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 35
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It was in 1911 and 1912 that the automobile tax became available. The first receipts from this source were, on August 12, 1911, $1,266.54; April, 1912, $3,215.67; August, 1912, $2,205.48. These added receipts and the changes in the road law of the state made for a decided improvement in the roads of the county and, in January, 1913, the supervisors selected the county roads under the new law, designating 225 miles as state highways. In March, 1914, the roads were surveyed and the patrol system started. The county was divided into districts containing approximately ten miles each and patrolmen employed for dragging and repairs. Two grader outfits were bought for the heavier work and, bridge contracts to the amount of $45,701 were let. By April, 1914, work was being done, by blasting and excavating on the McGregor road near the Frank Bente farm and the Stevenson hill was prepared for gravelling. The funds available for road and bridge purposes reached nearly $100,000, as follows, county road, $10,235.42; township road, $29,938.87; road dragging, $8,443.30; bridge, $51,176.51, and thus, for highways of the county was available nearly twice the sum of the total county expense in the 60's. This money is, for the most part, being wisely expended and should in a few years, with the splendid natural resources, which Clayton county has in the way of rock and gravel, result in its having the best roads and bridges in Iowa. In June, 1912, the bridge contract made with P. N. Kingsley was annulled by the board for failure of performance and the bonding company held to complete it. The excellent character of the modern road and bridge work is shown by the fact that in the flood of June 1, 1916, which was the highest the county has ever known, no permanent bridges were lost and new road grades were left in good condition. The county lost eighteen bridges and culverts in this flood and two crews were put at work preparing roads, although this work was impeded, and the cost of dragging increased, by the continued wet weather throughout the month of June.
Below is given the statement of the total taxes collectible in Clay- ton county, in 1916, for the year preceding. This table does not include internal revenue, income and stamp taxes, paid to the general gov- ernment, nor the automobile licenses paid to the state, nor any other licenses paid to towns and county. With these items added, and with- out considering any indirect taxation, it will appear that, in 1916, the people of Clayton county will pay in excess of $500,000, for the support of their government and its institutions. Such is the prosperity and wealth of the county, however, that this tax, which would have been absolutely confiscatory fifty years ago, is borne lightly and public sentiment supports movements for added expense when it is believed
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that the improvements are necessary and will be permanent. The fol- lowing is the tax table for 1915:
CLAYTON COUNTY TAXES FOR 1915
General state.
$ 41,671.66
General state tax on money and credits
2,043.75
Capital extension tax.
1,636.06
Capital extension tax on money and credits
80.22
General county tax including bonds
70,671.68
Poor
8,076.73
Soldiers relief.
2,019.20
Bridge
50,479.83
Insane tax state hospital.
10,095.92
County school.
10,095.92
District school.
168,922.75
County road or permanent road
10,095.92
County road buildings.
16,791.61
Township roads
26,904.48
Road dragging
8,453.00
Miscellaneous
945.99
Poll
3,426.50
Dog
2,767.00
Delinquent road
1,776.58
Grand total
$470,167.21
Good Roads Movement-Much of the credit for the good roads movement, which has been one of the most prominent features of Iowa's development since 1900, must be given to the automobile and to the enthusiasm of automobile owners. By this date, 1916, the auto- mobile has almost driven the horse from the highways of Clayton county. The horse-drawn carriage is the exception and, except for the hauling of produce, the horse is rarely seen upon the road. Owing to the nature of the country which makes railroad building expensive, although the railway mileage is large, inter-county communication is poor. Garnavillo is perhaps the largest, and certainly it is the most prosperous, inland town in Iowa. Save for the branch line to Beulah, by which it is connected with McGregor and Monona, the county seat is inaccessible to the people of the county, except by the highways.
