USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Containing a history from the earliest settlement to the present time biographical sketches; portraits of some of the early settlers, prominent men, etc. > Part 24
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The most solemn and sorrowful event that ever fell upon the city, was the news of the assassination of President Lincoln. When
received on the 15th of April, all places of business were immediately closed, the city was draped in mourning, the bells were tolled. and every manifestation of profound sorrow was made. The Union League called a meeting for the afternoon, and the whole city turned out in attendance, enlogies were pro- nonneed. and strong resolutions adopted de- nunciatory of the act. On the Wednesday following, the day fixed for his funeral. services in memorial were held in the Con- gregational Church on Pearl street, and ad- dresses made recounting the life and services of the Martyr President.
Work on the new Presbyterian Church was resumed during the summer, and the building carried forward to completion, under the pas- torate of the Rev. James H. Clark. The cost of the building was $17.270: $1,893 of this amount was raised by the ladies of the church through festivals, one of which, the most suc- cessful, was held on the 21st and 224 of De- cember, 1865. The Soldiers' Aid Society closed its labors on the 16th of May, and balanced its accounts. From December, 1864, it had transmitted to the Christian Commis- sion the sum of $504. The people of the city were greatly imperiled in their lives and property by a gang of robbers which seemed to prey at will upon them and in the neigh- borhood. George Parks, on his way in from his mill, encountered a suspicious character whom he compelled, at the muzzle of the re- volver, to march into the city. The man was at once identified as an individual who had compelled a farmer to hold up his hands while he robbed him. In a day or two after- ward, the body of the unnamed criminal was found dangling from the limb of a tree in the eastern part of the city. Its effect was a salutary one in the way of breaking up the system of bold robberies.
The State census made the population of
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HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
Kane Township, which then included what is now Garner and Lewis Townships, at 3,003.
The celebration of the Fourth of July, 1865, was of an unusual character. The termination of the civil war occasioned a disposition to make the most of the National anniversary, and thousands, from all parts of the county, attended. Cyrus H. Street read the Declaration of Independence, and speeches were made by Judge Street, D. C. Bloomer, W. G. Crawford, W. F. Sapp and others. A military procession, consisting of the Council Bluffs Light Artillery, the Rifle Company, the Botna Tigers and the Provost Guards, occurred, with Col. J. C. Hoffmayr as commandant. Council Bluffs, at that date, had no fire department, but the Omaha Hook and Ladder Company took part in the dem- onstration. The mothers and widows of the dead soldiers were given the place of honor, together with such soldiers as had been mus- | turned, at the close of the war, to resume tered out of the service and reached home. An immense free dinner was given, and that night there was a very fine display of fire- works.
The commencement of the building of the Union Pacific Railroad from the west bank of the Missouri River, during the summer of 1865, and another event that had a marked influence on the future of Council Bluffs. The line, as first projected, contemplated a direct route westward from Omaha, until it
reached the Platte Valley. This idea was abandoned, and what is known as the "Ox Bow" or southern convergence, selected. This plan was deemed prejudical to both Council Bluff's and Omaha, as leading to the eventual abandonment of both towns, when the con- struction of the bridge over the Missouri River came to be considered. A good deal of feeling was aroused, but it had no effect in altering either the plans or purposes of the company, and the danger apprehended did not prove, as expected, a calamitous reality. In August, the Council Bluffs Branch of the State Bank was transformed into the First National Bank of Council Bluffs, with Capt. A. L. Deming, as President. and Moses H. Deming, his brother, as Cashier. The 21st day of September was set apart by the citi- : zens as a testimonial to the men here who had gone into the military service, and had re-
again their peaceful avocations. The testi- monial was in the shape of a banquet, and all the citizens vied with each other in thus ex- pressing their gratitude to the brave men who had so cheerfully and nobly done their duty. The returned soldiers organized a post of the Grand Army of the Republic, but after a time it took on a political character, and the post disappeared, and was not revived until 1880, when the re-organized Post Abe Lin- coln was established.
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CHAPTER XXXI .*
COUNCIL BLUFFS-ST. JOE RAILROAD REVIVED-CONGRESSIONAL FIGHT OF 1880-NEW COURT HOUSE - REV. CLARK SCANDAL-NARROW ESCAPE AT BURHOP'S IIALL-M. E. CHURCH EDIFICE-COMPLETION OF THE NORTHWESTERN JUBILEE
-SKETCH OF THE "NONPAREIL" AND THE "BUGLE."
