USA > Iowa > Linn County > History of Linn County Iowa : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 47
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posed entirely of Iowa men, directors from the various eounty seats and towns along the line. Very soon after obtaining the grant, they got together and voted each other $25,000 apiece for services rendered in obtaining the land grant. As there were about twenty of them, the scheme was loaded by about $500,000. Then they tried to exploit the enterprise among eastern capitalists. But the hard times of 1857-8 were upon us and money was scaree both east and west. No one would take hold. In the meantime our road was slowly creeping on, and was within thirty miles of Cedar Rapids. The grading contraet was let to John G. Wolf, an experienced railroad builder from the east. Most of the money to pay him had to be raised among ourselves and pay day was a most serious time. I remember upon one occasion, the cash entirely failed, but the merchants of the town agreed to honor orders for goods, Mr. Bever among the others. Mr. Bever had been a merchant in Holmes county, Ohio, and brought his stoek of goods from there to Cedar Rapids. Among other things he had two or three eases of bell crowned silk hats of a very ancient date. On pay day our citizens were greatly amused to see our streets crowded with Irishmen, all wearing bell erowned hats, and as 'fire water' was plenty, before night a great many of the hats were eaved in. Our Marion friends hearing of it said our company was 'busted,' our only assets consisting of bell erowned hats. But we persevered and bided our time. We ealled a mass meeting in the city preparatory to forming a new company to build the road west from Cedar Rapids to the Missouri river, and appointed a committee to issue a prospectus to all the counties west of us on the proposed line to meet in delegate convention at Cedar Rapids. I had the honor of being chairman of that convention and as such prepared the paper, and if you will examine the file of newspapers of that day you will find a 'Spread Eagle' document that I supposed would move the souls of our frontier friends. They responded nobly and came on the time designated, and we organized the 'Cedar Rapids & Missouri Railroad Company,' at least I believe that was the name. L. B. Crocker, of New York, was made president, with several eastern and western directors, myself among the number. Then as the company to whom the legislature had given the grant of land, had not turned a spadeful of earth, we organized a lobby embracing all our directors on the line west of us; L. B. Crocker, the president, Major Bodfish, a Maine man, and several of our Cedar Rapids directors, myself among the others. When the legislature as- sembled in 1859-60 we invaded the capital, and established our headquarters in an old hotel near the river, whose name I have forgotten. Major Bodfish was the commissary of the body. We had no money to expend, but determined to be hospitable. The major laid in a barrel of old rye whiskey; as it was before the war, whiskey was cheap, also several boxes of cigars. One of our strongest henchmen was J. M. Woodbury, a leading man from Marshalltown, and with him Peter Hepburn, now an honored congressman, then a very stripling, but showing evident signs of what was in him. John J. Kasson was then a young lawyer in Des Moines, and we secured him as our attorney. Our opponents were not asleep, but were on hand from Marion, east to the Mississippi river, with Platt Smith, a distinguished member of the bar at Dubuque, as their lawyer. Then the fight began, in and out of the state house. Speeches were made by our adherents in both branches, and we buttonholed and dragged to our headquarters all thirsty souls, as well as those who indulged in the milder stimulant. Our strong argu- ment was, that our opponents had done nothing after having the grant for two years, while we had about completed eighty miles of road without help ; that we on- ly asked for the grant to apply to the line west of Cedar Rapids, while they would use it for the line from the Mississippi, and that we would be able to accommodate the people with a finished road at least two years before they could. The law makers were not in a hurry, but towards the last of the session they passed our bill, and you may be sure there was great rejoicing in Cedar Rapids. On our
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return the citizens gave us a grand banquet in Greene's hotel, and we felt that we had at last secured a substantial victory for our city, as in fact it was, for thenceforward Marion could no longer be our rival. The ears came to Cedar Rapids in the summer of 1859, just ten years after we had held our first railroad meeting, and we felt at last that hope had ended in fruition. An immense con- course greeted their arrival from all parts of the surrounding country. General D. N. Sprague, then mayor, weleomed the guests, and the citizens threw open hospitable doors to all comers."
From 1840 to 1846 much work was going on in the thriving little town. Glass had already a small grist mill on McCloud's Run and a saw mill had been started on Indian creek which furnished lumber till the saw mill on the Cedar river was completed. The labor on the dam was a big undertaking and took much time as the enterprising adventurers were not well prepared to cope with so large an undertaking.
