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 68
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St. Peter's Episcopal Church .- This Church was organized by the adoption of Articles of Association and Incorporation, May 25, 1858. The following
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
are the names of the incorporators: R. H. Nolton, P. J. Shoecraft, E. S. Bailey, Samuel Clark, S. R. Hull, A. Chace, H. M. Cook, M. B. Wright, C. A. Jones, P. C. Wright, Charles Egleston, J. F. Gilmore, O. C. Bates, E. R. Spear, J. H. Sage and J. C. Smyles. July 6, following, Rev. A. Bush was chosen to take charge of the parish, and a church building was immediately commenced, and completed in September of the same year, and was consecrated by Rt. Rev. H. W. Lee in December following. The church building was located on Church street, on land given by the Iowa Land Company. The first elected officers of the parish were: Samuel Clark, Senior Warden; H. W. Cook, Junior Warden; Vestrymen, E. S. Bailey, C. A. Jones, P. J. Shoe- craft. S. R. Hull ; R. H. Nolton, Clerk.
On Easter Monday, the following Vestrymen were elected : C. A. Jones, E. S. Bailey, P. J. Shoecraft. S. R. Hull, C. Egleston, J. K. Clark, N. A. Merrell, J. F. Gilmore. The following officers were elected : Samuel Clark, Senior Warden ; P. C. Wright, Junior Warden ; J. C. Smyles, Clerk. The Rev. A. Bush was unanimously elected Rector of the Parish.
May 23, 1859, E. S. Bailey, J. K. Clark and John F. Gilmore, were chosen Delegates to the Diocesan Convention, to be held at Davenport May 25, 1859. The church building was afterward conveyed to the Rt. Rev. H. W. Lee, Epis- copal Bishop of the Diocese.
July 11, 1860, Rev. A. Bush resigned as Rector.
Easter Monday, 1861, Charles Egleston. W. R. Ward, N. A. Merrell, R. G. Cole and James D. Bourne were chosen Vestrymen ; Samuel Clark, Senior Warden ; P. C. Wright, Junior Warden ; and W. B. Webb, Clerk.
May 20, 1861, W. W. Estabrook was chosen Delegate to the Diocesan Con- vention. W. W. Estabrook, candidate for the priesthood, served as lay reader of sermons for four months in 1861. There has been no settled Rector since, the church building became vacant and was afterward destroyed, and the organization ceased to exist.
The Free Methodist Church-Was organized in the year 1868 by Rev. C. H. Underwood. with a membership of eleven. Rev. B. F. Doughty was the first Pastor. The names of some of the prominent members at the organization are as follows : Mrs. Robinson, Miss Florinda Schaeffer, Mrs. Abby Haney, Samuel Mummy, R. L. Smith and others. The present church building, situ- ated on the northwest corner of Jefferson and Bluff streets, was erected in the year 1870. The present membership of the Church is about forty; the present Pastor, Rev. Mr. Hall.
THE PRESS.
The first newspaper was established in this town in the month of December, 1855, by O. C. Bates and J. McCormick, publishers, and was called the De Witt Clintonian ; O. C. Bates, editor; politics, Republican. In the fall of 1859, the paper was turned over to P. C. Wright, as editor, for the purpose of opposing the election of Hon. John F. Dillon as District Judge. Having sig- nally failed of its object, Judge Dillon having been elected by an overwhelm- ing majority, the paper very soon closed out for lack of support. The Stand- ard, Republican in politics, was established in December, 1859, with O. C. Bates and Hon. D. McNeil as editors and publishers. The Clinton County Journal, Democratic, Lawrence & McDonnell, publishers, with R. S. Lawrence as editor, was published for a few months in 1860, and was followed by a short- lived Democratic journal, called the Clinton County Democrat, by C. P. Cotter. The Wide Awake, a Lincoln and Hamlin campaign paper, was edited and pub- lished by P. C. Wright and O. C. Bates during the campaign of 1860. The
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Standard was edited for a time in 1861 by a Mr. Stewart, who was followed by James S. Patterson, who continued its publication until July, 1862, when he joined the Twenty-sixth Iowa Infantry Volunteers, and was chosen First Lieutenant of Company H. He lost his life while leading his company in the memorable charge at the battle of Arkansas Post. About this time, O. C. Bates leased the Standard office of Hon. D. McNeil, and commenced the publication of the Signal, which he continued until 1863, when he suspended it to let two of his typos join the 100-day service. During the suspension his lease expired and the printing material was turned over to S. H. Shoemaker, who, July 15, 1864, commenced the publication of the De Witt Observer, which has been continued until the present time. This paper is Republican in politics, and has a circulation of 1.000 copies, besides a good advertising patronage.
