USA > Iowa > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 21
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When young Mr. Snow grew to manhood, he became a school teacher. In this he was very successful and in igro he was elected county superintendent of Hamilton county. His success in life is a glowing example of what grit and pluck will accomplish in spite of overwhelming disadvantages.
THE UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY ORGANIZED
In January, 1874, Rev. B. F. Snook, a Universalist minister, arrived at Webster City and delivered a series of lectures. They were so well received that a society was organized and he continued to return and hold services at intervals until the following year. In 1875, the society selected grounds and proceeded to erect a new church edifice. The first grounds selected were at the present site of the Methodist church and some materials were placed there and the work of excavat- ing for the foundation commenced, but some difficulty in securing the grounds occurred and a change was made to the northwest corner of Bank street and Will- son avenue, where the building was erected. The dedicatory services were held on the 14th of November. 1875. Rev. J. W. Hanson, an eminent and eloquent divine from Chicago, preached the sermon and had charge of the services. Elder Snook was employed as the pastor and remained five or six years.
THIE FREEMAN CHANGES IIANDS
In June, 1874, J. D. Hunter sold the Freeman printing office to T. E. Mc- Cracken, of Marshalltown, who took possession and began its publication the first week in July. He held editorial charge of that paper for one year when Mr. Hunter purchased it again and has since continued its publication.
THIE ARGUS ESTABLISHED
About the ioth of July, 1874, the Webster City Argus issued its first num- ber, it being the third paper to start in the county. The Argus was started by C. D. Auyer and E. T. Edwards, both practical printers, and run politically in the interest of the anti-monopoly party at first, and afterward while in the control of Mr. Edwards, was democratic in politics.
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THE CAMPAIGN OF '74
We have heretofore spoken of the great anti-monopoly political revolution of 1873. Though this movement evened up the contesting parties, it made no change in county officers that year except in the election of sheriff. The contest was again opened in 1874 and after a spirited contest, resulted in the loss of one more officer to the republicans. For the office of recorder, H. C. Johnson, the regular nominee of the republican party being defeated by J. V. Kearns, the nominee of the anti- monopoly party, while the vote on supervisor between J. W. Lee, republican, and J. D. Maxwell, anti-monopoly, was quite close but in favor of Lee. This was followed the next fall ( 1875) by a contest for the office of sheriff that was decidedly warm and amusing and is well remembered by all.
ELECTING A SIIERIFF
F. A. Harris was made the republican nominee. The democrats nominated J. A. Snodgrass. The anti-monopoly party seems to have died and in place of its nominee Nels Olmstead and J. VanBramer each ran independent. All of these candidates were reputable citizens and good men, but if the stories that were put into circulation during the campaign were to be half believed, the people had stumbled upon the four boss villains of the county and were running them for sheriff. If we remember rightly each candidate was sure of his election and the friends of each were willing to bet odds on the success of their man. The vote was something of a surprise to everybody as it resulted as follows : Harris, 432; VanBramer, 294; Olmstead, 281. Snodgrass, 185.
RAISING FUNDS FOR A NEW COURTHOUSE
By the middle of the year 1874 it became clear that two railroad projects men- tioned in our last chapter were dead past all hope of resurrection and the county still had the swamp land upon its hands. For some years now there had been more or less agitation of the question of building a courthouse. The old courthouse was now too small to accommodate the public. The county had no safe jail and was compelled to send its prisoners to Waterloo so there were no two opinions about the needs of the county so far as a new court house and jail were concerned. But there was a great deal of disagreement about how costly a house should be built, and where the money was to come from to pay for it. Times were then very hard, and growing worse, and the idea of adding to the burden, a tax large enough to build such a house as was desired, was not a pleasant one. So the swamp lands that had been voted away so often and still remained, were again made the sub- ject of a conflict of ballots. The board of supervisors submitted to the people a proposition to appropriate of the swamp land fund $50,000 with which to build a court house and jail and the proposition was carried by about two hundred ma- jority. The election took place in the fall of 1874. During all of the year of 1875 efforts were made to secure a contractor who would take the lands and build such a house as was demanded. Plans and specifications were on file, but no bidders could be found unless some cash could be secured. The lands were on the market
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and some of them were sold when it was finally agreed to reduce the price from five dollars per acre to four dollars and citizens were asked to come in and take one or more forties to help raise cash enough to secure a bidder. The project of put- ting up a $50,000 house was given up and the plans modified so as to reduce the cost to $35,000. After this, enough lands were disposed of to secure the letting of the contract.
