USA > Iowa > Linn County > History of Linn County Iowa : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 36
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"While viewing the scenes at the transfer yesterday afternoon, we boarded W. F. Reiner's Northwestern express car and beheld a scene that eaused our bump of inquisitiveness to jump. Mr. Reiner is a messenger of the American Merchants Union Express company, and will have served in his present position and on his present route seven years in November next. He lives in Boone. On the floor of his car were sixty-seven gold and silver bricks. That is, each briek was com- posed of gold and silver in compound. In some of them, silver predominated - in value. They resemble silver almost entirely in color. They are of somewhat irregular sizes, though nearly every one of them weighs more than one hundred pounds. Some of them were much more refined than the others. The amount of gold and silver in each one is stamped on the face or top, in different lines, and the total value of the brick is added in a third line. The value of each metal is marked, even te a cent. How those values can be so accurately determined in a compound brick is beyond our knowledge. Fifty-seven of those brieks which we yesterday saw, were worth $101,950.80. The remaining eleven were worth $15,077.57. They were mostly from Virginia City and are being taken to New York. Mr. Reiner informed us also that these bricks are carried only by the Northwestern and Rock Island roads. On some days he has had as many as 160 of them in his car. They are taken east nearly every day."
For ten years Mr. Reiner lived in Boone, then a redivision of the road brought him back to this city. For the next fifteen years he continued to run out of this city and do aetive service. Thirteen years ago the terrible strain he had under- gone in the earlier years of service for the company began to tell upon him and he broke down in health. Then, if a private company ever did a good and wise thing, the American Express company did it. They said they realized the value that Mr. Reiner had been to them when they were getting established in Iowa and running their route through to Omaha, and they would not forget his effi- cient services now that he was getting old.
CHAPTER XXVIII Linn County Libraries THE IOWA MASONIC LIBRARY
BY HELEN R. DONNAN
The Iowa Masonie Library, "unique in idea and unapproachable in scope," is an institution of which Cedar Rapids is proud. and to which the Masons of lowa point as a satisfactory answer to those who would question the purposes of the fraternity.
As early as 1844 the late T. S. Parvin, grand secretary and librarian of the Grand Lodge of Iowa, A. F. & A. M., from its organization until his death in 1901, began the collection of books which today is world famous. With rare discernment and infinite patience this vast wealth of treasures has been gathered together and placed at the disposal of all students.
The library, for years housed at Muscatine, later in the Burtis Opera House at Davenport, was removed to lowa City in the year 1867, where it remained in rooms rented for that purpose until 1883 when it had so far outgrown its quarters that a new and more permanent home was needed. At the annual session of 1883, the Grand Lodge set aside $20,000.00 for a fireproof building, and, the citizens of Cedar Rapids having offered to donate a lot and $10,000.00, it was decided to build in that city. The site selected was ideal, fronting on one of the most beautiful avenues, in the residence district. yet within a few blocks of the business portion of the city. The front of the building, which is of red pressed brick trimmed with sandstone. consists of two stories and an attie, while the rear part is two stories, and under all is a basement, well lighted and ventilated by a wide area-way. Surrounded by a well kept lawn and beautiful shade trees. it presents a very attractive appearance.
So rapidly did the library grow that in 1901 the trustees were authorized to purchase the adjoining corner lot on which was a fine briek residence. This has since been used as a general reference library and reading room, known as the Annex. Both buildings have recently been improved and re-decorated until to- day one entering either one finds "a place of quiet and beauty, where sight- seeing is a delight, and study an absolute pleasure." On the right of the main entrance is the Grand Master's room, furnished in dark and massive oak, thor- oughly in keeping with the dignity of the fraternity. On the left, a lighter treat- ment in decoration and the mahogany furniture make the reception room a delightful apartment in which the friends gather and are made welcome. The fireproof doors at the end of the entrance hall open into the library proper. filled with book cases on every side, and in the center of the room are large glass cases containing thousands of rare and interesting curios. The upper floor of this hall is a gallery guarded by an iron railing and lighted by the skylight above. This. too, is filled to overflowing with books and display cases. On the walls of both rooms hang pictures of the long line of Grand Masters who have ruled the craft in Iowa from 1844 to the present time.
