USA > Iowa > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 7
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Resolved, That we hereby legalize all the acts of the clerk, done in va- cation or otherwise relating to his office. Read and approved by order of the Board of Supervisors.
Page 251 of Record.)
DEC. 3. 1866.
Resolved, That we, the board of supervisors of Carroll county, Iowa do hereby exonerate the clerk, and legalize his actions relating to allowance of bills in vacation, and especially relating to the relief fund.
(Page 236 of Record.) MARCH 8, A. D. 1866.
At a special meeting of the board of supervisors called by notice accord- ing to law there was present J. J. McCullum, and George Ribble. The board being in session the following business was transacted. A petition was presented, signed by sundry citizens asking the board to legalize the action of township trustees in and for Newton township in regard to township Vol. I-4
50
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
trustees letting certain bridge contracts on or about the Ist day of February, 1866, to the following named parties: John Monroe, C. Ribble and Wm. Gilley. Said petition was granted.
(Page 237 of Record.)
APRIL 2d, A. D. 1866.
Resolved, That we do hereby authorize the clerk to finish all unfinished business and allow all claims he deems just and right.
(Page 223 of Record.)
SEPTEMBER 4, 1866.
Resolved, That we, the board of supervisors hereby legalize the acts done in vacation by Mr. Wm. Gilley, clerk, and especially all pertaining to selling of school lands, whenever and wherever such lands may have been sold.
PEACE AND HARMONY PREVAILED. (Pages 257 and 258 of Record.)
JANUARY 7th, 1867.
Wm. Henry Price, clerk of the district court, presented his bond which was accepted by the board, also, Dr. Thomas Ellwood, county recorder, pre- sented his official bond, which was approved by board.
The newly elected clerk, aforesaid, together with the newly elected board of supervisors, having qualified according to law came into the office, the old board vacating, and the newly elected members took their seats, peace and harmony prevailed. Minutes of the meeting read and approved.
WM. GILLEY, Clerk.
A CURIOUS INVESTIGATION. (Page 239 of Record.)
JUY 14, 1866.
Resolved, That we do hereby appoint a committee to investigate the sev- eral acts of the board of supervisors of this county, and to carefully look over the records of the county and make a full and complete report of their doings as soon as convenient.
Investigating committee, Thomas Hirons, E. B. Smith and Wm. Gilley.
(Page 305 of Record.) JUNE SESSION.
JUNE 3, 1867.
Ordered, that the board of supervisors of Carroll county, meet at I o'clock on Tuesday after the first Monday in August, with one person from each township, to ascertain the indebtedness of the county, and to devise ways and means to liquidate said indebtedness, and the clerk is hereby authorized to ascertain as near as he can, the amount of the outstanding debt or war- rants. G. H. Shutes appointed Robt. Dixon from Jasper township on said committee ; E. B. Smith, E. M. Smith, from Union; John Monroe appointed Richard Squires from Newton township, on said committee.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
(Page 360 of Record.)
Whereas, The said board of supervisors of said county, did, on the first Monday in July last, appoint a committee to investigate county offices and county officers, said committee, for some cause, did not appear to make investigations,
Whereas, The grand jury at its last session is said to have appointed a committee to make such investigations, some of this committee has made certain threats against certain officers, and
Whereas, the board of supervisors of said county do hereby appoint the following committee : E. B. Smith, Thos. Ellwood, Wm. Gilley, to help in- vestigate said county officers, and to report to the grand jury at this next session, in person.
THE LITHOGRAPHIC MAP.
(Pages 346 and 347 of Record.)
To the Honorable Board of Supervisors of Carroll County, Iowa :
Your memorialists would respectfully beg leave to lay before you a matter of deep interest to all the citizens of our county. It is a fact well known that the inducements that there are for settlers to come and settle in this county, have not been made sufficiently public, your petitioners would beg of you the construction of a lithograph map of our county, show- ing our noble river, our railroad, our county roads, our groves of timber, bridges, mills and schoolhouses, improved farms, our town, our splendid prairie lands, our lovely lakes, our commanding mounds, our beautiful val- leys, our lowlands, with their numerous springs, with their luxuriant grass.
Indeed every thing worthy of note in the county, remembering that maps of this kind would, if properly gotten up and extensively circulated, be the means of bringing hundreds of settlers and thousands of dollars into our county. We therefore respectfully ask that our honorable body make an appropriation to Thos. Ellwood of $2,500.00 to get and complete a map as above described, and enable him to go forward with the work, that you allow him $1,000.00 in advance, in order that he may be able to give this map an extensive circulation, that in addition to the above appro- priation, he shall have the benefit of the map after it is completed. Believing this matter to be already thoroughly understood by your honorable body, it is deemed necessary only to ask your prompt action in the matter, and your petitioners will ever pray, &c., &c.