THE NEW COURTHOUSE
On the high ground near the center of Webster City stands one of the sub- stantial county court houses in the state. Its proportions are ample and imposing. Its tower rising high above the city is visible for miles around and from its top is presented one of the most beautiful scenes the eye ever dwells upon. To the north and south the woodland stretches, while looking down upon it the waters of the Boone can be seen all along, winding their way through farm and field and forest, a thread of sparkling silver in the sunshine. To the east and west, the broad prairie spreads away, covered now with well tilled fields and dotted thickly with white farm houses and big red barns presenting a perfect panorama of beauty, that on a clear bright day can be plainly seen with the naked eye from the timber of the Skunk river on the east to the wild and rugged Des Moines on the west. What citizen of Hamilton county who has taken the trouble to mount to this eminence but has been delighted with the picture spread before him. and what citizen of the county is not justly proud of the magnificent building in which the business of the county and the courts is transacted and within which is safely stored the records of his title to the acres that he tills. Few can ever fully realize how much they owe to the clear heads, sound judgment and business tact of the men who managed the affairs of the county at the time of the erection of this build- ing. Guarding the public interests with unexampled fidelity, and amid objections and obstacles thought to be almost insurmountable, they erected this splendid building without a tax, and without even the suspicion of a "job" anywhere, from beginning to end. As stated, formerly the swamp lands and swamp land funds had been voted by the people to the purpose of building a courthouse and jail. The lands as then listed comprised about 7,000 acres within the county and about $11,000 in money and notes taken on sale of lands, or for the funds loaned. It was objected on all hands that these resources were insufficient to build such a house as the needs of the county demanded and many counseled the levy of a tax in addition to this fund. But it was doubtful if the people, then in the midst of financial embarrassment resulting from the panic of 1873. would vote a tax, while it was the opinion of the board of supervisors that the fund, if properly and ju- diciously managed would build an ample building and they determined to build the house with that fund or not build at all. Architects, anxious to sell designs for buiklings, filed several plans with the board with statements of the probable cost of each, and the board in 1875 entered in earnest into the work of securing a plan, and preparing to go forward with the project. The board then consisted of TI. Corbin. John A. Cooper, and J. W. Lee. Corbin was made chairman of the board. The first business done in relation to the matter was to appoint a com- mittee consisting of John Hill, John Eckstein and N. B. Everts to examine the designs, plans and specifications and determine definitely the cost of building
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each with recommendations as to best design to be adopted and to report at the adjourned session of the board to be held January 18. 1875. This committee recommended the adoption of the design of one Baker, of Chicago, and reported that it could be built at a cost within the $35,000 limit.
SEEKING BIDS ON THE COURTHOUSE
The report was adopted, the swamp lands and funds were by proper resolution appropriated to the purpose of building court house and jail and a proclamation issued asking sealed bids upon the plans and specifications adopted and on file in auditor's office and the board adjourned until March 8, when they were to meet and open bids. March Sth came and the board met, but no bids had been received. It must be remembered that the conditions upon which the bids were to be made. were that the contractor should receive his pay in swamp land funds (money and notes ) and lands at a price of $5.00 per acre sufficient to make up amount of the bid. It was on account of these conditions that no bids were received. The board therefore authorized the auditor to republish the notice for bids one week in county papers and in the Chicago Daily Times asking bids to be filed on or before April 6, 1875. but reducing the amount of the bond to be given by con- tractor from $50,000 to $20,000. This was done, but when the board met Apri' 4th, no bids had been received within the $35,000 limit. It was then decided to authorize the auditor to receive bids on the plans adopted either with or without the tower, until the regular meeting in June. Still no bids were received, and the order was continued to the September meeting. The September meeting came and still there were no bids, and, apparently, no more prospect for letting the con- tract than at first. The trouble was, that there was too much land and too little money in the terms on which the contract was to be let. The citizens were get- ting impatient and the board was constantly importuned to submit to a vote, a proposition to bond the county for enough to insure a bid and put the work through. Instead the board passed a resolution directing the auditor to put the lands up at public "out cry" selling to the highest bidder, but at not less than $3.50 per acre. Mr. Lee opposed this resolution on the ground that the best lands would be sold cheaply at auction. and the poor lands be left on the county's hands unsalable. However, the resolution was not carried into execution for a new plan to raise money on a sale of the land was suggested.
