USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 62
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The Wapsipinicon Mill & Power Company was incorporated in December, 1909. The capital stoek was $125,000, all paid in. The incorporation ran from Jannary 1, 1910, to January 1, 1930. The officers elected were: President, D. S. Jones : vice-president, A. G. Shellito; seeretary, A. G. Rigby ; treasurer, R. F. Clarke. The directors were Mrs. Caroline N. Clark and Messrs. II. T. Lynch and J. E. Cook.
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The business, as stated, was the buying and selling of all prodnets of the soil, manufacture of the same into Hour, meal, and other food products and the sale of the same ; also the manufacture and sale of electricity and power.
The Independence Soap Factory, conducted by Mr. Rich in 1874, built up a sneressful and prosperons business in this line. He manufactured both laundry and toilet soaps which were pronounced by the customers to be equal to any on the market. It continued business for several years and then the manu- factory was discontinued.
In 1859, Chris Seeland established a brewery in Independence. It was situated at the eastern ontskirts of the city, was a large brick edifice and in those days did a merative business, manufacturing 650 barrels of lager beer annually. But for many years the business of manufacturing intoxicants has been prohibited within the state and the building is now occupied as a residence by the Seeland family.
Another brewery was established by John Wengert on Walnut Street, near the Illinois Central Depot. This brewery manufactured 2,000 barrels of beer annually.
In the early '80s there were three cigar factories in Independence; one operated by J. W. MeCarthy, employing twelve people, manufactured about five hundred thousand cigars annually.
Simpson Stout, who is still in the cigar business, in 1880 employed three or four assistants and made upwards of one hundred and sixty-five thousand cigars annually, selling wholesale at $25.00 to $30.00 per thousand.
S. D. Frank, a manufacturer, employed three or four assistants, and manu- factured 150,000 annually.
One of the biggest concerns which this city and county have supported is the Palmner egg business, which from a small beginning has grown to such extent that the name is known all over the country and even in foreign lands.
The business was started at Winthrop by John II. Palmer in connection with his general merchandise business. From Winthrop he moved to Cedar Rapids and engaged in the egg business alone.
Mr. IL. E. Palmer who had been a partner of his brother at Winthrop in 1865-66 but had for three years from 1872 been engaged in the lumber business in Hudson, Wisconsin, in 1875 returned to Jowa and entered into partnership with his brother at Cedar Rapids. There they remained for two years, at the end of which time they removed to Independence in March, 1877, and which has continuously been the home of this business ever since. In 1885, Mr. H. E. Palmer associated with his brother. A. L., in the conduct of both the egg packing and refrigerator business and established a large branch house at Waterloo.
The business was incorporated in 1885. The egg paeking house when built was the largest in the city and with its numerous additions from time to time as the business increased, still makes it one of the largest. Before this house was built the Palmer Bros. rented the old brick refrigerator on Chatham Street, owned by Mr. T. J. Marinus (where is now located Mr. Lon Miller's residence), for storage purposes.
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The keen business ability of the Pabner Bros. made this one of the largest of its kind in the entire country, eggs were shipped to every point in the United States and to many foreign ports.
Mr. A. L. Palmer removed from the city and Mr. H. E. conducted it alone until failing health compelled him to sell to the Palmer-lhubbard Co., in the spring of 1902. This firm conducted the business for four years and then sold to the Independence Produce Co. in the spring of 1906.
Mr. Hubbard still sells Palmer eggs in California where he is engaged in business.
The egg business, in connection with the poultry packing and jee cream business, is now conducted by the Independence Produce Co.
The Independence Produce Co. was originally the HI. E. Palmer Egg Co , a firm which started business in 1885. The members of this firm were I. E. Palmer and A. L. Palmer.
In 1905 the Independence Produce Co. was incorporated by W. W. Sher- win, of Elgin, Illinois, and C. V. Rosenberger, of Independence. The first capital stock was $10,000. The company has increased their capital stock to $13,000. Several of the business men of Independence are largely interested in the concern.
