USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 37
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The office is now a second class office, with four free delivery routes extending to the outlying country. The business of the Sheldon office, ex- clusive of money order business, for the year ending June 30, 1913, was twelve thousand dollars. The office became a free city delivery office in February, 1905. The present office force consists of the following per- sons: Postmaster, Warren A. Edington; clerks, C. V. Miller, John A. Dougherty, Frank A. Hura, Harry T. Barrett ; sub-clerk, Clara Smith ; city carriers, John Mondabaugh, Christian Smith; rural carriers, John J. Dono- hue, Alvin S. Ruby, Fred C. Bandler. F. R. Smead. The amount of deposit in the postal savings department in November, 1913, was one hundred and twenty-five dollars.
MUNICIPAL. HISTORY.
In March, 1875, application was made for incorporating Sheldon. The commission appointed by the court was as follows: D. R. Barmore, A. W. Husted. J. C. Elliott. J. A. Brown and Benj. Jones. The election was held April 19, 1875, but the incorporation was defeated. In March, 1876, another move was made along the same lines, and other commissioners were duly appointed. The election was held March 25, 1876, and resulted in forty- nine votes being cast for incorporation and eleven against the measure. May 1, 1876, the first town officers were elected. It was a hotly contested election and much bitterness engendered. The two candidates for the office of mayor were H. B. Wyman and J. C. Elliott. Wyman received forty-six votes and this was a majority of seven over Elliott. L. F. Bennet was elected recorder over Husted: and the councilmen were J. M. Stevenson, J. Wycoff. Scott Harrington. George Boutelle and Charles Allen.
The subjoined gives a list of the regular mayors who have served Sheldon to the present date, 1913: 1876, H. B. Wyman; 1877, H. B. Wyman: 1878. H. B. Wyman; 1879. H. B. Wyman; 1880, J. J. Harten- bower; 1881, James Wycoff: 1882, H. B. Wyman: 1883, H. B. Wyman; 1884, J. J. Hartenbower : 1885, W. S. Lamb; 1886, L. S. Bassett; 1887, C. L. Guerney: 1888, Joseph Shinski: 1889, J. Shinski; 1890, John Bowley; 1891, John Bowley; 1892, John Bowley; 1893, C. Stinson.
In 1893 the town of Sheldon (incorporated) was changed to that of a city of the second class. The city was divided into three wards and the follow- ing were duly elected officers of the enlarged incorporation government :
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Mayor, E. Y. Royce : treasurer, W. L. Ayers; solicitor, D. A. W. Perkins; assessor, W. E. Higley; councilmen-first ward, W. C. Kemper and L. J. Button; second ward, H. J. Cram and H. C. Lane; third ward, William Wing and A. E. Boyd; clerk, P. W. Hall; street commissioner, J. W. Hicks; marshal, George Hudson.
The following completes the list of Sheldon's mayors: 1895. E. Y. Royce ; 1896, P. W. Hall; 1897, P. W. Hall; 1898, F. T. Piper; 1900, A. J. Cram; 1904, A. W. Sleeper ; 1906. R. B. Piper : 1908, Henry Shipley ; 1910, P. W. Hall, resigned and A. J. Schaap elected to fill vacancy; 1912, Fred Frisbee.
The present city officials are: Fred Frisbee, mayor; Scott Martin, clerk ; F. E. Frisbee, treasurer : George Hudson, marshal : James B. Linsday, attorney ; W. E. Farnsworth, street commissioner : J. W. Rodgers, superin- tendent of water works; H. J. Brackney, health officer. The council is as follows: George Bloxham, George Holmes, Charles Peters, H. A. Strong. J. D. Wilson.
WATER WORKS, ETC.
No regular system of water works was installed in Sheldon until April 29, 1894, when the city was bonded for about eighteen thousand dollars and three excellent wells provided in the nearby creek bottoms, from which a splendid supply of water is obtained. It is pumped to the city, where there is a high water tank and tower, centrally located, which gives a pressure of fifty pounds per square inch. There are now fifty-five street hydrants or fire plugs, five miles of water mains and other improvements that go with a complete city water works system.