R. L. DOUGLASS was President of the Council Bluffs &St. Joseph Railroad Co .; J. P. Casady, Vice President; Horace Ever- ett, Treasurer, and Samuel Jacobs, Secretary. Increased efforts were put forth to secure the completion of the road. The old contracts for construction were surrendered, and a new one entered into between Henry W. Phelps, of Massachusetts, for the completion of the road by January 1, 1867, and, under this arrangement, the work was vigorously re- sumed. All the stock in the company held by the city and the county was transferred to Willis Phelps, as one of the indueements to a resumption of the work. W. F. Sapp, who had settled in Omaha, having removed there from Mt. Vernon, Ohio, became a citizen of Council Bluffs in 1864. At the election held for Representatives in the State Legislature, he was chosen on the Republican ticket that fall to represent Pattawattamie County in the House. Thomas Tostevin was re-elected Coun- ty Treasurer, and H. H. Field, Sheriff. Col. Sapp assisted in raising a regiment for front- ier duty, among the people of Nebraska, and the organization was designated as the Second Nebraska Regiment. He was made its Lieu- tanant Colonel. In 1869. he was appointed United States District Attorney for Iowa by President Grant, and served for four years, and was succeeded by James T. Lane, of Dav- enport. In 1876. Col. Sapp was nominated
by the Republicans of the Eighth Congres- sional Distriet of Iowa, and elected. He was renominated in 1878, and having as his oppo- nents John H. Keatley, as a Democratic can - didate, and the Rev. Mr. Hicks, of Montgom- ery County, a Greenbacker; he was elected the second time by a majority over both, of 369 votes. A bitter contest arose, in 1880, over his desire for a nomination for a third term. The convention was held in Council Bluffs in August. Col. W. P. Hepburn, of Page County; A. R. Anderson, of Fremont County, John T. Stone, of Mills County. and Col. Sapp, were candidates before the convention. After a few ballots, Col. Hepburn announced his withdrawal, and 284 ballots, consuming three days and two nights, were had without any result. Scarcely a change was made in all this long and stubborn contest; but. at the end of the 2S5th ballot. it was found that Col. Hepburn had secured the number requisite to a nomination, and he was declared the candidate, and elected in the ensuing fall by a majority of about seven thousand, over Robert Percival, of Council Bluffs. the Democratic candidate. Gen. Thomas H. Benton, Jr., was the Democratie candidate for Governor of Iowa, in 1865, but was defeated by Col. William M. Stone, who was then the successful Republican candidate for a second term.
In January 1866, the movement already on foot to erect the present county court
*By Col. John HI. Kratley.
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HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
house took definite shape. A Committee of the Board of Supervisors reported a plan and estimates, and on the 5th of January, the present site on Pearl street, at the corner of Buckingham, was purchased at a cost of $3,500. J. M. Phillips, Thomas Officer and William Ward, neither of whom were members of the board, were appointed a building committee, to let the contract and supervise the erection of the court house. On the 15th of February, 1866, the contract was let according to plans and specifications pre- pared by William Ward, the architect, to John Hammer, a professional contractor of brick and stone work, and F. T. C. Johnson, now a farmer of Norwalk Township, but then engaged in Council Bluffs as a contracting carpenter and builder, the cost not to exceed 842,000, and bonds of the county having been authorized to meet the cost. The basement story was completed that year, and the build- ing finished so far as inclosing it and fitting up the jail and offices on the first floor were concerned. but the court room proper was not completed until the winter of 1868. It was, however, used as a court room with temporary furniture. The funds having been exhaust- ed occasioned this delay. A disastrous fire occurred on the south side of Broadway, on the morning of the 18th of February, which swept away the stores and tin shop of J. M. Phillips, Samuel Knepper, Keller & Bennett, and John Epeneter. These were replaced in 1868 by substantial brick store buildings. At the city election, on the 12th of March, 1866, Caleb Baldwin was chosen Mayor, and H. P. Warren, Treasurer, and A. J. Bump, City Marshal. The latter office had attached to it the important duty of collecting the taxes levied for city purposes. At the spring school election, D. C. Bloomer was elected President of the Board. A religious feeling was also aroused in the city, and for a num-
ber of months a union prayer meeting was daily held, beginning at eight o'clock in the morning, and lasting for an hour. A Young Men's Library Association was also organ- ized at the same time, with Hon W. H. M. Pusey as its Librarian. Cyrus H. Street was Secretary, and Frank M. Streamer, afterward city editor of the Omaha Herald, librarian. This institution collected quite a large quan- tity of books, but interest was lost in it, and the library became scattered. A Board of Trade, with Capt. A. L. Deming, was also constituted, which also. after a year's pre. carious existence, and with a total lack of in- terest in its success and objects, was allowed to dissipate. T. J. Hurford, then in the hardware business, now of Grand Island, Neb .. was elected its second and last Presi- dent in the spring of 1867.
