USA > Iowa > Lucas County > History of Lucas County, Iowa containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc > Part 67
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Newbern, a small town and postoffice in Marion county, adjoins the township on the north side near the northwest corner. Belinda is a post- office across the line in Pleasant township. At these points, and at Chariton, the citizens receive their mail.
A large amount of coal is mined from what are usually termed surface veins, along little Whitebreast creek in the southwest part of the town- ship. The principal market of this township is Chariton.
JACKSON TOWNSHIP.
Population in 1880, 1,985. Jackson township is in the middle of the west tier of townships in Lucas county. By the United State survey it was numbered township seventy-two, north of range twenty-three west, of the fifth principal meridian.
Whitebreast creek enters the township near the south-west corner, and flowing in a north-east and easterly direction, passes out of the township on the east side. Brush creek is a tributary of Whitebreast, and rising near the west line of the township, flows east, and empties into White- breast near the center of the township. Otter creek cuts off nearly a section of the north-west corner. Along Whitebreast, and south of the same, are large bodies of good timber.
The surface of a considerable part of the land of this township is quite broken and rough, and while the larger part can be cultivated, it being better adapted for grazing, will not be likely to be improved until after all the better land is occupied.
According to the tax-books of 1880, there are 23,167 acres of taxable
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land in the township, of which not over one half is in cultivation. Con- sidering the proximity to railroad stations, there is probably a smaller proportion of improved land in this township than in any other one in the county, which is partly on account of its broken character, and partly because a great deal of the land is owned by speculators and non-resi- dents, who will not sell at a fair price.
The first known settlers located in this township in the year 1850. These were Joseph Mundell, who settled in section thirty-five, and E. C. Rankin and Adam S. Yoakley, who came together and stopped in sec- tion one. William Quinn came in 1851. Nathan Dix came in 1852, and located on section three. Moses N. Marsh came in 1853, and pitched his tent on section eleven. John Mundell, S. W. Prin and H. C. Worthington came in 1854.
The first death occurring within the township, was that of H. C. Worth- ington, in August 1856. He was buried in what is now the township cemetery, a few miles northwest of Lucas. Joseph Mundell, the first settler, now advanced in years, sold his farm a short time ago, to M. P. Baker, and now takes his ease at the home he has purchased for himself in Lucas.
E. C. Rankin farmed, and kept store, and performed the functions' of justice of the peace. He was also postmaster of Tallahoma, located where he kept his store, a couple of miles north of where Cleveland now is. He is the original man who lost thousands of dollars every year by not having cattle to eat the grass growing on the miles and miles of open prairie, which surrounded him. When he went west, to grow up with the coun- try, he must have taken Tallahoma with him. At any rate, it exists no longer-crowded out by the railroad. S. W. Prin is still a prosperous farmer, and seems no older than he did fifteen years ago. The others are dead, or scattered. A new generation have taken their places.
The first school was taught in a house built by Peter B. Pearson, in 1859, for that purpose, in what is now district number two, in the north- west part of the township; at which ten or twelve pupils were in attend- ance. In this same house, the first religious service was held by William S. Hughes, a minister of the Baptist church.
The township is now divided into seven school districts, with a school house in each one. In the Lucas district, there are three schools, two of which are taught in the house belonging to the district, in the town of Lucas, and the other in a room, furnished for the purpose in Cleveland. The rapid increase in the school population has rendered these entirely inadequate, and more room is needed and will doubtless soon be provided.
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LUCAS.
Population in 1880, 981. The Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Company constructed its road through Lucas county during the year 1866, and located a station in Jackson township, which was called Lucas.
On the 9th day of May, 1868, H. S. Russell, trustee for the owners of the land, laid out and platted the town of Lucas on part of the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section fourteen, and part of the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section twenty-three, just north of the railroad track. The original town consisted of twelve blocks, separated by streets, and contained one hundred and eight lots. A few lots were sold to different persons, but soon afterward the town lot company sold the whole of the town, and the land they owned adjoining, to John W. Ladow, who came from the state of New York and located here.
