USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 13
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O'BRIEN COUNTY HOME
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOW.A.
Rev. Andrews, of Primghar, led the large chorus, and Rev. P. E. Wells, of Sanborn, pronounced the benediction. A very feeling letter was read, writ- ten by Rev. Father James McCormack, of the Catholic church of Sheldon, who could not be present. It was a dignified occasion. It was not merely a gathering. It was a milestone, an historic event in the county.
LOOKING FORWARD.
It is the aim of the present board of supervisors that this county home and farm will develop into more than a mere place, where are kept the unfor- tunate, yes, more than a place where mere farming is done. This higher aim is to make it a model experiment farm, an actual farm, a farm that will test out and become what all farms should be, a profitable, self-supporting institution. Yes, even still more, to make it a sort of experiment station on farm products and crops-in brief, to make it county wide, and to the extent that twenty-four miles wide of an agricultural country can make it, and to the full extent that it can be made, to the people of the county, what the Ames Agricultural College and farm is to the state, an educational center, for farming and agricultural purposes. This will work a double purpose, even to the unfor- tunates, both a care and home for them, pointing out to them an uplift idea, an idea of independence instead of dependence. Also, as stated, to make it a farm testing center in which the people will look for suggestions. All this is but making its start, but, as one of the members of the board remarked, that he believed that with future good management, it could also be made self supporting, a farm that would pay within itself.
PLATTED BY A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
Inasmuch as this farm will for all time be required to accommodate from thirty to fifty inmates (fifty being its capacity), together with its managers and help, it was foresight to have its buildings and equipments and grounds planned systematically by a landscape architect for practical use in the various functions both for the care of the unfortunates and with the further idea of an experimental farm and center of an agricultural education. This the present board, composed of Peter Swenson, chairman, and M. F. McNutt, Ralph C. Jordan, W. C. Jackson and William Strampe, practical farmers and grainmen, have done. It was important that this should be done in ad- vance, to the end that future expenditures would be made to solve it out. They therefore employed Paul Scherbe, landscape architect at Waterloo. He
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accordingly made full plans and specifications of the grounds, including main building, barns, groves, cattle sheds, sheep sheds, hog houses, paddocks, silos, horse and cattle yards, driveways, service lawn, carpenter shop, blacksmith shop, ice house, cribs, granaries, gardens, flower beds, ornamental trees, electric lighting plant, septic tank, with full sewerage plant as complete as in a town, water works, similar to the systematic equipments with the main buildings, namely of two wards on the first floor for the poor, each accommodating about twelve, with individual rooms for the emergency sick, and two like wards on the second floor for the mild insane to be brought from Cherokee. In the basement we find a large kitchen, laundry, heating plant and electric light plant, with all modern equipments in the way of sanitary beds, bathrooms, lavatories, toilets, elevator to carry up supplies, and all else needed. The floors and stairways being solid concrete cement, make this building practically fireproof. All these in their relative proportions and sizes as is believed will solve itself out practically. In solving this out thus far, the members of the board and architect have visited and studied similar plans in other counties recently solving out similar problems in the modern county homes and farms.
On the line of this definite purpose from two standpoints, the board of supervisors have employed A. W. McGuire, to be known as the steward of the O'Brien county home and farm, and his wife, Mrs. Anna McGuire, as matron. Mr. and Mrs. McGuire have had three years' experience under Dr. M. N. Volding, superintendent of the Cherokee State Hospital, and a still prior experience at the State Hospital at Independence, which speaks their equipment for this service. Mr. McGuire is also a practical stockman and farmer. His brother has for several years had the management of the county home and farm at Mason City, in Cerro Gordo county, where they have made the farm and home practically self supporting, aided by the labors of the several sundry inmates. It is anticipated that at least within a few years this farm will do likewise.
The large public gathering of those four thousand people on June 25, 1913, at the dedication of this home building, has already enlisted the senti- ments of the people to this idea of the board that this county home and farm is the people's farm and can be made a common meeting ground for practical farm education along many lines, as well as a fine place for public gatherings similar to the dedicatory services and discussions.