Great scandal was brought upon the com- munity by the discovery of improper conduct of the Rev. James H. Clark, pastor of the Presbyterian Church. It was alleged against him that he had been in the habit of enticing young girls to his study, and there made in- decent proposals to them. The fact was kept a secret for some time, but rumors at last got to the public ear, the truth became known, he was confronted with the evidence, and, seeing no avenue of escape, resigned his pastor- ate, after making a full confession of his guilt. He left the city almost immediately after his exposure.
Burhop's Hall, now known as Platner's Hall, on the north side of Upper Broadway, was opened on the 22d of June, and, for a number of years, was a favorite place of amusement for the people. It was here that Walter Bray made himself a favorite with the theater-going people of the city. Leo Hud- son also played " Mazeppa" on its stage. It may not be out of place here, in this connec- tion, to state a remarkably narrow escape made
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HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
at this hall in the winter of 1868. Joseph Mueller, then pursuing the profession of teaching music, had prepared an operetta for presentation, in which some twenty young girls were to appear in chorus. Red light was to be used in some part of the perform- ance, and the material for it stood on a shelf in the dressing-room on the east end of the stage. The chorus of young girls had just stepped from the room to the stage; the hall was packed; the last of the young girls had only taken her place in the semi-circle, when a report was heard as if of a cannon, the audience jumped to their feet, a shudder ran through the crowd, and the smell of some kind of an offensive gas rushed into the au- ditorium. It was soon found that there need be no panic, but the writer of this and sev- eral others ran into the dressing-room, and found that the red light, carelessly prepared by the druggist, had exploded in contact with the air, at the moment the last little girl had left the room, that the concussion had torn out the windows and burst the panels from two doors, making fragments of them. Noth- ing but the mere chance of the young girls' having, at the precise moment, been trans- ferred to the stage, saved the whole chorus from destruction. After the recovery from the first shock, the performance went on, but its pleasures were materially marred by the thought of the recent danger.
The fine brick building for school purposes, on Washington avenue was erected during the summer of 1866, that is, the part fronting on the avenue. The wing was not put up until two or three years later. This made the third two-story brick school building in the city. Upon the resignation of the Kev. James H. Clark, of the Presbyterian Church, for the reasons already stated, a call was extended to the Rev. T. H. Cleland, then at Keokuk, and but a short time a graduate of the theological
seminary, to assume pastoral duty here. After the usual trial, he was duly installed, and remained such pastor until May, 1882, when he resigned to take the pulpit of Westmin- ster Presbyterian Church of Keokuk. This clergyman was one of the most eloquent pul- pit orators ever in the ministry in Council Bluffs. During his pastorate, he was not only popular with his own congregation, but won the esteem of the citizens generally. This esteem enabled him to fill a career of many years of great usefulness.
The old Ocean Wave Saloon having been struck with lightning and destroyed by fire, there was poetical justice in occupying its vacant site with a religious edifice. The Methodist Episcopal Church here had grown and prospered, and the want of an appropri- ate place of worship was sadly and earnestly felt. A large brick edifice was planned by the Rev. Joseph Knotts, the Rev. J. S. Rand, the Rev. Moses Shinn and other zealous mem- bers of the church, and the contract having been let to John Hammer and George F. Smith, the latter a carpenter and builder, the corner-stone was laid with appropriate relig- ious services on the 14th of May, 1866. The building with its tall spire was located in the widening of Upper Broadway, at the junction of the latter street and Madison or First street. It fronts westward, and in looking eastward on that street the graceful outlines of the noble-looking building have an attract- ive appearance. The following year, 1867, the building was furnished and dedicated to religious uses.
