USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > History of Dubuque County, Iowa; being a general survey of Dubuque County history, including a history of the city of Dubuque and special account of districts throughout the county, from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 14
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A petition seeking to limit the power of the city council to buy
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
and sell real estate and to incur indebtedness was circulated and largely signed at Dubuque in March, 1859.
So great was the feeling against the city council in the spring of 1859, the press and public did all they could to purge that body and elect men of known character and honesty. "One thing the men of property-the tax payers and all upright citizens-must remem- ber, that if good men refuse to take office and suffer from the wasteful or corrupt management of city officials they have no right to complain. We want men of substance, standing, integrity, busi- ness capacity-who will not go into the city council in order to promote selfish schemes of their own," said the Express and Herald, March 10, 1859.
James E. Murdock, the celebrated actor, appeared here in April, 1859. Miss Matilda Herron was here in April also, and was fol- lowed by James K. Hackett ; he made an excellent Falstaff. Henry Farren, actor, was given a "benefit" in May.
Murdock, Hackett and Miss Herron were the earliest theatrical stars of the first magnitude to appear in Dubuque; but they were not well patronized. Henry Farren had made great and expensive efforts to provide a treat for the citizens, but was not remunerated for his enterprise. He had an excellent stock company. Mrs. Farren was an actress of more than ordinary taste, versatility and popularity. Mr. W. Edwards had great range of ability-excellent in comedy, good in tragedy. Mr. McClannin made an excellent old man. Mr. Pardy was good. Mr. J. F. Lytton was easy and a good singer. Miss Reignolds and Mrs. McClannin were good. Miss Llewellyn was a very graceful dancer. Mr. Noyes was good and improving rapidly. Mr. Farren was able, a favorite here, and usually took second part to the stars who came to Dubuque. They were the principal members of the Dubuque stock company.
The dramatic season here closed on May 14, 1859, and the actors departed for other places. The profession was roundly abused by the Christian Witness for acting at all. It was known that the company had made great efforts to please the people and had mainly failed owing generally to the prejudice against the stage. Many citizens, however, favored the continuance here of the com- pany. Welsh Edwards and such other actors as he could get, con- tinued to give performances in Dubuque during the summer of 1859. After the burning of the People's theater his company appeared in the Julien theater. Many amateurs made their appearance.
In April, 1859, Pelig Talman & Co. leased the shot tower and began operations. The old Central market stood at Locust and Fifth streets. M. Mobley was one of the three state directors of the State Bank of Iowa in 1859. George W. Jones, who had been appointed minister to Bogota, New Granada, was tendered a public dinner by about 200 of the most prominent citizens of Dubuque in
Y. W. C. A.
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COUNTRY CLUB
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
May, 1859. He was compelled to decline for want of time. During the spring of 1859 the papers were filled with accounts of the move- ment westward to Pike's Peak. From the opening of navigation to May 18, 1859, there passed through Dubuque bound for Pike's Peak 720 teams. The press here did all it could to check this movement. Prices at Dubuque on May 24, 1859, were as follows : Flour, extra, $7 ; wheat, $I to $1.10 old, 60 to 90 cents new ; oats, old 55 cents, new 35 to 45 cents; corn, 55 to 57 cents; barley, 45 to 50 cents ; butter, 12 to 13 cents; eggs, 612 cents ; potatoes, 65 to 70 cents.
At a fire here on May 27, 1859, there were destroyed Odd Fel- lows' block, People's theater, Masonic hall and several stores. Many small concerns and individuals lost heavily. The total loss, deducting insurance, was $58,350. The postoffice matter was all saved. Two big hotels had been burned here within eighteen months before-Merchants and St. Cloud.
The disbanding of the police force in the spring of 1859 was followed by an increase in all manner of crimes in Dubuque-fires, burglaries, pickpockets, etc. During three months in the spring of 1859 there were stolen in Dubuque alone twenty-five cows. This was one of the results of the disbanding of the police force.
"A fellow who was trying to sell one of our citizens some ever- greens Thursday assured the citizen that the trees which he already possessed were of 'the ordinariest kind.' We learn that Stanton of the Dyersville Mercury has entered suit against the fellow for trespass."-(Express and Herald, June 26, 1859. )
The corner stone of Turners' hall was laid June 20, 1859, at Clay and Twelfth streets. The names of the founders of the society were recorded as follows: George Weigel (died in 1854), Fred Wetzel, William Smith, Fred Jenkel, Charles Kerlike, Frank E. Deggendorf, Hugo Deggendorf, J. Kutsch and Gustave Ebert. Speeches were delivered by Dr. Hillgaertner, O. P. Shiras and Adam Koch. The Northwest was revived about June 1, 1859, under H. H. Heath, editor, and P. M. Guthrie, publisher. There were here also the Sun, Times, Herald, Republican and Tribune.
