USA > Iowa > Clayton County > History of Clayton County, Iowa : from the earliest historical times down to the present : including a genealogical and biographical record of many representative families, prepared from data obtained from original sources of information, Volume I > Part 29
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secretary. At 300 feet a flow of water was struck and, in December, 1876, a flow of fifteen barrels per minute was secured. This delighted the people, the ladies of the town gave an entertainment to secure funds to beautify the grounds and, later, the company with J. F. Bassett as president, increased its capital to $20,000 and planned to beautify the grounds and to lay extensive water mains. April 8, 1876, McGregor was visited by a disastrous storm. This is described by the Times as being a "deluge," exceeding in violence the storms of 1860 and 1868. The property damaged was estimated to exceed $21,500, the chief loss falling from the city sewerage system and upon Peterson & Ramage. Great boulders were hurled through the street by the force of the water and the parks presented a sorry sight, the grass being covered with several inches of mud. The loss to Peterson & Ramage was caused by their cellar, which was filled with wholesale drugs and groceries, being flooded. In 1876, McGregor lost one of its pioneer business men in the person of A. T. Jones. He was a Kentuckian by birth, went to the Galena lead mines in 1837, and landed at McGregor in 1849. At that time there were but three families in the place, those of Alexander McGregor, Andrew Teets, and Lafayette Bigelow. He established the firm of Jones & Bass, which, in 1856, was sold to Merrill & Barron. Mr. Jones remained in business in the city and throughout his life was one of McGregor's most prominent and helpful citizens.
During the boom days, when the city had visions of becoming a second Chicago, there was much municipal extravagance and the city plunged into debt beyond the constitutional limit. In the later 70's these chickens came home to roost and became a serious handicap to the town, although it did not stop public improvements for, during this time, fine churches were built and a handsome new school house replaced the old building. The question of indebtedness got into the courts and in December, 1879, a decision of the United States court was made of which the Times says: "Our city has a debt of $60,000, of which bonded obligation, $20,000 is illegal, and the bulk of the whole is in the hands of eastern capitalists. The debt was contracted when McGregor was on the top wave of a flourishing condition. By mis- management and shrinkage of values, our city got into a condition of helplessness, because our state laws do not allow a sufficient levy of taxes to pay principal or interest. The first step toward escape from this predicament is this decision of the United States court. The next step will be an enabling act by the coming state legislature by which taxes can be levied to pay the interest and establish a sinking fund sufficient to liquidate our municipal debt. All this McGregor is willing to do and has been, as soon as the state law permits. This city has always been willing to pay her legal debts justly, and so strong is this disposition that members of the council have proposed to use funds that they had no right to, to pay the city debt." While disap- pointing to the hopes of those who expected McGregor to become a great metropolis, this period was one of which any Iowa city might have been proud.
Elkader-If Elkader had fewer "ups" it also had fewer "downs" than had McGregor. In 1870, there was rejoicing when the bridge was reopened and Elisha Boardman and H. D. Bronson drove across
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in state while the people cheered. Business was good and the little town was growing constantly. The mill had established a reputation and was shipping flour direct to Europe. In 1871, it is reported, "Elk- ader has improved rapidly. Several residences have been built this spring and more in process. V. Boller is building a fine business block of stone on Front street nearly opposite the mill. When finished, it will be not only an ornament to the town, but one of the best business blocks in northern Iowa. The First National Bank of Elkader will soon commence a stone building near the mill, with law offices on the second floor. Two churches are being built, one by the Methodists and one by the Congregationalists." Under the head of railroads, it has been noted that Elkader made many efforts to get into touch with the outside world, both by rail and wire, and finally got connection through the precarious line of the narrow gauge. In June, 1871, high water damaged the mill to the extent of $3,000 and put it out of commission for some time.
In June, 1873, the city lost one of its strongest citizens in the person of B. T. Hunt whose activities have been frequently mentioned in this history. He was one of the Republican leaders of the county and was one of that party's most eloquent orators. He was one of the county's staunchest Union men and he did much to arouse that enthusiasm which placed the county in the front rank for volunteers. He was elected state senator in 1863 and, in 1868, was elected circuit judge without opposition. With his death Elkader and Clayton county lost one of their best and strongest men.
