USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, from the earliest historic times to 1907, Vol. I > Part 12
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After a long trial Robert Little recovered a heavy judgment for damage resulting from collapse of bridge near Minden in June, 1903.
On the 16th of September, during a terrific gale of wind, the electric light tower on First street and Broadway fell. It was of steel. 154 feet highi. and in falling took trolley, electric and telephone wires with it, but fortunately it kept the street, so that no houses were hit and no person was injured.
On October 2 after dark a man named Otis Carmichael was instantly killed by a Northwestern train opposite the brick yards. He was a car painter and worked at the car barns and was on his way home in the north part of the city. Ile had been talking with friends and was sober and the only theory was that the lights confused him.
October 8 the Eagles held a picnic at the Driving Park. Over 5,000 were present.
For quite a while a contest had been going on between the mayor and city council acting as a board of health and the board of education on the subject of vaccination. The board of health making the order that all teachers, pupils and janitors in the schools who had not been vaccinated should submit to the treatment, and, in default, they should be refused ad- mittance. Then the question arose as to the method. as a large number of teachers as well as pupils were opposed to the old arm treatment, and a num- ber of teachers proposed to resign rather than subn:it, and for a time more than a thousand pupils were out. Finally the matter was submitted to the court, and Judge Macy held that the board of health had no right to diserimi- nate as to the mode of treatment, and as there was not an epidemie of small- pox, the matter was dropped.
As Mrs. O'Neil and her children were returning from mass, her son James, nine years old, was killed by a Great Western train at the crossing of Seventh street and Ninth avenue.
On the 3d of November the court appointed F. L. Reed receiver, with order to sell the Masonic Temple and divide the proceeds among the stock-
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holders, and also appointed G. W. Lipe, F. Everest and Wm. Arnd as ap- praisers.
On the 22d of December the safe in the Macedonia postoffice was blown by burglars, but it contained no money nor was it locked.
During the year 1905 just elosing, the sales of agricultural implements at Council Bluffs exceeded those of any previous year and were only second to those of Kansas City.
On the 20th of January, 1906, Henry Robinson, a pioneer jeweler, died. He and a brother started the business at a very early day; the brother went west many years ago, but Henry remained at the old stand to the last.
G. W. Scott, an old and prominent citizen of Hazel Dell, died on the 24th of heart trouble and on the same day, in the city Jeremiah Connor died of the infirmities of age at ninety-two.
On the 25th the corner stone of the Jennie Edmundson hospital was laid under the auspices of the Elks' lodge, No. 531, Mayor Donald Macrae acting as master of ceremonies.
On March 25 Rev. J. B. Lentz had commenced preaching at his church in Macedonia; a fearful storm came up and he was struck down by lightning in the pulpit. A panic ensned, the cupola took fire. Elmer Turnbloom did an act of heroism by climbing to the roof and extinguishing the fire, while friends carried Rev. Lentz to a neighbor's, where he died in half an hour. Some of the congregation were slightly burned by the elec- tric fluid.
On the 9th of April E. A. Parker while crossing the Great Western traek near Minden at night was struck by the train and terribly injured. Both his horses were killed and his buggy smashed to kindling wood.
At the city election held in April, 1906, the following officers were elected. Mayor, Donald Maerac, Jr .; city solicitor, Clem F. Kimball ; treas- urer, F. T. True; auditor, John L. MeAnney; engineer, S. L. Etnyre ; asses- sor, W. D. Hardin ; superintendent of markets, Wm. Iliggeson; aldermen at large, John Olson and John C. Flemming; alderman first ward. Oscar Younkerman ; second ward, Thos. Malony; third ward. Robert B. Wallace; fourth ward, H. F. Knudson; fifth ward, Peter Smith; sixth ward, Wallace M. Hendix; park commissioners, A. C. Graham, Frank Peterson, J. J. Brown ; chief of police, Geo. H. Richmond; chief of fire department, Chas. Nichol- son ; elerk, W. F. Sapp.
On the 25th of April Mrs. Sarah, the venerable widow of Dr. Henry Hart, passed away, he having preceded her in 1891. They came from Bath, N. Y., to Johnston, Roek county, Wisconsin, in 1853, and from there to West Union, Iowa. When the war broke out he enlisted in 1861, became sur- geon of his regiment, and served during the war. They settled in the Bluffs in 1868. Only one son, Ernest E., survives them, Frank H. died at Beloit, Kansas, in 1884, and one daughter, Mrs. Jennie Edmundson, in 1890.
