USA > Iowa > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 29
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At the same election at which the question of issuing water works bonds was voted upon, the question of extending the city limits was also submitted and car- ried by a vote of 194 for, to 85 against.
The new limits gave the city an area of about fourteen square miles. What a city of 2,500 needed with so much territory is even yet a mystery. Years after- wards, efforts were made to have the limits reduced again but they were unsuc- cessful.
In the spring of 1883, Capt. Lewis Crary was elected mayor.
The councilmen selected were G. H. Shaw from the Ist ward, Charles Wick- ware from the 2d ward, F. D. Young from the 3d ward and G. S. Hall from the 4th ward.
The following spring, Lewis Crary was reelected mayor. John Crest was elected assessor, J. H. Shipp, treasurer, and N. B. Hyatt, solicitor. The councilmen elected were, in the Ist ward. M. W. Rice; in the ad ward, F. S. Currie ; in the 3d ward. J. V. Kearns and in the 4th ward, F. I. Cash.
LTY WORKS
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THE "PIVOTAL CORNER," WEBSTER CITY For many years the compromise location of the Post Office
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In 1885, C. T. Fenton was elected mayor, B. C. Mason, treasurer, and A. H. Austin, assessor. The councilmen elected this year were A. H. Putnum in the Ist. George Hathway in the 2d, G. C. Cole in the 3d and L. Clark in the 4th.
Shortly after the election, John Kearns resigned as one of the councilmen from the 3rd ward and M. R. Dalbey was elected to fill the vacancy.
In the spring of 1886, Charles Wickware was elected mayor, B. C. Mason was re-elected treasurer, A. H. Austin was re-elected assessor and O. O. Hall was chosen as city solicitor. The councilmen selected this year were: for first ward, C. L. Zublin ; second ward, F. R. Mason ; third ward, C. L. Williams and A. F. Hoffman; fourth ward, B. Fenton.
The legislature in the spring of 1886 decided to erect a soldiers home in Iowa and Webster City at once threw her hat in the ring as a candidate for the location. Public meetings were held. the town fight was forgotten and all factions boosted for the cause. The Freeman of March 3d gives the following account.
The Soldiers' Home .- At the convening of the present legislature The Free- man, in discussing the various subjects that would likely claim the attention of our law makers, spoke of the establishment of a Soldiers' Home as one of the things to which the republican party of Jowa was committed, and put a claim for Webster City as an eligible and central location for an institution of this kind. Later on The Freeman took occasion to renew its claim in behalf of Webster City, and to set forth the fact that no town in all Iowa could present a more just or reasonable claim for the Home than our own little "Queen City of the Boone."
The people of Webster City are thoroughly alive to the importance of this project, and in a public meeting held at the city council room Saturday night, or- ganized for united and effective work in securing the object desired, Charles Wick- ware was made chairman of the meeting and Wesley Martin secretary.
The meeting was large and enthusiastic-every man present being heartily in favor of the movement, ready and willing to contribute time and money to insure its success. Short speeches were made setting forth the claims and advantages of Webster City, the healthfulness and beauty of the site offered for the location of the Home, and the "ways and means" necessary to place our town in the list of those competing for the prize-by L. A. McMurray, W. C. Willson, D. D. Chase, G. W. Bell, Judge Miracle. B. F. Barge, J. M. Jones, J. L. Kamrar, J. M. Funk, S. B. Rosenkrans, Wesley Martin, F. D. Young and others. On motion, the fol- lowing committee of six were appointed to go to Des Moines to present the claims of Webster City to the general assembly, and to make every effort possible to secure the location of the Home : W. C. Willson, D. D. Chase, S. B. Rosenkrans, J. L. Kamrar, J. M. Jones and J. D. Hunter. On motion, Charles Wickware and G. W. Bell were added to the committee. On motion, the following gentlemen were constituted a finance committee, to raise funds to purchase the grounds needed and to defray necessary expenses in "working up" the project : L. A. Mc- Murray. J. M. Funk, W. S. Worthington, Lewis Crary and F. D. Young. J. M. Funk brought down the house by offering to pay one thousand dollars towards rais- ing the necessary funds to buy the grounds to be offered the state on which to locate the Home. W. C. Willson was also heartily applauded when he declared his purpose to give a similar amount. Judge Chase pledged himself to a liberal dona- tion, and spoke earnestly as to the importance to Webster City and Hamilton
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county of securing the location of this institution in our midst. The meeting ad- journed to meet at the courthouse Saturday evening of this week, to hear what progress had been made by the legislative and finance committees, and to take such further steps as may then seem best for the success of the enterprise. As was so well said by some of the speakers at Saturday night's meeting, our people have good reason to believe that no point in the state can offer a better location-all things considered-than Webster City, and if the location be selected with due re- gard to healthfulness, beauty of natural scenery, eligible site, and most picturesque surroundings, our chances are certainly worthy of the most careful considera- tion at the hands of the legislature or the commission that may be appointed to locate the Soldiers' Home. The many and manifest advantages to the town and county that shall secure this prize are duly appreciated by our people, and we do not recall, in the history of the town for the past eighteen years, a matter that has awakened so general, united and hearty support among all classes as this effort to secure the location of the lowa Soldiers' Home in Webster City, and we sincerely hope the efforts being put forth may in the end, result favorably.