(Page 348 of Record.)
Names as follows: W. N. Boots, James Gilley, Thos. Ellwood, Wm. Gilley, C. C. Mulloy. J. W. Monroe, J. F. Sugg, C. Ribble. Petition granted, and the amount is hereby appropriated, and the clerk ordered to issue war- rants for $1,000.00. Following warrants issued for that purpose :
No I35 136 100.00
$ 100.00
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
100.00
I37
138
100.00
I39
200.00
140
200.00
I4I
200.00
Total
$1,000.00
(Page 356 of Record.)
Ordered that there be $1,000.00 more issued to Thos. Ellwood, of the $2,500.00 appropriated for lithograph map. Adjourned until December 3d.
(Pages 363 and 364 of Record.)
Warrants issued 302 to 321, for bill of December, $575.00; 322 to 320, for lithograph map, $1,000.00.
Note .- The map for which Ellwood was paid these various sums of money was never prepared and never published.
COURTHOUSE AT CARROLL. (Page 356 of Record.)
To the Honorable Board of Supervisors of Carroll County, Iowa :
GENTLEMEN : The undersigned respectfully submit the following prop- osition, that, whereas, the county seat has, by vote of the people, been removed to Carroll, on line of railroad, and whereas, the people of the county ask for the removal of records at no distant date, and whereas, I have a house at Carroll that would be suitable for the present, provided it was fitted up. Therefore, if the board of county supervisors will appro- priate the sum of $525.00 to be used in fitting up said house, then said house can be used for county records and county purposes.
Dated at Carrollton, Dec. 2, 1867.
WM. GILLEY.
Petition granted, and clerk ordered to draw warrants on the county funds for the amount.
(Page 385 of Record.)
FEBRUARY 4, 1868.
Wm. Gilley stated that he wanted an appropriation of $300,00, to finislı up the courthouse at Carroll, for the use of the county records. He would let the house to the county, the same as he was offered by other parties.
On motion of Lester and Hirons, that the request of Wm. Gilley for $300.00, be granted. Carried.
On motion that we accept the proposition of William Gilley to rent the house for the use of the county, at $50.00 per month, and keep the same until the appropriation of $800.00 is used in rent.
On motion, that the clerk enter in a contract with Wm. Gilley for his house at Carroll, for county purposes. Carried.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
(Page 402 of Record.)
L. McCurdy allowed $150.00 extra pay, for treasurer's work. War- rants issued (page 396), 440 to 444. William Gilley for fitting up court- house at Carroll, $300.00, to 458. L. McCurdy for service as ex-treasurer, $150.00.
Some of those whose names appear on these unsatisfactory records are still residents of the county and enjoy commendable standing among its people. The disease of civic profligacy was probably a common malady of the times, for Carroll county was not alone in the wantonness with which its early affairs were conducted. The condition in neighboring counties was as bad or worse.
The story is told with every surrounding of truth that in Greene county the pioneer authorities let contracts for bridges across certain streams inter- secting important highways, which contract was performed by the construc- tion of a bridge on runners. This structure was drawn by teams to one of the sites, where it was allowed to remain until the contractors, who were also connected with county affairs and donors of the contract, could collect the agreed sum from the public treasury, after which the same structure was dragged to another site, where the performance was repeated.
The uncertainty and insecurity of the future no doubt contributed to this state of affairs, for it was not until the latter sixties that the country came to be regarded as valuable. The possibilities of the present were never dreamed of.
It does not seem that the rewards of these enterprises ever enriched any of the participants. The revenues seem to have been dissipated and absorbed in such a way that all were satisfied by that sort of circulation and digestion that seemed for the time being the natural way. Resentment did not go far and the complacency and good nature of the community singled out no victim.
Dropping this subject to the reflection of the reader, a plan is conceived in this stage of this labor of a chronological arrangement of detached and fragmentary matters condensed from the files of old newspapers, principally from The Carroll Herald, extending from 1870 to 1890, a period of twenty years. These condensations expand in many directions and are themselves a series of stories as well told as could be done in any other way.
CHAPTER VI.
1870-1875.
