The history of Clinton County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns &c., biographical sketches of citizens, Part 63

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western historical company
Number of Pages: 812

USA > Iowa > Clinton County > The history of Clinton County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns &c., biographical sketches of citizens > Part 63

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The primitive method of bringing logs from the pineries to the mills along the Mississippi was by the floating raft, guided by powerful sweeps in the hands of its stalwart and, at a distance, picturesque crew, numbering from twenty-five to thirty men, whose wages figured very largely in the debit side of the season's balance. The rafts, when brought down in this manner, were necessarily strongly bound and pinned together. But, in 1865, Mr. W. J. Young made the then bold and novel experiment of pushing a raft by a stern- wheel steamer, in order to save both expense and time. The new method proved a success and revolutionized the system of furnishing the mills a log supply. It was also a relief to the passengers on the packets, that were no longer infested by the noisy and turbulent raft-crews returning to the lumber regions. The crews being kept together on their own proper boats, under efficient management, have, during late years, become far more tractable and orderly. The Clinton rafting-fleet alone numbers eight fine stern-wheel steam- ers, and gives employment to no less than 175 men. As the quality of the

526

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

lumber was seriously impaired by the augur-holes for the pins and poles sup- posed necessary to hold the old-fashioned raft together, Mr. Young introduced another innovation, viz., brailed rafts-loose logs arranged in ranks and merely surrounded with a log boom, which, by the raft-boat system, were swiftly and safely propelled from the upper river to the Clinton mill booms.

In the carly part of the present decade, the necessity was foreseen of fore- stalling a possible insufficient supply of logs for the devouring Clinton mills. Accordingly, the Mississippi River Logging Company was formed, in which Messrs. Lamb & Young, of Clinton, have been among the most prominent members, and an ample supply of logs has since been secured from the Chip- pewa, and Beef Slough has been used by the company, virtually, as a distribut- ing-reservoir for logs. A bitter legal fight has been carried on in the United States Courts between the company and the local mill-men on the Chippewa, the latter secking to prevent running loose logs down the river, on the ground of its obstructing the navigation (?) of that stream. But the Mississippi men have hitherto carried their point, and, except when low water has prevented, have been able to secure plenty of raw material for Clinton's principal manu- facturing industry.

C. LAMB & SONS.

In the spring of 1856, Charles A. Lombard removed to Clinton from Augusta, Me., in which section, before the development of the Northwest, was the principal lumber region of the United States. Ile built a saw-mill on what is now railroad ground. This mill, at that time justly deemed a valuable addition to the business of the town, was located very near the spot where now stands the west bridge pier. Barring all acci lents, and the logs running smoothly, it was capable of turning out four or five thousand feet of lumber per day. Becoming soon wholly engrossed with important affairs connected with the railroad, Mr. L. relinquished the amusement of his little mill, and assumed the more onerous duties of Treasurer of the road.

In January, 1857, Messrs. Gray & Lunt, also men from the Pine-tree State, having purchased the Lombard saw-mill and sold the machinery to the railroad, were rebuilding the mill under the supervision of a partner spoken of by the Herald of that date as "Chancey Lamb, an experienced millwright and lumber- man from New York, who, after its completion, would attend exclusively to manufacturing lumber." Mr. Lamb aided the owners with all his skill and experience to enlarge and improve the (compared with the present) diminutive structure. Subsequently, Mr. Lamb purchased the entire mill of Gray & Lunt, but had scarcely got fairly under headway, congratulating himself upon judi- cious improvements and the favorable working of all his plans, when, on October 6, 1859, he suffered the first of a severe series of fire losses by the mill being burned to the ground. But, to a man of Mr. Lamb's temperament, such a mis- hap served only to stimulate his energy and ingenuity, so that before the charred embers had ceased smoking he was preparing to erect another mill of greatly superior capacity. It was as rapidly as possibly pushed forward, and began running in the spring of 1860. In 1868, the firm found it necessary to build another mill to meet the increasing demand. Accordingly, the stone mill was begun in March, and started on September 1. It had a capacity of 10,000,000 feet per season.