Many settlers were coming constantly, all of them full of courage and pleased with the location, which all proclaimed could not be improved upon. There were Alexander Ely, Joseph Greene, Homer Bishop, P. W. Earle, John Vardy, D. Fiddlar, A. Eddy, George Westlake, William Dwyer, James Gunning, Charles Mulford, Isaac Cook, John Shearer, James Lewis, Dr. S. M. Brice, and many others.
Churches were also organized, such as the Methodist, in 1841, by Rev. Hodges, and the Baptist the same year by Rev. G. E. Eberhart. The United Presbyterian church was organized by John Cunningham ten years later. New settlers came and other church organizations were completed and small church buildings were erected by the members.
The following chatty reminiscences of pioneer times is from the Republican of recent date :
" 'If two of us wanted to lunch together,' he said, 'we went to a saloon and sat down over some black bread and a little beer. Now you must stand up to drink your beer, and you may eat nothing.'
"In the old days the city and the county politieians met here and talked over the political situation. The professional men met on equal grounds. Now it is all changed.
"There were some interesting places in Cedar Rapids in those old days. In the location where Mr. Armstrong is now about to creet a fine business block there was an old German named Moritz Hoffbeck. It was a sand hill then, but there was a good cellar where Hoffbeck sold beer, gave away good lunches and entertained the crowd. His good wife also served the guests with good things to eat, cooked after her own fashion. Here congregated the best business men of the town after the day's business was over. They went home in the best of spirits, but often it was rather late when they went.
"Some of the city's poets of that day composed a little poem about Moritz which ran as follows:
"Moritz Hoffbeck is my name, Bavaria is my nation, Cedar Rapids I dearly love, For here I get my ration.
"Another German, Sam Leunch, kept a place at Third avenue and First street, which was for many years a meeting place for farmers as well as city men. It also had a reputation for its fine lunches.
"Sych's place was on the present location of the Y. M. C. A. This also was German and German dishes were one of its great attractions.
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"Frank Simon had a restaurant where Stark's hotel is now located. It was an eating house; also a drinking house. It was noted in five counties for being the place to get the best oysters in any style. The German fries have never been excelled. When Simon died, Ben Springer married his widow. He retired many years ago and sold the business to the Starks.
"Frank Mark was a Swede who kept a saloon where Denecke's store is located, fronting on Second avenue. It was a small place but it was always full for he served eatables and kept private rooms for his eity patrons who wished a quiet place in which to talk things over.
"Pollack's where Severa's store is now located, was the Bohemian restaurant mueh sought for its good things to eat and for the imported drinks which he kept for his best Friends.
"Count Boshon kept a saloon down into prohibition times and ran many saloons in various places. He was known as the King of Bohemia and acted as though he might have been a count. He imported the Philip Best beer from Milwaukee and stored a ear or two at a time in ice, and for this he obtained a great repu- tation. Count Boshon was a chancellor and knew how to secure the good will of prominent persons of the city and of the county officials. IIe seemed to stand in with all. It is said in his favor that while he may have violated the law in some instance he tried to keep a decent place.
"The young business men would take a Saturday off and go up fishing or hunting or hire Elias Doty and his boat, the 'Climax,' and take a sail on the murky waters on the Red Cedar, sometimes up, and now and then when the water was high, down stream. Now all has changed.
"In the olden times there were dances at the neighbors or other old gatherings. All were common. No dress suits were seen and there was no delay on account of laek of any introduction.
"Doetors would get together and tell stories, lawyers would joke over their trials in court and in every way people were on an equality and truly happy.
"Then people did not devote all their time to making money. They did not spend all the time in business. Young and old had a better time of it, for they worked and played as well. They were really content with the surroundings and with their condition in life.
"In winter time people got together and had a good time, going skating or sleighing - on Christmas there were not so many gifts as now, but what was given was with the best of feeling. Another thing we have lost, and that is, the New Year's day calls. Old and young, married and single, made calls on this day every year.
"It was a fine custom and it ought not to have been dropped. Now people are too busy to call on their neighbors and they seem to fear that society would not approve of it. In the olden days no questions were asked about one's grand- father."
The old founders of Cedar Rapids were strong men in many ways. They were real live wires, and frequently spent money and devoted much of their time to exploit new industries. Such men as Geo. Greene, N. B. Brown, David King. S. D. Carpenter, W. B. Mack, R. C. Rock, P. W. Earle, H. G. Angle. J. E. Sanford, the Daniels family, the Ely family, the Weare family, the Bever family, and many others were men of rare intelligence, aggressive, enterprising, and wide awake, who came here to make a city at all hazards. They were true as steel to their convictions, enthusiastie in booming their town, and the "balance wheels" in time of need which kept things going. Even when some of these men lost heavily in the unfortunate steamboat ventures, in railroad exploitations, in bridges, dams, factory properties, and in other ways, they never complained, although at times it made them "men of sorrow and acquainted with grief."