In the spring of 1859 city scrip was worth 65 cents on the dollar ; old Harbor Improvement scrip, 50 cents ; new Harbor Improvement scrip, 65 cents ; Central scrip, 50 cents ; Dubuque & Pacific due bills, 30 cents ; Western railroad scrip, 10 cents ; Western railroad bonds, 15 cents ; short city bonds, 45 cents ; city coupon bonds, 60 cents ; old school orders, 90 cents ; new school orders, 50 cents ; Dubuque & Pacific land scrip, 30 cents ; Harbor Improvement land scrip, 10 cents ; Central Island coupon bonds, 50 cents ; Central Island con- struction bonds, county warrants, par.
On July 6, 1859, the Daily Express and Herald became the Dubuque Herald, with J. B. Dorr & Co. as publishers. On July 4, 1859, the corner stone of the custom house was laid with due cere-
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
mony by the Masons. On July 16, 1859, it was 99 degrees in the shade.
Previous to 1859 there was no old settlers' association at Dubuque --- there had been an old settlers' supper a year or two before, but no organization.
In October, 1859, the following breweries were in operation: Stahlman's, on Julien avenue: Western, Tschirge & Schwind pro- prietors ; Schmidt's, in West Dubuque; Heeb's, at West Dubuque ; Seeger's, near the bluff. The capital invested in breweries was $124,000; barrels made in 1859, 22,000; barley used, bushels, 44,000 ; barrels exported, 7,443 ; men employed, 125. Mr. Schwind expressed the opinion to the Herald reporter that from thirty to forty glasses per day was about right for each individual. He said : "Too moosh visky ish too moosh, but too moosh logger bier ish choost enoof." The press late in 1859 wanted to know why Dubuque did not pack more pork; it was behind in this industry almost every other large city in the state. The Turners dedicated their new hall at Clay and Twelfth, December 16, 1859. The Rock- dale and Dubuque debating societies contested on many questions in 1859-60. At a shooting match in December, 1859, Samuel Cox, J. Van Alstine, William Ellison and J. McAleer contested for a purse of $20; twenty-one yards rise, ten birds; McAleer won with nine out of ten.
The leading hotels here in May, 1859, were as follows: Baubien House, Mark Baubien, proprietor ; Peosta House, Gilliam & Shields, proprietors ; Belfield House, T. Belfield, proprietor ; Tremont House, Plumbe & Alexander, proprietors ; Oregon House, William Schod- der, proprietor; American House, Joseph Miller, manager ; Julien House.
"Dubuque dogs are superior to ordinary dogs; they breed faster, howl more mellifluously and longer every night, are homelier and present more varieties than any other dogs of any other city in the Union."
The Rockdale and Washington Literary clubs held several debates during the winter of 1859-60. A mock court was organized in Feb- ruary among the lawyers and citizens. In the Catholic Institute was a mock legislature and a debating club. The Washington Liter- ary club held weekly debates.
CITY OF DUBUQUE, 1860 TO 1869.
D UBUQUE during the fifties and sixties enjoyed the lectures delivered here by prominent men and women of the coun- try under the auspices of the Young Men's Literary Asso- ciation.
In January, 1860, Benjamin F. Taylor of Chicago lectured on "Washington Irving" before the Young Men's Literary Association and repeated the lecture by request. The new German theater at Turner's hail was opened in January. It seated 600 persons. Jackson's victory and Burns' and Thomas Paine's birthdays were celebrated. The chief speaker at the latter was Christian Wul- weber. Joseph Duggendorf proposed the following toast : "Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson-the discoverers of freedom, human- ity and intellectual progress." It was responded to by John Bittman.
The committee on finance of the city council reported as follows in February, 1860: "The present is a critical time in the financial history of the city. Never will cautious and prudent management be more needed. The day of lavish expenditures is past, public improvements of all kinds abandoned, the credit of the city exhausted, a heavy burden of debt to be borne and the only source of revenue the taxation of a community embarrassed by unfortunate speculation and many of its numbers struggling to save themselves from total ruin. The indebtedness of the city on the first of Janu- ary, 1860, consisted of the following obligations :
Clark, Dodge & Co. loan $ 10,000.00
Jesup loan
20,000.00
Ahern loan 2,000.00
Corcoran loan
100,000.00
Dubuque & Pacific loan 200,000.00
Dubuque Western loan
250,000.00
Loan of 1857
100,000.00
Total of coupon bonds.
