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 19
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In 1875 the People's Savings Bank merged with the First Na- tional. The total city receipts in 1874-75 were $228,845 and the total expenses $207,810; the current expenses were $71,327.84. The police force was reorganized in June, 1875. A furious storm
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did $15,000 damage to Dubuque September 9, 1875; Seventeenth street was badly damaged. In June, W. B. Allison became presi- dent of the Dubuque & Dunleith Bridge Company. The original Linwood cemetery, twenty acres, was bought of Langworthy & Davis; in 1875 nineteen acres more were purchased of Mr. Levi and added.
What were known as the Gelpcke bonds had been compromised with Jesup & Co. long before this time at the rate, it was alleged, of 25 cents on the dollar, and were secured by local speculators who expected to raise the price and thus clear up a large sum of money. It was charged that agents of the council sent East to accomplish this result in the interests of the city, proved false to the trust and secured about $276,000 city bonds for about $69,000 for local speculators (among whom were two ex-mayors of Dubuque) who immediately raised the price of the bonds to par and in the end managed to obtain therefor at about par new 6 per cent twenty- five year bonds. Several of the so-called best men of the city were charged with this offense. A number of bitter controversies grew out of this transaction.
In October, 1875, the citizens voted on the question of turning Linwood cemetery over to a private association, as follows: For sale, 697; against sale, 308. At the big exposition and fair in October, 1875, the receipts were $34,187.13; expenses the same less $476.96 on hand. The grounds were bought of Stout and Peabody for $5,000, but in the end with all improvements cost $33,894.48. This fair was really a credit to the city. In 1875 the Dubuque liquor dealers petitioned the Legislature to abandon prohibition and adopt license in its place. In November, 1875, the Dubuque County Bank was organized, with W. G. Stewart president; A. Lumback, vice president ; E. A. Lull, cashier ; capital, $50,000.
The Central Island case embraced the following points: (1) The city sold the company island property ; (2) the company gave the city its bonds for the property ; (3) the individual members of the com- pany indorsed the bonds; (4) the city put its guaranty on the back of the bonds ; (5) the bonds were sold to outsiders; (6) no interest was paid on the bonds; (7) the company became insolvent, but its individual members were rich; (8) these individuals, to save them- selves, bought up the bonds at about 25 cents on the dollar ; (9) thie city had warranted the title to the company ; (10) Jesup & Co., who held a prior mortgage on this island property, foreclosed the same and the property was sold to H. L. Stout, who secured a deed. The island company now contended that the city was bound to take care of the mortgage, because the title had been warranted and therefore now sued the city for $33,000. This amount the city finally agreed to pay, partly because in doing so it could secure a with- drawal of the suit for $550,000. In the suit on the guaranty the
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JULIEN DUBUQUE'S MONUMENT
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Supreme court decided that the city had no power to make the guaranty and therefore the decision was in its favor.
A large prairie wolf and a full-sized catamount were killed near Dubuque late in 1875. Late in 1875 a temperance crusade secured 400 signers to the pledge. In December, 1875, the total debt of the city was as follows :
Seven per cent bonds $153.539-45
Six per cent bonds 649,099.10
Ten per cent bonds.
25,000.00
Total $827,638.55
Or the same as follows :
Twenty-five year bonds. $802,638.55
Three, four and five year bonds 25,000.00
Total
$827,638.55
The Hyde Clark baseball club of 1875 played good ball. Water- loo defeated them in September by 10 to 7. The leading nine were Sullivan, Dalrymple, Spoor, Colford, Byrne, Cooney, Bissell, Robi- son and Clark.
Dubuque was prosperous in 1875. Among the improvements were Connolly's carriage factory ; Armstrong's same ; Wunderlich's same ; Young's same ; Duddy's wireworks; Gleed's brewery ; Carr, Austin & Co.'s planing mill; Schmidt's brewery; Peabody block, Eagle block, Finley block and several fine private residences. The number of business blocks built was twenty-eight; dwellings and other buildings, 181. Street improvement cost $13,020; school- houses and grounds. $14,000 ; city hall and engine house improve- ments, $2,490. In the livery business alone Dubuque had $129,715 invested. The bricks made numbered 8,400,000; in this industry were Knapp, Graham, O'Neill, Taltz, Platz, Keim and Ham.
In January, 1876, the board of trade was reorganized, with H. S. Hetherington president. Many suits against the city for accidents to individuals were commenced in 1875-76. Senator Allison introduced a bill in Congress in 1876 giving Washington square to the county for courthouse purposes. Many here opposed this bill, because the county could afford to buy it.
