USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > History of Black Hawk County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 27
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A. C. Bunnell was another who came in 1854. He was later county treasurer, 1857-65.
There was not a great amount of building done in 1854. J. H. Hubbard built a brick building on Commercial Street between Fifth and Sixth. The first floor was taken up by a store. In its time it served as a postoffice, county offices when Waterloo first became the county seat, for a hotel, election house, and later a dwelling. During the high water of 1858, it then being the postoffice, the mail was delivered in boats from the east side, the mail sacks being thrown out on the platform in front, erected for the purpose above the high water mark.
Benjamin Stewart, a young man, came here the same year and constructed a blacksmith shop at the corner of Commercial and Fourth. Stewart and W. H. Brott were the only unmarried men in the village at that time. William Sachel opened the first brick yard in Waterloo in 1854. J. H. Hubbard was also interested in this enterprise. J. II. Brooks constructed a brick house on Jefferson Street in 1854, between Park Avenue and Fourth Street. It was afterwards used as
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a boarding house under the caption of Jefferson House. Samuel Deaner came here in the same year and was the first brick mason to locate here. G. M. Tinker came in 1854 and he was the contractor who built the old courthouse. John Canfield was one of the comers of this year and bought a lot of Judge Pratt on the corner of Fifth and Sycamore and constructed a log cabin on the rear of this lot. He owned quite a number of lots in the vicinity of the postoffice building. Sullivan Day, who came in 1854, occupied a prominent place in Waterloo for several years. He constructed the first two-story brick block on the east side, on Sycamore Street. Doctor Whitney, later of Cedar Falls, came that year and in company with a Mr. Martin opened a store on the east side in a building owned by Mr. Day. William Parmenter and Joshua Davis started a drug store on Commercial Street about that time, which was the first apothecary shop in the village. William Snowden bought the store. Paul Davis, one of the most promi- nent business men in Waterloo today, is the son of Joshua Davis. G. A. Whitney, a newcomer that year, was well liked in the town.
1855
In this year the county seat of Black Hawk County was changed from Cedar Falls to Waterloo. The account of this occurs elsewhere.
The Iowa State Register and Waterloo Herald was established in December, 1855. William Haddock was the editor and promoter. The history of this paper may be found in the article on journalism.
In this year S. P. Brainard opened a general store on the east side. Myron H. Smith constructed a small hotel on the corner of Water and Fifth streets.
The first democratic county convention was held in Waterloo during this year. The party had the edge in poltics at that time. The next year, however, the party went on the decline.
In 1855 there was surplus in the county treasury of $1,200 and this was de- posited with Hosford & Miller, the first county deposit in the history of Waterloo.
1856
G. W. Couch & Company erected a flouring mill in this year. This was a very important addition to Waterloo, as the settlers had previously been obliged to go to Cedar Rapids and other places to get their grinding done. It was during this year that first the germs of progress got in their work : newspaper comments predicted the Waterloo of today. A sale of lots belonging to Judge Pratt was held over an interval of three days in December. Buyers came from all parts of the country. The sum of $15.527 was realized on them. The highest price paid for a lot was $200.
This year marked the beginning of many of the churches, principally the Congregational, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian and Catholic. The two latter societies began the erection of buildings for worship.
The County Court on March 3, 1856, ordered the erection of a courthouse not to cost to exceed $13,000, which was to be paid for with surplus funds then in the treasury and by county bonds. A great many charges of graft were made over this courthouse construction and Judge Randall was the butt of a great
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amount of the accusations. Judge Randall's connection with the railroad at that time was another incident of the year, which is related elsewhere.
Frederick Hartman came to Waterloo in this year and one of his first enter- prises was the erection of a two-story frame which stood opposite the engine house on Commercial Street. He was a tinner by trade and occupied the building as a hardware store. the first one in Waterloo. This building was torn down in 1903.
