History of Kossuth County, Iowa, Part 67

Author: Reed, Benjamin F
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 879

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other directors besides these three are C. C. Chubb, Geo. L. Galbraith, Myron Schenck and Max Herbst. The officers are active business men and are popular with their many patrons, and as a result are making a success of banking. The origin of the bank dates from the time the charter was granted, October 1, 1891.

The first officers chosen from the twenty-two stockholders were: A. D. Clarke, president ; Chas. C. Chubb, vice president ; and Chas. C. St. Clair, cashier. Upon the resignation of the latter, March 10, 1894, T. H. Lantry was elected cashier to succeed him, a position he held until ill health caused his retirement March 3, 1908. C. T. Chubb who had been connected with the bank since its organization, was then elected cashier and F. W. Dingley his assistant. An important change occurred July 15, 1911 on account of the death of Vice President C. C. Chubb, and the selling of stock of President A. D. Clarke, and the acceptance of his resignation. It was then that the present officers, above named, were elected. The bank having been in existence twenty years, on the first day of October, 1911, the charter was renewed and extended for another like period.

The bank began business in the building now occupied by Madson & Hanson, and remained there until the new banking house was completed. In order to have it erected, two one story brick store buildings had to be demolished on the corner. The home of The Algona State Bank is a magnificent one and cost, including the lot, $19,400.00. The building was begun in the early summer of 1892 and was completed by the first of the following February. The front is made of Superior red sandstone, trimmed with St. Cloud granite and the sides are of pressed brick. The structure is not only a monument to the directors who had the courage to erect as costly a building at that period in the history of the town, but to J. M. Cowan, the supervising workman as well. Extensive improvements in the interior will be made in the spring of 1913 so that the rooms will conform to the plans of the most modern banking houses. The entrance will be changed to the end and the counters so placed that the working force. can have the advantage of the light from the windows on the east.

Of the original stockholders, F. W. Dingley, G. L. Galbraith, John Goeders, Guy Grove, J. W. Hinchon, E. J. Murtagh, M. Schenck and F. M. Taylor, remain. Chas. C. Chubb, Richard Gray and R. J. Hunt are dead; A. D. Clarke lives at Minneapolis ; W. F. Carter, at St. Paul; A. W. Sterzbach, at Laramie, Wyoming ; Henry Merrifield, in Colorado; Father Nichols at Nevada, Iowa; T. F. Cooke, at Los Angeles, California, where he is cashier of the Traders Bank; Frederick Miller, at Mount Angel, Oregon; Capt. Tyrrell, near Belmond where he retired after growing wealthy from his operations in the Texas oil fields, and C. C. St. Clair at Marshalltown where he is president of the First National Bank.

The County Savings Bank during the twelve years of its existence has made a phenomenal growth, and become the favorite banking institution for a large number of depositors. The officers and assistants are E. J. Murtagh, president ; C. B. Hutchins, vice president ; C. B. Murtagh, cashier ; W. H. Bailey, assistant cashier ; and Walter K. Schoby and E. D. Clark, bookkeepers. The directors besides the first three above named officers are E. J. Gilmore, Andrew Peterson, S. E. McMahon, Wm. Dodds, J. W. Sullivan and S. C. Spear. The remaining stockholders are Mrs. C. B. Hutchins, Clara A. Morse, F. H. Slagle, J. Ernest Blackford, D. C. Crowel and Wm. Martin.

Geo. C. Call was the leading spirit that effected the organization in January,

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1901. He secured stockholders of such standing as to give further evidence that he is a master of finance. Among them were four presidents of other banks, five cashiers and one district judge, namely in order : Geo. E. Boyle, Geo. W. Hanna, C. J. Lenander, Frank Weimer, F. M. Hanson, E. G. Seymour, G. F. Thomas, Frank VanErdewyk, Stitzel X. Way and Judge W. B. Quarton. Other stockholders were J. E. Blackford, Geo. C. Call, H. Hoxie, D. D. Kinyon, G. W. Lambert, Harry Moore, B. F. Smith, A. W. Sterzbach, Dr. T. H. Stull, F. H. Vesper, trustees of the estate of Asa C. Call, J. Earnest Blackford, Wm. Dodds, E. J. Gilmore, C. B. Hutchins, Wm. Martin, W. H. Morse, A. Peterson, S. C. Spear and Dona L. Sheetz. The last nine named of these have remained since the organization. Geo. C. Call was the first president ; E. J. Gilmore, vice presi- dent, and F. H. Vesper, cashier. I. E. Dodge acted in the capacity of assistant cashier from the beginning until during the summer of 1912, when he decided to move to the Pacific slope.

