USA > Iowa > Page County > History of Page County, Iowa : also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county > Part 33
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46
The Clarinda office was made a money order office in 1867. The first order was issued on the 19th of September of that year, to Howard Tucker, at Keokuk, Iowa, and was sent by J. H. Conine of Clarinda.
NEW FEDERAL BUILDING.
In 1906 Hon. W. P. Hepburn, of Clarinda, the representative in congress from this district, secured an appropriation of sixty thousand dollars for a federal building. Plans were drawn and bids were advertised for the construction of the building. The plans were elaborate and the bids were in harmony therewith, so much so, that the lowest bid exceeded the appropria- tion by about five thousand dollars. Congressman Hepburn in the fall of 1908, through the over-confidence of himself and his friends on the ground, failed of reelection. Hence, his assistance and influence were lost in the effort, if any was made, to secure a further appropriation to cover the lowest bid for the building. This has delayed the erection of the building.
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very much to the regret and disappointment of the people of Clarinda. A beautiful site, on the corner of Main and Sixteenth streets, had already been secured. The plans for this structure called for a building sixty- four feet square, and if built according to the present designs it will make a beautiful addition to the appearance of the public square.
CLARINDA.
THE CITY OF CLARINDA.
As a home city Clarinda is ideally located. The easy slopes which lead to West Hill have offered a variety of beautiful sites which have been well improved by those who have erected their homes within the city's borders, and it is today a city of homes,-homes built in accordance with every con- sideration of health, comfort and convenience; homes beautiful in their surroundings and in their architecture, and better than all, homes in which dwell happy families enjoying every comfort and safeguard of a well located and well governed city, fortunate in the privileges of churches and schools and associations of the highest type.
Clarinda has approximately forty-two hundred inhabitants, the last census in 1905 showing a gain of seven hundred and fifty-seven in five years. The elevation of the city is one thousand and nine feet above the sea level. The city is supplied with an abundance of good water and the health of the population is remarkably good. Clarinda is made especially healthful by a thorough
SYSTEM OF SEWERAGE
making for perfect sanitation of the city. In 1891 the main sewers which cover about one mile of the city's streets, were built and from them the corporation also runs at its expense about eight blocks of laterals, to which have been added from time to time, many laterals by the citizens at their own cost. This sewer empties its contents into the river. Property is rendered unusually safe by a fine
SYSTEM OF WATER WORKS
including a great standpipe, situated at the highest point in the city and fur- nishing an abundance of pressure, which is supplemented in case of fire by the steam pumps of one of the best equipped power and pumping stations in the west. The danger from fire is still further lessened by the fact that the majority of the lights used in the city are incandescent electric and arc lights, that most of the business houses and many dwellings are heated by steam from a central plant and that electric power is used almost exclusively in place of steam.
In 1886 bonds to the amount of thirty-five thousand dollars were is- sued by the city of Clarinda, the same to become due in twenty years and to bear interest at five per cent annually. N. W. Harris & Company, brokers and bankers of Chicago, took the whole amount and furnished the money.
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Work was commenced in the autumn of 1886, and as that winter was extremely mild, work continued nearly all winter and the waterworks sys- tem was completed the following spring. The city employed A. A. Rich- ardson, a civil engineer of Lincoln, Nebraska, to superintend the work. The laborers were all employed at home. The first step to be taken was to determine as to how water was to be furnished. After the engineer had prospected a while he assured the council that a system of drive wells, sunk on the flat in the eastern part of the city would give an abundance of good water. Hence an excavation was made to the depth of about ten feet and about one hundred feet square and in the bottom of this excavation thirty- two common "drive wells" were sunk, all of which seem to enter an un- derground and never failing stream of water, which flows through a white sand bed. These several wells, which are forty-two feet deep, come by a system of pipes to one common center, from which point the water is con- veyed by the pumping station throughout the city. No purer, better or more abundant supply can be named in Iowa.
The pumping machinery is excellent. Worthington pumps are em- ployed. The engine is one hundred and twenty horse power and drives the high and low pressure pumps, the former used only in case of fire. The capacity of these pumps is over one million gallons each, during a period of twenty-four hours. The water is forced over the system of one hundred blocks of mains.