$682,000.00
Short bonds, irregular sums
97,030.89
Interest due and unpaid .
76,253.36
Scrip outstanding 25,168.91
Other debts
8,326.13
Grand total debt.
$888,779.29
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
This sum was due, in varying amounts after the year 1860. The total amount that must be met by January 1, 1861, was $228,995.49. The property within the city limits, as assessed for taxation in 1859, was as follows: Realty, $3,931,639: personalty, $922,363; total, $4,854.002. These figures showed a reduction of $5,791,661, or 54 per cent, from the assessment of 1857. and a reduction of $2,879,255 or 371/2 per cent from that of 1858. The total resources from taxes to January 1, 1860, was $126, 183.49, much of which was delinquent taxes. Two important steps were necessary: Settle the debt past due and reduce the interest rate on the whole debt. The house of Gelpcke, Reutgen & Co., of New York, early in 1860 began an injunction proceedings to prevent the city from paying out its revenues until its dues were settled. The city began counter pro- ceedings to dissolve the injunction and ordered that no further pay- ments should be made to that company.
"The year 1860 has been remarkable in this section for a sort of voluntary temperance movement. There has been no organization, no apparent external movement : but simultaneously as it were, in the month of January, a large number of hard drinkers voluntarily suspended operations in this direction. It numbers among the vic- tims men of all classes, ages and conditions-honorables, ex-honor- ables, lawyers, doctors, bootblacks, horse jockeys, editors, printers, river men, hodcarriers-fellows who indulged in Heidsieck, Mous- siere lager, 'hale' and all the brands of whisky from 'instant death' and 'just around the corner' to the longer ranges such as 'eighty-rod' and 'Minie rifle.' There are other changes as marked."-(Herald, March 1, 1860.)
On February 28, 1860, the following prices were quoted at Dubuque : City scrip. 65 cents: Harbor Improvement scrip, 75 cents ; the same new, 75 cents ; Central Improvement scrip, 20 cents ; Dubuque & Pacific due bills, 30 cents : Dubuque & Pacific land scrip, 20 cents; Dubuque & Pacific bonds, 30 cents; Western Railroad scrip, 8 cents ; Western Railroad bonds, 20 cents; city short bonds, 30 cents ; city coupon bonds, 30 cents : old school orders, 60 cents ; Harbor Improvement land scrip, 10 cents ; Harbor Improvement bonds bearing interest. 95 cents : Central Island coupon bonds, 30 cents ; Central Island construction bonds, 20 cents ; county warrants, 85 cents.
In May, 1860, Andrew Keesecker became connected with the Herald. "Mr. Keesecker is the oldest printer in Iowa and it was by his hand that the first newspaper in Iowa was struck off. He was for a number of years publisher and editor of the Miners' Express, a paper which was subsequently merged in the Herald."- (Herald, May 16, 1860.)
A section in the southern part of Dubuque was called Dublin and became well known. Nearly all who lived there were guilty of the
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
crime of being poor and whisky was their greatest enemy, said the Herald.
"At almost any time from September (1859) up to May ( 1860) McGregor, Cassville and other points up and down the river paid front 2 to 6 cents more per bushel for wheat than our Dubuque buyers. * * * If the fault is with the Ferry company then we
say that no monopoly has a right to exist whose operations succeed in driving thousands of bushels of grain per season to other and less accessible points. If. however, the fault is found in the pic- ayunish spirit of our grain buyers, a different but none the less needed remedy is demanded. We lay down this proposition with a perfect confidence of its entire truthfulness : Dubuque did not buy the last season but a very little over one-third of the grain which naturally falls to this point."-(Herald, July 13, 1860.)
The Rockdale House at Catfish Mills was kept by William John- son in 1860 and was one of the best in the county. It had excellent and extensive stabling.
During the summer of 1860 for the first time the fact that Chi- cago was the central market for the West for grain and stock was fully recognized here. The Grain Exchange here then paid for the first time Chicago prices less freight rates and no longer paid serious attention to St. Louis as either a grain or a live stock market .- (Herald, September 5, 1860.)
Dubuque lacked facilities for receiving and shipping grain in bulk and on July 14, 1860, the grain buyers and millers met for the pur- pose of establishing a grain market with a view of regulating freights and prices : G. R. West presided. At the second meeting steps to establish a grain market were taken.
Gen. George W. Jones, upon his return from Bogota in July, 1860, was tendered a public reception by the citizens of Dubuque.
On August 8, 1860, about fifty of the grain buyers and millers duly organized the Dubuque Grain Exchange.
