USA > Iowa > Clinton County > The History of Clinton County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its. > Part 58
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Corp. Hans Arp, e. Oct. 7, 1862.
Corp. Jos. Long, e. Oct. 6, 1862.
Corp. Chas. E. Joy, e. Oct. 27, 1862.
Farrier David Pence, e. Oct. 8, 1862, died Fort Sully, D. T.
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Bragg, Ethan, e. Nov. 24, 1862.
Baker, Wm., e. Oct. 1, '62, died Camanche.
Durkleman, Henry, e. Nov. 13, 1862.
Folck, John, e. Oct. 6, 1862.
Gates, H. V., e. Nov. 24, 1862.
Hass, Wm., e. Feb. 26, 1863.
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Kennedy, H. C., e. Nov. 4, 1862, disd. March 28, 1865.
Lay, Jacob, e. Oct. 27, 1862.
Lafferty, H. A., e. Oct. 25, 1862.
Mclaughlin, John, e. Oct. 24, 1862.
Murphy, John, e. Oct. 6, 1862.
Names, Daniel, e. Oct. 2, 1862.
Renfeldt, Frederick, e. Oct. 14, 1862, died Fort Randall, D. T. Snow, D. C., e. Oct. 16, 1862.
Vanderburgh, W. H., e. Oct. 4, 1862.
Weise, Paul, e. Oct. 7, 1862.
Company F.
McAllister, Elijah, e. March 14, 1868, kld. White Stone Hills, D. T.
Company M.
Murphy, John, e. Oct. 6, 1862.
COMPANY UNKNOWN.
Boyer, Benj., e. Nov. 25, 1864. Barnes, Jas. L., e. Oct. 6, 1864. Dumphy, F. R., e. Nov. 25, 1864. McIntosh, Perry, e. Oct. 7, 1864.
SEVENTH CAVALRY.
[NOTE .- These companies were mustered out at Sione City June 22, 1866.]
Company F.
Butler, Wm., e. June 1, 1863. Robaugh, A. D., e. March 30, 1863.
Company K.
Hill, J. F., e. Oct. 8, 1861, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Company L.
Plummer, K. T., e. Oct. 1, 1861, vet. Feb. 29, 1864.
Company M.
Sergt. Wm. W. Burrington, e. Sept. 27, 1861, died Fort Sully, D. T.
Sergt. William H. Emerson, e. Sept. 26, 1861.
Corp. John B. Greene, e. Sept. 26, 1861.
Corp. E. S. Gregory, e. Oct. 7, 1861.
Corp. Jas. W. Shoemaker, e. Sept. 26, '61, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Corp. Patrick Forbes, e. Sept. 26, 1861, vet. Feb. 28, 1864, disd. Oct. 15, 1864, disab.
Corp. H. W. Corbin, e. Oct. 12, 1861, vet. . Feb. 28, 1864.
Saddier A. Schieffer, e. 1861, vet Feb. 28, 1864.
Alspaugh, Jas., e. Oct. 11, 1861, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Brady, Jos., e. Sept. 28, 1861, disd. Feb. 15, 1866.
Burwell, Jas., e. Sept. 28, 1861, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Cain, Richard, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Davis, Preston, e. Oct. 19, 1861, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Fox, Jas. B., vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Guernsey, B. H., e. Oct. 12, 1861, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Kenney, John, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Moore, Wm. M., e. Sept. 26, 1861. vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Mowder, Jas. M., e. Oct. 19, 1861, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Nichols, A. A., e. Oct. 17, 1861.
Purcell, Martin, e. Sept. 26, 1861.
Priest, K. F., e. Oct. 24, 1861.
Priest, Wm. M., e. Sept. 27, 1861, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Randall. H. C., e. Oct. 17, 1861, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Randall, John, e. Oct. 17, 1864, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Saxton, Geo. W., e. May 6, 1864.
Steele. Geo. W., e. Sept. 26, 1861, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
Saxton, Jas. P., e. May 6, 1864.
