USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > History of Black Hawk County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 32
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As to the first two requisites, we have a large share of those, and we have some of the latter; but there is a chance for any amount of capital to a good advantage.
POPULATION OF WATERLOO
The following table shows the rapid growth in population of Waterloo during the last thirty-eight years as compiled by the State, Government and Evening Courier. This is why Waterloo is the fastest growing city in the Northwest.
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
1860 1,800
1899 (Courier) 11,982
1866 (estimate) . 3,662
1900 (Government ) 12,580
1870 (estimate )
4,337
1901 (Courier ) 14,667
1875 (State)
5,508 1902 ( Courier) 15,817
1880 (Government) 5,630
1903 ( Courier) 16,443
1885 (State ) 6,479
1905 (State ). 18,071
1890 (Government ) 6,670
1907 (Courier ) .20,141
1895 (State)
8.490
1910 (Government ) 26,693
1806 (Courier )
9.960
1913 ( estimate ) · 32,000
1807 (Courier)
10,280
1914 (estimate)
35,000
1898 (Courier).
11,400
The above table shows the rapid growth of Waterloo in population in the past four decades. It is a growth not compared in rapidity by any other Iowa city. Newspapers have commented widely on the increase and class publications, par- ticularly those pertaining to manufactures and commerce have been interested. The booster spirit of the city has been held largely responsible for this startling growth, followed by the commercial clubs and the large numbers of factories.
Sixty years ago Waterloo was but a country hamlet, hardly that. There were but a few homes and these were built of logs. Where the waters of the Cedar River now flow between banks covered with a modern city, it then sang its song between banks which were covered with unbroken groves and shrubbery, except where the native red men had set up their tepees. Wolves, foxes and deer roamed in the untracked forests and scampered over the unbroken prairies. The loco- motive had not yet arrived on its track of steel ribbons, there were no telegraph stations, telephone, free mail delivery, both city and rural, and no easy means of transportation. Cows strayed over the down-town streets and grazed in fields now our most prominent corners. They waded in the swamp where the Irving Hotel now stands. When the drowsy occupants of the cabins awoke on spring mornings they could hear the "Boom-boo-o-m" of the prairie chickens south of the hamlet where Home Park and Prospect Hills are now dotted with modern residences. When the people wearied of pork of their own butchering they would take their guns and go out to Red Cedar Park and even farther south along the Black Hawk Creek and shoot a deer for breakfast. In the summer and early autumn the children of the pioneers, many of whom later have become important factors in the building of the modern city, would roam along the Black Hawk and Cedar and pick the luscious black haws, wild strawberries, blackberries and goose- berries, and gather hazel-nuts.
Also, in those early days there were no schools or churches except in the small log cabins.
Picture this condition with the state of the city today! Picture the City of Waterloo sixty years from today, 1914, and granting that progress will be only half of what it has been in the past sixty years, what will be the wonderful things in operation which today are not even the subject of dreams ?
ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL
This hospital is a $130,000 institution, erected on Seraphic Heights in 1910- II-12. The main building covers a ground space of 52 by 256 feet, back of which
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East Side Library. West Side Library. St. Mary's High School.
East Side High School. Presbyterian Hospital. St. Francis Hospital.
GROUP OF WATERLOO BUILDINGS
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
is the chapel, 30 by 76 feet. The exterior construction is of St. Louis pressed brick, with stone trimmings. To the east of the hospital proper are the men's work room, boiler room and laundry. Rev. H. H. Forkenbrock, then pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, was the prime mover for the hospital and he in- terested the entire city and people of other communities. It was necessary for the people of Waterloo to raise $25,000. Direct management was vested in the board of Franciscan Sisters of St. Louis, which organization maintains first class hospitals throughout the country. The hospital is non-sectarian in respect to permitting all reputable medical and surgical practitioners to make use of it.