In the spring of 1902, Geo. C. Call decided to move to Sioux City, and trans- ferred his banking interests to A. D. Clarke. In July, Gardner Cowles and E. J. Murtagh became the owners of these interests. In January, 1903, after these two had become members of the board, Mr. Cowles was elected to the presidency ; but in September of the following year when he moved to Des Moines, the position went to Mr. Murtagh. The latter then purchased the interests of F. H. Vesper and E. V. Swetting; and in September, 1906 he became the active man- ager of the bank. During the year 1911 Mr. Cowles sold all of his bank stock in the county to Sullivan & McMahon and C. B. Murtagh. The latter in January, 1912, was elected to the position of cashier which he is holding.

The present beautiful home of the Savings Bank was begun in 1911 and cost exclusive of the lot, $16,000.00. It is of brick with trimmings of stone that add dignity to its appearance. The finish of the lower story interior is of mahogany and beautiful in design, and the upper story is devoted to offices which are tastily arranged. The first building put up on the site is incorporated in the Brown livery barn on West State street. It was built by Culver in the early seventies for a photograph gallery, and the Spalding girls used the lower story for a millinery establishment. Later, Charley Birge had his law office in the upper story. In 1886, after John Reed had become the owner of the property and the building had been removed, he began the erection of his wide-front brick store. In it he sold general merchandise for several years before deciding to locate in Des Moines. When the property was bought for the bank, an east room was cut off for an abstract office, and in it C. J. Doxsee held forth for several years. This building was completely demolished when the Murtagh ad- ministration decided to erect the present edifice. Such have been the changes on the location during the past forty years.

LEADING INDUSTRIES

The Spurbeck-Lambert Co., began preparations for establishing a butter- tub factory in the fall of 1892. The building was completed and the factory running by June of the following year. Walter Spurbeck and G. W. Lambert, during that spring had purchased the stock of creamery supplies which S. B. Reed, as manager, had on hand for sale. They also bought the warehouse in which these supplies had been kept to supply the trade. This purchase, in-

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creasing the factory equipment of the company as it did, helped to get the new enterprise started in good shape. It was a success from the start, for the busi- ness has been on the increase since that time. In the fall of 1898 the building was enlarged and John A. Chronholm of Swea City was taken into the firm and made sales manager. About three years later, after the company had pur- chased the Estherville Creamery Supply Factory, Mr. Chronholm was made manager of that branch factory and Harry Dalziel took his place as salesman, as he had bought an interest in the business of the firm. The Algona Factory was totally destroyed by fire, April 25, 1902, and during the following year all sales were made from the Estherville branch for both places. During the month of August, 1902, a company was formed and incorporated to rebuild the fac- tory on a more extensive and better plan, the stockholders being: G. W. Lam- bert, Walter Spurbeck, John A. Chronholm, Harry Dalziel, F. H. Vesper, Gard- ner Cowles, E. J. Murtagh, W. K. Ferguson, Harvey Ingham, C. A. Palmer and M. A. Winkel. New buildings were erected and an abundance of new equipment installed, and the business was prosperous until November 12, 1903, when the factory again was destroyed by fire. There being plenty of capital back of the enterprise, larger and better equipped buildings soon arose over the ashes like a Phoenix, and manufacturing has continued since that time with no interruption. Of what value the Spurbeck-Lambert Factory is to this county, and especially to Algona, may be judged from the fact that for the year end- ing December 1, 1912, the surprising amount of $17,975.58 was paid for labor in manufacturing at the Algona Factory, and 228,495 butter-tubs were made and sold. In the mean time the Estherville branch has done correspondingly well. Besides dealing in creamery supplies and making butter-tubs, the com- pany is continually manufacturing all kinds of tanks and also doing an extensive business in installing heating systems, and in general repair work. At Esther- ville the company operates a creamery in connection with the supply business.

Death in recent years has made some changes in the stockholders: George W. Lambert, one of the principal capitalists, has been taken away as has also Traveling Salesman M. A. Winkel. The present stockholders are: W. Spur- beck, president ; C. L. Ingersoll, vice president ; J. T. Hanna, secretary and traveling salesman; W. A. Kerr, manager of the Estherville Branch Factory ; Mrs. W. Spurbeck, bookkeeper ; E. J. Murtagh, J. B. Winkel, W. K. Ferguson and C. A. Palmer.