Shumaker, Geo. H., e. Sept. 26, 1861.
Trask, A. D., e. Sept. 26, 1861, vet. Feb. 28, 1864.
COMPANY UNKNOWN.
Chamberlain, Wm. S.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
MISCELLANEOUS. Fifth Infantry.
Fobes, Jos. R., e. June 24, 1861, disd. Aug. 1864.
Tisdale, Wm. A. E., e. June 24, 1861, dan- gerously wd. at Iuka.
Seventh Infantry.
Asst. Surg. Asa Morgan, com. Aug. 5, 1861, resd. June 20. 1862.
Ninth Infantry.
Sergt. Henry P. Mellhausen, e. July 29, 1861, vet. Jan. 1, 1864, kld. May 80, 1864, at Dallas, Ga.
Corp. John Adams, e. Aug. 15, 1861, vet. Jan. 1, 1864, wd. m. o. July 18, 1865.
Bennett, Lucius, e. Aug. 8, 1861, vet. Jan. 1, 1864, m. o. July 18, 1865.
Brown, S. D., e. Aug. 15, 1861, vet. Jan. 1, 1864. m. o. July 18, 1865.
Bump, Geo. M., e. Aug. 12, 1861, vet. Jan. 1, 1864, wd. and died June 28, 1864.
Ramsey, Morris A., e. Aug. 10, 1861, vet. Jan. 1, 1864, m. o. July 18, 1865.
Spelman, John P., e. Aug. 15, 1861, disd. Feb. 16, 1863, disab.
Tollman, Edward A., e. Aug. 8, 1861, vet. . Jan. 1, 1864, m. o. July 18, 1865.
Twelfth Infantry.
Sergt. Wm. Starbuck, e. Sept. 21, 1861, vet. Dec. 25, 1863, captd. at Shiloh, m. o. Jan. 20, 1866.
Teskey, Geo., Sept. 25, 1861, captd. Shiloh, m. o. Jan. 20, 1866.
Jenkins, A. F., e. March 30, 1864, wd. July 14, 1864, m. o. Jan. 20, 1866.
Corp. M. B. Goodenow, e. Oct. 23, 1861, vet. Dec. 25, 1863, m. o. Jan. 20, 1866.
Thirteenth Infantry.
Second Lieut. Geo. P. Shaffer, com. Nov. 2, 1861, resd. Dec. 18, 1861.
COMPANY UNKNOWN.
Arrasmith, Abner, e. Feb. 25, 1864, m. o. July 21, 1865.
Burke, Thomas, e. Nov. 17, 1864. m. o. July 21, 1865.
Ferderand, Jacob P., e. Nov. 17, 1864, m. o. July 21, 1865.
Merrick, Wm., e. Nov. 17, 1864, m. o. July 21, 1865.
Smith, Jos. W., e. Feb. 25, 1864, m. o. July 21, 1865.
McCune, Wm. H., e. April 26, 1864, m. o. July 21, 1865.
Sixteenth Infantry.
Sergt. Henry P. Coe, e. Feb. 8, 1862, vet. March 6, 1864, wd. and trans to V. R. C. Brainard, Alfred, e. Jan. 22, 1864, m. o. July 19, 1865.
Babbington, Edward, e. Jan. 22, 1864, m. 0. July 19, 1865.
Crabb. Washington, e. Jan. 22, 1864, m. o. July 19, 1865.
Case, Isaiah, e. Jan. 22, 1864, m. o. July 19, 1865.
Davidson, Wm. P., e. Jan. 22, 1864, m. o. July 19, 1865.
Harmer, Chas. W., e. Feb. 22, 1864, m. o. July 19, 1865.
Snow, Moses H., e. Jan. 1, 1864, m. o. July 19, 1865.
Twentieth Infantry.
Surg. A. O. Blanding, com. asst. surg. Sept. 5, 1862, prmtd. surg. March 6, 1865.
First Lieut. Fredk. E. Starck. e. as pri- vate Aug. 20, 1862, prmtd. 1st lieut. Aug. 26, 1862, wd. at Prairie Grove.