On the first floor are two store rooms, baths and toilet, dining room, pantry, kitchen, coal room, vegetable cellar, bakery, bread room, room for preserves, elevator, nurses' dining room, room for soiled linen, sewing room, four private rooms, pharmacy, reception room, public hall, vestibule, public office, private office, doctor's office, parlor, guests' dining room, priests' dining room and study, hall, bed room and bath. On the second floor are twenty-five patients' rooms, two pa- tients' wards, two defecation rooms, two bath and toilet rooms, dressing room, chapel, two sacristies, sanctuary, pantry, elevator, and two bath rooms. On the third floor are twenty-seven patients' rooms, defecation room, two bath and toilet rooms, dressing room, gallery, upper part of chapel, pantry, elevator, two pa- tients' wards, and four private bath rooms. On the fourth floor are fifteen dormi- tories, bath and toilet room, nurses' dormitories, nurses' wardrobes, pantry, ele- vator, X-Ray room, waiting room, preparation room, nurses' laboratory, minor operating room, sterilizing room, a major operating room, surgeons' dressing and wash room, nurses' bath and toilet, nurses' parlor and lecture room, private rooms, linen and sewing room, anaesthetizing room, consultation room, instru- ment room, and surgeons' toilet. The hospital is equipped with all the latest med- ical appliances and is prepared to take care of any class of work to be had. It is one of the most modern hospitals in the State of Iowa.
TRADE UNIONS
Labor organizations are strong in Waterloo. There are twenty-four labor bodies, each with its own set of officers, and consitution and by-laws, comprised in the Central Labor Union, in addition to the several other unaffiliated bodies that are not connected and do not profess allegiance to the American Federation of Labor. There are over five thousand union men in Waterloo, most of the trades being rather strongly organized. The Central Labor Union of Waterloo has been in continuous existence since October. 1903. It had existed previous to this, but the charter now used bears the above date.
RUSSELL-LAMSON HOTEL AND ITS SITE
One of the most prominent additions to the City of Waterloo in the year 1914 is the magnificent Russell-Lamson Hotel, considered one of the best and most complete in the Middle West. This $350,000 hotel was completed and opened to the public in September, 1914, and represents the spirit and interest of Waterloo citizens as a whole, as each one worked with the whole to procure
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
this monument to Waterloo progress for the city. A note on the site of this hotel structure is appropriate :
To build the new hotel necessitated the razing of the old American House and several one-story concrete buildings. The American Hotel was one of the oldest structures in the west side business district. The Courier of July 31. 1860, says that the contract had just been let for the building of a two-story structure, sixty feet square, on the vacant corner, to be divided into three store rooms, each 20 by 60 feet. The plans were drawn by S. Cleveland and the contract was let to G. W. Couch. The improvement was to be called the Woods Block and was owned by Mr. Woods of Rochester, New York. The building was scheduled to be ready for occupancy the following spring.
When the structure was finished the upper floor was made into a lodge room. One portion of the building was occupied by the provost marshal's office for this district, during the Civil war. During the 'zos the property passed into the hands of S. Sweet, who converted the building into a hotel, then called the Commercial House. Thirty years or more ago the property passed into the hands of Renssa- laer Russell, father of Mrs. C. O. Lamson, and has been in the Russell and Lamson realty holdings ever since.
For many years the American House was conducted by L. Libby, but during recent years the hotel has been under management of John Steele.
The first circus which ever visited Waterloo showed on the site used by the Russell-Lamson Hotel. After its departure and before the ring was effaced a band of Sac and Fox Indians, then camped near the Black Hawk, utilized the premises for their tribal dances. .
After the location of the county seat at Waterloo, in 1855, the first court was held in the old American House, a brick building a few rods east of the present structure, later a part of the Lamson holdings, then owned by Judge Julius C. Hubbard, postmaster.
That the building was well put together is evidenced by the way it stood the ravages of the elements during the last half century or more. Most of the buildings erected during that period were built of elm for rough lumber, with black walnut as interior finishing. The lumber was sawed from logs cut from the forest near Denver, then known as the "big woods." Logs were plentiful. lum- ber was excellent. and structures were erected, with a view to permanency.