The town at first grew slowly, although considerable business was transacted, it being the nearest shipping point for a large section of coun- try lying northward; extending into Warren county.
The discovery of coal early in 1876, gave an impetus to the town which began to build up and still continues to do so. Mr. Ladow, who had bought land adjoinging the town, concluded to extend it to the north. On May 22, 1876, he laid out and platted the balance of the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section fourteen, being just north of the old town of Lucas, into eight blocks more, containing sixty-two lots, which he called Ladow's addition.
On May 2, 1877, Mr. A. M. Hood surveyed and platted the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section thirteen, and a small strip north of the railroad and wagon road, of the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section twenty-four, which he called Hood's addition. He has sub-divided and re-sub-divided it until he has one hundred and forty-five town lots. He has also platted part of the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section thirteen, into lots containing one acre or less, which, although not called an addition to Lucas, is really a part of the town.
On November 19, 1877, Mr. Jedediah Knotts platted another strip of the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section twenty-three, lving south of the railroad track, into eighteen lots, and called it Knotts' addition.
On May 15, 1879, Mr. Knotts platted part of the north half of the south- east quarter of section fourteen, into a number of lots containing upwards of an acre each, intended for suburban residences, and this he called Knotts' second addition.
A short time since, June 14, 1881, Mr. James B. Knotts platted an addition consisting of part of the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter
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of section fourteen, part of the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section fourteen, and part of the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section twenty-three, in all, eighty-six lots, and which is called Knotts' third addition. This addition is in two parts, nearly a half mile from each other, and one of them. would probably have been called Knotts' fourth addition, had it not been feared the numbers would run out before they would get through making Knotts' addition. Another part of Lucas which is not within the town proper, is a strip off the northwest corner of the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section twenty- four, on which are situated Gilmore & McCulloch's store, and a number of other business houses. They are apparently right in the heart of the town, and yet are in fact, not in Lucas at all.
Soon after the discovery of coal at Cleveland, some gentleman at Lucas, seeing no reason why the same vein would not extend further west, con- cluded to prospect for it, and sunk a shaft close to, and just west of the town. This company was composed of A. Knotts, J. W. Ladow, and C. H. Jack, of Lucas, and a Mr. Dufur, of Murray. A large amount of money was expended, and at various times there seemed a brilliant pros- pect for them, but for some reason they quit work and the shaft remained idle for a couple of years. But in 1879, the Union Coal and Mining Company bought out, or leased the shaft, and proceeded to sink it deeper and found a good paying vein of coal which they worked for only a short time. Whether the vein proved too small to work to advantage, or whether the Union Company is reserving it for future use, is a question that seems to remain undecided.
In 1877, Mr. D. Eikenberry, of Chariton, tried the experiment of sinking a shaft a short distance east of Lucas, but after expending several thousand dollars, he concluded that it was a business that he did not understand, and returned to his former occupation of buying grain and stock, which he knew he did understand thoroughly.
In March, 1879, a company was organized and called the Lucas Coal Company. It consisted, in part, of business men in Chariton, and, in part, of miners and others, residing at Lucas. In sinking the shaft, it seemed to be the understanding that the miners were to furnish the labor of sink- ing the shaft in payment of their shares of stock, and the other parties were to furnish the necessary cash to carry the business along properly. This arrangement did not seem to work well. The company got into debt, and its franchises were sold out by the sheriff. On the ruins of this company, and composed, in part, of the same persons, another company was organized in November, 1880, and called the Chariton Coal Com- pany. The shaft sunk by the Lucas company is operated by the Chari- ton company, under the superintendence of Mr. Thomas A. Francis, a
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campetent, practical miner, who is a very pleasant gentleman, and thor- oughly understands the best means of conducting mining operations, from · long practical experience.
The success of the coal mines at Lucas seem to have had the effect of convincing many that mining operations generally are very profitable; hence, quite a number of the citizens of Lucas have invested their sur- plus means in silver mining stocks, which, it is hoped, will eventually yield them a handsome return.
