USA > Iowa > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 18
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having damaged the crops on an average of about one-half. Some fields were scarcely touched, while others were totally destroyed. The greatest amount of damage was done to the oats crop-many fields being not worth the harvesting. This was quite a calamity to the new settler, who generally had little to fall back upon, and some left the county, while no doubt emigration was slightly checked by the reports of the disaster.
A PIONEER CAMP MEETING
In July, 1868, was held the first camp-meeting. It was held at Royster's grove, three and a half miles southeast of Homer. Four thousand persons were re- ported to have been present on Sunday. Between thirty and forty conversions were reported, and thirty-four additions to the church. Everything passed off successfully and quietly.
JUDGE CHASE FOR CONGRESS
Up to the summer of 1868 Hon. A. W. Hubbard of Sioux City had repre- sented the sixth district in congress, but by reason of failing health, he was not a candidate for reelection. As a consequence, G. W. Couch, C. F. Clarkson, Charles Pomeroy, D. D. Chase and John Scott entered the race for the nomination. Judge Chase of Hamilton county had achieved considerable distinction and popu- larity while district attorney and district judge and went into the convention with more strength than any two candidates. Unfortunately for his chances for suc- cess, however, political differences had risen between him and Col. Chas. A. Clark, and Colonel Clark opposed his nomination. He was able, fearless and untiring in his opposition and went to the convention to defeat Judge Chase if possible, though not a delegate. Chase, as the strongest and leading candidate, was unable to make any combinations, while the weaker candidates could and did combine and after two days in convention and seventy-seven bollots, one Charles Pomeroy received the nomination. Pomeroy was a weak man who had nothing to recommend him except his ability to make a speech, and his record as a congressman showed the weakness of a political choice that is determined by political dickering. Judge Chase would have made an able representative in congress, but the animosities engendered in the contest for the nomination were kept alive and though he was often mentioned in connection with that position, the political avenger was always alert, and following Pomeroy, came Jackson Orr and Addison Olliver, and the con- tinuation of such weak men in office provoked Ben Butler to remark, "It was a pity the big northwest district of Iowa could not be represented in congress."
A COUNTY "FAIR GROUND" ESTABLISIIED
In the fall of 1867 the people of the county began to agitate the question of or- ganizing a county agricultural society, and the project meeting general approval. a meeting was called to take steps toward effecting an organization. The meet- ing convened at the courthouse and elected temporary officers, appointed commit- tees to draft by-laws and rules, etc. T. A. Conklin was chairman of that organiza-
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tion. Several meetings were held during the winter, and early in the spring, every- thing was in readiness for a permanent organization. This was effected by the election of Judge S. L. Rose, president, and R. E. Fairchild, secretary. The com- mittee appointed for the purpose selected the grounds south of Rosencrans' park ; they were purchased at $60 per acre, and the society borrowed $500 of the county with which to make the cash payment therefor. The grounds were cleared up, fenced and a race track one-third of a mile in length made, and the first fair held on the grounds began September 30, 1868, and was to last two days. On ac- count of rain the first day, the time was extended to three days. The fair was regarded as a success and annual fairs were held there for about twelve years. But the society was never able to pay the county the money borrowed and at last tlie grounds were turned over to the county. The old society is now extinct. The grounds they improved now form one of the finest parks in the state and when public meetings are held there, it is interesting to hear the pioneers of the county recall the many happy incidents of early life connected with, and brought to memory, by a visit to these grounds. But the rumbling of the iron horse is heard in the distance and we must turn to an investigation of the history of its coming and attending incidents.