ATHLETICS
As in commerce, industry and civic affairs. Waterloo is very prominent in the world of sports and athletics.
The major sport of the city is baseball. Waterloo has a splendid team in the Central Association, a league composed mostly of Iowa cities. Waterloo won the pennant in 1914, beating out the Muscatine team by just a few points. A city league also draws a great deal of interest during the summer months.
Football has taken its place as the second major sport. The high schools of the cities and towns and a few independent teams supply plenty of games for the fan during the fall of the year. During the past few years basketball has become a decidedly popular sport in the county. Everyone who takes part in
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
athletics-students, business and professional men-plays basketball during the winter. Bowling has also come to be a popular winter sport.
Golf is rapidly gaining a foothold in Waterloo. The Waterloo Golf Club has about a hundred members and plans are being made for the erection of a club house. Tennis courts are scattered over the city, both public and private courts being in use during the summer. Cricket and soccer have also been introduced in Waterloo during the past few seasons.
Trap shooting is indulged in by many men of the city and county. The Gun Club of Waterloo has excellent grounds and range.
WATERLOO POULTRY ASSOCIATION
In 1904 the Waterloo and Cedar Falls Poultry Association was organized, but afterward Cedar Falls dropped out and now the organization is known as the Waterloo Poultry Association. There are thirty members, and an annual exhibit is held in December of each year. The following are the officers: President, Harry Amos; vice president, James Murtagh; secretary, Harry Fahr; assistant secretary, Charles Schneck; treasurer, H. B. Nauman.
THE THREE EPOCHS OF WATERLOO
In reviewing the history of the City of Waterloo the attention is called to the fact that there are three distinct epochs in the growth and development of the city.
In the first place, the city depended upon the development of agricultural districts surrounding and any advantages given it by the development of the ex- cellent water power which the beautiful Cedar River afforded. Great importance was placed upon this water power as an advantage over most other towns whose advantages otherwise were equal to those of Waterloo.
Waterloo, in 1858, contained a population of 400. Little difficulty was ex- perienced in taking the census in those days. A few first-comers would meet at designated place and count the houses and the people. One census was taken in 1856, when by actual count the town had 253 men, women and children. But more families came later in that year and raised the population to 400 in 1858.
There was a decided improvement to the town in 1856. George Benight built a stone block, 20x80 feet, two stories in height, on the easterly corner of Commercial and Fourth streets. Sullivan Day built a brick house of two stories on Sycamore Street, betwen Fourth and Fifth streets. It was subsequently en- larged and improved and for a number of years was occupied by the Reporter printing office. William Haddock and Titus M. Tinker built a brick house which is now occupied by J. E. Sedgwick, the original residence having been greatly enlarged and improved. These were substantial improvements, among the first in the town. The other houses in Waterloo in 1858 were nearly all built of green lumber, fresh from the soil. There were eight or ten log houses. There were two banks, those of Hosford and Miller and John H. Leavitt. The first opened in 1854, the other in 1856. Both did a large real estate business and virtually coined money on a total capital of $22,000, the first bank having $12,000. The panic of 1857, while woefully disastrous to many people, was with the years that
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
followed a rich harvest for men who had a little money and dealt in mortgages. These bankers grew rich.
There were four stores all doing a general business, two of them with good stocks for the town and the time, probably fifteen hundred to two thousand dol- lars. There was a grocery store in addition on a very modest scale. A hardware store was opened that year by a man named Fred Hartman. There was a small jewelry repair shop, a shoe shop and a blacksmith shop. There were three saw- mills and a planing mill which turned out rough work. G. W. Couch erected a flouring mill in 1858. This was the most important improvement up to date in the village. There had been a brush dam previously put in and a sawmill built and running, in the second story of which a grist flouring mill was set up. But it was a crude affair. With the sawmill run by water and furnished with a circular saw to replace the slow-going upright, and two sawmills run by steam, the addition of the Couch Flouring Mill made things lively in Waterloo. The streets would be lined with teams, bringing logs from many miles away and grain from much longer distances.