In 1913 there are four miles of sewer mains, the first of which was laid in 1905. The city now has ten blocks of paved streets, all laid in 1913. No northern Iowa city has a more beautiful park than Sheldon. It occupies four blocks, with play grounds attached, and is all finely improved, being covered with a fine growth of artificial trees, including fair-sized elms and soft maples, best adapted to this climate. Then there are cement walks, rustic seats. a number of picnic tables, flower beds artistically arranged, and the whole illuminated at night by electric lights. All in all, it is a reminder of the saying that "A thing of beauty is a joy forever."
During the year 1913 the city of Sheldon expended $33.455 for paving. $5,185 for sewer extension and $1.800 for its system of electroliers.
The city has during the present autumn-1913-provided its chief busi-
PUBLIC LIBRARY. Sheldon, Iowa.
SHELDON'S BEAUTIFUL LIBRARY BUILDING
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ness streets with more than thirty modern electroliers (electric street lights), each being a cluster of five lights, which add much to the utility and appear- ance of the business center of the enterprising town.
THE ELECTRIC LIGHTING PLANT.
The electric light plant is a private concern owned by an old citizen, M. F. Logan. It is located at the Big Four flouring mill and affords ample light, heat and power for the present city's demands. The first electric light of Sheldon was put in in a small way by A. E. Knight. Later this was super- seded by the plant owned and operated by the Diamond Light and Power Company, which virtually failed and was followed by the present system, which gives general satisfaction. This plant was at first run by O. E. Logan, who, in September, 1911, transferred it to the present owner.
The public school building at Sheldon consists of a handsome brick structure, erected in 1903, at a cost of sixty thousand dollars.
The population of Sheldon, according to the United States census reports in 1910, was two thousand nine hundred and forty-one, but is now somewhat more.
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
As another index of the thrift and intelligence of the people of this city, may be cited the handsome, substantial library building erected in 1908-9, at a cost of ten thousand dollars, as the gift of Andrew Carnegie, through whose liberality there have been erected hundreds, if not thousands, of public libra- ries. The foundation for the present Sheldon library was away back in 1894, when the women took hold of the enterprise. It was the work and wisdom of the members of the Ladies Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle (aided largely by the untiring zeal of Mrs. W. H. Sleeper ) and composed of Madames C. Artman, J. D. Bunce, H. W. Conant, H. C. Hollenback, M. Long, J. W. Merrill, W. W. Reynolds, W. I. Simpson, William H. Sleeper, and Misses Edith N. Bowne and Mary S. Heath. Rooms were opened March 15, 1894, over Smith's hardware store and this was destroyed on March 17, 1894. The ladies held various public entertainments, and as a result had saved up fifty-six dollars and twenty cents, which was all lost in the fire, but was made good to them by the citizens of the place, who raised the amount by private subscription. There was soon formed a Public Library Association, with the following officers: Addie M. Sleeper, president ; Mary
(24)
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S. Heath, vice-president : Mrs. Florence S. Conant, treasurer, and Mrs. Lida Simpson, secretary. This was incorporated April 20, 1894, when the council of Sheldon appointed an advisory board of trustees. In the autumn of 1894 the library was placed in the Shipley & Company dry goods building and they then had two hundred books. A fee of fifty cents a year was charged for books taken from this circulating library. In 1895 this library was given to the city and trustees appointed. In the spring of 1897 a tax was voted to maintain the library and the books were moved to the Harris music store and Mrs. Mark Harris was appointed librarian. In October, 1902, the library was removed to the McColm shoe store building, with Mrs. McColm as librarian, who was followed by Mrs. B. F. McCormack. After Mr. Carnegie donated the ten thousand dollars for a library building to Sheldon in 1908, the library had really been in existence as a city library only four years. In the autumn of 1913 there were four thousand five hundred volumes on the shelves of this library. The library board consisted of S. S. Bailey, presi- dent; Mrs. W. L. Ayers, vice-president : W. H. Barragar, secretary : Dr. W. H. Myers, Henry Shipley. Superintendent Thomas, Mrs. John McCandless. Mrs. Fred E. Frisbee and Miss Nellie Jones. Since May, 1913, Miss Mar- garet McCandless has served as the efficient librarian. This institution is growing in strength and importance.
THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD.
After the close of the Spanish-American War what was Company E of the Forty-sixth Iowa Regiment of Guards was mustered out and abandoned so far as its former home was concerned, for it had existed up to that time at the town of Hull, but was soon changed and mustered in at Sheldon, where more general interest was taken in military affairs. It was organized at Sheldon June 16. 1902, with J. B. Frisbee as its captain. He held the posi- tion for about four years. when W. H. Bailey was appointed and served till 1909, when he was appointed major of the regiment, and elected lieutenant- colonel in October, 1912, when Dr. H. J. Brackney became captain of the Sheldon company. After a year he was followed by C. C. McKellip. The present officers of the company are: Captain, H. G. Geiger; first lieutenant, Spencer MI. Phelps; second lieutenant, Arthur Pierce. A stock company was formed in 1905 and a massive brick armory was provided for this military company. It is situated on Ninth street and is sixty by eighty-six feet. with a fine basement used for reading rooms, shower baths. lockers, storehouses, officers' rooms, boiler room and a shooting gallery. This hall cost twelve
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thousand dollars and is always used for guard purposes when needed, but is also used for all special occasions, such as conventions, public gather- ings, speeches, dances and lectures. At this date the number enrolled in this military company is fifty-eight, with three officers. The company is fully equipped and has its ten-day annual encampment and seven-days encampment for the officers' school of instruction.
THE SHELDON DISTRICT FAIR.
One of the progressive enterprises that has given Sheldon much popu- larity in years gone by, as well as at present, is its district fair, embracing originally several counties. This association was organized in 1880, as a fair association, and so continued until 1888, when it held its last fair under the original plan. Then, in 1900, the Sheldon District Fair was organized, with F. L. Wirick as its secretary. His successors have been James Mitchell, E. L. ("Steve") Richards, James Mitchell. J. L. McLaury, Jo Morton, Ed Williams, George Gardner. The officers of this organization are at present (1913) : Fred J. Nelson, president : George Gardner, secretary; F. E. Fris- bee, treasurer ; directors. A. W. Sleeper, F. J. Nelson, C. E. Tangney. C. H. Runger, F. E. Frisbee, William Meiers, Chet Lynch. Charles Myers, Charles Peters.
In 1900 the society purchased twenty-seven acres of land near town, on the west, but just over in Sioux county, for which one hundred dollars per acre were paid. It would now easily sell at four hundred dollars per acre. It was bought of James Merrill. The price paid was thought to be high at the time. Six thousand dollars worth of improvements were put onto these grounds. These included the half-mile track, floral hall, cattle and horse sheds and barns suitable for training horses for racing, trotting and pacing. Here Jason Henry trains from twelve to fifteen fast horses continually. Among the speed records produced here may be recalled that of "Adrain R," 2:0734. owned by J. Muilenberg, of Orange City, Iowa: "Castlewood," 2:0914, owned by C. H. Runger, of Sheldon; "The Pickett," with a mark of 2:1374, owned by C. H. Runger, of Sheldon; "Miss Cuppy." with the mark of 2:1714, as a pacer : "Montauk," the pacer, with a mark of 2:1314 : and "Moretell." pacer, marked at 2 :131/4.
These annual fairs and races bring people in from far and near and give the horsemen of the great Northwest a chance to speed their nimble- footed animals to the best advantage. Thousands attend annually.
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WELL-KNOWN BREEDERS.
In this connection the prominent breeders should not be left out. In swine there is Peter Ellerbroek (estate), breeders of the large type of Poland China hogs; J. A. Benson is another breeder of note; in red hogs there is A. J. De Young and L. L. De Young ; also Henry Brothers and C. H. Runger, breeders of fancy Poland China hogs.