Vol. 1-10
CHAPTER IX
THE FIRST RAILROAD-THE ARRIVAL OF THE "IRON HORSE" AND ATTENDING EVENTS
THE RAILROAD IS COMING-THE LOCATION OF A DEPOT-THE RAILROAD ARRIVES- A TOUGII CROWD A DRUNKEN RIOT-A JAIL NEEDED THE FIRST BRICK RESI- DENCE-THE FIRST BRICK BUSINESS HOUSE-TIIE COMMERCIAL BLOCK-SOME NEW MILLS-JUDGE ROSE-WILLSON TOWN-A FREE RIDE TO FORT DODGE-THE MURDER OF JOHN ROSS-OTHER TRAGEDIES-THE SWAMP FUND MORE NEW BRIDGES- ELECTION OF 1869-COUNTY STATISTICS-THE THIRD CHURCH-A PIONEER PAR- SON-THE SECOND BANK ORGANIZED -- THE FIRST GRAIN ELEVATOR-NEW BUILD- INGS-THE NEW SUPERVISOR SYSTEM-A CONTEST FOR REPRESENTATIVE-A CON- TEST FOR SHERIFF-STARTING THE "INDEX"-THIE LIQUOR INTERESTS WIN-A SAD STORY-PROSPECTS OF ANOTHER RAILROAD.
By F. Q. Lee
THE RAILROAD IS COMING
As stated in a former chapter, the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad reached Ackley in the fall of 1865, and continued to move westward until in the spring of 1866 it reached Iowa Falls where work was suspended and the prospect for an early extension of the road to the west, while it was earnestly hoped for, seemed far in the future. It was not until the fall of 1867 that the people began to again have assurances of an early extension of the road. Their prospects were based upon the report that the Illinois Central Company had leased the line and would undertake the building of it, westward. The report so enthused the people along the line that public meetings were called and everything promised that was likely to encourage the building of the road. It was soon found that the Illinois Central had leased the road as far as built but did not intend to build it farther. and as the old Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad did not show signs of activity. and had not built forward fast enough to entitle it to the land granted to it by the state, a new company named owa Falls and Sioux City Company was organized for the purpose of building the line westward and securing the land. John I. Blair was the leader of this organization. The organization of this company and its immediate attempts to procure sufficient influence in the next legislature to secure the land grant caused the old Dubuque and Sioux City Company to begin work on the line in the late fall and winter of 1867 and to attempt to secure a renewal of the grant to it. What was termed a final survey was therefore made in the fall and winter of 1867-8, the depot grounds were laid out and some grading was
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done. The legislature granted the land to the company that built within a certain time, but reserved to the state the right to fix the passenger and freight rates, to be charged by the company accepting the grant. When the legislature adjourned work upon the line substantially stopped. Efforts were at once put forth to have an extra session of the legislature called to repeal the obnoxious rate clause in the law. During the summer the Iowa Falls and Sioux City Company succeeded in buying out the Dubuque and Sioux City Company and, though urging an extra session of the legislature, believed that the obnoxious clause would be repealed by the next legislature, if no extra session was called. They began to push the work with considerable zeal and asked the people along the line to vote a five per cent tax to assist them in the construction of the road. A good many meetings were held in Webster City and railroad talk was the principal theme on all sides. In January, 1868, W. C. Willson returned from Chicago and became one of the most zealous and untiring workers for the extension of the road. He went to Chicago in 1862, when the prospects for a road seemed dead, intending to return when a road was secured. The road had been surveyed through the town prior to his going away and considerable controversy had been had over the site for the depot. Willson wanted it located on "the Brewer farm," a short distance west of its present location, while others desired it at the head of Seneca street. The whole matter had died out, however, and now upon his return there was little controversy at first about the location, and it seemed settled that it would be at the head of Seneca street. So there was a pretty general agreement among the people in their work for a road. In August, 1868, a vote was had upon the question of a five per cent tax to aid the road and it carried by a vote of 148 for, and 29 against. The 20 must have made considerable noise, however, for a great deal of rejoicing resulted from the outcome. Bonfires were burned and "The Rattlers" under the leader- ship of W. L. Church, with a martial band, serenaded some of the principal citi- zens and generally "painted the town red."
THE LOCATION OF A DEPOT
The work of building was now going on all along the line from Iowa Falls, and it was confidently believed that the road would be completed by January, and the cars running into town. Again the question of the location of the depot became all absorbing. The town was then substantially all on Seneca and Bank streets and the general preference of the citizens was for the depot to be situated on the north end of Seneca street. But the company found objections to that location on the ground of its nearness to the river and preferred a location farther west, which also suited the Willsons and Funk, for they had a large number of town lots that would be increased in value by the location westward.
The depot was located adjoining Des Moines street.