The leading feature of this library is naturally the Masonic department. Here in cases adorned with meaning symbols are to be found all the standard
T. S. PARVIN Long Grand Secretary Iowa Masons
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THE IOWA MASONIC LIBRARY
works of the fraternity and those which later scholarship has contributed to the history, philosophy and ceremonial of Masonry, together with the proceedings of all Grand Lodges, Chapters, Commanderies, Councils, Shrines, Chapters of the Order of Eastern Star, and all Masonie organizations of the world. This depart- ment also contains the constitutions, by-laws, monitors, and rituals of all Masonic bodies, both American and foreign. Masonic periodicals and magazines from all parts of the globe are on the shelves in perhaps more complete sets than can be found in any other library. Many rare and costly works have been added, some few of which are unique, no other copy being known to exist.
The early history of Freemasonry shows traees of the influence of other seeret societies, and it in turn has infineneed almost every other secret organization. A Masonic library would therefore be incomplete without the history, literature and ceremonies of these associations. This semi-Masonie department ineludes all works bearing upon the secret societies of the American revolution, the early seeret societies of the middle ages and France, works pertaining to the history of the Nestorians, Dervishes, Thugs, Druids. Rosierueians, the Guilds, ete.
As Masonry is closely linked with art, archaeology, mythology, and religion, a large collection of this class of material finds place in the general reference library, now honsed in the Annex. The French and German books, comprising some four thousand volumes, the government publications, and a large number of proceedings have been removed to the basement, while the attic is crowded with duplicate proceedings, magazines, and pamphlets without number.
Another interesting feature is the Iowa department containing works by Iowa anthors, as well as all works pertaining to the history of the state.
In order to make this collection of the greatest possible benefit to its patrons. it has been classified and a card catalog of the books has been made in accordance with approved library methods.
For the easnal visitor the. principal attraction is the museum, which contains archaeological, mineralogical, and geological specimens from all parts of the country. Here the relies of ancient American races and tribes give evidence of prehistorie enlture, while the ruder implements, weapons and pottery of the aborigines make a notable collection. One large case contains only weapons of warfare; another is filled with Iowa birds. An unusual collection is the one of shoes from China, Japan, India, Burma, Siam, and several other foreign lands. The case of colonial relies is especially interesting to older visitors. The book lover finds the case devoted to rare and beautifully bound books the supreme at- traetion, while the small boy enjoys the stamp collection, the post card display. the birds. and the "freaks" of nature exhibited here. Masonie badges, medals, coins, old diplomas, charters, mannseripts, aprons, and other old lodge parapher- nalia are artistically displayed in the various glass eases. Scattered throughout both buildings are many pictures, fine art pieces in bronze, bisque, and marble, antique vases, jars, pitchers, and various pieces of modern pottery. all donated by friends of the library.
In the autograph letter department are three large double cases each having one hundred and forty glass covered drawers devoted exclusively to this material. Here may be found the signatures of noted literary men, the presidents of the United States, governors of Iowa, and others prominently identified with the history of the state as well as noted men of the fraternity.
In 1901, upon the death of T. S. Parvin, the founder of the institution, his son, Newton R. Parvin, was elected Grand Seeretary and librarian. He is peculiarly fitted for this responsible position, having served as deputy to his father for twenty-five years, and, like his father, is giving to the building up of this splendid library the "enthusiasm and energy of a single-purposed life."
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
N. R. Parvin being Grand Secretary as well as librarian, the headquarters of the Grand Lodge are in the library building, and in the three splendidly equipped vaults are stored many valuable papers and records. A card index giving the record of every member in the state has recently been completed and placed in one of the vaults.
The entire expense of maintaining the library is met by an annual tax of ten cents for each member in the state. All expenditures are under the super- vision of a board of three trustees appointed by the Grand Master for a term of six years. Those composing the present board are W. S. Gardner of Clinton, W. L. Eaton of Osage, and Crom Bowen of Des Moines.
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF CEDAR RAPIDS
BY JOANNA HAGEY
The people of Cedar Rapids had felt the need of a publie library. In the seventies a subseription library was founded but it was forced to discontinue from laek of funds and the books were given to the Y. M. C. A. The City Fed- eration of Ladies' Literary Clubs, and especially the president, Mrs. C. D. Van Vechten, should be given the credit for creating a sentiment that resulted in a vote of the people on Mareh 2, 1896, to establish a library.
The council appointed a library board in June. In October the first tax levy was made, and they began the formation and organization of the new library which was opened to the publie January 15, 1897, in rooms in the Granby block.
