USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 71
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
When you stop to consider that in November, 1873, only six months pre- vious, more than half of the north side of Main Street, all the buildings between Chatham and Walnut streets, had been burned, some idea can be formed of the ruin and desolation that existed throughout the entire extent of what had been the business portion of our city. This fire of 1873 had been regarded as a serious check to the business interests of the town, and it is no wonder that at first this second visitation of woe almost overwhelmed those sturdy, courageous business men who had risked their fortunes with those of the little pioneer eity and had waited long and patiently to reap the promised returns of their ventures.
And that the city so speedily recovered from that lamentable disaster, and more than redeemed her former prosperity, is ample proof of the genuineness and superior abilities of her loyal citizens and further proves that "there is a destiny that shapes our ends"-Independence had been born to live. In the same weekly issue with the account of the fire, appeared the public assurance of most of those men whose business houses had been totally destroyed that they intended to rebuild, not only much better, but many more stores.
The account of this destructive conflagration was faithfully and graphically written in the first issues of both the Bulletin and Conservative, printed after an involuntary suspension of just one issue, which showed a most remarkable display of energy and enterprise. In this appalling calamity which had wreaked sneh universal disaster, no business interests had wholly escaped damage, and the press, so far as its means of communicating with the public was concerned, was most effectually wiped out of existence. All that remained of two .well- provided and well-stocked printing offices at daylight on the eventful morning was a few broken fonts of type, the rest being represented by a heap of smoking debris. And under these adverse and discouraging circumstances, that the papers were compelled to intermit but one regular issue, that being sup- planted by voluminous "extras," was therefore a source of gratification and pride to the publishers and of congratulations to the public.
While yet the flames were crackling and hissing among our finest business blocks, the editors measuring the full extent of the calamity that had befallen the city and appreciating the fact that the only way to overcome it and rise superior to these transient reverses and material defeats was the maintenance of the most unfaltering courage. founded upon invincible faith in the future of the city, were willing to set an example in this regard and show true faith in their works. So they started for Chicago, Mr. Toman on the day of the fire, Mr. Barnhart the next day, withont money and with no definite idea of the extent of their resources to purchase new material for the re-establishment of their papers, not stopping to diseuss the probable effects of the calamity upon the business. All the business men with whom they had dealt were sym-
ยท
SCENES IN INDEPENDENCE BEFORE AND AFTER THE FIRE
575
HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
pathizingly interested in the details of the disaster to Independence and were ready and willing to extend any aid in their power, expressing their confidenee in the ability of the merchants and property owners to rally from their great misfortune. The eredit of the business community had not been shattered in the least.
The enterprising editors: William Toman, of the Bulletin, and Mr. War- ren Barnhart, of the Civilian, each purchased an entire new outfit, immediately set them up, and commenced business with the "extras" which we have men- tioned. Mr. Toman's editorial in the first regular issue expressed the senti- ment of both papers, but as no copy of the Conservative of that date is avail- able, we quote from the Bulletin. "The Bulletin is again an entity, and not- withstanding all that comes in the shape of ordinary dispensations, proposes to live and to chronicle the rise of our fair young city, From the ashes of her sorrow to a higher place of prosperity and a larger growth than before. We have implicit confidence in the recuperative power of our community, and we only ask our fellow citizens to realize, that though crippled, we are by no means ruined. Let us admit of no unprofitable repining, but put our shoulders to the wheel, and from the uncomfortable distinction of the 'most unfortunate City of Iowa,' let us earn the reputation of 'the pluckiest.' " With this pronuncia- mento, breathing a spirit of calm determination and confidence in the future, which could not fail to inspire and encourage the prostrate community. the Bulletin wielded a great influence. From its columns this official report of the conflagration is gleaned. (All files of the papers previous to that date, except those owned by individuals and are not complete, were destroyed in that fire, which accounts for the lapses in some of the historic data.) The fire, which was the most destructive from a monetary standpoint, that had ever, up to that date, occurred in the history of lowa, commenced at 2 o'clock. Monday morning, May 25th, in a frame building on Chatham Street, south of, and adjoining the Burr Block (about opposite to where the postoffice and barber shop is now located ), and ocenpied by Mrs. Elis Brown, as a millinery store and residence. A family by the name of Holt also had rooms in the second story.