SECRET SOCIETIES.
De Witt Lodge, No. 34, A., F. &. A. M .- The first meeting of De Witt Lodge, A., F. & A. M., was held at the house of brother George Goudie, on Thursday, January 8. A. L. 5852, A. D. 1852, under a dispensation granted by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Iowa, bearing date December 4, A. L. 5851, A. D. 1851, in which dispensation brother R. H. Dawson, Sr., is named Worshipful Master ; S. D. Golder, Senior Warden, and George Goudie, Junior Warden. The following pro-tem. officers were appointed at this meeting: A. R. Cotton, Secretary ; George Hasting, Treasurer; S. N. Bedford, Senior Deacon ; A. Dennis, Junior Deacon, and D. C. Oaks, Tiler, with brothers A. R. Bissell and George W. Ames present. At an election held at this meeting, Brother A. R. Cotton was elected Senior Deacon ; A. R. Bissell, Secretary ; G. W. Ames, Treasurer ; S. N. Bedford, Junior Deacon, and D. C. Oaks, Tiler ; S. D. Golder was deputed to attend Grand Lodge, held at Bloomington (now Muscatine), January 12, 1852. R. H. Dawson, Jr., and S. G. Dawson applied for admission. Brothers Goudie, Cotton and Bedford were appointed a Com- mittee on By-Laws. At the second meeting, held January 30, 1852, R. H. Dawson, Jr., and S. G. Dawson were initiated. These two were the first Masons made in this Lodge. At the meeting held April 30, 1852, William G. Haun's name appears as Acting Secretary. A charter was granted this Lodge by the Grand Lodge June 3, 1852. The first elected officers under the char- ter were R. H. Dawson, W. M .; A. R. Cotton, S. W .; S. N. Bedford, J. W .; G. W. Ames, Treas .; A. R. Bissell, Sec .; S. D. Golder, S. D .; S. G. Dawson, J. D .; A. Dennis, Tiler. At the meeting held March 24, 1853, S. H. Samuels' name first appears as being in attendance. At the meeting held June 17, 1853, A. R. Cotton was elected W. M .; S. N. Bedford, S. W .; George W. Ames, J. W .; R. H. Dawson, Treas .; A. R. Bissell, Sec. At the regular meeting in September, 1853, Brother Daniel McNeil's name first appears as a visiting member. Father McNeil was afterward a leading member of the Lodge, faithful in his attendance, was its Worshipful Master, and died in 1869, and was buried with its honors, the leading Masons throughout the county par- ticipating at the funeral obsequies. On the 13th day of March, 1854, at a meeting of De Witt Lodge, A., F. & A. M., at which meeting Grand Master Humphrey was present, the three degrees of Masonry were conferred by this Lodge on Hon. W. E. Leffingwell, who has, since that time, become eminent in its rites. This was done by special dispensation of the Grand Master. At the same meeting, the name of Thomas Hudson, then and now of Lyons, was proposed for membership, and he was made a Mason at the next subsequent meeting. At the meeting of the Grand Lodge in 1854, Brother A. R. Cotton,
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Worshipful Master of this Lodge, was elected Grand Junior Warden, and, at the meeting of the Grand Lodge in 1855, Brother A. R. Cotton was elected Most Worshipful Grand Master, while a member of this Lodge. The follow- ing are the names of the Worshipful Masters : R. H. Dawson, Sr., 1852, 1853 and 1856; A. R. Cotton, 1854 ; S. N. Bedford, 1854; R. H. Dawson, Jr., 1855; William McKim, 1857 and 1860 ; Daniel McNeil, 1858; N. A. Merrell, 1859 and 1867 : John C. Polley, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865 and 1866 ; A. H. Runyon, from 1868 to 1870; W. H. Talbot, 1871; R. J. Crouch, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878 and 1879. The present officers are R. J. Crouch, W. M .; J. W. Dearborn, S. W .; Isaac Rhodes, J. W .; W. H. Tal- bot, Treas .; J. T. Waters, Sec. Number of members, sixty-eight.
