USA > Iowa > Linn County > History of Linn County Iowa : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 56
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"A. D. Collier, Geo. A. Lincoln, D. A. Dingman, P. H. Francis, Hiel Hale.
"After some time spent in deliberation the committee reported the following names to be placed upon the several standing committees. They also reported names of persons as officers of the day, the whole report being adopted :
"President of the day, Capt. Wm. B. Leach.
"Chief marshal, Col. T. Z. Cook, with power to choose his own assistants.
"Finance committee, J. F. Charles, Capt. Otto, George Wynn.
"Committee on grounds, Ed. Thompson, Ed. Buttolph, J. I. Calder.
"Flowers, L. M. Ayers, Geo. A. Lincoln, Geo. H. Rhodes, R. A. Austin, George Hesse.
"Decorating graves, P. H. Francis, Hiel Hale, C. H. Sterneman, Dr. Bliss, Jos. Stoddard, with privilege to choose five ladies to fill the committee.
"Invitation, Capt. W. W. Smith, S. Neidig, Dr. Skinner.
"Speakers, A. D. Collier, D. A. Dingman, W. B. Leach.
"Printing, A. H. Neidig, Dr. F. S. McClelland, Dr. Camburn.
"Music, C. Ferguson, Mr. Baxter and Dr. Bliss.
"On general arrangements, W. B. Leach, J. F. Charles, Ed. Thompson, L. M. Ayers, P. H. Francis, W. W. Smith, A. D. Collier, A. H. Neidig, and C. Fergu- son.
"On motion of Capt. Win. B. Leach, Captain Otto, as the last commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, was instructed to call a meeting of the soldiers and sailors of this vicinity to have them meet and consult with regard to the part they shall take in the observance of the day.
"On motion adjourned."
The program of that first Decoration Day was as follows :
"The following programme will be observed on Decoration Day :
"President of the day - Col. W. B. Leach.
"Chief Marshal -Col. T. Z. Cook.
" Assistant Marshals - Capt. W. S. Bradley, Geo. W. Wynn, A. D. Collier.
"Chaplain - Rev. A. B. Kindig.
"Orators - Rev. Col. S. H. Henderson, Hon. Col. N. M. Hubbard.
"At ten o'clock a. m. the procession will form on the corner of Iowa avenue and Commercial street in wagons, and headed by the band, will proceed to the cemetery on the west side, where the graves will be decorated, and after which an oration will be delivered by Col. S. H. Henderson.
"At two o'clock the procession will form on Iowa avenne, the right resting on Commercial street.
" The following will be the order.
"Music.
"1. Grand Army of Republic.
"2. Independent Fire Company.
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"3. Bohemia Society.
"4. Hook and Ladder Company.
"5. Odd Fellows.
''6. Fire Company Steamer.
“7. Citizens on foot.
"8. Carriages.
"Line of march will be down Commercial street to Eagle, up Eagle to Mad- ison, down Madison to Greene street, thence to Oak Hill Cemetery, where the graves will be decorated, after which an oration will be delivered by Hon. Col. N. M. Hubbard.
" All soldiers and citizens in the vicinity are cordially requested to be pres- ent, and assist in paying respeet to our honored dead.
"Soldiers will leave the number of their regiment at the Times office and they will be furnished with a badge to wear on the occasion."
Following is the account of the exercises of that day with the text of the ad- dress delivered by Judge Hubbard. It is taken from the Daily Republican of May 31, 1873 :
"Decoration Day has come and gone. It brought with it the noble thought to honor the heroie dead of our land, and left thousands of green graves strewn with choieest flowers of spring. This kindly and befitting token of love and honor was placed on every soldier's grave, to show how green and fresh in our hearts are the memories of their noble deeds. This day is one of mixed sorrow and pleasure - sad for the heavy sacrifiees that had to be made, but happy to keep green the sacred memories of those who fell for their country's good.
"The soldiers and sailors, who have died to save the nation's life, will never be forgotten so long as flowers are strewn upon the quiet graves beneath whose verdant mounds those gallant hearts lie stilled forever.
"It is the sum of mortal glory for posterity to gather around the tombs of fallen heroes, as around holy shrines, and pour out their libations in songs, prayers and in fitting words of praise on their noble lives and gallant deeds.
