USA > Iowa > Boone County > History of Boone County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 38
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Resolved, by the Board of Trustees of the incorporated Town of Montana, that the mayor be authorized to issue a proclamation to the voters of said incorporated town, for an election to be held on Monday, February 10, 1868, at the mayor's office in said Town of Montana, for the purpose of voting on the question of abandoning the present charter. Yeas-Burgess, Burlingame, Goodykoontz, Smith and Wilmot. Nays-none.
On motion, T. J. Goodykoontz, H. Hudson and C. Whitaker were appointed judges, and J. C. Haines and J. C. Kennedy clerks of said election.
On motion, it was ordered that the marshal, J. W. Campbell, be appointed to take a census of the Town of Montana, and make returns of the same at the next regular meeting.
T. J. GOODYKOONTZ, Recorder pro tem.
Vol. 1-27
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
MAYOR'S PROCLAMATION
To the Qualified Electors of the Incorporated Town of Montana, Iowa:
At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of said incorporated Town of Montana held January 11, 1868, the following preamble and resolution was adopted by said board, to wit:
Whereas, The incorporated Town of Montana has a population of 2,000 inhabitants, and a petition has been presented, signed by fifty legal voters, for an election upon the question of abandoning the charter, with the view of and for the purpose of becoming an incorporated city of the second class,
Therefore, be it resolved, by the Board of Trustees of the in- corporated Town of Montana, that the mayor be authorized to issue a proclamation to the voters of said incorporated town for an election to be held on Monday, February 10, 1868, at the mayor's office in said Town of Montana, for the purpose of voting on the question of abandoning the present charter.
Now, therefore, in pursuance to the foregoing preamble and resolution, I hereby proclaim that a special election will be held on Monday, February 10, 1868, at my office in said Town of Mon- tana, for the purpose above specified and in accordance with the statute in such cases made and provided.
Those in favor of abandoning the present charter will deposit ballots having the words "For Abandonment" written or printed thereon. Those opposed to such abandonment will deposit ballots "Against Abandonment."
Given under my hand this 15th day of January, 1868.
A. DOWNING, Mayor.
I hereby certify that this proclamation of Mayor Downing was published in the Montana Standard for four consecutive weeks prior to the day of election, to wit: January 16, 23, 30, and February 6, 1868, as appears by the files of said paper.
V. TOMLINSON. City Clerk.
Having become incorporated as a city of the second class further changes became desirable. The name, Montana, was not desirable, and a petition, generously signed by citizens in the early part of 1871, was filed in the Circuit Court, asking that the name be changed from Montana to Boone. The effort was successful. In 1876, the outskirts of the city having become largely occupied by residences, the owners of which desired school and other privileges of the city.
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
the council was petitioned for an enlargement of the municipal boundaries. To this end an election was held on the 9th day of September, 1876, to learn the sense of the electorate on the proposi- tion. The result of that election is given below, being also of record in the city clerk's office :
NAME CHANGED FROM MONTANA TO BOONE
STATE OF IOWA, & ss.
BOONE COUNTY,
Be it remembered that a regular term of the Circuit Court of Iowa, in and for Boone County, begun and held at the courthouse in Boonesboro on the 22d day of May, A. D. 1871, at which was present Hon. Henry Hudson, sole presiding judge; George Crooks, sheriff of said county, and Philip Livingston, clerk of said court. And now, on the 2d day of June, A. D. 1871, it being the fourth day of said regular term, the following proceedings among others were had and entered of record, to wit:
In the Matter of Change of Name of the City of Montana, Boone County, Iowa :
On this day this matter coming to be heard by the court, it is ordered that notice be posted as by law required, and the same to be heard at the August term of this court.
And afterwards, to wit, on the 30th day of August, A. D. 1871, it being the third day of the August term of said court, the following further proceedings were had and entered of record, to wit:
INCORPORATED CITY OF MONTANA } DECREE.
FOR CHANGE OF NAME
And now, on this, the 30th day of August, 1871, and it being the third day of said term of the Circuit Court, this cause coming on for hearing on the petition filed on the part of the city, J. A. Eaton appearing as counsel on the part of the city, and no appearance to file objections to said change; and the court having first examined the petition and notice, and the sheriff's return on the same, finds that said petition has been regularly filed and submitted, and that due and legal notice has been given of such contemplated change, and hearing the arguments of the counsel, finds that said city is entitled to such change of name as asked and prayed for in said petition. It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed by the court
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
that the name of said city be and is changed from Montana to Boone, and that said change of date take place from the date of the decree. H. HUDSON, Judge.
