USA > Iowa > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 28
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At the state convention while Mr. Kamrar received very flattering support from the north part of the state where he was best known, it was not sufficient to secure his nomination and the prize went to Francis M. Drake, who was after- ward elected.
THE CAMPAIGN OF 1895
When it came to nominating county officers in 1895, there was an unusual crop of candidates for sheriff. Nine men entered the race for this office. They were J. A. Goudie, Frank Hollis, John M. Cooper, N. H. Bawden, W. W. Sin- clair, J. E. Clark, C. L. Zublin, J. L. Lenhart and O. N. Sexie. The county con- vention convened at Webster City, September 14 and W. W. Sinclair received the nomination.
This convention also nominated for : Representative, H. M. Brinton ; for aud- itor, John M. Sweeney; for treasurer, W. H. Dygert; for superintendent of schools Will F. Cole; for coroner, C. J. Eberle ; for supervisor from the 1st dis- trict, John N. Garth.
The democrats and populists each nominated a ticket ; the democratic nominees being : for representative, William Tatham; for treasurer, I'. J. Brandrup; for auditor, D. W. Evans; for sheriff, R. L. Doolittle; for superintendent,
Stanley ; for coroner, T. F. Desmond, and for supervisor Ist district, C. A. Sprat.
The entire republican ticket was elected by about 1,200 majority.
POLITICS IN 1896
Eighteen hundred and ninety-six was a year of unusual activity in politics not only in Hamilton county, but throughout the entire nation. On June 24, W. J. Bryan, then comparatively unknown, spoke at the Willson Opera house in sup-
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port of free silver, and no speech was ever delivered in Webster City which created such a profound impression. The next day, up and down the streets were little groups of men, all arguing the silver question and from that day until after the election in the fall, it continued to be argued through all the waking "hours." In the stores, on the streets, on the highways, in the fields, wherever men met, the one theme was "free silver." Never before was such a stirring up in the ranks of both parties. After Bryan's nomination, the furor increased. Republicans sup- ported silver and were known as Silver Republicans. Democrats opposed Free Silver and were known as "Gold Democrats." Though a majority of the Demo- crats received the news of Bryan's nomination with enthusiasm, a few were surly and dissatisfied. They bolted, called a convention, passed resolutions, and elected delegates to a gold convention. Among the prominent democrats who headed this movement were F. A. Edwards, W. G. Bonner, J. W. Allington, W. C. Will- son, J. P. Bandrup. The gold democrat movement proved to be an easy step- ping stone into the republican party for in the fall at the election most of the gold democrats voted the republican ticket and only forty-two in the entire county voted for Palmer and Buckner.
Perhaps one of the most amusing events of the free silver campaign was a joint debate at the courthouse in Webster City between Rev. F. E. Brooke, a young United Brethren minister and B. F. Barge, who had formerly lived in the county, and had returned on a visit. Brooke represented free silver, while Barge stood for the republicans. By the rules of the debate, Brooke was to open with a forty-five minute speech, Barge was to follow with one hour's time and Brooke was to have 15 minutes in which to close.
Brooke opened the debate with a speech advancing the usual stock arguments of the silverites in quite an able manner. Barge's reply was a surprise not only to the silver men but to the republicans who turned out to hear the silver argu- ments demolished. He was an old fashioned political speaker who heralded his ideas with a loud voice and vigorous gesticulation. Unable to cope with the argu- ments of his opponent, he ignored them, devoted his time to a violent denunciation of the democratic party and its adherents, finally lost his temper, and proceeded to administer a personal roasting to the meek little preacher whose only offence was that he had presented his cause well. The preacher was an Irishman and was true to his country both in native wit and sharpness of tongue. The fifteen min- utes that followed afforded about the liveliest exhibition of sarcasm and elo- quence ever listened to in Webster City, at which the audience, without regard to political opinion, widely applauded.
The national campaign was so full of excitement this year that county politics was almost lost sight of. The republicans however nominated J. H. Sweeney for auditor : W. H. Weir, for clerk ; Sol D. Derr, for recorder : George C. Olmstead, for county attorney, and "Fighting Bob Russell" of Fremont township, for sur- veyor.
The democrats nominated W. H. Wharton for auditor. Jesse Gouge for clerk, J. L. Groves for recorder, J. D. Thompson for county attorney and J. E. Quack- enbush for surveyor. The entire republican ticket was elected by nearly 1,800 majority.
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POLITICS IN 1897
In 1897 the republican county convention convened June 30th. Prior to the convention there had been a spirited contest between R. G. Clark and J. O. Len- ning, candidates for representative, but on Clark's securing a majority of the dele- gates, Lenning withdrew from the contest and Clark was nominated by acclama- tio11.