Whether the Willsons or Funk were responsible for the location of the depot or not, they were charged with the responsibility by the residents of Seneca street and considerable bad blood was stirred up, and matters grew worse and worse until in the early spring of 1869, the Willsons left Seneca street and began the erec- tion of a hotel on the site of the present "Willson House," and started to build up what was then familiarly known as "Willson Town."
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THE RAILROAD ARRIVES
These contentions, however, did not retard the progress of the road, and, though it came with less rapidity than was expected, it came at last, and on the 6th of April, 1869, the "Iron Horse" crossed the "classic Boone" and came snort- ing into Webster City. The depot had already been built and so at last Hamilton county had a railroad and Webster City was its terminus for the time being.
A TOUGH CROWD
The building in of the railroad brought with it a large influx of home seekers and a large number of transients. A good many of the latter class were workers upon the railroad and hard characters in the extreme. One of the hands who worked on the road here went over to Fort Dodge, and got permission of a farmer to ride out into the country with him in his wagon. After riding with the old gentleman until some miles out of town, killed him and took his money. He was captured, however, and in course of time sent to the penitentiary for life.
A DRUNKEN RIOT
In the latter part of May, 1868, a lot of men employed on the road east of town were paid off and their wages reduced from $2.00 per day to $1.50. Most of them quit work and came into town, where they proceeded to get on a "big drunk." There were two gangs of them and as they filled up with whiskey, they became quarrelsome. A prize fight was arranged between the two gangs and each brought out its best man. The ground chosen for the fight was imme- diately in the rear of the old town hall, between two ricks of cord wood, leaving a space of perhaps over twenty feet. The spectators ranged themselves at the openings at each end, and upon the wood. Seconds and spongers were chosen and the men stripped off their shirts and entered the ring, shook hands to show how friendly they were, as all prize fighters do, and began to pummel each other. In their partially naked condition they several times came in contact with the sharp ends of the cord wood and were punished in that way even more than they punished each other. Quite a number of rounds were fought, when one of the men was declared the winner and the fight was over. But this proved to be only a starter. The sight of the battle had served to stimulate in many of the half drunken men the belief that they were fighters too, and it was but a short time until a general fight began on the streets. Nobody seemed particularly mad at anybody, but just wanted to whip some one, and so the fellow who happened to be nearest got hit, and usually hit back. Several citizens were struck and quickly getting out of the crowd, it was noised over town that a riot was on. The citizens rallied as quickly as possible and led by Sheriff McMiller, charged the rioters and began to arrest. As there was no jail, they put them in a room in the courthouse. Those who were not too drunk, climbed out of the back window and escaped, but some were too drunk to get out and were kept until the arrival of the "boss" from the camp, who bailed them out. The men went back to camp where the carouse was kept up, and during the
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night they piled up the picks, shovels and some other tools with which they worked and made a bonfire of them.
A JAIL NEEDED
The conduct on the part of the railroad hands caused the town to take imme- diate steps to prevent the future occurrence of such disgraceful scenes and a meeting was called at which it was determined to build a jail. Bids were adver- tised for, and by the last of June a jail was built of native lumber. Two by four planks were spiked together after the manner of building an elevator. The jail was located on the southeast corner of the old courthouse square, where it served the purpose of a county jail until the erection of the new courthouse in 1876. It was afterwards located in the rear of the council rooms in Webster City and was used as the city "lock up."
THE FIRST BRICK RESIDENCE
The first brick house built in the county was erected on Dubuque street, south of the Universalist church, and is now owned and occupied by Dr. A. A. Kellogg.
THIE FIRST BRICK BUSINESS HOUSE
The first brick business house was built in 1867, on Seneca street, and was built by John Rhodes and is still known as the Rhodes building.
THIE COMMERCIAL, BLOCK
In 1868 Commercial block was built on the corner of Seneca and Bank streets. There brick buildings made the town assume more of a substantial appearance. The corner building was first finished and occupied by L. L. Estes, as a drug store and postoffice, while the second floor was divided into three offices which are occupied by Hyatt & Pray and D. D. Miracle, attorneys, and Dr. Curtis. The people were justly proud of this new commercial block and the Freeman, in making an editorial mention of it, December 23, 1868, says :
"Taken altogether, this is undoubtedly one of the finest business houses of its size in the whole state and is not only a credit to the enterprise and good taste of its worthy proprietor, but is a substantial ornament to our wide awake town."
