USA > Iowa > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882 > Part 78
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676
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
SEC. 4. The legislature of this territory reserves the right to alter or amend this act so as to provide for the navigation of said river by lock or otherwise.
Approved December 15, 1840.
Mr. Terrill built a fine mill-dam and erected a fine mill, and had every- thing in running order in 1843, within the time fixed by the above act. It is a fine mill and splendid water privilege. It is equipped with all the modern improvements of mill machinery. It was sold by Mr. T. to one Jacob Sam, and by him to Deitz & Hemmer, and all parties did a good business until July, 1881, the high waters washed a channel around the west end of the dam, and mill operations ceased, and financial failure caused the mill to be sold, and it was bought in by Miss Mary Terrill and her mother. It is a frame building, three stories high. The main build- ing is 22x40; other buildings have been added. It contains three run of four-feet burrs and three run of three-and-one-half-feet burrs. It is won- derful what a change takes place in the value of mill property by slight changes in the water privileges. Before the flood in February, 1881, the mill property and mill privilege were valued at $32,000, and the owners asked that price. After the flood and washout it was bid off under a foreclosure of a mortgage at $4,000. The mill is in good running order. New bolts and a grinding capacity of 300 bushels in twenty-four hours. Owing to some slight misunderstanding among parties interested, the washout has never been repaired.
CHAPTER XI .- PART 3.
THE CITY'S CIVIL ADMINISTRATION, FINANCES, MANUFACTORIES, ETC OFFICERS OF IOWA CITY, FROM ITS ORGANIZATION TO MARCH, 1882:
1853 .- On the 6th day of April, the city government of Iowa City went into operation by the following persons being sworn into the respective offices, by George S. Hampton, clerk of the Supreme Court of Iowa: Jacob P. DeForest, mayor; Anson Hart, recorder; C. H. Buck, treas- urer; R. Hutchinson, marshal; Benj. King, assessor.
Aldermen .- First Ward-Edward Lanning, Wm. H. Hunt, and E. C. Lee. Second Ward-Thomas Snyder, F. P. Brossart, and W. Penn Clark .* Third Ward-Peter Roberts, Peter Stetzer, and J. R. Van Fleet.+
1854 .- On the third day of April, the following persons were elected
* On the 25th day of April, W. Penn Clarke resigned his seat, and H. W. Lathrop was elected to fill the vacancy. On the 11th day of .July, H, W. Lathrop resigned his seat, and Geo. W. MeCleary was elected to fill the vacancy.
+ On the 11th day of July, J. R. Van Fleet resigned, and Morgan Reno was elected to fill the vacancy.
677
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
to the respective offices, and duly sworn in: Joseph E. Fales, mayor; M. J. Talbott, recorder; C. H. Buck, treasurer; J. B. Middleton, marshal.
1855 .- On the 2d day of April, the following persons were elected to the respective offices, and duly sworn in: G. D. Woodin, mayor; J. G. Sperry, recorder; Jacob Ricord, treasurer; J. N. Clark, marshal.
1856 .- On the 7th day of April, the following persons were elected to the respective offices, and were duly sworn in: John M. Carleton, mayor; J. G. Sperry, recorder; J. Ricord, treasurer; Benj. King, marshal; N. H. White, assessor.
1857 .- Officers elected April 6: Morgan Reno, mayor; H. E. Brown, recorder; Silas Foster, treasurer; L. W. Talbott, marshal; D. A. Milling- ton, assessor.
1858 .- Officers elected April 5: Chas. T. Ransom, mayor; H. E. Brown, recorder; Jesse Berry, treasurer; L. W. Talbott, marshal.
1859 .- Officers elected April 1: Moses J. Morsman, mayor; Martin J. Talbott, recorder; Benj. King, treasurer; W. G. Hickman, marshal.
1860 .- Officers elected April 2: Peter A. Dey, mayor; S. P. McCad- don, recorder; Benj. King, treasurer; John Bremer, marshal.
1861 .- Officers elected April 1: G. W. Clark, mayor; S. P. McCad- don, recorder; R. H. Sylvester, treasurer; John Curry, marshal.
