USA > Iowa > Mills County > History of Mills County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc. > Part 49
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It became necessary, in the course of a few years, to have the financial standing of the county investigated, and the records relating thereto were subjected to a most careful and painstaking examination. In 1858 a com- mission, consisting of Nathan Dean and H. J. Graham, was appointed by the county court, "to examine the accounts and finances of the county." They met at the court house in Glenwood, July 7th, 1858, and made a thorough examination of such accounts and records as were available. Their report dates back to 1852. The county treasurer was C. W. Tolles. He is charged with the tax list of 1852, amounting in the aggre- gate to $1,127.69, for which he gave his receipt. How much of that tax there was paid is not and never can be known. When he went out of office his deficiency amounted to $106.00. His successor was Azoe Rich- ardson, who entered upon the duties of his office in August, 1853. He is charged with $1,517.51, against which there is a credit of $970.17, leav- ing a deficit of $547.34. The commission reported that they were "una- ble to hunt up papers and receipts to make the account reconcile." This exhibit follows a like line from 1852 until 1858, the time of making the examination. In none of the settlements do debts and credits agree. The committee reported August 14, 1858, and at the conclusion of the tables of the financial exhibit, they remark:
"We have failed in many instances even to satisfy ourselves, and have come to the con- clusions here presented after a protracted investigation, showing a result, we believe, as correct as possible under the circumstances. Several causes have operated as impediments to our progress, and the protraction of our labors, and have contributed to the want of that complete success which we could have wished to have rewarded our labors. One thing is the great want of books which the county has suffered for, until a recent period, render- ing it a very difficult task for the county officers to manage their affairs as they should do, and keep a clear statement of everything recorded correctly. trusting less to memory, which is very fallible and seldom to be trusted, rather than to the immediate entering of
414
HISTORY OF MILLS COUNTY.
every transaction upon an enduring record. This want of books has been greatly relieved by the present incumbent, Judge E. C. Bosbyshell.
"To this lack of books must be added a want of regularity and system in the entrics themselves, which must invariably lead their successors, if not themselves into great con- fusion. And we percieve that the tax lists have been passed over to the treasurer for the last three years in a very imperfect state. We are glad to report, however, that a very great improvement has been made, and we may expect to see a much clearer exhibit in the affairs of the county hereafter.
"In regard to the papers appertaining to the business of the county, many are known to be lost, and more mislaid, some of which were of great importance. The great desidera- tum is to have everything entered at the proper time, in the right place, and in a correct manner; to have a place for everything, and everything in its place. This will obviate the necessity of calling together another committee, or if called together will render their labors comparatively light. It is hoped that the settlement now made, establishing as it does, a tangible basis for future management, and the sufficiency of books which they now have, will enable the county officers to inaugurate a new system, and transact the county business in a correct manner and satisfactory to all."
Concerning this statement it is but due to state that deficiencies may have occurred through mere carelessness, or want of proper entry rather than that they occurred through intent to defraud the county or pilfer its treas- ury. No settlements often appearing the commissioners " assumed" that moneys had properly been paid and cared for, with which assumption the charitably disposed will concur.
To better exhibit the material prosperity of the county, the census tables for 1856, are herewith given. By instituting a comparison between them and the abstract of assessment for 1880, the material increase in wealth may be readily observed:
TABLE,
SHOWING THE AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS OF MILLS COUNTY, FOR 1856.
TOWNSHIPS.
Acres of improved land.
Acres of unimproved land.
Acres of meadow.
Tons of hay.
Bushels of grass seeds.
Acres of spring wheat.
Bushels harvested.
Acres of winter wheat.
Bushels harvested.
Acres of oats.
Bushels harvested.
Acres of corn.
Bushels harvested.
Acres of potatoes.
Bushels harvested.
West Liberty .
2,451| 24,926|
10|410
270|
3,271| 88| 1,131|107
3,670| 1,142|
55,530|21| 3461
Silver Creek
2,808
723
1|
1
257
1,338 246 1,373 128
2,122 1,118
37,300 21
2765
Rawles. . . .
2,295
9,372
2
223
2,348 82
902
93
1,710 1,134
43,010|13
2478
Council Bluffs
762
4,485
16 173
145
1,516
68
2,140
385
18,580 15
1865
Village of St. Mary ..