Belmer, Henry, e. Aug. 12, 1862, m. o. July 8, 1865.
McConnell, Wm., e. Aug. 6, 1862. m. o. July 8, 1865.
Sanders, Newton, e. Aug. 8, 1862, m. o. July 8, 1865.
Twenty-First Infantry.
Hosp. Stew. Rufus L. Grosvenor, e. Aug. 10, 1862, m. o. July 15, 1865.
Collins, Wm., e. June 11, 1862, died June 28, 1863.
Dolphin, Martin, e. June 11, 1862, m. o. July 15, 1865.
Dolphin, John, e. June 4, 1862, m. o. July 15, 1865.
Grosvenor, R. L., e. Aug. 10. 1862.
Gegauff. Jos., e. June 4, 1862, m. o. July 15, 1865.
Hawks, Jos., e. June 4, 1862, m. o. July 15, 1865.
Lynch. Michael, e. June 29, 1862, died Aug. 17, 1863.
Lawton, Russell, e. June 9, 1862, m. o. July 15, 1865.
Mayse, Jas., e. June 9, 1862, disd. June 3, 1863.
McMaster, Wallace, e. June 4, 1862, kld. May 22, 1863.
Newil, Lewis, e. June 24, 1862, m. o. July 15, 1865.
Sampson, Asahel, e. June 10, 1862, m. o. July 15, 1865.
Welch, James, e. June 4, 1862, m. o. July 15, 1865.
Wood, Philip D., e. June 10, 1862, died Nov. 25, 1862, of wds.
Wheeler, Thomas, e. June 10, 1862, m. o. July 15, 1865.
Twenty-Second Infantry.
Curley, Thomas, e. Nov. 23, 1864, m. o July 25, 1865.
Thirty-First Infantry.
Sergt. Charles H. McCobb, e. Aug. 13. 1862, died April 19, 1863.
Corp. George N. Morse, e. Aug. 18, 1862, disd. Sept. 8, 1869. Corp. M. E. Finton, e. Aug. 15, 1868, m. 0. July 27, 1865.
Brown, Charles G., e. Aug. 15, 1862, m. o. July 27, 1865.
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Benjamin, F. G., e. Aug. 18, 1862, died March 7, 1863.
Gillett, Lucius L., e. Aug. 13, 1862, died April 12, 1863. Gish, Jacob, e. Aug. 15, 1862, died June 16, 1863.
Wood, Benj. F., e. Feb. 23, 1864, m. o. July 27, 1865.
Thirty-Seventh Infantry.
Sergt. William Lawton, e. Sept. 5, 1862, disd. Oct. 27, 1864, disab. Corp. Philip Lodocker, e. Oct. 3, 1862. Corp. John Morris, e. Oct. 4, 1862, disd. Nov. 7, 1864.
Corp. Jacob C. Devinay, e. Sept. 28, 1862. Beebe, A., e. Oct. 4, 1862, disd May 7, 1863.
Cleveland, Wm. W., e. Sept. 20, 1862, disd. May 7, 1863.
Cox, Chas., e. Sept. 11, 1862, disd. May 7, 1863.
Chasey, P. P., e. Sept. 20, 1862, disd. May 7, 1863.
Decker, Andre, e. Oct. 6, 1862. Haskill. Josiah, e. Oct. 17, 1862.
Romahn, Michael, e. Sept. 13, 1862. Smith, J., e. Sept. 18, 1862. Wood, S., e. Nov. 8, 1862.
Yeager, J. B., e. Oct. 4, 1862, disd. Oct. 23, 1865.
Forty-Sixth Infantry
Manville, Richard H., e. May 21, 1864, m. o. Sept. 23, 1864.
Forty-Eighth Infantry.
Houser, Aaron, e. June 14, 1864, m. o. Oct. 21, 1864.
Fourth Cavalry.
Andrews. James, e. Oct. 17, 1861, captd. Black River, Miss.
Wilson, T. J. G., e. Oct. 17, 1861, disd. Feb. 21, 1862.
