USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 14
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THE COURT HOUSE PUBLIC SQUARE.
William Clark Green and wife and James Roberts, by deed dated Sep- tember 5, 1872, deeded two acres to O'Brien county for a court house square, as they likewise deeded two acres for a school house square and two acres to the Trinity Methodist Episcopal church, where the Congregational church now stands.
The grove of maple trees in same was planted in 1878 by the county, under contract by William D. Slack, and the trees and ground cultivated dur- ing the summer by Emanuel Kindig, member of the board of supervisors. The first part of the summer was excessively dry and the little sprigs, being practically planted in the sod, did not leaf out until the rains began in August.
In 1891 the county, town of Primghar, George W. Schee and Charles S. Cooper combined or contributed in hauling down about two thousand yards of earth, from the grading of the hill at Mr. Schee's residence, and covered the square from six inches to eighteen inches of earth, and filling in the street on the west side of square from three to four feet deep. The south and west sides of square were then a boggy slough, which made this grading necessary.
Two court houses and one jail have been built on same. It has been used by many public gatherings, old settlers' reunions, old soldiers' gatherings, Fourth of July celebrations, caucuses, conventions and the public generally
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in addition to county uses. A cement sidewalk, now entirely around the square, has been built at intervals.
First by resolution of the board of supervisors, on petition of sundry citizens of Primghar, and later by deed dated September 21, 1887, O'Brien county deeded or rather dedicated five feet on each side of this square to the public to widen the street. The citizens of Primghar at the same time dedi- cated nine feet from off the respective blocks for the same purpose, leaving the streets eighty feet in width. The county has also placed a gas lamp at each side of the square. In the year 19II the county also appropriated the sum of one thousand two hundred dollars for sewerage connections with the sewerage system of Primghar constructed in that year, as likewise the inde- pendent school district of Primghar appropriated nine hundred dollars for its like connections with sewerage. The county likewise provided four wells on the square, one at each corner. Other smaller trees and shrubbery are now in process of growth on same.
JAILS.
A jail perhaps is not a court house. The history of a jail, however, contains sufficient "sentences" from the records of the court house to make a full chapter. The jail proposition at Old O'Brien was much on a par with the old log court house. They needed a jail there bad enough, but the bunch wouldn't put themselves into it.
At Primghar there have been two jails. The first one, built in 1874. was more like a block house in the Indian days. It was about sixteen by twenty-four feet in size, and stood near the southeast corner of the court house square. It consisted of timbers, two by six, laid flat on each other, and filled through and through thickly with large spikes. It was much laughed at as a bastile. But nevertheless, thus filled with sharp metal spikes, the fellow breaking jail would even today have a better chance punching out a square hole through the brick walls of the present jail, as to untangle or get through those mass of spikes. It was later sold by the county as a residence and in 1907 was burned down.
SECOND JAIL.
In size the present jail is twenty-five by thirty-six feet and built of faced brick. It, with its furnishings, was built by contract dated July 9, 1890. The steel jail cages and steel work was built by the Paully Jail Company of St. Louis. The first cost of the jail was about five thousand dollars. Sundry
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additions in improved cells and patent locking apparatus have been added. It stands on block 8 of Primghar, next west block from the public square.
MORE ON THE FIRST COURT HOUSE.
The first court house in the county was built of logs on Mr. Hannibal Waterman's claim, and remained there for something over a year. It was built by virtue of a contract with James W. Bosler, and was to be eighteen feet square, but was shy a few feet on each side, so that its real dimensions were about fourteen by twenty. Instead of being used for a court house while on Mr. Waterman's claim, it was used by Moses Lewis as a residence, but a court house was not needed much, as the county officials carried the various departments of the county business around in their pockets. They tried to purchase of Mr. Waterman forty acres of land for county purposes, but at the time he wanted the scene of their manipulations as far away as possible. The old log court house was moved to the forty acres purchased from Henry C. Tiffey, on which Old O'Brien was started. The county wanted all its belongings together, but when it was set up again it was soon used as a school house, and by Moses Lewis as a residence, and later by A. L. Bostwick and R. G. Allen as a blacksmith shop and still later by W. C. Green as a stable.