SELLING THE SWAMP LAND
A proposition was presented to the board at its October session whereby thirty-two citizens of Webster City agreed to purchase about four thousand acres of land at $3.40 per acre, each person agreeing to take the number of forty-acre tracts set opposite his name. There was to be no picking over the lands, but the whole swamp land of the county was to be divided into forty acre tracts and the description of each separate tract written upon separate slips of paper and all put into a box. Then the names of the purchasers were to be written upon slips of paper and placed in another box. These tickets were to be well shaken up and the name of a purchaser drawn out. Against it were to be drawn as many descriptions as the person named had agreed to take. In this way the
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drawing was to be made and each person was to give approved notes for the land so allotted to him, one-half payable on the first day of September, 1876, and one-half on or before July 1. 1877. This proposition was accepted and adopted by the board. Of the thirty-two citizens agreeing to take lands, five "backed out." Those who stood by the contract and opened up the way for an early let- ting of the contract were as follows: Geo. H. Soule, 2; C. A. Wickware, 2; B. S. Mason, 2; R. I. Burleson, 1; John Eckstein, 3: W. C. and S. Willson, 9; J. M. Funk, 6; J. D. Hunter, 1; N. Cox, 3; Geo. Hathway, 2; David Beach, I: J. M. Crist, 1 ; Crandall & Howard, 2; John Frank, 1; N. R. Beach, I; Lewis Crary, 2; J. V. Kearns, 1; B. F. Derr. 2; Ira Hilliard. 5: J. M. Wilson and Brother, 1; E. N. Lee and Brother, 1 ; B. S. Baker, 1 ; F. Q. Lee, 1; McMurray & Eastman, 2; Fritz Jansen, 2: W. A. Crosley, 1 ; Anna Bronson, I.
It was also found to be necessary to reduce the cost of the proposed building and a committee consisting of John Hill, John Eckstein and N. B. Everts was appointed to "examine plans and specifications of court house and to ascertain correctly what it would cost to build in accordance with the plan and what could be left out without material injury to the usefulness of the building and report at October session.
Upon the report of this committee the plans were modified and the plan of raising money on the swamp land having been adopted, a new proclamation asking for bids on modified plans was published until October 25. 1875.
THE CONTRACT AAWARDED
On the 25th of October, 1875, the board met and after modifying the speci- fications of courthouse and jail, issued a proclamation and caused the same to be published in the Hamilton Freeman, inviting proposals to build said courthouse and jail. The committee then adjourned until December 1, 1875, at which meeting, on the 2d day thereof, the contract for building said courthouse and jail was awarded to John M. Rice of Chicago, his bid being the lowest received to-wit : $30,000 in swamp land funds and securities and 1,360 acres of swamp land. Said Rice giving $5,000 bonds conditioned that he would execute the con- tract according to the terms of his bid.
At the January session, 1876, E. Crabtree, the newly elected member of the board took his place, John A. Cooper retiring. J. W. Lee was elected chairman and the report of the board meeting as a committee of the whole at various times since the regular October session was adopted. John Eckstein was appointed superintendent of the new court house.
THE WORK COMMENCED
The contractor, John M. Rice, came on with his force and began the work as soon as the weather permitted in the spring. The work of laying the founda- tion and buikling the walls ( the mason work), was let to and under the super- vision of L. D. Stearns. The foundation walls were underlaid with a deep and broad base of cement wall and the work was rapidly put forward.
At the June session arrangements were made for laying the cornerstone with
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proper ceremonies on the 4th of July, and in furtherance of their designs the following resolution was passed:
Resolved, That the Masonic fraternity of Webster City be requested to take charge of the ceremonies of laying the cornerstone of the Hamilton county court house and that they be empowered to make the necessary arrangements therefor, that said ceremony take place July 4, 1876. Provided that said Masonic fraternity shall have no power to incur any expense on the part of the county.