About the year 1870, Reverend W. C. Hollyday, of Chariton, organized a society of the Presbyterian Church, at Lucas. Among the leading members were John A. Robison and E. E. Rankin. The society now numbers about thirty members, with Rev. Mr. Allen as pastor. Soon after the organization of the society, they proceeded to construct a church building, which is now used by them jointly with a society of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church.
The last named society was organized about the year 1878, by Rever- end S. Guyer. A part of the original members were Absolom Knotts, Josiah Yont, and Mrs. Thomas Fletcher. They now have over forty members, with Reverend J. G. Bourne as pastor.
In the same church is conducted a Union Sabbath-school, which is one of the best in the county, having an attendance of about one hundred and twenty-five pupils, and is under the superintendency of Mr. A. Brubaker.
In 1878, a society of the Congregational Church, composed largely of miners, erected a place of worship in Cleveland. The society is in a prosperous condition, and in connection therewith, is conducted a good Union Sabbath-school.
The Reform Church of Latter Day Saints of Jesus Christ, or followers of Joseph Smith, and firm believers in the Book of Mormon, and all the doctrines of the church, as taught by Joseph Smith, during his life time, and differing from the Brighamites in the doctrines of polygamy, and the blood atonement, as well as the tithing law of the Utah branch.
A branch of this church was formed at Lucas, in Jackson township, among the miners in the fall of 1876, with the following membership: James McDiffit, John R. Evans, John Watkins, Sr., Evan B. Morgan, Lorenzo Powell, James Burchell, and Thomas G. Thomas, as the princi- pal members, with a number of others, making in all, twenty-eight persons.
The church has increased until now, 1881, the membership numbers one hundred and fifteen. They have a fine church building, constructed by volunteer contributions, at an expense of something over one thousand dollars. the present officers of the church are as follows: Presiding Elder, James McDiffit; Presiding Priest, Evan B. Morgan; Presiding Teacher, Robert S. Gray; Presiding Deacon, David Crow. There are
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nine elders in this branch of the church, and from this number the presid- ing elder is chosen. All the officers of the church have a right to preach whenever and wherever they can find a hearing. A large Sabbath-school is conducted in connection with this church.
Good Shepherd Lodge of A. F. and A. M. was organized under a dis- pensation granted by Grand Master McClanahan, of Chariton, with the following persons as principal officers: G. M. Hogue, W. M .; W. H. Nickell, S. W .; G. W. Kays, J. W. The other members at the organi- zation were A. N. Townsend, E. W. Knotts, John Schnebley, Rude Daily, T. J. Allen, Edmond Dolphin, W. R. Warren, N. W. Stover, J. N. Fleming, Benjamin Felger, and Andrew Kilgore.
The lodge is just organized and have rented a fine hall in company with the Odd Fellows, and the two lodges together have fitted it up with fine appointments.
· The Independent Order of Odd Fellows, by A. D. Gray, D. D. G. M., organized a lodge on May 28, 1881, with the following named persons as officers: D. W. Jones, N. G .; Mr. Thompson, V. G .; Thos. A. Francis, treasurer. They begun with eleven charter members, and admitted seven by card, and iniated eight, making twenty-six members altogether on the night of the organization.
CLEVELAND.
Population in 1880, 380. The Whitebreast Coal and Mining Company, after working at their shaft for two years, and finding that there was " money in it," came to the conclusion that it was a good place for a town, and proceeded, on the 26th day of June, 1878, to lay out one on part of the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section thirteen. The sur- veying and platting was done by Mr. Wm. Haven, the superintendent of the company.
The town was called Cleveland, and, if the population and business continue to increase as heretofore, it may eventually rival the city in Ohio, for which it is named. One peculiarity of the town is the way the streets run. "Instead of extending toward the points of the compass, they run either southwest and northeast, or southeast and northwest. Whether to make them parallel, and at right angles with the main line of the rail- road, or to better conform to the lay of the ground, which is rolling, is not known. It is less than a mile from Lucas.