These conditions have made the automobile almost indispensable and there are hundreds of cars owned in the county, it being one of the first counties in Iowa, and in the United States, in the point of auto- mobile ownership. At first, in this, as in other localities, the good roads movement was regarded as a selfish interest largely for the enjoyment of the wealthy motorists, but when every well-to-do farmer owned a machine, the necessity for good roads was appreciated. Auto clubs and good roads clubs were formed in the various towns, thoroughfares were marked with signboards and legislation was promoted. One of the most simple but most effective inventions was the King drag and
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City
31,193.21
Insane tax county hospital
2,019.20
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THE NEW CENTURY-1900-1916
Professor King was brought to Elkader and exhibited the drag for the benefit of the people. Still later, a law became effective by which county supervisors and road supervisors held a general meeting each year. These doubtless did much to spread general information about road work. The greatest step in advance, however, was when the state highway commission was created and systematic work, under the guidance of experts, was begun. It is hard to believe that the first automobile was owned in this county in 1902. It was called a loco- mobile, was propelled by steam and was owned by J. O. Crosby, of Garnavillo. The McGregor Times speaks of this machine, in August, 1902, and says that Mr. Crosby had owned it since spring, that he had no instructions and had some difficulty in getting it started and in learning to operate it. The Times also says that the automobile is not new and calls attention to an item in its files of 1857, telling of a steam wagon which had been constructed to carry forty people, fifteen miles per hour, for use in New Mexico. Mr. Huntting, of McGregor also bought a machine about this time and T. M. Davidson had the first automobile in Elkader and was also the owner of the first motorcycle in the county. The Auto Club, of Elkader, and the Auto Trail Club, of McGregor, have both done much for good roads. In April, 1916, delegates from this county attended a meeting at Cedar Rapids at which the Park Trail was organized. This route is to run from Ottumwa to McGregor, the towns in this county, on the route, being Edgewood, Littleport, Elkader, Giard and McGregor. Another route also is being planned along the west shore of the Mississippi and this also is being promoted by the enthusiasts at McGregor.
In spite of the large amount of taxes, the county receipts did not keep pace with expenditures and, in September, 1915, the super- visors proposed a bond issue of $75,000 to take up outstanding war- rants. In October, this resolution was amended to the issuance of $25,000 bonds at that time and $50,000 after January 1. 1916. The bonds were sold to the Continental and Commercial Savings Bank of Chicago.
The bounties offered by the county proved effective, for in one week, in September, bounties were paid for forty-one rattle snakes and the succeeding week for fifty-six and for the year 1915, the bounties paid were as follows, for pocket gopher, 4,635 at 10 cents, $463.50; ground hogs, 11,101, at 15 cents, $1,665.15; rattle snakes, 1,605, at 50 cents, $802.50, making a total of nearly $3,000 for the year.
Soldiers' Monuments-Among the other acts of the supervisors which were of interest was the appointment of T. M. Davidson, J. C. Barnes and B. W. Newberry as a soldiers relief commission. Under this commission the soldiers of the county have been cared for and three monuments have been erected, one at Strawberry Point, one at Monona and one at McGregor, thus carrying out the project of the "cenotaph association" urged by Eliphalet Price more than fifty years ago. The monument at McGregor was the last dedicated, appropriate exercises being held on Memorial Day, 1916, with Hon. Carl F. Kuehnle of Denison, Iowa, as the orator. This work is done by means of a one mill tax and it is expected to provide monuments at other
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cemeteries in the county where numbers of the soldier dead are buried.
Miscellaneous County Events-In 1914, an accident occurred at a bridge in Wagner township. John Schmidt was driving across this bridge when it went down and he was killed. Suit was brought against the county and the case was tried in Fayette county, resulting in a verdict of $9,000 for the plaintiff. This case cost the county in the neighborhood of $10,000. Schmidt Bros. & Co. received a license, in 1915, to erect a transformer station in connection with the extension of electric power lines to Garnavillo and Guttenberg, and the line was completed to Garnavillo and electricity supplied to that town in April, 1916, and prior to that time electric power had been supplied from McGregor to Giard and Monona. Rural free delivery was another great blessing which came to the people at the beginning of the century. In January, 1901, the postmaster of Elkader started petitions to secure rural routes and this was followed by a meeting of citizens, held in February, at which three routes were planned. The first route in the county was out of Farmersburg, July 1, 1901, at which time the stage line, from McGregor to National, was abandoned. Rural routes were planned throughout the county and, in July, 1903, the three routes out of Elkader were established. These brought numerous changes in the postal service, led to the abandonment of several postoffices and almost entirely did away with the star route service, although this service is maintained to Garnavillo and between Elkader and Osborne. The parcel post system was instituted January 1, 1913.