The work prospered and the patronage increased so that additional space was needed, and in 1900 the library was moved to the Dows Auditorium.
Again larger quarters were demanded and it was deemed best for the eity to own the library building. Mr. Andrew Carnegie generously gave $75,000, which was used for the erection of the beautiful and commodious building on the corner of Fifth street and Third avenne. The new building was dedicated June 23, 1905.
Some idea of the growth of the library can be gained from the following comparisons: When the library was opened there were 1,325 volumes on the shelves. December 31, 1909, there were 19,505 volumes; 29,730 books were cir- eulated the first year, and 94,078 books last year; the receipts the first year were $4,471.52; last year they amounted to $11,049.14.
Mrs. C D. Van Vechten, Mrs. Charles A. Clark, Mrs. N. M. IIubbard, Sr., Miss Emma J. Fordyee, F. F. Dawley, A. T. Cooper, V. A. Jung, L. W. Anderson. and Luther A. Brewer constituted the first board of trustees. The following are the present board: Mrs. Mary Ziek Andre, Mrs. Kate Terry Loomis. Miss Emma J. Fordyce, Miss Elizabeth Coek, B. L. Wiek, L. W. Anderson, Frank Filip, C. M. Doan, and Sandford Kerr. Others who have served as trustees are: Miss Meta Aussieker, Mrs. Ida M. Ballheim, Mrs. Channie J. Redmond. H. Il. Troy, Joseph Mekota, John Vosmek, J. M. Terry, J. T. Hamilton, W. I. Endicott, Jomes A. Molony, Robert Palmer, John W. Barry, and Theodore Sehanweelter
Miss Virginia Dodge was librarian from 1896-1899, Miss Harriet L. MeCrory from 1899-1903. and Miss Harriet A. Wood from 1903-1910. The present librar- ian is Miss E. Joanna Ilagey.
COE COLLEGE LIBRARY
Coe College at an early date owned a well selected text-book library. It was generally conducted by one of the students. Many donations have been made, mostly by men connected with the Presbyterian ministry. The large library of
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THE IOWA MASONIC LIBRARY
Rev. James Knox was one of the early additions made. Later the Rev. George R. Carroll presented his valuable collection of books to the college. Many valuable books have been donated from time to time by members of the faenlty, by students, and persons interested in the growth of the college.
Miss Ida Dodd and Miss Cornelia Shelley served as librarians for some years. Miss Mary Irene Amidon, by the assistance of several helpers, has placed the library on a sound basis by a system of cataloguing which before had been negleeted.
COLLEGE AND PUBLIC LIBRARY, MOUNT VERNON
No definite data ean be given for the beginning of the library at Mount Ver- non, though in the catalogue of the Iowa Conference Seminary for 1855 the state- ment is made that "a small but good selection of books has been proeured to which students will have access." There seems to have been a hesitaney about giving any number of volumes, till in the catalogue of 1864-5 we read that "the college library has about 600 volumes."
From this early beginning the library very gradually grew in strength and helpfulness under the direction of various members of the college faculty. The professors who served as librarians were: S. N. Fellows, 1857-60, A. Collin, 1860-70, H. TI. Freer, 1870-73, S. N. Williams, 1873-91, W. C. Webster, 1891-93.
In 1891 Miss May L. Fairbanks was appointed assistant librarian, and in 1893 she was elected librarian, which position she still holds.
A gift of $50,000 was obtained from Andrew Carnegie for a library building for the town and college. In June, 1904, the corner stone of the new building was laid, and in August, 1905, the college library, consisting of 25,548 volumes, was moved into the new building.
December 1, 1905, the library board of trustees was formally organized with Dr. James E. Harlan as president, Prof. W. H. Norton, Col. H. H. Rood, E. B. Willix, W. E. Platner, Prof. H. M. Kelly, Dr. A. Crawford, A. A. Bauman, J. B. Leigh.
There has been no change in the library board. The annual income is $5,000.
The library now consists of 33,900 volumes and many hundred pamphlets that have not been numbered. The administration of the library resembles that of a college more than a public library, and no list of borrowers is kept.