1862 .- Officers elected April 7: G. H. Collins, mayor; S. P. McCad- don, recorder; R. H. Sylvester, treasurer; J. W. Mitchell, marshal.
1863 .- Officers elected April 6: J. B. Buttles, mayor; John Martin,* recorder; R. H. Sylvester, treasurer; John W. Mitchell, marshal.
1864 .- Officers elected March 7, in accordance with the provisions of general incorporation act: Geo. W. McCleary,'mayor; L. W. Talbott,t marshal; H. Murray, treasurer.
C. F. Clarke was appointed city clerk March 15, 1864.
1865 .- Officers elected March 6: Geo. W. McCleary, mayor; L. W. Talbott, marshal; S. P. McCaddon, treasurer. March 25, C. F. Clarke was appointed city clerk.
1866 .- Officers elected March 5: G. W. McCleary, mayor; Edgar Harrison, marshal; S. P. McCaddon, treasurer; E. O. Swaine, assessor, J. Y. Blackwell, solicitor. March 14, Benjamin Owen was appointed street commissioner. C. F. Clarke continued in office as city clerk until in December, 1866, when John P. Irish was appointed to succeed him for the balance of the term, and Benjamin Owen was superseded in the office of street commissioner by L. Gallagher.
* A. . I. Cassidy was appointed Recorder by the Council on the 20th day of August, the office having become vacant by the removal of John Martin from the city.
+ On the 28th day of May, 1864, L. W. Talbott resigned the office of marshal, and A. T. McElwaine was appointed to fill the vacancy. On the 11th day of October, 1864, A. T. McElwaine resigned the office of marshal, and L. W. Talbott, was appointed in his stead. 43
678
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
1867 .- Officers elected March 4: Geo. W. McCleary, mayor; Edgar Harrison, marshal; S. P. McCaddon, treasurer. John P. Irish was appointed city clerk, March 15. January 3d, 1868, John P. Irish having resigned the office of city clerk, Henry N. Berry was appointed to fill the vacancy.
1868 .- Officers elected March 2: Geo. W. McCleary, mayor; Edgar Harrison, marshal; William Louis, treasurer. Henry N. Berry was appointed city clerk.
1869 .- Officers elected March 1, and sworn in March 15: F. H. Lee, mayor; J. S. Turnbull, marshal; William Louis, treasurer; Thomas Hughes, city clerk.
1870 .- Officers elected March 7: F. H. Lee, mayor; David H. Reece, marshal; Rush Clark, solicitor; Thos. W. Rogers, treasurer; Thomas Hughes, clerk.
1871 .- Officers elected March 6: S. E. Paine, mayor; David H. Reece, marshal; Thos. W. Rogers, treasurer; Thomas Hughes, clerk.
1872 .- Officers elected March 4: S. E. Paine, mayor; John Remick,* treasurer; Thomas Hughes, clerk.
1873 .-- Officers elected March 3: S. E. Paine, mayor; ). Norwood Clark, treasurer; John H. Griffith, clerk.
1874 .- Officers elected March 2: Moses Bloom, mayor; John N. Col- dren, treasurer; John H. Griffith, clerk.
1875 .- Officers elected March 1: Jacob Ricord, mayor; John Sueppel, treasurer; John H. Griffith, clerk. He resigned, and May 14, 1875, J. D. Sperry was appointed to fill vacancy.
1875 .- Officers elected March 6: Henry Morrow, mayor; L. B. Pat- terson, city solicitor; John Sueppel, treasurer; C. F. Clarke, clerk.
1877 .- Officers elected March 5: Frederick Theobald, mayor; C. M. Renot, treasurer; Joseph Mullin, clerk.
1878 .- Officers elected March 4: Jacob Ricord, mayor; H. H. Seeley, treasurer; Thomas Hughes, clerk.
1879 .- Officers elected March 3: Mathew Cavanagh, mayor; H. H Seeley, treasurer; Thomas Hughes, clerk.
1880 .- Officers elected March 1: Wm. A. Morrison, mayor; H. H. Seeley, treasurer; Thomas Hughes, clerk.
