center Point to Marys- ville. Benton county; thence by the residence of James Virden to the Big Woods, via John II. Messinger's, to Rice's old trading house.
Section 25. of the same act. appointed William Williams, of Muscatine, Isaac Cook. of Linn, and John Royal, of Benton. to locate a State road from Cedar Rapids, via Fremont (Vinton), in Benton to Fort Clarke.
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Section 45 appointed Samuel C. Trowbridge. of Johnson. Andrew D. Stephens, of Benton, and C. C. Sloeum, of Iowa county. to locate a State road from Marengo to Fort Clarke.
Section 30 of "An act in relation to certain State roads ther-in named, " approved Jannary 22. 1853. appointed George W. Voress. of Marshall .. David F. Bruner. of Tama, and A. D. Stephens. of Benton, to locate a State road from A. D. Stephens' to the south- east corner of Hardin county.
Section 49, of the same act, appointed E. A. Brown. of Black Hawk, John Blunt. of Chickasaw, and W. C. Stanberry. of Benton. to locate a State road from Fremont to Waterloo ; thence to John H. Messinger's. in Bremer county; thence to Bradford, in Chick- asaw county.
Sertion 1 of "An act to establish certain State roads." ap- proved January 24. 1855. appointed James B. Kelsey and Thomas B. Stone, of Linn. and Harrison Bristol, of Benton. to locate a State road from Cedar Rapids via Bear Creek Mill. Vinton and Waterloo, to Cedar Falls.
Section 12. the same act. appointed Andrew Stein. of Benton. John Ross and David Bruner, of Tama, to locate a State road from Cedar Rapids to Toledo.
Section 9. of " An act in relation to State roads." approved January 28. 1857. appointed (Wesley) Whipple, of Benton. James Barclay of Black Hawk. and Thomas R. Talbot, of Fayette. 10 locate a State road from Vinton, via Barclay. Fairbank and Linn. to West Union.
Section 12, of the same aet. appointed F. A. Morgan. of Ken- kuk, Martin Ballard. of Towa, and S. P. Price. of Benton. to locate a State road from Sigourney. via Millersburg. Genoa Bluff's and Kosta. to Vinton.
RAILROADS OF BENTON COUNTY.
When the "Black Hawk" was taken off the Cedar river sur- veys had already been made by the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad and construction had commenced through the southern townships of Benton county toward Council Bluff's. by way of Blairstown and Belle Plaine.
It was the belief in the late fifties, that Vinton would obtain railway service through the Cedar valley branch of the Chicago. Towa and Nebraska Railroad and in April. 1857, by a vote of ROS
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to 467, the citizens of the county authorized a subscription of $150, 000 in stock of the company to forward the enterprise. In payment the county was to issue twenty-year bonds, bearing ten per cent in- terest. But before the bonds could be prepared A. D. Stephens, a good conservative citizen who foresaw the magnitude of the pro- posed financial burden, filed a petition in the district court at lowa City for a writ of injunetion restraining the county from issuing them. He was successful. and saved the county from assuming the payment. in twenty years of $150,000 in principal and $300,- 000 in interest. During the previous year (1856) the proposition to issue $250.000 in bonds to aid that enterprise met with such public opposition that JJudge Douglass withdrew his order calling for a special election to vote upon it.
FIRST RAILROAD FOR SOUTH SLOPE.
The original surveys of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad Company were from Cedar Rapids to Sioux City, via Vin- ton, but. as stated, the line was finally constructed to Council Bloffs, via Blairstown and Belle Plaine, and was held to be some- what of a victory for the South Slope.
BENTON COUNTY'S NORTHERN ROAD.
In 1865 the Cedar Rapids and St. Paul Company was organized at. Cedar Rapids, and agreed to build a line through Benton county by way of Vinton for the sum of $75,000 and swamp lands valued at $15.000. Three years afterward the franchise of the company. and a small monut of grading for a road bed. became the property of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railroad. the officers of which were: George Green, president : Charles Masou, vice president ; R. M. Green, secretary ; and J. W. Traer, general agent. I'nder this management work was pushed to such good purpose that in November, 1869. the first train arrived at Shellsburg. from Cedar Rapids, and on the 12th of the following month Vinton cele- brated the event in a series of quite elaborate functions.
The Vinton Eagle forecasts the grand celebration in the follow- ing. published October 20. 1869: "We learn from good authority that the railroad bridge at the Cedar river crossing will be com- pleted by the first of next week, and that a month will probably show us the iron horse in Vinton." Then comes a letter from Hon.