MARION FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Marion free public library dates from 1903. Miss Adaliza Daniels first began her work as early as 1902, to agitate for a Carnegie library. She and Mrs. C. N. Owen then began to solieit funds for a building site and collected $3,775 for that purpose. The first board consisted of the following: Messrs. Alderman, Alex- ander, Bowman, Treat, Mrs. Dobson, Mrs. Busby, Mrs. Owen, Miss Tyler, and Miss Daniels. The present board consists of J. W. Bowman, president, Dr. J. Morehead, vice-president, Mrs. C. N. Owen, secretary, Mr. Wood, Miss Marshall, Mrs. B. C. Busby, Mrs. Millen, and Mrs. Parkhurst.
The income of the library has varied from $1,100 to $1,350. There are 800 card holders and more than 3,550 volumes in the library. The librarians have been Miss Mary Parkhurst and Miss Mabel Alexander.
THE BOHEMIAN READING SOCIETY
The Bohemian Reading Society was organized November 22, 1868, at Cedar Rapids, and some of the charter members who are still living are: Anthony Soukup, Frank Soukup, John Piehner, and John Safranek.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
Many of the pioneer settlers contributed from time to time largely of their means for the purchase of Bohemian books and tried to inculcate in their children a desire for the reading of books printed in their own tongue. Many foreign newspapers and magazines were also taken in order to keep up with the times and to ereate in the minds of the young a love of the land of their fathers.
The average number of books loaned has been about 3,000 volumes a year. The library being open to the members at stated times, much reading is done in the library building, where a librarian is in charge. The number of bound books for circulation has been from 2,000 to 2,500 volumes. The expense of running the library outside of room rent, heat, ete., has been from $200 to $300. Many donations of books and magazines are constantly being made.
A few of the librarians have been the following named persons: Mrs. Kabasa, Neibert and Stolba, Frank Kurka. The present librarian has served continu- ously for the past sixteen years.
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19 LIOOLE
WEST ROWLEY STREET, WALKER
MAIN STREET, PRAIRIEBURG
CHAPTER XXIX
W'ages and Prices in the County from 1846 to 1856
During the decade from 1846 to 1856 land was very cheap in Linn county, and everything else was in proportion. Wages were low, and what the farmer raised on his premises he could find no market for, and, consequently, outside of wheat it was pretty much worthless. The panic of 1857 was a severe one in the county, and many of the bankers and business people met with severe reverses from which some never recovered. No one had any foreboding of the financial storm and all were caught short to such an extent that they lost nearly every- thing, even their homes which had been mortgaged. Many a business man with good eredit. possessed of considerable means, became swamped in the crash. It mattered not what a man had in property, if it was not in gold it had no price, and there was no market for anything except on a cash basis.
From N. B. Brown's account book we glean the following as to prices for eatables in Cedar Rapids in 1846: Beef, 21ge per pound, flour. 2e per pound (11%c in 1847), beans, 75e per bushel, veal, 3e per pound, coffee, 14e per pound, sugar, 161/be per pound, tea, $1.25 per pound, wheat 371/e per bushel, corn meal, 25e per bushel, buckwheat flour, 114e per pound. This interesting book is in the possession of Emery Brown, one of the sons.
During the decade mentioned a horse sold at from fifty to sixty dollars, and a yoke of oxen could be had for the price of one good horse. As many of the pioneer farmers had not the means to purchase a team of horses, they did the next best thing and invested in a yoke of oxen and thus managed to get along and weather the storm. A good wagon with spring seat cost from one hundred to one hundred and twenty-five dollars, and a log chain from two dollars and a half to five dollars. Ordinary stirring plows sold at from ten to fifteen dollars. Mowers and reapers were not common in those days, the seythe and the cradle being the tools with which the young boy earned some of his first spending money. It was surprising how much hay and grain a good farm hand could ent in a season in this way.
The people dealt in log houses in those days like we do in second hand furni- ture today. These houses were bought and sold at from fifty to seventy-five dollars each and moved at leisure in the winter time from one part of the town- ship to another ; at times a log house was moved from ten to fifteen miles and everyone chipped in and helped to move. A jug of whiskey, some hot coffee, and a good dinner were all they expected in the way of remuneration for their labor. The young folks at times insisted on a free for all dance and a free fiddler for the assistance they had rendered in moving and fixing up the house. If the young married couple who were to occupy the house did not dance or believe in dancing, a party or two were given, ending up with a midnight supper.