It being the intention of Chas. Wickware to attend the centennial celebration at Philadelphia, Pa., and therefore be absent for some time, he appointed Judge Doane deputy auditor and the appointment was confirmed by the board. Mr. Doane prepared a brief history of all the transactions relative to the building of the court house to be deposited beneath the cornerstone.
LAYING THE CORNERSTONE
It was centennial year and extensive preparations were already in progress for a grand Fourth of July celebration in Webster City and it was determined that the laying of the cornerstone should take place in connection with and as part of the program of that celebration. A very large crowd attended. The ceremonies were conducted by the Masons, assisted by the Odd Fellows. The following account of the ceremony was published in the Freeman the following day :
The ceremonies of laying the cornerstone of the new court house July 4, 1876, conducted by the Masons and Odd Fellows, town and county officers, were interesting and imposing and were witnessed by many hundreds of Hamilton county citizens. The Webster City cornet band were present to enliven the ex- ercises with appropriate music.
The following articles were deposited under the cornerstone :
A transcript of the official record of the building of Hamilton county court house from the first day of June A. D. 1874 to the first day of July A. D. 1876; a copy of the Webster City Argus of July 4, 1876; a copy of the Hamilton Free- man of June 21, 1876, containing the republican national platform of 1876; a copy of the Philadelphia Press of May 11, 1876, containing the opening cere- monies of the Centennial Exposition ; a copy of the democratic platform of 1876; a copy of the bar docket of the circuit court; a copy of bar docket of district court. Constitution and by-laws of Webster City lodge No. 342, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; a copy of charter and list of officers, members, consti- tution and by-laws of Acacia Lodge No. 176, A. F. & A. M .; coins of the United States; I silver dollar, 1 silver twenty cent piece, I silver 10 cent piece, silver souvenir bearing busts of Washington and Lincoln, deposited by J. D. H .; a copy of oration delivered at Webster City, July 4, 1876, by N. B. Hyatt ; a history of the organization of Hamilton county (written by Judge Doane-Ed.). These articles are put in a glass jar which is enclosed in a zinc case and carefully de- posited under the stone. At some day in the dim future when all those whose names are in any way connected with this work will have passed from earth, these simple mementos will be visible evidence of one of Hamilton county's most creditable enterprises.
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The cornerstone is at the northeast corner of the building and is about eight feet above the ground. Its north face bears the inscription :
Street & Baker, Architects. J. 31. Rice. Builder. John Eckstein, Superintendent.
On its east face is the following inscription :
1776, July 4. 1876. Supervisors, J. IT. Lec. H. Corbin, E. Crabtrec.
COMPLETING THIE BUILDING
The work of completing the court house was now pushed as rapidly as pos- sible. Mr. S. McCormack with a competent force of carpenters kept the wood- work moving as the walls of the building grew, and before January 1, 1877, the building was enclosed and under roof. It was completed and the officers moved into it the last week of June, and on the last day of June the house accepted as finished by the board of supervisors and the board entered on the minutes a vote of thanks to Mr. Rice and the men in his employ for the diligence and fidelity with which they had performed the contract. They had completed and turned it over to the use of county three months earlier than required by the agreement.
At the January session, 1887, J. W. Lee, C. A. Wickware and John Eckstein were appointed a committee "to determine the kind and style of furniture and fixtures for the several offices and court room and to have the same fitted up for use in such a manner as in their judgment shall be most convenient and serv- iceable for county purposes." The committee performed its work with prompt- ness and the offices were all fitted and furnished and ready for occupancy before the main building was fully completed.