During all this period, when the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad was working its way toward the Missouri River, with the Chicago & North-Western company behind it as a sponsor, great fear existed in the minds of many of the business men of Council Bluffs, that after all the road might
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IIISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
reach the river without touching Council Bluffs. To reach this point required a sharp deflection southward from its direct route across the State. Whether the company would so diverge in the interests of the city, and of their own interests, had become a very serious question. It is difficult to describe the con- stant anxiety that at times prevailed. Com- munication after communication passed be- tween the committees of the citizens and the officers of the company, without definite results. Real estate was sensitive as to value in consequence of this uncertainty. At last, in July, something definite was reached in the way of a proposition for the settlement of the vexed question of the location of the ' western terminus of the road. Agents of the company came here and proposed to make this the terminus, provided the right of way was donated from the north line of the county and a cash donation made of $30,000. The meeting of citizens and business men to take into consideration these propositions .occurred on the 9th of July. There was no difficulty in securing the pledge of $30,000 .contemplated in the proposed stipulation. Marshall Turley made a donation of eighty acres of land, including the soil occupied as a freight yard and round-house, on condition, as he claims, that the passenger depot should be placed on the tract. This was not done, however, but the temporary passenger depot was located about midway of Broadway and .
the present round-house. When the perma- nent building was finished, in the summer of 1868, in disregard of the stipulation, the com- pany placed the freight and passenger depot on the south side of Broadway and some dis- tance south of the Turley tract. Many per- sons, among them T. J. Hurford, gave nego- tiable promissory notes for the amount of their subscription to the $30,000 fund, and when the same became due they allowed suit
to be brought to test the validity of the de- fense, that the railroad company had violated its stipulation as to location. The notes had been transferred before due for value, it was claimed, to innocent purchasers, and this fact was successfully made against the makers of the notes, and the amounts collected. After the stipulation was thus made, the impression got abroad and still exists, that before the negotiation was concluded the railroad com- pany had decided upon this as the terminus. in order to connect with the Union Pacific. then well under way. The meagerness of the donation to such an important enterprise for so material a change in route was overlooked, in the eagerness of the people to secure the road at all hazards. The first ground was broken within the city limits on the 14th of September, 1866. From the date that this line of road was assured, the work went rapidly forward. It was important to the Union Pa- cific that they should have a line of railway across the State, for the transportation of the immense quantities of iron needed for its completion.
In the meantime, the work went well on on the Council Bluffs & St. Joseph Railroad. An engine was brought up the river, on a steamboat, and landed in Mills County, and there a construction was made up and run into Council Bluffs, on the 27th of December. The road, however, was not in condition to run trains to St. Joseph at that date, to con- nect with the Hannibal route.
The North-Western pushed ahead with ra- pidity, and, on the 22d of December, 1867. the first engine on any completed railroad that ever entered Council Bluffs arrived, on a trial trip. The long period of deferred hope was at an end. Public joy burst all bounds. The people turned out en masse, and gave the train and those accompanying it a right royal reception. No conquering hero
DAILY NONPAREIL
DAILY & WEEKLY NONPAREIL.
BOOK BINDERY.
JOB PRINTING.
NONPAREIL BUILDING, COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.
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HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
was ever hailed with louder and more earnest plaudits than this engine and the people with it received on that occasion. It was duly honored with a procession and music. Can- non boomed. and the day was turned into a happy holiday. Mayor Baldwin and other prominent citizens gave vent to their feelings in eloquent congratulatory speeches. There was feasting and joy on all sides. Tele- grams were sent in all directions announcing the event, and from that date a new era dawned on the city. It ceased at that hour to be a mere frontier town. Its pupilage was at an end.