On the 30th of April Frank Kruger, a farmer living about six miles south of Minden, suieided by drowning in his cistern. Insanity was the cause.
On May 16 a class of sixty-seven graduated from the high school.
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On the 18th Wm. H. Kuhn, one of the foremost citizens of Garner town- ship, died at the age of seventy-three. He came here in 1856, built a mill for Wm. Garner, married one of his daughters; was a farmer, but spent some time freighting and mining in the early days; was a good manager, and, although he lost heavily by the Officer & Pusey bank failure, left a comfortable for- tune for his family.
May 20 Philip Wareham made a second attempt at suicide, this time by drowning. While walking with his wife he started for the creek. She suspected his intention and tried to hold him, but he jerked away and jumped into a deep hole, but her screams brought help in time to save him.
On May 21 James Arthur was sentenced to nine years at Fort Madi- son for the Treynor bank robbery, and Mickey Tagert to six years for robbery of Solomon.
May 30 a man was found dead two miles above Honey Creek on Northwestern track. From papers on his person he proved to be J. Mona- han of Lincoln, Ill.
May 30 Memorial day was appropriately observed in the city by dec- orating the graves in the forenoon and in the afternoon services were held in Fairmount park. 1
On June 4 a general foreman of bridge work on the Union Pacific bridge was struck by a Rock Island passenger engine while at work and instantly killed. It proved to be Henry D. Baldwin, an employee of many years' standing. His residence was No. 123 Fourth street, was fifty-four years of age. The train was exceeding its speed limit at the time.
On the 18th William B. Cook, a switch engineer of Chicago, was crushed to death between passenger coaches at the Great Western crossing at Sixth street and Ninth avenue.
Council Bluffs' crack team took first place and Neola first in hose race at the state tournament at DesMoines on June 21, and on the 23d Jack and Jim went over and took first at Clinton.
June 29 a man by the name of John Dicks, insane, suicided by hang- ing himself to a tree in John Robinson's yard at the corner of Seventeenth street and Avenue G.
Manawa did a larger business than ever before, although the band was inferior to that of Covalt's. The street fair and carnival in September also exceeded any of its predecessors.
On the 16th of October we were called upon to part with one of our foremost citizens in the person of John Schoentgen. He was one of the leading wholesale merchants, and most honorable of men.
At the election held November 6, 1906, the following officers were cleeted: Representatives. H. C. Brandes and Willoughby Dye; auditor, W. C. Cheyne; clerk, H. V. Batty ; sheriff, Ed. Canning; recorder, G. G. Baird; attorney. J. J. Hesse : school superintendent. E. R. Jackson ; surveyor, J. H. Mayne: coroner, V. L. Treynor; supervisors. W. F. Baker and Felix Sitz.
The reunion of the officers of the army of the Tennessee was a brilliant
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affair. Many distinguished soldiers and civilians were present, among whom were General O. O. Howard, Archbishop Ireland, Colonel Stibbs, General Fred Grant, Colonel W. L. Barnum, General G. F. McGinnis, General John C. Black, Captain N. T. Spoor and Captain Joseph R. Reed. Mrs. John A. Logan also graced the occasion with her presence. The exercises were con- ducted at the opera house, Major General G. M. Dodge presiding, and were most interesting. The whole elosed with a banquet at the Grand hotel, where 500 guests were served.
On the 13th of December George F. Wright, for forty years one of the leading attorneys of the Council Bluffs bar, passed away.
The year 1906 was a most prosperous one for the entire county. Crops were good and much improvement was made on the roads as well as on the streets of the city. More than a million dollars were spent in building.
January, 1907, the chief of police reports the number of arrests in the city at 1.765. The chief of the fire department reports 132 alarms and a loss by fire of $142,597.
At a meeting of the Council Bluffs Bar Association on January 8 W. 1. Mynster was elected president; Spencer Smith, vice-president, and D. L. Ross, secretary. After which the members to the number of forty partook of a dinner at the Grand hotel.
On the 13th of January Andrew Hunter of Neola started out for the purpose of buying cattle, he going in a buggy, his two sons following on horseback to drive the stock. At Geiss crossing of the Great Western rail- road he was run over and instantly killed, also his team, and his buggy smashed to kindling in plain sight of his sons.