The first business conducted by the company was the egg business. In 1910 the creamery business was added after they had bought out the Wapsie Valley Creamery Co, which was located at Rush Park. The present creamery building was built about 1910. One of the company's chief industries is the manufacture of Rose Dale ice cream, which is shipped to all the neighboring towns.
The plant has been enlarged from time to time and they now have excel- lent facilities for keeping and testing the various products.
In 1911 they incorporated the poultry business, buying ont Smith, Wright & Sons. They have a large cold storage vat and a new type of eage for chickens. The Independence Produce Co. make their specialty milk-fed chickens.
The products are brought into the company from a radius of a hundred miles and are shipped out again all over the world. Just recently ten car- loads of eggs were shipped to England to supply the present need caused by the war.
In 1880 three ice companies were doing business in Independence, namely : T. J. Marinus & Son, Kandy & Company and C. E. Burr. and an immense amount of ice was put up. Marinus owned an ice house that would store 1,000 tons and numerous private firms and creameries were supplied by them. The summer of 1880 was such a poor one for the ice business that practically their entire storage was yet uneonsumed when it was time to store the next year's crop, which, owing to an extremely early and cold winter was harvested in November. lee was not a necessity in those days, and the business rather an uncertain venture.
A meeting of the citizens interested in the advancement of local interests held in Independenee at Firemen's Hall on March 27, 1888, for the purpose of considering and taking final action to secure the Carpenter and Gennug manufacturing establishment of Brush Creek. The meeting was a success both in point of numbers and enthusiasm, although it was a noticeable faet
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that many of the substantial business men and property owners were absent as on many similar booster meetings. The meeting was arranged through the efforts of the board of trade which was a very active organization in those days. W. H. Chamberlain, its president, presided. The object of the meeting was stated and every possible phase of the contemplated project discussed. The manufacturing company demanded a $4,000 bonus to remove their plant to Independence. It was proposed to raise this sum by subserip- tions of $10 each, the title to the premises thus provided remaining in the original subscribers until the end of four years of successful operation of the works when a deed for one-half of it should be executed to Messrs. Car- penter and Genug, and at the end of eight years of continuous operation of the enterprise the remaining one-half should be transferred to them. Solie- iting committees were appointed and $2,065 was soon raised, and in two weeks the entire sum was subscribed. The Kellogg, Felch and Smith Build- ing formerly used as a woodworking shop was bought at a very reasonable priee. $2,600, and the plant removed from Brush Creek that spring. The machine which they manufactured, called the Level Tread Horse Power, was considered the most perfeet of its kind in the country and was highly reeom- mended by the farmers who used it. The plant gave steady employment to twenty-five or thirty men and often larger numbers. The demand for the Tread Power was great, often far exceeding the supply and the plant was improved from time to time, but eventually the gasoline engine supplanted them and the demand did not warrant a further continuance of the business. The firm removed from the city and the factory was sold to the lowa Manu- facturing Co., then to J. S. Bloom, who removed part of the machinery. The building was then sold to George Neteott and now the Ideal Gasoline Engine Factory are operating their manufacturing there.
In 1891, Leach and Smith built the large wooden building now known as the armory, just north of the high school building. This building was 48 by 75 feet and the two spacious floors, the lower one for the engine and heavy machinery, planing machines, circular saws, . etc., and in the upper one was located the various machines necessary in a first-class manufactury of this kind. With all the modern facilities this firm was prepared to manu- facture everything in the building and woodwork line.
This manufactury did an extensive business for several years when in 1902 or 1903 Mr. George Leach removed his plant to Cedar Rapids and the building was rented to Company L for an armory.
The building was used for an armory until 1912 when the company was disbanded. It has been variously occupied for skating rinks, dancing hall, chicken shows, shooting gallery, and is now used as a storage house for the Quality Construction Co.
Independence has a fine greenhouse, the only one in the county. It was established in 1891 by Dr. E. M. Bissell, a florist of exceptional ability. The Doctor started in a modest way but from time to time increased his plant, as the demands of his business warranted.
In January, 1897, he solel a half interest in his greenhouse to J. L. Cilley and a new house was added to the three which were already built.