STATE OF IOWA, Ess.
BOONE COUNTY, i
I, James Hazlett, clerk of Circuit Court of lowa, in and for Boone County, do hereby certify the above and foregoing to be ;a full, true and complete copy of the record and judgment entries in the above entitled cause as rendered by said Circuit Court as full, true and complete as the same remains of record in my office.
J. L. HAZLETT, Clerk of Said Court. Boone, Iowa, September 11, 1871.
Called meeting of the city council called to order by naming J. M. Smith to the chair. S. R. Page was appointed clerk pro tem.
The following resolution was passed and ordered put upon the record as part of the minutes.
Be it resolved by the city council of the incorporated City of Boone, That whereas, the name of said city has been changed from Montana to Boone by a decree of the Circuit Court of Boone County, Iowa,
Resolved, 1. That all acts and actions of said city council, and that the officers be and are in full force and authority the same as before such change, and that all orders and papers to be henceforth in the name of Boone, and all seals of such city be changed to Boone.
2. That the decree be placed on file and recorded in the ordinance record of said city, and be made a part of the same.
E. E. WEBB, Mayor. S. R. PAGE, Clerk pro tem.
MAYOR'S PROCLAMATION
To the Electors of the Incorporated City of Boone, as proposed to be enlarged :
Whereas, The city council of said city have fixed the proposed boundaries of said city as described below, and whereas, the city council have, by resolution passed August 7, 1876, instructed the mayor of said city to issue a proclamation calling an election to be held on Saturday, the 9th of September, 1876, for the purpose of voting on the question of extending the limits of the City of Boone
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
to the boundaries hereinafter described, as fixed by the council of said city, to wit :
South Line. Beginning at the quarter section post between sec- tions twenty-eighth (28) and twenty-nine (29) Government survey; town eighty-four (84), range twenty-six (26), east four hundred and seven and one-third rods (407 1/3) into section twenty-seven (27) town and range as above.
East Line. Thence north parallel to section line, between sec- tions twenty-seven (27) and twenty-eight (28) and twenty-one (21) and twenty-two (22), town and range as above, four hundred and seven and one-third rods (407 1/3).
North Line. Thence west eighty-seven and one-third rods (87 1/3) to the south line of Nineteenth Street, and thence on south line of said street to section line between sections twenty (20) and twenty-one (21) three hundred and twenty rods (320) town and range as above.
West Line. Thence on said section line between sections twenty (20) and twenty-one (21) and sections twenty-eight (28) and twenty- nine (29) four hundred and seven and one-third rods (407 1/3) to place of beginning, town and range as above.
Now, therefore, I, D. C. Wilmot, mayor of the incorporated City of Boone, Iowa, do hereby give notice and proclaim that there will be at the city hall in said city on the 9th day of September, A. D. 1876, an election to determine by vote the boundaries of said city as proposed to be enlarged.
Those who are in favor of extending the city limits as proposed by said boundaries as fixed by said council will have written or printed on their tickets the words "For extending the city limits," and those opposed to such extension will have written or printed on their tickets the words "Against extending the city limits."
It is to be understood that all lands or parcels of lands within said proposed limits are to become a part of said city.
It is to be understood that the question of extending the city limits is submitted to the vote of all the qualified electors inhabiting the whole city as proposed to be enlarged.
Polls of election to be opened at 9 o'clock A. M.
Witness my hand and the seal of said city this 7th day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
D. C. WILMOT, Mayor.
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
I hereby certify that the foregoing proclamation was published in the Boone County Republican August 9, 16, 23 and 30, 1876, as required by law.
V. TOMLINSON, City Clerk.
Official canvass of votes cast at the special election held in and for the City of Boone, lowa, on the 9th day of September, A. D. 1876, when the question of extending the city limits of Boone was voted upon. The result of said election we find to be as follows: There were 233 ballots cast, of which 197 were "For extending the city limits," and thirty-six were "Against extending the city limits." Therefore we find that the proposition to extend the city limits is carried.