These families were aroused from shuimber by the night watchman and before they had time to dress, the fire had communicated with the outside stairway, cutting off all egress. In this dilemma Mr. Holt, aeting with calm, superior judgment, seized a mattress and threw it to the ground, and they all in turn leaped from the burning building onto the mattress and escaped without injury from the fall.
The fire swept southward toward Main Street with amazing rapidity, the old, dry frame buildings were consumed like straw. The firemen were quiek to re- spond to the first alarm and got the hand engines to work without delay. but with no appreciable effeet.
The flames soon communicated with the Burr Block and in an incredibly short time that fine structure, inelnding four stores and the St. James Hotel, was a raging furnace. A new steam engine, lately purchased by the city, had arrived but a day or two previous and was awaiting the coming of the general agent for trial and aceeptance by the city. When the fire began to assume for- midable proportions, it oceurred to our competent engineer and machinist, Diek Guernsey, that this machine was not fulfilling its destiny lying idle in the engine
576
HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
house. So. with the assistance of some of the crowd, he took it to the river in the rear of the Burr Block, filled its boiler by means of a garden pump, lighted the fire, attached the hose, and ran the steamer to its utmost capacity during the remainder of the night, doing most efficient service. When it is remembered that the engine had neither steam nor water ganges attached, and was operated by Mr. Guernsey entirely without means to indicate the pressure or state of the water in the boiler, and at imminent risk of his life, the heroism of the act will be realized.
The new steamer, under these unfavorable 'circumstances, behaved admir- ably. and more than realized all the good that had been promised of it. It was undoubtedly the sole ageney by which property of many times more value than the cost of the machine was saved from the Hames. The lumber yard of Benton & Company, on the opposite side of Chatham Street From the St. James Hotel. was on fire several times, but was promptly extinguished by the strong and steady stream of water from the steamer. Hlad it burned, the conflagration would withont doubt have swept through the square, consuming the Munson Block, the First National Bank Building and other valuable property. The march of the devouring element toward Main Street was resistless, success- fully taking four more stores and a bank, situated on the corner where the Iekel Block is now. The proprietors of these last named establishments saved a part of their goods. At this point the conflagration began to assume gigantic pro- portions. The entire block, consisting of the Wilcox Building and two other buildings on the north side of Main Street, between Chatham and the bridge, was of wooden structure, and soon became a seething mass of flame and fully verified the common prediction that it was a veritable fire trap. It burned with a force intensity and carried destruction to everything in its vicinity. This block contained four stores. the second story being ocenpied by several dif- feront concerns. Most of the ocenpants had removed their goods to the bridge, where they were heaped in the utmost confusion, and as the surging flame advanced, they were again removed to a place of safety. The wind, which was but a gentle zephyr when the fire commenced, became a brisk breeze from the northwest, and consequently sealed the fate of South Main Street. It fanned the blaze and sent an avalanche of burning einders across the street and soon the fine three-story brick block, magnificent in those days, was in the grasp of the insatiable monster. This block, also the property of the Wilcox estate, was occupied by six stores on the first floor and six establishments, among them the library. on the second floor and the Masonic and Firemen's halls on the third floor.
Much of the goods which had been removed from these buildings, through miscalculation of the intense heat, was burned, although thought to be in a place of safety. When this block became engulfed in the raging sea of flame, the calamity seemed to have reached its climax of terror and destructiveness, because this splendid building was the pride and boast of our little city; no interior city in Iowa contained so line a structure, but regrets were in vain and when the fiery demon had spent his fury on this noble edifice it proceeded to satisfy its lust for ruin on the brick buikling next the bridge, which was oecu- pied by a mmisie and millinery store, a law office and the Odd Fellows Hall.