In 1876, a second fire broke out in the lumber district and destroyed the upper mill belonging to Messrs. Lamb, inflicting a loss of $75,000. By stupendous efforts on the part of the firemen the flames were prevented from extending farther through the lumber-yards or to other mills. The mill, of course,

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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

rebuilt and started up in May, 1877, with a capacity for turning out 125,000 feet per day. But even this was surpassed when, in the great fire of May, 1879, the magnificent new office of the firm was consumed, with an amount of lumber swelling the total loss to $50,000. But notwithstanding these severe reverses, the business of Messrs. Chancey, Artemus and Lafayette Lamb has unfalteringly progressed, and was never more flourishing than at present, employing between 500 and 600 men, and with a capacity of manufacturing during the current year 50,000,000 feet of lumber.

W. J. YOUNG & CO.

In the summer of 1858, W. J. Young opened a yard at Clinton to handle lumber manufactured by the Ohio Mill Company at La Crosse, Wis. Some idea of the increase since then of the Clinton lumber traffic may be obtained by contrasting the total sales of only about two million feet from 1858 to the winter of 1860, with the annual total sale of over fifty million feet in a good year for Clinton interests. On Mr. Young's suggestion it was determined to remove the mill to Clinton.

Ground was broken May 1, 1860, for its foundation, and so vigorously was the work pushed that the mill was sawing lumber on August 15, following. At this time, the railroad extended only to Cedar Rapids, and the people along the line were not as swift as might have been expected to appreciate the advan- tages of the new lumber market growing up at their very doors. But the quality, prices, and prompt shipping of Clinton, and the westward extension of the railroad caused such an increase in the demand that, in 1866, W. J. Young & Co., sold 9,100,000 feet.

In August, 1866, was begun the great mill on the point, at the junction of the river and Beaver Island Slough. It was finished within a year, and is undoubtedly one of the very largest in the world. An engine of 1,000 horse power, which, when put in, was by far the largest one west of the Mississippi, animated the machinery, the repair-room is a good sized machine-shop in itself, and nearly two hundred saws slice up the logs that pour in through three separate runways with a rapidity that would have seemed miraculous to the pit- sawyers who plied their laborious tasks a century ago.

The productive capacity of both mills has been continually augmented by ingenious labor-saving machinery till they are now capable, with a force of 400 men, of turning out 50,000,000 feet of lumber annually.

CLINTON LUMBER CO.

The first saw-mill owned by the Clinton Lumber Company was built in Lyons in 1857, and was there operated in the fall of that year, and the following spring. It then remained idle till the summer of 1859, when, in consideration of the difficulty in disposing of their lumber without railroad facilities for ship- ping, it was determined to remove both the mill and stock of lumber to Clinton. During the summer of 1859, this was accomplished, and considerable additions made to the mill, increasing its capacity and convenience. In 1861, the mill was again enlarged, and its capacity increased to 50,000 feet per day.

On January 4, 1866, the Clinton Lumber Company bought of Hosford & Miller their mill property in Clinton, and, during the summer, built a new double-gang mill of about the same capacity as the other, besides improving the first mill to the amount of $5,000; and, in January, 1867, increased their capital stock to $100,000. Since then, improvements have been made in the mills so that their total capacity is that indicated in the table annexed.

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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

The following is the approximate capacity of the Clinton Mills during an average season of nine months, working ten hours per day :

LUMBER.

W. J. Young & Co .50,000,000 feet.

C. Lamb & Son ... 50,000,000 “

Clinton Lumber Co.

15,700,000 "

Total

115,700,000 feet.

LATHS.

W. J. Young & Co. 40,000,000

C. Lamb & Sor

40,000,000

Clinton Lumber Co 1,680,000

Total. 81,680,000

SHINGLES.

W. J. Young & Co

30,000,000

C. Lamb & Sou.

25,000,000

Clinton Lumber Co. 8,200,000

Total

63,200,000

PLANING.

W. J. Young & Co 20,000,000 feet.

C. Lamb & Son ..

20,000,000

Clinton Lumber Co. 3,600,000 “

Total 43,600,000 feet.

The first attempt to develop the splendid saw-mill sites at the point about a mile and a half below W. J. Young's large mill at the junction, between the river and Beaver Island, a slough since known as Riverside, was made by Alfred Cobb, who, twenty-three years ago, almost simultaneously with the first similar enterprises at Clinton, started to build a flouring-mill, changed his plan to a saw-mill, and cut up one raft. After the mill remained idle for a number of years, the lumber business was revived at Riverside. Messrs. W. F. Coan, Ferreby, Milo Smith and Bomgardner, John Byng and S. W. Gardiner were successively identified with Riverside saw-mill interests, and with the latter the Lambs were for some time associated. They finally purchased the interests of their associates in the Lamb-Byng Company, and now exclusively control the Riverside property, which comprises, in addition to the above-mentioned struct- ure, the Bon Ton Mill, built by Wheeler & Warner, in 1872, and since then greatly enlarged and improved. The upper mill, the old Cobb structure, was the third of the serious fire losses in the Lamb mill property, it being burned on the morning of February 23, 1877, involving a loss of $60,000. It has since been replaced by a new structure that is confidently claimed to be the most admirably equipped and efficient saw-mill, in proportion to its size and cost, in the world. The Riverside property has been connected with the Clin- ton offices and mills of the firm by special horse railway and electric telephone, and is protected from fire by a system of water-works and a steam fire-engine. The crowd of employes employed by the Riverside mills and yards have virtually made the place conterminous with Clinton.