1881 .- Wm. A. Morrison, mayor; Dennis Maher, treasurer; H. D. Rowe, city clerk.
1882 .- Mayor, John J. Holmes; clerk, Max Otto; treasurer, J. J. Lashek; assessor, E. G. Fracker; solicitor, C. S. Ranek; street commis- sioner, Thomas Hannon; chief of police, Henry Shinn.
Councilmen .- First ward, O. D. Goodrich, Benjamin Owen; second
* On the 25th day of March, 1872, J. A. L. Tice was appointed treasurer to fill vacancy caused by the death of John Remick.
+ Resigned November 19, 1877, and C. A. Vogt appointed to fill vacancy.
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
ward, N. H. Brainerd, S. J. Hess; third ward, A. J. Rider, H. F. Bon- orden; fourth ward, Jos. Dehner, J. M. B. Letovsky; fith ward, Frank Tanner, Geo. W. Ball.
THE CITY HALL.
At the present time, (1882,) Iowa City has the largest and finest city hall of any city in the State-not even excepting Des Moines.
The building was erected in 1881, at the corner of Washington and Linn streets, on a lot that the city bought from Peter M. Musser, May 24, 1875, for $2,500, and was completed ready for use January 1, 1882. The lot, building, bell and furniture cost about $19,000.
BURNING OF THE CITY HALL.
In the night of September, 1882, the city hall was burned, the fire prob- ably having originated from a gas jet left burning under the hose rack in the room of "Protection " engine company. The gas had been left burning at its proper height; but when the lights in stores, hotels and other places were shut off, of course the pressure was increased on the few burners still open, and from this cause the flame is supposed to have overreached its bounds, and in some way caught some inflammable mate- rial. The fire was witnessed by the writer hereof, but we clip from the Press report the following points:
Shortly after one o'clock on Friday morning last, officer Scott Wilson saw from Ham's hall a slight blaze in the committee room in the north- west corner of the building. The alarm was speedily given, and the two halls where dances were in progress poured out their throngs. The fire, when discovered, was largely in the upper part of the building. In ten minutes after the alarm was given the whole garrett was on fire and the flames bursting from windows and eaves. The firemen worked with a nervous energy, but fate was against them. Unfortunately three hundred feet of hose was burned in the beginning of the fire so as to be rendered useless, and efforts of the brave men were sadly clogged. The first floor of the west half of the building comprising the mayor's and marshal's office and the lock-up suffered little damage by fire. The walls all stand, and the fire burning from the top down are not irreparably damaged. All the furniture on the upper floor was destroyed. The stout timbers held the heavy bell until it was well nigh white hot; when it fell it crashed through the smoking floors and lies in the cellar. Its loss is little regret- ted; it was a failure from the first, and the one good thing that may come out of the fire will be a good bell.
The total loss will reach about $17,000. The insurance is:
National Hartford (Dodder). $ 2,000
Franklin, Philadelphia (Bacon) 2,000
Alliance, New York (Shipman) 2,000
Niagara, New York, (Swisher).
2,000
Underwriters, Boston (Hutchinson)
1,500
Hawkeye, Des Moines (Towns) 500
Total
$10,000
The insurances were promptly adjusted, and on September 20th the
680
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
contract for rebuilding the hall was let to Messrs. Sheets & Gesberg for $9,925.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The " Rescue" Hook and Ladder Company was organized May 21, 1872, with H. Morrow, foreman; H. Murray, first assistant; H. Gearkee, second assistant; A. J. Ruter, treasurer; A. J. Tucker, secretary. The membership then was forty men. This company has attended all fires since its organization; has had two members killed and several injured while in the performance of duty. In 1882 there are fifty members, it being the largest company in the department. The officers are E. E. Brainerd, foreman; W. E. C. Foster, first assistant; A. G. Tucker, second assistant; M. W. Davis, treasurer; Charles Shrader, secretary.
OFFICERS OF FIRE DEPARTMENT, 1882.
Chief, James Brannan.
First Assistant, J. K. Baranek.
Second Assistant, Joseph Myers.