577
IIISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
It was hoped that the high briek wall on the east side of the Wilcox Block would be a barrier to the flames in that direction and this might have been the case but for the frame warehouses and old shanties in the rear of these build- ings, all the way to the Montour Honse (at the corner of Walnut and Main). where the Commercial Bank now is. These served as a choice morsel to the avaricious appetite of the monster and the flames devoured them with in- credible fiereeness and speed; then the buildings in front, one after the other were entirely gutted. The march of the destroyer was steady, persistent and resistless; this block was occupied by thirteen stores, the opera house, the Montour Ilotel, and both the Bulletin and Conservative offices, all of which were totally destroyed ; then two livery stables in the rear were soon masses of smoking ruins. While all this was transpiring on Main Street, the buildings on the south side of that block, including the German Presbyterian Church and five residences, were completely destroyed, leaving that entire block bare of everything, except here and there the broken fragments of wall standing like sentinels over the ashes of the dead. The new engine, drawing water from a cistern at the corner of Main and Walnut streets. kept the roof of the furniture store across the street (where the Tidball department store is located) wet, thus saving it and the whole southeastern portion of the city. At 6 A. M. the fire was finally subdued, but in those four hours that elapsed after the sharp stroke of the town bell aroused our citizens from their peaceful slumbers, fully nine-tenths of the most valuable business places with nearly an equal propor- tion of the stocks of the merehants, were but smoldering heaps of ruins. Thirty-nine business houses, two hotels, one church, five dwellings, and two livery stables were inchided in the terrible disaster. Independence, in propor- tion to her wealth, was worse smitten than was Chieago on her memorable disaster of three years previous, but great as was the calamity, it is a subject for sincere congratulation and great wonder that no loss of life occurred, though there were several narrow escapes. One particularly miraculous escape was that of Mr. Clarence Fonda, then a young boy. He had been sent to the west side of the river with a span of horses, to bring over the old fire engine. When he reached the bridge he found this impracticable on account of the wall of fire that rendered Main Street on the east side of the river a veritable avenue of flame, so he mounted one of the horses and imprudently attempted to run through the fiery furnace. As he came opposite the Wilcox Block, where the fire was raging the fiercest and the heat was most intense, it was noticed that the boy's clothes began smoking and the noble beast cringed in the scorehing blast ; the horse never faltered and bore him safely through, though both horse and boy were severely burned. A momentary halt and both would have un- doubtedly suceumbed.
Two nights after the fire of which we have written, the citizens were again ealled from their beds by the clang of the fire bell. About half past 11 o'eloek on Wednesday evening, May 27th, the Star foundry and machine shop owned by Frank Megow was discovered to be on fire. The steam fire engine being disabled, and the fire, having, before discovery, got a fair start in the dry wooden foundry building, all efforts to stop it were futile. The greatest excite- ment prevailed in consequence of this second fire. Many believing that their theory of systematie purpose of an ineendiary to burn the entire eity, was eon- Vol. 1-37
578
HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
firmed. Yet the majority of people entertained no such conclusion and at- tributed it to accident if not carelessness.
It was but natural that these terrible catastrophes should first fall with stunning effect upon our people. This feeling was but temporary, however, the first shoek past, it gave place to a hopeful courage and an indomitable de- termination to conquer an adverse fate, which led the people, before the ashes were yet cold, and while the ruins were yet smoldering, to make preparations for rebuilding a large part of the burned distriet, and the business interests not only recuperated, but greatly advanced in astonishing degree.
The combined loss of the different establishments was $545,000, covered by insurance to the amount of $233,400.
Of the business men who went through that fire and are still in business only three remain, they are John Gorman. Byron Tabor and JJohn Barnett, Sr., and of the fifty or more business houses, which have continued and are still repre- sented in name at least, are John Gorman's tailor shop, the Tabor drug store, Wallace drug store, Barnett dry goods, O'Brien dry goods, Plane's hardware, Steinmetz's shoe store, lekel's shoe store, Burke's barber shop and the Bulletin and Conservative offices. The public library was a complete loss, nothing was saved but the record books and those books in the hands of patrons.
On the night of the 10th of September, 1885, a disastrous fire took place near the B. C. R. & N. Railroad (now the Rock Island) depot, when a large elevator belonging to Kemmerer & Lamb burned to the ground, a $12,000 loss, with $8,750 insurance; twelve freight cars and lumber valued at over two hundred dollars, besides a lot of fat hogs which were in the stock yards awaiting shipment.