Charles Proctor, a widower living by himself and keeping a cigar stand, was found dead in bed in his room back of his store on the 19th of January. Heart trouble was the cause. He was a native of England, but had been a citizen for many years, and was in his younger days an active member of the old Volunteer fire department.
On the first of February the Jennie Edmundson hospital was thrown open for inspection and more than a thousand visitors passed through.
On the second day of February, Dan Farrel, at one time connected with the Globe. but more widely known as one of the most efficient civil officers in the state, died at San Antonio, Texas.
On the 8th of February Royal D. Amy, the pioneer stove and tinware mer- chant of Council Bluffs, died after being in the business for more than a half century. He left a wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandehil- dren and thousands of friends. He was seventy-two years of age at the time of his death.
On the 14th Fred H. Hill, manager of the Empkie-Shugart-Hill Hard- ware Company, another of our leading business men, died of cancer at the hospital after an operation performed as a last resort.
Royal B. Felton, banker, of Underwood, was killed by the Great Western train at the erossing of Main street on the 21st of January.
On the 19th of March J. W. Morse died after a long tedious sickness. Mr. Morse had been a prominent man in several ways, having been a mer-
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chant, and had held the offices at different times of city marshal and justice of the peace.
It was he and his partner, Mr. Hall, at that time doing a shipping busi- ness, that instituted the suit by mandamus proceeding to compel the Union Pacific Railroad Company to operate its line to Council Bluffs, which was finally successful. He left a wife and two sons.
On the 23d of March James Anderson, janitor of the Masonic Temple, was found dead in one of the halls with his skull fractured, supposed to have . been caused by his falling down one story over the banisters.
On the 25th the community sustained a great loss in the death of Dr. T. B. Lacy. As a physician and surgeon he stood at the head of his pro- fession. Ile also occupied a high position in Masonry, being past eminent grand commander of Knights Templar and past grand high priest of Royal Arch Masons.
On April 9 the grand council of the Royal Arcanum convened liere and, after transacting business and selecting Boone for the next meeting, closed with a banquet at the Grand hotel.
On the 21st of April two railroad employes were killed, Wm. Burns, switchman on the R. I., and A. Hofman, colored, a helper in Wabash round- house.
April 23 City Treasurer True reports amount spent during last year at $244,000, of which $161,415 were for improvements and $83,047.58 city expenses.
April 26, at the home of Henry Sperling, just outside of city in Garner township, his daughter, eight years of age, and Miss Mary Miller were burned to death by lighting the fire with kerosene.
On June 13 John Beno, after three years' suffering. which he bore with heroic fortitude, quietly passed away. Perhaps no man in Pottawattamie county was better known or liked than he. Coming here a boy in 1861, and starting in as an errand boy, he filled every requirement. In the mer- cantile business he went in at the bottom, and by strict integrity and indus- try he reached the top. Ilis family lost the kindest of husband and father and the community one of its best citizens.
On the 26th Mrs. Mary, widow of Judge G. A. Robinson, died. She was a pioneer, coming while the city was but little more than a Mormon camp. She became a helpmate to her husband, who engaged in the hotel business by becoming a frugal as well as popular hostess. She could adorn the kitchen or drawing room with equal grace.
The charter of the Council Bluffs Water Works Company having ex- pired for more than a year, it became a subject of much importance what course to pursue, some favoring municipal ownership, while others were op- posed to it. The present company applied for a new charter, and after a lengthy discussion, the council passed an ordinance granting the company a new charter, which was approved by the mayor and submitted to a vote of the people to be taken at a special election to be held on the sixth day of August, 1907, and at which it was defeated by a large majority.
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DR. DONALD MACRAE.
The Grim Reaper the past year was very busy in Council Bluffs. In addition to several prominent persons previously named, Dr. Donald Macrae, eminent as a physician and surgeon, passed away.
He was a native of Scotland, born October 3, 1839, came to Council Bluffs in March, 1867, and practiced his profession up to within a short time previous to his death, which occurred on the 14th of August. He also took a lively interest in public affairs and was elected and served one term as mayor of the city.
His wife, who was a daughter of Joseph Bouchette, surveyor general of Canada, preceded him, dying in March, 1904. He was the father of the present mayor, Dr. Donald Macrae, now serving his second term.
On the night of July 28 two policemen were shot in attempting to arrest a burglar. One of them, George W. Wilson, lived but a few hours. The other, William II. Richardson, although shot through the chest, has nearly recovered. The burglar escaped in the darkness.