THE SASH FACTORY.

The great improvement made in machinery during the past twenty years marked a complete revolution in the manufacture of sash, doors, blinds, mold- ings, windows and door frames, etc. The establishment owned by Curtis Bros. & Co., was so recently built that all the modern improvements in machinery

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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

have been used. The factory and store-room, were built by Messrs. Toll & Ankeny, who sold it to the present proprietors, they taking possession January 1, 1869. Since then, numerous improvements have been made, both in the machinery and processes, owing largely to the mechanical ingenuity of Mr. F. L. Blakely. During the " hard times " succeeding the revulsion of 1873, the fac- tory was run nearly or quite to its full capacity, and the product turned out is of so superior quality, both of material and workmanship, and the reputation of the firm so enviable, that orders flowed in upon them from the older, as well as the newer, sections of the great West, from Salt Lake to Minneapolis, and from Montana to Galveston. In all that vast region, homes have been made hand- somer, cheaper and more convenient, owing to the facilities for light, warmth and ventilation furnished by Clinton's and similar establishments along the river. Since the factory was built, successive additions have been made thereto, and its capacity has been more than trebled, till it is a busy hive, composed of two immense buildings, packed full of labor-saving machines and industrious arti- sans. A new fire-proof storehouse was built on Twelfth avenue in 1877. The factory has several times narrowly escaped destruction by fire, especially when threatened on that night of November, 1876, by the severe fire that consumed Lamb's mill, the flames being arrested only by the heroic efforts of the firemen and employes. Constant vigilance delayed the loss that seems inevitable in every establishment of the kind, till the great fire of May, 1879, when 1,500,000 feet of seasoned lumber vanished in one hour, causing a loss of $50,000. At present, the number of workmen employed is about one hundred and eighty, the monthly pay-roll amounting to over $5,000, resulting in an annual output of upward of a quarter of a million dollars' worth of manufactured products. The firm consists of Messrs. J. E. Carpenter, Charles Curtis and George Curtis. The following-named gentlemen are at heads of departments : George Allen, F. P. Stone, E. L. Carpenter, W. W. Leslie, J. M. Mallory, Eli Lan- ning, George V. Harris and Eugene Craig. The speed and energy with which the work moved on at these shops may be inferred from the wonderful glazing record below appended, being the fastest ever performed and recorded in America or elsewhere, viz : John Stukas, assisted by O. Prunk, unpacked, set, pointed and puttied 4,008 8x10 window lights in ten hours.

BANKS.

Clinton National .- The first bank in Clinton was opened by D. W. Dakin, in 1857, in the Iowa Central Block.

In 1860, he disposed of his business to Messrs. Budd & Baldwin, whose inter- ests were, in 1863, purchased by W. F. Coan, during whose administration the bank was removed from between Sixth and Seventh avenues, on Front street, to the corner of Fifth avenue, now occupied by S. Shoecraft, and, on May 1, 1865, inerged in the Clinton National Bank, which was organized by some of the strongest capitalists of the city, with $60,000 capital. The first officers were : W. F. Coan, President ; Milo Smith, Vice President ; J. A. Townsend, Cash- ier ; Directors-C. Lamb, W. J. Young, I. B. Howe, J. C. Bucher, L. Wheeler, P. C. Wright and A. S. Ruddock. The bank has enjoyed uninterrupted pros- perity, its surplus being $50,000. The present officers are : W. F. Coan, President-having occupied the place since the bank's organization ; G. B. Young, Vice President; J. C. Weston, Cashier ; other Directors-W. J. Young, C. Lamb, A. Lamb, W. I. Hayes, I. B. Howe and C. H. Toll. In 1867, the bank purchased the lot on the corner of First street and Sixth avenue and erected their present commodious banking-house.

