USA > Iowa > Linn County > History of Linn County Iowa : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 50
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So these gentlemen who had put up their money to save the city of Cedar Rapids from non-resident ownership of transportation lines, found their purpose frustrated and with a fair prospect of losing their entire investment. Rather than suffer this, a majority decided to acquire this new franchise at the best price obtainable, and then go ahead with construction according to its terms. After this decision Mr. Ives and Mr. Magnus retired from the enterprise and took back their money. Previously, during the negotiation for the franchise, Mr. S. C. Bever and Mr. U. C. Blake had sold out. On the organization of the new com- pany to take over the Thomson-Houston franchise, Mrs. Frances R. Greene, C. G. Greene and Geo. W. Bever sold their interests to the remaining stockholders.
Neither the Cedar Rapids and Marion Railway nor the Cedar Rapids Street Railway ever paid a dividend, so that all of the stockholders who had invested
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their money in these enterprises went ont with entire loss of income, and most of them with considerable loss of principal.
J. P. Messer was superintendent from January 1, 1881, to February 22, 1883, when he resigned and was sueeeeded by Win. Elsom, who remained superinten- dent until after the system had been changed into an eleetrie railway.
CEDAR RAPIDS AND MARION CITY RAILWAY COMPANY
The Cedar Rapids and Marion City Railway Company was organized May 11, 1891, and immediately thereafter purchased the franchise for electric railways in Cedar Rapids recently granted to the Thomson-Houston Electric Co., and also took over all the rights, property and franchises of the Cedar Rapids and Marion Railway. A franchise for twenty-five years for an electrie line from the terminal point in the city of Marion to the southwesterly city limits of Marion was granted to this company at about that time. The first officers were: Jas. L. Bever, pres- ident; Walter D. Douglas, vice-president; Chas. H. Clark. treasurer; Glenn M. Averill, secretary.
Within a few months Jas. L. Bever and A. T. Averill sold out and retired from the enterprise. After the reorganization resulting from this change in ownership, the officers were: P. E. Hall, president; W. D. Douglas, vice-president ; Chas. II. Clark, treasurer ; John S. Ely, secretary.
The stockholders were: Chas. II. Clark, Geo. B. Douglas, John S. Ely. J. S. Cook, Walter D. Douglas, Henry V. Ferguson, and P. E. Hall, of Cedar Rapids, Horaee Williams, of Clinton, Iowa, J. E. Ainsworth, of Conneil Bluffs, lowa, now of Williamstown, Vt., David P. Kimball and L. C. Kimball, of Boston, Mass., and J. Van Deventer, of Knoxville, Tenn.
No change of ownership except through division of estates of deceased stoek- holders has taken place up to the present time.
The work of construction and reconstruction was begun at onee and vigorously pushed during the season of 1891.
All tracks were entirely new excepting from Sixteenth street to Marion. Those across the First avenue bridge were laid with strap rails, nailed to the bridge plank The balance of the double track with 58 pound girder rails. All other new lines with 45 pound "T" rail. The strap rail was taken off the bridge and girder rail substituted a few years thereafter. The eity lines on the east side of the river were open for business in November, 1891, the west side lines in Decem- ber, 1891, and electric service begun to Marion in February, 1892.
The main line mileage of the road at this date, not counting spur and side- traeks is, within the eity of Cedar Rapids 12.85 miles, of which 2.28 miles is double track. From the city limits at Kenwood to Marion, 2.80 miles; total 15.65 miles.
The Marion line above Twentieth street through to Marion has been entirely rebuilt with new rails, the grades eut down, the alignment changed, the track ballasted, a new steel and concrete bridge built over Indian creek; so as to make that portion of the road fully adequate for the business.
Within the last three years all of the girder rail traeks east of the river havo been relaid with 60 and 80 pound "T" rails and the number of ties inereased fifty per cent.
The service has been increased to onee in fifteen minutes each way and ex- tended to twelve o'clock at night on all the lines excepting the Marion line, where the service is onee in twenty minutes during the day and up to 12:30 a. m.