At this convention there were eight candidates for treasurer. They were E. I. Johnson, O. Ostrem. O. U. Miracle, G. S. Neel, J. A. Stover, George Streever, O. A. Cragwick, J. E. Sogard.
From the first ballot, Miracle led all his competitors but could not secure a majority, so finally withdrew, throwing his entire strength to J. A. Stover, who received the nomination. This nomination was received with great dissatisfaction, not so much on account of the personality of Stover as on account of the manner of his securing the nomination. Charges were openly made that Miracle had "sold out" and that Stover's nomination was the result of a deal, and the belief that these charges were true, contributed largely to Stover's defeat at the following election.
W. H. Sinclair was renominated for sheriff. W. F. Cole was renominated for superintendent and Fighting "Bob" Russell was again nominated for surveyor. O. J. Larson received the nomination for supervisor from the 2d district.
· There was also a spirited contest for delegates to the senatorial convention. J. H. Richard and M. H. Brinton were candidates and Richard won out and se- cured the delegation.
The senatorial convention convened at Webster City, July 28, and each county presented a candidate. On the first baliot, J. H. Richard of Hamilton received sixteen votes, Joseph Wallace of Hardin received nineteen votes, J. E. Rowen of Wright received sixteen votes.
The balloting continued without change until 3.468 ballots had been cast, when Richard withdrew and Wallace received the vote of Hamilton county and was nominated.
This year the democrats nominated: for representative, J. N. Maxwell; for treasurer, Peter Mathre; for sheriff, Lee Greiner ; for superintendent of schools, HI. M. Lucas; for coroner, Dr. Byron Lewis; for supervisor of 2d district, John Carey.
The election furnished a general surprise to the people. Peter Mathire, the democratic candidate for treasurer, was elected by 300 majority. The rest of the republican ticket was elected.
This year the "Wasp" was established at Williams by W. H. Hellen and Jesse Gouge became associate editor of the Graphic Herald at Webster City.
EVENTS OF 1898
In January, 1898, the Tribune, Wasp and Graphic-Herald made sharp attacks on the board of supervisors charging irregularities in the management of the county finances. The board was defended by the Freeman. In the controversy, the republican politicians were divided into factions. That opposing the board was
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known as the "Bolter's Ring" and that defending it was known as the "Hog Com- bine." While a great deal of noise was made and much smoke and dust stirred up. the only substantial irregularity disclosed was that members of the board, while doing committee work, had charged the regular mileage allowed by law and in addition thereto had paid from the county funds, the bills for livery used in mak- ing the trips for which the mileage was charged.
The matter was taken to court and an order was made directing the members of the board to return to the county the sum collected for livery in cases where mile- age was charged. During this controversy, Jesse Gouge was editor of the Graphic and distinguished himself as an unusually witty and forcible writer. In connection with this controversy his reference to the "whole board" as the "hole bored" will long be remembered with a smile by those who read the newspapers of the county at that time.
The controversy over the board was followed by the indictment returned by the Grand Jury against W. H. Hellen charging him with criminal libel. The cause of the indictment was a vicious personal attack upon Fred Barkhurst, edi- tor of the Stanhope Mail. Hellen was a sympathizer with the "Bolter's Ring" while Barkhurst received his political inspiration from the "Hog Combine," so the indictment of Hellen was immediately branded as a case of political perse- cution.
The trial of the case was held in March, 1898, and the jury returned a verdict of "not guilty."
The breaking out of the Spanish-American war, attracted the attention of the people away from politics for a short time, but it was for only a short time, for during the latter part of the month of May, the Tribune sprang the Barber-Olni- stead sensation and the flames of local politics were again fanned to a white heat.
THIE BARBER-OLMSTEAD SENSATION
George C. Olinstead was county attorney, and George Barber had been his client, in a suit in which Barber's wife had secured a divorce.
Barber had about $4,000 and during the trial of the divorce case had turned this money over to Olmstead and then swore on the witness stand that he had lost it in Chicago. Olmstead had paid Barber money at different times but finally by the use of his knowledge of Barber's perjury secured a settlement for about $250 while he still owed him about $3,000. Barber, when he recovered from the first effects of his "scare" employed J. L. Kamrar to bring suit against Olmstead to recover his money.