There were two hotels and a boarding house to take care of travelers and the otherwise homeless. There was one schoolhouse, a log building, on the west side, and school was also kept on the east side in part of a private house or any place that could be secured for the purpose. There was also a brick seminary building on the corner of Ninth and Bluff streets. This school for young ladies was conducted by the Misses Field for several years. Their later location was on the corner of Park Avenue and Wellington Street.
The year 1858 was the season of the high water. Nothing comparable to that season for continuous, heavy rainfall has been experienced in the state since. Water appeared to be everywhere. Travel was almost impossible. The condi- tions were depressing to business and yet something was done. Early in the year a foot bridge was erected on Fifth Street. At that time the river was divided by quite a good sized island on which there was a considerable growth of timber. The island made this the most convenient point for building the foot bridge, but the high water swept it away the same season. The Cedar River was that season swollen to immense proportions. It filled its banks, overflowed them and inun- dated all adjacent low-lying land.
Some sagacious Cedar Rapids men, seeing the impassable condition, seized the opportunity and put on a steamboat of 100 tons burden and brought freight to Waterloo. The arrival of the steamboat set the people fairly wild. In their minds in their excited states they not only felt the satisfaction of the immediate advantage, but jumped to the conclusion that they had permanent water com- munications with the outside world. J. J. Snouffer and W. W. Smith, two of the owners of the craft, and their crew, were banqueted in great style. Everything eatable, appetizing and choice, and everything drinkable that would add vim and spirit to the occasion, were in abundance and free. Toasts, responses, specches aflame with the glories of the future, predicting wonderful things for Waterloo as the result of this opening up of navigation in the Cedar, all served to create a wild and joyous enthusiasm. This was Waterloo's first booster banquet. It was the great event in the village for the year.
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
The boat made trips during the season ; one in 1859. A second one was ven- tured in that year, but reached only as far as Gilbertville, when the cargo was unloaded and hauled by steam to the City of Waterloo.
The old courthouse was completed in the year 1857 and on the 7th of May was occupied by the county officers. They appreciated the change ; offices were convenient and in striking contrast to the cramped quarters in leased buildings, which they had been compelled to occupy during the first years. The building was a creditable one and there was much rejoicing by the county officials over the change, whatever may have been the feeling of the public in general toward the building, which by a large per cent was anything but kindly. The building was located distant from the business section of the town and at a particular inconvenient spot for most of the people. It was said that it was located with a design of boosting the real estate in that section of the town. But it had no such effect. The first term of the District Court was opened September 28, 1858, T. S. Wilson presiding.
There were three church societies in 1858, namely: The Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian. The Baptist had a church building of their own.
On December 15, 1855, William Haddock, editor and proprietor, started the first paper in Waterloo, the Iowa State Register and Waterloo Herald. The Courier, Waterloo's first permanent newspaper, was launched in Waterloo in December, 1858, by Hartman and Ingersoll, the first copy being printed January 18, 1859. It proved a strong competitor of Haddock's paper, which was discon- tinued and its material moved by its purchaser to Waverly in October, 1859.
Fifty-five years ago Waterloo consisted of a lot of scattered buildings. If the reader will keep in mind the facts given in regard to business done and the places in which it was carried on, he will have little trouble in forming a very good idea of what the town was at that time. There were always men in the place who conceived the idea of making it an important business center and who were willing to make sacrifices and risk something to realize their idea; there were many others who thought solely of putting money in their pockets. That is. there were always men who lacked the spirit of enterprise except as it inured to their individual benefit. There were others equally desirous of making money but possessed of the public spirit which encourages and works for and puts money into enterprises which promise good to the general public as well as to themselves.
SECOND EPOCHI OF CITY, 1875-1896
According to the state census Waterloo in 1875 had a population of 5.508 people. The Dubuque & Sioux, now the Illinois Central Railroad, reached here in 1860 and began running trains that fall. The impetus given to business was great. Business flourished and things were lively in the building line. Waterloo, with its flouring mills, the river bridged as it was by George W. Couch in 1859, a railroad to carry freight both ways, the property of vast area being supplied from Waterloo and bringing grain, hogs and cattle and other farm produce here as the most acceptable shipping point, all tended to make business hum. The settlement and development of the surrounding country was rapid and reflected advantageously upon the city.