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J. W. Traer, written from Cedar Rapids. He was assistant sup- erintendent of the second division of the road, covering Benton and Linn counties, and wished to give the people of Vinton some idea of the magnitude of the project-and did so in detail-expand- ing especially on the 1,500 feet bridge over the Cedar river. the largest over that stream. A. Spaulding, of Vinton, had charge of the tieing. "With reasonably fair weather," he writes. "1 feel strong confidence that we will greet you with the short of the iron horse on the first of December. I may here say that two of our engines. the "James F. Ely' and the ' William Greene,' have arrived. and we are using the 'Ely' in construction. They are from the well known Hinckley and Williams works. Boston, and our engin- eers pronounce them splendid with Messer and Ellingberg in the cab and Capt. Ed. Colter as conductor on the train with his gentle- manly assistant. Martin, at , the brakes, we feel that we can invite our friends soon to a pleasant and safe ride."
In November the good people of Shellsburg celebrated the ar- rival of the excursion train from Cedar Rapids in the hall used by the Masons and Odd Fellows. Two hundred and fifty good cit- izens and citizenesses were in the banquet room, and the Burling- ton, Cedar Rapids and Minnesota was toasted and re-toasted. Hon. J. W. Traer invited all to the Vinton celebration, and all assured him of their presence.
IRON HORSE TROTS INTO VINTON.
The progress of the last two miles of track building into Vin- ton is thus described by the Eagle : "One week ago yesterday (December 7th) the track layers on the B. C. R. & M. R. R. had reached a point about two miles from town, just east of the Poor Farm. The general impression then was that the track would be laid to the depot grounds in the corporation limits by Friday even- ing last. Some delays and bad weather were experienced which prevented this and again oyster bets were renewed as to the exact time when we should be numbered among the railroad towns of Iowa.
"Monday morning we trudged down to Mnd Creek, hearing that the track had progressed a few rods west of the bridge at that point. When we arrived at the ground we were at some loss to
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know how many hands the company employed, for citizens of all ages and sizes were getting in the way in immense numbers-it seemed as through the whole town had taken a loafing day to see the tracklaying. Monday night the track was at the cut north of Shute's residence. Tuesday noon the work on the main track was completed so far as to allow the construction to back down west of Young and Utley's elevator, and at 12:30 P. M. (Deeember 14th) the first regular train came into Vinton, consisting of an engine and eleven cars. A great many of our citizens were on the ground, but no formal public demonstration was attempted, as it was known that morning that a regular train would be up as soon as the last spike was driven. We doubt not. however, that the grat- ification of those present was just as hearty as though it had been given expression, and it was certainly a glad day to those of us who realize what it means to see a locomotive standing in the streets of Vinton-it means triumph over difficulties."
The banquet and formal celebration took place at the College for the Blind. the toasts and speeches being given in the music hall of that institution. Leading professional and business men were present from Cedar Rapids. Blairstown, Belle Plaine Shellsburg. Waterloo. Independence. Toledo. and Cedar Falls-one hundred and fifty in all accomodated by three cars loaned by the Chicago and Northwestern. Hon. James Chapin, senator from Benton county; Capt. S. L. Dows, of Cedar Rapids; Hon. J. W. Traer. of Vinton and others were prominent among the specch makers-and early in the morning of December 22d the festivities became history. The first regular train from Vinton to Dysart. Tama county. started from the former eity at 11 :30 a. m., December the 30th.
BRANCH WEST FROM VINTON.
The Burlington. Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railroad made the survey for a branch road west from Shellsburg. through the central part of the county, Canton, Big Grove and Homer townships voting a five per cent tax to aid in its con- struction. It has since been held that this move was a "bluff"- and that it worked to a charm. At all events it so stirred Vinton to activity that she voted a bonus of $20.000 to have the branch road start from her. . The amount was paid and the road built in 1872. It was foreclosed in 1875 and the following year was pur-
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chased by the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad and is now a part of the Rock Island system. A substantial passenger depot was completed at Vinton in February, 1900.
CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL RAILROAD.
The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad surveyed a line through Benton county in 1881, via Shellsburg, and the townships through which it was expected to run again voted a tax for its con- struction. In 1882 the road was run through the tier of townships further sonth. Fremont. Eldorado. Union and Kane, with New- hall. Van Horne and Keystone as its stations.
The Kansas City division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad passes through the extreme southeastern corner of the county. having Walford as its station.