In 1903 the city entered into a contract with the Lee Electric Light Com- pany, whereby the company furnishes the city with power, and pumps the water through the city mains at a stipend of one hundred and forty-five dollars per month.
The assessed valuation of Clarinda is more than two and a half millions of dollars. Clarinda is located on three lines of railway all operated by the Burlington System and using one depot. A new passenger station has been erected at a cost of ten thousand dollars. Clarinda has twenty-two blocks of paving connecting the main business districts and the passenger and freight stations, laid at a cost of eighty-eight thousand dollars. Clarinda has many miles of cement sidewalk, the construction of board walks having been discontinued by city ordinance. A central lighting, heating and power plant, by which the city is provided with twenty-four hour service furnishes over fifty arc lights and about six thousand incandescent lights, heat for most of the business houses and a number of private dwellings and power for more than fifty motors of from one to thirty horse power each.
The Page county court house cost one hundred thousand dollars. Cla- rinda is the home of a state hospital for the insane, crected at a cost of more than a million dollars and caring for over a thousand patients. It has three brick schoolhouses which cost sixty thousand dollars, twelve churches, a Chautauqua which has been growing steadily for ten years until now it is recognized as one of the great Chautauquas of the west. There is also a winter lecture course, a public library, no saloons. There are three city parks, on one of which is held each year the Chautauqua and the county fair. Clarinda is shortly to have a new postoffice building costing forty thou-
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sand dollars. Her postoffice is one of the second class, sending out each day three city carriers, eight rural carriers and two star route carriers. Bell and Mutual telephone lines have central offices here and both have toll lines connecting Clarinda with all the surrounding country.
Clarinda is the home of the largest poultry, butter and egg plant in the west, employing between two and three hundred men and women. Cla- rinda has three good banks, in which the deposits amount to more than a million dollars ; a wholesale seed store, doing a quarter of a million dol- lars' worth of business every year ; four coal mines employing over a hun- dred men ; a well auger and cream separator factory, operating a complete foundry in connection and employing over fifty men; a large brick kiln, where thirty men find employment ; two lumber yards; a big clay and cement tile factory ; a large flouring mill; five good hotels ; two private hospitals; two good laundries ; a broom factory ; bottling works; an incu- bator factory ; shoe nailing machine factory : cigar factory ; first class rug factory ; and candy kitchen.
The prosperity of the city is the result of the loyalty of its citizens and neighbors. The growth of the city enhances the value of all the land and property within a radius of many miles.
CLARINDA FIRE COMPANY.
The fire company has been coexistent with the organization of the city government and is well equipped to fight the destroying element for which its formation was the object. The company has twenty-two hundred feet of hose, wagons for hose and ladders and a Babcock extinguisher. By the time this work reaches the readers a paid fire department will have been installed, with a regular watchman night and day at the station and a team of horses for the hose wagon. The volunteer members of the company will be paid for their services as rendered, upon all occasions of fire. No con- flagrations have occurred which the fire company, aided by the water works, could not quench. Water can be thrown to the height of one hundred and sixty feet, while forty minutes of constant pumping does not exhaust the water supply given by the drive-well system.
FAIRS IN CLARINDA.
In the earlier history of Page county and in fact the whole west, the land was almost wholly devoted to the cultivation and production of the cereals common to this latitude. The time was when agriculture was pursued to the almost entire exclusion of all else, but today this is all reversed. A revolu- tion has swept over all Iowa and the west in general, since the Civil war, which has had its effect upon business, settlement and commerce in such a manner as has brought the state forward among the ranks of its sister states with a rapidity unequaled in the history of the past. Iowa today ranks fore- most among the states of the Union. Of course this progress cannot be at- tributed to any one production or branch of industry but more to the natural
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resources and wealth of the soil, which dame nature has been so profuse in bestowing, together with that of stock raising. Page county, lying in the very best portion of the state and best fitted of any of the western counties for the growth of live stock, has improved her golden opportunities and hence grown wealthy by it.
It has all the natural advantages of an abundance of pure, running water and excellent grazing lands, while the soil is unsurpassed for the production of corn, the staple annual product. Thus she has attained her prosperity. The region of the famous Nodaway and Nishnabotna valleys has justly achieved a wide and merited reputation as a stock-producing country. The farmers are almost solely confined to corn, stock and fruit growing.
