USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 50
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Highland Township-Charles F. Albright ( 1871), Wallace Buchanan, Doctor F. Burke (1872), John M. Casey ( 1869), Anderson M. Cleghorn (1870), George Washington Collett, John S. Culbertson (1871). Cyrus I. Dewey (1873), James T. Dewey (1871), Zadoc P. Freeman ( 1870), William Gaskill (1870), Livingston T. Gates (1878), George Hakeman ( 1872), Abner M. Hunter ( 1877), John Jesop ( 1884), William W. Johnson ( 1871), Alexander Q. Long ( 1883), Asher Lyon ( 1871), Wallace Partridge (1882), Jonathan Richardson (1870), Russell Salisbury (1875). Edward Shea (1870), William M. Squire (1870), Herman Tiffany ( 1871), William G. Virgil (1869), Homer H. Webster (1870), Jasper H. Rickey ( 1880).
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
Hartley Town and Township-Robert W. Ayers ( 1881), Samuel Boyce (1883), Walker W. Brown (1888), Thomas B. Carpenter ( 1880), W. H. Conrad ( 1881), John C. Cram ( 1882), Thomas E. Davis ( 1881), Christian Dorman ( 1891), William A. Elliott ( 1892), Joseph L. Gage ( 1885), Samuel Grapes ( 1888), Thomas \. Griffith, Alf. Hall, James Hall, Philip E. Hatha- way ( 1885), John E. Holford ( 1885), Edmund J. Hurley (1888), Samuel Kaestlen (1880), Eleazer J. Kelly (1895), Franklin Kelley ( 1882), David Kroft (1893), Smedley H. McMaster ( 1887), Erwin Barker Messer ( 1887), Leonard Miller ( 1885), I. Morris ( 1882), George Nicodemus ( 1890). Robert Paiseley (1884), John N. Smith ( 1881), Francis Soucy, James Steece (1888), John I. Story (1888), Rufus Tarr (1888), James S. Webster (1883), John W. Thomas ( 1882).
Lincoln Township-William H. Oppelt ( 1883).
Omega Township-Byron C. Bouton ( 1884), Charles O. Cookinham ( 1881), Christopher Hopfe ( 1888), James H. Peanor (1890), Philo Stevens (1871), John J. Thompson ( 1894), William Wicks ( 1886).
Paullina-John N. Bower ( 1886), Fletcher C. Boyd (1888), W. F. Clark, Elias H. Countryman ( 1807), Orson F. Eggleston, George C. Jones (1881), George H. Lyons, John Metcalf ( 1884), Charles W. Sprague ( 1885), William P. Stratton ( 1883).
Primyhar-Peter R. Bailey ( 1880), at Sheldon; Henry D. Ballard (1890), Sylvanus C. Bascom ( 1882), Ira Boat ( 1876), John W. Campbell (1892), Samuel A. Carter ( 1889). William Castledine ( 1887), George H. Cook ( 1887). James E. Daniels ( 1874), George W. Davis ( 1877), James B. Dunn (1880), Francis A. Gere ( 1888), Henry Goodman ( 1884), Nelson M. Hadden ( 1802), Elias T. Holt (1890), Julius Montzheimer, Bradford J. Peasley (1894), Charles H. Slocum ( 1888), Lewis D. Thomas ( 1876). Peter Torreson, Samuel C. Wood ( 1895).
Sanborn-Henry Roden, James F. Sisson ( 1884), John Shine, Charles H. Stansbury ( 1885), John Stebbins, Samuel J. Stokes ( 1881), John W. Todd ( 1888), Harrison Vanderlip ( 1893), Joseph M. Vincent ( 1887), Henry M. Walston (1896), Tobias D. White ( 1878), Charles E. Whitney (1882), Ransom R. Wilcox (1897), William H. Woodman ( 1881), Hiram Winn (1895).
Sutherland-Michael Betz (1895), Joseph Cowan (1871), Robert Cum- ming ( 1882), David Goldtrap, P. E. Greer, Edward L. Hudson, Frank M. Lee (1899), D. H. Lemburg (1885), Lewis J. McCulla (1870), Comfort C. Morrill ( 1882), Edward W. Parker ( 1890), James Parks, Jr. ( 1887), Charles Peaker (1870), David W. Pratt (1880), Julius Renville (1881),
504
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
William Rheinhart (1884), Daniel M. Sheldon ( 1882), Charles M. Short (1884), H. C. Sperry, J. H. Stockwell (1881), Lewis P. Vance (1890), Nelson Wells, Clement M. Wiley ( 1899).