We call this building a court house, because that was the name given to it, but after all it was a curiosity and a sacreligious travesty upon juris- prudence. It was erected not for use. because nobody used it for the purpose for which it was supposed to be intended. It was erected, in fact, in order that a large number of warrants could be issued in pay for it, and these war- rants went into the general pool of the gang. A court house implies a good deal. Generally, that emblem of justice, a blinded female holding in equi- poise the scales of justice, stands prominently elevated, and at the fore, to tell the people that here the wrongs of this wicked world are righted, and that there is given to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and that justice is dis- pensed with an impartial hand. But here was a pile of logs, cut from the banks of the Little Sioux, notched, placed together in the form and shape of a building, and the temple of justice was complete. About it, and on all sides of it, were the consultations and manipulations of men, in devising the various methods of theft, the means of perpetrating robbery and plunder, while within, if it had been a court house in fact, the emblem would be truer to the conditions if that blinded female was weeping and her attitude that of a devotee at the throne of justice, whose heart was crushed with remorse. Never within the walls of this illy-constructed structure was an actual court held, never the sound of a voice of an advocate echoed among its rafters.
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There were practically no records. None were needed. Court houses were not needed, for the elements of wickedness were averse to them; the only county records were the warrant books, and the only business of the county officials was to fill up the blanks and detach them for their purposes.
After this original log court house, there was built another in 1870, a frame, fourteen by sixteen, which cost several thousand dollars. The records, what few there were, were moved into it, but were moved out again, as Dan Inman needed a place to live and the court house was vacated to him for that purpose. This building was burned the next year, and soon afterward a similar building was erected, at a cost of several thousand more, which was used until the county seat was moved to Primghar.
In this latter so-called court house also Archibald Murray lived and also called this residence an auditor's office. It is somewhat difficult to reconcile these several buildings and so called court houses at Old O'Brien, either in number or size or quality. All this to say nothing of the sundry items for office rent in warrants issued to the same gentry. We will not attempt it. To sum it all up, the whole farce was simply to drum up some excuse, either by calling it office rent, or the erection of a court house, when in fact the offices for which rent was charged were the private residences of the officials, but by whatever name, or for whatsoever the purpose, it rounded up with a generous county warrant.
As a side statement relating to some of these same county organizers, . we quote the following from a Sioux county authority, relating to their doings over in that county.
"Before any court house was built, and before there was any habitation in the county, a county government was effected under the shade of a cotton- wood tree by those enterprising characters in northwestern Iowa, Archibald Murray and Moses Lewis, assisted by lesser lights, and before the sun went down an appropriation of twenty-five thousand dollars had been made for the purpose of building a bridge across the Sioux river. Arch Murray was delegated to go to Chicago to negotiate the sale of warrants. He sold to the Lombards, Chicago bankers. While in Chicago he interested several other capitalists in investments in western bonds and county warrants."
We thus see that O'Brien county was but one of many counties in north- western Iowa that were victims of these men. It would also appear that these men actually cast votes as electors in these several counties, as they did in O'Brien county. There seemed to be no consistency as to place of resi- dence. The mere legal question of a right to vote was swallowed up in the swim of the greater wrongs committed by them.
CHAPTER VIII.
STORMS, PRAIRIE FIRES, GRASSHOPPERS AND BLIZZARDS.
CYCLONE OF JUNE 24, 1882.