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Mr. Cilley remained a partner for some time and then withdrew from the firm, and Doctor Bissell conducted it alone for a time, and then sold out to Dr. R. D. Backus, who kept the plant but a short time and resold to Doetor Bissell, who again operated it alone until his health failed and he was obliged to sell.
In March, 1909, Doetor Bissell sold out to Mr. J. P. Murphy, of Iowa Falls, who took immediate possesion. He is a most competent florist and has increased his plant until now it is one of the largest in this part of the state. New heating apparatus has been installed, and the entire plant rebuilt.
Thousands of blossoms are shipped to other eities in the state and often as far as Minneapolis.
One of the most successful patentees of Independence is Mr. J. S. Bloom, who several years ago invented a patent corn entter and erusher. The first patent was issued in 1901, the second in 1903, and the third in 1909. The two latter patents on improvements on his invention.
He not only patented but manufactures the machine and there is such a ready sale for the machine that he can seareely supply the demand. Another inventor who has perfected a most sueeessful invention, is Mr. J. H. Smith, formerly of Stanley, who invented a gasoline engine now manufactured in a factory at Indiana.
Mr. Smith is now associated with the Ideal Gasoline Engine factory, now located in the old tread power factory near the Rock Island Depot.
In 1880 a patent for a steam generator was issued to J. H. King and Mr. Drake of Independence.
Independence has for many years nurtured a manufactory that is widely known and patronized. The establishment is owned by W. E. Closson who mannfactures family remedies which have become celebrated in their cure-all propensities.
In 1892 Mr. Closson had twenty-one lady clerks busily engaged in looking after his voluminous correspondence and a large amount of medieines were shipped out daily from the establishment.
lle also put three medicine wagons on the road which visited 1,800 towns in twelve months, his average sales were 7,200 bottles per week. The drug- gists who handled his medicines averaged nine to twelve bottles per week. Mr. Closson still continues in the business but not on as large a scale as formerly.
For years the poultry packing business has been one of the substantial industries of Independence. For several years in the '80s and '90s Weins and Shillinglar conducted an immense industry of this kind, first in the old Barnhart store building direetly west of the Gedney Hotel eorner and for several years in the basement of King's Opera House, thousands of pounds of turkeys, chickens, geese and ducks, were bought, dressed, packed, and shipped, all over the country.
In 1889, which was just an average year, 175,000 pounds of poultry were bought and dressed, 1,400 turkeys and 7,000 chickens aside from a large num- ber of other fowls, at a total cost of $18,000. The pieking of this poultry required the services of twenty-four men, who received a total of $660 for their labor. The season only lasted twenty-four days and during this time Vol. 1-32
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an average of 5,500 pounds per day was packed and several days as high as $1,400 was paid out for turkeys alone.
In 1897 the business was under the management of C. S. Isham of Bur- lington, Vermont, representing Smith, Wright and Sons, who control one of the largest refrigerators in that seetion. About a million pounds of poul- try was dressed, packed and shipped to that cold storage company. Weins and Shillinglar were the largest poultry buyers in this entire part of the state. At one time during the 1897 season they had 6,000 ducks and were buying more. For some years the Smith-Wright Co. conducted the business alone on a most extensive seale, shipping carloads of dressed fowls to the Eastern markets. Their yearly business averaged about 200,000 pounds. From twenty to twenty-five men were given employment during the busy season.
In 1911 the Smith, Wright & Sons Co. sold to the Independence Pro- duee Co.
In May, 1892, the Independence Investment Association was organized. The association was incorporated under the laws of Iowa and had a capital stock of $50,000. Its objeets were the furtherance of the interests of Inde- pendenee and immediate vicinity and the making of money for its stoek- holders. The stock was divided into shares of $100 each, 25 per cent payable on date of subscription and the balance subject to the call of the associa- tion as channels for investment were presented. Any person could become a stockholder by complying with the terms of admission but no investments were to be made ontside of Independence and immediate vicinity.
In 1892 the demand for lumber was so great that the Independence lum- ber dealers could not supply the demand. It was the greatest building year Independence had seen since 1874, the year of the big fire: $425,000 was put into permanent improvements. The buildings were springing up like mush- rooms and Independence had every appearance and promise of becoming a real metropolis, but alas, the boom all depended on speed and she couldn't keep up the gait .- the gas bag burst and the parachute swiftly and speedily full flat.