It was about this date that R. N. Woodworth came to this county. He associated himself in business with D. D. Miracle, Esq., in the Land Agency business and the firm had the first complete set of Abstracts of Lands in the county. Mr. Woodworth had been engaged in the land business at Montana, Iowa, prior to locating here.
January 1, 1869, Judge Doane was succeeded as recorder by Samuel Baxter and became auditor, the office of county judge having been abolished. . V. A. Wicks became clerk of courts in place of Michael Sweeney.
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SOME NEW MILLS
The brick steam flouring mill in the west end of town was built in 1867, by Moore & Selders, and for many years was an important factor in the develop- ment of the county. It was burned down some years ago and was never rebuilt.
Prior to 1868 a Mr. King had built a sawmill on the flats east of the market square in Webster City and near the river. In 1869, Mr. B. W. Farmer, of Woodstock, Illinois, purchased the mill and in company with Mr. Richards, put in a planing mill. The mill was run for a year or two there, when it was pur- chased by Thomas Richards and removed to Batch Grove and after a year or two there, in 1872 was brought back and located at the present site of the Web- ster City Felt Shoe Company building on West Second street. Richards sold it to E. Mabbitt, who converted it into a grist mill and afterwards sold out to Closz & Biernatzki. The Biernatzki Bros. purchased Closz's interest, and hav- ing put in entire new machinery, it became one of the most prosperous mills in the county. It was burned down in June, 1892, and was never rebuilt.
JUDGE ROSE
In a former chapter, mention was made of the election of Judge Rose to the circuit bench, a new branch of the courts of Iowa created by the legislature. In 1868, Judge Rose had been a member of the board of supervisors for several years, and from the first had been chairman. Notwithstanding his election as judge, he was also elected as supervisor from Rose Grove township and in the organization of the board in 1869, was again elected chairman. It had been reported that, owing to the new duties imposed upon him, the judge was about to resign his seat upon the board, and to prevent this, a resolution passed that body requesting him to retain his membership, which he consented to do. Perhaps few men played a more important part in the official management of the county than Judge Rose. Certainly no one was more influential and no man ever so completely dominated the affairs of a township than Judge Rose did those of Rose Grove township. It is reported that dissatisfaction with his methods and management among the settlers in the north part of the county, such as seemed likely in a short time to result in a change of management, caused the organization of Blairsburg township setting over into the new town- ship the men who were questioning the propriety of the management under Judge Rose. Certain it was, when a petition was prepared by the judge, and sent out to be signed by the men of the north part of the township, asking the organization of the new township, no signatures could be obtained and the settlers were therefore not a little surprised when at the next session of the board the new township was created without any of the residents within the limits of it asking for it and while they were all opposed to it. In the light of subsequent developments was attested the charge made by the men of the new township, that things were crooked in Rose Grove, and they had been set off to prevent a discovery of the real situation.
Judge Rose was a man of commanding appearance, well informed, a lawyer of good ability, a ready reasoner who, with the very greatest appearance of wisdom and candor. could present a project which he desired to be adopted
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with so much force and plausibility as to carry conviction. No man had half the influence that he had with the board of supervisors, and desiring the adop- tion of any measure by that body it was only necessary to secure the judge's influence and no further notice was needed. It was sure of adoption. He was not a profound lawyer, but he made a good judge. for while he was not "posted" upon the law. he had a good legal mind and when the lawyers had got through with their "law and precedents," the judge had generally arrived at a correct legal conclusion. There was one off-set, however, to his judgments-he was a strong partisan and had a great, indeed. an almost overmastering desire to assist his friends, and this frequently led him to seek for reasons justifying decisions in accord with his desires. This propensity often led him astray. It was his intentions, no doubt, to be honest, at the outset, but in the end he often sought to advance his own, and the interests of his friends, with the means at his hands, whether he had the right to appropriate them or not. In the manage- ment of his farm, he often found need for money. Holding money not then needed for public use, he appropriated it, intending no doubt to return it again by the time it was needed. But his farming operations were on a large and expensive scale and never paid expenses and so he was unable to replace the money. Having purchased lumber to be used in bridging sloughs, he used it. temporarily to make cattle and hog lots and never found it convenient to dis- . continue that use. As a farmer, he was an enthusiast, and always expected to receive large financial returns, while benefitting the community at the same time by introducing new erops or new methods. Everybody who resided in the county at that time remembers his attempt to revolutionize farming and hog- raising by the introduction of his Jerusalem artichoke. Nearly everybody caught the fever, and the judge actually made some money out of the beginning of the experiment, but the whole scheme flattened out and left him a great loser. Yet, urged on by his temporary success, he invested more largely and lost all he invested in it.