The cyclone of June 24, 1882, was probably the most destructive single storm disaster ever experienced in this county, occurring at six o'clock in the morning. It was first observed at Primghar to the northwest in two eddies or hanging streamers of cloud, being none other than whirling, irresistible maelstroms of air, called a cyclone. These two whirling movements of air seemed to unite just north and west of town. It did its first terrific work in the complete destruction of the Methodist church building, scattering its debris in its track for more than a mile to the southeast. The residence of William Hastings, just across the street, met a like fate. Mr. Hastings ob- served its approach in time to get his wife and children into the cellar, but himself was hurled a distance of over one hundred feet amid the flying tim- bers from the church and his own demolished home. Two other houses stood near. He aroused from a half insensible condition, where the gale dropped him near one of these houses, that of William J. Stewart, and dragged himself to a spot near the window and was pulled into the house through this window. It was first thought that his wounds were fatal and that he was dying, but by medical aid he was soon able to get around, though he felt the effects of his injuries the balance of his life. The family were im- prisoned in the cellar, where their home had stood, but were uninjured. The other nearby house was occupied by W. H. Durham and family and that of his son-in-law, Walter Scott, and family. A long heavy timber from the church shot through the house endwise, striking Mr. Scott on the head, leav- ing him senseless on the floor, as if dead. and lying upon his infant child, which he held in his arms. Mr. Durham was likewise struck on the head by the same or another timber and stunned, but was soon able to assist. Walter Scott was still feebly breathing. He sustained a fractured cheek bone and lost an eye from a fiying splinter. His case was at first thought hopeless. For a long time his brain was supposed to be injured at the base,
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but careful nursing for a long period gradually improved his condition. He later removed to Lake Charles. Louisiana, but never fully rallied and died there from its results about 1895. Caleb G. Bundy, editor of the Primghar Times, resided immediately east of the church. It took half the roof and scattered the church debris all over the yard, tore down the chimney, part of the ceiling falling into the sitting room. The carriage sheds of Frank Tifft and barn of George Hakeman were demolished. A portion of the roof was torn from the home of Mrs. Henrietta Acre, in the southeast part of town. The Methodist Episcopal parsonage in the north part of town was twisted out of shape, and sundry smaller items of damage done in various parts of the town. The writer passed the church not more than five minutes prior to the time the storm struck the building and saw the intense whirling, destructive motion.
There seemed to be sundry unions and offshoots of this storm in various parts of the county. In Union township, on Mill creek, the barn of Alex- ander Davidson was demolished and his dwelling house ousted from the foun- dation. On the farm of W. P. Davis, six miles south of Primghar, his large barn and cattle sheds were destroyed; indeed, all but the dwelling. The large barn of John M. Thayer, in Dale, was destroyed and part of the house roof blown away. Harker & Green, in Highland, lost a barn and Riley Walling had his house shattered and foundation ruined. Mr. Walling and family escaped by quickly getting into a cave.
These whirls and spurs seemed to be everywhere in the air, and when- ever the hanging cloud or strip, like a falling winding sheet, came down to earth there destruction was done. Up in Center township a vacant house was entirely blown away. Another spur in Highland carried away the house of Stewart King, and in the same township the house of Thomas Rollins was badly racked and twisted off the foundation. Mr. Rollins, on his way home from a neighbor's, was hurled into a hedge and badly bruised. A like offshoot veered to Sutherland where it did some damage. The general trend of the cyclone was towards the southeast. It next struck the house and barn of Fred Lemke, in Grant, and wiped them up as if so much chaff. The house, with the family in it. was actually rolled over and over, then jerked up in the air, and dashed on the ground into fragments. It was much commented on as one of the freaks of this class of storms that such destruction could be done and the family escape, and, as it was, one four year-old son, Robert, received an ugly gash in the face. A horse was badly crippled as the barn went flying into pieces. The Covey church, along the route of the storm, was badly shaken up and the gables torn off. One of the saddest accidents was at the home of William Haver. They saw it coming, but before they
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could reach the house the walls and roof were whirled in every direction, a flying timber killing Mrs. Haver instantly. In the same township James Hiatt's house was destroyed. Luckily the family, as a summer convenience, were living in a tent. They were swirled up into the air and lit some distance away, uninjured. The house and stable of James Janes, on section 21, was destroyed, together with the stables of Ed Shepard, on section To. At the homes of E. J. Frush and John Dakin in each case their stables were destroyed and houses uninjured. Mr. Lackey lost his residence. William Seeley's house was carried up into the air twice and dashed down before going to pieces. The family were carried several rods among the ruins, injuring Mr. Seeley severely, at first thought fatally, though he recovered, but his household goods were destroyed. Fortunately the family, when they saw it coming, sought refuge in the stronger granary and escaped. A large grove seemed to sufficiently protect and save the house of Don C. Berry, but his barn was destroyed. The Joseph DeMars family were among the unfortunate. Miss Elsie DeMars, a daughter of twenty years, was so badly injured that she died during the week. The collar bone of Mrs. DeMars was broken and her head and body lacerated. The three sons, Eugene, Samuel and Joseph, Jr., and Dina. the daughter, were badly injured. The house and barn of Thomas Jenkins were each crushed in and Mrs. Jenkins suffered a broken collar bone. The baby in the family was whirled away twenty rods and lodged in a pool of water uninjured. The barn of Richard M. Boyd, on sec- tion 14, was destroyed, actually driving many parts of the same into the ground, but losing only the roof of the house.
