History of Davis County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., Part 51

Author: Iowa Historical Company, Des Moines, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Des Moines, State Historical Company
Number of Pages: 774


USA > Iowa > Davis County > History of Davis County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc. > Part 51


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Said election was held on Saturday, the 4th day of February, 1854, in conformity with a proclamation issued on the 26th day of December, 1853, and regularly posted in each town- ship according to law: and at said election there were 1,271 ballots cast as follows; to-wit., "For the county subscription, " 832 votes; "Against the county subscription," 439 votes. Said votes being this day fairly canvassed by Martin Snoddy and William S. Ficklin, justi- ces of the peace, and the county judge, as county canvassers; it is found that there is a ma-


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jority of 393 " for the subscription:" and it is considered that all the foregoing propositions are adopted, and it is ordered that notice be given accordingly.


There is a history connected with this roilroad projeet, which the tax-pay- ing people of this county should never forget. It was the first project of the kind ever inaugurated, and the result of it seems to indicate that it was a scheme, conceived as such. What are the facts? After this stock subscrip- tion was voted by the people, and before any other step had been taken, Col. Samuel A. Moore came to the helm of county affairs. as county judge. He was a young man, a farmer, unschooled in the arts of schemes, and none other than a determined zeal for the right, governed him in his relations with the affairs of the people. As soon as Judge Moore was installed in his new official position, the directory of the new Fort Madison railroad pro- ject, together with its officers and attorneys, came to Bloomfield, and pre- sented to the judge the proposition, that inasmuch as the North Missouri road was a weakly, unreliable project, and theirs was "a dead sure thing," it was to the interest of the county, and hence his duty, to subscribe $149,- 900 to their road, and $100 to the North Missonri road. To secure the con- summation of this proposition, the Fort Madison directory labored three or four days with Judge Moore, but to no avail. He finally told them that as soon as they completed their road up to the line of Davis county, he would then help them build it from that point to the town of Bloomfield; assuring them in unmistakable terms, that he did not propose that the people of his eonnty should be taxed to build a railroad in Lee and Van Buren counties. This closed the interview, and the Fort Madison directory (on paper) returned home wiser, but not richer than when they came to consummate their seheme. This was the last of the " Fort Madison, West Point, Keosauqua and Bloom- field Railroad and its company.


The tax-paying people of Davis county are under a debt of gratitude to their ex-county judge, in thus shielding them from sneh an unwelcome bur- den, especially where the consideration for it was so chimerical and uneer- tain.


THE NORTH MISSOURI


Road came, however, through individual enterprise. No aid was extended it by the county, though it was the recipient of about $100,000 secured by private individual subscriptions; and it traverses the county from south to north through its county seat, and has contributed largely to the develop- ment of the county. It was finished to Bloomfield in February, 1869, and to the north line of the county and Ottumwa in the year 1870.


The North Missouri, afterwards ealled the Kansas City, St. Louis & North-


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ern, and now known as the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific, has 25.38 miles of road in Davis county, of the value in 1872 of $4,000 per mile, and of the total value of $101,520.


THE BURLINGTON AND SOUTHWESTERN ROAD


Extends from Burlington, by way of Fort Madison to Bloomfield, crossing the St. Louis and Northern road at this point. To aid this road through Davis county, the township of Bloomfield voted, on the third of September, 1870, a five per cent tax on its assessed valuation, which produced $44,- 449.55. The road was completed to Bloomfield in 1871, and is now com- pleted and operating to Cameron in Missouri. It enters this county in the southeast corner of Prairie township, and leaves near the southwest cor- ner of West Grove township. It thus extends 15.42 miles in Davis county, and in 1872 its value per mile was $2,700, and its total value in this county was $41,634.


THE CHICAGO AND SOUTHWESTERN.


In Jannary, 1870, the county resolved to quitclaim the publie square, on which the conrt-house now stands, to the city of Bloomfield, to be divided into lots, the proceeds of their sale to be given to the Chicago and South- western Railway Company, if they would build their road to Bloomfield, the amount to be given to the railway company not to exceed $40,000 J. W. Ellis, J. R. Sheaffer and William J. Law were appointed, and gave bond as trustees (in the penal sum of $80,000), for the sale of the lots above mentioned.