In a little over two years, it was found that the town was too small, and they were suffering for room; in consequence of which an addition was made to it, which entirely surrounds the original town. This was called the Gordon Addition. The town now comprises one hundred and sixty lots, and is finely situated, presenting a neat and handsome appear- ance to persons passing through on the railroad.
The miners are intelligent and industrious. The greater part of those
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living in Cleveland own their homes. A better class of citizens cannot be found. Not a saloon exists in the town. A proviso in the deed to every lot forever prohibits the sale of intoxicating liquor on the same. A saloon was once started just over the line, in Whitebreast township, but they qui- etly starved it out.
Osgood & Co. conduct a first-class mercantile establishment. While the miners are naturally their most regular customers, they sell immense quantities of goods to the farming community thereabouts.
Among the various coal mines and interests in Lucas county, there are none which excel those of the Whitbreast Coal and Mining Company, at Cleveland, in Jackson township, which was organized the 19th day of January, 1876, with capital stock of $150,000. It was the outgrowth of a prospecting company composed of G. C. Osgood, L. R. Fix and Wesley Jones, ot Burlington, and William Haven, of Ottumwa, who began opera- ting on the 26th of May, 1875, and continued their prospecting until Jan, uary 16th, the following year, when they reached a depth of 250 feet, and struck a vein of excellent coal five feet and four inches thick. This was the first opening of the lower coal measure in this county. The shaft thus sunk was five feet in diameter, and has been since used as an air shaft. Much serious trouble was experienced by the company, to find a proper place to sink their hoisting shaft, because of quick sand; but after some four attempts a place was struck and a shaft sunk, which avoided the treach- erous quick sand. The time consumed in sinking this hoisting shaft 238 feet and curbing it, was seventy-six days from May 1, 1876; after which the buildings and works above ground were then erected, mining opera- tions commenced, so that the first shipment of coal by this company was made early in October, 1866. The first power used was a thirty-horse engine, which, however, was soon exchanged for one of eighty-horse power, because of the increased business of the mines. This increased power has the ability to raise a ton of coal to the upper landing, 270 feet, in sixteen seconds; and with similar rapidity, they have loaded a car with sixteen tons of coal in nine minutes, and have frequently loaded six cars per hour.
On the 3d of August, 1878, the first wooden buildings erected about the shaft were consumed by fire while the men were in the mines, which caused much anxiety and alarm for the miners below; but the catastrophy ended without other loss or injury than the buildings, which were imme- diately reconstructed in a more substantial and permanent manner. The demand for the coal of this company has increased from the first to the present time; and though they can hoist fifty car loads, of six- teen tons each, per day, yet they are not able to supply the demand. That the company may furnish a larger supply, it, sometime since, sunk an additional shaft, some three-fourths of a mile distant from the first one,
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and which is now producing well. The subterranean workings from the bottom of these two shafts, called A and B, are now, June, 1881, within some eighty feet of meeting, and when this connection is made, the company will be able to load and ship a hundred cars per day. The com- pany now employ three hundred miners, and over forty mules within the mines, and some sixty additional men for other kinds of work. The five boilers, each twenty-four feet long, used in generating the steam power for working shaft A, also heat the offices and buildidgs on terra firma; and they are also lighted with an electric light, the same appliance being now used which was exhibited at the centennial exhibition, and which received an award. Early this year (1881) Andrew Roy, the state mine inspector, of Ohio, visited the Whitebreast mines and communicated a very interesting and instructive account of them to the Coal Trade Journal. It being the detailed exposition of a practical miner, and promi- nent mining official, we give the communication in full:
COAL MINING IN IOWA.
I made a flying visit to Iowa last week on business, and stopped over two days at Cleveland, in Lucas county, a mining town, to see some old friends and examine the manner of winning and working coal in the west. I was agreeably impressed and delighted no less with the advanced systems in practice than with the intelligence and public spirit of the mine officials and working miners.