The power plant first installed consisted of two 125 horsepower engines eon- nected by belts to two 75 k. w. generators. It now consists of one 400 horsepower engine belted to a 300 k. w. generator, and one 750 horsepower engine directly connected to a 450 k. w. generator. The output of power is equalized by a storage battery of 272 cells. The boilers, smoke stack, switch board, condensers and all minor machinery have been correspondingly inercased and improved.
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U. B. CHURCH, LISBON Built 1855
FIRST U. B. CHURCH WEST OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER Built and Presented to Members at Lisbon in 1850 by Rev. Christian Hershey
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The car barn (originally a wooden iron-elad building 80x140 feet) has been enlarged and new brick buildings erected with shop room for building car bodies and trucks, and making all necessary repairs to cars and electric equipment; so that the present storage shop and office buildings, with storage for lumber and ties, covers six full sized city lots. The company now builds its own car trucks and car bodies.
For the year 1892 (first year of operation of electric lines) the average number of employes was 81, and the total wages paid $37,610.12. For the year 1908 the average number of employes was 143 and the annual wages $84,328.73.
William Elsom was superintendent from the organization of the company until June, 1892, when he resigned and was succeeded by F. L. Diserens, who still holds that position.
The present officers and direetors are: P. E. Hall, president; Henry V. Ferguson, vice-president and secretary ; John S. Ely, treasurer.
The directors are P. E. Hall, John S. Ely, Henry V. Ferguson, George B. Douglas, and Edward C. Clark, all of Cedar Rapids; Walter D. Douglas, of Min- neapolis, Minnesota ; and David P. Kimball, of Boston, Massachusetts.
THE COMMERCIAL CLUB
FROM THE SATURDAY RECORD, JULY 10, 1909
The city of Cedar Rapids has had a number of commercial organizations, formed to advance the business interests of the community, in the sixty years of its existence, but all the earlier associations were of a more or less informal character, and while they did good work as long as the enthusiasm lasted, the time eame when each and every one passed into history. It was not until 1897 that a permanent commercial elub came into being and that organization, which is now known as the Cedar Rapids Commercial Club, has for the past twelve years played a most important part in the upbuilding of the city and the promotion of its best commercial and industrial interests.
The events leading up to the organization of the Commercial Club form an interesting story, and as the editor of The Record was personally identified with them, he here takes the liberty of making the faets a matter of record.
In April, 1897, a meeting of the Fifth District Editorial Association was held at Excelsior Springs, Mo., and as part of the entertainment, a delegation from the Commereial Club of Kansas City, escorted the members of the Editorial Asso- ciation from Excelsior Springs to Kansas City and devoted a day to showing them Kansas City from every point of view. The stock yards, the packing houses, the fire department, the newspaper offices, the parks were visited, a reception and luncheon were tendered at the Commercial Club rooms and a dinner was served at one of the leading hotels. Following the return of the party to Excel- sior Springs, A. N. Palmer, president of the Cedar Rapids Business College and editor of the American Penman, and the editor of The Record were discussing the splendid entertainment of the Kansas City boosters and what it meant to a city to have such a live organization; and it was then and there decided that Cedar Rapids ought to have such a club. The matter was talked over at length and the result was that as soon as possible after returning home, Mr. Palmer issued a letter to some 400 of the business men of the city reciting the need of such an organization in Cedar Rapids and ealling a meeting for the purpose of consider- ing its formation. That meeting was held in the assembly room of the Cedar Rapids Business College on the evening of June 8, 1897. It was deeided to form the club and at a subsequent meeting, held July 2d, the club was formally organized. A. N. Palmer was chosen the first president and the editor of The Record was elected temporary secretary, serving until the election of the first
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permanent paid secretary, Ed. R. Shaw, who assumed office July 15th. The first offices of the elub were in the Granby building, the rent being a donation from Mr. E. A. Higley. Subsequently, in May. 1901. came the consolidation of the Commercial Club with the Occidental Club and the removal to the Masonic Temple, which has since been the home of the club.
With the consolidation came the addition of the social feature, including read- ing room, billiards, and later, the inauguration of the noon-day lunch, which latter has proved to be most popular, and which has done much to bring the members in closer touch each with the other.