The year 1876 was memorable in Elkader by the installation of the beautiful chimes at the Catholic church. This was done through the efforts of Father Quigley and they were ready to ring the glad tidings of the Christmas time to the people of Elkader. These bells, three in number, were cast at Cincinnati by the Buckeye Bell Foundry, and weighed 5,400 pounds, the weight being 3,000 pounds, 1,500 pounds and 900 pounds. The cost was $1,800 and appropriate inscrip- tions were cast upon the bells, together with the names of the seventy- two donors. Eighteen hundred and seventy-seven saw the advent of the first street sprinkler in Elkader and, in 1878, the Elkader Register made its appearance, as a Democratic paper in opposition to the Journal. The Register was, from the first, a healthy appearing and newsy paper. It was established by George H. Otis and edited by him for one year when it was purchased by F. D. Bayless and run by the Register company. In 1878 occurred what is still known as "the brewery fire." The building was completely destroyed, but 250 barrels of beer were saved. This fire was followed by a tragedy, when, during preparations to rebuild, a wall caved in, killing Severin Hassler. The enterprise of the citizens was shown by the fund raised for the court house and the fact that there was a surplus which was devoted, in 1878, to the installation of Elkader's first water works. Following the instal- lation of the water works a fire company was formed which had an abbreviated uniform described as "consisting of a belt, cap and red woolen shirt." The company had its first tryout at a fire at Gilbert Bros. photograph gallery in January, 1879. It was at this time that the creamery project was started by C. T. Stearns and Edgar Partch. This
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commenced business August 1, 1879, with horse power and a star churn. What was said to be the first hearse in the county was owned by H. C. Grotewohl. It was made by Schoch and Witt of Volga and painted by F. Dennert. Illustrating the life of the village it may be stated that in 1879 there was a great craze for walking matches. Everyone tried his foot at it and Dell Wade was the champion, walking 50 miles in 9 hours, 36 minutes and 16 seconds.
Abd-El-Kader-In November, 1879, occurred the death of Abd- El-Kader, the Algerian patriot for whom Elkader was named. The Register gives an account of the naming of the town and a biography of Abd-El-Kader, as, follows: "In 1844, when John Thompson, Chester Sage and Timothy Davis, the founders of Elkader were laying out the town, the attention of the whole world was turned toward Algeria, where Abd-El-Kader was fighting for his country, trying to preserve it from the French. When the town had been platted, and a name was necessary to complete the work, Timothy Davis, with the exploits of Abd-El-Kader fresh in his mind, proposed the name, Elk- ader, which was adopted. The chief from whom the town derived its name, died last week in Damascus, in the seventy-second year of his age. Abd-El-Kader, Sheik-up-Islam, descendant of the prophet, Emir of Mascara, Sultan of Algeria, was born in Mascara, in 1807, and during his early years made a pilgrimage to Mecca, and studied Arab philosophy in the schools of Egypt and Morocco. In 1828, having offended the Dey of Algeria, he was obliged to flee to Egypt. In 1831, during the first war between Algeria and France, he again appeared in his native country and took the leadership of the army against France, and at the head of 10,000 horsemen attacked Oran, in May, 1832. His attempt was unsuccessful, and other engagements followed without decisive results. After several changes in the personnel of the French officers, General Voivol succeeded to the command. Finding that Abd- El-Kader's influence was every day extending, the French concluded to make peace with him, and, in February, 1834, a treaty was con- cluded between him and the governor of Oran, by which Abd-El-Kader recognized the suzerainty of France, but was named Emir of the province of Mascara, with many important commercial rights over the whole of Oran.