The mines are situate at Cleveland in Lucas county, on the Iowa division of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy R. R., and consist of two shaft openings known as shaft A, and shaft B; shaft B is, however, a new mine, having but recently struck coal and will not be ready for shipping coal before the middle of April, 1881. The A shaft is 338 feet deep, the B shaft 227 feet deep. The coal, which ranges in thickness from five to seven feet, and which for a western coal is of unusually good quality, was discovered in January, 1876, and . shipments were made in October of the same year. The company is known as the "White Breast Coal and Mining Company," taking its name from White Breast creek which flows westward, south of the village of Cleveland. The workings of shaft A extend north and west; the galleries face and but alike, which are all double, are driven seven feet wide, the rooms being twenty feet wide and the pillars twenty feet thick. As soon as the rooms are worked forward sixty to seventy yards, the pillars are attacked and withdrawn and the superincumbent strata allowed to fall down. The coal and incumbent rock, make little or no water, and the hauling roads are as dry as meal. The roof is rather tender, forbidding rooms being extended more than seventy yards. Fully eighty per cent of the coal won in mining, which is very favorable showing, the twenty per cent lost, resulting from the crushing and over-running of the pillars as they are being removed. The hoisting machinery of both inines consist of Crane Brothers patent hoist; the hoisting engine consisting of eighty-horse power and the wind- ing drum being of ten feet diameter. As the daily output of the A shaft ranges from 650 to 700 tons of screened coal per day, speed is both an economy and a
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necessity in winding. Five flue boilers are in use at the A pit and four at the B; and 360 men and boys are employed in and around the A shaft, and forty mules are used underground for hauling coal. They are not all in use at once;"in a shaft of such proportions several are kept as a reserve.
Three kinds of coal are prepared for market-lump, nut and pea coal-and the slack is eagerly sought by the railroad company for ballasting their road, the rich and deep alluvial rocks of the west, as in well known, affordiug little material of any use for ballasting purposes.
The mine is ventilated by means of Murphy's patent fan, which is six reet in diameter and circulates 35,000 cubic feet of air per minute, through the mine. The debris of the coal-the slack and iron pirites-are liable to spontaneous combustion; the gob has taken fire, and it is found necessary for the safety of the mine to wall up and hermetically seal all abandoned places containing iron pirites and slack coal. As the entries are all double, the circulating currents of air are carried forward to the face of the various galleries and discharged near the face of the workings where the people are employed. The top of the shaft. is supplied with an electric light-the first light applied in the state of Iowa, and the mouth of the pit is, during the night, fairly converted into day. The engine which runs the ventilating fan, also rnns the electric light. Telephonic commu- nications is also established between the mine, the company's office and the rail- road station house.
The company supply all the coal used by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R. R. west of the mines, and also the entire amount used by the Burlington & Missouri River R. R. in Nebraska, and partially supply the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs R. R. and the country tributary to these roads. During the winter the orders for coal could not begin to be supplied by the mines of the western states, and many of the farmers were compelled to split up their furni- ture and convert into fuel to save themselves from freezing to death. The White Breast Coal and Mining Company found it necessary in early winter to issue circulars confessing their inability to supply their customers with coal.
The president of this enterprising concern is J. C. Osgood, a young man, hardly thirty years of age yet. He is a practimal man, having been brought up in a coal office. He seems to be thoroughly in love with the business, and is acquainted with all its details, from laying out the underground workings to paying the employees.
The miners, of whom two hundred and eighty are engaged in the A shaft, cutting and loading the coal, and thirty-three in hauling coal as drivers, in addition to the ordinary corps of road men, top men, etc., are a very intelligent body of men. They have built and paid for a large two-story hall, the lower story of which has been leased out as a school house. Many of the miners own the houses in which they live, and there is not a single saloon in the place. On the evening of Friday, February 18, I was requested by a committee of miners to address them in their hall, on the benefit of aid aocieties to workingmen, and the same evening an association, consisting of forty members, was organized to assist each other in case of accident in the mines. I urged the association to
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