But the company concluded not to come to Bloomfield, but went through the county five miles north, and thus secured no aid from this source. Where- upon the trustees quitclaimed the public square back to the county. This company, in the early part of 1871, laid its track through the county, de- pending on private subscription mainly for any aid they received, which amounted in the aggregate to quite a large sum. It enters the county in the northwest corner of Salt Creek township, and runs southwest, through Salt Creek, Lick Creek, Soap Creek, Drakesville, and Fox River townships, and leaves the county in the northwest corner of Fox River township. It has three stations in this county, Floris, in Lick Creek township, Belknap, in Soap Creek township, and Drakeville, in Drakeville township. The length of the road in this county, as reported by the Secretary of State in 1872 was 22.73 miles; of the value per mile of $3,409. Total value in the county, $77,280.


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DES MOINES VALLEY RAILROAD.


This road runs diagonally, northwest and southeast, across the northeast quarter of section one, in Salt Creek township. The entire length of the road in this county being only three quarters of a mile, and having no sta- tion in the county, it can hardly be called one of the railroads of the county. It was one of the first roads ever built in the State; its length in this county, being reported by the secretary of state, in 1872, to be 75-100 of a mile, and valued at $5,000 per mile, making a total valuation in the county of $3,750.


The length and valuation of these railroads, as reported by the executive council, on the first day of January, 1881, differs slightly from that of 1872, as will be seen by comparing.


LENGTH AND VALUATION, JANUARY 1, 1881.


Burlington and Southwestern, length in the county, 15.40 miles; valne per mile, $2,500; total value, $38,509. Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, length in the county, 22.73 miles; valne per mile, $6,075; total value, $138,- 085. Keokuk and Des Moines, length in the county, 0.75 of a mile; value per mile, $3,500; total value in the county, $2,625. St. Louis, Ottumwa and Cedar Rapids, number of miles in the county, 26.246; valne per mile, $2,250; total valne in the county, $59,054. This road is now a part of the- Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific, and a feeder for Gould's great Southwestern trunk lines.


The total length of railroads in this county is 65.126 miles; the average valuation per mile is $3,581.25; and the total valuation in the county is $238,264.


THE PRESS OF DAVIS COUNTY.


The newspaper has arisen in this busy age to a position second to no other interest. It is the best and most valuable of libraries. Its cheap- ness is one strong point in its favor. It finds an entrance into homes, no matter how moderate-goes, as a rule, where books rarely do. It comes daily and weekly. It is read and loaned; caught up and read for a mo- ment, giving knowledge to the reader; a single item frequently giving what pages of book-bound matter would have to be waded through to learn.


The newspaper, with the present facilities for almost instantly learning what is happening in every portion of the habitable globe, is the reflec-


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tion of the honr equally as much as of past ages. By it, the north and the south, the east and the west, are brought together. We know of the crashing of the ice and of the curling heat of the sun; of the massing of snow, and of the rushing of great waters; we are with the daring explorer seeking for the north pole; travel through the jungles of Africa; have a bird's eye view of great battles; sail over every sea; dive with the whale in its fabulous depths; are present in the parliament of nations; listen to the last words of a dying potentate, and take by the hand his suc- cessor.


A wonderful, concise, most skillfully painted panorama of the affairs of the world, is the newspaper; a map of its busy life; a faithful reproduction of all its lights and shadows, and at the most nominal cost; at the merest bagatelle to books, even in these days of exceptional cheapness. Weck after week, the paper comes filled with all that is rare, new, interesting and instructive. It is a history of nations in fifty-two volumes; an ever- continued encyclopedia of trade, science, biography, agriculture and the arts; is the " boiling down" of all books in so minute a form, that the mind can grasp at a single glance, and be saved the trouble of wading through ponderous volumes of uninteresting detail-to the great saving of time. It is, in fact, the grandest of all circulating libraries, at only a penny fee; the throwing open to the public of all the costly and exclusive archives of the world. The newspaper of to-day is a perfect omnium gatherum. Noth- ing escapes its notice. Every event of importance is instantly photo- graphed upon its pages. The whispers breathed in every clime are caught and fixed. It is a marvel of inteligence; is the stereotype of every mind. We look back in wonder at the days when it was not, and human intelligence shudders to think of the barbarism and ignorance and super- stition that would follow the blotting out of this, the sun of the solar sys- tem.