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They never lost courage, and expected things to turn, even when they looked the darkest, and won in the end. The early pioneers were men keen to see an oppor- tunity. They were able to look ahead, and for this reason they perhaps hung on when times were hard and when enterprises failed to materialize. It was due to the enthusiastic spirit of those leading citizens that caused the Legare and Bryan families to invest $80,000 in gold in Linn county property. It was no doubt due to the up-to-date, progressive spirit of those citizens that led S. C. Bever to bring $30,000 in gold, which was invested mostly in city property in Cedar Rapids in the early '50s. It was no doubt due to the keenness of mind of the late Judge Greene, that John T. Waterhouse in an early day came to Cedar Rapids and invested much money in choice corner lots on which he erected, for that time, modern business blocks. But outside of a few men, most of the early pioneers came to the county without any means. These acquired in the course of a few years, large holdings which have since doubled in value several times. Few, if any, who invested in real estate in Cedar Rapids and Linn county in an early day and who had foresight enough to hold on to it, ever lost anything on such investments. Values have gradually increased until corner lots which sold for $10 in the early '40s in Cedar Rapids, have now a value of from $2,000 to $10,000, and lands in and around the city which were disposed of at $5 to $10 an acre, have sold at from $250 to $500 an acre, and even higher.
The settlement in Linn county was an event of more or less importance, for it was the last stand of the "free booters," and the last rush for cheap land in the Mississippi valley. The citizens came at an opportune time and took up the cheap lands, which soon rose in value. While during the panic of 1857, many of the farmers were unable to pay taxes on their farms and the value of farm produce was very low, yet they managed to get through. The panic of 1873 was not so disastrous on the farmers of Iowa, because by that time they had acquired more property and could afford to hold their stuff longer than in the panic of 1857. The land values stood still for awhile, but soon they began to move again and the farmer who had paid for an eighty-acre strip of land generally pur- chased another eighty or two, as he had plenty of help and the banks were willing to loan him the money. This land has more than doubled in the past twenty years, but the value of a season's crop now, as compared to forty years ago, has also more than doubled.
Elias Doty, the son of an old pioneer, contributes the following items re- garding Westport :
"The first squatter town in Linn county was Westport, situated on the east bank of the Cedar river, near a spring three-fourths of a mile below the mouth of Indian creek. In 1845 its buildings consisted of one double log cabin, one frame dwelling, one frame storehouse, and one frame grain elevator. My father ocenpied the storehouse as a pottery, where he made earthenware. The elevator was owned by Robert Holmes and occupied by H. G. Higley and Lawson Daniels, who hought wheat and built flatboats to float it to the St. Louis market. Our family were the only dwellers at the town at that time. Higley and Daniels boarded with us. They built their boats bottom up and when completed turned them over.
"Jacob Leabo lived a half mile below us, and Hiram Deem a half mile above us. I. W. Carroll and C. C. Cook lived at Dairy Dale, where they had started a brick kiln, which was the first in the county so far as I know. The first lime kiln was at Westport, where John Henry burned lime to plaster the houses of the town. The saw mill of the county at that time was near Bertram. It was started by my uncle, Elias Doty, who was killed at its raising in 1841. It was finished by James Briney."
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EARLY HOTELS IN CEDAR RAPIDS
While the Shepherd Tavern was the first place where strangers could be entertained in Cedar Rapids, it was not long till several hotels were started. "It has always been a hotel town," said an old settler, "for the reason that when people came here they liked it so well that they did not care to move and they stayed at the tavern as long as money and credit held out."
John Young, who held a elaim near Shepherd, erected a small house on Fourth avenne close to the river, which became known as the "Astor House." This was a double log house, 18x26, and one story high, according to the testimony of Robert Ellis, George R. Carroll, and others. This building had several additions built to it during the next five years. A Mr. Verbeek, a native of Vermont, was one of the early landlords. This house was occupied by J. L. Shearer, John Weare, James Hamilton, and several other well known pioneer families. The Listebargers kept a sort of hotel near the Sinelair iee houses in 1839-40, and here Robert Ellis and several other unmarried men boarded. The Listebargers did not keep strangers, only regular boarders.