THE CITIZENS' RETRENCHMENT CONVENTION OF 1870-RESOLUTIONS DE- NOUNCING THE RECKLESS EXTRAVAGANCE OF THE PAST-PARTIAL VICTORY OF THE REFORMERS-THE FIRST TEACHERS' INSTITUTE-LAMBERT KNIEST'S ENTERPRISES-DEVASTATING TORNADO SWEEPS SECTION OF THE COUNTY- THE SECOND PEOPLES' CONVENTION-GROWTH OF THE COUNTY-DIVISION OF CARROLL TOWNSHIP-GUTHRIE & BOWMAN'S WHOLESALE SUCCESS IN COLONIZING THE RAW LANDS-GENERAL PHIL SHERIDAN'S VISIT TO CAR- ROLL-VALUATION OF PROPERTY IN 1871 BY TOWNSHIPS-REPUBLICAN VICTORY AT THE GENERAL ELECTION-DEATH OF GEO. N. YOUNG-GROWTH OF THE GRANGER MOVEMENT-ORGANIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY- CARROLL'S FIRST CRIMES-PANIC OF 1873-KENDALL'S MURDER-THE PANIC AND THE SALE OF LAND-DEDICATION OF THE FIRST CHURCH EDI- FICE IN CARROLL COUNTY-CONGREGATIONALISTS FIRST TO ERECT HOUSE OF WORSHIP-TRAGIC DEATH OF REV. HASTINGS-DEFALCATION OF COUNTY TREASURER PRICE-BIRTH OF ARCADIA-GRASSHOPPERS MAKE THEIR AP- PEARANCE-IOWA RAILROAD LAND COMPANY MAKES SETTLEMENT-DEDI- CATION OF M. E. CHURCH.
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY.
1870-1875.
September 17-A republican mass convention having for its main plank opposition to the Northwestern Railroad company, met at the courthouse. The attendance was fair and the proceedings lively. One boy of about fifteen was noticed, when the hat was passed, to vote a handful of tickets with all the nonchalance imaginable. The nominations were as follows : Treasurer, A. L. Kidder; recorder, Wm. A. Young; clerk, John K. Deal; sheriff, Thomas Basler ; supervisors, J. P. Yates, O. J. Soper and Isaac Harris.
September 20-The citizens' retrenchment convention met at the court- house, where it was called to order and George Smith called to the chair. W. L. Culbertson was elected secretary. A committee on resolutions con- sisting of I. Gee, W. E. Potter, Robert McRea, J. C. Kelley, S. D. Culbert- son, T. Roderick and L. Kniest, reported the following :
Resolved, That we, the people of Carroll county, in convention assembled, ignore party and party lines, reposing our trust in the sober intelligence
55
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
and discriminating justice of the people, unite in the following resolutions :
I. That we justly view with alarm the reckless extravagance which has for many years past characterized the conduct of our public affairs.
2. That a return to rigid economy and accountability is indispensable to arrest the plunder of the public treasury by these men who have had, for a number of years past, charge of the business of the county.
3. That the many startling developments of fraud and corruption among our county officials show that an entire change of officers is im- peratively demanded.
4. That we demand economy and honesty in the administration of our county affairs.
5. That we are in favor of the speedy collection of all outstanding taxes justly and legally due the county, whether the same is owing by rail- road companies, land companies or individuals.
These resolutions were unanimously adopted and the following ticket placed in the field: Treasurer, W. L. Culbertson ; clerk, Geo. Smith; re- corder, H. E. Russell; sheriff, P. H. Hankins; supervisors, Isaac Harris, O. J. Soper, W. S. Winnett.
October 16-There is now completed the publication of the list of lands owned by the Iowa Railroad Land company, and on which taxes are de- linquent for the years 1866-67. About four thousand descriptions are embraced in the publication.
October 26-For several days large prairie fires have been burning in every direction. The prairies around Carroll and Glidden have been back- fired for a safe distance to prevent the wild fires from sweeping the towns. The 7-year-old daughter of Jas. Dewalt, living in Kniest township, was burned to death while the family was trying to extinguish the stacks, which had caught from the burning prairie. The child attempted to run between the burning stacks, when the flames and smoke overtook and suffocated her. When recovered the body was burned to a cinder.
October 27-W. S. Knapp, state agent for the Iowa Sabbath School association, organized a Carroll County association at a largely attended meeting at the courthouse. The following officers were chosen: Rev. S. Snyder, Carroll, president; Rev. W. R. Smith, Glidden, secretary ; J. H. Kelsey, Carroll, first vice president ; Dr. White, Glidden, second vice presi- dent ; C. C. Mulloy, Carrollton, third vice president. Township secretaries were chosen as follows: Carroll, J. W. King; Glidden, H. Hildebrand ; Jasper, A. E. Smith; Roselle, Mr. Coppage; Richland, W. L. Culbertson.