"Never has there been a more positive damage to the interests of the city of Dubuque than those gatherings known as public meetings. The city would have been better off in that it would today have had a debt less by half a million than it now has. These meetings have created more ill feeling and bad temper among citi- zens than most other causes combined. During the flush times of 1856-57 they recommended and voted away hundred of thousands
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of dollars of city bonds in aid of railroads, few of which were ever built. After the crash of 1858 and when it was found impossible to pay interest on the bonds, the public meetings were just as unani- mous that the debt should be repudiated. The Supreme court of the state had made a decision that the bonds were not good: the city charter alleged that no tax of more than i per cent could be levied : so the public meetings told the creditors to whistle and hooted at anybody who believed the city would have to pay. After the war, when our whole city debt could have been compromised on an average of 20 to 25 cents on the dollar, the public meetings said not a cent on the dollar. Had public meetings then said what they should have said, our indebtedness now would be no more than $250,000 instead of $800,000. Who does not remember the wagon bridge meetings in 1868 that gave rise to so muchi angry contro- versy and bad blood ?- the Third street cemetery meetings: the home creditor meetings in 1869 and 1870; the reform meetings of 1873. and the small results from them. A year ago there was a taxpayers' meeting at which it was seriously proposed to organize a combined resistance to tax paying. On Monday we had a public meeting to see about the celebration of the Fourth of July, which was just about on a par with all the rest."-(Herald, February 3. 1876. )
The Second National bank was organized late in 1875. with W. L. Bradley, president : W. P. Large, vice president ; G. V. Smock. cashier : capital. $100,000. The citizens here generally opposed the pending bill for the repeal of the railway tariff. This sentiment caused the Illinois Central Railway to make threats which were resented by the citizens. The city receipts from all sources in 1875-76 were $207,631.70; expenses, $196,896.93; from saloon licenses, $8,196.40 was received. The suit of William Hentrager against Bishop Hennessy was conspicuous at this date: the Bishop won in the end. In March, 1876, the Board of Trade gave a public banquet to Graves, O'Donnell and Lyon. Dubuque members of the Legislature, for their efforts at Des Moines to retain the railroad tariff. In 1875 Myers, Tice & Co. paid the government $77.188.20 tobacco revenue. A thorough survey for a new sewer system was made early in 1876. At this time there was a general demand that the street railway system should be extended to the bluffs. There were in use at this date 148 city public lamps.
A terrible storin early in July, 1876, practically destroyed Rock- dale and caused the loss of several lives. The Gleason, Knapp and Bradbury children and others were drowned. The original mill there was built in 1834-5 ; it was first a log structure, but in a year or two a small frame took its place ; it was built by David and Wil- liam Hutton ; this is said to have been the first grist mill in Iowa. For many years it was known as the "Catfish Mill." Later under Pratt & Manson it was called "Rockdale Mills." In the forties its
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capacity was fifty barrels a day, but in the fifties it was increased to 250 barrels a day. For many years it had a monopoly of the miners' trade.
In 1876 there were three distilleries here with a capital of $100,- 000-J. Wimmer, John Glab and I. Beekman. Four wholesale houses did an annual business of 700,000; 138 saloons paid city license ; total saloon capital, $100,000: retail liquor dealers sold here annually $150,000 worth of product.
Notwithstanding the hard times and the strikes and political and financial upheavals, the year 1876 was fairly prosperous in Du- buque. Over $300,000 was spent in building ; the Ingram, Kennedy & Day saw mill cost $30,000 ; poorhouse, $13.500; Linwood ceme- tery, $10,000; Fair Association, $20,000, and the churches and railway spent large sums.
In September, 1877, the Dubuque Charity Hospital was daly incorporated. In September the bar in front of the city was removed by dredge boats. The shot tower northwest of the city burned in 1877.
In 1877, though the aggregate amount spent in Dubuque for buildings fell off somewhat from former years, advancement, how- ever, was in that and other respects on a large and permanent scale. Linwood cemetery was improved about $17.381 ; Illinois Central, $28,000 ; opera house by Eighmey & Waller, $25,000; St. Patrick's church, $25,000 ; Episcopal church, $30,000; Dubuque shot tower, $3,000 ; poorhouse, $2,000; waterworks, $7,000 ; sanitarium by Dr: E. A. Guilbert, $1,600; harbor improvements, $12,000; school buildings, $5,000 ; Key City hotel, by J. N. Hill. $13,000; Dubuque and Dunleith bridge, $4,000 ; Alexander Young's dwelling, $20,000; Richard Bonson's dwelling, $15,000; Hill street railway and build- ings, $25,000 ; \V. J. Knight, on dwelling, $10,000; C. C. D. & M. railway, $100,000 ; on streets, alleys and highways, $53.766; parks, pagodas, etc., $3,000; sidewalks, $15,000. All told on buildings, streets, walks, industries, etc., $1,005.917. Over $700,000 of this was spent within the city limits. The completion and success of the hill or bluff railway was pointed to with pride. Not a business house had failed during this eventful year of strikes, turmoil and financial disaster. Not a bank here experienced serious trouble, though elsewhere scores went down, never to rise again.