30
2,502
60
4
63
270
S
46
585
22,162 13
1460
Montgomery . .
871
3,011
167
1,552
1
5
21
380
214
7,430
3
418
White Cloud
616
5,689 216
106
1,282
6
84
37
675
229
8,974
71 1032
Nishnabotna
746
3,034
158
1,573
S
80
20
322
312
8,545
2 543
Total .
11,261
55,749 309 584
1,329
13,150 439| 3,621 473 11,019 5,119 201,531 95 14022
.
Plattville . ..
682
2,007
HISTORY OF MILLS COUNTY.
415
TABLE,
SHOWING THE NUMBER AND VALUE OF HOGS AND CATTLE SOLD, THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC AND GENERAL MANUFACTURES OF MILLS COUNTY, FOR 1856.
TOWNSHIPS.
Number of hogs sold.
Value of hogs sold.
Number of cattle sold.
Value of cattle sold.
Pounds of butter made.
Pounds of cheese.
Pounds of wool.
Value of domestic
manufactures.
Value of general manufactures.
West Liberty .
437
2,256
307
7,182| 12,385|
400 1,180
499
95| 55,200
Silver Creek.
387
3,065
184
5,116
8,615 11,955 1,689
10
25
Village of St. Mary .
Plattville . . ..
68
589
76
1,738
5,715
100
376
Montgomery.
127
800
54
1,372
1,835
50
127
85
300
White Cloud.
148
659
71
1,194
2,116
12
291
20
Nishnabotna . .
74
633
30
818
1,380
600
262
320
Total.
1,714 10,993 1,194
25,538 45,690 3,907 4,093 2,173
55,500
.
353
2,122
296
5,440
Council Bluffs.
120
869
176
2,677
1,555 1,186 1,514
999
467
Rawles . .
ยท
HISTORY OF MILLS COUNTY.
-
416
HISTORY OF MILLS COUNTY.
417
ABSTRACT OF ASSESSMENT FOR 1880.
Abstract of the assessment of Mills county for the year 1880, as required by section 833 of the code of 1873, and chapter 5, title 10, of said Code:
Lands exclusive of town property, 270,087 acres.
VALUATION. $2,224,166
TOWNS, CITIES AND VILLAGES.
REALTY IN TOWNS.
Glenwood city.
$145,270
Malvern city.
74,925
Hastings city
26,470
Emerson city .
40,798
Hillsdale city
8,723
Pacific city, Pacific Junction and Sharpsburg
15,072
White Cloud.
577
Aggregate value of realty in towns.
311,855
Aggregate value of railroad property as assessed by executive council under chapter 5, title x of the code of 1873.
596,365
Aggregate value of personal property (including
horses, cattle, etc.)
1,128,234
Total exemptions for trees planted not deducted from the above.
76,646
Total valuation of the county
4,256,619
LIVE STOCK.
NUMBER.
AGGREGATE
VALUATION.
Cattle assessed in the county
21,073|$265,400
Horses assessed in the county.
7,410
261,105
Mules assessed in the county.
865
38,322
Sheep assessed in the county.
1,336
1,550
Swine assessed in the county
23,524
45,589
Total valuation of live stock.
$611,966
I certify the foregoing to be a full and complete abstract of assessments of said county, as required by law, and as corrected by the county board of equalization.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this 12th day of June, 1880.
S. C. OSBORNE, County Auditor.
7
VALUE OF
418
HISTORY OF MILLS COUNTY.
Thus it is evident that as the world moves the tax-gatherer moves with it. He is not always the symbol of financial oppression or of a ruinous policy. While the immense increase in taxation is, noticed, it should be remem- bered that there has been a very great increase in the wealth of this county, and in the extent of its public business. Railroads have come and to them the people have contributed liberally, if not always willingly. While they have been a source of increased taxation, they have raised real estate from a mere nominal value to a high standard. Not one cent has been legitimately expended in this manner but that it has increased largely the value of the land owned by those who donated the necessary funds. But the indebtedness of the county is considerable. There is one factor which, however, should be allowed its due weight, and that is the nature of the surface as constantly necessitating expenditure on roads and bridges. The soil is light and very slight rains frequently cause great ravines to be washed out across the roads. The bridge and road taxes will always, from these purely natural and unavoidable causes, be a source of constant large expenditure to the county; while retrenchment may here be needed their necessity will never be superseded. Other sources of expenditure have been the county levee and the Watkins ditch, the usefulness and value of which is set forth in another place.