"The day opened yesterday morning with a rain storm, which continned more or less until about ten o'clock. It looked diseonraging indeed, and many hearts felt sad at the uninviting prospeet.
" At eleven o'eloek a few persons gathered on the west side and proceeded to the cemetery ou that side of the river, and spent a short time in decorating the graves of a few soldiers that lie buried there. Rev. S. H. Henderson spoke a few moments on the importance of the occasion when the company dispersed and returned to their homes.
"By noon the clouds had eleared away and the sun shone forth beautifully. At half past 2 o'clock Washington street in the vicinity of the City Hall was crowded with a large number of people who were listening to the fine strains of music that the Ferguson band were discoursing. About three o'clock the procession began to move, and in pretty much the same order as has already been published in the Republican. Between seventy-five and a hundred carriages, buggies, and wagons were in the procession, preceded by many footmen ; also a number were on horseback. It was one of the most brilliant occasions of the kind that was ever witnessed in Cedar Rapids.
"We are umable to go into the partienlars, as we have not the space today to reeord them.
"The number on the cemetery grounds has been estimated by many at two thousand people, and some have raised the estimate a thousand more. The following graves were decorated :
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"John Harrison, Henry N. Graves and Carter Berkley, 6th Iowa Cavalry, Co. K; Henry Fleek, 40th Ind. Inft .; John Hall, 31st Iowa; Amos Fergeson, Band, 15th Iowa Inft .; James Morehead, Sr., Co. I, 37th Iowa Inft .; James More- head, Jr., Co. K, 9th Iowa Inft .; Judson L. Boughton, Co. D, 12th Iowa Inft .; Parker Ayres, Co. D, 12th Iowa Inft .; Robert Mallahan, Co. A, 37th Iowa Inft .; James Hammersley, 31st Vt. Int., J. R. C .; Henry Berger, Minn., Minn .; Geo. Wells, 141st Penn. V. Inft .; Edward W. Calder, Co. D, 12th Iowa Inft .; Lt. Joseph Hollan, 20th Inft .; Benj. Shaw, 20th Inft .; Donald Lothian, 31st Inft. West side - David Martin, 24th Inft .; Ebenezer Martin, 12th Inft .; John Dean, 20th Inft .; Donaldson, -. After these interesting decoration ceremonies were over, the people gathered around the stand that had been erected for the purpose, where the following programme was carried out:
"Music by the Band.
"Music by the Glee Club, 'Praise of the Soldier.'
"Prayer by Rev. A. B. Kendig.
"Music, 'Star Spangled Banner,' by the Glee Club.
"Oration by Col. N. M. Hubbard.
"Music by the Band.
"Music, 'America' Sung by the Glee Club and Audience.
"Benediction by Rev. A. B. Kendig.
"JUDGE HUBBARD'S ADDRESS
"Judge Hubbard's address was so fine that we reproduce it entire. He spoke as follows :
"My Countrymen, and Comrades of the Army of the Union :
"Courage and bravery always challenge admiration, but when combined with exalted patriotism, they command the affection and gratitude of mankind.
"The highest earthly care of man is to preserve as long as possible this life, and therefore the greatest human sacrifice is to give this life for one's country.
"History is full of examples of this sacrifice in all time, and yet its frequency has never lessened the appreciation of it.
"Patriotism - love of country, makes a great nation possible. Without it men would live isolated, or in mere tribes, and powerless.
"The intellectual development of man shows him at once how weak and insignificant he is alone, and he seeks, by a combination of great numbers, to attain not only great power, but even immortality. We all know that our own lives are short, but the life of a nation may be so long, that we are apt to make delusion that it may be immortal, real.
"The natural love and anxiety we have for our children, who are to live after us, extend to and embrace the country and the government in which they are to live.
"Henee, we may be said to have two lives, an individual and a national one ; and the latter commands the former in proportion to its increased span. We val- ue everything somewhat in proportion to its power to last.
"The study and contemplation of the national life, of which we are a part is always a matter of interest and solicitude.
"On every hand men arc seemingly wholly engaged in devising and planning for their individual prosperity and happiness, and silently but surely national prosperity and greatness follow these individual efforts. It is only when the nation stands in immediate peril, that we become aware how much greater our anxiety is for it, than even for ourselves.
"You who can recall the thrill of horror, of anxiety, and of grim determination that came over you when the news first came that Sumter was fired upon, and the Stars and Stripes were shot away, can tell, hut I can not describe what bound- less sacrifices the national life is capable of calling forth.