THE MILLING INDUSTRY.
From the earliest date Sheldon has been famous for her large flouring mill plants, of which there are but few in Iowa doing a better or larger annual business in the production of first-class family flour. This industry started in the midst of the growing wheat fields of northwestern Iowa in the seven- ties, when the first mill was built by the Iselin brothers, John and Harry. These men came to this town with considerable money and were enterprising and free-hearted. They built the original "Prairie Queen" flouring mills and also several residences on the south side of the tracks. They came in a time that did not prove a financial success to them. John died in the nineties and Harry was at last accounts living in New York, from which place they had come. The mill above referred to passed into the hands of others and met with reverses until finally it was purchased by its present owner. Scott Logan, who came to O'Brien county in 1880 from New Jersey and settled on a farm in Floyd township. For a time he operated a wind grist mill. He grazed cattle for four years on the open free prairie lands, after which settlers came in too numerous and this was abandoned. In 1882, through lack of good management, the Iselin brothers failed and the property was bought in by the Sleepers, who, with W. B. Bowne, operated the mills a few years, lost money, and in 1885 they sold to G. Y. Bonus, now of the great Leeds (Sioux City) milling plant, who converted the mill into a roller process. In 1886 he sold one-half interest to Scott Logan, and about five years later Mr. Logan bought out Bonus. Since 1890 Mr. Logan has been sole owner and pro- prietor, and he has practically rebuilt the mill twice, adding improved ma- chinery each ttime. The last improvements were put in about 1907, and the capacity is four hundred barrels a day in the "Prairie Queen" mill and his other mill, the "Big Four," has a capacity of three hundred barrels daily. The last named was built in 1890 and operated two years and its builders failed, and it was taken over by the New York stockholders, who operated it four years, when, being involved, it was turned over to the Sheldon Bank.
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This concern failed in 1904, when its holdings went under the hammer and Scott Logan bought it at receiver's sale and remodeled it in 1905, at an ex- pense of thirty thousand dollars, making its capacity three hundred instead of one hundred barrels daily. These mills have been operated by the Scott Logan Milling Company since 1907, with a capital of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and has now a total daily output of seven hundred barrels of flour, and a wheat storage capacity of one hundred thousand bushels. Agencies are kept for the sale of this flour at Dubuque and Springfield. Hence it will be observed that the beginning of the Sheldon milling industry was when the Iselin brothers, in 1874, built their little buhr stone mill six miles to the north of Sheldon. In 1879-80 they projected the Sheldon mills which have come down to Mr. Logan, the present owner.
These mills have come to be the largest in this section of country and they are well and favorably known for their product, which has sale in many quarters of the country. Here hundreds of thousands of bushels of wheat have been converted into family flour with the coming and going of the years. The three great northwest Iowa mills are the Sheldon, LeMars and Leeds.
BUSINESS INTERESTS IN 1913.
In the autumn of 1913 the various enterprises and business factors in Sheldon were carried on as follows :
Attorneys-I. N. McIntire, George Wellman, Phelps & Lindsay, George Gibson, Charles Babcock, T. Diamond.
Auto garages -- Frank & Griffin, Sheldon Auto Garage, the E. Tripp gar- age.
Banks-First National. Sheldon National, Sheldon Savings Bank, Union (private institution).
Bakeries-"The City," by D. J. Haagsman. Hunt's Bakery.
Bottling works-The Sheldon.
Barber shops-R. P. Scott, James Kestner, M. Lewis.
Contractors-Jack Wilson, L. N. Wilsey, H. M. Bosma and Geiger. Cigar store-Charles Woodruff.
Clothing-Hospers & Schaap, William Flindt & Company.
Cement workers-Runger & Wilson, Archie Hint.
Creamery-"The Sheldon," by D. A. Miller.
Confectionery-Henry Hosper, Swortorh Brothers, E. C. Van Epps.
Dye works-The Swanson works.