The Page County Agricultural Society was organized in the spring of 1859, George Ribble being elected president and Samuel H. Kridelbaugh, M. D., secretary. At the first meeting of the society, held at the court house at Clarinda, the third Saturday in June, the date of holding the first annual fair was fixed for the 14th and 15th days of October.
The first exhibition was held one-half mile north of Clarinda on land be- longing to Messrs. James A. Jackson and Henry Farrens. The first day of the fair was unfavorable, being rainy, but the next day came on fine, warm and clear. Men, women and children, with their stock, wares and produce, came pouring in early from all parts of the county until almost everybody wondered at the vast multitude of people who lived in their own county. The exhibit was large and creditable for that early day. The grain and vegetable display surpassed that of stock. The exhibit furnished by the pioneer women was complete in all its departments. The amount of money received by the society on that first occasion was as follows:
Gate money $13.50
Received as membership 52.00
Received from the state 52.00
Total receipts $117.50
At the regular meeting of the society held at Clarinda, November 1, 1859, the following officers were elected for the next year: James G. Laugh- lin, president ; A. Heald, vice president ; C. B. Shoemaker, secretary : George Ribble, treasurer ; I. Van Arsdol, J. P. West, H. Litzenburg, James A. Reed, James Black, Elisha Thomas, William Butler, Sebastian Fruits, James Martin, R. Brattin, directors.
At that meeting Messrs. N. L. Van Sandt, A. Loranz and J. C. McCand- liss were appointed a committee to select and locate grounds, with a view to their purchase by the society.
At a subsequent meeting Mr. Van Sandt on behalf of the committee re- ported as follows, in substance: "Your committee appointed to select perma- nent grounds, after a thorough examination of various points have selected the grounds occupied in part by the last fair, embracing all that parcel of ground lying east of the county road, on the south by the line of said tract until it strikes the south branch, thence down to the intersection with the north, thence up that to its intersection with the road at the northwest corner
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of the lot, supposed to contain about ten acres of land. Of the above, nine acres belong to Mr. Jackson and one to Mr. Farrens. They propose to give a perpetual lease of the above grounds to the society, reserving the simple right of pasturing the same with sheep and cattle."
The report of the committee was accepted and steps taken to prepare the grounds for the second annual fair, which was held September 20, 21 and 22, of 1860. This exhibition proved a success. The following were the receipts : Received as membership $114.00
Received as gate money 25.00
Total $139.00
The society that year received one hundred and twenty-two dollars from the state fund, which, added to the above receipts left them after paying all expenses, four dollars and twenty-five cents.
The annual exhibition of 1861, owing to bad weather and the exciting times occasioned by the Civil war, was not a complete success. In fact from that date until the war closed in 1865, the Page County Agricultural Society, like most other public enterprises, struggled hard for an existence and very great credit is due to Dr. N. L. Van Sandt for the interest taken in behalf of the organization during those dark years that tried men's souls, and pocket-books as well.
In 1865 it became necessary to find new quarters and consequently the board of directors appointed Dr. Van Sandt a committee to locate and pur- chase grounds for the society. Hence it was that the grounds now occupied by the society, at least twenty acres of it, was bought and the annual ex- hibition of 1865 was held thereon. It was during that year that the society was reorganized under proper and legal articles of incorporation. This corporation was styled the Page County Agricultural (Stock) Society, its object being to set forth as "for the encouragement of scientific and prac- tical agriculture, horticulture, stock growing, the mechanical arts and do- mestic manufacture by means of public lectures, fairs and the distribution of standard agricultural publications."
It was understood and stipulated that no stock could be sold to or held by persons not living in Page county. The officers of the newly incorporated society, beginning March 7, 1865, were as follows: David Abbott, president : C. G. Hinman, James G. Laughlin and N. L. Van Sandt, vice presidents ; N. B. Moore, secretary; Theodore T. Pendergraft, corresponding secretary ; James A. Jackson, treasurer ; S. H. Kridelbaugh, librarian ; William Butler, John R. Knox, T. H. Mckinnon, Samuel Nixon, G. H. Rumbaugh, J. C. McCandliss, H. N. Cramer, A. Loranz and J. P. West, directors; David Ab- bott, J. R. Morledge and N. L. Van Sandt, financial committee.