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THE ELECTRIC LIGHTING PLANT.
One unusual incident relating to the improvements at the county home farm is worthy of mention. Peter Swenson, chairman of the board, has personally donated the sum of one thousand dollars for the installment of the electric lighting plant and equipments. This will light up not only the county home building itself, but also the many barns and other buildings and yards. This is all run by a twelve-horse-power Fairbanks & Morse engine, and equipped with proportionate dynamos, switch board and lighting fixtures. It is unusual and commendable in this, that it is the very opposite of graft. It is the unusual case of a public official adding to the public funds, and this in a sum equal to what Mr. Swenson has received for his labors for several years of his service.
OTHER COUNTY IMPROVEMENTS AND LARGE PROBLEMS.
The advance methods of farming, the now necessary automobile, the public safety and other items have, throughout the county, opened up many new and larger problems for county officials to grapple with. The Legisla- ture of the state has taken hold with additional requirements. The present board, both in fulfillment of the law and likewise as a county need, has co- operated on all lines of road and bridge building, drainage and other work. The board is carrying this out in steel and concrete bridges and culverts, road grading and drainage. These steel bridges are constructed with backing and floors of concrete. Thus far five of these steel and concrete bridges have been built in Chairman Peter Swenson's district, seven in the district of member Ralph C. Jordan, fourteen in that of M. F. McNutt, four in that of William Strampe and four in that of W. C. Jackson, with one additional permanent bridge known as a slab bridge. Permanent concrete steel and con- crete culverts to the number of about eighty have been built, distributed over the county, each with a twenty-foot roadway. The road grading has been carried out on an equal scale. The county has purchased several mammoth modern graders and engines, and has operated them in sundry places. The county has adopted a system of permanent roads, under the later statutes. connecting with like roads in other counties and working to the state-wide contemplation of roadways. We have passed into the permanent building age. We probably will pass through some experiments and perhaps some misfits, but in a general way the roads and bridges and other improvements will move on to the solid and substantial. It all spells the word "permanence."
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All this is adding much to the numbers of records and details of the county workshop, the office of the county auditor, under the present man- agement of the board and of its present efficient auditor, J. B. Stamp. The details of records carrying out these plans and specifications of all this per- manent upbuilding are carried out in this office.
The writer has lived through all the years of the shack, the pioneer, the haytwister, the grasshopper, angling roads on the prairie. prairie fires, county debts and private debts and early troubles, and it is with much satisfaction that he now lives in this building age. After recording these many early troubles, it certainly gives good cheer and causes the risibilities and cheerier feelings to bubble up through the human heart to write of these better things.
The writer himself conducted this county auditor's office for four years, in the earlier court house, and has transacted hundreds of business items each year and each month in the present frame court house. It would have been much of a satisfaction to the writer could he have had the opportunity to have described in this history the future and final capitol and court house building, which, of necessity, must within a very few years be built in all its modern proportions. Its necessity will solve its own building. The present court house is but a wooden frame, though well provided with modern furni- ture within, and is the opposite of being fire proof. To realize that the thousands of records of deeds and title papers, covering every tract of land and every town lot and home in the county, and on which stand the homes and roofs that cover our heads, are thus at stake and what a burning of the public records would mean to every citizen in the county, causes us to pause and think and wish still more that we could in this history write up a de- scription of that final court house. But it being the people's building and the people's public home for their records so vital to them, they will vote for it in good time.
In closing this chapter on County Government we may well lift up our eyes in visions and wonderment as to what fifty years will solve out in this wealthy county in its problems of public improvements and county govern- ment and management.
THE OLD LOG COURT HOUSE
CHAPTER VII.
THE COURT HOUSES OF O'BRIEN COUNTY.
OLD LOG COURT HOUSE.
The first, or old log court house, was built on the farm of Hannibal House Waterman, on the northeast quarter of section 26, by Archibald Mur- ray in the early part of 1860, and after the election of February 6, 1860, which organized the county. But this log court house was not the only county building at Old O'Brien. There were several offices or buildings used. For instance, to start with, the election which so organized the county was held in the private residence of Mr. Waterman. In that sense his farm house was the first county building or court house.