COUNTY BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
THE POOR FARM.
Charitable institutions, ever since the earliest dawn of history, have ex- isted in some form to ameliorate the unhappy and sorrowful phases of human life. With the advance in knowledge, and the increased duty thereby resting on men to care for their fellows, there have resulted a bet- ter understanding of the needs of humanity and better methods of meet- ing them. Institutions of a charitable nature have sprung up in every clime, more or less perfect in their organization and administration; all of which are doing a noble work for humanity. But, as is more interesting to us, our own land is in no respect behind other lands in its care for the sick and sore, the poor and the unfortunate. In every state there are numerous institutions, cared for at its expense, and in nearly every county the same feeling of kindness finds expression in the maintenance of a home for the same classes. The care of this county for the unfortunate in life has ever been most kind. Busied with individual cares and neces- sities, as its inhabitants have been, they nevertheless found opportunity to pause and enquire into the condition of the poor of the county. Not until
419
HISTORY OF MILLS COUNTY.
the year 1875 did there occur any public expression of interest in or solic- itude for people of this class; but in that year such an expression was obtained, in response to the following notice of the Board of Supervisors, which was issued at the September term of that year.
NOTICE.
To the Qualified Electors of Mills County, Iowa:
AUDITOR'S OFFICE, Mills county, Iowa.
Notice is hereby given that at a regular meeting of the board of supervisors of said county, begun on the 6th day of September, 1875, it was ordered that the question of levy- ing a tax of one mill on the dollar, on the taxable property of said county for the purchase of land for a county poor farm, be submitted to the electors of said county at the general election to be held on the 12th day of October, 1875, and that on the ballots of those voting for said tax shall be written or printed the words "For Poor Farm Tax," and that on the ballots of those voting against said tax shall be written or printed the words, "Against Poor Farm Tax."
WM. H. TAFT, County Auditor.
Glenwood, September 8, 1875.
Pursuant to this notice the election was held. It is a matter of deep regret that so many were to be found in the county so occupied with their own schemes that they not only took no interest in, but actually tried to defeat the will of more liberal-minded and more humane men. But the measure triumphed by a vote of three to one, and the county began prop- erly to care for its poor. Subsequent to the election the following notice was issued:
STATE OF IOWA, COUNTY OF MILLS, S SS.
Notice is hereby given that at the general election held on the 12th day of October, 1875, the electors of Mills county adopted the proposition to levy a tax of one mill on the dol- lar on the taxable property of said county for the purchase of land for a poor farm, by the following vote :
For poor farm tax.
Against poor farm tax.
.1,202 votes. 406
Glenwood, October 22, 1875.
WM. H. TAFT, County Auditor
Measures were at once taken to provide a suitable home and property, to be used for the purposes named in the question as submitted to the voters of the county. Bids were called for and made. After inquiry into the several farms offered, that of Jesse Miller seemed most eligible.
At the October session, 1876, of the board of supervisors the following was transacted:
WHEREAS, The board of supervisors of said county, at a regular session begun and held on Monday, the 18th day of October, 1875, after careful and full consideration of the whole subject, decided by a vote in full session at the court house, in Glenwood, Iowa, to purchase
420
HISTORY OF MILLS COUNTY.