Henry Sherman, John Brooks and Seth Lake built a sawmill in this year, on the site later of the Ice & Fuel Company. Hosford & Miller also built a sawmill on ground just above the present Rock Island freight depot. They sold later to M. H. Moore, who came in that year. Guy Benight built a two-story stone block on the Russell-Lamson corner. Sullivan Day also built a brick block on the cast side. It was occupied by Martin & Whitney with a general stock of goods. A man named Bullock put in a planing mill and a sash and door factory. William Had- dock, with G. M. Tinker, built a double brick house.
1857
The courthouse was completed this year and on May 7th was occupied by the county officials.
E. and W. Mears added a second story to their sawmill on the cast side and put a grist mill in. A Mr. Chase ran a sawmill on the west side in the old frame building which the Daniel-Nauman Company later used as a planing mill and sash and door factory. It stood just above the Y. M. C. A. Building's present site. The water power was supplied by Hosford & Miller. Chase had a ma- chine shop in the second story and adjoining the building had a foundry.
/ The year, as a whole, was a very dull one in Waterloo. Practically nothing was done in the way of building improvements. Even the population did not grow very fast. It was the year when the wild cat banks, which had manu- factured paper dollars until they were as thick as the leaves in the forest, came to grief.
A. J. Edwards, a prominent lawyer in Waterloo at the present time, a member of the firm of Edwards, Longley & Ransier, came to Waterloo in this ycar. He has been eminently successful since coming to Waterloo and has been popular in every phase of the city's life. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards have been the parents of six children. Besides Mr. Edwards there came G. H. East- man, Ida F. Mitchell, A. McFarlane, Edwin Mesick.
1858
The most notable thing about this year was the high water. It was easily the heaviest season for rain in Iowa history. Creeks were swollen to rivers and rivers became veritable floods. Communication between towns was im- possible and business was at a standstill. The continuous downpour of rain made farming very difficult. Nothing was accomplished and the influx of strangers and new settlers decreased at an alarming rate. Added to the water depression came the financial depression; the people were in debt. with no money in sight to get, let alone pay. The town was absolutely at a standstill
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during this year and the people were glad to be able to earn enough to live.
In this year the first and only attempt was made to use the Cedar River for navigation. The advent of the Black Hawk, that antiquated little paddle steamer, is an interesting story and is contained in the chapter on Waterways and Bridges.
Early in the year a foot bridge was put in at Fifth Street, that being where the island, then existing, was the largest. The floods carried out the bridge during the same season. A steam ferry was put in by Seth Lake. It ended by going over the dam. In the reminiscent article in this book by E. A. Raymond he describes how this boat went over, for he was a passenger at the time, had a team of horses on board, also a lady.
On September 28, 1858, the district court first convened for business in the courthouse, Judge T. S. Wilson presiding.
In this year, W. H. Hartman and George D. Ingersoll, proprietors of the Cedar Falls Banner, moved to Waterloo. The first issue of the Courier was published on January 1, 1859.
1859
Early in 1859 the people of Waterloo decided that they needed a bridge across the Cedar. The fording was very rough most of the time, sometimes impossible, and the ferries were very slow. The failure of Couch's flouring mill was at- tributed in great measure to the poor facilities of getting to it, and consequently other towns were getting the business. On February 23d a meeting was held in Capwell's Hall and plans were made for the building of a bridge. The first efforts fell through, why, no one knows. Money difficulties was the most probable reason. Later a subscription was secured. The bridge was then built under the direction of Couch, who had contributed most of the money, and tradition has it that he contributed most all of it before the bridge was completed. Charles Mullan, who owned the land where the Sans Souci Park is now located, donated the lumber and the citizens would have cutting bees and raft the logs down the river. The whole structure was made of native timber.
In this year the steamer Black Hawk made another attempt to open navigation, but got just as far as Gilbertville, when the goods were loaded into wagons and hauled to Waterloo. The Courier had a blazing announcement that the steamer would make regular trips.
The Young Men's Literary Society was in full swing during this year. On September 5th the first teachers' institute in Waterloo was opened for a week's term. Professor's Wells and Nestlerode conducted it.