As a man, Judge Rose made friends with all classes and conditions of men. He was unusually polite and accommodating with everybody. He was a conversa- tionalist of rare ability and always affable and friendly with anybody he chanced to meet. There was a charm in his manner that impressed those he met with his honesty and superior ability. He was the most popular man in the county. Had he been possessed with abundant means he would have been all that he pretended, and all that his most ardent admirers thought him to be. But his farming operations failed to be remunerative and the settling up of his township and the abolishment of the township supervisor system, brought his financial distresses to light, both as to private and public affairs. The Rose Grove farm, a magnificent property for the time, was sokl at sheriff's sale and the judge returned East, broken in health and ruined in property and credit. The financial complications in which he had involved the township brought on a long train of litigation. Yet with all, we doubt if the judge really had an enemy. While condemning his course, everybody sympathized with him, and when he returned the last time to the county, a few years ago, and but a short time before his death, he was as warmly received, and as sincerely sympathized with by his many old time friends as though he had always been what he no doubt intended to be, and what they at one time thought him to be. With all his faults and
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misfortunes he was still loved by even those he had injured. He was a man of wonderful natural and acquired ability and he was respected for these despite all else.
WILLSON TOWN
As intimated in a former chapter, a good deal of contention had been indulged in about the location of the railroad depot and W. C. Willson was the center upon which most of the blame for its location west of Seneca street rested. The contention caused business and personal animosities which finally culminated in Willson's determination to pull out from the old town and build up again nearer the depot. Accordingly in the early spring of 1869, he, in company with his brother Sumler, laid out and began the erection of a new hotel "over in the swamp." on the present site of "The Willson" and announced a determination to build business blocks and carry on business near the hotel. The project was looked upon generally as wild and visionary, for the grounds about the new hotel site were low and wet and a regular "black swamp" lay between the hotel and the depot. The grounds between Second street and the railroad, and run- ning from Seneca street west to Broadway, was a veritable swamp in which many citizens had been in the habit of shooting ducks. The new move was therefore the subject of considerable mirth on the part of the "old town" folks, and it was generally predicted that the whole scheme would fail and when "Walt" got over his "pet" he would come back to dry ground again "a poorer but a wiser man." But they reckoned without their host. Walt had money and was full of pluck and vim, and when he started out, went through things like a whirlwind and never thought of such a thing as turning back. The hotel was finished and formally opened on July 4. 1869, and so generally were the people of the town opposed to his move that the guests at the opening of the house came mostly from the country and from Fort Dodge. J. M. Funk joined the Willsons in the new move.
New buildings were erected, and to secure business men to occupy them, they were, in the beginning, let free of rent for the first year, while in all cases for a term of years the rental charged was very low. Lots were given to men who would place business houses upon them, and to secure residents, a lot would be given to any person who would buy a lot, which was an inducement to build in the new part of the town, for the regular price of lots was a little lower than in the older part of town, and a lot thrown in brought down the price one-half. This mode of procedure brought business upon Second street and residents to "Willson Town." The business men who came were wide awake and fell into the enthusiasm of building up their end of town. The papers were filled up with large advertisements, and so much stir was made that the business gradually dropped away from the old town and took up permanent quarters in the new, until Second street came up with, and surpassed Seneca street in busi- ness importance. It was the contention between these two streets for business supremacy that was designated as the "up town and down town fight." This fight was partially allayed when the postoffice was located on the corner of the two streets and a postoffice building erected. but for many years the old fight continued to break out like an old sore and after a spasmodic eruption lasting a few weeks, again quiet down only to reappear, but always after longer
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