Much is said of the power of the press, of the privileges of the press, of the prerogatives of the press, and of the perfection of the press through a long catalogue of virtues. To earn these positions, the press has duties to perform. One is, to give the news, and to comment intelligently there- on. Second, to be truthful and unprejudiced. Newspapers have ceased to be private enterprises merely. The power they have attained makes them amenable to the same general laws as railroads and telegraphs. When the newspaper steps outside of its proper functions, and for personal spite, or greed, attaints the character, life or service of any citizen, or assaults any interest of the community, it should be held to strict accountability by law, as well as by an enlightened public sentiment. Third, to suggest that which


CO. SUPT.


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followed ont will make news. For instance, thoughts concerning the devel- opment of business possibilities, the starting of factories, the building of railroads, the beautifying of the town, the improvement of schools, the bet- tering of public manners, and, if need be, of morals, also; the relief of the poor; as well as scores of other questions, in all the ramifications of events, political, industrial, commercial, social, religious and moral. It is not necessary that political events should come first (in a campaign sense) in a local paper. The term political should mean just criticisms or com- mendations of the government of the county and towns.


Next to the newspaper's duty of looking after, urging and defending good, civil government, law and order, is that of showing up the moral and religions influence of the community-noting church doings, not merely puffs of festivals and picnics, but reports of special services, sketches of sermons, containing more of love than wrath; of the clearing away of church debts, the prompt payment of the preachers, and of the growth, attendance and special doings of the Sunday-schools. The church plays an important part, as a teacher, in every community, and its work should have its proper place in the chronielings of the local paper.


Then, too, the schools should receive attention. The editor should take his own advice, and visit the schools, and extend to the teachers and pupils kindly words of encouragement in their work, encourage them in new ef- forts with the knowledge that the editorial eye is upon them, and would tell the world of the progress made by them. Besides thus noting the general progress, the newspaper should give reports of examinations, exhibitions, the closing exercises, tempering criticisms with a spirit of kindness and sug- gestions; commend faithful and efficient teachers, earnest scholars and worthy directors, and properly expose wrong and reckless doings regardless of where the guilt belongs. Reports, too, from the county superintendent concerning the schools in all parts of the county; of the interest manifested by teacher, pupil and parent; and last, but not least, concerning the financial man- agement of the schools, the receipts and expenditures of the public money in this great work of educating the rising generations. This is of vital interest to the people who maintain this grand educational system of the State.


The doings of the social world demands impartial reports by the county press. The exercises of literary or debating societies, library and lecture associations, reading clubs, musical or other entertainments, and all other social gatherings for mutual improvement, should receive appropriate men- tion.


The people look to the newspaper in its making of the history of the 11


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day or week, for the record of births, marriages and deaths; the transac- tions in real estate; the doings of the county and town officials; and the- doings and decisions of the conrts of law. Then, too, the industrial and; commercial interests of the connty demand prominent attention, and make interesting and valnable chapters in local history if followed up by intelligent explanation, and thoughtful and comprehensive comment. Everything noteworthy, as accidents, fires, and all the numerous incidents- which go to make up every day life. should receive prompt and impartiali attention, the editor bearing in mind that clear statements of facts serve a better purpose than the hair-raising, blood- curdling sensational style of the dime-novel. The election returns, complete down to the precinct offi- cers; holiday anniversaries, and other days, the observance of which law or enstom has sanctioned, should receive due attention. Neighborhood cor- respondence of local happenings, brief and crisp, should have regular ap- pearance.


Then there are matters of personal history, which may be properly used by the editor, to the profit of his readers. For instance, sketches of busi- ness men, who have grown up in the community, and aided in its develop- ment, and illustrated the ways to prosperity through honorable and indns- trious means; men whose lives have been worthy examples of emulation by those who come after them; and men departing this life, leaving behind them- memories bright with noble thoughts and deeds.


Petulenee, grumbling and officiousness should never find utterance in newspapers; but fair comment, and unprejudiced criticisms, based upon knowledge and understanding coming from faithful, comprehensive study, and intelligent reflection, should always displace them. Extended arguments and lengthy clippings from metropolitan papers, rarely find acceptable place in local papers.


This summary of what the local connty paper should be, reflects a fair average of what it is in Iowa to-day; of the character and range of the matter offered weekly. in ninety-nine counties within her borders; and it is but just to say that Davis county is well represented.