"In July, 1835, for some alleged misdemeanor the French again declared war against him, and after a war of over a year, in which he defeated the French in several battles, a treaty was again made with him, May 30, 1837. In 1839, Abd-El-Kader declared war against France, for marching an armed force through his territory, and after a terrible war of over seven years, in which he was stripped of the last vestige of power and reduced to the extremity of distress, he was finally obliged to surrender. It was during this war that his name became widely known, beaten in battle after battle, his troops deserting him, he would not give up the contest until all was gone. After his surrender he was placed in the castle of Ambroise, near Blois, where he remained until 1852, when Louis Napoleon released him, and gave him an anuual pension of 100,000 francs. Subsequently, he removed to Damascus, and his name will be held in grateful re- membrance by the Christians of that city for his courageous efforts for
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their protection from the fury of the fanatical Turks, during the massacre of 1860, when the Druses fell upon the Maronites. For this service he received the cross of the Legion of Honor. He was one of the lions of the Paris exposition of 1855, and in 1863 visited the Suez canal, receiving a present of a piece of land from M. DeLesseps. In 1865, he went to England and, in 1867, attended another exposition at Paris. The last years of his life have been peaceful, and free from the volcanic fire of patriotism that animated him to do for his country, what Marco Bozzaris sought to do for suffering Greece, Kosciusko for Poland and Schamyl for Caucasus."
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CHAPTER XI
IMPROVEMENT PERIOD-1880-1900
POLITICAL HISTORY-PROHIBITION-FREE SILVER ISSUE-COUNTY GOV- ERNMENT-ELKADER BRIDGE-COUNTY ASYLUM-STORMS AND FLOODS -FLOOD OF 1896-COUNTY EVENTS-SOLDIERS' REUNIONS-COUNTY FAIRS-ELKADER FAIR-INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS-CRIMINAL RECORD- RECHFUS MURDER-ELKINS MURDER-JAIL DELIVERIES-GROWTH OF TOWNS SPANISH WAR-BUILDING PROGRESS IN ELKADER-THE LAST PIONEERS.
T HE history of Clayton county between the years of 1880 and 1900 is, in miniature, the history of Iowa. It was the growth and progress of these years which stamped Iowa as the best and richest state in the Union. The land which, less than fifty years before, had been thought too inhospitable to support an extensive pop- ulation and which had been abandoned, as a hunting ground for Indian tribes, had proven that it was the garden spot of all the world, and Clayton county had proven that it was the garden spot of Iowa. The real growth of the county is to be found during this period, not in the towns, but on the farms. No mushroom cities grew, there were no booms and no seasons of wild speculation. Practically no railroad mileage was added. The towns were, in fact, almost ultra conservative.
They grew and expanded but in reality lagged behind the development of the county as a whole. The best brain and brawn of the county was on the farm. This was shown by better methods of agriculture, by improvement of stock, by intensive methods, by better buildings, and by higher priced lands. Northeastern Iowa became noted as the dairy of the United States. The prairies, where once roamed the elk and buffalo, were dotted with cattle of the purest blood. There were nd woolen mills, nor factories of the larger kind, but the creameries were almost as numerous as the schools. In short, the farm was not the adjunct of the town; the town was the adjunct of the farm, and the towns but barely kept pace with the demand of the rich agricultural districts by which they were surrounded. The increased transporta- tion facilities limited the trade area of each town to its own immediate vicinity. Men no longer drove two hundred miles to take their wheat to McGregor. The line to the west and the Elkader branch curtailed the trade of the Pocket city; the Volga branch took from the trade of Elkader ; and the line through Strawberry Point was a bane to the merchants along the Volga. While this prevented the growth of any
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large city and was a source of regret to the individual merchants, it was of great economic value to the county, as the farmer was within easy reach of transportation and was able to pick and choose his market place. Increased land values operated to prevent growth in population, and allowing for natural increase, there was a positive loss. Just as the cheap lands of Iowa beckoned to the ambitious poor and the adventurous young of the eastern states in early days, so the Dakotas and Kansas and Nebraska called to the youth of Iowa. And thus while Clayton county prospered, it grew, not in population, not in the building of cities, but in wealth and culture and material comforts.
Politics-From 1880 until 1894 the politics of the county hinged almost entirely upon the question of prohibition. Whatever may be the results of this great problem, the immediate effects of this con- troversy were disastrous for Clayton county. Had it stopped with politics the harm would have been insignificant, perhaps, but it entered into the courts, the schools, the church, into business life and the personal relation of the men of the county. It made friends of enemies and enemies of friends. The passage of the so-called "mulct law," in the early 90's, was the signal for a .truce on this question which lasted for twenty years.
In 1893, the pressure of hard times drove men to think chiefly of economic matters, and it was then that the silver question sprang into existence, and it occupied the center of the political stage until after the close of the century.