The law of 1878 authorized cities to build bridges over the Mis- sissippi or to allow them to be built ; Mr. O'Donnell introduced the bill. The Dubuque Ladies' Literary Association held its second anniversary meeting in January, 1878. An immense temperance movement was conducted here early this year. A special commit- tee of the Board of Trade appointed to investigate, reported that a large saving annually could be made from present city receipts. The annual interest on the city debt was about $60.000, the city debt being $829,118 late in 1877. In 1877-78. the city spent on
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
streets $43,578.17 : this was declared by many to be too much ; but others deemed it necessary. Mrs. Livermore lectured to the temper- ance people in February, 1878; during the crusade over 500 took the pledge ; this was a remarkable fight. On January 13 the artesian well in Linwood cemetery was down 1,040 feet ; the water came up to within forty-nine feet of the surface. Electricity in city light- ing was demanded in March. The Herald thought three lights would be sufficient to illuminate the whole city.
Dubuque wanted railroads taxed, because this meant about $20,000 annual revenue to the city. The stock restraining ordi- nance was enforced more generally. There was a small reduction in police and fire expenses. Eagle Point and Windsor aventes were improved. Secret sessions of the council as a committee of the whole were generally condemned. Dubuque tax dodgers were relentlessly pursued.
In June, 1878, the Dubuque Harbor Company decided to go out of business-sell all of its property in September ; it had large hold- ings, including about 5,000 feet frontage on Main street south, and several blocks covered with buildings. There were sold 1,678 lots, which were bought by Cooley, Stout, Bonson, Bush, Shields, Wal- ler, Staples, Langworthy and others ; the two days' sale brought over $100,000. There were 130 saloon licenses out in 1878.
Mayor Burch said in his valedictory: "Our street expenses have been much more than any of us intended they should be during the past year, but it appeared to be necessary in order to give our laboring men employment. At least such a course was advised by some of our large tax payers during the time some of the Eastern cities were infested with rioters and our own city overrun with tramps and many of our laboring men out of employment."
In July, 1878, Rev. Dewitt C. Talmage lectured here on the "Bright Side of Things," in the Congregational church. In August the artesian well at Linwood was abandoned at a depth of 1,667 feet ; water came within twenty-six feet of the surface. The low water mark in the river here was 610 feet above the sea level and the surface of the hill was 197 feet above low water mark. The Fair here in 1878 was one of the best and most successful ever held in the West; as high as 15,000 people were present on the third day. Rarus, the famous trotter, tried to beat 2:20, but made only 2:2014. Lulu trotted a mile in 2:2012. The total receipts were $23,963.24, and expenses about the same; the total assets of the Fair Association were $29,097.21.
The boiler of the Dubuque Planing Mill exploded in September, killing one person and injuring several others. A Dubuque book, the Waverly Dictionary, was issued by May Rogers in September. In September, 1878, greenbacks were at par with gold in this city.
The Rockdale mills were destroyed by fire late in December, 1878; it was caused by an explosion of gas generated by the mid-
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
dlings purifier used. The year 1878 gave continued prosperity to Dubuque; over $700,000 was spent on improvements of all kinds ; the largest sums were spent by the Diamond Jo line, Bush, Hosford, Young, Robinson, Ryan the packer, Bishop Hennessy, Simplot, cracker factory, the railways, street extension. The banks paid out gold freely on January 1, 1879.
The baseball club was thoroughly organized early in 1878. The leading players were O'Rourke, pitcher : Comiskey, catcher ; Brady. second base : Burns, left field; Colford, third base; Byrne, center field : Sullivan, shortstop; Cooney, first base ; Phalen, right field. Two Chicago players were hired to drill the club. It was one of the best clubs in the West and was considered semi-professional. The Milwaukee club beat it twice, 6 to o and 15 to 4. Davenport beat it 6 to 4 in thirteen innings. It divided victories with the Oaklands, was defeated by Peoria, 12 to I ; defeated Davenport, 2 to o; defeated Nashua, 20 to I and 13 to 5; defeated Galena, 9 to 2 ; but was defeated by Peoria again, 3 to 1 ; divided victories with Rockford, 9 to 4 and 9 to 13. In the Peoria club were nine professionals; in the Dubuque club were three professionals and six home boys. The club played twenty-one games. Sullivan was best batter and fielder; then came Dolan, Brady and Comiskey. They were called Red Stockings, and were backed by R. H. Graves, H. E. Tredway, B. H. Trumbull, T. P. Sullivan, C. D. Ham, C. T. Hancock, C. M. Peaslee, T. G. Lewis and others.