CIRCUS MEN OF INDEPENDENCE
At one time Independence was a rendezvous for cireus men and circuses and probably could claim the distinction of having fostered more circuses than any other town of equal size in the United States. In the early days scarcely a week went by but Independence was visited by some small eirens.
l'. A. Older was the original circus man, starting out with a small circus, consisting of "a few trained and untrained animals and birds of beautiful plumage." Afterwards he went over into Wisconsin and became general man- ager of "Mabies Great Menagerie and Show." This eireus visited Independence several times in 1862, and Romeo, one of a pair of big elephants, went through the old wooden bridge and was laid up for repairs here for some weeks. After- wards, in 1869, he managed the Yankee Robinson Cireus through a very sue- cessful campaign. In the winter of 1870, P. A. Older bought and shipped a large amount of fine stock from this county to his new menagerie then being collected at New Jersey. At one time he shipped a carload of horses from here. The virens was to travel westward with the intention of going into winter quarters in Independence at the close of the season. Three young Independence men went with the company: J. B. Turner as treasurer, and J. M. Chandler and Anson Sweet as advertising agents. Worthy Wallace also went as advance agent. The last performance of "Older's Grand Museum, Cireus and Menagerie" was given at Independence, October 27, 1870, and then the circus went into retirement for several months. The horses were pastured at the
579
HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
Morse farm, 21% miles northeast of Independence, and the caged animals were honsed at the stone barn on East Main Street, known as the Jones & Raymond Livery barn.
That winter he erected a large barn for training purposes just back of the stone barn, this was partially torn down and converted into a stable when the livery business was first established there, later he built one east of the brick stores in the same block and the third one in the southeast corner of the same block, also some sheds which did service for succeeding eireuses which wintered here. The old "ring barn" as it was ealled and the sheds stood intact until the Independence Lumber Company moved their yards into that block some five years ago and tore them down. On September 20, 1871, he suffered a severe loss when his horse tent took fire at Reedsburg, Wisconsin, and burned forty- four horses to deathi.
Mr. Okler was exceedingly generous to his old home town. In May, 1872, he gave one-half of the receipts from one exhibition of his eirens at Inde- pendenee to the city to purchase a fire engine, which amounted to $307. Later, on a southern cirenit, Older's show encountered the yellow fever plague and was kept in quarentine for weeks, which wrecked the finances of the proprietor and finally disbanded the company.
Miles Orton, another show man, lived here and wintered his animals in the old Jones & Raymond livery barn on East Main Street. He, too. was generous to Independence, and when he showed here in 1862. he gave a benefit perform- ance for the Soldiers' Aid Society. After the war, he managed Barnum's cir- eus. took it on what was intended to be an extensive trip through the South, but encountered the yellow fever plague; their employees took sick, and it proved to be a disastrous venture, and finally the circus disbanded.
Mr. W. W. Cole, a former resident of Independence, at one time owned a circus and menagerie. In 1873 he was manager of "the New York and New Orleans Zoological and Equestrian Exposition." On June 12th of that year it showed at Independence, just eighteen days after the big fire and his sympathies were so touched by the misfortune that he advertised to give a liberal share of both performances to the poor who had suffered from the fire.
J. B. Gaylord, for many years and until his death a resident of Incle- pendence, was a showman of wide experience and much renown in his peculiar profession as collector of, and dealer in, wild animals. For nearly thirty years he traveled all over the world, from the frozen zones of Siberia and northern Russia to the wilds of South Africa and South America and was as much at home in the jungles in India, in Australia and those South Sea Islands as he was on the streets of Independence. He was probably more familiar with those thousands of islands that border on the China Sea than with his own state. Ile bought animals for Barnum's, Ringling's, Forepaugh's and in fact all the big cireuses.
In 1874 Robert Fryer, an Independence man, was equestrian director of Stevens & Begun's Menagerie and Circus. Later he had a dog and pony show and wintered and trained his animals in the old Older barns on East Main Street. He established his animal training school here in 1876 or '77. In the winter of 1881 he had fifteen animals which he was engaged to exhibit in con- neetion with "Coup's Celebrated Combination Show," for which he got $250
580
HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
per week. He only trained horses, ponies, goats and dogs, and was very suc- eessful in that line. Many of the feats of intelligence and ability which these animals were tanght to perform were original, ingenious, instructive and extremely amusing.