The story was featured in a most sensational manner, by the Tribune which had been antagonistic to Olmstead's political friends, and this caused the Free- man to rush to his defense. Charges were freely made that the Barber suit was a political conspiracy to ruin Olmstead because he as county attorney had urged the indictment of W. H. Hellen for libel, and was working against C. D. Hellen, who was a candidate for the postoffice at Webster City. Indeed the fight between the Freeman and the Tribune had grown so bitter that the Freeman was, on impulse. ready to oppose any cause the Tribune championed or defended any transaction that the Tribune assailed.
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The Barber-Olmstead case was tried at the February, 1899, term of the dis- trict court,
Judge Weaver delivered an elaborate written opinion covering every phase of the case in a most complete and comprehensive manner. His judgment was that Olmstead owed Barber $2.744. At the close of the trial Judge Weaver appointed N. B. Hyatt, A. N. Boeye and Wesley Martin as attorneys to commence proceed- ings to disbar both Olmstead and J. F. Howard and at a later term, Olmstead was disbarred and Howard suspended.
The republicans in 1898 nominated W. H. Weir for clerk, A. A. Cook for re- corder, John A. Berggren for auditor, A. N. Boeye for county attorney, O. A. Hall for coroner and C. D. Doolittle for supervisor from Ist district.
The democrats nominated J. W. Lee for clerk, Charles Gerber for recorder, Nels Fardal for auditor, George Wamback for county attorney, T. F. Desmond for coroner and R. B. Wyckoff for supervisor, Ist district.
The entire republican ticket was elected.
During the year an examination of the book of ex-Treasurer W. H. Dygert showed a shortage of about $800. Dygert, though abundantly able to do so, re- fused to make the amount good on the ground that he had never taken the money, and that to pay it would be to admit that he had wrongfully taken it. The mat- ter was taken to court and finally adjusted, the shortage being practically all accounted for by errors in bookkeeping. Those who investigated the matter were satisfied that Dygert had never taken a cent that did not belong to him and that he was entitled to a complete vindication so far as any moral wrong was con- cerned.
In February, 1899, T. LeRoy Evans sold the Graphic Herald to W. J. Pilk- ington, who at once assumed editorial charge.
In 1899 the republican convention convened at Webster City July Ist. An im- portant step then taken was to adopt a resolution favoring the primary system of nominating candidates for office.
R. G. Clark was unanimously renominated for representative. There were eight candidates for sheriff and the first informal ballot stood as follows: C. L. Zublin, 20 votes ; J. H. Shaffer, 25; N. H. Bawden, 91/2 ; Will Cavana, 13; George W. Black, 17; John K. Wyatt, 1212; H. I. Thompson, 15; W. L. Sinclair, 2.
On the fifty-eighth ballot, J. H. Shaffer received fifty-eight votes and was nominated.
John E. Fardal was nominated for treasurer, L. N. Gerber for superintendent, O. A. Hall for coroner and E. E. Fox for surveyor.
In October, 1899, the bitter fight between the Freeman and Tribune came to a sudden end. A stock company composed of leading men of both factions of the republicans, purchased both papers and consolidated them. On November Ist, the Daily Freeman-Tribune made its appearance. J. D. Hunter was editor and president, C. D. Hellen was business manager and vice president. W. F. Hunter was associate editor and D. L. Hunter was secretary and treasurer.
TWO IMPORTANT REFORMS
Two most important reforms have practically revolutionized the politics of Hamilton county. The first was the adoption of the Australian system of vot- ing. Under the old plan in vogue for so many years, each political party had
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tickets printed containing the names of its candidates. The enterprising polit- ical worker caught the voter before he reached the polls, thrust a prepared ballot upon him, then followed him to the polls and watched to see that it was safely deposited. The timid voter was thus intimidated. Many schemes were devised to beat the politicians. A favorite one was designed to secure the voter a secret ballot. The voter would prepare his ballot before he reached the polls and safely deposit it in his vest pocket. During the excitement attending the voting he expected to surreptitiously extract his prepared ballot and deposit it without being seen. But this plan sometimes miscarried. Often times he extracted the wrong paper and many strange documents thus found their way into the ballot box. The passage of the Australian ballot law, however, insured to the voter, the private expression of his opinion at the polls and transformed the polls from a place of excitement, contention and sometimes riot, to a place of quiet and dignity, for no electioneering was allowed within 100 feet of the voting place.
The other important reform is the adoption of the primary election plan which displaces the caucus and convention and secures the nomination of officers by the secret ballot of the members of each political party. This plan has made the packing of caucuses and the manipulation of convention matters past history.
We have not attempted to carry the details of our political history beyond the beginning of the twentieth century, preferring to leave the work of recording the events now fresh in the minds of all to some future historian.