Wm. Dwyer erected a real up-to-date hotel in 1847, as it was said there was a demand for such a building. It received the name of the Union House, with Jas. Gunning as the first landlord. It was located on Third avenue and Third street, near the present site of the Montrose Hotel. It was well spoken of and much patronized. The building was destroyed by fire in 1865. The American House and Greene's Hotel, both on First street, were well known places, sought by the traveling publie. Greene's Hotel was for years one of the leading hotels in Iowa, a four-story building on the corner of First avenue and First street where political rallies were held and banquets were served, and where balls oe- curred during the winter seasons.
The old Southern or Brown's Hotel was for many years one of the leading hotels. It is still operated under the name of Gorman's Hotel. The old Empire Honse was another hotel which in the early fifties was a place mneh frequented by the commercial traveler. It stood on the corner of Third avenue and Sec- ond street. Johnson's Hotel, on the west side, formerly Kingston Hotel, was also a well known place of entertainment. On the site of what is now the Cedar Rapids House there was operated for many years a popular little hotel which was always full to overflowing. One of the old elerks here used to reply to the fel- low who asked if they were full, "The clerk is, but the house never, come in." Many of the pioneer travelers, who wanted to eross Dave King's ferry, came to stay over night at this place. The river traffie inereased hotel trade, so did the gold eraze in California, but in 1859, when the railroads reached Cedar Rapids, every other home was turned into a rooming house to accommodate the traveling public.
The Grand, the Clifton, Palace Hotel, the Pullman, were for years busy places, till the Delevan, the Allison, and the Montrose were built.
A city is largely known by its hotels, as the word is generally passed along by the traveling men. Cedar Rapids stands well in the state as a hotel center.
In the Wolfe Directory for 1868 the following hotels are given Cedar Rapids: American House, G. F. Cheny ; Chieago House, Nick Pitting: Dubuque House, Anton Christle : Eagle Hotel, R. E. Baldwin ; Empire House, J. L. Peak ; Valley City House, Harvey & Sherund; Kingston Hotel, William Friis; Dubuque House; National Hotel, Humphrey & Bean.
BUSINESS IN 1856
From 1850 to 1860 Cedar Rapids had a marvelous growth, despite the panic of 1857 which wiped out some of the fortunes of those who had invested heavily
PART OF ZOO IN BEVER PARK, CEDAR RAPIDS
A SCENE IN BEVER PARK, CEDAR RAPIDS
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in wild lands and who had engaged in banking. The Voice of Iowa, a local news- paper, has the following to say of the wealth of the city's business enterprises :
Flouring mills, four ; planing mills, sash, doors and blinds, two; cooper, one ; wagon and carriage factories, five ; iron foundry, one; cabinet and chair factories, two; plow factories, three; boot and shoe factories, three; saddle and harness factories, three; tin, copper and sheet iron workers, four; woolen factory, one; brick yards, five; farm implement factories, two; merchant tailors, two; wood- working, two; newspapers, three; brick machine factory, one; grocery and pro- vision stores, eight; dry goods, fifteen ; clothing, five; drug stores, four ; jewelers, two; hardware, four; book stores, two; book bindery, one; liquor and cigars, six ; publie halls, five; hotels, five; churches, four ; lumber yards, four; bakery, one; banks, three; barber, one; public reading room, one. The same issue of the paper cites that the town should have a pork packing plant as well as a paper mill. It took a long time before the T. M. Sinclair Company's plant became an assured reality, which has become in time such a factor in the upbuilding of Cedar Rapids and Linn county.
The following list of business firms in Cedar Rapids in 1856 is of interest :
Dry Goods Stores - Shattuck & Dewey, Commercial street; L. Daniels & Co., Commercial street; C. E. Livingston, Carpenter's bloek, Commercial street ; Partridge & Cook, Commercial street; Leach & Wood, corner of Washington and Eagle streets ; Elder & MeClelland, corner Iowa avenue and Commercial street.
Grocery Stores -C. W. Stebbins, corner Front street and Iowa avenue, Kings- ton ; A. C. Keyes, Carpenter's bloek, Commercial street; Bever & Rowley, Com- mercial street ; J. H. Atwell, Commercial street.
Clothing Stores - David Kahn, Commercial street; Bangs & Bixby, Com- mercial street.
Hardware Stores - Rock & Camp, Commercial street; C. P. Spaethe, Com- mercial street; A. H. Brown & Co., Commercial street.