No other influence has contributed so much to the progress and de- velopment of Iowa, as the newspapers of the State. No class of men have labored more assiduonsly and disinterestedly for the development of the State, and the advancement of her material interests, than her editors. The number and character of the papers read and published in the State indi- cate the mental activity of the people, and their general intelligence and enterprise. Hubbard's Record for 1880, gives 510 as the number of news- papers published in Iowa, of which 30 are dailies, 462 weeklies, and 19.


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monthlies. The great continents of Africa and Asia, with European Tur- key, Portugal and Norway and Sweden thrown in, possess barely more than half the number of papers issued in Iowa, a region in which fifty years ago no white man lived. And Iowa has more papers than the continent of South America and Mexico and the Central American states combined.


The states of Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, North and South Carolina are reported as having 447 papers, or 68 less than the goodly Hawkeye State. Politically, the republicans lead off with 226, followed by 83 democratic, 39 greenback and 87 independent and neutral sheets. There are 28 publications in the German, Bohemian and Norwegian languages. The educational papers number 7, religions S, agricultural 3, and temper- ance 2. Society, literary, legal and miscellaneous publications complete the list. As to names, there is no lack of variety. Twenty-three indicate their political creed by sailing under the title of Democrat, and the cogno- men Republican is found at the heading of 21 sheets. Twenty papers are called News, 17 Times, 13 Journal, 11 Independent and 9 Gazette, with 3 to 6 as Tribune, Herald, Union, Express, Register, Leader, Enterprise, Reporter and Hawkeye. Odd titles are not few, as Phonograph, Telephone, Eureka, Eclipse, Delta, Dial, Vidette, Signal and Kosmos all testify. There is the Sentinel and the Pilot, the Bugle and the Plain Talk, the Radical, the Lib- eral, the Conservative, and the Freeman, the Monitor, the Vindicator, and the Watchman. The Mirror reflects the sentiments of three communities, the Star twinkles for an equal number, the Eagle screams for two, the Sun shine for three, a Blade is wielded for one, and one has an Opinion. Then there is the Beacon, and the Beacon Light, the latter a greenbaeker. Ordi- nary titles, by the way, do not seem to meet the views of the fiat-money people, and therefore we find such names as Greenback World, People's Dollar, National Advocate, New Era, and Independent American. Among foreign names we notice Volks-Zeitung, De Volksvreind, Beobachter, Slo- von Americky, and Freie-Presse, the latter representing three sheets. The Express, the Locomotive, the Onward, the Advocate, the Patriot, the Clip- per, the Plain Dealer, the Telegraph, the Messenger, the Courier, the Led- ger, the Review, and the Constitution all do duty as names for some of the good papers of Iowa.


The first paper ever issned in this State was the Iowa Visitor, at Dubuque, in 1834, since which time no doubt a thousand newspapers have lived and died in Iowa.


In the spring of 1836, John King purchased at Cincinnati, Ohio, and brought to Dubuque, a Smith press with the necessary type, and published a newspaper called the Dubnque Visitor. Wm. Cary Jones was foreman


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of the office at a salary of $350 a year and boarding. Andrew Kee. sieker was compositor. In 1842 this press and type were taken to Laneas- ter, Wisconsin, and on it was printed the Grant County Herald. Subse- quently the same press was taken to St. Paul, Minnesota, and from it was issued the first paper printed in Minnesota Territory, ealled the St. Paul Pioneer. In 1858 the same press was taken to Sioux City Falls, in Dakota Territory, whereon to print the first newspaper published in that Territory, called the Dakota Democrat. In March, 1862, the Sioux Indians burned the town of Sioux City Falls, and this pioneer of American civilization perished in the flames.


It may not be nninteresting in this connection to give a few brief facts coneerning journalism in the United States, as follows:


First newspaper-Colonial Press, Boston, 1690.


First political paper-Journal, New York, 1733.


First daily paper-Advertiser, Philadelphia, 1784.


First religious paper -- Recorder, Chillicothe, Ohio, 1814. First agrienltutal paper -- American Farmer, Baltimore, 1818.


First commercial paper-Price Current, New Orleans, 1822. First penny paper-Morning Post, New York, 1833. First independent paper-IIerald, New York, 1833. First illustrated paper-News, Boston, 1853.


First religious daily-Witness, New York, 1870.