Archibald Murray was at once on the job in court house building. He built or supervised it. It all run along for months, even the building of a moderate, usual-sized cabin log house. The record made about it all is meager.
Negotiations were had with Mr. Waterman to purchase forty acres of his land for a county seat. They finally paid Mr. Tiffey two thousand dollars for forty acres from him, and at a time when land at best was not worth five dollars an acre. This probably explains why Mr. Waterman did not sell his land. Mr. Tiffey was one of the powers that be. Mr. Waterman was not. Mr. Waterman was trying to farm, and they were farming the county.
This old log court house was moved down from Mr. Waterman's place, about three-quarters of a mile to the forty acres purchased of Henry C. Tiffey, namely, the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 36, in Waterman township. Mr. Tiffey made the deed June 25, 1861, but did not draw his warrant until September 2, 1861.
On August 28, 1861, the Hon. A. W. Hubbard, judge of the district court, held a term of court at Old O'Brien and appointed Lemuel Parkhurst, of Cherokee county, Edward Smeltzer, of Clay county, and James Gleason, of Buena Vista county, to select the county seat. They located it as stated. (Judge Hubbard was the father of the late Congressman Elbert H. Hubbard, who died a congressman in 1912.) We will give the exact wording of the record relating to these county buildings :
(9)
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
"Office of the County Judge. "October 20, 1860.
"O'Brien county, by its judge, has this day entered into a contract with James W. Bosler to build an office at the county seat, and to be of good ma- terial. Size not more than eighteen feet square, and to be finished by the first day of May, 1862, for which he shall receive the sum of two thousand dollars, which amount the court now issues on order to the treasurer. "I. C. FURBER, "County Judge."
"Office of the County Judge. "November 5, 1860.
"Ordered that Henry C. Tiffey be allowed the sum of fifteen hundred dollars to build an office for the district clerk, at the county seat; said office to be built in connection with the office of treasurer and recorder.
"I. C. FURBER, "County Judge." "Office of the County Judge. "November 30, 1860.
"Ordered that A. Murray and I. C. Furber be allowed the sum of three hundred dollars for building temporary office for the county judge and dis- trict clerk, and that same be paid.
"I. C. FURBER, "County Judge."
"September 21, 1861.
"Archibald Murray allowed $2,000 for building county building.
"Henry C. Tiffey allowed $2,000 for forty acres land."
"October 17, 1865.
"Charles C. Smeltzer allowed $3,000 for services as attorney for services rendered during the year 1860."
"September 21, 1861.
"I. C. Furber, for office rent. $ 300.00
"J. H. Cofer, wood furnished offices 500.00
"James H. Bosler, wood furnished office. 200.00
"Henry C. Tiffey, office rent 300.00
"A. Murray, office rent. 300.00
Total office rent $1,600.00" Above mainly relates to the old court house or rentals.
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It is quite impossible to determine from the record what the above $2,000 for county building is for, whether to finish up the log building, or whether to tear it down and remove it from Mr. Waterman's farm or not.
It is one curious fact that up to November 30, 1860, that the bills al- lowed were all small and ordinary bills, being one, the largest, for $100, then one for $50, one for $32, and the balance below $20, out of forty bills al- lowed up to that time. But after that it commenced with these court build- ings and all else.
The temporary office spoken of was none other than the old log court house. Just how much business was actually transacted in that building is hard to determine. A bill had been allowed Charles C. Smeltzer, an attorney at Fort Dodge, for $27.50 on April 7, 1860, for county books, which was evidently the county and bridge warrant books, and which, owing to the distance to Fort Dodge and getting them printed, did not get around until along in the fall. These first forty warrants or small ones were issued on common blank paper, but when it come to issuing warrants in the large sums, which they were now ready to commence issuing, they wanted a printed war- rant book. as the warrants could not well be cashed or sold to purchasers unless they were printed in good form. This accounts for the fact that this old log court house was not paid for until November 30, 1860.