Signed this 13th day of September, 1876.
V. TOMLINSON, D. C. WILMOT. Board of Canvassers.
MAYOR'S PROCLAMATION
Whereas, at an election held at the city hall, in the incorporated City of Boone, Iowa, on the 9th day of September, A. D. 1876, for the purpose of determining by vote of the qualified electors of said city as proposed to be enlarged, the question of extending the city limits to the boundaries thereof as fixed by the city council of said city on the 7th day of August, A. D. 1876, it is found there were 233 ballots cast, of which 197 were "For extending the city limits," and thirty-six votes were "Against extending the city limits."
Therefore, 1, D. C. Wilmot, mayor of the City of Boone, lowa, hereby give notice and proclaim that the city limits are extended to the boundaries as fixed by the city council August 7, 1876, and that all territory, land and parcels of land within said limits are hence- forth subject to the jurisdiction of said city government as provided by law.
Witness my hand and the seal of the city this 14th day of Sep- tember, A. D. 1876.
D. C. WILMOT, Mayor.
I hereby certify that the above proclamation was published in the Boone County Republican (the official paper of the city) on the 20th day of September, 1876.
V. TOMLINSON, City Clerk.
1, V. Tomlinson, city clerk of the City of Boone, lowa, hereby certify that the foregoing statement as to the action of the city coun-
COUNTY JAIL, BOONE
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONE
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
cil of the City of Boone, lowa, and the notice for holding a special election given by the mayor's proclamation, the same having been published for four consecutive weeks in the Boone County Republi- can prior to the day of election, and the canvass and abstract of the votes cast at said election, and the mayor's second proclamation giving notice of the result of said election (a certificate of the publication of the same being entered on the margin) on the 20th day of Septem- ber, 1876, and the accompanying plat of the City of Boone, as enlarged, arc all correct.
Given under my hand and official seal this 7th day of October, A. D. 1876.
V. TOMLINSON, City Clerk.
I certify that a copy of all the papers were, with the plats, trans- mitted to the county recorder of Boone County, and to the secretary of state, as required by law, on the 23d day of October, 1876.
V. TOMLINSON, City Clerk.
NAME OF COUNTY SEAT CHANGED
The last act in the drama, of which Boonesboro and Boone have been the principal characters, so to speak, was the changing of the name of the seat of government of Boone County. This consumma- tion took place at the time as given below and in the manner as shown by the record of the city clerk, of which the following is a true copy :
On the 21st day of March, 1887, by proper ordinance, the territory which constituted the former incorporated Town of Boonesboro, became annexed to and a part of the City of Boone; and on the 7th day of March, 1892, by vote of the electors at the regular March election of said year, the limits of the then City of Boone were extended so as to embrace within the territory of the City of Boone the following described property, to wit :
Commencing at the northwest corner of section twenty-one (21), township eighty-four (84), range twenty-six (26), west of the 5th P. M., lowa; thence south one-half ( 1/2) mile; thence west one and one-fourth (11/4) miles; thence south one and one-half (11/2) miles ; thence east on section line to a point which would be seven and one- third (7 1/3) rods east of the southeast corner of the southwest quarter (14) of the southwest quarter (14) of section twenty-seven (27) in the same township and range; thence north to the south line of the north half (1/2) of the northwest quarter (1/4) of said section twenty-seven (27) ; thence east along the north line of the
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
southeast quarter (1/4) of the northwest quarter (1/4) of said section twenty-seven (27) to Delaware Street; thence north on Delaware Street to north line of Seventh Street; thence northwesterly on the north line of Seventh Street to a point seven and one-third (7 1/3) rods east of the west line of the north half ( 1/2) of the northwest quarter (74) of section twenty-seven (27) ; thence north to the section line between sections twenty-two and twenty-seven (22 and 27), the same township and range; thence east on said section line to the southwest corner of the east half ( 12) of the southwest quarter (14) of section twenty-two (22), thence north to section line between sections fifteen and twenty-two ( 15 and 22), and thence west to place of beginning.
CHAPTER 187; LAWS OF 1888
An act to change the name of county seat of Boone County, Iowa, from Boonesboro to Boone.