. There were several business failures in 1878-79. Congress in 1878 gave Dubuque authority to build a pontoon bridge over the river. In January, 1879, George W. Jones and his wife, who was formerly Josephine 'Gregoire, celebrated their golden wedding ; great honor was shown the distinguished couple at the Lorimier House. M. M. Ham addressed the couple and General Jones replied. In 1878 the phonograph was exhibited here for the first time." Croxie, a Dubuque mare trained by J. H. Lawson, won large sums in the trotting races of this year ; she was in the 2:29 class. A fire alarm telegraph was installed in 1878. In the spring of 1879 Dun- leith changed its name to East Dubuque. Heating the city from a common center was considered in 1879. The year 1879 was very prosperous here. The trade in dry goods, boots and shoes, clothing, groceries, hats and caps, hardware, cigars, leather, notions, horse collars, shirts, overalls, etc., was almost double that in 1878. Among the largest expenditures were St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital, Farley, Loetscher & Co., oat meal factory, Steam Supply Company, Dia- mond Jo line, Farley residence, Norwegian Plow Factory ; the rail- ways ; city improvements.
In December, 1879, General Grant was here as the guest of John Thompson. A large procession escorted him to the residence of Mr. Thompson. Governor and Mrs. Gear were present at the recep- tion given to 700 guests ; the whole city was decorated in honor of
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the event and the schools were dismissed. General Vandever wel- comed the distinguished guest to the city. General Grant replied as follows :
"General-I thank the citizens of Dubuque and yourself for the kind welcome which you have extended to me. I shall not attempt to make any remarks further than to say that I most heartily thank you. After an absence of two and a half years I have returned to our country, appreciating it more highly than ever.
"General Grant extended his white-gloved hand to all who were presented to him and the best looking ladies he greeted with an osculatory salutation, which perhaps he would have declined had Mrs. Grant been present. But some of the ladies thought him so stoically sweet that they could not resist being kissed by an ex- President and a general."-(Herald, December 2, 1879. )
The Dubuque baseball club in 1879 was even better than it had been in 1878; they were called "Red Stockings," as in 1878, and were backed by wealthy men here. They were members of the Northwestern league of four clubs: Davenport, Rockford, Omaha and Dubuque. Early in the year the players were Thomas Sullivan, catcher; Lawrence P. Reis, pitcher; W. B. Lapham, first base; Thomas J. Loftus, captain and left field ; John Gleason, third base ; William Gleason, shortstop; Charles Comiskey, second base ; Charles Radburne, right field and pitcher; William Taylor, center field. They beat the Rockfords 8 to o in May. Later they beat Chicago I to o in a famous game. They were very successful.
Late in 1879 Wendell Phillips lectured here on "Daniel O'Con- nell." A large audience heard this wonderful piece of oratory. O'Connell was declared to have been the greatest orator since Demosthenes-greater than Webster, Clay or Calhoun.
The Irish patriots and orators, Parnell and Dillon, came here in "February, 1880; they were met at McGregor by a special committee sent to receive them-J. K. Graves, F. T. Walker, Fred O'Donnell and G. B. Busch. As the train appeared a salute was fired at Eagle Point by Hayden's battery. They were received with great cere- mony and escorted to the Julien House. That evening at the opera house they were welcomed by a packed room and by a speech from Mr. Graves. Parnell's address was especially pleasing. The total receipts were $743. 10 : net. $637.50.
The total receipts in 1879-80 were $196, 128.46; expenses, $192,- 290.61. On March 1, 1880, the total bonded debt was $790,434.21. In April, 1880, there were in the Young Men's Library 10,029 books. General Grant was here again in May, 1880, to see a few friends ; the visit was informal; his wife accompanied him. The wholesale business in 1879 was larger than ever before. The lum- ber trade aggregated $5,000,000; groceries, $2,500,000; hardware, $2,000,000, and dry goods, boots and shoes and crockery reached $1,000,000 each; the total trade was approximately $16,000,000.
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City improvements aggregated $600,000. Among the largest items were Eagle Point boatways, St. Francis' convent, St. Joseph's acad- emy, Novelty Iron Works, Ryan, packer, Linseed Oil Works, Mc- Donald's pump works, Peabody's residence, Andrew & Tredway block, Brown's block, Globe building, Milwaukee & St. Paul shops, Chamberlain's Plow Works, street improvements, etc. In 1879 there were made here by six breweries 25,639 barrels of beer; in 1880 there were made 39,553 barrels. In February, 1880, the deep- est snow in twenty years blocked every transportation line.