Drugs-Ayers Brothers, W. C. Iverson, W. J. Hollander.
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Dray lines-Myers, Bean & Company, John Rider, George Hill, Frank Elias, C. E. Brown.
Dentists-Drs. A. W. Beach, Brown & Mckay.
Department stores-Starrett Brothers, William Myers & Company, Sheldon Mercantile Company. Ellenbroek Brothers.
Elevators (grain) -- Farmers' Co-operative Company, J. Button & Com- pany, Sheldon Trade Company, Logan Milling Company, F. M. Slagel & Company.
Furniture-S. O. Beanblossom, Nash & Wood.
Feed barn and sheds-John Montgomery.
Grocers-Sheldon Grocery Company.
Hardware-E. P. Messer & Son. Daniel O'Kane and Mr. Lubbers.
Harness stores-E. L. Richards, W. H. Beacom.
Hotels-The Arlington, the Howard, the Royce, the Sheldon.
Hospitals-The Dr. Cram Hospital.
Implements-George A. Miller, W. H. Beacom, Dermott & Duisterman.
Jewelers-E. A. James, Hal Nervobig.
Lumber-Sheldon Trade Company, H. A. Strong. Pynchon & Ling. Slagel Lumber Company.
Livery-Myers, Bean Company.
Laundries-C. E. Miller and a Chinese laundry.
Meat markets-Runger and Wilson markets.
Music house-Wilsey & Son.
Millinery-Starrett Brothers, Sheldon Mercantile Company, Miss Kate Donovan, Mrs. A. Smith.
Mills (flouring )-"Prairie Queen" and the "Big Four."
Mills ( wood-working )-The Sheldon Fixture Company.
Marble works-Elliott & Hagy.
Moving pictures-D. H. Harvey and Fred Brenneman.
Newspapers -- The Sun and the Mail.
Opera house-W. H. Sleeper.
Photographs-Pratt & Son, Mrs. L. Fredericks.
Physicians -- Drs. F. W. Cram, W. R. Brock. W. H. Myers, F. L. Myers, H. G. Brackney. C. V. Page, Roy Moreshell, Miss Deneen.
Plumbers (aside from hardwares)-James Leveret and Charles Pren- tice.
Produce houses-Swift & Company, Clarence McKillep.
Restaurants-Charles Myers, Gleason & Wood. Will Fritts, Oliver Pierce.
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Stock buyers-Runger & Wilson.
Second-hand stores --- Holly Vanderbeck.
Shoe stores-Kleins and Harley A. Cobb. Tailors-John Klasbeck, J. A. Larson.
Veterinary surgeons-L. U. Shipley, Dr. Ridell, T. E. Andrews.
Sheldon is on the great "North Iowa Pike," the automobile route from Sioux Falls, North Dakota, to McGregor, Iowa. This was laid out in 1911, and when thoroughly improved will be off of the greatest thoroughfares for northern tourists in all this country. Sheldon is the hub from which routes of this highway branch off to LeMars, Cherokee, Mankato, Sioux Falls and Mitchell; also to Mason City on the east.
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP AND SANBORN.
On January 8, 1878, on petition of J. H. Wolf and nine others, what is now Franklin township was detached from Floyd and called Franklin, and the first election held at the house of William Gavin. This township was named for Benjamin Franklin.
No better introduction to this chapter can be had than to quote the words of pioneer J. H. Wolf, of the Primghar Bell, who wrote of this township several years ago as follows :
"Franklin township, now one of the most prosperous and populous, second to Floyd only, in fact, was one of the last to be organized as a separate township, being attached to Floyd.
"William H. Dummit, of section 8, with his family, being the first resi- dents, locating as a homesteader on the northwest of section 8, in either 1871 or 1872. The family had some sad experiences, like most other frontier people. During the blizzard of January, 1873, a child died and was three days in the house after death, the storm being too bad to venture out to inform the neighbors. Mr. Dummit, by strict attention to business, industry and economy, has raised his family well, and now ( 1897) owns three hun- dred and twenty acres, paid for, and all well improved and well stocked. Such men always make farming pay.