The Algona Brick and Tile Works, located near the site of the old historic water mill, is one of the factories that has evolved from small beginnings until today it is the means of putting thousands of dollars into circulation, as well as of great benefit to the farmers and the community in general. The books at the close of the year 1911, showed that a volume of nearly $33.000 in business had been done, with $2,256.86, cleared above all expenses. The brick and tile manufactured at the plant continue to have a ready sale, for hundreds of farm- ers and others have testified to their excellence. The business is capitalized at $12,000, and there are numerous stockholders interested in the welfare of the enterprise, among them being Lewis H. Smith, Ella M. Shinn, E. V. Swetting and W. K. Ferguson, who are the heaviest holders, and others as follows: E. J. Murtagh, E. A. Wolcott, J. W. Haggard. I .. J. Dickinson, T. P. Harrington, W. A. Dutton, Lars Sorensen, Ray Laird, W. T. Bourne, W. C. Danson, E.

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B. Butler, Theo. Chrischilles, F. S. Norton, Joe Misbach, Henrietta Putsch, Louise McCoy, Tom Little, F. W. Dingley, A. M. Johnson, and Edna Misbach.

During the latter eighties the Ostrum Bros, began making brick on the site with very limited appliances. Not having the necessary capital to install the required machinery, they had hard work in making the plant earn them much profit. A change occurred in the ownership January 5, 1906, when Frank E. Potter bought a half interest and took charge of the factory. L. J. Dickinson and the two Ostrums owned the other half. It was on that date that the com- pany was incorporated. The building was enlarged and tile machinery installed as a starter for success, but that did not materialize. Affairs were in bad shape about the middle of September that year, when W. K. Ferguson, E. V. Swet- ting and A. M. Coan came to the rescue and bought out Potter's half interest. The new firm then bought the factory site, leased the clay grounds, installed a new boiler and new machinery. About the time the plant was beginning to yield a little profit, the building took fire and burned to the ground. As there was no insurance the loss to the company amounted to $43,000. This loss oc- curred July 4. 1907. Larger buildings were then erected on a more durable and better arranged plan. Improvements from time to time have been made until the plant has become the prosperous factory it is today.

The Algona Manufacturing Company has an enterprise which is yet in its infancy, but which bids fair to develop into a permanent and beneficial factory. The plant started in a most modest way during the year 1909. August Doer- ing, desiring to establish a factory for the manufacture of manure-spreaders and other farm implements, solicited funds from the Algona citizens to aid him in the enterprise. The Commercial Club finally donated $800 or $900 to the project to enable him to erect the necessary buildings and get started with the work. The present foundry building and the east portion of the present main building were soon erected. A few steel manure spreaders, which had several points of ex- cellence, were made according to the ingenious mind of Mr. Doering. Lack of capital caused the manufacturing to stop after a brief period, and then the buildings were practically unoccupied. The donation from the Commercial Club was with the proviso that if at the end of five years a certain number of men were not employed in the factory, the building should revert to that organi- zation. By the fall of 1911, it became evident that Mr. Doering was not going to be able under the conditions to hold the premises. Then a stock company was formed to take over the property. Mr. Doering received $1,200 for what interest he had in the outfit; W. J. Pech was made manager ; J. W. Sullivan, president ; Mr. Kleinhesslinck, vice president; A. Matson, secretary ; L. J. Dickinson, treasurer ; and John Lamuth, sales manager. Mr. Pech, who had been in the same line of business at Cherokee before coming here, brought with him an abundance of foundry equipment. With him came also Mr. Kleinhess- linck to assist in the work, and both of them became stockholders in the new company which has been incorporated with a capital of $25,000. Although a considerable amount of foundry work was done, and sales of line shafting made, the expected dividends did not materialize. About the first of December, 1912, a change in the organization was effected, when W. H. Burke, who had been the manager for several months, bought Mr. Pech's twenty-five shares and Carl Strandberg and L. J. Dickinson bought the same number of shares from Mr.

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Kleinhesslinck. The year closes with bright prospects for the future welfare of the enterprise.