Who would now think that Independence once boasted of being "the observed of all observers," that one time the eyes of at least all the sporting world were centered upon this little city ?
In 1891 the August races from the 24th to September 18, were universally coneeded to be the greatest the world had ever seen. Greatest in purses, $90.000 being appropriated to the seven days' events ; greatest in number and character of its entries, 600 contestants of the finest and fastest in the world ; greatest in achievements, world's records were lowered every day and greatest in attendance, abont 10,000 people crowded every available foot of space to see the start and finish of these wonderful events. Hotel accommodations in the little city were so inadequate that nearly every private honse was turned into a boarding house and the stables into hostleries. People in Inde- pendence reaped a rich harvest from this transient horde of Croesus, who spent their money lavishly, and like the kingly "Knights of the Golden Shoes," which they were. One big attraction at the races was the excellent musie furnished by the lowa State Band, for which Mr. Williams paid $250 per day.
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(It was then considered one of the best in the Western States.) For several weeks prior to the races the town began to fill up with strangers, and strings of fast horses formed an almost continuous procession to Rush Park-a resident of Independence felt like a stranger in a strange land-and in just one short week the crowd had all departed, and the usual peace and quiet reigned supreme.
The Pickle Factory was another project started in Independence which did not develop into anything but a newspaper story, although the company of which Mr. Jacob Wackerbarth was president and chief promoter, bought the old brewery property of John Wengert in April, 1899. Those interested in the company were: Mr. Jacob Wackerbarth, M. S. Carver, Thomas and George Blamer, George H. Steinmetz, W. H. Kiefer and Albert Leytze. This was expected to count much for the future prosperity of the town, but evidently the people of Independence had sour enough with their sweet and did not relish any more pickles than they had previously tasted.
In 1897 a new industry was started in Independence, a baking powder establishment, capable of turning out the largest quantity of that necessity of any of its kind in the state, by Joe Langenbach, who operated it on a small scale, but as success seemed to attend the venture, he found it necessary to take a partner into the firm and after a short time negotiations were entered into by which Charles A. Rosemond became a partner. An average daily output was 700 cans. Traveling forces of six men were constantly employed to dispose of the goods and ready sales were experienced by both the manufacturer and the retail trade.
In 1898 the force was increased to twenty, and the states of lowa, North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Illinois constituted the territory covered. One of their regular enstomers was the Self-Rising Buckwheat Company of Cedar Rapids, which ordered a ton of the article at a time. The firm kept on hand an average of 3,000 eans and sufficient quantity of the other necessaries for the manufacture of any (quantity required for the trade. Afterwards this concern was bought by Mr. James Wells, who managed it as the Electric Light Baking Powder Company.
ยท The jobbing interests of Independence have played an important part in the business affairs of the city.
Independence has had numerous wholesale honses in the course of its exist- ence and of a more important and substantial character than at first thought. Many of these were only of short duration, but nevertheless were important while they lasted. The lowa Grocery Company was one of these. It was or- ganized and began business in September, 1895. The incorporators were: T. A. Weins, D. W. Shillinglar, J. W. Langenbach and J. W. Kiefer.
At first the company occupied the double store building and basement oppo- site the Gedney Hotel, together with the Canning Factory building on the West Side, which served as a warehouse for heavy goods, of which there was always a half dozen or more carloads on hand, and their establishment on Chatham was packed from floor to ceiling with every sort of goods that could possibly be found in a grocery establishment. Everything of staple articles was bought by the carload. D. W. Shillinglaw and J. W. Langenbach were the regular repre-
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sentatives of the house on the road, besides occasional trips made by others connected with the firm.
Will Bates was bookkeeper and Mike Goodwin shipping elerk. Their prin- eipal territory was along the line of the Illinois Central and the B. C. R. & N. and a few towns on the Milwaukee.
This institution was not only a great convenience but a great saving to the Independence and Buchanan County merchants.
Their quarters, becoming too cramped for their steadily increasing busi- ness, were moved into King's Opera House.