On the 10th of August Peter Bechtel, another of Council Bluffs' re- speeted citizens of long standing, died at the age of eighty. He came here in 1868, engaged in the hotel business, was prosperous for years, built a fine modern hotel and an elegant residence, but in his old age was overtaken by misfortune and lost all, save his honor, and, added to this, he was afflicted with loss of sight. Ile left his venerable wife and one son and daughter.
Politically Pottawattamie county, previous to the war, was democratic. During that period the opposition to the war by leaders of the democratic party caused many to change to the republican columns, so that since that time the county at large has been republican by far the largest part of the time, while in the city it has been somewhat different. Of the thirty men, who have filled the office of mayor, the first one was a whig. This was he- fore the birth of the republican party. Since that time thirty-two years have been under democratic administrations, while the republicans have had but nineteen. Of these, four have been soldiers, Cochran, Carson, Keatley and Macrae, Jr. Two brothers, John and Caleb Baldwin, have held the posi- tion. Also father and son, being the two Drs. Macrae. Of these, nine are living, being Vaughan, Bowman, Evans, Rohrer, Groneweg, Carson, Jen- nings, Morgan and Macrae. One. John Chapman, died in office.
Taken as a whole, it would be hard to find a more honorable set of officials. In only one or two instances did the odor of graft attach to any of them, and, however they may have differed as to the means, they had the welfare of their city at heart.
Morally and religiously it is perhaps neither better nor worse than other cities of its size. The wheat and tares are still growing together, but we believe the wheat to be gaining. The street fair and carnival held in Sep- tember was another success, netting over $3.000, which is to be expended in public improvements. The management announced that as the last to be given under their supervision.
The season now closing has been a very busy and prosperous one for
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both city and county. In the city more buildings have been erected and more street paving done than in any one year in its history.
Although Council Bluffs cannot as yet lay claim to being a manufac- turing city, it is gradually taking steps in that direction as will be seen fur- ther along, where they are given special notice. At an early day Council Bluffs had a distillery and three breweries, but owing to unfriendly legisla- tion, they have long been discontinued, but our sixty saloons find no diffi- culty in getting supplies from neighboring states. Whether this is to our advantage from either a moral, religious or commercial standpoint is still a debatable question. Only Geis' Bottlings Works is all that remains of a former large industry.
As considerable attention has been given to the cultivation of fruits, flow- ers and vegetables, we will proceed to notice some of the establishments en- gaged in this business, after which we will look at some of our infant manu- factures.
J. F. WILCOX, FLORIST.
Prominent among the industries of Council Bluffs is that of floricul- ture. The largest of these establishments is that of Mr. J. F. Wilcox, on East Pierce street. This business was started back in the seventies by Mr. L. A. Casper, for whom the present proprietor worked for a number of years. Ever since the commencement of Mr. Casper the business has had a constant growth, and proved quite remunerative, so much so that by 1892 Mr. Casper was content to retire on a handsome fortune, and sold out to Mr. Wilcox, who has since conducted the business with the same skill and energy that has characterized its management from the beginning. until it has reached mammoth proportions. Four hundred and twenty-five thou- sand square feet of glass enter into the construction of the hot houses, while miles of piping is required for keeping the proper temperature. Besides this, he has an establishment just outside of the city, in Garner township, for supplying fresh vegetables at all seasons of the year. Altogether 5,000 tons of coal is consumed in a year to maintain the proper degree of warmth. The business has become continental in extent, as, at his office at 521 West Broad- way, orders are received from New York to Seattle, and from Minneapolis to St. Louis.
His residence at 1132 East Pierce street is one of the finest in the city.
HENRY J. MEYER, GARDENER AND FLORIST.
The above industry was started in 1885 by the father of the present proprietor. At first the business consisted of raising vegetables exclusively. Having five acres under cultivation, and furnishing fresh vegetables at all seasons of the year. During the year 1889 the elder Mr. Meyer died, since which time the business has been conducted by the son. above named, and to which he has added the raising of flowers. One acre has been devoted to this branch and enclosed with hot houses. Although this addition has been made but recently, one hundred and fifty tons of coal was required to keep the plant at the proper temperature. The raising of vegetables is contin-
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ued, and in addition two acres have been set to raising choice varieties of grapes.
Fred L. Lainson, gardener, has 35,000 square feet of glass in his hot houses at 1308 Canning street. Two eighty horse-power boilers force heat through three miles of piping, and requiring 1,000 tons of coal per annum to keep the right temperature.