November 2-The Carroll druggist, J. W. Hatton, recently took a tour eastward and when he returned he came not alone. Mr. and Mrs. Hatton will make their home in rooms on Fifth street.
November 2-The newly organized reform party succeeded in the elec- tion of October IIth in electing two of its candidates,-H. E. Russell, recorder, and P. H. Hankins, sheriff. W. S. Winnett was elected over J. P. Yates for supervisor. W. H. Price was elected treasurer over W. L. Culbertson by eight votes, this result having been arrived at after a con- test before the board of supervisors. The election was the hottest political contest ever known in Carroll county up to that time.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
November 16-H. E. Kimball is teaching the public school at Glidden. W. F. Steigerwalt, in charge of the Carroll school, and Miss Rumsey, his assistant, arc giving the public excellent satisfaction.
November 18-L. H. McMann and John K. Deal were admitted to the bar at the late term of court, Judge Mott, presiding.
November 18-W. H. Price resigned his position as county auditor to qualify as treasurer and the board of supervisors appointed W. L. Culbert- son to fill the vacancy thus occasioned.
November 30-Lambert Kniest has purchased the general store until the present conducted by L. McCurdy, and has surrounded himself with an immense stock for the winter trade. The departure of Dr. Fejaus, who returned to his home in Philadelphia, was made the occasion of a compli- mentary oyster supper at Burke's restaurant, where the doctor was presented with two gold badges, one emblematic of his profession and the other of his Masonic relations.
December 14-The contract for building the county jail was awarded to L. C. Bailey, who will put up the building for $700. It will be 12 x 16 feet with walls four inches in thickness, with a spike every six inches.
December 14-The contract for building the county jail was awarded the supervision of County Superintendent M. W. Beach, Professor J. L. Ennis of Cedar Rapids, was chosen to conduct the work. The session con- tinued six days and closed with an entertainment by the teachers. There were thirty-four teachers in attendance.
December 24-The people of Carrollton have secured the services of Orville Johnson as teacher. Mr. Johnson is a recent graduate of the Agri- cultural college at Ames.
Lambert Kniest, chairman of the board of supervisors, has just com- pleted a purchase of over 23,000 acres of land in addition to previous purchases from the Iowa Railroad Land company. This purchase com- prises nearly all of township 85, range 36, being the northwest township of the county, and is now united with Kniest. This is the present Wheat- land township. It is a vast body of first class agricultural land, consisting of rolling prairie, well watered and supplied with fine springs. Two years ago Mr. Kniest contracted with the Iowa Land company for the town- ship immediately adjoining on the east. It was then wild and tenantless and not a plow or spade had broken the turf with which nature had carpeted its thirty-six square miles. To-day it is covered with houses and barns and rolls up 52 votes and has a population of over 300 intelligent and industrious people. The first township purchased by Mr. Kniest was peopled by Germans only, but the new purchase will. be thrown open to the world and until June 1, 1871, purchasers can select their land and sales will be made in quantities to suit.
1871.
January 11-The county treasurer has been enjoined from receiving the taxes laid upon Newton township to pay the judgments against it. The
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
petition recites that the judgment was fraudulently obtained and also sets forth that the judgments for which the levy was made are no legal claim of indebtedness against the township.
January 18-Coroner Wayne held an inquest at Glidden on the body of Joseph Rogers, who was found dead in a wagon in which he had left the town two hours before. The jury found that death was caused from over indulgence in alcoholic liquors and recommended the coroner to report to the grand jury the names of the persons selling the poison, who were not licensed to deal in such beverages.
February 1-John I. Blair of Massachusetts, president of the Town Lot and Land company, has donated to the Presbyterian church of Carroll the corner lot on Adams and Sixth streets, on which the society is arranging to erect a church building soon. The church was incorporated January 2Ist with the following officers: Directors, J. H. Kelsey, L. McCurdy, L. C. Bailey ; treasurer, L. McCurdy ; secretary, L. C. Bailey ; trustees, Wm. H. Tibbles, M. A. Hoyt, C. L. Bailey. The public ordination of J. H. Kelsey and C. L. Bailey as deacons took place on the following Sunday. Rev. Mr. Smith is pastor.
February 2-Station Agent Holliday makes the following report of the business of the C. & N. W. railroad at the Carroll station for the year 1870: Total freight received, $24,087.78; freight forwarded, $7,795.50 ; tickets sold, $3,900.35 ; telegraph tolls, $209.54. Total $35,993.27.