Wilbur, Alford, e. Oct. 17, 1861, disd. July 6, 1863, for prmn. in Mo. cavalry regt. Sergt. Lewis J. Tucker, e. Sept. 19, 1861, vet. Dec. 12, 1863, m. o. Aug. 10, 1865.
Eighth Cavalry.
Lyle, Cline, e. Sept. 7, 1863, m. o. Aug. 13, 1865. Swords, Wm. H., e. Sept. 8, 1863, wd. and captd. Oct. 80, 1864. Thayer, W., e. Aug. 27, 1863, drowned April 8, 1865. Wade, Chas. L.
Ninth Cavalry.
Second Lieut. Jno. T. Waters, com. Nov. 80, 1863, resd. Jan. 10, 1865.
Corp. Hiram H. Frost, Sept. 20. 1863, m. o. Feb. 28, 1866.
Betty, John H., e. Sept. 17, 1863, m. o. Feb. 28, 1866.
Ferrell, Alvah, e. Oct. 15, 1868, died April 30, 1864.
Forbes, Frank, e. Sept. 8, 1863, disd. May 25, 1864.
Latham, James H., e. Sept. 20, 1863, m. o. Feb. 28, 1866.
Ten Eyck, B., e. Nov. 5, 1863, m. o. Feb. 28, 1866.
Wright, A. C., e. Sept. 20, 1863, m. o. Feb. 28, 1866.
Rice, Robt. M., e. Sept. 80, 1863, m. o. Feb. 28, 1866.
First Infantry, A. D.
Second Lieut. W. A. E. Tisdale, e. June 24, 1861, m. o. Oct. 15, 1865.
Sergt. John Bell, e. Aug. 21, 1863, m. o. Oct. 15, 1865.
Posten, Eli. e. Sept. 15, '63, m. o. Oct. 15, '65. Riddle. Edw., e. Sept. 9, 1863, m. o. Oct. 15, 1865.
First Lieut. Wm. A. E. Tisdale, was priv. Co. A, 5th Inf., com. 2d lieut. Co. C, this regt., prmtd. 1st lieut. Co. D, May 9, '64. m. o. Aug. 4, 1866.
Sergt. John Bell, e. Aug. 21, 1863, m. o. Oct. 15, 1865.
Fourth Battery.
Rodgers, Michael, e. Oct. 21, 1863, m. o. July 14, 1865.
Forty-Third lilinois Infantry.
Beil, Nicholas, e. Sept. 1, 1861. Ringsteim, Chas., e. Sept. 1, 1861.
Forty-Sixth Illinois Infantry. Tearney, Edw., e. Oct. 23, 1861.
Forty-Eighth Illinois Infantry. Roberts, Henry, e. Sept. 12, 1861.
. Fifty-Seventh Illinois Infantry. McNeal, Tagget, e. Oct. 30, 1861.
Fifty-Eighth lilinois Infantry. Labrick, Joseph, e. Dec. 19, 1861.
Sixty-Sixth Illinois Infan'ry. Meacham, Milo F., e. Oct. 17, 1861.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
CLINTON "RAISON D'ETRE."
During the tranquil years covered by the narrative of Mr. Daniel H. Pe and preceding 1855, there was no intimation that Bartlett's ambitious dr would be more than realized, or that the waving harvests and solemn oak g that then covered Clinton's future site, were soon to be invaded by the in able demands of business, and displaced by the busy haunts of commerce manufacture, and the solitude metamorphosed into the homes of a vigorous It is impossible to decide to whom belongs the honor of the "invention,' to determine the complex causes and interwoven sequence of events that l such a progress within one decade; though apparently an easier task, scarcely less difficult to discern and describe in accurate perspective.