Through the efforts of Dr. Van Sandt, N. B. Moore, William Butler and others, about two years later, 1867, the grounds were fenced and suitable buildings erected. These grounds are beautifully situated and now include twenty-six acres, all surrounded with fine shade trees-something unusual for fair grounds, which too frequently have a good "speed ring" more in view than comfort for those who exhibit stock, grain and manufactured
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articles. The grounds contain a half-mile race course, sixty feet wide, said to be second to none in southern Iowa.
The officers from 1880 to 1890 were: 1880, C. W. Foster, president ; Jacob Butler, secretary; 1881, same as for 1880; 1882, William Butler, president ; W. M. Alexander, secretary ; 1883, same as for 1882; 1884, J. P. Burrows, president ; T. B. Merrill, secretary ; 1885, same as 1884 ; 1886, J. C. Welsh, president; T. B. Merrill, secretary ; 1887, C. W. Foster, pres- ident; T. B. Merrill, secretary ; 1888, Lewis Aiken, president; T. B. Mer- rill, secretary; 1889, Lewis Aiken, president; R. Loranz, secretary ; 1890, D. M. Thompson, president ; W. L. Lundy, secretary.
The fair of 1889, the thirty-first annual exhibition of the association, was by far the greatest of all, both in point of exhibit and financially. Over two thousand dollars were paid in premiums. The total receipts were three thousand, nine hundred and fifty-eight dollars, and the amount paid out three thousand, four hundred and fifty-eight, leaving a net balance of four hun- dred and ninety-nine dollars. The exhibition lasted five days.
FAIR ASSOCIATION.
In 1896 The Page County Agricultural Society went into liquidation and the fair grounds, twenty-three and three-fourths acres, were sold at sheriff's sale, to Mary J. Park, in February of that year, and in July, 1901, she sold the land to the city of Clarinda for a sum of money that would ap- pear very insignificant when compared to the value of the property today. From this time until April 13, 1903, no fair was held at Clarinda. On the date mentioned H. E. Parslow, Hugh Miller, W. L. Lundy, Ed. Davidson, J. W. Cozad and I. Weil met at the court house to organize a corporation for the purpose of holding fairs, agricultural meetings, racing field meets, base- ball games and tournaments, at Clarinda. The association secured a char- ter and the first officers of the Clarinda Fair Association were: president, H. E. Parslow ; vice president, W. L. Lundy ; secretary, J. W. Cozad. At a meeting held August 22, 1904, the capital stock of the association was in- creased from five hundred dollars to two thousand, five hundred dollars. In the fall of 1904 the first fair by this Association was held on the old fair grounds and was quite generously patronized. In 1905 Ed. Davison was elected president ; David Tharp, vice president ; Hugh Miller, treasurer ; and W. A. Henderson, secretary. In 1906 Charles E. McDowell became presi- dent ; George E. Clayton, vice president; Hugh Miller, treasurer ; and J. C. Beckner, secretary. These officers were reelected in 1907, and in 1908-9 the official list was composed of George E. McDowell, president; George Clayton, vice president ; E. G. Day, treasurer ; J. C. Beckner, secretary.
The Clarinda Fair is today one of the events of each year and the at- tendance increases from year to year. The exhibits are a revelation even to the native born Page county man or woman, and the attractions outside of the stock show and races are of a fairly refined character and of interest to the masses. The Association now numbers about two hundred members and its affairs are now in good shape.
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STATE HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE AT CLARINDA.
With the increase of years the erection of a third hospital for the insane was found necessary, and the Twentieth General Assembly passed an act, making provisions for its creation. A commission was selected by Governor Sherman, composed of Hon. ---- Bemis, ex-Senator E. J. Hartshorn and Hon. J. D. M. Hamilton, to locate the site for the institution.