CHAPTER XIII CITY POLITICS
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WEBSTER CITY INCORPORATED-NO PARTY POLITICS ALLOWED-A CITY OF THE SEC- OND CLASS-THE WATERWORKS-SOLDIERS HOME PROSPECTS-J. D. RISTE ELECTED COUNCILMAN-MOVING THE POSTOFFICE-THE MARKET SQUARE-ELEC- TRIC LIGHTS-CITY POLITICS-A BLOW AT THE CITY SCALES-ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT COMPLETED THE FIRST NATIONAL MOVES-THE POSTOFFICE MOVED AT LAST-THE CLARK-YOUNG CONTEST CONTRACTION NOT ALLOWED-THE 5000 MARK REACHED-THE CITY SCALES FIGHT-THE FIFTH WARD.
WEBSTER CITY INCORPORATED
The first town in the county to become incorporated was Webster City. The question of incorporation had been more or less agitated for over ten years, and one or two votes had been taken upon the question but a majority had always opposed it. It was not until the fall of 1874 that the question carried. On the 22nd day of October, 1874, the election of city officers resulted in the selection of the following officers: Mayor, L. L. Estes ; recorder, B. F. Miller ; trustees, Captain G. H. Soule, George Hathway, George Shipp, R. E. Fairchild, and W. S. Worthington. The council appointed W. J. Covil as city attorney and W. W. Collins as city marshal. No street commissioner was appointed then, but the road supervisor of the district in Boone township was supposed to have the right to work the roads within the corporation. The error was discovered however, when the city council raised the age limit under which able bodied citizens were liable to work poll tax, from 45 to 50. The attempt to enforce this order was made by the road supervisor, when it was discovered that he had no authority whatever to work roads inside the corporation and a good many persons escaped road poll tax altogether that year, as it was too late to appoint an officer and serve notices before the expiration of the time in which notice should have been served.
NO PARTY POLITICS ALLOWED
In politics, Webster City has been for fifty years non-partisan in its city politics, and all attempts to subject the city to party control have been rejected.
In the spring of 1880, the republicans attempted to take control of the city government and nominated a straight republican ticket. The "Fusionists," com- posed of greenbackers, democrats and all others who were opposed to in- jecting party politics into the city government, nominated an opposition ticket.
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
After a warm campaign the election resulted as follows: Mayor-Fusion, Isaiah Doane, 227 ; republican, Capt. L. Crary. 132.
Recorder-Fusion, Albert Hoffman, 180; republican, E. N. Lee, 176.
Assessor-Fusion, L. Lager, 125; republican, C. A. Williams, 174.
Trustees-Fusion, J. H. Shipp. 212; D. A. Tyler, 194; republican, W. J. Covil, 163; L. Clark. 145.
When the new board of trustees was organized, Wesley Martin was selected city treasurer.
In the spring of 1881 "party politics" was abandoned and a "Citizens Caucus" placed in nomination the following ticket: For mayor, B. F. Miller: for re- corder, J. R. Sterling ; for assessor, Il. R. Dodge ; and for trustees, W. S. Worth- ington and Charles Wickware. B. F. Miller declined to accept the nomination for mayor and his place on the ticket was filled by Percival Knowles. An in- dependent ticket was placed in the field composed of Isaiah Doane, for mayor ; H. N. McClure, for recorder : W. I. Worthington, for assessor; and B. Detlor and B. F. Miller for trustees. \V. S. Worthington withdrew as the caucus can- didate for trustee and J. M. Jones was placed on the regular ticket in his stead. The contest was close and spirited. The heavy engagement was between Knowles and Doane for mayor, and resulted in 204 votes for Knowles and 203 votes for Doane, with two votes scattering. Doane contested Knowles' election on the ground that there were in the ballot box two ballots in excess of the number of names of votes shown by the tally list. The contest was held before the board of trustees and was attended by a large and interested audience. Judge Chase ap- peared for Doane, G. B. Pray and N. B. Hyatt appeared for Knowles and the case was argued much to the amusement if not the edification of the spectators. The trustees decided the contest in favor of Knowles whereupon Judge Doane in a happy, well timed speech acquiesced in the decision of the board, congratulated everybody, and succeeded in showing himself to be such a good loser that his effort was met with deafening applause. The result of the election as announced by the trustees was as follows: Mayor-Percival Knowles, 204; Isaiah Doane, 203.
Recorder-J. R. Sterling, 145; H. M. McClure, 263.
Assessor-H. R. Dodge, 200; W. I. Worthington, 214.
Trustees-Chas. Wickware, 85; B. Detlor, 335: J. M. Jones, 118; B. F. Miller, 218.