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"How quick we found what a pride and what an interest we had in the mag- nitude, power, and prosperity of our country, and how firmly we were attached to its beneficent government.
"The history of modern civilization in Europe has shown a constant struggle for many years for what they call the balance of power.
"Five leading nations, speaking five different languages, and having different modes of thought and life, have watched and emulated each other, and cach at times has had the reputation of being the most powerful. Fifty years ago France was foremost. today Prussia is the first power in Europe. These changes may be traced almost indefinitely.
"In all the past, the national life, the national pride has grown with the growth of civilization.
"It would be impossible that a nation should become great or powerful with- out a national self-love that wrought glowing pictures of its manifest destiny.
"We find ourselves possessed of a country whose prodnetive extent is far greater than all Europe, with its 300 million population, put together.
"Beginning a little less than a hundred years ago with a population of three million, it has doubled every twenty-five years, if we shall reach forty-eight mil- lion in 1875, which seareely admits of a doubt. The whole emigration added is less than six million.
" At the same rate of inerease for the next one hundred years our population will reach the enormous figures of seven hundred and sixty-eight millions. But suppose we shall touch the resistance, namely the lack of territory to supply so great a population with food; yet we may safely estimate reaching five hundred million, and the population equally distributed will then be about equal in density to the present population of Massachusetts.
"I have neither time nor is it necessary to describe the variety of climate embracing the tropie and the temperate zones, nor the vastness, nor the fertility, nor the mineral and coal resources of our country.
"Thus far nothing is problematical, but the people of future America are a study.
"We know how sturdy and enduring the Anglo-Saxon is, how volatile yet tenacious is the Frenchman, how sober, solid and unwavering is the German, and how hardy and everlasting are the people who inhabit with the Polar bear. These are American now, but the Ethiopian and the Asiatie are to be added. The Star of Empire from the East and from the West have met upon the American continent. I believe the original Anglo-Saxon trunk will sustain all these grafts and that a nation will come of us by the eross of all eivilized people that will be as superior to any of them, as the grafted fruit is superior to that of the seeding. Future America will be fitly symbolized by the Lion and the Polar Bear, sur- mounted by the American Eagle.
"With one country, one language, one hope, one aspiration, bent sublimely upon achieving the highest intelligence, virtue, and culture that man can ideal, diffused through a population of five hundred million people, inhabiting one- quarter of the habitable earth with a republican government, is a spectacle that the world has never yet seen, but is to see through ns and our children.
"And but for these saered graves, which we, and all the people throughout the land, have come today to erown with wreaths of flowers, no such hope, no such picture of the future of our country would be possible.
"The future destiny of the American absolutely demanded that the funda- mental idea of the Declaration of Independence should be made true, and that Liberty (in fact, as in name) should be proclaimed throughout all the land to all the inhabitants thereof, and also, that the United States should be one and in- separable forever.
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"Need I tell you how bravely and how well the army of the Union settled these questions? The men who lie silent beneath our feet and their comrades, have taught the South, and Great Britain, and the world, that the belt of country usually known as the North is the heart and power of the Republic. It is the strong arm that pushes the car of civilization in the new world. It is the second Defender of the faith of our Forefathers. It has fought the good fight, and many of its bravest sons have gone to their reward.
"The Republic is emancipated, impartial suffrage and equality before the law established, and the work of regeneration is left for us and our posterity.
"During all the long struggle which literally ridged the country with graves like these, there was everywhere present, through the ranks of the grand army, an abiding faith in the future greatness of their country, and in the final triumph. No soldier ever despaired of the Republic.
"We come today to crown their valor by decorating their graves. What great eulogy can we pronounce upon them ?
"These silent graves are more eloquent than the tougues of the living. Their deeds commemorate their fame and their names do live after them.
"'As we meet year after year to perform this ceremony of love and gratitude to our fallen comrades, new graves will be added and new obligations will rest upon us, until the last soldier of the Army of the Union is laid to rest.
"When that day comes, let us trust that the national life and prosperity that has cost so much to maintain and defend, will be inestimably dear to our children, and that they may fully realize all the hopes and aspirations of our forefathers and the second Defenders of the faith. If we shall not be disappointed in this, the 30th day of May will be as sacred as the 4th of July.