Drug Stores- J. P. Conkey, No. 3, Commercial block; James L. Enos, No. 4, Iowa avenue.
Jewelry Stores - J. T. Walker, Commercial street ; L. H. Keyes, Commercial street.
Book Stores - James L. Enos, No. 4, Iowa avenue.
Banking Houses - Greene & Weare, Commercial street; Ward, Bryan & Co., Commercial street ; W. A. Dodge, Carr & Co., Commercial street.
Land and General Agency Offices -- Whittam & Belt, Commercial street; Bates & Tousley, Commercial street; Carpenter, Lehman & Co., Commercial street ; H. Mount & Co., Washington street.
Furniture Ware Rooms - John Boyce, Iowa avenue; J. Alloway, Commercial street.
Builders, Joiners, Ete .- W. D. Watrous, designer and builder, Carpenter's block ; Smith & Williams, S on Madison, W on Washington street ; Elihn Robbins, residence Washington street; Hyatt & Moore, shop on Commercial street.
Blacksmith Shop and Plow Factory - Stephen L. Polloek, Linn street.
Lumber Yard - Charles & Carroll, Commercial street.
Carriage Manufacturers - Roswell Tibbetts, Benton street, West side; J. M. Chambers, Linn street.
Hotels - Empire House, W. M. MeMahon, corner Washington and Market streets ; Greene's Hotel, Coffman & Smith, Commercial street; Rapids Hotel.
Insurance Agents - S. C. Bever, Franklin and Marine; E. N. Bates, Hart- ford Fire; J. L. Enos, Iowa Insurance Co., Oskaloosa.
Bakery and Restaurant - Alexander Clinton, Commereial street; Walter D. Thompson, No. 6 South Commereial street.
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Millinery - Mrs. E. A. Emery, Brown's block, Kingston; Miss Mary E. Stewart, Rapids Hotel.
Physicians - S. C. Koontz, office Carpenter's block; J. H. Camburn, resi- denee Washington street; W. D. Barclay, residence lowa avenue; J. W. Edes, residence Washington street; Smith & Larrabee, office Commercial street; R. R. Taylor, office Carpenter's block ; H. Mount, oeulist, Washington street; McCauley & Pulsifer, dentists, Commercial street.
Attorneys and Counsellors - James J. Child, Commercial street; Bates & Tousley, Commercial street ; Henry Lehman, Commercial street ; D. M. McIntosh, Commercial street.
Nurseries - Central Iowa Nursery, J. B. Gate, proprietor, on west side, near city. Was established 1853. Mound Nursery, George Greene, proprietor, two miles north of the city.
Planing Mill - Alexander Ilager, shop 45x50 feet, two engines, one of nine and the other of twenty-four horsepower. Capital invested in plant and machin- ery, $10,000.
Lumber Mills - Greene & Graves, located at upper end of city. Mill 40x50 feet, two stories high; engine house, 24x60 feet, one story high. Had capacity of 5,000 feet of lumber per day, with lath, shingles, etc., in proportion. This establishment also included a machine shop 35x70 feet, three stories high; foun- dry of brick, 30x60 feet, and a brick blacksmith and plow shop 25x35 feet. Cap- ital invested, $25,000. J. J. Snouffer, one saw, entting 200,000 feet of lumber during three months, ending June 30, 1856. A circular saw for plow beams, wagon felloes, etc.
Saw Mill and Chair Factory - Dobbs & Dewey, capacity 10,000 feet of Ium- her a week. During year had turned out 8,000 chairs, 1,000 bedsteads and other articles. Fifteen hands employed. Capital, $12,000.
Churches - Presbyterian (Old School), Rev. R. H. Morrow, pastor. Wor- ships in Daniels' Hall. Subscription of $2.700 secured for a building, which with site is expected to cost $3,500. Membership, 46. Episcopal, Rev. S. Starr, rector. Church a fine structure and furnished in the neatest manner. Meth- odist Episcopal, destitute of pastor temporarily. More than one hundred mem- bers; largest congregation in city; more than 150 in attendance at Sabbath school. Baptist, West Side, Rev. J. Woodward, pastor. Temporary edifice to be erected present season. Membership between thirty and forty. Presbyter- ian (New School), Rev. L. F. Dudley, pastor. Church building small ; was first to be erected in the city. Affairs in a flourishing condition. Presbyterians (Seeeders), Rev. J. II. Sturgeon, pastor. Church edifice just erected and pews sold.
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