The mayor was an up-town man and the two trustees were down-town men and this compromise seemed generally satisfactory to the citizens if not to the ardent partisans.
A CITY OF THE SECOND CLASS
In January, 1882, recorder H. N. McClure made an enumeration of Webster City, which showed a population of 2.342, an increase of about 500 since the taking of the federal census of 1880. The following February the secretary of state issued a proclamation announcing that Webster City, having shown by an enumeration legally taken. that it had a population of 2.342, was entitled to be classed as a city of the second class. Pursuant to this proclamation the council passed an ordinance dividing the territory within the city into four wards and fixing the boundaries of each ward as follows:
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First Ward, to embrace the territory lying east of Willson avenue, and north of Division street.
Second Ward, to embrace the territory lying east of Willson avenue, and south of Division street.
Third Ward, to embrace the territory west of Willson and south of Division street.
Fourth Ward, to embrace the territory west of Willson avenue and north of Division street.
The mayor then issued a proclamation calling for the election of one mayor, one city treasurer, one city assessor, one city solicitor, and two councilmen from each ward.
Within a week after the passing of the ordinance dividing the city into wards, the fourth ward became known as the "Bloody Fourth," which title it has ever hield.
At the city election. Wesley Martin was elected mayor, Samuel Baxter treas- urer, H. N. McClure assessor, and G. B. Pray solicitor. The newly elected councilmen were as follows :
First Ward, Will C. Allen and Will F. Smith.
Second Ward, B. Detlor and Geo. Hathway.
Third Ward, P. C. Babcock and F. Q. Lee.
Fourth Ward, Geo. Wambach and Frank Fenton.
THE WATER WORKS
Early in 1882 the need of a better system of fire protection was emphasized by a fire that destroyed three business buildings on second street. The only protection the city had was the chemical fire extinguisher, called the "Comical," which had to be filled from wells in the neighborhood of the fire. It was urged that the city should have a system of water works and a tract of springy ground just east of the courthouse was named as the location which would furnish not only an abundance of water, but by reason of its elevation, also an abundance of natural force.
Shortly after the fire above mentioned, occurred a disastrous fire in Wil- liams, which wiped out practically the entire town. This awakened the agitation and in August, at a special election, the question of whether the city of Webster City should issue bonds in the sum of $10,000 for the erection of water works was submitted. The bonds for the water works carried by vote of 177 for, to a 109 against.
As will be seen by the vote on the water works bonds, there was opposition to the enterprise. This opposition was directed mainly at the location. The county objected to having a tank and windmill erected just opposite its fine new court- house and some of the residents in that vicinity united their objections with those of the county. An injunction suit was started which stopped for a time the build- ing of the plant. In the meantime, September 18, another fire, the most disastrous that ever visited Webster City occurred on Second street, destroying Young's Lumber Yards and the Potter House barn and damaging a number of business buildings. This intensified the agitation in favor of water works and this was
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followed by a fire December Ist, destroying the Packard and Mattice Elevator, doing damage to the extent of $14,000.
The injunction was finally dissolved by Judge Miracle and in April 1883, the water works bonds were sold and the July following, the water works were com- pleted.
In speaking of the new water works system the Freeman said:
THE WATER WORKS
have been erected and completed at a total cost of about $14,000. The tests of their capacity and efficiency, made on Monday and Tuesday, have demonstrated the ability of the Batavia Water Works Co. to carry out any contracts they may make in the way of supplying water privileges and fire protection. Although the well has not met the general expectation, the machinery and appliances of the com- pany have, under a fair test, come up to the contract. The partial failure of Mon- day's trial was owing to the large amount of gravel and dirt that was introduced into the pipes and mains while the work of putting them in was going on. The second day's test of the mains and hydrants, was more satisfactory and came quite fully up to the terms of the contract. Two streams were thrown simul- taneously to a height of seventy feet and one stream, under a pressure of eighty- five pounds of steam was thrown into the air fully eighty-five feet. The volume of water was heavy enough to have quenched a brisk fire in the tallest buildings on either of the business streets, although the prevalence of a high wind interfered somewhat with a perfect test as to the exact height the streams could be made to go in a perpendicular direction. With all the appliances of the fire department in perfect working order, we feel confident that our new water works will meet the just expectations of the public, and will insure a degree of safety to the property of the city heretofore unknown. With two streams running constantly for about four hours, deluging the streets almost equal to a heavy rain storm, the water in the huge tank was lowered but four feet, demonstrating that it has a capacity of twelve or fifteen hours' of steady draw, enough to afford protection under any but the most unusual and extraordinary circumstances.
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