A combination of two firms, the Woodward Hardware & Dry Goods Store, and the Clarke Grocery Store, was consummated into a department store, known as the Clarke-Woodward Company. The general nature of the business to be transaeted was the purchase and sale of general merchandise, and department business. Articles of incorporation were taken out in April, 1896, and the amount of capital stock authorized was $12,000. The corporation existed for three years, when it was deemed advisable by the direetors, W. M. Woodward and R. F. Clarke, to dissolve partnership, when each resumed his former busi- ness.
In November, 1899, the transfer of the R. F. Clarke grocery to the West End Grocery Company was effected, which continued the business as conducted before. The company was incorporated: Mr. Clarke retained his interest, and Messrs. Will Reed and C. W. Fiester were the active managers. Mr. Reed retired and C. W. Fiester has since been the manager.
The West End Grocery Company, abont the year 1910 or 1911, increased their store room, by removing the walls between the HI. W. Hovey Drug Store, and their own, and making it into one large room.
In the spring of 1874, the gas proposition was first presented to the citizens of Independence, by a Chicago company, represented by Frank W. Robinson. The company proposed to establish works in this city and supply the citizens with illuminating gas. The proposal was before the city council for some months. and was discussed pro and con and in every light and angle. Sometimes it was voted down, and then again reconsidered, and finally, at a special meeting of the conneil, Tuesday evening, September 29, 1874, an arrangement was finally con- summated with Mr. Robinson, whereby he and his associates secured an exclusive right to manufacture and sell gas in Independence, for twenty years, with the sole privilege of laying mains in the streets. He was to ereet the works for that purpose within one year, lay not less than one mile of main pipes within that period, and extend the same to any street within 100 feet of the main pipes, upon the request of five or more persons desiring to use gas, within six months. Ile was forbidden to charge more than $4.50 per 1,000 cubic feet, and when the consumers numbered 300, the price should be reduced to $4.00. Immediately, proseention of the enterprise followed, and by December 1st, the works were erected and the piping of all bniklings completed. This was a great luxury to the citizens, who had heretofore enjoyed only kerosene lighting. The mains were made of wood, some of which were excavated in about 1904 and were in a good state of preservation. E. Zim furnished the materials for the plant, and was finally compelled to take it over on his elaimis.
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The plant did not prove highly successful, and in 1879, J. D. Patton installed a plant to produce gas by the J. D. Patton oil gas process. In 1883 he sold the plant to L. V. Tabor, R. Campbell, George Warne, and Jones and Hovey, who afterwards purchased the original electric light plant and incorporated the Inde- pendence Gas & Electric Company.
This company operated for a number of years without a franchise. At one time the city council had about decided to submit a proposition to the voters to grant a franchise, which provided for a per cent of the gross income to be paid the city, but when informed of the income, the council determined the license would be too small to consider.
In 1913, however, a franchise, conditioned on the plant being moved outside of the fire limits of the city, was voted, and immediately after, another election was called to permit the erection of the plant at its present location, which carried. The company then installed the present plant.
The first gas light from the new gas works was furnished at King's Opera House, on Thursday eve, September 16, 1880. The occasion was a ball given by the Wilson and Garner Quadrille Band. Mr. King was the first to have his building piped for gas, and public entertainment will henceforth enjoy the advantage of being seen in a better light. Six of the long-promised street lamps were in position and doing business the last of October, 1880; three more lights were to be installed. This was wonderful Inxury. Lamps were lighted one hour after sunset when there was no moonlight, and when the moon shone, the lamps were lighted one hour before it set and lights were extinguished an hour before sunrise.
These regulations were carefully followed, and in some respects surpassed our present service, since lights are extinguished at midnight. The enterprise started with about twenty consumers.
In the summer of 1892, was also built the Rush Park Electric Street Rail- way. The board of supervisors granted the right of way for the Main Street bridge and along the route outside of the city limits, and that removed the last possible obstacle to the speedy construction of the railway. This concession con- templates two tracks across the bridge, and required that the track west of the Burlington Depot should be located not more than twenty-three feet from the north line of the wagon road. It extended from the Central Depot to the hos- pital.
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