First illustrated religions paper-Weekly, New York, 1871.


First paper west of Mississippi-Republiean, St. Louis, 1808.


First illustrated daily in the world-Graphie, New York, 1873.


First Woman's rights paper-Lily, Seneca Falls, New York, 1847.


The Lily was started by Mrs. Amelia Bloomer, now an honored resident of Council Bluffs. The Lily flourished six years.


Iowa is the fifth State in the Union in the total number of publications. New York leading with 1,239, Pennsylvania 835, Illinois 832, Ohio 653, and Iowa 510. In the matter of subscriptions about 200 Iowa papers eharge $2.00 per annum, 200 $1.50, and the rest divide up between $1.00, $1.25 and $1.75.


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The total number of publications in the United States is placed at 9,723, representing politics, religion, seience, commerce, the trades, finanee, amuse- ments, in short, every interest, occupation and profession has it organ. The oldest paper now extant in the United States is the Mercury, of Newport, R. I., which was established in 1758. The number of newspapers in the world is over 23,000.


There are seven newspapers published in the United States which are


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HISTORY OF DAVIS COUNTY.


now over one hundred years old. They are the Portsmouth (N. H.) Ga- zette, Newport (R. I.) Mercury. New London (Conn.) Gazette, Hartford (Conn.) Courant, New Haven (Conn.) Journal, Salem (Mass.) Gazette, Worcester (Mass.) Spy.


We are indebted to Col. S. A. Moore for the following information, pre- pared some years ago :


" The first newspaper published in the county was issued in 1854, and was called the West- ern Gazette. It was a six column paper, and owned and edited by George Johnson. It afterwards changed hands and was called the Radiator. Again there was a change; Harry Ober became the editor and proprietor, and it was called Ober's True Flag. In 1856, Elder Jesse Bowen started the Democratie Weekly Union. It was very short lived, and was sue- ceeded by Ward's Own, with William G. Ward as editor. It had for a motto: " Ward Knows." Jones says: "As a newspaper, it was a rare joke." The next paper was the Daris County Index, edited by Hosea B. Horn, which ran well for a season, but its existence was brief. In 1858, Mr. A. P. Bentley started the Democratic Clarion, which he conducted until the spring of 1861, when it changed hands and was published by William G. Ward until 1863, when it suspended, but it again revived, and ran for a short time: but it died for the want of patronage in 1864.


In 1863 the I'nion Guard was started by a joint-stock company, with M. H. Jones and S. A. Moore as editors, and A. M. Karns, publisher. Gen. Weaver succeeded in the editorial department, and the paper continued as before until 1866, when M. H. Jones and Cyrus H. Young became proprietors, selling out to Mr. E. T. Wbite in 1868, who changed the name to the Daris County Republican. Mr. White added much new material, including a power press, and continued its publication until his death in February, 1873. Mrs. White contin- ned the publication of the paper until May, 1873. Captain J. A. T. Hull then purchased the office, and became its editor. Mr. A. M. Karns became associated with Captain Hull in the publication of the Republican, and continued in the office until June, 1876, when he was sneceeded by Mr. C. B. Whitford. The Duris County Republican is now published and edited by the firm of Hull, Hamilton & Fortune.


In 1869, Mr. T. O. Walker commenced the publication of the Bloomfield Democrat.


Mr. J. B. King began the publication of the Grangers' Adroeate in the spring of 1874, but sold out in a few months to Frederick W. Moore and Will Van Benthusen, who changed the name of the paper to The Commonwealth. Mr. Van Benthusen sold his interest in The Com- monwealth, about the first of May, 1876, to Mr. Henry C. Ethel.


In October, 1874, Mr. J. B. King commenced the publication of the Odd Fellow's' Banner. Mr. S. H. Glenn, purchased an interest in the paper, in January, 1876. The Banner was then published under the firm name of Glenn and King.


The Teacher at Work was also a monthly publication issued from the office of the Duris County Republican, and edited by the Faculty of the Southern lowa Normal and Scientific Institute.


The Drakerille Sun was started by Richard B. B. Wood, at Drakeville, in March, 1875, and suspended February, 1876.


There are at present three newspapers published in the county, all of them at the county-seat: Duris County Republican, Democrat, and Legal Tender Greenback. These newspapers are on a sound footing, ably con-




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