Liberty Township-Thomas J. Alexander ( 1870), J. Hartley Alexander (1869), David R. Barmore (1869), William Thomas Bethel ( 1876), Ben- jamin Bidwell (1898), Francis L. Bidwell ( 1881), William M. Breyfogle (1870), Aaron Brown (1875), Jasper N. Burroughs ( 1870), Jerome B. Davis ( 1870), Julius C. Doling (1870), Philip A. Emery ( 1871), Thomas J. Fields ( 1869), David Harkness ( 1870), Elam Hiatt ( 1874). James H. Hicks (1870), Henry E. Hoagland ( 1870), George W. Louthan ( 1878), Squire Mack ( 1870), Joseph Manley ( 1870), William Marks, James B. Mason (1881), George Nelson (1871), Thomas B. Nott ( 1870), John R. Pumphrey ( 1869), Hiram W. Redman ( 1878), Isaac L. Rerick (1871), John M. Snyder ( 1872), James M. Stewart ( 1876), Thomas G. Stewart ( 1876). William J. Stewart ( 1871), Daniel Tuttle ( 1870), Richard M. Vanhorn (1871), Sidney Viers ( 1869), Lester C. Washburn ( 1870), Hiram C. Wheel- er ( 1876), Martin D. Wheeler, William H. Wiltse ( 1871), Hiram A. Worden ( 1869). Jesse H. Wright (1870), Tyler Edward Sprague (1870).
Sanborn-James V. Allen, William T. Bowen ( 1880). Hugh Erwin Carroll ( 1880), Abram DeLong (1879), Clinton Dewitt (1887), William C. Dewitt ( 1882), Ireneus Donaldson, Martin Finlay ( 1883). Abner W. Harmon (1882), Almoran A. Hitchcock ( 1887), John C. Inman, W. Craig Jackson (1892), Charles Jones (1804), George W. Kimball (1882), Elias Leonard, Barney McArdel ( 1882), Joseph E. McCormack (1893), Wilbur F. Mills (1880), Chauncey F. Owen (1880), G. F. Peckham (1879), Ira G. Pool (1879), R. G. Pratt, Caleb Pringle.
Sheldon-Sampson Adkins (1888), Ruel W. Allen (1894), William J. Anderson ( 1881), Orrison E. Andrews, George Ahrend ( 1801), Osmond M. Barrett (1873). James Beacon (1878), Erastus W. Bennett (1873), George E. Berry (1875), John D. Billings (1879), John F. Bishop (1884), Walter B. Bowne ( 1881), John Brennan (1874), Bryan George, Joseph D. Bunce, Robert Burnett, Horatio P. Burnham, John H. Butler, J. D. Butler, J. W. Carson, A. D. Coats (1891), Albert T. Cobb, Stephen A. Colburn, George F. Colcord (1873), Felix G. Cole (1879), Jesse Cole ( 1887), Harmon Cook (1871), Uriah Cook, Charles Cottel (1875), F. S. Cottel (1875), Palmer Crampton (1892), H. M. Crocker (1887), Mortimer B. Darnell (1883), Edgar J. Davis ( 1882), L. E. Davis, John R. Deacon, William H. Dorward (1884), Perry A. Eddington (1880), Daniel G. Eldridge ( 1883). Alpheus H. Ford, Charles W. Ford, J. W. Fuller ( 1882), William Gibson
505
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
(1802), James N. Gingrey (1891), John A. Ginther, Charles W. Glynn (1880), George A. Greenfield ( 1885), Frank H. Guthrie (1872), George B. Hardell (1877), Albert T. Hart (1897), John M. Hayes (1884), Frank Healey, Davis Haastrand (1885), William Hecker (1870), J. W. Hicks (1870), Phineas C. Hicks (1870), William Hicks ( 1870), James Holland, Calvin Hook ( 1873), Andrew Hunt ( 1878), Alber Hurley (1899), Henry C. Lane (1872), Edwin T. Langley (1895), J. W. Lee, T. J. Lett (1878), J. O. Lias ( 1888). Robert B. Lockwood, Mortimer Lyons, Isaac E. Mark- ham, L. D. Marshall, James Marston (1872), Robert Martin ( 1882), John D. McBroom ( 1801), James M. Merrill (1873), Edwin P. Messer ( 1882), Andrew Miller, John B. Miller, N. Harrison Montis, William H. Moore (1889), R. A. Morris ( 1882), Fred P. B. Morrison, Alfred Morton ( 1879), Lewis Myers (1805), Alber H. Neff ( 1881), William Olinger ( 1880), Edmond F. Parkhurst (1871). George Patterson ( 1882), James P'eden ( 1804), Francis M. Perkins ( 1892), J. I. Perry ( 1893), \i Seeley Powers (1888), Joseph W. Reagan ( 1881). Eugene Riddell ( 1882). Joseph Rider. William H. Riley, Edwin Y. Royce ( 1894), Thomas Ryan, Henry .\. Scott ( 1870), Jonathan T. Shaw, John M. Schrenk ( 1801), Charles H. Smith, John W. Steelman ( (1802), Henry C. Stephens, William N. Strong ( 1874), Joseph W. Taylor, George Terry ( 1874). Andrew J. Treaster, Britton Vanness, John C. Vancampen ( 1873), David K. Vrooman ( 1896). Henry M. Walsmith (1882), O. W. Walker, Horace Wellman ( 1891), Nelson P. Wildrick, J. C. Wilsmuth, George W. Wilsey ( 1887), Henry H. Winters, John Woodard. Warren J. Woods, James Wykoff ( 1873), E. M. Young.