530

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

Mr. Weston has been identified with the bank for ten years. In charge of other departments are Messrs. R. Van Kuran, John Stuart and C. C. Coan.

The Clinton County Savings Institution was organized in 1867, owing, more than for any other reason, to the desire of Messrs. C. Lamb and W. J. Young that their employes should have a secure place to deposit their surplus earnings, thereby being encouraged in economy and thrift. Its first officers were : W. J. Young, President ; C. Lamb, Vice President; W. F. Coan, Treasurer. Its business has been transacted at the National. The experiment was astonishingly successful, the Scandinavians proving the most numerous class of depositors. To the prudent habits of Clinton workingmen and their patron- age of savings institutions, may be largely ascribed their tiding over dull sea- sons with so little positive privation, and their building so many comfortable and even elegant cottages during the same time of depression. The Clinton savings-banks have always commanded the confidence of the community, even during panic, and when many in large cities were breaking like bubbles. The present officers are the same as above. The bank was re-organized in 1875.

Stone &. Smith's .- Early in 1870, the business expansion of the city fully justified the establishment of a second bank, by Messrs. A. L. Stone and A. G. Smith, who had, for many years, conducted a successful business in New York State. Ample means and careful and straightforward business methods soon won for them a prominent place among our financial institutions, which has, to the present time, been steadily maintained. The bank occupies the Stratton Block, on Fifth avenue, built expressly for its purposes, in 1873-74.

Farmers' and Citizens' .- On January 1, 1874, a second savings institution was established in Clinton, by Messrs. J. P. and Bidwell Gage, well-known Lyons financiers, the former being President of the Lyons National. They built a convenient banking-house on Second street, just north of the Clinton National, at a cost of $10,000, and opened the Farmers' and Citizens' Savings Bank, with a paid-up capital of $50,000. The institution has always been managed with equal prudence and integrity, and, therefore, has naturally com- manded the confidence alike of rural and city depositors ; its business extends largely into Illinois.

Haywood &. Son's .- November 1, 1875, the Fourth street business section was more completely rounded out by the establishment of a bank by Messrs. G. Haywood & Son, in the building they put up expressly therefor, between Ninth and Tenth avenues. Having previously been identified with other extensive business operations in Clinton, including real estate, the firm undertook their banking enterprise with advantages that account for their subsequent success.

To the banks of Clinton has been largely due the concentration and distribu- tion of the necessary capital for the development of many interests pertaining to trade, manufactures and farm improvements; judicious placing of funds from abroad in public and private loans and enterprises, and by their soundness and safety aiding the revival of the city and tributary country after the depres- sion of recent years.

THE PRESS.

The first number of the Clinton Herald was issued on the 18th of Decem- ber, 1856, by Charles E. Leonard, now of Chicago. Mr. Leonard remained con- nected with it until October 1, 1863, having been, however, for the last few previous years associated with H. B. Horton, under the firm name of Horton & Leonard. When the general offices of the railroad company were removed to Chicago, after having passed under control of the Galena road, Horton & Leonard removed the fine job office connected with it to Chicago as the nucleus

531

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

for the extensive establishment that they acquired there. The remainder of the office was sold to Rev. John McLeish, whose career was the brief one of less than two months, and, on November 27, 1863, H. McAllaster and Hugh Leslie purchased the establishment under the firm name of Leslie & McAllaster. They successfully conducted it until January 1, 1867, when they admitted Thomas J. Flournoy, Jr., to a third interest, and the firm became Leslie, McAllaster & Co., and large additions were made to the office and its facilities greatly increased ; and, on the 18th of September, 1867, a semi-weekly edition was commenced. In March, 1868, L. P. Allen purchased the interest of Mr. Flournoy and the firm name continued. In the latter part of the year, Mr. Leslie sold his interest to McAllaster & Allen, and, in the fall of 1869, Mr. McAllaster sold his interest to H. S. Hyatt. Soon after, Mr. Allen also sold his interest to Mr. Hyatt, who became sole owner, the retiring partner estab- lishing a job printing office and bindery.

During 1868, a daily was published for a few months, but at that time it did not sustain itself financially, and it was discontinued, and a tri-weekly edition substituted. On the 6th of June, 1870, Mr. Hyatt established the Clinton Daily Herald, which has since been continuously published, and also a weekly edition. Mr. Hyatt, with the usual experience of the founders of dailies, met with financial disaster, and the paper, after various changes, was purchased by Josiah Russell, in April, 1873, who successfully and profitably conducted it until its sale to the present proprietor, Waldo M. Potter, in November, 1875. The Herald has always been an influential one in public and political affairs, having been Republican in politics from the beginning, and, under the present able management, wields a still more potent influence.