Right-Hand Lodge, No. 281. organized under charter at De Witt, Iowa, June 18, 1870 ; the charter members being chiefly from De Witt Lodge No. 34, De Witt, Iowa, the charter was granted by the Grand Lodge, at its annual session held in Davenport, Iowa, and dated June 8, 1870, and signed by the following Grand Lodge officers : John Scott, Grand Master ; W. P. Allen, S. G. Warden ; William J. Ross, J. G. Warden ; T. S. Parvin, Grand Secre- tary. The organization of this Lodge was made with the following officers : P. C. Wright, W. M. ; R. G. Brown, S. W. ; A. J. McGarvey, J. W. ; J. M. Gates, Treasurer ; D. G. Butterfield, Secretary. The following shows the membership for each year. For the year ending May 1, 1871, 47 members ; for the year ending May 1, 1872. 53; for the year ending May 1, 1873, 58; for the year ending May 1, 1874, 66; for the year ending May 1, 1875, 67 ; for the year ending May 1, 1876, 64; for the year ending May 1, 1877, 60 ; for the year ending May 1, 1878, 60; for the year ending May 1, 1879, 62. The present officers of this Lodge are : C. S. Harrington, W. M. ; M. J. Alworth, S. W. ; T. Wilson, J. W .; W. R. English, Treasurer; W. R. Ward, Secretary ; C. A. Butterfield, S. D .; H. F. Bricker, J. D. ; John F. Homer, S. Steward : John H. Boyd, J. Steward.
Kilwinning Chapter, Royal Arch Masons .- Kilwinning Chapter was organ- ized under dispensation at De Witt, Iowa, April 18, 1870, with the following charter members, to wit : W. A. Cotton, E. P. Hubbard, R. G. Brown, W. H. Talbot. R. J. Crouch, W. R. Ward, T. F. Butterfield, George Rule, George B. Young, A. J. McGarvey, Moses Gage, K. W. Wheeler, A. H. Runyon, D. Whitney, T. Wilson, W. II. Buchanan, M. H. Haskins, J. M. Gates, William Familton. The same having been recommended by Mount Moriah Chapter, No. 17, Camanche, Iowa, the dispensation was granted by P. C. Wright, then G. H. P., and William B. Langridge, Grand Secretary, under date of April 15, 1870. The final organization was made with the following officers: W. A. Cotton, High Priest; George Rule, King; and W. R. Ward, Scribe. Charter No. 56, was granted by the Grand Chapter, October 17, 1870, and signed by the following Grand officers, viz .: Z. C. Luse, G. H. P. ; D. Baugh, D. G. H. P. ; D. S. Deering, G. K. ; T. Schreiner, G. S .; William B. Lang- ridge, G. Secretary. The following shows the membership for each year: For the year ending October 1870, 29 members ; October, 1871, 38 ; October, 1872, 39 ; October, 1873, 42 ; October, 1874, 42 ; October, 1875, 49 ; October, 1876, 52; October, 1877, 50; October, 1879, 52. The present officers of this Chapter are: C. S. Harrington, High Priest; R. J. Crouch, King ; L. S. Harrington, Scribe : T. F. Butterfield, Treasurer ; W. R. Ward, Secretary ; J. W. Dearborn, C. H .; Isaac Rhodes, P. S .; A. W. Johnson, R. A. C .; M. J. Alworth, G. M. 3d V. ; T. Wilson, G. M. 2d V .; H. F. Bricker, G. M. 1st V. ; L. L. Neville, Sentinel.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Eagle Lodge, No. 86, I. O. O. F .- Eagle Lodge, I. O. O. F., was, upon petition of Charles Schlabach, Isaac F. Morgan, A. J. Kellar, Samuel Jones and John Jones, members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellowship, organized and instituted on the 22d day of March, 1856, by John Pope, of Maquoketa, then Most Worthy Grand Master, at which time A. J. Kellar was elected Noble Grand ; C. Schlabach, Vice Grand; M. Gage, Recording Secre- tary ; William H. Buchanan, Treasurer ; after which, they were duly installed. At this meeting the following-named persons were, upon proper application, duly admitted as members of the Order, viz .: W. S. Norman, J. P. Butler, J. W. Haney, F. Amos, Levi Clark. T. G. Hide, W. E. Vary, E. W. Preston, William McKim, G. G. Adams, Jonathan Morgan, Israel Hall, T. W. Butler, David White, Isaac Rhodes, Ephraim Cameron and David Goff, and the mysteries of Odd Fellowship conferred on all of them, except William McKim and W. S. Norman, who, with A. Mclaughlin, were received at a subsquent meeting ; Dr. Asa Morgan was also present and was admitted a member at the date of the institution of the Lodge.