The competitors for the Soldiers' Home were Marshalltown, Colfax, Burling- ton, Mason City and Webster City. The efforts of Webster City were unavailing for Marshalltown landed the prize.
In 1887, L. A. McMurray was elected mayor, and the councilmen selected were as follows: First ward, Samuel Baxter; second ward. George Hathway ; third ward, M. R. Dalbey; fourth ward, James Henneberry. Del Lake was appointed marshal by the mayor.
J. D. RISTE ELECTED COUNCILMAN
In the spring of 1888, J. D. Riste was elected councilman from the first ward. He held the office continually until the time of his death twenty-four years later and with time became the best informed man in city affairs that ever held the office of councilman. In after years he became known as the "Father of the Council." This year the second ward elected W. B. Howard, the third ward, J. B. Trumbauer, and the fourth ward, M. L. McCollough.
MOVING THE POSTOFFICE
In February, 1889, the old town fight that had been smouldering for several years broke out with renewed ferocity. It became known that a movement had been quietly started to move the postoffice to an "up-town" location. So quietly in fact had the matter been worked, that an inspector arrived from Washington to investigate before it was generally known that any attempt of the kind was being made.
The postoffice then stood on the corner of Second and Seneca streets and the proposed new location was the J. R. Kamrar building near the corner of Second street and Willson avenue, then owned by L. Clark.
In discussing the proposed removal, the Freeman gives the following bit of his- tory concerning previous contests over the postoffice :
Fourteen years ago a compact was entered into between the representative men of "up town." "down town" and those who interested themselves at the
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"pivotal corner," to permanently locate the postoffice where it now stands and the court house on its present site. In pursuance of this compromise the two build- ings were located and erected-since which time the business of Second and Seneca streets had been gradually growing towards the postoffice corner. The incorporators of the Central or Postoffice block, were Jacob M. Funk, Kendall Young, J. D. Hunter, L. L. Estes, S. B. Rosenkrans, W. J. Covil, David Eyer, R. E. Fairchild. The original stockholders were Jacob M. Funk, W. C. Willson, K. Young, S. Willson, L. L. Estes, S. B. Rosenkrans, B. F. Miller, W. J. Covil, D. Eyer, J. D. Hunter, W. S. Worthington. R. E. Fairchild, A. A. Wells, representing "up town," "down town" and the pivotal corner. Some of the original stock- holders have sold out and new men have become members of the association- representing the identical interests of the originators of the enterprise, and almost doubling the original amount of the stock subscribed. The articles of incorpora- tion declare that "for the purpose of organizing a company under the general in- corporation laws of Iowa, for the purpose of building a brick block on the south- west corner of Seneca and Second streets, in Webster City, Iowa, to be occupied * as a postoffice, * we, the undersigned subscribers * do hereby adopt and certify the following articles of incorporation," etc. The express object of building this block as set forth in the articles of incorporation was, that under the terms of an agreement entered into by the men represented in the association, it should be used and occupied as a postoffice. Had not the compact entered into for the location of both the courthouse and postoffice been ratified at the polls by the people of the county, the courthouse (if built at all) would never have occu- pied its present location. And it is doubtful whether the appropriation would have been carried, for without this compromise the vote of Webster City would have been divided, in which case the courthouse appropriation would have been defeated. Not only this, but the men who had put their money in the postoffice block under the mutual plan agreed upon in good faith carried out their part of the contract.