This same twister storm continued down into Waterman township, com- pletely tearing to fragments the house of James Jenkins. Mrs. Jenkins was caught or wedged in between a barrel of lime and a hot stove and her eyes nearly burned from their sockets. The house of Oliva Marcott was swept away. They fortunately had a cave and escaped in that. The John DeTour residence was badly shattered in its upper story and a large part of the barn torn to pieces. At one point several feet of the building was left standing intact, showing the queer freaks of such twisters. Thomas Marcott, on sec- tion 12, lost his barn. His five-year-old boy was badly injured and died in a few days. Mr. Marcott also lost a roll of greenbacks amounting to six hun- dred dollars, which he never found. The house of Anthon Boyer, on sec- tion II, was destroyed, though he himself was visiting at the home of William Conrad, just north of his house, and whose house was also demolished. Mr. Boyer had two ribs broken. Mrs. Conrad's skull was fractured and shoulder injured, while a son, Lennie, had a hip broken, Mattie an arm broken and
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Lilly injured in the back, while Mrs. Conrad was otherwise lacerated. The house of Abram Opdyke was torn to pieces and an upper floor fell upon and fatally injured him. He died the following day.
DESTRUCTIVE CYCLONE JUNE 5, 1914.
Just as this history is ready for the press, and on this June 5, 1914, at six o'clock P. M., occurred one of the most destructive cyclones ever in the county. It was first observed by our citizens in the county, when it struck several set of farm buildings, demolishing them and stripping several groves of trees of their barks completely, just south of Hospers, over in Sioux county. entering O'Brien county near that point.
Its first and perhaps worst destruction in the county was by a spur of the cyclone rushing in furious force through Carroll township, running nearly on a bee line north on the section line, commencing near the farm of M. F. McNutt, on the southeast corner of section 16, demolishing all his extensive set of buildings, curiously leaving his house intact and largely destroying his grove. The main maelstrom of air whirling in a circle as it proceeded, being from one-half to three-quarters of a mile in width, and its center of activity being squarely on the highway, destroyed practically all, namely about fifteen sets of farm buildings, each in value running from six to fifteen thousand dollars, including also groves torn up literally by the roots as it proceeded. One very sad death occurred in this township, the little grandchild of John Bilsland, one of the earliest settlers. M. D. Finch, another of the oldest settlers, was himself very severely injured and his buildings and grove destroyed. Perhaps the worst havoc in any one spot in its path was the total destruction of the buildings and grove of Fred Nelson. In the destruc- tions of groves the trees of thirty and forty years growth were torn up by the roots and piled in confused heaps. Live stock lay dead right and left. Household goods, furniture, with the debris of buildings, were scattered over whole quarter sections of land, and to such an extent that the plowing of corn could not be proceeded with on many fields until the debris was re- moved and collected. Pianos were found in corn fields, and clothing and sacred relics of home hung in shreds and pieces on the barbs of fences and everywhere. Wire fences with posts were torn up and stripped loose and warped through the growing grain with such force and velocity as actually to burn in spots from the electricity and velocity of movement of wires. All the curious freaks were performed that are told of cyclones, all too much for detailed description. While a stunning blow to all the farmers in this long
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path of ruin, even yet they were perhaps better able to stand its money value than the ruin to immediately follow within a few short minutes to the town of Sanborn, and some of its many poorer people, many with but a house and modest home.