A great struggle at once took place between rival towns of southwestern Iowa in the effort to secure the new state institution. After a careful and exhaustive survey of the situation by the commissioners they very wisely set- tled upon Clarinda as affording the most advantages. In securing the insti- tution for Page county credit should be given to a number of local men, citizens of Clarinda, who made special effort and gave of their time and purse to show the commissioners the great advisability of locating the hos- pital at this point, and through the untiring work of the Hon. William Butler and others, who served three terms as a member of the Iowa legislature, and while a member voted for the new state house, it came about and was Clarinda's fortune to secure this institution. Mr. Butler's splendid manage- ment in the contest for this hospital directed general attention to his efforts and brought forth many encomiums upon him. It was he who in the legis- lature of 1885 fought manfully in order that the bill asking for an appropri- ation to complete the building might not be defeated.
The sum of $180,000 was appropriated by the Twentieth General As- sembly and the next legislature appropriated $103,000. The appropriations being so small prevented the work from being done in the time limit. Upon the election of Gov. Larrabee the commissioners turned the work over to his charge and in the legislature he selected a board of trustees, consisting of the following gentlemen : E. J. Hartshorn, of Emmettsburg ; L. B. Raymond, of Hampton ; J. H. Dunlap, of Clarinda ; J. D. M. Hamilton, of Fort Mad- ison : and Edward H. Hunter, of Corning. This legislature also appropri- ated the sum of $102,000 for the completion of the building.
The board above mentioned elected E. J. Hartshorn, president ; L. B. Ray- mond, secretary ; Lew E. Darrow, of Corning, treasurer. As resident officers they elected Dr. P. W. Lewellen, superintendent: J. M. Akin, assistant physician : M. T. Butterfield, steward; Mrs. Alice W. Lewellen, matron.
The main building was completed and ready to receive inmates, December 15, 1888. By January 1, 1889, the number of inmates was two hundred and forty-one. The additional buildings since erected have made this institution, with its many modern and expensive buildings and appurtenances, together with its thousand acres of land. cost the state considerably over one million dollars.
There is a main building which at one time was thought to be the largest connected building in the state and may be so now, consisting of twelve wards for men and thirteen wards for women, with a central administration building and chapel, a building containing kitchens, bake shop. apartments for domestics and other employes, a separate building for cold storage and artificial ice manufacturing. a building separate for laundry. another sep-
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STATE HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE, CLARINDA
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arate building containing an engine room and compressing machinery for the cold storage plant ; the plumbing room, all of these on the first story. The second story is occupied by a large, airy sewing room with power ma- chinery for the manufacturing of all sorts of garments and articles of wear. The third story is occupied by apartments for male employes. There are store rooms for'the housing of hospital stores and provisions in the base- ment of all these buildings, being connected by a continuous corridor. With- in the last few years have been erected in addition a large cottage, named South View cottage, of entire fire proof construction for the accommoda- tion of from one hundred to one hundred and fifty men. This cottage is singular in the fact that it is without bars or any other hindrance to the windows. The doors are open and its inmates come and go at their pleas- ure during the hours of the day. In this cottage are domiciled the more trusty patients, many of whom work about the grounds, on the farms and gardens and about the barns and workshops, all these workers being so en- gaged at their own pleasure and without any compulsion whatsoever.
In the neighborhood of this cottage and a little to the north of it is a large commodious workshop with all necessary equipment, the basement containing bins for the storage of vegetables. On the first floor of the work- shop proper is a well selected assortment of machines and tools for the man- ufacture of furniture, brooms and other articles useful in the economy of the institution. The second story is occupied by the broom manufactory proper and the shoemaking shop, also mattress manufacturing equipment. All of these industries afford pleasant and beneficial employment to patients, besides playing an important role in the economy of the institution.
Directly east of this workshop are the greenhouses. North of that is a paint shop for the storing and mixing of paints, entirely separate from all other buildings, so that in the event of fire there is no danger of communi- cation to other buildings.
North of the workshop is a pumping station, containing a full and com- plete equipment of fire extinguishing apparatus, consisting of two hose carts and a hook and ladder truck. They maintain three separate fire companies for the fighting of fire should it arise. In this same pumping station is a pump, which is one of four, which furnishes water for the supply of the in- stitution and a small boiler equipment to be utilized in the event of some serious happening to the main boiler equipment.
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