In April, 1880, the Chicago baseball club defeated the Dubuque club in four games, as follows: 27 to 0, 10 to 1, 22 to 2, 9 to 4 ; later the Cleveland's defeated the Dubuques 5 to 1 ; the Dubuque's beat the St. Louis Reds 4 to I.
The total receipts in 1880-81 were $244,477.52. The steam motor on the hill failed to work during the cold weather in 1880-81 : the council in a fit of indignation declared it a nuisance and revoked the charter of the company. At a meeting of the citizens indigna- tion at this procedure was expressed ; the road was declared to be a great public improvement and worth continuance.
In April, 1881, the new mayor. Mr. Linehan, declared that the most important considerations for the coming year were ( I) manu- facturing enterprises ; (2) a wagon bridge over the river; (3) an inner or ice harbor; (4) water reservoir for fires on the bluffs : (5) good men for office holders: (6) the collection of all taxes possible ; (7) equalization of assessments ; (8) economy in expenses ; (9) good streets and avenues ; (10) floating debt must be paid ; (II) public health must be maintained.
In May the first electric light company was formed; among its incorporators were Glover, Booth. Cooper, Hinds, Hancock, Ryan and Tredway; $12,000 was subscribed in a few days. In June the council was petitioned to change the fair ground into a park. A minion slaughter house was proposed. In 1880 and 1881 consider- able grain was shipped from the upper Mississippi to Liverpool- to New Orleans in barges, then out in ocean steamers. The Dubuque Cattle Company was incorporated in July. On August I. 1881, the bonded debt was $781.785.27 ; floating debt, $79,470.13 : total debt, $861,255.40. In December, 1881, Governor Hempstead moved to Memphis to live with his son; two years later he died. Among the large expenditures in 1881 were those by Iowa Iron Works. Carr, Ryder & Wheeler, Dubuque Building and Loan Asso- ciation, Dubuque and East Dubuque bridge, Cabinet Makers' Asso- ciation, Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul shops, city streets and buildings and St. John's Episcopal church, Diamond Jo line, Illinois Central, etc.
In December, 1881, Hon. T. P. O'Connor, Irish envoy, spoke in the opera house to an audience that filled every seat. About this time it was shown as a finality that Babbage was short $267,000
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and Sheffield $62,000 in the Merchants' National bank crash of a few years before. Dubuque was very prosperous in 1881 ; among the largest investments were by the Iowa & Minnesota Telegraph Company, Dubuque & St. Louis Packet Company, and J. P. Farley Manufacturing Company ; Elevator Safety Gate Company.
Early in 1882 the Dubuque Opera Company was organized to prepare and present "Martha" and "Bohemian Girl." A strong anti-prohibition club was here in 1882; its object was to defeat the proposed amendment to the prohibitory law of Iowa which would amount to the practical confiscation of the property of saloon keep- ers. In March, 1882, the bonded debt was $774,625.27 and the float- ing debt $67,466.16. The electric company began to use the Brush electric light. Governor St. John of Kansas spoke here in the Tabernacle on "Prohibition," in June. On the question of amend- ing the prohibitory law the vote in Dubuque stood 1,223 for the amendment ; 6,283 against the amendment; the amendment was carried in the state by a large majority. In August, 1882, Congress appropriated $20,000 for an ice harbor here. In September, 1882. the Industrial and Art Association was opened by Mr. Allison at city hall; it was the grandest industrial display ever held in the state. In December, 1882, the Novelty Iron Works were lighted for the first time by electricity. The roller skating craze had Dubuque in its relentless grasp in 1882. Among the big expendi- tures in 1882 were those by John Bell, A. A. Cooper, Cathedral chapel, C. N. Clark, Paper Mill, White Lead and Paint Works, Oat Meal Mills, Diamond Jo line, Telephone Company, Iron and Brass Works, Novelty Iron Works, Iowa Iron Works, Iowa Coffin Company, Buggy Top factory, etc. The June races in 1882 were popular and successful. The Iowa State Horticultural Society met here in January, 1883. At this time the Supreme court declared the prohibitory amendment recently adopted to be unconstitutional. In 1882-83 the floating debt was increased to $77,131.44; the total cash received was $229,981.70. The Emma Abbott Opera Com- pany was here in March, 1883. The floating debt was commenced by a subsidy to the Milwaukee railway, and it seemed impossible to stop it after it was fully started.
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