Summit Township-George B. Davids (1880), Stephen F. Jordan (1873).
Union Township-James R. Culp ( 1885), Peter Rich (1883).
Waterman Township-Edward C. Brown ( 1870), Benjamin F. Camp- bell (1807), Erastus F. Cleveland (1882), Philo G. Coleman ( 1872), James A. Dewitt (1873), Russell Dewitt ( 1870), William S. Fuller (1870), Abra- ham K. Hardenbrook ( 1884), Asa Harkness ( 1871), Charles W. Hoxie (1871), Samuel B. Hulbert (1869), James C. Jenkins ( 1881), James P. Martin (1887). George A. McOmber (1869), Jerome Morse (1866), J. H. Reager ( 1885), James Roberts (1871). Charles M. Stephenson (1855). Almeron Waterman ( 1875). Lionel A. Worth ( 1869).
Miscellaneous-D. W. Buell, Livingston A. Burnell, William H. Buch- anan, Albert C. Burnside, Richard Butler ( 1876). John H. Creamer, George Denny, Albert Donovan, Marion Flanders, Zeph D. Hollenbeck. D. Morris. Israel Pancoast, George W. Rutherford ( 1873). Samuel C. Todd. William S. Wvatt.
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE SCRUB POET.
In the various public affairs, excitements and early developments in the county, the Scrub Poet has quite occasionally and persistently gotten into the ring. Many of these effusions have been neither original, Shakespearean nor classic, and scarcely poetic. Nevertheless they have at times hit off sundry mile heats in county doings. The poetic critic will, therefore, disarm him- self before bombarding. A place is given to this novice poet laureate with the thought that the reader will enjoy a little spice, even though they did at times hit local happenings. They are often selected from both sides of the sundry questions, from this historic spice box, and not to hit this or that at the present late date now. For instance, this little couplet :
"Primghar jumped up, County seat pup,"
was the expression of Editor Caleb G. Bundy, an early 1881 drastic and sarcastic writer, as a then sort of sneer at Primghar, either in the Primghar Times, just as he left Primghar, or in the Paullina Times, as a parting salute, in sarcasm, when he moved that paper to Paullina.
Some six or eight of the little parodies in this chapter were written by Jonathan A. Stocum, a large farmer and early attorney in Sanborn. He moved there from Chicago with the town in 1878. and, with John Lawler of the Milwaukee road, had laid out and platted Stocum & Lawler's addition to Sanborn. Among the same years, or a little later, W. A. Mickey, the father-in-law of Jacob H. Wolf, of the Bell, platted Mickey's addition to Hartley. Mr. Stocum had been a lecturer for years in Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College in Chicago and was much of a punster. In his musings over the wild prairies, and in observations on the then large herds of cattle roaming on the wild range of prairie pastures, with the cows lariated out in the towns and streets, and of the verdant and pioneer appearance of the then two little burgs set down in the prairie grass, with their first wooden business shacks, many unpainted, made him use the expression below jingled :
"Hartley and Sanborn, Lariated out, Prairie grass growing, Wolves all about."