In all probability the next link in the chain of communication binding the various flourishing towns and cities of Benton county will be an interurban line or system connecting Vinton with the South Slope. Several attempts to effect this have fallen through within the past few years. On June 16. 1902. articles of incorpora- tion were filed of the Vinton, Belle Plaine and Independence Interurban Company. The plan was to touch either Urbana or Brandon on the north. and Van Horne and Keystone, on the way south to Belle Plaine. The incorporators were Matt Gaasch, George Me Elroy and John Lorenz. of Vinton, and Arthur R. and Charles S. Jones, of Chicago. Much the same scheme was revived in March. 1905: when the Towa Valley Interurban Railway Company was in- corporated by the following Belle Plaine citizens: George W. Voss. president : Thomas F. Murray, vice president; W. A. Mall. treas- urer: and II. R. Mosnat. secretary and manager. The survey was made by Prof. F. C. French. of the Iowa State College. the capital stock of the company was voted at $100.000, and the enterprise promised to materialize, but the fear that the county was not suffi- ciently populated to support such an enterprise got the upper hand of those who could plainly see the advantages of a north and south line of transportation. But it is bound to come; and the time is not far in the future.
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CHAPTER VIII.
BANKING IN BENTON COUNTY.
BY JAMES F. TRAER. 1
THE OLD TRAER BANK BOOK-JAMES C. TRAER-BANKS AS POLI- TICAL CENTERS-BELLE PLAINE BANKS -- VINTON'S OLDEST BANK, FARMERS' NATIONAL-THE HALBERTS, SHELLSBURG BANKERS-CITI- ZEN'S BANK, BELLE PLAINE-CORN BELT SAVINGS BANK, BELLE PLAINE-FARMERS' NATIONAL BANK, VINTON-STATE BANK OF VIN- TON -- VINTON SAVINGS BANK-PEOPLES' SAVING BANK, VINTON -- PEOPLE'S SAVINGS BANK, SHELLSBURG-BENTON COUNTY SAVINGS BANK, NORWAY-ATKINS SAVINGS BANK -- URBANA SAVINGS BANK --- FARMERS SAVING BANK, WALFORD FIRST NATIONAL BANK, NOR- WAY-MT. AUBURN SAVINGS BANK-LUZERNE SAVINGS BANK --- PRESENT CONDITION OF BANKS.
The first records of banking in Benton county are still in exis- tence between the well-worn leather covers of an old-fashioned day- book which is usually deposited in the safe of the Vinton Savings Bank and jealously guarded by the son of the late Dr. J. C. Traer, who opened his private institution to the public on the 31st of Jan- uary. 1856. With George and William Greene, of Cedar Rapids, as partners, he then established the private bank which he conducted, with different associates, until 1882.
THE OLD TRAER BANK BOOK.
The first part of this pioneer business book covers the period from July 5th to Christmas of 1855, and relates to Dr. Traer's general store which he sold to Thomas S. Palmer at the latter date. A week afterward, as stated, he embarked in the pioneer banking venture of Benton county and, as shown by his entries of January 31st, launched into the financial world under the following auspices :
J. C. Traer.
By paid expenses $ 27.07 .15
Interest by Cash Bills Payable
$1574.20
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HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY
By February 6, 1856, the cash on hand of the new bank had reached the total of $2838, and Benton county finances were fairly under way.
The last entry in the old Traer bank book is dated October 15. 1856 ( Wednesday), and after it, is made the annotation with per- haps an air of satisfaction, if not of pride: "J. C. Traer today elected Republican candidate for delegate to the constitutional con- vention, to meet the third Monday in January, 1857, to revise the state constitution." From the organization of the Republican party in that year until his death July 1, 1898, Dr. Traer was a stalwart Republican, and, as such, served in the constitutional con- vention noted. and as postmaster, alderman and mayor of the city of Vinton.
JAMES C. TRAER.
James C. Traer was born in Knox county, Ohio, on the 7th of September, 1825; received a common school education and mastered the tanner's trade before he moved to West-Lib- erty, Muscatine county, Iowa, in 1845. There he commenced to read . medicine with Dr. Henry Meredith, and in 1848 located in Cedar Rapids. His marriage to Miss Marcia W. Ferguson occurred in that place November 4. 1549. and his advent to Vinton dates from August 19, 1851. He practiced medicine both in Cedar Rapids and Vinton, be- ing. in fact. the first resident physician in the latter place. Upon coming to Vinton he purchased a small frame build- JAMES C. TRVER. ing for a family residence, but in 1855 built the brick house in which he lived for the remainder of his life, and which at the time of its erection was considered quite imposing. In 1858, two years after the establishment of the bank. he was admitted to the bar.
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