of one Jesse Miller, two hundred and ten acres of land in said county, on the following terms and conditions, to which terms and conditions the said county of Mills, through their board of supervisors, and the said Jesse Miller, on his part, and each of said parties con- sent and bind themselves hereby to perform, viz:
The said Miller and said Mills county have this day contracted for the sale and purchase of the following described land situated in Mills county, Iowa, viz: The southeast 14 of section sixteen and the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section twenty-one (21), and ten acres, bounded as follows: Commencing at the northwest corner of the south- east quarter of the northeast quarter of section seventeen, and running thence east sixty- one and one-half rods; thence south twenty-six rods; thence west sixty-one and one-half rods, and thence north to the place of beginning, all situated in township seventy-two (72), north of range forty-two (42) west, and containing in all two hundred and ten acres. Said Miller agrees to take and accept, and said Mills county agrees to give for said land the sum of eight thousand dollars. There are included with the land one roan cow, two years old past; one Brown corn-planter, two Blackhawk cultivators, and two double harrows. The said personal property is this day delivered by said Miller to Mills county. The said eight thousand dollars is the total amount agreed to be paid for all the above described land and personal property. It is agreed that said Mills county shall pay interest on the said eight thousand dollars from this date at the rate of ten per cent. per annum. Said Mills county also hereby agrees to pay to said Miller on March 1st, 1876, the sum of three thousand dollars ; on April 1st, 1876, the sum of one thousand dollars, and on March 1st 1877, the sum of four thousand dollars, with the privilege of paying any sum sooner if said county sees proper to do so. Said Miller agrees hereby to deliver to said Mills county the possession of said premises, together with all improvements and appurtenances there- unto belonging, on the 1st day of December, 1875, save and except the following: Said Miller reserves possession of the bins in the barn now used to store his wheat and oats; also, the cribs necessary to crib his corn on said premises, until July 1, 1876; also the privi- lege of turning his stock in the stalk field ou said premises until March 1, 1876. Said Mills county also agrees to assume the payment of taxes on said property for the year 1875. On the final performance by Mills county of the terms of this contract on its part, said Miller hereby agrees to make to said Mills county a good and sufficient warranty deed to the land above described, free and clear of any and all incumbrances.
In witness whereof said Miller and a majority of the members of said board, in actual and open session, have hereunto subscribed their names.
JESSE MILLER, JOHN BARBOUR, } Majority of the Members of H. A. NORTON. S said Board of Supervisors.
Dated October 22, 1875.
And thus was instituted the "poor farm," the founding of which should always be a matter of self congratulation for the county. With one of the finest farms in the limits of Mills, and under the able management of Superintendent Smawley, the institution is self sustaining; a circumstance calling for renewed approval. The inmates, at the close of 1880, num- bered fifteen; all seeming contented, though enjoying a home provided by the public at large.
THE JAIL.
The county has not been without criminals of a dangerous character- men whose utter disregard for law and order, and the rights of citizens
421
HISTORY OF MILLS COUNTY.
and property has been such as necessitated incarceration, sometimes for lengthy periods. To care properly for men of this class there was erec- ted, in 1853, a substantial log building, to be used for jail purposes. The structure was composed of hewn logs and heavy planks, made doubly secure by heavy spikes driven in at regular short distances.
In this structure was confined the early criminals. The jail stood in the rear of the present site of Hinchman's drug store, on the west side of the square. There was nothing inviting in its appearance, and judging from the repeated condemnation of the earlier grand juries, was not at all invit- ing in its interior arrangements and conduct.
The strength of the walls was not, however, sufficient to prevent the escape of prisoners almost as soon as incarcerated. The reports of the sheriffs to the grand juries, and of these last named bodies to the district court, are filled with the names of those who escaped jail.
One, in 1857, is remarkable for the closeness of the escape upon the com- mittal. The sheriff says: "James Orton and Silas Woodford, described in the calendar by John Hoynie, sheriff of said county, filed in open court, August 10, 1857, made their escape from the jail on the night of the 10th of August, A. D. 1853, being the same night after the jail first came un- der my charge, by boring through the wall and digging out." Previous to this, in the September term, 1855, the grand jury reported that "they examined the jail and found it defective in the following particulars, to-wit: the walls of said jail are not comfortable for all kinds of weather; no suitable provision made for warming the rooms, the lock upon the outer door is defective."
It has elsewhere been noticed that there was, for some years, no proper place to care for the valuable and important records of the county. In this same report the grand jury called attention to this matter in the fol- lowing language:
In the examination of the county records the jury find that there is no safe and conven- ient place for the keeping of the public records and papers, where they can be secure from fire and other casualties, they therefore recommend that a good fire proof safe be procured for the deposit of such records and papers at as early a day as possible."
Previous to the report of the grand jury for the September term, 1857, the county judge and prosecuting attorney, at the February term of the same year, had called attention to the fact " that they found said jail exceeding dirty, the floor was covered with chips and ashes, and the cleanliness of the apartments wholly neglected, * * that no calendar of the prisoners is kept as required by law, and that the papers pertaining thereto are not to be found." The gentlemen making this report were O. N. Tyson, county judge, and J. W. Russell, prosecuting attorney. The report was followed by a change in the condition of the jail, as well as
422
HISTORY OF MILLS COUNTY.
by one in its keeper, the former being consequent, it is to be presumed, upon the latter.