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
This period from 1858 to 1875 also had the advantage that came with the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railroad, which reached here in 1870.
There was a perceptible law in the increase of population after 1875. The resources which the city had were local and limited. \ trading point of an agricultural district never grows beyond the ability of the surrounding agri- culturists to support it. If favored by an especially fine water power, as is the case with Waterloo, and extra railroad or other advantages, the city will grow up to those advantages. Waterloo, too, had grown up to all of these by 1875.
More people made more local business, induced merchants to have larger stocks of goods, multiplied the number of small shops of the usual kind, harness, blacksmith and shoe shops and various lines of business in which artisans engage. The town grew at the pace indicated, keeping step with the opening up and im- provement of the agricultural districts surrounding the place and very little more. Other towns less fortunately situated as regards the water power made like growth.
From the very beginning there were men who predicted a great future for Waterloo, but there was ever too much of the disposition to allow the real or sup- posed advantages of the place to do the work and insure the important future of the place, of which many dreamed.
Reference to the records will show that after the population of the city had reached the point of 6,000 or thereabouts, it increased very little more there- after than the number of births. AAnd that 6,000 in one city with the prestige of the county seat, the advantages of the Illinois Central shops, was all that the surrounding agricultural districts, measurably cut off by the numerous small trading points, on the lines of the railroads, would probably support.
That this is true is borne out by the fact of the widespread feeling in the early 'Sos, when many prominent men sought investment of surplus capital in far off places and too many left the town to engage in business elsewhere. Too many Waterloo men of business thought the town had reached its limits of growth and talked in that strain. There were exceptions.
Hope revived somewhat in 1882, when the "Diagonal," the Chicago Great Western Railroad was projected and secured. A line of railroad from the north- east corner of the state running southeast to Des Moines and on had been the dream of Waterloo people from the early days and at different periods lines for such a road had been surveyed. Three different companies had, between 1858 and 1882, made 'such surveys to each of which Waterloo had given all encourage- ment possible, but without results. When, however, the "Diagonal" was secured and had become a fact in 1884, to the reality of which Waterloo had liberally contributed. a better feeling, one decidedly encouraging to business, prevailed and yet for years there was scarcely a perceptible growth of the population as shown by the census reports. Additional railroads offered better facilities for any whole- saling which might be done and was additional convenience for travel, but were slight advantage in the way of growth in the population of the city. Something more was needed.
It began to dawn upon the minds of the clearer-headed business men that if Waterloo was ever to become a city of importance, factories must be secured, in- stitutions which would give employment to additional people and bring in money from far off sections of the state and country. Efforts were made in this direc-
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Bird's-eye view east, Waterloo. Agricultural Club.
Fifth Street bridge.
VIEWS IN WATERLOO
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
tion and propositions were received from various quarters by parties who wished to move their several plants to some thriving point farther West and nearer the section of the country in which they disposed of their goods. The propositions were always plausible and usually presented to the business men of Waterloo by men familiar with their particular line of manufacture and which for the most part our people had little knowledge of and no experience in whatever. The result is to be seen after the experiment is tried. The business men put in money with much liberality considering the uncertainty of the several branches ; and were taken in. Notably, in a harvester factory. An honest-faced, kindly, elderly gentleman, a walking incarnation of sincerity and frankness, descended upon our people with his proposition. Our people bit, swallowed the bait, and footed the bills later.
A St. Louis broken-down stove factory sought admission here. It was put to Waterloo not as a broken concern, but a live one, with everything complete and ready to do business on a big scale. The first shipment of their plant here brought a cold shiver on Waterloo investors. Their so-called appliances for manufactur- ing stoves or anything else worth while were old, much-worn and of little value. About the first thing the stove company wanted was cash to do business. The concern was wound up in a comparatively short space of time.
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