"But new trials and new perils await us. Poverty is the home of virtue, and riches the abode of vice. The Republic has passed the age of poverty, and is approaching the age of wealth - always the sure accumulation of generations. Rome withstood all her enemies from without and within, but the corruption fol- lowing in the train of her conquests overcame her.
"If Heaven permits departed heroes still to know and watch over our beloved country, what anxious prayers are being made now, lest the blessing which the hand of their forefathers have left shall be wasted by the political dissension, frauds, corruptions, and wealth of coming generations! It is not fitting that I should name here and now what you all know so well and deplore. But may I not ask that we consecrate ourselves anew over these sacred graves, and resolve that our remaining days shall add something to the purity, patriotism, and lustre of our country that has been vouchsafed to us through the blood of these martyrs of liberty.
"But whatever of adversity or misfortune may be in store for us as a nation, the fault in no way rests upon these graves. Their services and their fame are secure.
"And today also the graves of the Confederate dead are decorated and strewn with flowers. It is a deserved tribute to their valor and patriotism. They had been educated to believe that the South alone was the nation. We believed and knew that the nation was from ocean to ocean and from the gulf to the lakes. But it was half slave and half free.
"Today it is all free, and fifty years hence, if our hopes of the future of the Republic are realized, the South and North will rejoice in a common joy, that 'Union and Liberty' have been so signally preserved to them and their posterity forever.
"And while we wreath flowers for these graves, let us not forget to return thanks and give honor to the brave seamen who guarded our coasts, and let the 'Father of Waters go unvexed to the sea.'
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"And the widow and orphan of the soldier and sailor, let them be remembered with blessings, with charity and with thanks. All they have left them for their great saerifiec is their country and its gratitude. Let these be generous and unsparing.
"And still again let us not forget the brave men and women who fed and clothed all, who nursed and cared for the sick and wounded, who cheered and encouraged all with patriotic deeds and words. And finally, and above all, let us thank God who gave us the vietory, whereby it has become possible that the Stars and Stripes float over an unbroken emancipated Republic, strong enough to maintain its existence against all foes, and yet without power to abridge the liberties of the humblest citizen."
FIRST LOCAL LABOR UNION ORGANIZED IN THE CITY FROM CEDAR RAPIDS REPUBLICAN, JUNE, 1906
It was in 1882 that an agitation was instituted in the city of New York, in which all the great labor organizations of the United States took part, and out of which grew the setting apart of Labor Day as a day of recognition of the cause of labor. It was not until 1887, however, that the germ thmus planted gave fruit. On February 21, 1887, the state of Oregon passed a law setting aside the first Saturday in June for the observanee of the cause of labor, and six years later the first Monday in September was chosen by the same state. That day has been observed ever since. The second state to legalize the holiday was New Jersey, and in May of the following year New York passed a similar law, Col- orado and Massachustts soon followed. In 1890 many of the other states passed acts recognizing the day. West Virginia and North Carolina were far behind the rest in this regard and did not legalize the day until 1899.
The first great labor demonstration was held in New York city in 1882 and the parade which took place on that day is still remembered as an event of unus- ual magnitude. All the labor organizations of the city were in line and with their splendid floats, banners, etc., they made an imposing spectacle.
The following year it was determined to repeat, if possible, the parade of 1882, which had come to be termed "The Labor Day Parade." This time the date was changed to the first Monday in September and when in 1884 the dis- cussion of a repetition of the occasion came up, George B. Floyd offered a resolution in the Central Labor Union convention to the effect that the first Monday in September be declared Labor Day. The resolution was unanimously adopted and at the next session of the legislature a bill was introduced deelaring Labor Day a legal holiday. There was considerable objection to the measure. however, and it was not until 1887 that a majority in its favor could be rallied together.
With the day recognized by the legislature of New York and two other states a concerted effort was made to secure action by the various labor organizations throughout the country, and in a few years the majority of the states had de- clared in its favor.