It appears reasonably certain that the idea of establishing a town at ton's location grew principally out of the disagreement as to crossing te depot grounds, etc., between the solid men of Lyons and the managers of Mississippi & Iowa Central Railroad. Moreover, the result of the inves tions of T. T. Davis, a confidential agent of Erastus Corning, and after identified with the Iowa Land Company, was largely instrumental in foun the new city. He examined the proposed site for a high bridge from Lyo Fulton, pronounced it impracticable, on account of its height and length recommended a grade crossing at some lower point between the Albany Fulton sites.
Many considerations led to the selection of the ground afterward purch by the Land Company as an eligible place to found a town, notwithstanding proximity of rivals above and below, so formidable as to challenge to the ut the energy and forethought of any who might dare to engage in what must have appeared as a rash, if not absurd, enterprise.
THE IOWA LAND COMPANY ORGANIZED.
On May 28, 1855, the Iowa Land Company was organized under general laws of Iowa, by its articles authorized to purchase, hold, improve sell real estate, and to do such other acts as are incidental to these obj Prominent among its early friends were the first officers-C. B. Steward, I ident; J. G. Forbes, Vice President ; R. H. Nolton, Secretary ; besides Ch Walker, Lucius B. Crocker, A. G. Mitchell, C. A. Lombard, John Bert B. A. G. Fuller and T. T. Davis, also those gentlemen who have since for years identified, not only with the growth and prosperity of the Land( pany, but also of Clinton, viz. : the late J. C. Bucher, Col. J. Van Deve Secretary, Treasurer and General Agent since 1857, except when absen the war, and Horace Williams, President of the Company since 1860.
The company built the first substantial edifice in Clinton, the Iowa Cer Hotel and Block, where its office remained until in December, 1878, whe removed to the new block on Fifth avenue, owned by the C., I. & N. R. where, after a long life of energy, usefulness and public-spirited liberality affairs are now (August, 1879,) in process of winding up.
The liberal donations of land from the company to various churches public parks, etc., while aiding the development of the city must have ma ally curtailed its own profits. To the company's wisdom is due the fact tha town was so well and regularly laid out, with broad avenues-none less than feet wide-extending from the river at intervals of 300 feet, and intersecte right angles by streets 80 feet wide and 600 feet apart.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
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THE LAND COMPANY'S INITIAL OPERATIONS.
On the 4th of July, 1855, the Land Company made its first purchase of about five hundred acres of land on the west bank of the Mississippi, situated at the great eastward bend of the river, where a broad and beautiful site at a proper elevation above high-water, and skirted upon its background with picturesque oak-covered bluffs, naturally invited the building of a large city, whence, at its eastern terminus, a railroad might start to penetrate the interior of the State. Another advantage which this site presented was the fact that at this point the Mississippi offered rare facilities for bridging in consequence of the adaptation of the channel, the security of the shores, and the proximity of Little Rock Island, that made it superior to any other point below St. Anthony. To the wise forethought and courage of the Iowa Land Company, Clinton, with its present population and business, bears testimony.
These considerations for selecting this site were re-enforced by the advantages offered by the natural levee sweeping for a mile along the river front as sites for warehouses and factories, but it is doubtful whether the prolongation of the river front by the Riverside slough was fully appreciated as a possible factor in the city's growth. The broad plain between the river and back bluffs, and the gentle slope of those now in the Third and Fourth Wards, plainly offered room for a city to expand unchecked over a wide level area. The oak-crowned back bluffs were as unmistakably suited for suburban residences, while they sheltered the whole locality from wintry gales and summer storms. The valley winding southwesterly between the two ranges of bluffs added picturesqueness to the charming view. The shallow soil afforded over a large share of the future site, solid foundations for large buildings, and the convenient quarries were not over- looked.
Yet, except in the eyes of the most sanguine builders of cities, it must have seemed a herculean task to develop a town on Clinton's site. It was not by any means certain that a road would be built thence to the West; the connection with the line that Milo Smith was then pushing westward from Chicago across the boggy Illinois prairies was uncertain, and the location of the crossing still more problematical. A powerful and jealous rivalry was naturally to be expected from other interests. The site, although possessing advantages recounted above, was not altogether an Arcadia. It was rather low-stagnant water, where the land sloped toward the bluff, and the slough winding south- west from the present gas-works' location, and so deep at times that a horse- man had to swim across, being evident drawbacks to the plat.