While protests from down-town were being made with great vigor, the up- town men were straining every nerve to bring about the removal and while the controversy was at its height, Postmaster Edwards received authority from Washington to make the change. Then a flood of telegrams to Washington re- sulted in another order directing him not to move. W. C. Willson was accused of being the instigator of the attempt to have the postoffice moved. He stood well with the democratic administration and had influential friends to help him, and the down-town men were consequently very bitter in their accusations of selfishness and bad faith on his part. Willson was not a man to be intimidated by opposition. It only made him work harder, and on March Ist, the order came to move the office, and the location was accordingly changed to the Clark build- ing. The down-town people declared the move was only temporary. They sent a delegation to Washington and secured promises of an investigation. After the democratic administration stepped out and the republicans were again in control of the postoffice department, the order came to move the office back to the "pivotal corner." In conjunction with the attempt to move the postoffice was an attempt to change the name of "Willson avenue" to "Central avenue." The proposition was inspired by over-zealous down-town partisans to vent their spite
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on W. C. Willson. The wiser heads. however, did not approve of the change and it was not made.
THE MARKET SQUARE
The attempt to move the postoffice convinced the "down-town" people that their only safety lay in aggressive action. So in June the council purchased a block of ground just cast of the "pivotal corner" and established the Market square and city scales. The up town men opposed the movement most bitterly and they were aided by B. F. Miller, who owned a fine residence property just north of the square and was very much opposed to having a "hog yard" in front of his fine home. Opposition had little effect, however, for the program was carried out to the letter. The ordinance establishing the city scales provided that all farm produce, such as grain, hay, and live stock, sold by weight, whether within the city limits, should be weighed over the city scales.
At first a fee of ten cents was charged for cach load weighed. In a short time the fee was reduced to five cents, and provision adopted to require coal dealers also to weigh over the city scales. The Crooked Creek Railroad & Coal Company, and J. W. Allington, each procured temporary injunctions against the enforcement of the ordinance. John Falham, of Fremont township, was the first city weighmaster.
In the spring of 1889, Samuel Baxter was elected mayor; D. C. Chase, city solicitor ; B. B. Fenton, assessor; B. C. Mason, treasurer ; and the new council- men were: First ward, William Biernatzki; second ward, William McDonald; third ward, August Witte; fourth ward, R. G. Clark.
ELECTRIC LIGHTS
In January, 1890, the question of establishing an electric lighting system was much discussed. Councilman Clark was delegated to investigate the question. At the March city election, the question of whether or not the city should estab- lish a municipal lighting plant, was submitted to a vote and the proposition carried by 318 majority.
CITY POLITICS
While the people were practically united on the municipal lighting question, they were very much divided over the city scales question. The down-town politicians had no trouble in selecting men of their own choice in the first and second wards and they were suspected of bringing out candidates in the other wards favorable to their plans. This year H. R. Dodge was the regular nominee of the caucus for councilman from the fourth ward, and the "up-town" men suspecting that he was favorable to "down-town" interests put Dr. J. N. Med- bury in the field as an independent candidate. The fight was close, and on the day before the election there was circulated on the streets, a handbill, which read as follows :
"A BIG SCHEME UNEARTHED !
"By voting for Henry Dodge our water works plant will be moved, and located as near as can be learned, at the old water-mill owned by D. D. Chase.
BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF WEBSTER CITY
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This means a sale of the mill property to Webster City for at least $12,000 to $15,000. Stand by your colors or our water works will go the way our up-town scales have gone."
The bill stirred up enough excitement and prejudice to defeat Mr. Dodge by 3 votes. It is but justice to that gentleman to say that he had never heard of the "scheme" until he read the handbill. Some zealous up-town partisan, no doubt, dreamed it out. He only needed to suggest it to Walt Willson, who was willing to believe anything of his political enemies, to ensure vigorous action.