Foreman " Rescue " hook and ladder, E. E. Brainerd.
Foreman "Protection " engine, L. D. Porch.
Foreman "Protection " hose, Henry Langenberg.
Foreman "Clark " engine, F. R. Stebbins.
Foreman " Clark " hose, E. A. Comstock.
Foreman "Ever Ready" hook and ladder, Milton Hess. This is the boys' company.
[Ed. Brainerd furnished the items of history of " Rescue" Hook and Ladder Company, but no other company furnished any, hence it is no fault of the historian that they do not appear.]
FINANCES-RAILROAD BONDS, ETC.
March 12, 1855, Iowa City voted to take $50,000 stock in the Missis- sippi & Missouri Railroad Company. 339 ballots were cast; 308 were for taking stock, 30 against, and 1 defective ballot.
March 23, 1857, the city clerk copied the following receipt upon the city records:
NEW YORK, March 13, 1857.
It is hereby certified, that Iowa City, in the State of Iowa, has paid the sum of fifty thousand dollars in bonds, and is the owner of that amount of the capital stock in the first division of the Mississippi & Missouri railroad, from the city of Davenport to Iowa City, and that the same shall not be diverted therefrom without the consent of said Iowa City.
Given under our hands and seal of the company.
SEAL. A. C. FLAGG, Treas. President M. & M. R. R. Co.
JOHN A. DIX,
Iowa City has over $50,000 of this debt to pay yet, being balance on a compromise.
July 5, 1853, the assessment of real property in Iowa City was $155,670,
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
with the improvements exempt; personal property was $148,918; polls, 333; dogs, 108.
CITY FINANCES, NOV. 1, 1882.
8 per cent city bonds, due in 1891. $ 27,500 00
7 per cent city bonds, due in 1885 9,300 00
6 per cent city bonds, due in 1896-97 27,500 00
5 per cent city bonds, due in 1891. 13,000 00
6 per cent city bonds, due in 1897 5,000 00
7 per cent city bonds, for pest house, due Dec., 1882 550 00
Total $ 82,850 00
March 16, 1874, total indebtedness was $115,358 70.
The city indebtedness has been lessened in eight years, $32,508 70. Total estimated value of all the resources of the city, 1882, $46,162 55. Total estimated expenditures of the city for the year 1882, $35,772 08.
The city commenced mecadamizing its streets in 1872, and has com- pleted a block and more each year since. The first work was on South Capital street; the next year Clinton and Washington streets, and this year [1882] finds Dubuque, Iowa avenue and College streets, and in fact all the streets in the business portion of the city are in splendid condition; and Iowa City has the finest mecadamized streets of any city in Iowa.
WARD BOUNDARIES.
An Ordinance defining the boundaries of the several wards of Iowa City, Iowa.
SECTION 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of Iowa City, That all that part of said Iowa City, lying south of the center of College street and west of the center of Linn street, shall constitute the first ward of said Iowa City.
SEC. 2. That all that part of said Iowa City, lying north of the center of College street, and west of the center of Linn street, shall constitute the second ward of said Iowa City.
SEC. 3. That all that part of said Iowa City, lying north of the center of Bloomington street, and east of the center of Linn street, shall consti- tute the third ward of said Iowa City.
SEC, 4. That all that part of said Iowa City, lying south of the center of Bloomington street, and east of the center of Linn street, and north of the center of College street, shall constitute the fourth ward of said Iowa City.
SEC. 5. That all that part of said Iowa City, lying south of the center of College street, and east of the center of Linn street, shall constitute the fifth ward of said Iowa City.
SEC. 6. For the purposes of this ordinance and so far as it is applica- ble, the center lines of all streets named in this ordinance as division lines, or boundary lines of the several wards of Iowa City, are hereby extended to the present corporate limits of said Iowa City as defined and established by resolution of the City Council of said city, passed May 5th, 1876.
* *
* * *
* %
SEC. 8. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordi- nance, are hereby repealed.
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
SEC. 9. This ordinance to take effect and be in force from and after March 1st, 1879.
Passed December 6th, 1878.