Whereas, An act of the Legislature, approved January 18, 1851, being chapter nineteen of the laws of A. D. 1851, was passed and provided that the county seat of Boone County, Iowa, be located by commissioners named therein ; and
Whereas, David Sweem, Marion County, Iowa, and S. K. Scovell of Dallas County, Iowa, being two of the three commissioners so appointed, did on the 9th day of July, A. D. 1851, locate said county seat of Boone County as by law required on the northwest quarter of section No. twenty-nine (29), township eighty-four (84), range twenty-six (26), west of the 5th P. M. in said county ; and
Whereas, The territory so designated came within the corporate limits of the incorporated Town of Boonesboro, Iowa, as the same was incorporated June 4, 1865; and
Whereas, Said incorporated Town of Boonesboro, Iowa, became by proper proceedings in March, A. D. 1887, annexed to the City of Boone, lowa, and no conditions were mentioned as to the name the county seat of Boone County should have after such annexation ; therefore be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa :
Section 1. That the name of the county seat of Boone County, lowa, shall be known and designated as Boone, Iowa, instead of Boonesboro, Iowa.
Approved March 23, 1888.
CHAPTER XXXVII
CIVIC IMPROVEMENTS OF BOONE
Boone is situated upon the crest of an expansive prairie and is the trading point of a wide and productive territory. It is essen- tially a home town, with beautiful residences and lawns. The thor- oughfares and residence streets are substantially paved, while concrete sidewalks are deeply shaded by maple, elm and other varieties of trees indigenous to this latitude. Almost everything within human ingenuity has been requisitioned to make life a pleasure in Boone and large sums of money have been expended by the city itself in contributing to the comfort, convenience and welfare of its inhabi- tants. Its public utilities compare favorably with cities many times its size. The population is about fifteen thousand.'
CITY HALL
Before erecting a building for the purpose, the officials of Boone utilized as a city hall a little one-story frame building that stood on the southeast corner of Keeler and Seventh streets, and which was torn down in 1907. The site is now used by an air-dome. For some years after the present city hall was occupied the little old "shack" answered the purpose of a calaboose.
The city hall was made a possibility by the late Frank Champlin in 1874, who, in that year, while a member of the city council, sub- mitted a motion to that body to purchase a suitable lot and erect a brick building thereon for the use of the council. The motion carried.
At a meeting of council held May 6, 1874, an appropriation of $5,000 for the purchase of a lot and erection of a city hall was passed, and on the 13th of the month a building committee, composed of J. E. Ingersoll, J. K. Flint and C. W. Carr was appointed and plans and specifications were ordered. On May 27th the committee was ordered to purchase the lots upon which the building stands, to have
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
necessary excavating done and to contract for a stone foundation. At the same time bonds in the sum of $5,000 were sold to A. K. Wells, then in the banking business. "The work of laying brick was commenced on July 8th by the day and F. Castle was employed by the day to oversee the work ; bids to be received for carpenter work, and committee authorized to make contract for roof of the city hall." One reading carefully between the foregoing quotation marks can plainly see that those intrusted with city affairs were business men and that they were determined that the people should have their money's worth when this job was completed. No graft or peculation entered into the building of Boone's city hall; that is evident!
The city hall is a two-story brick structure, with stone foundation ; ground dimensions, 48x50 feet. It is located on the corner of Eighth and Allen streets, was finished June 25, 1875, but sooner occupied, and cost originally $9, 100, of which sum $1,000 was paid for the lot. In 1908 the second floor was remodeled and equipped with vault and metal fixtures, at a cost of $1,100. Further remodeling was done in 1912, on the first floor, at an expenditure of $700.
The building is arranged for council chambers, mayor's office, city clerk's office, engineer's and superintendent of waterworks' office, police station and jail.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
In its deportment Boone is a model city, notwithstanding its licensed saloons. Crimes and misdemeanors are few and the policing of the corporate limits is not a difficult proposition. But a com- paratively small sum of money is necessary to be appropriated to sustain the police department, which is made up of a body of six men and a police matron.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The first effort in the way of fire protection in Boone was the tacit consent of every inhabitant to answer a call of alarm and render every assistance in his power to subdue flames and save property therefrom. Thus the bucket brigade was formed, each person of which passed a bucket of water from one to the other, while standing in line, which was dashed upon a burning building by the persons nearest to it. As the place grew in numbers and buildings became larger, this method of fighting fire was found inadequate and danger-
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CITY HALL, BOONE
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HUNTRESS
FIRST CITY HALL IN BOONE, DEMOLISHED OCTOBER, 190;
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
ous; then the volunteer fire companies came into existence. A few months after it was organized the venerable A. P. Fogg, custodian of Champlin Memorial Masonic Temple, was elected fire marshal and served in that capacity twenty-six years. The first company to come into existence was Neptune Hose Company, June 8, 1877. It con- sisted of seven men and three officers: W. T. Evans was foreman ; H. Hoffman, secretary; A. Lowry, treasurer.