February 3-Wm. H. Tibbles is a candidate for mayor on a platforni containing eleven planks, the first of which is as follows: "I am in favor of early piety, and that the young and rising generation may become thor- oughly imbued with this principle I am in favor of erecting a Methodist church edifice on the center of each and every town lot in the incorporate town of Carroll." The eleventh plank reads: "All persons voting for me can go to Burke's and get all they have a mind to pay for."
February 9-H. E. Brooks and Col. J. B. Cooke have formed a partner- ship for the purpose of doing a general commission business in agricultural implements, lumber and farm produce under the style of Cooke & Brooks.
February 25-Dr. Gustine, of Panora, has made arrangements to remove to Carroll from Panora. The doctor owns 1200 acres of land in Carroll county, and this among the best land in it. He is a man of means and a physician of high reputation.
March 13-Council proceedings. The following ordinance was passed : "That ordinance No. 2 be so amended as to increase the license of saloon keepers from $100 to $200 per year, payable quarterly in advance."
March 15-Mrs. Bryant B. Terry this morning knocked at the door of the house of her father, Allen Preston, and when the door was opened fell over the threshold in a faint. Her face and clothes were covered with blood of her husband, who had shot himself, and after that had shot her and dashed his weapon in her face. When her father repaired to her house the husband was found in the last throes of death. Mrs. Bryant was shot in the cheek and her forehead laid open and skull slightly fractured by the blow from the pistol. Bryant had been drinking heavily for several days and was crazed with liquor.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
March 15-Messrs. Bowman and Guthrie of Dubuque have been spend- ing a few days in this vicinity. Mr. Bowman is connected with the Dubuque Herald. They are considering Carroll as a location for the land business.
April 12-The first note of the robin was heard March 24. The mean temperature of March was 37.8, warmest day 54; coldest 26.6. Nearly all of the wheat in the county was seeded in that month and put in good con- dition.
April 14-The council passed an ordinance providing for the closing of all places of business, save drug stores and the railroad and telegraph office at II o'clock on Saturday night, not to be opened until 6 o'clock Monday morning.
May 10 The influx of settlers in and around Tip Top (Arcadia) has made the establishment of a postoffice necessary. A new mail route has been established from Carroll to Sac City by way of Grant City.
May 14-The Glidden and Carroll baseball teams met at Carroll and in nine innings ran up a score of 35 and 51 respectively. Batteries for Glidden, Williford and Bruner ; Carroll, Hastings and Russell. Umpire, L. G. Bangs.
June 14-L. Kniest has workmen engaged in extending his store build- ing. When completed it will front on both Fifth and Fourth streets 100 feet in length, two stories high.
June 21-Saturday afternoon, the 17th, this county was visited by the most destructive storm ever known in this section. During the fore- part of the day the weather was extremely sultry and early in the afternoon it clouded up and about six o'clock the storm came. It was a tornado and one of the greatest power. The cloud with its hanging arm was noted dis- tinctly when yet some distance off. It traveled with fearful rapidity. The storm did not strike Carroll directly, but seemed to hang to the south and in the town the damage was confined to the overturning of light out buildings and the blowing down of chimneys. A barn, which had been put up by a Mr. Young, was torn down and flattened to the ground. Little harm was done, but at Glidden the damage to property was serious. Bowers & Culver, the druggists, were struck and their store so badly twisted that the upper story will have to come off. Glass fronts were blown in and light objects carried by the wind in every direction. A hay rake was driven across the street and carried through the front of Bruner & Browning's store. In the Gee settlement the residences of the following were totally wrecked and the buildings and contents scattered over the prairies : Harvey Ennis, Mr. Pea- body, Mr. Wood, Mr. Armitage, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Al- berts. Near Glidden the houses of Horace Hastings, Geo. Vader and Thomas Rich were entirely destroyed. Mr. Jewell's house was torn to pieces and a child about five years of age was instantly killed. Its body was found six rods from the house with the arm broken and skull crushed. An old lady, a relative of Mrs. Jewell's, was seriously injured and her recovery is doubt- ful. Several other persons were injured in various degrees. At Scranton four houses near the town were blown to splinters. James Huntington was killed and his son, James Huntington, and Mr. Rue, son-in-law of the man killed, both had fractured skulls and will die. One store was blown down and several houses carried from their foundations.
60
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
July 19-The first copy of the Sac Sun, a seven column paper, published at Sac City, has just been issued, with James N. Miller as proprietor and editor.
July 21-The name of Tip Top has been changed to Arcadia and Uncle Sam has established a postoffice there of that name. Five buildings have been erected in the new town and several more are in course of building.
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