While the prices of government land was one dollar and twenty-five cents an acre, the speculator land generally sold at from five to ten dollars and as high as twelve dollars and fifty cents an aere. Wages were very low, from fifty to seventy-five cents a day being the average price paid a good farm hand. In town a person generally received from seventy-five cents to a dollar a day and then boarded himself.
Oats sold at fifteen cents a bushel, corn at ten eents, wheat at from forty-five to sixty cents. Hogs sold at one dollar and fifty cents a hundred. Potatoes were
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
considered high at ten cents a bushel, while quail sold at thirty cents a dozen. Butter brought from five to six cents a pound, and eggs six to eight cents a dozen.
While prices for farm products were quite low the prices paid for the neees- saries of life were high on account of lack of transportation facilities. Coffee sold at ten cents a pound, sugar at from eleven to twelve cents, tea retailed at eighty-five cents. Calico sold at forty cents a yard -and a poor quality at that. Salt in the early days sold at ten dollars a barrel, the price coming down in Cedar Rapids to five dollars when W. B. Maek brought his first cargo of salt by steamer from Ohio to Cedar Rapids.
Nearly all worked on shares, land was rented on shares, grist mills operated on shares, as well as saw mills. Masons and carpenters had to take their wages out frequently in form of property, and, while they were hard up and needed the money, this property in time made many of them wealthy men by their retaining what had been turned over to them in the form of wages. Old Thomas McGregor relates how he worked for a contractor by the name of Robinson and was offered lots where the mills of the Quaker Oats Company now stand at ten dollars a lot to apply on his wages, and when the writer inquired why he did not take these lots he replied : "My wages were seventy-five eents a day, on which I had to keep a wife and children, and they were more to me than corner lots." Old James Cleghorn worked for the Greene Bros. in the saw mill and was offered corner lots, and finally obtained in trade a forty aere traet of land in Seotch Grove for his summer's work. Old Elias Skinner, the well known Methodist preacher, in the early fifties traded a team, harness and wagon for a forty aere traet on what is now the location of the town of Norway, and at the time thought that the man who got the team had the best of the bargain, as there was no market for land and no income from it. while with a team of horses a man could make something and always could trade it for something else if he wanted to. Money was a scaree article in those days, while labor was cheap and the days were long. It was generally work from sun up to sun down and sometimes until way after dark. and no one was heard to complain, beeanse if a person did complain there were always plenty of others willing to take the place of the man who wanted to quit.
There were not many varieties of food in the good old days, but the people were healthy, they worked hard and everything tasted good. The ordinary dishes were Indian corn, corn bread, hominy, corn dodgers, bacon, venison, and prairie chickens. The cooking was done by an open fireplace, stoves in those days being few. Rye coffee was used frequently instead of the ordinary coffee and tasted good after a long day's hard labor in the timber. Many a thrifty housewife worked for weeks to dry corn in the fall of the year, as well as to dry apples; hominy was also made at home. All these delicacies - so-called - tasted good during the winter months and no one was known to be afflicted with ptomaine poisoning.
Before the days of grist mills eoffee mills were used for the grinding of corn and wheat. In some instances a few of the early settlers used the Indian stones, turned by hand; later horse mills were erected, which the early settlers thought were great inventions. These mills consisted merely of an enclosure of logs with a large wheel in the middle around which a leather belt was placed, which was also attached to a smaller wheel which turned the mill stones and ground the eorn. The pioneers would come several miles to such a mill and sometimes had to wait a day or more in order to get their grist ground. They would help run the mill, would sleep in the wagon at night and live on parehed corn on the trip; if a eup of coffee could be obtained at the stopping place the settler would be more than gratified.
While the settlers raised almost all their provisions, they also made most of what they had to wear. In a very cheap sort of a way they tanned their own
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leather and made their own shoes; in short, relied on their own ingenuity for nearly all the comforts of life.
The women folks were as handy as the men, if not more so, for they were all spinsters, dressmakers and tailors ; they made the blue hunting shirts with fringes, adorned the buekskin belt which was worn around the waist, and also eut ont the tight fitting cotton blouses worn by the boys, and even made moccasins and a coarse kind of brogan shoes. They were furriers as well, for they made some excellent fitting wolf skin caps for the men and some neat looking gingham bon- nets, well starehed, for themselves. While the shoes were at times heavy and ill fitting, they were only worn on Sundays and during the winter, for as soon as spring eame nearly everyone went barefoot, about the house at least, for the sake of economy as well as for comfort.
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