Ever since organization the Commercial Club has been fortunate in securing as officers men who have been willing and able to give the organization their time, best thought and energy, with the result that it has been and is now a live and potent force in the community. Such men as Palmer, Anderson, Forbes, Newman, Safely, Rall, and others, have filled the presidency with credit to them- selves and profit to the elub and the city, and in Shaw, Lincoln, Charles, Sim- mons, Sessions, Shaver, Bell, and Wunderlich the Commercial Club has had secretaries who have labored faithfully to further the best interests of the organ- ization and city. The present officers, J. F. Rall, president, and John Wunder- lich, secretary, are making records in their administration and achieving results that speak for themselves.
The work of the Commercial Club is so wide-spreading and presents so many aspects that it is impossible to refer to it in any detail. The idea of the club is to arrange systematic work to be done by the members, as well as hy the officers, and with that in view, there are a number of committees in charge of various de- partments of the work, as follows: Assembly, Civic, Entertainments, Executive, Ilouse, Interurban, Legislative, Manufactures, Mercantile, Membership, Navi- gation on Cedar River, Publie Institutions, Trade Extension, Tariff and Trans- portation, Special Convention, Railway Service, Statistics. These are all regular standing committees. In addition, many special committees are appointed to take up special or emergency matters.
As the result of the labors and aid of the Commercial Club, many prosperous and valuable manufacturing industries have been brought to Cedar Rapids the past twelve years. Many local businesses have been encouraged to start and aided on their way to success. Many established businesses that have needed en- couragement have been given it and other businesses that have found difficulties in their pathway have had those difficulties removed through the offices of the Commercial Club and its members. Conventions and publie gatherings of many kinds have been indueed to hold their meetings in this city through work performed by the Commercial Club. Vexations local disputes have been ad- justed, and when cities like Indianapolis have attempted to entice such organiza- tions as the Order of Railway Conductors away from Cedar Rapids, the Com- mercial Club has been found stanehly and successfully contesting the removal. When it was found necessary to seeure legislation amending some phases of the commission plan law to make it fully applicable to Cedar Rapids, it was the Commercial Club that went before the legislature and secured the needed amend- ments. It was the Commercial Club that first began the work of running trade excursions, an idea that has grown with each year. The trip of this spring, to Le Mars, via the Illinois Central and return via Sheldon, Mason City, and Calmar on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, occupying four days with ninety in the party, was by all odds the best and most profitable of all the series.
Within the past year a new and valuable department has been created in the freight traffic bureau. The work of this department is to bring about an equitable condition in freight rates for Cedar Rapids, as compared with other cities of like location and surroundings and eliminate discriminatory freight rates as compared with other jobbing eenters. In the prosecution of the work of this bureau, the
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Commercial Club has been most successful, for up to the present time adjustments brought about by the bureau represent a saving of about $24,000 per year to the manufacturers, jobbers and business men of the city. In addition to the work of bringing about an equalization of freight rates, an individual service is maintained for the purpose of examining freight claims against the railway companies. In this particular many claims of long standing have been satisfactorily adjusted.
The Commercial Club has a present membership of 280, made up of the leading business and professional men of the city. It is a live, active organiza- tion, reflecting the best and most progressive citizenship of the community. The club apartments occupy a large portion of the fourth floor of the Masonic Temple, are commodious and comfortable, and form a gathering place for the discussion of matters which affect the business prosperity of the city. Regular meetings of the board of directors are held every Monday noon, following a lunch served in the directors' room, and at these meetings the docket for the week is cleared up. It is a significant fact that these meetings are attended by practically the entire membership of the directory and that no matter is allowed to drag for want of immediate attention.
The officers and directors of the Commercial Club at the present time are: President, J. F. Rall ; first vice-president, F. Junkermann ; second vice-president, S. G. Armstrong; secretary, John Wunderlich; treasurer, L. W. Anderson; directors, J. W. Barry, J. S. Broeksmit, W. L. Cherry, J. M. Denning, Kent C. Ferman, J. M. Grimm, W. G. Haskell, Geo. T. Hedges, E. E. Pinney, R. I. Safely, John H. Taft.