In this year R. Russell, a prominent business man, erected what was known as the Russell Block, adjoining the Lamson. Building. This was then known as the Russell-Lamson Block on Commercial Street. Russell's part was 22 by 60 feet and Robinson's, who built with Russell, 20 by 60 feet. The first floor was occupied as a bank, C. J. Plato being the banker. The first story of Robinson's part was occupied by Robinson himself as a wholesale leather dealer. This was the first wholesaling business of any sort done in Waterloo.
The Russell residence was another building feature of that year, the site being on West Third Street. This residence is still standing and is in use by Mr. and Mrs. C. O. Lamson.
There were unmistakable signs that business was reviving during this year.
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1860
In the fall of this year the Illinois Central Railroad, then the Dubuque & Sioux. City, completed its track into Waterloo. The consequent friction with Cedar Falls is an interesting topic and may be found in the history of the railroads.
The increase in business this year was not very rapid. It was presidential year and politics held the boards most of the time. The population was then estimated at twelve hundred people.
1861
This year was a black one for industry and commercialism. There was a discouraged feeling in the town. War clouds hung heavy on the horizon. Ex- citement was rife everywhere and companies were formed to go to the front. Among the first soldiers leaving Waterloo were: Peter Dorlan. A. G. Eberhart, H. M. Crittenden, Lorraine Washburn, Dexter Cutter, Daniel Foote, John H. Hubbard, John Dignan. All of these were mustered into Trumbull's Company I, of the Third Regiment.
1862
Living conditions had not improved to any degree with the opening of this year. A little building was done and quite a bit of trading in wheat. This was a large shipping point at the time. The railroad also presented many advantages which maintained the level of the town.
The Legislature in the winter of 1862 passed an act authorizing the Village of Waterloo to organize fire companies. A meeting was held on May 28th, in the basement of the Congregational Church to raise funds to aid in the construction of a telegraph line from Dubuque to Cedar Falls. Notwithstanding efforts to raise the funds, it failed.
Small squads of men were dispatched from time to time to the battlefields in the South and many men left Waterloo to enlist elsewhere.
1863
This was the dullest of all years. People lived in a mechanical way. taking whatever came to them, but not putting forth much effort to get anything. The good price of wheat was an excellent aid during this year and really made the year a rich one for Waterloo. However, there were very few new settlers in that year.
Still the war went on and men left Waterloo to enlist or else departed in small bands directly for the front.
A man from the East visited the village in the late summer and secured water power for a woolen factory. At that time woolen goods were in great demand. Farmers were turning their attention to sheep raising and consequently there had to be mills.
FIRST CEDAR RIVER BRIDGE, WATERLOO Erected in 1859.
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1864
Another long year of war.
Records show that regular business was done on the Illinois Central Road. It was said that there was a daily run of fifty-six freight and thirty-four passenger trains. A snow blockade of the Illinois Central, which severed com- munication between Waterloo and Dubuque for thirteen days, was lifted on January IIth, when mail was then rushed through. The company made every effort to get rid of the snow, but it piled in as fast as it was shoveled out. The facilities for removing it were primitive compared to those now in use.
Joseph Hayden committed suicide on January 30th. This was the first case of the kind in the county. He was an odd and eccentric character and was made the subject of many jests and scoffings. Boys loved to torment him. When they broke into his room over Capwell's store and destroyed his effects, it was too much for him and he killed himself.
The west side public square was purchased from Charles Mullan in this year. It was laid off for a public square, but no deed for it had been given. A sub- scription was raised for that purpose, J. H. Leavitt and R. Russell each subscrib- ing $100. Immediately after the purchase the trees were planted, the trees. which now stand there. The price paid for the park was $500.
There was some building done that year, but not the amount promised in the early spring. There were extremely dark times every month : the armies of the North were not gaining success as rapidly as hoped by the people. There was a little residence construction on both sides of the river. Blasberg & Ott put in machinery for a woolen mill just above the present Y. M. C. A. They carded wool for two years, when they were bought out by George P. Beck.
The big brick schoolhouse was built by the Independent School District of Waterloo that year.
The Beck & Nauman Company was organized in this year and their sash and door factory put into operation.
The two big things done for Waterloo were: Securing the location of the roundhouse and machine shops here. Couch & Son erected a big frame dam across the Cedar just below the old brush and log dam, which had served its purpose for ten years.