During this period, from January, 1866, to October, 1867, the Bugle was published by W. T. Giles, who purchased the paper from L. W. Babbitt, and again sold to Mr. Bab- bitt, returning to Freeport, Ill., and there publishing the Bulletin for a number of years. A change also took place in the management of the Nonpareil, on the 22d of December, 1866. W. S. Burke retired, and W. W. May- nard and John W. Chapman took control of 1
it. Mr. Chapman had been in the United States civil service in Omaha for some to that date. when, removing to Council Bluffs, he entered journalism. Without recurring to it again. it may be here stated that during sev- eral changes of partnership, from December. 1866, to January 1, 1869, Mr. Chapman had an interest in the paper, and was its manag- ing editor. At the latter date, the firm was Chapman, Grey & Mill. Richard Gray was a railroad man and a business character of great energy and experience. This charac- teristic he brought to bear as a business man- ager in the atfairs of the daily, then strng- gling as all such papers are compelled to struggle in order to gain a foothold and an establishment. In the latter function, he was materially assisted by Spencer Smith, who at that date had no interest in the paper other
than as an employe, who, subsequently, as a part owner, and as the business manager, gave unusual talents in the establishment of the paper on a firm and prosperous footing. Mr. Chapman sold his one-third interest to John S. Brainard, who had been the publisher of the Story County FEgis. Brainard retained his interest from January 1, 1869, until in May, when he transferred it to John C. Scher- merhorn, and the paper was by them pub- lished under the firm name of Gray, Mill & Schermerhorn. George S. Mill was a Scotch- man and a printer, educated in the printing- house of William Blackwood & Sons, Edin- burgh. Schermerhorn was also a printer. During this period, John H. Keatley was the editor of the paper, his connection begin- ning in August, 1868, and ceasing on the 31st of March, 1870.
Mr. Chapman was elected County Treasurer on the Republican ticket, in the fall of 1869; was re-elected in 1871, but was defeated in his candidacy for a third term, in the fall of 1873, by Perry Rue. His Democratic oppo- nent, in 1869. was E. A. Huber. The Nonpa- reil was organized into a joint-stock compa- ny in 1870. Mr. Gray and Mr. Mill retired. their interests being adsorbed by Mr. Chap- man. Thomas P. Treynor, then Postmaster, and Spencer Smith, the brother-in-law of Mr. Treynor. The corporation was called the Nonpareil Printing Company, and under that name the business of the paper has ever since been conducted. The office was removed at once from the two-story brick building. on the south side of Broadway, known as the land office, and where part of the Everett Block now stands, to the building now used as a book store by Bushnell & Brackett, on Pearl street. During a portion of 1870. Charles Aldrich, of Marshalltown, was the editor at a salary. He was succeeded by W. W. Maynard, also a salaried employe. with K
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HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
no other interest in the business. At his death, in the winter of 1874-75, he was suc- ceeded by S. W. Moorehead, who had been the publisher of a weekly newspaper in Southwestern Iowa, had acted as business manager of the Nonpareil for a season, and, with W. R. Vaughan, in November, 1872, had started the Daily Globe, an evening Demo- cratic paper, and sold the same in a short time to Jacob Williams.
The summer of 1866 was one of intense political excitement. President Johnson, on the 22d of February. from the steps of the White House, in response to a serenade, made a sensational speech by which he sev- ered his connection with the Republican party, and. in August, the famous " Peace Convention" was held in Philadelphia. J. D. Test and A. V. Larimer were chosen to repre- sent this Congressional district in that body. W. W. Maynard was the editor of the Non- potreil. He never let slip an opportunity to sting a political opponent and with sarcasm reeking from every pore. he published a bo- gus dispatch purporting to come from Test at Philadelphia, saying that he would be at home in a few days, and would bring Presi- dent Johnson with him. This stroke of wit at Test's expense was the laugh of the town for a day or two, but Test's own pungent pen was always a match for Maynard's gall.
During the month of November. 1866. a special election was held upon the question of authorizing a city loan of $60,000, to es- tablish a market house, improve the streets and provide a fire department. Under the market-house provision, the city bought of Judge Riddle the brick building now known as the city building, at the southeast corner of Glen avenue and Broadway, it having been used as Green, Weare & Benton's bank- ing-house up to 1857, and the consideration being $7,000.
One of the landmarks of Council Bluff's disappeared on the 1st of December, 1866. This was the old cottonwood jail that had be- come historic from the early days of the Mor- mon immigration. A prisoner by the name of Pilling was in the old prison when it took fire in the night, and when the alarm was given the fact that he was there, was careless- ly overlooked. and he was roasted to death. During the week preceding Christmas, the ladies of the Episcopal Church held a fair and festival at Burhop's Hall, at which they realized $1,000. The large brick dwelling- houses of Dr. McMahon, in the southwestern part of the city, and of Judge Cassady, on Washington avenue, were erected.
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