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
Mr. Stocum also jingled the little parodies, "Tig, Tag, Toe," "Intry Mintry Cutery Corn," "Old Mother Hubbard," "Humpty Dumpty on the Wall," and some other Mother Goose parodies. The Scrub Poet almost in- variably runs to the parody and imitation. This will be observed in the numerous parodies herein given, which have appeared in one form or another during these thirty years.
The parody on "Jack Sprat," relating to Hartley, Moneta and Plessis, was gotten off by a wag commercial traveler in the Park Hotel in Hartley, some time after the Rock Island road was built. He was chinning a fellow runner as to whether it would pay in his line of goods to run down to Moneta, that little burg just then springing up. The other runner sarcastically replied that inasmuch as his chum's business was so extensive he surely should not fail to make Plessis also. Then the first runner got off this parody found herein on Jack Sprat, how Hartley, the big town between, licked the platter clean, by doing all the then trade in that territory. Other wags, editors and squib- blers from time to time have perpetrated other of the poetic shots. The reader will perhaps not at all times be versed in the vernacular or idioms of the early pioneer, to fully appreciate all the items, but the main expressions had an early-time meaning. We can simply enjoy them as part of the humors of the early day. * "O'Brien county Will bring you bounty."
THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
We look up to Osceola. We look down on Cherokee, To Clay county we look eastward, Sioux, down towards the sun down sea.
We squint up cornering to Lyon, Then to Dickinson on the lakes, South to Plymouth, Beuna Vista, At our southern corner stakes.
TOWNSHIPS OF O'BRIEN COUNTY.
Floyd township, Franklin, Lincoln, Hartley, Omega, Grant ; Carroll township, Summit, Center, Half told you say? Yet scant.
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOW.1.
For Sheldon town, a township is, Complete within its zone, Though not congressional in size, Complete it stands alone.
Down to Baker. Dale and Highland, Caledonia, Union scan, Banner of Liberty held up. By our oldest Waterman.
A BURNED OFF PRAIRIE, OLD BLACK JOE.
Gone are the days when the prairies burned away, Gone are the friends of the early homestead day, Gone from this land to a better land I know, I see those prairies burning, crackling, Old Black Joe. Prairies burning, Black earth turning, While my head is bending low, I hear those homestead angel voices calling, Old Black Joe.
The haytwister twisted his haytwisted twist, A wrist twisted, fist twisted hay twisted twist, He twisted it twisting a hay twist-You tryer! He twisted that hay stack straight into the fire.
I have seen the homesteader almost in tears, As the hopper harvested his unharvested ears, And all this, too, in successive years, Now happily all passed by.
CHARGE OF THE GRASSHOPPER BRIGADE.
Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, Right from the west they came, More than six hundred.
.
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, LOW ..
Out from the forest and glade, "Charge for the corn," they said, Then for the fields they made, More than six hundred. Fields to the right of them, Fields to the left of them,
Fields to the front of them, Pillaged and plundered,
Naught could their numbers tell,
Down on the crop they fell,
Nor left a stalk or shell,
More than six hundred. Flashed all their red legs bare,
Flashed as they turned in air,
Robbing the farmers there, Charging an orchard, while All the world wondered.
Plunged in the smudge and smoke, Right through the corn they broke, Hopper and locust;
Peeled they the stalks all bare,
Shattered and sundered; Then they went onward-but More than six hundred.
In eighteen hundred and seventy-nine (The last year of the hoppers) O'Brien's county's sun doth shine; We've reached the land of corn and wine, Prosperity's rich and golden mine, Spreads wide its treasures, grain and vine These troubles past, we'll now consign To relics of Ye Olden Time. * *
Intry, Mintry, Cutery Corn, Strung on the Central to adorn, Calumet, Gaza, and Primghar then, With Archer all going up to Sheldon again.
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
Old Mother Hubbard, she went to the cupboard, To get "The Northwestern Line," She strung on the fish, Sutherland a menu dish, While for a straight westliner, Put Paullina on the diner, For supper as you wish.
Jack Sprat Plessis could eat no fat, While Moneta could eat no lean, And so betwixt them both, Hartley licked the platter clean, On the Rock Island, Rock O Bye fine land.
TENTING, CAMPING, FARMING ON THE OLD PRAIRIE GROUND.