In 1863, the prospect of the city could scarcely be considerd rosy. Stag- nation appeared to be settling upon the town as it had upon so many promis- ing future metropolises along the river. It would have puzzled even " Mark Tapley " to have been jolly over the financial outlook, had he at that time been very heavily loaded with Clinton city lots. The town was virtually bounded by First avenue, the river, the railroad track and Fourth street, and within even those narrow lines were yawning gaps. On Second street were only Charles Young's hardware store in the old building on the southeast corner of Third avenue, and a drug store a block below. On Second avenue were more houses than on any other. On the corner, where now stands the Revere, was a partially burned hotel. Where the gas-works now stand was a regular village of shanties. Where now stands the superb brick row of a score of stores on the north side of Fifth avenue, above Second street, was then a vacant space. The residences of Messrs. I. B. Howe, J. Irwin, William Poole and R. Dunbar, were the
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
only dwellings on Fifth avenue, above Second street, the territory above wh was practically an open common. Fourth street was scarcely defined, tho around his house F. P. Wilcox had erected the first fence, inclosing a yard the town. The inner bluff extended eastward a block, and northward m rods farther than now, it not having been quarried extensively for building filling purposes. On its summit, the old Ten Broeck House rose in solitary st The section south of the railroad was occupied only by isolated groups shanties. Many blocks were crossed by diagonal "streets." Second st was, in bad weather, a quagmire in which milk wagons were stalled. Betw Lyons and Clinton was a mud-hole-impassable for pedestrians during greater portion of the year. The dwellings were mostly on the aver between First and Third streets. Seventh, Eighth and Sixth avenues, quite a number of tolerable houses. Sidewalks earliest gave evidences of germ of public spirit and improvement. The Cushing House, on Eig avenue, now occupied by Judge Cotton, was the " swell " mansion of the to After nightfall, darkness of Egyptian blackness prevailed, except where relie by lights from house or store windows. On Front street, around the Cen Hotel, was the market-place where people were wont to most congregate.
But, with the close of the war and the completion of the bridge, deta elsewhere, the town began, to use a word seemingly in process of absorption the vocabulary, " to boom." Activity in the real estate agencies and Record offices during 1865 and several successive years attests the marvelous expan of the town between then and 1870, and makes that the "flush " era of C ton's growth. In 1865-66, the migration of business up town from the r was fairly inaugurated by the building of the Young and Toll Blocks, the corners of Fifth avenue and Second street. On Second street and F avenue wooden blocks and stores rose like an exhalation. As seen by refere to those topics, saw-mills and other manufactures were developed during tl years, the schools and churches were built up, the demand for workmen mechanics fully absorbed the supply, bankers and business men both from East and adjacent Western points, and possessed of capital, energy and 8 infused life and prosperity into the town. Public improvements noted un their appropriate heads were energetically prosecuted, and the mental and so life of the place kept pace with its material growth. New-comers were comed, so that they quickly felt naturalized and domesticated. Visions vast city seemed not at all impossible of realization. Shanties tempora occupied by laboring men were rapidly replaced by comfortable dwelling large proportion of which were owned by the tenants. A wise and liberal po on the part of the large employers assisted many to become independent ho holders. Probably there are few places in the United States where there more freeholders in proportion to the population than in Clinton. To cause, and the intelligence of its workmen, has been due the immunity of town from "labor " agitation.
ORIGINAL PLAT AND ADDITIONS.