The following appointments were made by the Noble Grand : Isaac F. Morgan, Warden ; G. G. Adams, Conductor ; John Jones, O. Guardian ; J. P. Butler, I. Guardian ; Asa Morgan, R. S. to N. G .; T. W. Butler, L. S. to N. G .; F. Amos, Chaplain ; W. E. Vary, R. S. S. ; Levi Clark, L. S. S. The V. G. appointed the following : Isaac Rhodes, R. S. to V. G .: E. Cameron, L. S. to V. G. This Lodge, from and after its organization, had a good degree of prosperity with a large membership. Lately, however, owing to removals, etc., the membership has been reduced until at present it numbers but forty-two. Of that number, there are fourteen Past Grands. The financial standing of the Lodge is in excellent condition, with $1,300 at interest, and money besides sufficient for ordinary expenses, a good lodge-room, furniture and fixtures. The present officers are, D. Whitney, N. G .; H. M. Johnson, V. G .; J. T. Waters, Secretary, and C. Schlabach, Treasurer.
De Witt Lodge, No. 40, A. O. U. W .- This Lodge was organized and instituted December 30, 1875, with sixteen charter members, by A. H. Smith, of Clinton, D. G. M. W., on December 30, 1875. The names are as follows : K. W. Wheeler, P. M. W .; W. A. Cotton, M. W .; John Peaslee, G. F .; J. G. Pearse, O .; S. H. Shoemaker, R .; J. W. Dearborn, G .; J. T. Waters, F .; W. R. English, R .; J. H. Saxton, I. W .; S. W. Dennis, O. W .; Dr. A. W. Morgan, Ex. Sur., with D. Whitney, C. M. Nye, R. T. Shearer, S. G. Hall and F. P. Kettenring. The present membership (July, 1879), forty- eight; total membership since organization, fifty-three; two withdrew, two withdrew by card, one death-Z. T. Bourne, who died March 6, 1879.
CAMANCHE.
The city of Camanche is located upon the Mississippi River, in Sections 27, 33 and 34, Township 81 north, Range 6 east.
It is not wonderful to us that when the orginal prospector saw this beautiful location, as nature had made it, that he was struck with its fitness for the site of a busy mart and for the homes of its citizens. Lying high above the river, upon a swell of ground that slopes to the stream, which here sweeps in a grace- ful bend from south to southwest, its water-front is beautiful to the eye and most convenient for business purposes, while the natural drainage and the sandy soil makes it a most delightful spot for residences.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
In the summer of 1836, Dr. George Peck emigrated to the "Black Hawk" country and made his home at the cabin of Elijah Buel, at what is now Lyons. He was a prospector and in the round of his journeys saw this spot and at once settled upon it as the site of the great metropolis west of the Mississippi. He immediately laid out a city, named it Camanche, and, in the winter of 1836-37, went on foot to Chicago and offered his city lots for sale. Induce- ments were offered to mechanics to emigrate, by the gift of a lot in the embryo city. It is related by his son, Capt. F. K. Peck, that among others who desired to accept of these gratuitous deeds was a young lawyer named Samuel R. Murray. He gravely informed Mr. Peek, when questioned as to his hand- icraft, that he was a shoemaker, and he of course received his deed, but before he had left for his possession, it leaked out that he was a limb of the law. Mr. Peck remarked that he exhibited ability in his profession and giving him $10 as a retainer fee, told him to go to Camanche and consider himself permanently retained for any business that he might have.