A BLOW AT THE CITY SCALES
The down-town faction still held control of the council and as there was no chance of having the scales ordinance repealed, the attempt was made to rob it of its vitality of legislative enactment. A bill was introduced by Senator Smith, which provided that the statute authorizing the establishment of city scales be amended by adding the following section: "Nothing herein shall be construed so as to authorize the punishment of anyone not weighing on any city scales provided by any city or town, nor to forbid the use by parties who so desire, of any private scales nor the selling of grain, stock or coal by parties where the seller and purchaser do not elect to use city scales."
Prompt action on the part of the pro-scales men prevented the passage of the amendment.
ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT COMPLETED
In November, 1890, the electric light plant was completed and the lights turned on. The Freeman, of November 26, gives a description of the plant. As it will be interesting in future days to know what our first electric light plant was like, we give below, the Freeman's description :
ELECTRIC LIGIIT
One of the most attractive and substantial edifices in the city is the new build- ing generally known as "electric light headquarters." It is a frame structure, brick veneered. On the east side stands the massive chimney, 60 feet in height and containing about 40,000 brick. It is estimated that the cost of the build- ing alone will approximate $2,500. The writer was assured by one of the com- mittee that on their tour of inspection through the state they found no electric light building so convenient in all appointments as the one erected in our city. The interior of the building is a most interesting place. Two mammoth engines- 60 horsepower each-with cylinders 101/2 by 12 inches are used to operate the plant. These engines are provided with Hughes' duplex steam feed pumps, automatic cut-offs, patent side-feed oil-cups, and all the modern appliances which are of pronounced utility. In the boiler room are two gigantic boilers, each 16 feet long and 5 feet in diameter. Their capacity is 80 horsepower each. Both are equipped with full rocker grates and can be used separately or in unison. 100 pounds of steam can do the work. About two tons of coal will be consumed per night and a gallon and a half of oil will be used. By the use of a patent oil- filter the same oil may be applied for the fifth time-an apparatus, the value of which will be seen at once. The engines and boilers are all made by the Phoenix Iron Works, of Mcadville, Pa., and are pronounced by experienced engineers Vol. I-16
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equal to any now made. The next thing we noticed were the two dynamos. These marvels of mechanical genius are manufactured by the Mathre Electric Company. of Manchester, Conn. They are capable of running 550 lights each, and their average rate of speed is 296 revolutions per minute. Electricity is produced by what is known as Fahriday's method of induction. It is impossible for us to give a technical explanation of this system at this time, but the foregoing statement is made for the information of those who suppose that the electric current is pro- duced by friction. The switch board, by which the currents upon the different circuits are regulated, is another interesting piece of mechanism, which must be seen to be appreciated.
The construction of the outside lines required the setting of over 300 poles, upon which has been strung over 50,000 feet or about 14 tons of wire. There are three circuits which will be used as soon as the work is perfected : The com- mercial, the street and the domestic. As soon as our bright, moonlight evenings are over. the street circuit will be turned on, when the lights will be much more appreciated than now. In regard to some imperfect lamps which have been placed in various business houses, we have been informed that owing to an error in the shipment. a number of poor lamps were received, and are assured by Mr. Baker that this mistake will be rectified as soon as possible and to everybody's satisfaction.
The electric light plant was accepted by the council, January 19, 1891. It was claimed by the company installing the plant that its actual cost was $18,950. The price paid by the city was $14.400. Thus the company lost on its contract over $4,000.
At the March eity election, R. G. Clark, whose services as councilman had been so satisfactory was elected mayor.
George Wambach was elected city solicitor; A. C. Swain, assessor : and B. C. Mason, treasurer. The new councilmen elected were: First ward, A. J. Wright ; second ward, George Hathway ; third ward, Will F. Smith; fourth ward. C. W. Soule.
A spirited contest took place between A. J. Wright and Dr. N. W. Green for couneilman from the first ward. Wright won by only four majority.
THE FIRST NATIONAL MOVES
In the spring of 1891, the First National Bank moved from its old location on South Seneca street to the corner of Second and Seneca and the bank, together with J. D. Hunter, erected a fine double brick building, one side to be used for the bank, and the other for the Freeman office. This was another fortification built to protect the "pivotal corner." To offset this stroke of down town enter- prise, J. W. Allington and J. M. Funk each erected brick store buildings on the "up town" end of Second street. At the city election, 1892, J. D. Riste was re- elected councilman from the first ward; J. E. Quackenbush from the second ; J. L. Lenhart from the third and J. N. Medbury from the fourth. E. P. Hyde was elected assessor.