Curiously enough the original Labor Day was just after the organization of the first local in this city, which the "old residents" say is Typographical Union No. 192. There may be some objection to this claim on the part of some of the present members of the typographieal union. The charter of the Typographical Union local is now hanging in the K. P. hall, and it is dated December 26, 1881. Unless challenged the members of the Typographical Union will elaim the honor of being the first organization of union labor in the city of Cedar Rapids. The charter hears the names of the following charter members:
C. M. Hopkins, George S. Bradley. Harry Ingalls, J. D. Canan. L. C. Hay, I. B. Kramer, J. II. Enos.
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If the memory of Sam Snouffer is correct the local was organized among the employees of the Republican office and it was a local of newspaper printers only. Sam says that he was a job printer at the time and the boys on the cases who organized the local didn't at first allow job printers to hold membership in their organizations. He says that the local was organized for a fight and it had it at frequent intervals during the early part of its history. But it grew and flour- ished and today the Typographical Union Local in Cedar Rapids is recognized as a conservative, yet aggressive body of men, with the courage to ask for its rights and the level headedness to get those rights without trouble.
THE STORY OF A MOUNTAIN HOWITZER
During the war when the boys were about to return home they sought to carry back mementoes of the long struggle. Company E of the Twelfth Iowa as a trophy of the war picked up a mountain howitzer which had been captured by the rebels and re-captured by the United States troops. Some members of Com- pany D of the Twelfth Iowa then, by some means known only to the soldier boys, unlawfully laid claim to the cannon and Homer Morehead, one of the old Cedar Rapids boys, was able to get the cannon as far as Davenport, the city council of Cedar Rapids providing means to get it to Cedar Rapids.
The cannon, a two hundred pounder, was used freely by every organization for a number of years whenever any celebration took place. During the Grant campaign, in October of that year, the republicans had a blow-out and the cannon was used; in this celebration the cannon was slightly damaged and was hauled down to Jolın Mehan's for repairs. While there some person, or persons, saw fit to take it in the night time and nothing was heard of it for many years. A note was tacked up to the wall where the cannon had been left for repairs to the effect that it would be returned and shot off when a democratic president was inaugurated. The soldier boys and many of the prominent citizens of Cedar Rapids were very much stirred up over this affair and publicly accused a num- ber of prominent Cedar Rapids democratic citizens of stealing the cannon, but no one, at least who was publicly accused, admitted having anything to do with it.
The incident was nearly forgotten wlien Cleveland was elected, the first dem- ocratie president since the Civil war. One morning as Harry Brown was walking down the street John Mehan called to him to come over and see what he had found. There, sure enough, was the same old mountain howitzer cleaned up and in first class repair, with a note tied to it that it was returned as agreed and would be ready for action in due time. This affair stirred up the republican camp once more and threats were made that this cannon would never be shot off to celebrate a democratic victory, and it never was.
It now remains as a relic in the old postoffice building, and many are the citizens of Linn county who have inspected this little cannon and have heard the story told by the old settlers.
Not until a short time ago was it definitely known who removed the cannon from the Mehan shop in 1868. A Center Point person had been accused of having something to do with it; how truc this is no one knows. It is thought that two young men in the employ of N. B. Brown, a stanch democrat, took the cannon and placed it in the stable owned by O. P. Emery which stood on the ground where the Denecke building now stands. Mr. Emery no doubt knew of the whereabouts of the cannon, and when he removed up on Second avenue a heavy. box was moved by workmen supposed to contain tools. When Mr. Emery re- moved to the home of his son-in-law, John B. Henderson, on First avenue, the same heavy box was once more moved. Mrs. John B. Henderson noticed that her father, after the election of Cleveland, spent several days in the barn working steadily polishing up some iron, but she never inquired what he was doing or
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what he wanted to accomplish. A short time before his death O. P. Emery ad- mitted to his daughter that while he did not remove the cannon he knew of its whereabouts and had some of his intimate friends restore it to the Mchan shop after Cleveland's eleetion as it had been agreed in the letter or note left the night of the capture of the cannon when no one was around to watch this much prized treasure.
A FORTUNATE TUMBLE
Linn county during the Civil war had its share of so-called "copperheads," as well as a goodly number of loyal sympathizers known as "fire eaters." Dur- ing this period of our country's history many unfortunate affairs occurred of which all parties ever afterwards were ashamed. In a state where the majority was strong in favor of the war measure it behooved those who were against this measure not to say too mneh. Frequently innocent people had to suffer for the aets of some one who talked openly and above board, not only against the pres- ident but against those who were instrumental in sending troops to the front. Democrats in the north were classed by the republicans as follows: Those who went to the front as loyal demoerats, and those who stayed at home as "copper- heads," although they may have been otherwise law-abiding citizens.
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