From a copy of a lithographed map of the "paper survey " of Camanche, in the possession of Mr. E. M. Osborn, now the oldest resident there, called the Osborn, Peck & Armstrong Plat, we find that the original plat contained twenty ranges of twenty blocks each, with eight lots in a block, in all 3,200 lots. This was certainly a city of "magnificent distances." It was laid out with streets at right-angles and of the uniform width of one hundred feet. This plat gives neither date nor surveyor, but was doubtless issued in 1836 or 1837, as many lots were sold in those years. Of course all the title that could then be given was a quit-claim deed and subject to the rights of the Government.
In February, 1837, Franklin K. Peck, son of Dr. Peck, arrived in com- pany with a hired man and team, having purchased a lot from his father. Leaving his team at a cabin near where he how lives, he went with his man to where the town site was described to be, found the corner stakes, which were all that indicated a city, and with logs cut on the island opposite, built a hewed log house 18x20 feet in size, the first structure ever built in that city. This building was covered with shakes, and here he and his hired man, who acted as cook, kept a house of entertainment for the incomers, the first hotel in the county. He soon sold out this building to Messrs. Dunning & Munroe, of Chicago, who were shipping goods into the county by team from their store in Chicago. Mr. Martin Dunning came on as the resident partner, and in this building they opened a store.
All of the early purchasers held under the Osborn, Peck & Armstrong titles. Great anticipations were had as to the future of the city, and specu- lation in city lots ran high. Many lots were sold to Eastern parties.
Pending the Government land sales in 1845, parties who had pur- chased lots in the town concluded to "pool their issues," which they did by making up a purse by shares to furnish the necessary means with which to pay the Government price. Mr. E. M. Osborn was selected as the agent to represent the " pool." and at the sale he purchased about three hundred acres.
The town was re-surveyed that year by August Brion, a French surveyor, who, in the absence of a chain, made his measurements with a grape-vine. In this old plat, also in the possession of Mr. Osborn, the original Osborn, Peck & Armstrong plat was adopted as to the blocks in the two ranges nearest the river, and the remainder of the 300 acres was laid off into lots varying from one to ten acres each. All the lots outside of the improved lots were
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
designated the " Hotchpotch," and were divided among the shareholders in proportion to their shares in the purse.
From all that we can gather, we judge that the growth and progress of Camanche was not rapid; but it rather retrograded, indeed, we might say decayed. In 1851, there came a revival of the hopes and anticipations of its citizens and a brightening of its prospects. At this time, all the buildings, including one pretentious structure of three stories in height, were built of pole frames, with clapboarding hewed or rived out of the timber, and with "shake" roofs, and even these buildings gave evidence of ruinous neglect.
The palmy days of Camanche were from 1851 to 1856. There was a larger volume of trade done here during those years than at any point in the county. Wheat, and other grains, pork, etc., were drawn to Camanche from long dis- tances for a market, and Maquoketa and other points equally distant found this their best market town. At this time, there were as many as ten or twelve dry goods stores here, besides numerous other lines represented. Burroughs, Prettyman & Pearsall were heavy traders, and large purchasers of produce as well as buyers and sellers of real estate. McIlvaine, Happer & Co., also did an extensive business of a similar character. Two large hotels were also kept, one by Wilson Mudgett and the other by Millard & Boyington, who also had an extensive livery stable in connection. The latter gentlemen had a sum- mary and somewhat energetic manner of dealing with genteel " dead-beats." On one occasion, a man of apparent means, and who represented himself as a capitalist in search of land investments, put up at their hostelry, and patron- ized the livery stable extensively while "land-hunting." After a time, they presented him with his bill, when he informed them that he had no money, but would give them a check. Boyington replied that he would give him a " check," and, leading him into the street, with a buggy whip gave him a thorough whipping. The capitalist was seen no more in these parts.