MEETINGS.
An Ordinance establishing the time for the regular meetings of the City Council.
SECTION 1. Be it ordained by City Council of Iowa City, That from and after the passage and legal publication of this ordinance the regular meetings of the City Council for each year shall commence on the evening of the third Monday in March, and thereafter shall be held on the first Friday evening of each month. The hour of meeting from the first day of April until the first day of October shall be at eight o'clock P. M., and during the remainder of the year at seven and a half o'clock P. M.
SEC. 2. All ordinances in conflict with this ordinance, be and the same are hereby repealed.
Passed January 2d, 1880. Published January 7th, 1880.
CITY HOSPITAL .- PEST HOUSE .--- CEMETERY.
March 5, 1855, a board of health was created-but what they did, and who they were the record does not say. It is reported that Iowa City had a few cases of cholera in 1854, '55 and '56. The Oakland Cemetery has a great many head stones, showing that a number of people died in those years ; but we find no mention made of it in the papers published here in those years, and nothing on the city records, only that a motion was under con- sideration in 1855 in the city council to build a hospital; but they decided in October not to build because the time had passed that year for needing one.
December 23, 1881, the city bought lot No. 3, block 10, Wood's Addi- tion to Iowa City, from John W. Porter, with a two story frame building thereon, for $550, to be used as a pest house, the city being afflicted to a slight extent with small-pox.
February 13, 1843, the legislature of the territory of Iowa donated out- lot No. 10, to Iowa City, and on the 6th day of February, 1854, Judge George W. McCleary and S. Hemstead, Secretary of State, made a deed for the same to Iowa City-expressing therein that it should be used for a public burying ground. It contains about one acre. It is called Oakland Cemetery. The city has bought additional ground until they now have about six acres. The Catholic Cemetery, adjoining Oakland Cemetery, contains about three acres. These grounds are in the north-east portion of the city.
POST OFFICE BUSINESS.
The following statements are based on the monthly and quarterly reports of 1881-82: 3,200 letters are put in the boxes every day, and sometimes the number far exceeds that. Besides that large number of letters, at least 5,000 packages of papers are received every day, the aggregate weight of which is about 800 pounds. About 20 post office orders are presented daily, the amount of money thus paid out averaging
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
$300, and the fees on these orders netting Uncle Sam a revenue of about three dollars. The money orders issued from the office average about 18 per day. 142 lock boxes have been added during the past year, making in all 461 lock and 1000 call boxes. That these are all taken is a sufficient showing of the demands on the office. Twenty-four mails are daily sent out from the office and as many reach it. Twelve go into, and the same number come from the country, while the railroads bring and carry away the rest.
Mail matter dispatched in 1881:
Number of pieces first class. . 567,684
second class . .560,800
merchandise 840
Mail received:
Letters and postal cards 939,900
Papers and second class 804,524
Merchandise . 3,328
Money orders issued. . 5,148 $51,324.08
Money orders paid . 5,824 74,022.04
THE OPERA HOUSE.