During the summer of 1860 the Dubuque Temperance Society petitioned the city council to close saloons, gardens, etc., on the Sabbath. At the same time a petition signed by several hundred citizens asked that no such Sunday law be passed. After sharp debate both petitions were laid on the table. It was claimed that the existing Sunday law was strong enough if enforced.
In August the petition for a grain market was considered by the council. It was signed by forty-five millers and others, and asked that the First ward market be designated the grain market. There were two counter petitions signed by many citizens. The council finally established the market in the First ward.
In August the city council, made desperate by want and while endeavoring to "raise the wind," passed an ordinance providing that I0 per cent of the proceeds of all sales of property not assessed for city purposes made by auctioneers within the limits of the cor-
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
poration should be paid into the city treasury. This act was denounced by the press as unprecedented and extraordinary and void on its face. It was passed in response to an urgent and numerously signed petition.
On October 20, 1860, city scrip was worth 65 cents; Harbor Improvement scrip, 95 cents ; Central Improvement scrip, 20 cents ; city short bonds, 60 cents; city coupon bonds, 35 cents; school orders, 60 cents ; Harbor Improvement land scrip, 10 cents; Central Island coupon bonds, 30 cents; county warrants, 821/2 cents; exchange on New York, 3/4 buying, 114 selling; exchange on Chi- cago, 1/4 discount buying, 1/2 premium selling; gold, 1/2 to 11/4 premium.
"Just now there is huge rejoicing among the sons of Nimrod, for air, bluff, estuary, river, marsh and morass are teeming with game. Quails, salmon, turkeys, geese, ducks, squirrels, raccoons, partridges, snipes, etc., are thick beyond all imagination. Sportsmen just now are in their element. Never was game plentier or weather finer than at present."-(Herald, October 26, 1860. )
"Large numbers of fatted hogs are daily coming into town- some stopping here, others going East. The packing season is hardly yet commenced, but will be as soon as the weather will permit. Very extensive preparations are being made for packing here this fall."-(Hcrald, October 26, 1860. )
The Branch of the State Bank issued new bills in September, 1860, of the denominations of $1, $2, $3, $5 and $10. They were very handsome.
The comparative merits of Milwaukee and Chicago as a grain market for Dubuque were duly considered in 1860. It was argued that Chicago was the better, because the grain that went there was more like that from Dubuque than that which went to Milwaukee.
"The Harbor Improvement Company will offer for sale at auction at their office on Seventh street today at 10 o'clock 200 lots in their addition to Dubuque. The land dividend scrip of the company will be received in payment."-(Herald, November 1, 1860. )
"Pork-The pork business is or ought to be one of the heaviest departments of business in our city. Heretofore it has been neg- lected-any quantity of hogs have passed through here and been carried to other points. This is a mistake. Dubuque should not, under any circumstances, allow a hog or any cattle of any kind to pass through here. The trouble heretofore has been a lack of capital. No one had sufficient to embark in the business. A few have done so, but with limited means ; and they have been obliged to sell immediately after packing in order to turn their money. This was shown last spring, when dealers in pork were obliged to import from St. Louis the very article which they sent thither last fall."- (Herald, November 14, 1860.)
With the close of the Presidential campaign in 1860, J. B. Dorr
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
retired permanently from the editorship of the Herald, with which he had been connected over eight years. This left D. A. Mahony to manage the paper alone.
The annual assessment in Dubuque for a series of years was as follows :
1854. $ 2,762,638 1858 $ 6,080,917
1855 4,323,560
1859. 4,854,002
1856.
8,221,228
1860
2,625,862
1857 .
10,200,000
From 1851 to 1857 there was a natural growth of great rapidity due primarily to its excellent reputation and to the capital already secured. This growth continued because it was believed Dubuque was fitted with natural facilities possessed by no other city of the Northwest, and because it was believed that the river, the approach- ing railroads and the vast tributary country to the westward and northwestward must contribute to the permanence of its growth. By 1857 other cities had made great gains in securing the western trade which Dubuque had coveted ; the river traffic began to decline -due to the appearance of the railroads. On the heels of all this came poor crops and the dreadful panic of 1857-all of which together dissipated in a large measure the dream of future greatness and metropolitan distinction and proportion. Business men lost heart as fast as they lost trade permanently and many closed their shops and stores and went elsewhere. During 1858 and 1859 a com- plete blight fell like a frost on all commercial transactions here, but in 1860 there was a much better feeling and a distinct revival of prosperous conditions.