Other features of the county life was the increased attention paid to agricultural matters. Farmers institutes were held in various parts of the county and short courses in agriculture, at which time prizes were offered for corn. The first short course was held in Elkader, in 1913, and was a great success. A. J. Carpenter was manager and F. L. Hochaus & Sons won the prizes for both yellow and white corn. Another successful institute was held at McGregor, in February, 1914, and, in June, 1914, a farm investigation tour was conducted by experts from the State Agricultural College, at which time the farms of J. L. Cords, Julius Christeleit, John Ehrhardt, D. F. Willmes, J. F. Johnson, H. H. Diers, A. F. Kramer, and Frank Nugent were visited. The crops throughout all this period were good, with the exception of the year 1915, when a wet season and early frost did great damage. Prices were fair and Clayton maintained its reputation as one of the great producing counties of the state. In 1902, Clayton stood fourth in butter shipments, the total for the year being 2,503,524 pounds. It also led all northeastern Iowa in production of fruits, receiving the first premium among forty counties. A peculiar industry was that estab- lished by Burgess and Hanson, at Luana, where they started a herd of native buffalo. This was such a curiosity that excursions were run from Monona and the buffalo ranch had many visitors. Old Tom, the leader of the herd, was shot in 1901, and the head was sold to the Smithsonian Institute for $600, the carcass bringing, in all, in the neighborhood of $1,000. Later, the herd was sold at auction, Frank Rockefeller being the principal buyer.
In 1901, occurred the death of Andrew Thompson, the confessed
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THE NEW CENTURY-1900-1916
murderer of the Hagerty family. For a third of a century he had been in the penitentiary, and there he died at the age of 76. He left an estate of some $20,000 to his wife and he requested that he be buried in Clayton county, but this wish was disregarded and his body was sacrificed upon the altar of science at Iowa City.
Old Settlers-Interest in the old settlers was revived by the McGregor Times by an inquiry as to the oldest settler in the county then living. There were numerous claimants for this honor, among whom were Mrs. Ellen Tapper, widow of James Tapper, who came to McGregor, in 1840; Levi Springer, whose father settled at Millville, in 1836, and who stated that the log house was still standing where Judge Murdock plead his first case. Marshall Hatfield was another claimant for the honor, he having come with his father, Robert Hat- field, to Turkey river, in 1833. The Times ran an excellent old settlers edition, and this, and comment created thereby, caused Colonel Eiboeck, then of Des Moines, to write of old times in Clayton county as follows :
"It is sad to reflect, however, that of all the men mentioned in the Old Settlers' Edition but two are living, '1 homas Updegraff and J. O. Crosby. Everyone of those pioneers was a personal friend and patron. What would we not give to be able to shake their honest old paws again. Tom Updegraff would certainly join us once more upon a Fourth of July excursion with hard cider as a stimulant to awaken the slumbering echoes of Buck Creek. Honest John Garber would shake his sides to recall the county seat contests of the 60's, while good old John Kriebs of Guttenburg, justice of the peace in Jefferson township, Clay- ton county, state of Iowa, would invite us aside to something real good. Judge Murdock, always the most hospitable of men, would not think of letting us go out of his sight for a week and Elijah Odell would forget his Methodistic prédilection for a time and join us and Reuben Noble in trying who could do the most for the other. Oh, that they were yet living! Old Clayton county would see such a jubilee as she has never known, God bless the memory of those old pioneers." Other reminders of the old times were the three golden weddings which occurred in the same family during the year 1903; the couples being Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Corlett, Mr. and Mrs. Marshal Crawford and Mr. and Mrs. John Orr; and the first of the family reunions of the Bickel family, which were, for some years notable events in Giard township.
Many railroad projects were still on foot. In 1901, Garnavillo organized the Garnavillo & Guttenburg Railway Company and en- gineers were engaged to survey the route. In 1909, there was much interest in the rumor that the Volga line was to be extended to Mason City and made a main line of travel.