We are farming today on the old prairie ground,
Where we camped, where we tented when we came, With the old covered wagon, and a four-ox team, Breaking for the sod corn grain. CHO .- Farming today, Tenting today, Farming on the old prairie ground.
We are autoing today where we mired in the mud, Where we then dug a well in the slough, With big gang plows, the planter then in line, Waiting the season through. CHO .- Farming today, Tenting today, Farming where we mired in the mud.
We are farming today on the tiled out land, Beyond the dream of the homesteader in the early day, With grain elevators and four-horse teams abreast, In the big modern house all so grand. CHO .- Farming today, Tenting today, Tenting in the modern house so grand.
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
I 'aint got long to stay here, And what little time I've got, I'd rather be contented to remain, The angels there will welcome us,
Over on that Golden Shore, My old haytwisting neighbor, And my wife who's gone before, From that little old sod shanty on the claim.
Eney, Meney, Miney, Mo, I went to Primghar with my beau, We got a license, The job was done, Plural number, We are one. . *
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind, Should the old O'Brien be forgot, And days of auld lang syne, For auld O'Brien, my dear, For auld lang syne. We'll take a cup of kindness yet. For auld lang syne.
How dear to this heart are the scenes of that homestead, When fond recollections present them to view, The old shack, the musket, the deep tangled slough grass, And every loved spot which that homesteader knew. The wide spreading prairie, the hay stacks upon it, The wheat and the oats where the grasshoppers fell, The shack of my father, the haytwister nigh it.
And e'en the old musket, hanging where we dare not tell, The old rusty musket. The back kicken musket, And e'en that old musket. hanging where we dare not tell.
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
Way down upon the Little Siou-ax, Sadly I roam, Still sadly o'er my memory "Too Lax," Warrants and the Stub Books gone.
No more I hear the County Rats writing, Log Court House gone, No more the letting humbug bridges, Down in Old O'Brien home. CHORUS : All the Swamp Lands are sad and dreary, Skeeters hardly blink, Bosler, Cofer, Tiffey ever weary, Done gone over Hades' brink.
Old O'Brien was the first county seat. It was Bosler, Cofer and Tiffey who were largely responsible for the old debt. Old O'Brien was on the Little Sioux. The above was McCormack's way of pronouncing the Siou-ax. *
Work for the night is coming, Work you son of a gun, (Pete Swenson said, not in fun ). Or "over the hills you will go," As soon as the poor house is done. x
Twinkle, twinkle little school, How I wonder what the rule, Up above this soil so grand, By O'Brien learn to stand.
Humpty, Dumpty on the wall, Grasshoppers on that field did fall, All the king's horses and all the king's men, Couldn't put those gay grasshoppers back here again.
O for a thousand tongues to sing. O'Brien county's praise. I'll raise more corn, an auto buy, A thousand hogs I'll raise.
In all this grand country, Iowa's Northwest, May O'Brien there shine as the grandest and best.
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
FIRST STARTS OF TOWNS AND RAILROADS.
Old O'Brien,
Still a sigh'en Eighteen sixty, Just for fun,
Oldest town, First begun,
Saddest tale, Tongue or pen. Story of what, Might have been.
Sheldon started, Seventy-two,
First railroad town, What to do.
Railroad breeches All made up,
Mighty good start. Thrifty pup. Sioux City road, July third,
Hit the town, Early bird,
July Fourth, Natal day,
Folks all there, Sheldon gay.
Governor Miller, Speeched the speech,
First railroad engine, Screeched the screech.
Primghar jumped up. County seat pup.
(33)
Eighteen hundred Seventy-two, Prairie wild, Hove in view,
No railroad,
Only jailroad. Court house and jail, No cars, no rail.
Eighteen hundred, Seventy-eight, Milwaukee road. Passed the gate.
Road went "Shop"ping, For a town,
Railroad shops, Then staked down.
Sanborn, Hartley, Lariated out, Raw prairie, Wolves all about.
Central railroad, Eighty-seven,
Primghar gladdened. Hope of heaven.
Sheldon thribbled. Railroad size,
Archer born Wipes its eyes. Gaza hustles. Street cars run.
Calumet bristles, "Get your gun."
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
Nineteen hundred, Century ending, All then complete, Our railroad building. Rock Island road Brings a shout,
Hartley bustles, Another way out.
Moneta southeast, Plessis northwest,
Wipe off your chin, Pull down your vest.