Indeed the whole heavens of the north part of the county seemed to be under a fateful pulsation of electric current and the whirling streamers higher up in the heavens or lower down near the ground as "the wind blew where it listeth."
The spur striking Sanborn was just a little higher up on the average than the Carroll township spur, smashing in a larger number of the tops of the buildings and leaving the main body partly intact but shivered up. This latter was true up Main street for some three blocks. It first hit the round house, demolishing it in part, then overturning in a mass of ruin two eleva- tors, thence up Main street, as stated, thence turning to the northeast, doing all manner of the curious and the freakish in vengeful whim of devastation, barely and fortunately missing the forty-thousand-dollar school building, but just across the street destroying the city park and city water tank and water works. The telephone system of the whole east half of the city was one hopeless tangle of wires.
Two very sad deaths resulted in Sanborn. Patrick Donoughue, a pros- perous clothing merchant, was lifted into the air full thirty feet or more, as stated by eye witnesses, and hurled to the ground one hundred and fifty feet away to his death. James Duymstra, a young man, was also killed. About twenty people were injured, many seriously. About one hundred buildings were damaged in varied degrees. The loss in dollars to the town reached a quarter of a million. It would be impossible to sketch in detail the thousand merciless havoc incidents. It proceeded north, repeating its destruction up as far as the D. M. Norton farm, near the Osceola county line, destroying his buildings. It landed the whirlpool of another streamer into Melvin, with considerable destruction. If it had to be such a fate, its chosen hour of the day was fortunate, rather than still later in the evening or night. As a whole, it was a county-wide historic calamity.
BLIZZARDS AND SNOW BANKS.
The city of St. Paul for several years erected an ice palace. It was ele- gant. The light of the sun shining on a prism of either glass or ice will pro- duce the seven colors of the rainbow. The same sun shining on all the angles and architecture of a mammoth pile of ice would all but reflect the Aurora
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Borealis. But St. Paul was reminded that it was harming the state of Minne- sota in advertising the wrong kind of a crop. This might tend to frighten. But O'Brien county has been tested out for now fifty-eight years. She has had a few bad features and had some wrong things done as herein recited. and we have recited both the bad and the good. But we will find that the good and the good in abundance so overtops and overtowers the bad features in general results, that we can safely even state that we have blizzards and snow storms and occasionally an early hard frost. For instance, in one year a very early cold wave in September, before the corn was ripe or hard. actually froze the corn in the milk until it was left soft, which made the cattle's mouths sore to eat it. It was indeed a loss. But even in that year the other crops were so bountiful that it was no insurmountable calamity after all. It is a praise to the county that in so many years only one such year befell its people. The other great years of plenty, so many in number, have so filled Pharaoh's and Jacob's corn cribs that automobiles continue to move and be purchased by the hundreds. Hogs occasionally have an epidemic of cholera, but we keep right on raising hogs, Sheeney or no Sheeney. O'Brien county has indeed been quite free from what may be termed an over- whelming calamity. Likewise we may have blizzards and snow storms, but O'Brien county has the money to buy fur coats and the school boy in glee will continue to throw snow balls just the same. The early settler felt these blizzards more severely, for his home was but a shack; there were no trees for wind break; his clothes corresponded, and besides there were no definite straight roads to lead the wanderer home. We must record some serious experiences, however.
The writer was on the street in that awful blizzard of January, 1888, in Primghar. In its first dash, it was not that it was so fearfully cold, for the snow was damp and slushy, and the thermometer then twenty degrees above zero. It came down in slush, the wind blew a gale, the snow sheets (in fact they were more like snow bed quilts), like a young avalanche, striking the face, shoulders, ears and eyes, so suddenly, a surprise, followed by be- wilderment, that it was literally true that it was so overwhelming, dash after dash, that it was not only an effort but a struggle to get into one's own house even from his own door yard. This was just dusk. Later on in the night the colder wave struck and the thermometer went down to thirty-six degrees below zero, or a change of sixty-six degrees, and froze this slush to ice. The wayfarer became exhausted in the first struggle and five persons lost their lives in O'Brien county in that awful night of storm. We will give some
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