The W. F. Priebe Poultry Company's Butter and Egg Establishment is another of the local enterprises which maintains a heavy pay roll and puts thou- sands of dollars annually into circulation. Matt Lamuth, has been the man- ager for three years and is making a success of the work. About $16,000 are paid out each year for labor and the sum of about $300,000 for the purchase of butter, eggs, poultry, etc. This firm was the principal backer of the enterprise when it was conducted by Rogers & Co., who had conducted it for several years. For six years previous to that time Armour & Co., controlled the business.

The Algona Ice Cream and Candy Factory is undoubtedly one of the best paying enterprises in town for the amount of capital invested. The company was incorporated February 13, 1911, with a capital stock of $10,000, the offi- cers being Joel Taylor, president; J. T. Behlmer, vice president, and Charles H. Taylor, secretary and manager. The latter holds fifty-two shares of stock and his will in the management is consequently the supreme law. He began that line of work alone on a small scale in 1898, and had his factory in the creamery building when it burned in 1902. During the warm weather months the factory sends a large amount of ice-cream to towns all along the lines of railroad for many miles. The factory has a substantial home in the building erected for Barnes' vinegar works years ago, and is destined to develop into a large manu- facturing plant of much worth to this community. The stockholders besides the officers are E. E. Conner, E. A. Wolcott, W. A. Dutton, W. H. Horan, George W. Paine, L. D. Spitler, John Lowe, Mark Sarchett, L. A. Miner, John Peterson and Lars Sorensen.

The Algona Pop Factory since January 1, 1912, has been owned and con- ducted by Staley & Sarchett. This firm bought of W. F. Nierling, who had owned it from 1905 up to that time and had done a successful business in making and selling the factory products. His predecessor was Charles Stewart, the original promoter of the enterprise which began in 1891. The present firm has a monopoly in the pop manufacturing line in this vicinity, and will no doubt do well at the business.

The Nicoulin Dray Factory has evolved from a blacksmithing enterprise, dating back into the sixties. Frank Nicoulin, the original proprietor, came to the county during the year 1867, and after working for a while in the Oliver Benschoter blacksmith shop, opened one for himself. On the end of the build- ing he painted the sign "Come in and see Frank." After operating alone for a long time he formed partnership with A. D. Bradley and they began manufac- turing spring wagons, sleds and other vehicles. Their products had an extensive sale and were of such good quality that they easily competed with other like vehicles on the market. While that partnership still existed the manufacture of drays began on a small scale. After the dissolution of the firm, Frank Nicoulin dropped the wagon-making and made a specialty of building drays. The field was a large one and he covered it well with his sales. Upon his death in the spring of 1911, that portion of his large estate, embracing the factory and the block upon which it stands, became the property of the present proprietor, Charles Nicoulin. He is constantly shipping drays by the car-load to jobbers, the John Deere Plow Co., being one of his best purchasing firms.

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The Northwest Granite Works, owned by H. K. Hastings of Rock Valley, is the continuation of the factory which was established by George C. Shelley back in 1888. For twenty-one years he was the proprietor, and built up an ex- tensive business in the meantime. He acquired the reputation for being on the square, a reputation he still justly enjoys. On account of the illness of Mrs. Shelley, a few years ago, he disposed of his factory to other parties who had Grant Jordan for manager and moved away. The couple soon returned, and he was immediately engaged as marble cutter at the factory where he had spent the best years of his life, and where he is still doing service on the square.

The Holtzbauer & Co., Cigar Factory, No. 12, Third District of Iowa, has been operated under that firm name for about two years. In the spring of 1905, Louie Eickenrodt and Joe Holzbauer formed partnership in the business which lasted until the death of the former, a couple of years ago. Since then Mr. Holtzbauer has been at the head of the present firm. He began making cigars for others about eleven years ago, but is now securely established with his fac- tory over the corner grocery.

The Charles Barry Cigar Factory, No. 58, Third District of Iowa, was es- tablished in March, 1909, although the proprietor has been a resident of Algona for twelve or thirteen years, but worked for others in the business during that period until he began a factory of his own. His factory is over the Taylor restaurant in the Heise block. He finds ready sale for all the cigars he can manufacture. These two factories are the only ones now in Algona which manufacture cigars. Numerous other parties have embarked in that business in Algona, but have gone out of that line of work. Arnold & Waterhouse, Kuhn & Guderian, John Schu, Mrs. Schu, J. M. Cowan and A. A. Brunson are some of those who are on the list of former factory proprietors. G. A. Brunson was a jobber in cigars for some time, but now has an official position which is more congenial to his taste.