Daniel Boone Hook & Ladder Company was organized June 14, 1877, S. L. Moore, foreman; N. Harding, assistant foreman ; C. A. McCune, secretary; J. A. McFarland, treasurer. This company consisted of twenty-six members, besides the officers. On August 11, 1877, A. P. Fogg was elected fire marshal and Daniel Finley, assistant.
The American Engine Company was organized January 19, 1878. C. J. Elwell was elected foreman; M. A. Hills, assistant; W. T. Evans, secretary; A. Lowry, treasurer. Besides the officers there were twenty-three men.
Other volunteer companies were organized that were short lived. On July 9, 1903, a paid fire department was created and had, in addition to other apparatus, a combination chemical and hose fire wagon. Station No. 1 is situated on Keeler Street, in a brick build- ing costing, with the lot, about $3,400. Station No. 2 is in the Fifth Ward in a little stone front building, erected in 1909, at a cost of $1,700. The lot was purchased for $250. The department is a combination of paid and volunteers. The latter consist of Hose Com- pany No. 1, Home Company No. 2, Hose Company No. 3, Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, and Hook and Ladder Company No. 2; the former is composed of a fire chief, assistant chief and four firemen.
WATERWORKS SYSTEM
The City of Boone built and owns its system of waterworks and has in this utility practically all that reasonably should be desired. Before the construction of the improvement, resort to wells and cis- terns was necessary in cases of emergency. A volunteer fire company, with primitive equipment, often was handicapped by a scarcity of water. Manufacturing concerns, public places and institutions felt the need of a more ample supply of the fluid, and homes of the city were unable to enjoy the luxuries of running water, baths, etc. Last, but not least, rates of insurance on property were high, owing to the absence of adequate fire protection.
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY
The question of installing a system of waterworks being submitted to the electorate of the city in 1884, was settled by a gratifyingly large vote in its favor and the works, consisting of deep wells, a brick tower 100 feet in height, on which is a steel tank, pumping station, machinery and mains, was that year completed and furnished an unsurpassed quality of water to patrons. The water was forced from the wells by an air-lift system, using the air under pressure furnished by compressors, located in the pumping station at Eighth and Cedar streets. Hydrants, or fire plugs, stand at cor- ners of streets throughout the city.
From 1884 to 1906, the sum of $133,396 was expended in building and perfecting the system, and from 1907-to 1910 a further sum of money, amounting to $39,000, was spent on the utility. In 1910, preliminary steps were taken to secure a water supply from the Des Moines River, and during the years 1911 and 1912 such a system was constructed. The work included the construction and installa- tion of wells, suction mains, pumping station, with pumping machinery and reservoir located at the river, 14-inch supply main from the river station to the main station on Eighth and Cedar streets, also a building, machinery and reservoir at the city, or main station. This system, together with the distributing mains, water tower, small reservoir and certain equipment of the old plant, con- stitutes the present waterworks system.
The total amount paid out for waterworks purposes during the period January, 1884, to March 31, 1914, was $344,000.
STREET PAVING
Boone is one of the best paved cities in the State of Iowa and has at this time over seven miles of paving, six and two-thirds of which is of brick, and four and three-fourths of asphalt. The improve- ment began on Eighth Street, from Arden to Story streets, in 1893, and consisted of two-course brick pavement on sand foundation. The price per square yard was $1.64. Total amount for this piece of work was $7,712.
The total cost of all paving constructed in the city from 1893 to 1914 is $382,067.
SEWERAGE SYSTEM
The first sanitary sewer system constructed in Boone was in 1904. Since then extensions have been made as follows: Fair ground addi-
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