In April, 1899, P. A. Older, the old-time showman, again visited Inde- pendence. Ile soon attained a prominence in that business hardly second to P. T. Barnum, and his wealth was computed in the hundreds of thousands. While touring the South, the show was tied up at Shreveport, Louisiana, by the yellow fever scourge, and before the quarantine was raised Mr. Older's capital had disappeared, but he struggled on gamely, and in the face of repeated dis- aster refused to give up until venture after venture had gone against him and he was hopelessly stranded in 1899. Ile was making his home in Dubuque, and his many old Independence friends were interested in his welfare. He died some years ago.
Another of the old timers of the show business was in Independence renew- ing acquaintances in May, 1899. This is George Smith, animal man for P. A. Older. Mr. Smith traveled with the Older shows for many years, starting from here with it in the '70s and wintering here after each season. In the days of the old-fashioned wagon shows he was an acknowledged expert in his line and the subject of discussion of every Independence youth. When the railroad show came into being he went to Chicago and for years had charge of the horse farm for the street car company. llere again modern methods interfered with his livelihood and with the advent of the cable and electric cars he went to the stoekyards and has since been connected with a firm of horse dealers.
Independence has probably harbored more eireus men and entertained more circuses than any other town of its size in the United States, and the Lexington of the North was their headquarters and home.
It was during the '60s that the famous millionaire showman, W. W. Cole, was a resident of Independence and was engaged as a clerk in the dry goods store of August Meyers. It was during the session of the old Dan Orton show that Cole left here. His mother, also a resident, and a member of the famons Cooke family, traditional in eirens annals, was married to Miles Orton at the time of her residence here. This famous show consisted of the following roster: Old Dan Orton, manager: Young Dan Miles, Irene, Leon, tra, and Mrs. Miles Orton (nee Cole, nee Cooke) were the performers and gave the entire performance from start to finish. In the language of showmen it was a "family show."
The next aggregation to locate here was the P. A. Older circus, mnseum and menagerie, at that time one of the largest companies on the road. It was P. A. Older who first introduced an exhibit, that mammoth fraud of all frauds, the Cardiff Giant. Such people as James Hutchinson, famous at one time as a member of the great cireus firm of Barnum. Bailey & Hutchinson, was a litho- grapher of the Older show and made Independence his home during the winter season.
Jacob Showles, William Showles, a famous barebaek rider with Sells Broth- ers; Fred Watson and wife, George Holland, brother of Ed llolland, proprietor of the Old Van Amberg show ; Jerry Hopper, the clown ; Harry Lambkins, one
581
HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
of the cleverest all-around performers of his time, and who died many years ago at the City of Aspinwall, Panama; Old George Castello, then Castello & McMahon : the Kincaid family, Sam Sanyeah, Mme. Sanyeah, the first female gymnast to exhibit in America : Billy Madden, the clown, all of whom made this city their home during the winter months and practiced their respective acts in the spacions ring barn of P. A. Older.
Robert W. Fryer, coneeded by the profession to be par excellence as a. horse educator, lived here for many years, until broken down in health, when he returned to his boyhood home in North Carolina, in the early '90s. He was respected and liked by all of those who knew him.
Barney Gaylord, better known in the profession as "Deefy," was a resident of Independence for fifty years. Mr. Gaylord was the first man to pilot a cirens to Australia, namely, the Cooper & Bailey show, and a few years later also successfully guided the W. W. Cole show through the antipodes, both shows returning to America with "barrels of the useful." He was also the man who secured the white or sacred elephant of Burmah for the Barunm show. To say that Mr. Gaylord had a residence, if a man can be said to have a residenee whose business kept him operating between the four corners of the earth, but the lodestone of his inch respected family remains among us and draws him hitherward at irregular intervals. C. F. Campbell, the advance agent, was also one of our community. and we could name a host of lesser lights who followed the fortunes of the white tents, who made this their anchoring spot during the cold weather.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.