His business is raising vegetables and supplying them fresh the year round at wholesale. So far he has not been able to supply the home mar- ket and that of Omaha, but is enlarging his plant, with a view of supplying the increasing demand.
MARKET GARDENING.
Thomas Capel started a market garden on East Pierce street in 1905 in a small way, but is compelled to enlarge, and at the present time (1907) he has 30,000 feet of glass in his hot houses, with one mile of piping, and requiring 250 tons of coal per annum to keep the proper temperature. The rapid growth of Omaha and Council Bluffs creates a great demand for these prod- uets, which they furnish the year round. His bu-ine-s being vegetables exclusively and has $10,000 invested in the plaut.
HIERMAN BROTHERS.
The above named firm started business in 1905, on the corner of Twenty-ninth street and Ninth avenue. They make a specialty of cut flowers, which they furnish at wholesale and retail.
Although started but two years ago, their greenhouse has 40,000 feet of glass, the main building being 250x100 feet, besides office and packing room -. They ship as far east as Chicago and west as far as Denver. They employ six persons besides themselves and families. It takes eight hundred tons of coal per annum to maintain the proper temperature.
The value of the plant at present is $30,000.
GRAPE GROWERS' ASSOCIATION.
Fruit raising during the early settlement of the county was not at- tended with much success. At first the young trees would kill out during the winters, some of which were severe, but the real cause was found to be the long distance from which they were brought.
A few of the pioneers, however, had faith, notably Mr. Terry. of Cres- cent; Mr. McDonald, of Kane; Mr. Cooledge, of Mills, and later, Mr. Ray- mond, of Garner, also Mr. Rice of Kane. Nurseries were started and fruit raising became infectious until at this time a farm without an orchard or vineyard, or both, is the exception. In a few years the crop more than sup- plied the home market, and steps were taken to find others.
In 1891 a number of the fruit growers incorporated for mutual benefit with a capital of $1,000. A building was rented temporarily in which to handle the crop and they began shipping. The business grew and in 1905
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the company erected a warehouse 36x60 feet of two stories and basement, in which the business was conducted for two years.
In the spring of 1907 the company was reincorporated with a capital stock of $35,000 under the name of the Grape Growers' Association, with J. A. Aulabaugh, president; Alex. Wood, vice-president and chairman of the board of directors; J. J. Hess, secretary, and Charles Konigmacher, treas- urer. The warehouse built, not being sufficient, an additional one has been added, 60x160 feet. This also is of brick, two stories and basement. The shipping facilities are of the best, being located on the Great Western track. The company has reliable agents in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Denver, Pueblo, Duluth and Salt Lake, besides intermediate points.
The new warehouse above mentioned is probably the strongest in the city. It is already rented, to take effect as soon as the grape season closes, for storage of 150 carloads or 7,500,000 pounds of sugar.
AAmong the leading fruit growers of western Pottawattamie are Rev. G. G. Rice, D. L. Royer, Robert. Mckinsey. A. Wood, D. J. Smith, W. T. Keeline, Harry Kingston. O. J. Smith, W. H. Kuhn, Mark L. Stageman, Chas. Konigmacher, Wm. Arnd, A. Rosner, J. W. Dorland, W. G. Rich, N. P. Dodge, Wm. Homburg. Anton Kerston, James Peterson, J. A. Alabaugh, J. F. Gretzer, C. D. Parmale, John Johnson, M. R. Smith, Henry Sperling, G. C. Hansen. Peter Peterson. Miss Nance Avery, Dr. A. P. Hanchett, J. F. Wilcox and Charles Beno.
THE CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.
This company was incorporated in 1904 with a capital of $25,000. President. C. Hafer; secretary, W. W. Hafer; treasurer and manager, P. I. Van Order.
The business of this company is general contracting. Their business differs from that of most contractors in their keeping all material in stock for all the branches of building, commencing with the foundation, inelud- ing stone, briek, lime, cement and sand; also a full line of hardware and paints, as well as all standard sizes of doors and windows, and in addition it has a large factory equipped with the most improved machinery for mill work of every description, including planing, seroll and band sawing and turning. In connection with the lumber yard a full line of wire fencing is also kept. It also has its architect and skilled foremen in every department. An average of one hundred mechanies are employed and the payroll now amounts to $7,500 per month.
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