Lest we forget, And be so lax,
To omit Evander, Or Little Max. And Germantown,
Parochial school, Big German church, Pipe organ stool.
Rich farms, cattle, Horses and sheep,
Houses ample, Eat and sleep,
Towns all built, Firm as the ground,
Proud of the county. "Round all round."
Tig, Tag, Toe, Three towns in a row, Hartley, Sanborn and Sheldon too, On the Milwaukee, a straight shot through.
AN INDIGNANT TAXPAYER'S SENTIMENT ON THE COUNTY DEBT.
We will camp out upon our farms, We will not pay this debt, We'll get out an injunction quick, Let the bondholders sweat.
We will not pay one cent of tax, We have no dollars to spare, To be mixed up in such a deal. Would make an angel swear.
We'll hang the first official up, To the nearest wagon tongue, Who dares to make a levy or tax, By a neck-tie will be strung.
The discovery of the enormous debt by the homesteaders when they ar- rived, during and following the year 1870, and later its confirmation by the
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
examination and report of the debt made by George W. Schee, county auditor, at the January session of the board of supervisors for 1877, caused much excitement and discussion. The above righteously indignant sentiments were in fact specially expressed at a taxpayers' picnic which might almost have been styled an indignation meeting, held in Grant township in 1878 to discuss same, and later appeared in the verse above.
As seen elsewhere, however, owing to the fear on the part of the people of the odium of bankruptcy fastening itself upon the county and injuring it. and the further conclusion of its impracticability of defeat, the whole debt was paid except sundry thousand referred to below. An injunction suit was in fact instituted by the Taxpayers' Association by A. P. Powers and many others against the treasurer, and payment of the debt was stopped for a num- ber of years by the court.
A BON (D) FIRE.
We'll look into these bonds somewhat, We'll stop in part this ire, Before the board an inquest hold, We'll hold a big bon (d) fire.
The report of George W. Schee showed in fact on paper an outstanding debt of two hundred and seventy-three thousand seven hundred and twenty- five dollars. He, however, showed all possibilities. There were some bonds actually signed up and outstanding for which no record could be found. On closer investigation it was found that those gentry who brought suit against the county and took judgment in some cases had seen to it that the county warrants sued upon were not cancelled, and had in sundry cases actually withdrawn them from the court records and sued them a second time. This all made much labor and required patience.
John Dickinson, a traveling man for a Des Moines stationary house, who sold supplies to the county, presented in 1881 one of these bonds for one thousand dollars which had come into possession of this supply house. When so convinced that no record could be found, the house cancelled and sur- rendered same to the county. Mr. Dickinson, who was known all over Iowa as a hale fellow well met in the various court houses, then came before the board of supervisors with this bond for one thousand dollars and which, with interest, then amounted to as much more, and held. as he gleefully termed it, an inquest and bon(d) fire. It was burned before the board during a
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
session during the incumbency of J. L. E. Peck, the writer hereof, as county auditor, and a record by resolution was made of same.
This incident ended up a number of thousand dollars of this class of bonds. This, together with the county warrants sued upon twice as stated, and sundry sums paid in meantime during Mr. Schee's term of office accounts for the apparent discrepancy between reports.
This statement is about correct without going into details, namely : That from the date of Mr. Schee's report in January, 1877, forward, that the sum of two hundred and forty thousand dollars was paid or rebonded, and that from the date of the rebonding in 1881 during Mr. Peck's term that two hundred and thirty thousand was disposed of, namely. thirty thousand dollars in cash and the two hundred thousand dollars in new bonds issued at seven per cent. It must be remembered that during all those years payments were made from time to time and the amounts as stated would vary according to the time computed from.
HE RODE THAT MULE.
J. L. E. Peck that mule did ride.
Bare back, with naught but halter, Scared like hell,
With a midnight yell, Lustily ringing an old cow bell,
To rouse the people far and wide,
That Primghar might yet there abide.
As a county seat and save its hide, To make report, And hold the fort. And hold down its Gibraltar.
This item went the rounds of the press in various forms after the San- born county-seat raid in 1882. Mr. Peck was the only official present, and in fact sent out parties all over the county to rouse the people up.
THAT MARTYRED WAGON-TIME OF THE SANBORN RAID, 1882.
Friends, please stop one moment, Your everlasting bragging, While I tell you not of what you've done, But of that martyred wagon.
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