This building was erected on the site of the old Clinton House, which was burned down in 1872. The foundations are of limestone from the quarries in Johnson county, and Mr. J. O'Hanlon saw that the work was done right. The opera house proper has a frontage on Clinton street of 71 feet and 80 on College. The main entrance is on College street through two double doors. The ticket office is on the first floor between the landings of the broad stairways that lead, by the ample vestibule, to the auditorium which is entered through two double doors. From the vestibule to the main floor two broad stairways lead to another large vestibule from which entrance is made to the gallery through two large doors. The stage, located on the south side of the room, is 60x30 feet. The fire proof scenery, consisting of eight complete sets, composed of chambers of the Louis XV style, modern chambers, Bastillian prison, rustic kitchen, perspective street, a street house, water landscapes, garden and rustic cottages, with wings to match all of the above scenes, and the proscenium drapery, border top and sky borders, and the imposing drop curtain. The stage is lighted with 21 burners in the foot lights and 54 burners in border lights above the stage, with strong reflectors all arranged so there is no danger by fire. The auditorium is 50x60 feet, the parquet will seat 234, the dress circle 266 and the gallery about 550 persons very comfortably, and by putting chairs in the aisles about 1,400 people can be accommodated. It is lighted by a large reflector with 64 burners, and seven two burner brackets under the gallery. The ceiling is elaborately ornamented, relieved in the four corners by the finely painted portraits of Myerbeer in the S. E .; Beethoven, in the S. W .; Mozart, in the N. W .; and Wagner, in the N. E. corner, and in the center of the proscenium an
684
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
elegant picture of Shakespeare. The whole building is heated by steam. The chairs in the auditorium are of the improved style of perforated wood tilting opera chairs. The plans of the building were drawn by R. S. Finkbine, who supervised its construction as architect. The brick were burned by N. Oaks and laid by the day under the supervision of Thomas Hill and Hon. E. Clark. The iron work was furnished by Tulloss & Co .; the stone work by J. W. Sterling & Co. and the painting of the wood work was done by Mahana Bros. The wood work was done by Sheets, Ges- burg & Co. The galvanized irom cornice and balustrade were manu- factured and put up by Maresh & Holubar. The painting and sanding of these galvanized iron work was done by David Coover. The iron roof was laid by J. N. Seydel. The steam heating apparatus and water pipes were put in by the Haxton Steam Heating Co. The gas pipes and fixtures were all put in by Mr. Mathew Maher. The Opera House is owned by Messrs. Clark and Hill, and is one of the creditable business enterprises of the city.
THE ST. JAMES HOTEL.
It is a large three-story brick building, situated on the corner of Clinton street and Iowa Avenue. The post-office occupies the corner room on the first floor. It is the largest hotel in the city. The second floor is used for an office, sample-room, parlor, dining-room, and kitchen, and the balance of the building contains 40 rooms for the accommodation of guests. The building is owned by the Hon. Peter A. Dey (the Thompson estate) of Iowa City. This hotel was inaugurated in 1872, by Col. M. D. Wood, who has been its proprietor ever since.
MANUFACTORIES.
Iowa City contains a goodly number of important and creditable man- ufacturing enterprises, such as require steam power, and a considerable investment of business talent and cash capital to carry them on. The writer of this history prepared blanks and sent out to seventeen such establishments, requesting a return of such facts as would enable us to give a sketch of their business in the history of Johnson county. Some complained that former sketches published had been incorrect; some declined to make any statement, and some sent us a verbal reference to a sketch printed somewhere, some time, without giving date or furnishing a copy. Blanks were sent to flouring-mills, paper-mill, pearl-mill, oil-mill, elevator, breweries, planing-mill, iron-works, glucose-works, alcohol- works, glass-works, gas-works, banks, etc., with a view of showing the manufacturing and commercial status of Iowa City in 1882. Such fre- quent complaint was made of errors in former publications that we aimed to obtain data from first hands, and on their own authority. But the fol- lowing are all the manufactories that furnished their statistics, and much
685
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
as he regrets the meager showing here made for Iowa City's great indus- tries, the writer wishes it distinctly understood that the deficiency in this respect is from no fault or neglect on his part.
CITY GAS WORKS.
The Gas Company was first organized Nov. 9, 1857.
SECTION 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of Iowa City, That John N. Coldren & Co., their associates, successors and assigns, as indi- viduals or as a body corporate, under such name as they may hereafter adopt, be and they are hereby authorized, and the exclusive privilege is hereby granted to the said John N. Coldren & Co., their associates, suc- cessors and assigns, for the term of twenty years from the passage of this ordinance, to use the streets, alleys and public grounds of said Iowa City, including any territory that may hereafter be annexed to said city, for the purpose of laying down pipes for conveying gas for supplying said city, and the inhabitants thereof with gaslight: Provided, That said said John N. Coldren & Co., their associates, successors and assigns, shall give the street commissioner of said city three days' notice in writing previous to the opening of any street, alley or public grounds, for the purpose afore- said, and shall not unnecessarily obstruct the passage of the said streets, alleys or public grounds: Provided also, That no street shall be so obstructed as to entirely prevent the passage of teanis at any time.
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