In the meantime, the other offices were under way. From the above it will be seen that four items were paid on court houses, namely, three items of $300, $1,500 and $2,000, in the fall of 1860, and an additional $2,000 September 2, 1861, to A. Murray. The record recites that the two other buildings than the log court house were built "in connection" with each other. This so that when done they were one building in result.
At all events, this old log court house was soon needed for a school house and a little later on was used as a residence by Moses Lewis and fam- ily, still later by A. L. Bostwick and R. G. Allen as a blacksmith shop, and still later by Clark and Lem Green as a stable. As nearly as can be deter- mined, this log building did service as a county building at intervals only. The above additional $2,000 allowed A. Murray September 2, 1861, for a building was probably for tearing down the log building and removing it to Old O'Brien, which was done; indeed, the log building could not well be removed as a whole bodily. The above office rents were also allowed. Just why they needed so much office rent in addition to the palatial log court house would be impossible to determine from the records, but outside facts indicate that during these interims of providing school house and buildings of these other parts of offices, that these respective gentry, Tiffey, Murray
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and Furber, took their few books from their offices to their homes and then allowed themselves $300 each for office rent for same. At all events, it all rounded up in O'Brien county footing the bills at both ends of the line.
ANOTHER COURT HOUSE IN OLD O'BRIEN IN 1870.
But all this did not end the building of county buildings at Old O'Brien. The records are meager. It cannot even be determined how much it cost. Archibald Murray built it, and when it was done he lived in one end of it with his family and had his auditor's office in the other. The record does not even make allowance of bills for same. The record calls it a court house. However, at another session the board had given Mr. Murray, as auditor. authority to issue warrants on all indebtedness, which accounts for the mea- gerness of the record. We will give the several motions made. It is evident that part of the discussion before the board related to trying to move it and repair it and get along with the old one. Under that authority given the stub book would be the only record. The following is the record :
"September 6, 1869 .- Motion carried that job be let to lowest bidder to move the court house to the center of the square and repair and plaster same in good condition, and to do all other work to make it comfortable."
"November 8, 1869 .- Motion carried that the resolution of moving the court house to the public square be rescinded."
"November 8, 1869 .- Motion carried that the court house be moved from the present site out of the road on a line fronting south."
"November 8, 1869 .- Motion carried that the auditor be empowered to procure a lease from Rouse B. Crego to put the court house on to use as long as the county uses the building for public use."
"January 18. 1870 .- Bond of J. G. Parker accepted and with contract on office or court house approved."
"December 20, 1860 .- A. Murray allowed $150 for office rent."
"July 20, 1870 .- Motion carried that the court house be accepted as completed."
Whatever was left of the court house was, on moving to Primghar, sold to A. J. Edwards for forty dollars.
We here call attention to the contract in rentals and buildings as above set forth with the building in 1887 of the present wooden court house. While it is not an up-to-date court house, it, with everything connected, was built for six thousand dollars, and that the people of Primghar contributed all
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hauling from Sanborn to Primghar of material free of cost to the county. The county was later looking up to better conditions. It could not be built today. with its vaults. for the money expended.
We have woven into these various subjects items relating to other ques- tions, to show conditions. The above and other items given of old matters are but samples of many other situations that could be given in detail, but to do so would extend this history to much too great length. We might also mention here, that Archibald Murray and Rouse B. Crego, much mentioned herein, were both badly addicted to intoxicating liquors, which may explain many things in a degree.
THE SECOND COURT HOUSE, BUILT AT PRIMGHAR IN 1874.
The second court house of the county was built by Stewart & Healy at a cost of two thousand dollars. This unless you count those several buildings at Old O'Brien each a court house. The contract was dated February 2. 1874. and the building was completed and finally paid for April 6, 1874, and shortly afterward occupied. Its size was about thirty-five feet square. It liad four offices below, of about equal size, with a small hall eight feet wide. which left the officers well cramped as can be seen. A stairway on the out- side led to the court room, through a small ante room.