The Economy Web Clip is the name of an article that John Lamuth has patented and is manufacturing and selling to jobbers and dealers. He began on a small scale in 1908, but now finds sale for all he can manufacture. Each year the sales are double those of the year preceding. For a few months L. T. Griffin was with him in the business, but he is sole proprietor again at pres- ent. Mr. Lamuth's invention is one of much merit, and any one seeing it, who has had any experience around a threshing machine, will so testify. The slats of the straw stackers on nearly all machines are fastened to the webs with large headed rivets, and when the slats get clogged they frequently pull off, by the rivet heads pulling through and damaging the web. The Lamuth invention does away with the rivets by having the web run through a metal clip which is bolted to the end of the slat. In using it, no amount of clogging will ever damage the web, a feature that all the threshermen will appreciate.

The Algona Co-operative Creamery is one of the substantial and well patron- ized, money-making factories in town. It was organized in March, 1892, with Frank L. Willson as president, and Myron Schenck as secretary, the other direc- tors being N. A. Pine, A. R. Bush, and H. J. Gilbert. Besides these officers, the remaining incorporators were M. B. Chapin, D. W. King, Perry Burl- ingame. Bert Maston, A. D. Barr, C. C. Chubb and Isaiah Fry. The factory at the close of 1912 had a patronage of about seventy thrifty farmers who were

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milking about 700 cows. In the summer season the number is very much larger. The gross proceeds each year amount to about $35,000, and the profits to the patrons have been very satisfactory under the skilful management of Buttermaker L. P. Anderson, who has had charge of the work for several years. The present board of directors consists of A. J. Keen, president; Judge W. B. Quarton, vice president; J. B. Hofius, secretary ; C. T. Chubb, treasurer, and Hugh Herman. The company in 1892 bought the factory of Wallace & Reed who had put up the building in the middle eighties. It was burned in 1902 and immediately re-built. An account of the origin of the creamery in- dustry, as promoted by John Wallace, appears near the close of the next chapter. August Sterzbach, who was the manager and buttermaker for many years, is doing like service out at Laramie, Wyo.

THE GRADED PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Algona was not in an independent district until the spring of 1872, when the successful election was held. At that time the district township of Algona was a large one-so large that it had a board of sixteen subdirectors. These were J. P. Colby, president, W. F. Hofius, M. Colman, Norman Hartwell, S. Witham, M. L. Bush, Peter J. Walker, Dr. M. H. Hudson, S. B. Hatch, H. P. Hatch, J. W. Bennet, Joachim Holtz, E. Bailey, David Pollard, J. B. Daggett and William Ward. This board complying with the request of numerous petitioners, decided March 4, to call an election on the sixteenth of that month to vote on the proposition of making subdistrict number one, of the district township of Algona, an independent district. As strange as it may seem there were but few votes cast on the occasion of the election, and all of them were in favor of the propo- sition.

March 30, 1872, a board of six directors were elected and then they in turn chose their own officers. The first board then consisted of H. M. Taft, presi- dent, J. E. Stacy, secretary ; John G. Smith, J. B. Winkel, Jas. L. Paine and F. C. Willson. M. W. Stough was chosen treasurer to complete the list of necessary officers.

A. M. Horton, principal, Elizabeth M. Reed, Emma Paine and Sarah A. Blair were the first corps of teachers chosen after the district became independ- ent. This selection occurred April 15, 1872. Miss Blair's position was the "depot teacher." Mr. Horton soon embarked in the newspaper business and C. B. Hutchins was elected principal in the fall of 1872. J. P. Colby was at the head of the schools during the following summer. Since that time the various heads of the Algona schools have been J. H. Saunders, C. P. Dorland, A. S. Benedict, Gardner Cowles, F. M. Shippey, F. L. Coombs, W. H. Dixon, A. B. Carroll, J. C. Gilchrist, N. Spencer, R. E. Towle, Dalrymple and J. F. Over- myer. These heads were called principals until Professor Dixon took charge of the schools. He styled himself city superintendent, a term which has desig- nated all his successors. He was elected in March, 1887, and died in September, 1895, while holding his position. With only two or three exceptions these pro- fessors have been men of ability, and made a good success of their work. On the failure of Professor Dalrymple to succeed, Superintendent Overmyer was called to the position he is still holding. Miss Minnie J. Coate was elected principal of Val. 1-38

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History of Kossuth County, Iowa, Part 67

Author: Reed, Benjamin F Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 879

Author: Reed, Benjamin F
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 879