1865
Confidence in themselves and their town gained among Waterloo people this year. The war was drawing to a close and they saw victory for the North and the perpetuation of the Union.
The charter of the First National Bank was received early in January. On April 10th the news of the surrender of Lee was received with great rejoicing. A few days later it was saddened with the tidings of Lincoln's assassination. Complete accounts of this, as well as other Civil war data, can be found in the military chapter.
A severe storm visited this section on June 16th. Rain and wind together wrought considerable damage.
The First Methodist Church on the east side was dedicated on September 24th. It stood on the corner of Fifth and Lafayette streets.
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Work on the new Central House was begun in the spring. The improvement had been projected in 1864, but now it was to be done. By July 4th it was well on to completion and the proprietors, Chapman & Williams, gave a ball on the Fourth. Over two hundred tickets were sold at $2.50 per. It was the largest dancing party ever held in the town and no better or more enjoyable has been held since. They held another dance on September 23d, at the completion of the house, which was also a rousing affair. The new structure was an addition to the old hotel, which had been moved back and formed the dining room and kitchen part of the new hostelry. The entire property was valued at about fifteen thousand dollars. The hotel completed contained a billiard parlor, a bar, barber shop, fifty bedrooms, dining room and kitchen. It was a beautiful hotel for the time.
The bridge was closed for repairs the latter part of September, having become very much dilapidated. It had undergone a partial rebuilding in 1864 and now again, so it was not strange that there was a call for a new structure altogether. This was not accorded at once.
Late in the season a proposition was before the board of supervisors to build a new bridge. A subscription and a pledge amounting to $12,000 was raised towards building a bridge at Fifth or Sixth street. The promoters of this move- ment were William Haddock, Lewis Hallock, B. J. Capwell and others. It was found that neither of the proposed streets was a county highway and that the board, for this reason, had no authority to build the bridge at either.
Building had become very brisk during this year. Beck & Nauman's sash and door factory was running full time. Many new stores and shops were opened and new enterprises started. Money was fairly plentiful. Crops were abundant and they brought good prices. From the best information obtainable there had been fifty buildings of various kinds erected in the city during the year.
1866
On January ist, George P. Beck was appointed fire chief. On the announce- ment of this result, L. F. Walker bantered, "I hope, George, that your house will be the first to burn." A short time afterwards the sawmill of Beck, Nauman & Brothers was completely destroyed by fire and a loss of $12,000 sustained. George Bloeser's grocery on Commercial Street was destroyed on January 23d, entailing a loss of $7,000. It was thought to have been of incendiary origin.
The prospects for a large amount of building in the early part of 1866 were better than they had ever been. The war was over and many men had taken up civil occupations. Homes began to spring up and working forces were enlarged to meet the increased demand for products. Plans for a new woolen mill were also advanced and G. W. Couch obtained from Blasberg & Beck a permit to construct a mill race to supply the power. The mill was not built, however, until the next season.
One of the most important events of the season for the then present and the future interests of Waterloo was the proposed extension of the Cedar Rapids & St. Paul Railway to this city and through the county.
On September Ist a span of the bridge, the first span on the west side, gave way. The bridge was in course of repairs ; in fact, it became to be in a chronic
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Iowa Central Hotel, 1875. Bridge on Cedar, looking west from Water Street, about 1868. West side of Fourth Street East, 1874.
Logan House, 1875. Fire department, 1870. Commercial Street at head of West Fourth, about 1865 or '66.
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state of repairs. A rope had been extended across it to prevent teams passing. Several teams wanted to pass and one of the men got down off his wagon and removed the rope. His team and wagon, loaded with wheat, and another team were on the span when it went down and the whole outfit was precipitated in the water below. Two horses were drowned, the wagons badly broken, the wheat lost and the men severely hurt W. W. Hutton, a member of the board of super- visors, was standing on the er and was dropped into the water, a distance of fifteen or twenty feet, but we not seriously hurt. Contrary to expectations, after this accident, the board did not try to build a new bridge, but appropriated $200 for "the repair of the bridge across the Cedar River."