While a few of the giants of the ante-bellum days; such men as Murdock, Noble, Crosby, Updegraff, Uriell and Stoneman, remained as factors in the politics of the county many new men were springing up, men who had been born in the county, old soldiers whose military records made them beloved of the people, new men coming to the county after the war and proving their worth, were to be reckoned with in politics. Such men as John Everall, R. E. Price, Senator Bay- less, J. E. Corlett, Henry Meyer, and later, D. D. Murphy, H. C. Bishop, Henry Meder, John G. Hemple, B. W. Newberry and others, became prominent.
In 1880, Clayton county was Republican, occasional Democratic officers were elected, but in the main the Republican party was dom- inant. The question of prohibition entered into the contest, but not enough to change the current of thought in the presidential election. It was in this year that Charles Reugnitz made his first appearance as a candidate. He was secretary of the Democratic county convention and was nominated for clerk over Mr. Shields. Reugnitz declined and Shields was nominated, later Shields withdrew and the committee named Reugnitz. The Republican majority for Garfield was more than 600. Updegraff was elected to congress, Reugnitz, who was connected with the hoop factory at Clayton was defeated by J. F. Thompson and C. L. McGonigal lost the office of recorder to Charles Shecker.
In 1881, the Democrats were at first so badly disorganized that they held no convention to name state delegates, and these were appointed by F. D. Bayless, who, as chairman of the Democratic county committee, was coming into political prominence. William Larrabee, of Fayette county, but whose interests were large in this county, was a
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candidate for the Republican nomination for governor but was defeated by Buren R. Sherman. Prohibition was a growing factor in this cam- paign, but Sherman carried the county by more than 200. The Democrats elected C. F. Floete treasurer and G. H. Scofield supervisor, but John Everall was beaten for superintendent by O. D. Oathout by 91 majority and the balance of the ticket was Republican.
Prohibition-In June, 1882, came the election on the prohibitory amendment. This was defeated in Clayton county, the vote being, for 823, against 2,955. The amendment carried in the state by 30,000. There had been a bitter fight, and those opposed to prohibition, held the Republican party responsible for its submission to the people and for its passage. The Germans, who had been largely with the Repub- licans and who were opposed to prohibition, left the Republican party almost en masse and the result was apparent in the election of Novem- ber, 1882, when the Democrats carried the county by nearly 700, Upde- graff had a margin of but 61, and L. H. Weller was elected. Neverthe- less, Thompson, Republican, defeated Corlett for clerk and Shecker won for recorder as against Reugnitz ; Frank Shoulte, Democrat, was elected on the board, and L. O. Hatch for district judge and C. Welling- ton for attorney, both Democrats, had large majorities. During this campaign there were organizations both for and against prohibition. A prohibitory amendment convention was held in Elkader as early as October, 1881. In January, there was a prohibition convention with Francis H. Palmer, president and Robert Grant secretary. In June, 1882, there was an anti-prohibition convention, called by S. K. Adams. Robert Quigley was chairman of this convention and, speaking of the effect of prohibitory laws, he said that, in 1872, there were forty- two saloons in McGregor, that a $50 license was imposed and sixteen saloons went out of business, and that, at that time, there were but sixteen saloons in McGregor. He said that liquor prosecutions had already cost the county $6,000 and that but two convictions, from Monona, had been secured. H. O. Pratt stumped the county for prohibition and he and S. K. Adams held joint debates. The Register, Democratic, of Elkader, hails the results of the election of 1882 as "A Tidal Wave; Revolution Complete." The year 1883, was another of prohibition excitement. A test case was brought and Judge Walter I. Hayes, of Clinton, held the amendment annulled because the wording differed in one section as passed by the senate and as passed by the house. This decision was confirmed by the supreme court and the amendment was thrown out. This reopened the whole question. The prohibitionists were angered that the result of the election had been nullified by what they believed to be a technicality, or worse, and the anti-prohibitionists were determined to defeat any legislation if pos- sible. Clayton county was in a turmoil. In February, 1883, a prohibi- tion convention was held and among the delegates to the state con- vention were Michael Uriell and J. O. Crosby. The Democratic con- vention was the largest that party had yet held and F. D. Bayless was nominated for the senate., The Republicans were styled "Prohiblicans." There were joint debates on the temperance issue, between C. E. Floete and Ernest Hofer of the McGregor News. The result of the October election was a complete Democratic victory, ranging from 730 for L.