School System-The schools of the county also made progress both in town and country. In 1901, St. Olaf dedicated its new school house with appropriate ceremonies. There were two rooms, with Miss Knudson as principal and Miss Reugnitz as teacher. The teachers institutes were well attended and "teachers inspirational" meetings were held, successfully, at different towns of the county. In 1915, the law governing the election of county superintendent, was changed
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so that, instead of being a partisan, elective office, it became an appointive office at the hands of representatives of the different school districts of the county. Auditor John Adam issued the call for the first election, under this new method, and the school convention was held April 6, 1915. D. D. Murphy presided and John Adam acted as sec- retary. Carl F. Becker received 39 votes for superintendent and T. R. Roberts two votes and Mr. Becker was declared elected. There were at this meeting representatives of eighteen township schools and sixteen independent districts besides rural independent districts. The October, 1915, number of the Midland Schools gave Superintendent Carl F. Becker the following compliment: "County Superintendent Carl F. Becker, of Clayton county, is doing some good work up in his corner of the state. He has introduced a system of credit for home work which is a great help in arousing interest in the rural schools. He is planning a series of township meetings for this coming winter in which special stress will be laid on better rural schools. He and his teachers are abolishing all the common water buckets from the rural schools. He has started two consolidations of rural schools which he hopes to carry through successfully this winter. It is men of his aggressive type who are needed in the rural school work to advance them to the same high standard as the city schools are attaining." This compliment is well deserved and under the new, non-partisan control with Mr. Becker as superintendent the schools of the county are in splendid condition. There were in the county, in 1916, 140 rural school districts with 164 rooms employing 164 teachers. The enroll- ment of the rural schools was 3,066. There were also 16 independent school districts, employing 18 men and 74 women teachers. The enrollment was 2,413, making the total teaching force of the county 256 and the total enrollment 5,479. The school expenditures, for the year 1915, were approximately $176,000. The average compensation for women teachers was $50.99 and for men $74.52. The value of school houses was $269,570 and of apparatus $14,150.
Social Life-The fairs of the county developed during this period, although the success, from year to year, was largely dependent upon weather conditions. The old established county fair at National has been able to maintain its existence, in spite of its location away from transportation facilities. The fair at Strawberry Point has become one of the noted institutions of northeastern Iowa, having patronage from several of the counties adjacent, and the Elkader fair has met with good average success and has grown as an institution. The chautauqua has developed into a strong institution, having been started at McGregor before the beginning of the century and having been con- tinued successfully. Monona and Elkader and other cities also make the chautauqua a feature of their summer season, while almost every town has some festival day peculiarly its own.
Another development of the county is the rapid growth of tele- phone lines, until the county has become a network of wires. There is an exchange in every village, and not only is there the Bell system, with its excellent long distance service, but mutual farm companies which have connection with almost every farm home in the county. Another distinctive feature has been the forming of co-operative
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marketing associations among the farmers, and a large percentage of the produce of the county is now marketed direct by the farms through their own agents. The wealth of the county is shown by the con- solidated bank statements for the years 1913 and 1914, both of which are given to show the growth in the savings of the county.
FINANCIAL CONDITIONS
In 1913 there were 22 banks in Clayton county, with total deposits of $5,750,830.59; total capital, $646,000; total loans, $4,747,035.89; surplus and undivided profits, $193,575.05; total resources, $6,554,- 390.86. The deposits February, 1913, were $5,232,612.44, and on January 1, 1914, $5,750,830.59, an increase during the year of $518,- 218.15. In 1914, there were 23 banks with total deposits of $5,626,- 173.40; capital $596,000; loans, $5,070,309.54; surplus and undivided profits, $217,972.43, and resources of $6,612,508.80. Another side- light upon the wealth of the county is the fact that at the Iowa picnic held at Los Angeles, in 1913, more than 100 Clayton county residents were registered.
The character of agricultural operations has largely changed since the early days, much more of the product of the farm is being sold "on the hoof" or in dairy produce and, whereas in the early days, wheat was the largest and almost the only product of the county, by 1912, it had become inconsiderable; the production of potatoes, in bushels being five times that of wheat. In 1912, there were more than 415,000 acres under cultivation and the crop statistics were as follows, corn,. 2,868,871 bushels ; oats, 2,001,645 ; winter wheat, 35,096; spring wheat, 9,642 ; barley, 357,766 ; rye, 34,209; hay, tons, 70,031 ; wild hay, 1,856; alfalfa, 141 ;; potatoes, 243,533 bushels. The number of cattle was 49,044 ; sheep, 9,908; poultry, 463,082. The European war increased the value of bread-stuffs and had the season of 1915 been more favorable that year would have been the most prosperous in the county history.