Already the air was being stirred with discussions about great railroad enter- prises. The Legislature of Illinois, in this year, 1851, had chartered a railroad projected from Beloit, Wis., to Albany, Ill., which would demand a western exten- sion from Camanche. Another project was also inaugurated, called the Camanche, Albany & Mendota Railroad, but which was not pushed to any great extent.
The Camanche & Council Bluffs Railroad was the pet project in 1851 with the people of Albany and Camanche, as the extension of the Dixon Air Line, as it was afterward called, and the struggle between these two towns and Fulton and Lyons was very warm and spirited. The most strenuous efforts were made by both parties. Among the leading spirits in Albany were Gilbert Bucking- ham, John McIlvaine, Samuel Happer, and in Camanche, were Horace Anthony, Dr. Ireland, Martin Dunning, T. C. Dyer and others. A proposition had been made by parties, in the interest of the so-called Dixon Air Line, looking toward a western extension, provided sufficient aid was proffered by the people along the line; and the Mississippi crossing-point was believed to be hinging upon the amount of subscriptions obtained ; the largest pile to take the prize. The amount deemed necessary to secure the road at Camanche was $250,000. Of this amount, about $150,000 in subscriptions was obtained, and so sanguine were the people, that its success would pour wealth in upon them, many had subscribed more than their entire property, expecting to realize from the advance in real estate the amount of their subscription and a fortune beside. P. P. Mudgett, then a large land-owner, had pen in hand to add $100,000 to the subscription to bring it to the required amount, when his brother persuaded him to desist.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
An amusing incident is related which will show the feverish state of the public pulse on this railroad matter. While the result of the negotiations between the rival localities was pending, Mr. Doolittle came up from the river landing in an excited state of mind and announced that the engineers of the Dixon Air Line were crossing the river for the purpose of making the survey from Fulton, locating the route and securing the right of way upon or near the proposed route of the Camanche & Council Bluffs Line to Iowa City, and that Mitchell had run his ferry-boat on a sandbar to impede their crossing. Excite- ment was intense, and, though it was near night, it was felt that something must be done at once, and it was decided that Dr. Ireland must start at the moment for Iowa City to do something, no one knew what, to circumvent them. The doctor said that his horse was tired, the roads were bad and he must have a fresh horse. Dame Aubrey at once tendered her favorite beast, and the doctor set out on his journey. At early morning, the engineers arrived at Miss Aubrey's hotel, and she at once recognized them as some stock men who had a herd of horses at Themas Hatfield's, and were going out to see them. It is the tradition that Miss Aubrey made it decidedly warm for Mr. Doolittle, who had given currency to the rumor, and Dr. Ireland was ever after very reticent as to what action he took or as to the results of his mission to Iowa City.
A ferry was established. in 1840, between Camanche and Albany, by David and Samuel Mitchell, under license granted in Whiteside County, September 8, 1840, and also granted by the Commissioners of this county at their July session, 1841, and which was regularly run by horse-power until 1850, when a steam ferry-boat was purchased at Galena, Ill. This was succeeded by a larger and more commodious boat, built for the Messrs. Mitchell. Later, a Mr. Clay- borne purchased the interest of David Mitchell, and the new proprietors ran the ferry until the great tornado, in which the boat was destroyed. For some years since, only a skiff ferry has been maintained, until recently a horse ferry- boat has been put on. This ferry, in its palmy days, was extensively patron- ized, and was a great crossing-place for the emigrants into Iowa and the Far West. Had one of the several railroad projects been carried out, this ferry would have, without question, been supplanted by a bridge spanning the great river at this point, and Camanche and Albany would have been large and pros- perous cities to-day. In fact, such was the projected future event, and, in furtherance of it, a bridge company was organized in the interest of the Chi- cago, Camanche & Mendota Road, and a charter granted by the Legislatures of Illinois and Iowa. This charter was afterward secured by parties in the inter- est of the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad, under which the present bridge was built at Clinton.
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