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G. Kinne for governor, to 57 for August Borman, sheriff ; John Ever- all was elected auditor and Bayless as senator. The top-notch majority was given Walter I. Hayes, who carried the county for supreme judge, by 871. Garnavillo ratified the election with a grand illumina- tion and torch light parade.
In March, 1884, a prohibitory law was passed by the legislature, carrying into effect, by statute, what had been lost with the amendment. This was the year of the great Cleveland-Blaine contest and national issues were more prominent. Updegraff was the candidate of this county for the congressional nomination, but, in a long drawn conven- tion battle, he was defeated by L. N. Fuller, on the 16th ballot. Judge Murdock, also was a candidate for the independent judicial nomination, but he was defeated by J. F. Dayton. Judge Noble was the democratic candidate for district elector. In Clayton county the entire democratic ticket was elected by an average majority of nearly 700. There were ratification meetings at Elkader, Guttenberg, Strawberry Point and McGregor and a grand county rally at Elkader to celebrate the Cleve- land victory with fireworks, bands, a torch light procession of 500, and an address by John Everall. Prohibition was still the issue in 1885, William Larrabee was the republican nominee for governor and he was opposed by C. E. Whiting, on a state ticket composed equally of demo- crats and greenbackers. Even so popular a man as Judge Murdock was defeated for representative on the republican ticket in the election of 1885, and the average democratic majority was about 800. It was in this year that Charles Reugnitz began his long career as treasurer of Clayton county.
The election of 1886 was practically a repetition of the preceding years. The republican party was thoroughly disorganized and dis- heartened. E. M. Williams, Thos. Updegraff, J. O. Crosby and R. E. Price were about the only republican leaders in the county. The demo- cratic majority increased to an average of more than 1,000, the lowest majority being 715, given Robert Quigley for county attorney. During these years came the fiercest struggle for the enforcement of the pro- hibitory law. More than two thirds of the county was opposed to its enforcement and the attempts to close saloons caused bad blood and much ill feeling. The friends of prohibitionists insisted that the law must be obeyed and the opponents of the law asserted that the prosecu- tions were persecutions and made the cover for graft. This turmoil created a most unhealthy state throughout the county. At a meeting of the county temperance alliance, held in June, 1887, it was reported that injunctions had been obtained against twenty-one saloons and three breweries, temporary injunctions against 10 saloons and I brewery and that 8 cases were pending. A member of the convention from Clayton stated that in his town the saloons were open day and night and Sunday and sold indiscriminately to minors and drunkards. The remedy pro- posed by the prohibitionists was stricter enforcement and the remedy of the anti-prohibitionists was a license law, which should regulate rather than prohibit. William Larrabee was the republican candidate for governor in 1887, and although he was well known and had large interests in the county, he was defeated in Clayton by almost 1,200, the lowest democratic majority given was 458, for senator Bayless. It
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was in this year that H. C. Bishop was first elected superintendent.
The Cleveland-Harrison campaign of 1888 inspired the republicans to more activity and the campaign was harder fought than in former years. D. D. Murphy, who had been principal of the schools at Gutten- berg and who had but recently moved to Elkader to practice law, for the first time became prominent as a democratic orator. It was in the day of the torch light campaign and there were rallies all over the county. At Elkader, both parties rallied on the same evening; there were clubs from Clayton Center, Strawberry Point, Garnavillo and Monona in the democratic parade, with drum corps and bands, and D. D. Murphy delivered the address. The republicans had a parade of nearly equal proportions; one feature being the Ladies' Harrison Club, and the democratic paper complains bitterly that the ladies sang, while march- ing, "We'll hang old Cleveland on a sour apple tree." The republican orators were L. E. Fellows, and Col. J. K. Sweeney, of Osage. The democratic majority in the county was about 700, and all the democratic county ticket was elected. Two of the old time republican leaders to bite the dust were Samuel Murdock, for attorney, and Gregor Mc- gregor for supervisor. Nevertheless, the republicans jubilated over the national victory and Elkader was ablaze with torch lights, fireworks and bond fires. The Garnavillo band was employed and the Ladies' Harrison Club marched in triumph.
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