The Flood Record-With its steep hills and narrow water courses, Clayton county is peculiarly subject to damage by storm and floods. In May, 1902, there was an exceedingly heavy rain fall. Bridges were damaged to the extent of from $40,000 to $50,000. The Turkey river, at Elkader, was higher than in the flood of 1880. The railroad track was washed away and the city water main across the river was broken. At Elkport, the flood was serious. The water struck the city during the night and it was with difficulty that some were rescued by means of rafts from the second stories of their homes. In the midst of the confusion of the flood there were two explosions in Kriebs' drug store and this building and the Odd Fellows building were soon in flames. The flood record of 1880 was surpassed and every merchant in the town suffered loss. At McGregor, the business district was flooded and the rain was accompanied by an electric storm in which three stores were struck by lightning and the property loss from fire was $20,000. There was also an explosion in Frese's store, which was of such violence that men were thrown from the sec- ond story of the hotel and Charles Lewis was injured by a falling wall. This storm occurred on Sunday and, on the following Tuesday, there was another storm of almost equal violence. The total damage
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to bridges was estimated at $75,000. The mill at Volga and the bridge at Littleport were endangered, Elkport was flooded for the second time in a week and Strawberry Point was the scene of a severe hail storm.
The next flood was in July, 1903. The damage to bridges was again heavy, especially in Garnavillo township. There were land slides and washouts on the Elkader and Volga branches, and Elkport was flooded for the fifth time in fourteen months. McGregor also began the century with a cloudburst of its own, in October, 1900. Three feet of water rushed down the main street for more than two hours, and it was then reported as the most disastrous flood for individuals that the town had ever had. In September, 1904, the Edgewood Journal was responsible for the statement that hailstones fell measuring from four to six inches in circumference, smashing practically all the window lights in the town and breaking the backs of hogs running in the field. Highland and Boardman townships suffered severely from hail, and, in March, 1906, the Turkey river was again in flood, the Elkader line was badly damaged and the flood at Elkport was within eighteen inches of the high water mark of 1902. John Downie and Mr. Friend were the heaviest losers at Elkader. . In June, 1908, there was a terrific storm of wind, rain and hail throughout the county. At McGregor, 474 inches of water fell in 40 minutes. The stream down Main street reached the height of six feet, there was a mile of ruins, the sewer system was wrecked and the Clark Hospital badly injured. Giard also suffered and, at Edgewood, buildings were injured and bark stripped from the trees by the hail. Bickel's trout pond was washed out, the Elkader train was marooned by the storm for 24 hours and much damage was done at Luana. The problem at McGregor was serious for an epidemic threatened as a result of the flood and Gutten- berg sent help to McGregor to clean up the debris. The next severe storm was in July, 1908. There were four inches of rain at Elkader, and Turkey river and Pony creek were raging torrents. The train was caught at Downie's crossing and was unable to go forward or back on account of washouts. Garber, Elkport and Littleport were flooded. At Littleport the Keve Bros. lumber yards were set afire, by water coming in contact with a barrel of lime, and in this fire the Catholic church was also burned. Railroad traffic was stopped for many days and the damage to crops was estimated at $100,000. In McGregor, it was necessary to establish a relief fund and, in November, the balance of more than $2,000 was turned over to the council for the repair of sewers.
Flood of 1916-Save for a wind storm, in June, 1914, which destroyed barns and sheds, the county was free from severe storms until June 1, 1916. While no lives were lost in the great storm of 1916, the property loss was the heaviest the county has ever known. At Elkader, the oldest inhabitant admitted, reluctantly, that he had never seen the river so high. The new dam withstood the test with practically no damage. The Turkey river was two feet above all previous records, but the chief damage at Elkader was the destruction of Lenth's ice house and the city's ice supply. The Elkader line was almost a com- plete wreck from Beulah to Elkader. The bridge at Stulta and many
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