The old jail was made to subserve the interests of the county until 1869, when it was torn down, and its valuable portions used for other pur- poses. Measures had been taken in 1868 to provide a suitable jail, when, at the January session of the board of supervisors, the following resolu- tion was offered and adopted:
Resolved, That D. C. Briggs, Jas. H.Wing, E. C. Bosbyshell and William Wheeler be and they are hereby appointed a committee to procure a plan and specifications for a jail house to be erected in Glenwood, Mills county ; said house, exclusive of cells, not to cost over three thousand dollars, and that they be required to report the same with all the information they may derive on the subject, to this board at its next meeting.
At the March session in 1868, the committee appointed at the Janu- ary meeting on the jail question, reported as follows:
MR. CHAIRMAN :- Your committee have had the matter of erecting a jail under consid- eration, and direct me to report as follows: We would recommend that the plans and specifications reported by your committee appointed at the last meeting of the board, be adopted with such alterations as the jail commissioner hercafter constituted, shall deem expedient, provided that such alterations shall not materially increase the expense of the original plan, to-wit: three thousand dollars, and C. B. Stande, E. B. Sampson, William Wheeler and William Kempton be appointed commissioners to let and superin- tend the building of said jail, and that said commissioners be directed to procure four iron cells and place them in the building for the safe keeping of prisoners; and that the clerk be directed to issue orders on the jail fund on the order of said commissioners.
In accordance with these resolutions and plans the contract for building the jail was let. Before it was completed the grand jury, August 21, 1869, made the following report, looking toward the proper safe con- struction of the building then in process of erection:
" We, the grand jury of Mills county, recommend that the jail of said county be fixed as follows: that the floor, ceiling and walls be lined with boiler iron, and that the locks on the doors leading into the room where the cells are, and the locks on all the cell doors should be fixed more permanent and safe by putting on a harp of sufficient length at the sides to receive two bolts, well screwed in at each end, and that there be a piece or strip of iron at least one half inch thick, on the side opposite the harp, so that the bolts fastening the harp may screw through it solid, and then cut the screw bolt off solid on both sides.
A. R. WRIGHT, Foreman Grand Jury."
In accordance with these suggestions the building was further strengthened.
The site of the jail is almost directly east of the position of the old log jail, though across the square and in the rear of the court-house. The cost of the building as first erected was $5,599, which sum, included the cost of the iron cells, doors and window frame, which were made in Cin- cinnati, Ohio, and purchased by a special committee sent to that city by the board of jail commissioners.
423
HISTORY OF MILLS COUNTY.
The building has been subsequently enlarged to nearly double its for- mer capacity. The enlargement was not suffered to go under contract, and cost the county less than one thousand dollars.
THE WATKINS DITCH.
Among the other improvements in the county, affecting largely the in- terests of its citizens, or a portion of them at least, should be mentioned the Watkins ditch, so named for the gentleman mainly instrumental in securing its establishment. The facts in the matter may be best pre- sented in the petition, and the legislation consequent thereon. The object was to recover to farming purposes a large area of land annually flooded by Keg creek in the Missouri bottom. The petition was as follows, and was filed July 5, 1878:
To the Board of Supervisors of Mills county, Iowa:
GENTLEMEN-We the undersigned, represent that the low lands on the Missouri river bottom, and south of Pacific City, are frequently inundated by the freshets of Keg creek, damaging and destroying crops on cultivated lands, and preventing the tillage of large quantities of uncultivated lands, otherwise good; therefore, in order to protect the public health, to preserve our crops and to enable us to improve other lands, we pray your honor- able body to cause the waters of Keg creek to be restrained by ditches and levees, con- structed of a proper capacity and in a substantial manner as provided by law; said im- provement to be made as near as practicable on the following route, namely: south side levee to commence at a practical point east of the William's mill dam, and run southwest to where the north levee will commence at the creek below the dam, at the southwest corner of section twenty-two (22), township 72, range 43; thence to run in a course southwest, to a point near the southwest corner of section 32 of same township; thence westerly to inter- sect the present channel of Keg creek in said section 32, and thence with said channel to the Missouri river.
Signed by
H. C. WATKINS, and fourteen others.
The petition came before the board for a hearing at the August term, 1878, at which time the following proceedings were had:
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