WHO PAID THIE TAXES IN CEDAR RAPIDS FIFTY YEARS AGO
BY THOMAS DEVENDORF
Cedar Rapids has made many changes and improvements during the past half century. But perhaps no change has been so great as the change in the val- uation of property. In 1858 there was a population of only about thirty-five hundred within the city limits, and in the entire eounty only eighteen thousand. Twenty per cent of the population then resided in Cedar Rapids. Today wc claim nearly thirty-five thousand and over fifty per cent of the entire population of the county. At that time the area of the city was very much less than at present. Franklin street, now Eleventh street east, was as far as was platted. Beyond was heavily wooded and used in summers for picnic parties; to the south Carpenter's first addition had already been laid and but very few of the lots had been improved, the lower end, where the packing plant of T. M. Sinclair & Co. is located, was used as a race track, where the local horsemen competed. Kingston, on the west side of the river, was an independent municipality, having its own city government and city officers, and remained so until the year 1870, when it was annexed and became a part of the present Cedar Rapids.
The assessed valuation of the city for the year 1858 was for both real estate and personal the sum of $535,912-what proportion that amount will bear to the real cash value of the property the writer is unable to state. But it is the rule generally adopted by assessors to make the value much less than the price parties would buy and sell the same property for, and on this assessment of $535,912 a levy was made of two mills on the dollar, which, if the collector was diligent and had good luck, would have produced the sum of $1,071.00, which the city officers could use to carry on the affairs of the city - pay salaries, make improvements, grade streets, build crossings, and to meet all other expenses of the city. That this sum was inadequate for the purpose is shown by the fact that the larger share of the taxes of this year were paid in what they denominated "city script," which we call city warrants, so that the city fathers had very little
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real cash in the city treasury. This city seript was issued for work and salaries and such other expenses as were necessary and was not interest bearing, so that a party that had such seript was ready to dispose of the same to the best ad- vantage he could, and parties that had taxes to pay would gather up such seript at what discount they could get and use it for the purpose of paying their taxes. The larger tax payers all paid in "city script."
The city officials of that time are all dead. R. C. Rock was mayor; George Seymour, recorder; A. S. Koontz, treasurer; A. S. Belt, city attorney.
J. J. Snonffer and John G. Graves were the aldermen from the first ward : D. W. Sprague and R. R. Taylor, aldermen from the second ward; Wm. Rich- mond and S. A. Shattuck, aldermen from the third ward.
There are only eight residents of this city at the present time whose names ap- pear on the tax list of fifty years ago; the only ones we can remember are the following: James Bird, Isaae Carroll, E. Coulter. C. Fordyee, Jos. Perigo. David Lighty, P. F. Randall, and Wesley Stephens. Some of the above paid a poll tax only. David Lighty paid tax on lot 3, block 28, original town. and has paid taxes on this same lot all the years since and owns the prop- erty today. Isaac Whittam paid the taxes on lot 5. block 13, original town. This is the corner lot on which the Montrose Hotel is located. The lot was then valued at $550, and the tax was $1.10. Isaae Carroll paid the taxes on three city lots, the total value of which was $585; also on two horses, vahe $150; one car- riage, value $75; his tax was $1.92. paid in seript. E. Coulter paid on a stock of merchandise (drugs) valued at $800.
A few others who are listed on the tax books of half a century ago are known to be living, but have removed to other places.
W. W. Smith, of Minneapolis, who was an active business man at that time. owned five lots on Second street, between Fifth and Sixth avenues east, on which he built a large brick building, intending to use it as a hotel. It was, however. used as a residence property, and was known as the Wadsworth Block. This property was located where the Illinois Central railroad lately erected their fine new freight depot, corner of Fifth avenue and Second street.
S. D. Carpenter, now a resident of Chicago, paid the taxes on the south 280 feet of outlot 4, valued at $850, tax $1.90. This property is located on Third avenue, between Eighth and Tenth streets, and includes the homes of 1. Sinclair. Rev. Burkhalter, Ed. Clark, and the late home of Robert Williams.
Geo. Greene was the largest individual taxpayer of that day. He was assessed with some 70 city lots. Many of them were in the business part of town, the total assessed value of these was $28.575, and the tax was $56.40.