"J. H. Wolf and family were the second to locate in the township, set- tling on section 14, in April, 1873. Their nearest neighbors were more than four miles away. The first winter they lived on the farm they were snowed in for eleven weeks, from January 8th to March 28th, not seeing anyone, the snow being too deep to travel. Mr. Wolf threshed their first crop, several hundred bushels, with the flail, his wife turning the fanning mill to clean it up.
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"Rev. Ira Brashears, the same spring, that of 1873. had some breaking done, built a shanty, and lived a short time on the land now occupied by E. T. Parker, adjoining Sanborn. Afterward several hundred acres were broken up, or for, a man named Buck, on section 31. About the same time some land was being broken up on section 12, but not farmed, the land being broken up on the wrong section. B. F. McCormack can tell the particulars.
"Isaac Daniels broke land on section 14 in 1874, and built a house and moved his family thereto soon after.
"Thomas Burns and family located on section 31. we think in 1874 or 1875. and John Neese and Charles Sechman located on sections 28 and 29 in 1876. In 1878 there were voters enough, ten, to organize the township, which was done. J. H. Wolf and Isaac Daniels were appointed to locate the roads. The first election was held in the fall of 1878, at the house on section 30 then occupied by Mr. Gavin, twenty-one votes being cast, six or eight of them by men working on the railroad, legal voters."
From that day on settlement was made more rapidly and hence cannot here be traced in detail. The present population is about five hundred.
SANBORN.
The only town in Franklin township is Sanborn, started in 1878 and early in 1879. It made a rapid growth for twenty years and more. It was platted January 8, 1879, on the west half of the northeast quarter and the east half of the northwest quarter of section 35. township 97, range 40, by J. A. Stocum and wife. This city is six years younger than Sheldon and five years younger than Primghar was when it became the county seat. Sanborn was another child of the railroad system now styled the "Milwaukee." Its predecessor, the McGregor & Missouri Railway Company, had undertaken to build across the state from McGregor to intersect with the Sioux City & St. Paul road in the vicinity of Sheldon. After reaching Algona, seventy- five miles east of Sanborn, either from lack of good management or money. they stopped, unable to go further, until 1877, when the road passed into the hands of the Milwaukee Company, which at once started up its rapid building and further western extension. The first construction train reached Sanborn November 1, 1878. The site was owned by Messrs. Lawler and Stocum, who laid out the town. They platted into town lots about sixty acres. It was first designed to name the new town Edenville, but better judgment pre- vailed (possibly) and the town was named, not after the Garden of Eden,
High School.
Methodist Episcopal Church.
VIEWS IN SANBORN.
Carnegie Library.
Presbyterian Church.
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but after the then superintendent of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail- road Company, George W. Sanborn.
Building number one here was hauled from Primghar by L. C. Green, its owner, and used as a dwelling house, although about the same date E. R. Wood, for Teabout & Valleau, had a building there. Primghar saw the building of a new rival town only seven miles to the north, and became alarmed at the scenes there being enacted. It was a railroad town-Primghar was yet without one. Mr. Green was the first to become alarmed and really enthused over the business prospects at Sanborn, and was the first to remove hither. He landed with his building December 12, 1878. He and L. C. Green were the first to occupy any building in the town of Sanborn. The next to move to Sanborn was that enterprising carpenter and builder, Hiram Algyer, who well understood that Sanborn would be a first-class place in which to ply his trade. His dwelling was the third building in the place. By a terrible railroad accident while as a carpenter remodeling a car he had both lower limbs severed, losing his life. L. D. Thomas moved a building to the town site and used it as a carpenter shop. When Miss Cora Thomas married Mr. Willits, they settled down to housekeeping in this same building. This was in January, 1878, during which month there were several other buildings built or removed to Sanborn. Mr. Barns, who had kept a hotel at Primghar, moved his building over to Sanborn, where he continued in the hotel business.
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