The original town of Clinton, as laid out by the Land Company, contai 291 acres. Soon after the Company made six additions to the place increa the town plat to 635 acres, or nearly a square mile. This soon became limited an area for the growing town, and other additions rapidly succee each other, due to the enterprise of real estate dealers as well as to the dem for building-lots especially by residents of moderate means ambitious to own t homes. The other additions were as follows : Gray's Addition, June 22, 18
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Hyatt's Addition, April 20, 1867 ; Flournoy's (first) Addition, April 14, 1868; . Strayer's Addition, March 13, 1868; Davis' Addition, April 27, 1868; Aikens' (first) Addition, April 5, 1869; Bluff Addition, June 30, 1869; F. K. Peck's Addition, September 28, 1868 ; Flournoy's (second) Addition, August 17, 1869; Corbin's (first) Addition, October 9, 1871; W. B. Peck's Addition, October 10, 1872 ; Baldwin's Addition, November 22, 1872; Corbin's (second) Addition, February 10, 1877 ; Pearce's Addition, October 8, 1875.
In few American towns, and rarely in any of the same age, have the advantages bestowed by nature been more indefatigably supplemented by arti- ficial improvements. Could every building in the city be magically removed, any of the old proprietors would wonder at the changes the town site had undergone. In this respect, it fairly rivals some of those places wrung from the sea by the hardy Hollanders, and, in proportion to its size, Clinton has surpassed the vaunted street-filling of Chicago and back bay improvements of Boston. Thousands upon thousands of loads of broken rock from the bluffs have been piled into the principal streets and broad avenues to a depth of from two to over six feet above the original soil. Accordingly, when other North- western cities are floundering in spring mud, the visitor to Clinton is astonished not only at the breadth, but at the dry and clean condition of the streets. The stone-filling has contributed not only to the appearance and convenience of the thoroughfares, but to the unusually high average of public health. To obtain this rock, so much of some parts of the bluffs have been cut away as quite to transform them and the avenues in their vicinity. Near the mills there has been a vast amount of filling with pine lumber refuse and sawdust, the resinous quality of which renders its decay so slow that no harm is likely to result from its use to fill up low ground.
The wisdom of the Iowa Land Company in laying out the city on so open a plan, and also setting out choice shade trees throughout the original plat, has borne double fruit. In beautifying the town, its sanitary condition was also decidedly enhanced. For so young a town, it is now wonderfully well shaded. The umbrageous boughs not only add wonderfully to the looks of the broad avenues and furnish nesting-places for innumerable beneficial birds, but also break the sweep of winds and absorb malaria, while, in the hot season the passer-by blesses the embowering shade.
The parks in the heart of the city, with the surrounding rows of shade trees, are not only ornamental but doubly valuable in a sanitary point of view. Parks have been well styled the lungs of cities, and in those so felicitously named Clinton and De Witt, citizens of Clinton will, when the present trees are grown to towering size, take as much pride as Bostonians do in their Com- mon, while the space of two blocks they occupy has many-fold repaid its value by affording a place for hundreds of young children to exercise their active limbs, stretch their growing bodies, and recreate brains tired with confinement and study.
CALICO AND OTHER CHIMERICAL RAILWAYS.
During 1855 and 1856 was the flood-tide of Western land speculation. Stimulated by a currency that, even if not sound, was sufficiently abundant for any possible " wants of the country," as well as the natural westward expan- sion of an industrious and enterprising population, speculators were numerous and sanguine. Accordingly town lots were sold and resold, and, in the feverish buoyancy of the land, it seemed scarcely possible to make an unfortunate investment. Into Iowa poured a steady current of immigration, of which Clinton obtained an ample quota.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
On August 1, 1855, corn was cut from the tasseled fields to make room the laying with appropriate ceremonies of the corner-stones of the Cent hotel, an Episcopal Church and a schoolhouse. For a while the financ ballooning in city lots was unabated. The sanguine faith of citizens a investors in the future prosperity of the city was based upon the prospect building of the Mississippi & Iowa Central Railroad. This line was to exte from Clinton to Iowa City and westward via Des Moines to the Missouri. was to utilize the grading done by the defunct Lyons & Iowa Central (" Calico road, by starting from Clinton and running northwesterly till it intersected latter line a few miles west of Lyons. Its abandoned embankment still stretch diagonally across the north west part of the town in the appropriate direction the cemetery. Evidently funds had not lasted long after striking the rocks the bluffs.
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