In his list were lots 3, 4. 5. 6. block 24 original plat, property on which is now located the Allison hotel, the College Inn and the three business rooms to the west, all on First avenue. Also a lot at corner of Second avenue and Fourth street, now owned by Mr. C. Magnus; these four lots were valued at $2,200 and the tax was $4.40. He owned lots 4 and 5 block 42 assessed at $300 each. These are now the homes of Dr. Geo. Carpenter and Mike Ford. He also paid the taxes on 125 feet on First street lots now occupied by the Rudolph block, the Gazette office. Geo. C. Haman drug store and Geo. Yuill farm implements. The total value of this 125 feet was $3,600, the taxes $7.20. At that time this property was occupied by a large three story hotel called Greene's hotel, and it is said by those who were guests of the house that it was one of the best west of Chicago. The next largest tax- payer was John F. Ely, who was assessed on 38 building lots at an assessed value of $24.800 and on which he paid a tax of $51.16. Lots 1, 2. 3, 4, 5, block 14, orig- inal plat, was valued at. $3,500.00, tax on same $7.00. This was his home. A comfortable, unpretentious cottage occupied the center of block, surrounded by shrubbery, flowers and many apple trees. These lots are now occupied by the large business houses of Jones & Luberger, Martin Dry Goods Co., the Dows block
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on the corner of Second street and Second avenue, and also Snowden's, corner of Third street and Second avenue. He also was assessed with the property now belonging to the Churchill estate, corner of First street and Second avenue, value $1,150.00, tax on same $2.30. Lot 10, block 24, original plat, now occupied by the Cedar Rapids National Bank and for many years known as the old Baptist church corner, was assessed at $700.00 and the tax was $1.40.
Mr. Ely was also the owner of lots 4, 5, 8, 9, block 15, which is now the John H. Taft corner, and the store of Ludy & Taylor, all on First avenue, to- gether with the property on which is located the "Oriel" block and part of the next lot to the west, both on Second avenue. These four lots now just in the most valuable part of the business district, were valued at $2,850.00, on which he paid the city tax of $5.70. The lot on the corner of Second avenue and Fifth street on which the Public Library is located, was one of his lots and is one that he continued to own up to the time it was condemned by the library board for the purpose of ereeting the library building. This lot was assessed at $425.00, tax paid 85 cents. He was also the owner of lots 8, 9, 10, block 23, original plat. These are on First avenue between Fourth and Fifth streets. These three lots were assessed at $1,350.00, tax paid on same, $2.70.
The lots 1 and 2, block 4, was also included in his distriet. These are on the corner of First street and Second avenue. It was regarded as valuable property by the assessor of fifty years ago, as he has these two lots assessed at $3,700.00. No other two lots in the city were rated at so high a value as these. This must have been regarded as the best business location of that day.
The next Cedar Rapids tax payer who had to gather up the next largest amount of city serip with which to pay his city tax was Mr. N. B. Brown, who was assessed with 47 eity lots the total value of which was $20,750. This with some personal property, as merchandise, horses, eows and bridge stock made his total property valuation $23,290.00 and on this amount he paid a city tax of $46.58. Mr. Brown was one of the owners of the original plat of the city and many pieces of property which are now very valuable was at that time set off to him as his share of the original town plat.
Lots 3 and 4, block 25, are two valuable pieces of property. These are on Second avenue between Third and Fourth streets and on which is located the Damour Grocery Honse, and some of the property on which the new government postoffice is erected. These two lots were assessed at $900.00 on which he paid a tax of $1.80. Mr. Brown also was the owner of lots 6, 7, 8, block 23. These were on the north side of First avenue and extended from Fourth street west to where the Grand hotel now is and included the Chicago & Northwestern freight depot, the Pullman House, the Delavan hotel and the property now owned by Mr. Lan- sing and used as a saloon. These three valuable lots were then assessed at $1,700.00 on which he paid the tax of $3.40.
Another fine piece of property was his home, which was the entire block 38. His fine brick residence was located in the center of the block and was at that day one of the finest dwellings in this part of the state. These ten lots which were all included was valued at $3,250.00. This property has been sold and sub-divid- ed until the only part left is the southeast corner of the block which N. E. Brown his son, now occupies with a fine modern brick dwelling, directly opposite Grace Episcopal church.
He was also the owner of the property on which Gorman's hotel is located. This hotel was built by Mr. Brown and a few years after it was considered the best hotel to be found in this part of the state. The upper story was finished for an amusement place and before the building of Greene's opera house this was the only place that could be used for that purpose.
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