The year was one of great activity in building. People were making up for lost years. The year closed with an aggregate of 250 houses, residences and addi- tions built. C. Blasberg & Company built a woolen mill of four stories on ground where the Syndicate Building now stands at a cost of $13,000. It stood on solid rock, the base being four feet below the river level. The stone walls at the bottom were six feet thick and the base from the bottom to the brick walls was about twenty feet. It was equipped with best machinery obtainable, costing $18,000. In the firm were George P. Beck. Sr., and a man named Tiede.
1867
At the beginning of this year there was a fear in Waterloo that the disastrous business collapse of ten years previous was about to be repeated. Added to this the early sowing and planting season was rainy and cold.
As usual the bridge question again came before the people. On Monday, April 15th, the high water took out a great part of the bridge. In the summer of 1866 the citizens raised $6,500 by subscription and the county appropriated $5,000 toward the bridge. G. W. Couch took the contract. The piers were put in during the winter when it was freezing cold and hot water was used in making the mortar to lay the stone. The mortar froze and when the spring freshet came this pier went out and two spans of the bridge, while two or three other of the piers suffered damage. Couch proposed to the board of supervisors to rebuild the bridge, which at that time was not finished. He asked the board to appropriate $2,000 and to build the piers of stone from Farley. The people were impatient to have the bridge and a subscription of $600 was raised and a new pier put in and others repaired, so that the structure was ready for use. P. J. Siberling had charge of this reconstruction and the Courier is authority for the statement that he hurried work forward with all possible speed. It was not a very substantial bridge, apparently, as in December it was in an unsafe condition toward the east end. Again it was repaired. About this time there was an insistent call for a bridge at Sixth Street and a fund of $8,000 was raised for this purpose.
The same high water which took out the bridge cut through the levee above town and flooded some houses. It also did some damage near the river.
In this year the grading on the Cedar Rapids & St. Paul Railway was com- pleted, excepting two or three cuts near Vinton.
A company was formed in August, consisting of Judge Couch, John Elwell, N. S. Hungerford and S. Bagg, for the purpose of building a mill on the west side. The foundations for that structure were completed during the year. The Vol. 1-15
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mill stood where the west side flouring mill later stood. It was completed during the following year. This structure was destroyed by fire in the late '90s.
Mr. Spafford started to build a flouring mill on the east side in the early part of the year, but before he completed his work he was killed in a railroad accident. A company was formed and purchased the property and by the next year had it in operation.
The Presbyterian Church was built at a cost of $8,000. It had a 100 foot steeple. There were ten church societies in the town at the end of the year.
In the schools there were 900 on the rolls; average attendance, 667; there were 1.300 books in the libraries and practically all purchased in the year.
Wheat was the largest article of trade during the year; there were 303,000 bushels shipped from the town. The whole number of bushels bought in Waterloo during the year was 438,000, which at an average price of $1.43 per bushel, put in the hands of the farmers marketing here the sum of $635.000.
The population of Waterloo at this time was 3.737.
1868
The year started out with prices for produce higher. The ice went out of the river early in March.
Prindle & Atherton established a barrel, keg and firkin factory.
The city incorporated a's a city and election for city officers held on June 21st. with following result: Mayor, R. A. Whitaker; marshal, Samuel M. Hoff ; treasurer, C. A. Farwell; solicitor, Lewis Lichty. The trustees were: G. Conger, H. B. Allen, W. A. Crowther, J. Hilferty, Sullivan Day, F. E. Cutler, R. D. Titcomb, Allen Spencer. The first meeting of the city council was held on July 24th and F. E. Cutler was chosen clerk pro tem. The mayor, city solicitor and clerk were required to give bonds of the sum of $500, and the treasurer's bond was fixed at $2,000.
On May 13, 1868, the Iowa State Reporter was started, H. Q. Nicholson being editor and proprietor. It was democratic in politics and published in quarto form.
There was expended in Waterloo $260,000 in improvements. There were 150 new buildings erected in the city. Among these improvements were: the Union Block, St. Mark's Church, Cedar Mills, City Mills and the Pardee Block.
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