"Judging from the evidences of activity in business, the lowering of city indebtedness, the absence of foolhardy speculation, the incom- ing of immigration, the inquiries for real estate, the improvements begun or projected, Dubuque has passed through the valley and shadow of financial Death and is now with vigorous steps climbing once more the ascents beyond." -- (Herald, November 24, 1860. )
A well ten feet in diameter was dug on Tenth street between Jackson and Washington for the use of the fire department, in November, 1860. It was thought the well would be better than cis- terns. The tri-weekly Demokrat was discontinued and only the weekly issued after November 17, 1860. By November 17 exchange on New York was up to 5 per cent premium selling. Exchange on Chicago had not risen, was at from 1/4 per cent discount to 1/2 per cent premium. City scrip was worth 65 cents and county warrants 85 cents. On the 19th city scrip advanced to 671/2 cents. The Dubuque banks began about November 20, 1860, to throw out the bills of all doubtful institutions, and to exercise great care in the circulation handled.
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
J. H. Kothe composed music here late in 1860; one of his com- positions was the Dubuque Waltz, published by W. J. Gilbert of this city-all home productions. The Germanic band arranged it for the street. Dubuque caught the billiard fever which was raging over the country late in 1860. S. S. Palmer was chosen chief engineer of the fire department December 3, 1860.
The large grain elevator of the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad and the Dubuque, Marion & Western Railroad, completed late in 1860, had a capacity of 150,000 bushels. The cost of storage for twenty days was 2 cents a bushel, for four months 4 cents. It adjoined the track of the railroads.
On December 4, 1860, New York exchange was quoted at 7 per cent premium selling ; gold, 10 per cent selling ; city scrip. 70 cents ; county warrants, 85 cents.
In Dubuque, in December, 1860, in one house on Sixth street near Clay, were some fifty or sixty negroes-all black Republicans. They got in a row over the right of a state to secede, whereupon one of them seceded from the others, was arrested and fined and sent to jail for thirty days for assault, said the Herald. "Very few, if any, live hogs are being cut up in this city, but are carried through to Chicago. This is wrong. We think our dealers are missing it. very materially."-(Herald, December 18, 1860. ) A lodge of Good Templars was organized in Dubuque in December, 1860, with E. R. Shankland as worthy chief.
On January 4, 1861, the National Demokrat (German) entered upon its fifth year, four of which it was under Hon. F. A. Gniffke. "Yesterday forenoon Conductors Northrup's and Cawley's trains both came in. The latter left here one week ago last Tuesday, the former one day later. Cawley was frozen at Jesup and Northrup two miles the other side of Independence. Slow traveling to and from Jesup in eleven days-yet fast enough considering the going." -(Herald, February 2, 1861.) In January, 1861, there was strong talk of building a horse railroad from Dubuque up the valley of the Turkey river and eventually on to the Minnesota line.
"Two years ago the same property (lots in Davis', West's and Cook's additions) or any other offered for sale at auction would not have attracted three buyers. In fact, at that time a inan would no more bid on real estate than he would on an elephant or an acre in some valley of the moon. Thursday, however, Jordan's auction room was so crowded at the hour of sale that perhaps a hundred people were unable to gain admittance. The bidding was spirited and we believe the prices, although almost infinitely below those of '55-'6, are an indication of a healthy condition. As an illustration of the character of the tremendous expansion and collapse of things hereabouts we will cite the history of two or three of the above lots : Lot 308 of Davis' Farm addition was bought by D. A. Mahony of Mr. Sanford for $500 in April, 1857. It was sold Thursday for
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
$105-just about what it is actually worth. The two Locust street lots were bought by H. W. Sanford in 1852 for $800. In 1856 he sold them to Captain Kinsey for $7,000 on ten years' time. Major Mobley, who was regarded as one of the shrewdest business men in Dubuque, very shortly afterward gave Captain Kinsey $5,000 cash for his bargain! Thursday both were bought by A. McCann for $1,920. Such have been the changes through which real estate has passed in the last five years. There is now, however, every indi- cation that the valuation of real estate is upon a substantial basis .- (Herald, February 2, 1861.)
DELINQUENT TAXES, MARCH, 1861.
Delinquent tax of 1857 $17,161
Interest
II,755
Delinquent tax of 1858 24,278
Interest
10,318
Delinquent tax of 1859 22,813
Interest
3,992
Delinquent tax of 1860
35,494
In February, 1861, Col. Richard P. Morgan proposed a horse railroad and argued that as steam railroads had really taken trade away from Dubuque horse railroads could and would bring it back if extended as they should be. The Herald noted that previous to February 13, 1861, snow to the depth of nineteen inches had fallen and most of it still lay upon the ground either where it had fallen or in drifts. On the 13th and 14th fifteen inches more fell. In February, 1861, Adam Jaeger began here the distillation of alcohol and the manufacture of whisky on Bee Branch.
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