THE CEREMONY OF DEDICATION
On July 4, '77, just one year after the ceremony of laying the cornerstone, the building was dedicated to the use of the county by appropriate services. . \t 3 o'clock P. M. on that day a large concourse of Hamilton county people as- sembled at the court house. Mr. Ira H. Tremain as president of the day in- troduced the Hon. D. D. Chase to the assemblage, who addressed them from the cast steps of the building in appropriate language. Among other things he said :
"The design of this building is in the best of modern architecture. It is 65 by 75 feet on the ground and consists of basement, first, second and third (or entresol), stories. It is built of brick, with stone foundation, and cut stone ornamentation, and rests upon a solid concrete foundation 18 inches thick. It
HAMILTON COUNTY COURTHOUSE, WEBSTER CITY
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has a French roof with pavilions in the corners, gables on the sides and dome in the center 18 feet square, surmounted by a flag staff 28 feet high on the top of which is perched the American Eagle. The basement is designed for sheriff's residence and jail. It is spacious and airy and is fitted up with all the modern improvements. The jail has ten cells, with corridors, and two large day rooms. The first story contains the various county offices, all of them fitted up with the most approved style of furniture and the auditor's, recorder's, treasurer's and clerk's offices are provided with fireproof vaults secured by Hall's patent fire- proof vault doors and combination locks. The main entrances of the building are from the north and east into the halls on the first story, from which a cir- cular stairway leads to the second or court room story. The court room is 40x 60 feet and 21 feet high, elegantly finished and furnished with large and conven- ient rooms adjoining for lawyers' consultation rooms. On this floor also are rooms for grand and petit juries and witnesses. The entrance to the entresol stairs is from the hall of the court room story. In this story there is a large hall and two large rooms, now unfinished. From this hall the stairway leads to the top of the dome which is 124 feet from the floor of the basement. This building is an honor to the county and in convenience of arrangement and beauty of design it is undoubtedly the finest public building of its size in the state.
"The entire cost of the building as it now stands is $37,837.17 and is worth every cent it cost. We are now absolutely out of debt with our public buildings paid for and no bonded indebtedness of any kind hanging over us. I am authorized by the board of supervisors to present this magnificent edifice to the people of Hamilton county and to dedicate it to them as their temple of justice. And as we stand upon the threshold of a new year in our country's history we can celebrate the completion of this building with manly and honorable pride and congratulate ourselves upon the successful management of our affairs as a county.'
At the conclusion of Judge Chase's speech the band played an inspiring air and the citizens dispersed themselves through the building, many of them mount- ing to the top of the dome. The Freeman speaking of the matter the same week said :
"We don't believe there is another county in Iowa that can boast of such a building at such a cost, and certainly few public works of such proportions were ever prosecuted with so little jobbery or favoritism. We don't believe there was a five dollar steal in the whole job. The tax payers can truly say to the county officials: 'Well done. good and faithful servants.'"
Too much credit can not be given to the members of the board of supervis- ors who successfully guarded the interest of the county and managed its affairs during the erection of its county buildings. The members of the board have passed away, but they have left an enduring monument to their capacity and honesty in the splendid official record they made. ( This building has now given the county thirty-five years of service and today ( 1912), its walls and founda- tions stand without a crack to mar or weaken them. When the subject of build- ing a new court house is discussed the universal verdict is "This is too good a building to tear down.")
Vol. 1-12
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THE WILLIAMS STANDARD STARTED
About the first.of January, 1877. H. 1I. Johnson came to Williams and started the fourth newspaper in the county, the Williams Standard. It was a seven column folio and began with a good deal of vigor, but the field was too small for success and it was continued only about two years, when the plant was moved to Callanan, a new town in the southwest part of the county.
GRASSHOPPERS AGAIN
In the fall of 1876 great clouds of grasshoppers passed over the county and millions of the pests dropped down and deposited their eggs. In many localities the ground was literally honeycombed with the little holes in which the eggs were deposited. No ground was too hard to resist them. They even punctured the travel beaten streets of the towns and deposited their eggs beneath the wheels of almost constantly passing vehicles. They were all over the county, thicker of course in places, but their presence was general. The next spring the little hoppers hatched out and went for the crops and the farmers went for them. Every device known to be destructive was used, but the most effective was a long tin trough containing kerosene and placed on wheels with a high board behind it. It was drawn across wheat and oat fields. The hoppers would fly up on its approach, strike against the backboard and fall into the trough, and were killed by the kerosene. If ever a hopper touched kerosene he was dead, and in this way bushels of them were killed. The question of inducing the board of supervisors to offer a bounty for dead grasshoppers was seriously talked. This was the second visitation the county had had from these pests and the last was worse than the first. A great deal of grain was destroyed by them but not so much as was at first feared. In July they arose and left the county, for the county's good, and have never returned to do much damage.
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