The city scales fight was renewed by an attempt to pass through the legislature an act to make it unlawful for "any city or town to prohibit by ordinance the sell- ing, buying or weighing over private seales." Prompt action on the part of the pro- scales men defeated the bill.
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In 1893, city politics were enlivened by a contest in the third ward. I. M. Greenwood was the regular caucus nominee for councilman. Some of the young men of the ward anxious to have something to say about ward politics induced Dr. O. A. Hall to stand as an independent candidate. A systematic canvas of the ward was made for him, and he was elected by five majority.
In the fourth ward, A. J. Wright, the caucus nominee was opposed by R. A. Kelly, an independent candidate and Kelly was elected by thirteen majority. George W. Crosley was elected in the second ward and L. S. Bunker and L. F. Houck were elected in the fourth.
James McMurchy was elected mayor; George Wambach, solicitor; C. P. Hyde, assessor; and B. C. Mason, treasurer.
In 1894, J. D. Riste, J. E. Quackenbush and J. L. Lenhart were each renom- inated and elected by the voters of the first, second and third wards respectively. In the "bloody fourth" there was a contest. The caucus was called to meet at 7:30. It is claimed that it met promptly, nominated J. W. Allington for council- man and adjourned at 7:33. Those dissatisfied with this exceedingly prompt quick work, placed John M. Cooper in the field as an independent candidate, but Allington won by a hundred majority.
THE POSTOFFICE MOVED AT LAST
Early in August, 1894, it was announced that Charles E. Howard had been appointed postmaster at Webster City. The contest over the appointment had been long and bitter. Charles F. Miller was his opponent and was supported by the Graphic Herald. Howard had the support of F. A. Edwards, the former democratic postmaster, and his connections with the inner circle of power and authority proved effective. The postoffice was moved from the pivotal corner, about one and one-half blocks west on Second street. The order for the removal of the postoffice was distinctly an up town victory and was secured principally through the efforts of W. C. Willson.
THE CLARK-YOUNG CONTEST
A few days after the city election in 1894 Mayor McMurchy resigned and the council elected R. G. Clark to fill the vacancy pending the call for a special election which was to be held April 9th. On March 28th, a caucus was held to nominate a candidate for mayor. Both R. G. Clark and J. W. Young were men- tioned as candidates and both refused to allow their names to be used. About an hour before the convening of the caucus, both changed their minds sud- denly, and both were candidates, and on the first ballot the vote stood 124 for Clark and 124 for Young. The contest was continued and both were candidates at the election, at which Young won, the vote being 402 for Clark, and 515 for Young.
In 1895 J. W. Young was re-elected mayor without opposition. C. A. Weaver was chosen as city solicitor, C. P. Ilyde, assessor and B. C. Mason, treasurer. Councilmen elected were : Peter Mathre of the first ward, Col. George W. Crosley of the second, John N. Garth of the third and W. N. Merrill of the fourth.
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R. A. Kelly was the regular caucus nominee of the first ward and Mathre was an independent candidate. The vote stood eighty-six for Mathre and fifty- three for Kelly.
CONTRACTION NOT ALLOWED
In August, 1895, certain owners of farm lands within the city limits filed their petition in the district court asking that the city limits be reduced in size so as to exclude their lands. The petition averred.
"Your petitioners respectfully aver that the severance of such territory will be for the best interests of your petitioners and without detriment to the rights or interest of any person or persons whomsoever.
"That each and every part of the territory or land sought to be severed from said city is agricultural farming land; is so used and occupied and the same has never been used for any municipal purpose whatever and has received no benefits or advantages by being within the corporate limits, and is not likely to be used for municipal purposes ; that said lands have been by said city burdened with a higher rate of taxation for road purposes and have been assessed at a much greater valuation than other agricultural lands adjacent thereto of equal value, without even the corresponding benefits, and their retention within the city limits has been and will continue to be a burden upon the owners thereof, by reason of the inequality of the assessments and the higher rate of taxation within the city.
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