The Iowa Age was established at Clarence, Iowa, by E. H. Thayer, in the spring of 1868, but after a few weeks, was, in consequence of offers of finan- cial aid, removed to Clinton, and the name changed to the Clinton Age. It is still published by the original founder. It is Democratic in politics, and is ably edited.

The Clinton Bee was established October 12, 1871, by L. P. Allen ; was successfully published until August 1, 1873, when it was merged into the Clin- ton Herald, the job printing business of both concerns being concentrated in the establishment now conducted by Mr. Allen.

Iowa Volks Zeitung, the organ of the German citizens of the county, was established in 1866. It was for many years published by Pffeifer Bros., now in Oregon. It is now published by Matzen & Lietz.

Clinton Journal, Greenback organ, was established by Frank R. Bennett July 3, 1879, he having removed the material of the Delmar Journal, which he had published for several years, to this city.

BUSINESS STATISTICS.

The annual receipts at the freight office of the Chicago & North-Western Railway afford a very fair indication of the fluctuations in the business of the city, showing a steady increase for a series of years, and then a decline which it is the duty of the faithful historian to record, as well as the causes thereof, which were undoubtedly the damage done to the city's lumbering interests by heavy fires, successive seasons of low water, interfering with a full log sup- ply, and a tariff of freight charges, which operated against Clinton interests and enabled the lumbermen of Chicago to compete with the superior product and cheaper facilities of the Clinton dealers.

532

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

The earliest obtainable statistics are those of the year ending October 25, 1866, for which time the records of the freight office showed as follows, in round figures :

FREIGHT RECEIVED.

Weight, in tons .. 8,000

Local charges on same.

$ 36,000

FREIGIIT FORWARDED.

Local charges.

Weight, in tons .. 38,000 $160,000

Thus showing, even at that early date, the value of this station to the rail- road, and the extent of responsibility resting on the agent, Mr. E. A. Wadleigh. Since that date, as might be expected, the business has increased enormously, as the following statement of tonnage and cash business done at this office for the last nine years will indicate, though, as above stated, conflicting interests have lowered the business for 1878 below others, and below the indications for the business for 1879.

The following statement shows the amount of freight forwarded from Clinton during the years for which figures are obtainable, and illustrates the fluctua- tions owing to low water and injurious freight rates. The prospects for 1879 indicate a return to the normal average: 1869, 78,000 tons ; 1870, 94,000; 1871, 84,000; 1872, 71,000; 1873, 76,000; 1874, 85,000; 1875, 121,000; 1876, 128,000; 1877, 112,000; 1878, 62,000.

The cash business done at the freight office during the past ten years, fluct- uated between the maximum, over $600,000, in 1876, and the minimum, about $300,000, in 1878.

The following figures, as to the freight received, do not vary as much, nor owing to the same causes as those for city exports, but, nevertheless, show how the general business of the town depends upon the harvest, and, therefore, upon the rural trade: 1870, 22,500 tons; 1871, 19,000; 1872, 16,000; 1873, 20,000; 1874, 23,000; 1875, 28,000; 1876. 27,500; 1877, 28,500; 1878, 22,000.

FINANCES.

The past and present financial status of the city of Clinton is one which furnishes ground for a just pride. Circumstances may have had, to some extent, a controlling influence in shaping the financial policy of its early days. Before it had attained a position as a city the " ballooning " days had past, and the crash of 1857 had opened the eyes of many sister cities to the alarming fact of their almost hopeless plunge into the abyss of indebtedness. With their fate as a finger-post of warning, it did not require remarkable ability to read a monitory lesson. At all events the city wisely resisted the allurements of debt for unwarranted public improvements, by which more pretentious cities have so overwhelmed themselves with bonded indebtedness that they have been forced to choose between the Scylla of unbearable taxation, on the one hand, or the Charybdis of practical repudiation on the other, and has thus escaped their fate. Capitalists have, in investing here, no apprehension of being annually taxed to meet the interest on city liabilities nearly as great as the total valua- tion of the property within its jurisdiction.

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The history of Clinton County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns &c., biographical sketches of citizens, Part 63

Author: Western Historical Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : Western historical company Number of Pages: 812

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western historical company
Number of Pages: 812