Two large iron safes. perhaps fire proof, were purchased of the D. S. Covert Safe Company, Chicago, at a cost of two thousand seven hundred dollars and shipped to Sheldon. George J. Hill and A. P. McLaren were awarded a contract to haul them down to Primghar for three hundred dol- lars in warrants. We mention these prices as showing the handicap even up to this date on the cost of everything measured in warrants at thirty to forty cents.
While the election to move the county seat to Primghar was held Novem- ber II, 1872. it was not until April 29, 1873, that the then board, B. F .; Mc- Cormack and Chester W. Inman (third place vacant), passed a resolution that the county officers remove the records as soon as practicable. A few days after this, Capt. A. J. Edwards, county auditor, himself hauled the first load, being his auditor's records, and received ten dollars for it or equal to about three dollars, a natural day's work. A few weeks later John F. Holli- baugh hauled two more loads and in June brought the balance of the records and received twenty dollars in warrants for it.
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PAINE'S STORE AN AD INTERIM COURT HOUSE.
We do not enumerate Paine's store as a distinct court house, as it was but a rented building. Mr. Paine had run a store in it for four years in High- land township. In May, 1874, it was leased to the county by John Pumphrey. who owned it, for five months for eighty dollars cash. Later on in the year he and W. C. Green, who had bought an interest in it later, leased it to the county for one year for six hundred dollars paid in advance. It stood on the block north of the public square. Here the first court was held in 1873. This Paine's store building housed the officials and records until April 6, 1874, when the new court house was ready. This Paine store court house was bought by Frank Teabout and moved to Sanborn in 1878 and used by him as a store house in connection with his merchandising there.
Prior to this actual building in 1874 the board had for a year wrestled with the question with many resolutions and rescindings of same. It was first ordered that sealed bids be received for a building not to exceed five thousand dollars, but that was abandoned for the lesser building. This court house was used until the summer of 1886, when it was sold for a residence now on Slocum, Turner and Armstrong's addition, in which year the third court house was built. Three exciting items in the county took place in this court house named elsewhere, namely, the exciting contest between Sheldon and Primghar on the county seat in 1879, the county treasurer's contest be- tween Alexander and Harris in 1877. and the county seat raid in 1882.
THIRD AND PRESENT COURT HOUSE, BUILT IN 1887.
The present court house, third in number in the county, was built in 1887 by Green Brothers (Lem C. Green and M. D. Green, brothers of Clark Green), under contract dated July 9. 1887, for the sum of six thousand dollars. It was originally fifty by fifty-four in size. At the November term of court for 1886 the grand jury, composed of George Hakeman, David Fife, J. W. Coleman, W. B. Webster, Ira Waterman, G. S. Morean, Robert Cragg, W. S. Castledine, George T. Wellman, J. A. Glenn, Charles I. Nelson, Fred Frisbee, T. J. Irutret, J. M. Vincent and W. A. Wasson, filed a very severe report condemning the court house as not being a safe place for the public records and the jail as unfit for prisoners. In fact, as the resolution of the board later recited, the grand juries for eight years at various sessions had condemned the jail, and during the vear 1887 at each session repeated this condemnation. On January 3. 1887, the board, then composed of W. W.
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Reynolds, chairman, J. W. Gaunt, Henry Hoerman, O. M. Shonkwiler and J. E. Wheelock, by resolution appropriated the sum of five thousand dollars for the erection of a new court house. This was the highest amount the board could appropriate without a vote of the people. It was scarcely sufficient. The lumber and material had to be hauled from Sanborn or Paullina. Its actual cost was six thousand dollars, with vaults added. The people of Prim- ghar, however, signed a written agreement to the board to haul the material without cost to the county, and the bids were called for on that basis. It was accepted and so hauled. Bidders were invited to make sealed bids on January 28, 1887. The bid was for even six thousand dollars. It was fin- ished in December, 1887, all with suitable fire proof vaults, and at once occu- pied. It being not quite sufficient in size, in the year 1902 an addition, twenty by thirty-two feet, was added to same at a cost of one thousand four hundred dollars. The old court house was sold for the sum of four hundred sixty- nine dollars and ninety-five cents, and is now a residence in Primghar.
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