USA > Iowa > Delaware County > The history of Delaware county, Iowa, containing a history of its county, its cities, towns &c., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers > Part 55
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William McIntosh heard their cries, went down to discover the cause of the alarm and returned and notified the towns people of the perilous situation of the lads. This was about half-past 2 o'clock P. M. Immediately all was excitement, people hurried down to the spot, lumber was hauled down to build rafts, for there was no boat-all was confusion and advice was numerous.
Among others, John C. Bremner hurried to the spot and, all heated as he was by the long run, threw off his outer garments, tied a rope around his waist and boldly plunged into the foaming, ice cold waters. He soon became chilled and helpless and was drawn ashore more dead than alive. A rude raft was hastily constructed of logs rails, etc., and on it Allen Love, Jr., and Albert Roe started to rescue the boys, but the raft struck the tree in which the two boys were perched, upset and broke up. Love and Roc attempted to climb into the tree but it was not strong enough and broke beneath their weight; they then swam to the tree where O'Rourke was resting alone, that broke down, and, while Love and Roe sought other trees, O'Rourke struck out for the west shore and barely succeeded in reaching it. Another raft was constructed and about 5 o'clock, Love and Roe were rescued, thoroughly chilled. It was now nearly night. Mike Reardon, a shoemaker, who had been drinking some during the day, came down. He was known as an expert swimmer, and John Tiernay, the guardian of young Harrigan, offered him five dollars if he would bring the boy ashore. Reardon, unmindful of the remonstrances of the bystanders, plunged in, swam to the tree, compelled Harrigan to get down (against his will) and mount his back. He then started for the shore with his burden, but had swam but a short distance before he became chilled and exhausted and told the boy to get off and swim alone. Poor Harrigan didn't want to, but Reardon was determined and he slipped off and sank immediately. Reardon swam a short distance further to a little clump of willows, where he uttered a moan, clung to the bushes and sank partially, being still in sight although it was becoming quite dark. It was afterward found that the water was only about three feet deep where he was drowned. Only young McCormick now remained. A raft of lumber was care- fully constructed by the light of blazing tar barrels, and two brave raftsmen, Frank Cronk and Robert Parker, started to rescue him. Just as they reached the tree, a huge cake of ice struck their craft and drove it below and they regained the shore with difficulty. They didn't care to go again on the per-
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
ilous errand, but were at last persuaded to try it again, and had the proud satisfaction of bringing the boy ashore about 11:30 P. M.
This was a notable event in the history of Manchester, and will not be for- gotten by those who were eye witnesses, although there are many different ver- sions of the affair. The body of Reardon was recovered the next day, by Mr. H. L. Bates. He was still clinging to the willows and his face out of water but covered with ice. Harrigan's body was not found until the water subsided.
In 1860, - Olney remarked of another citizen, whose name is now for- gotten, that he was a thief. This was regarded injurious to his reputation by him of the forgotten name, who may bestyled John Doe. He sued Olney before Justice E. L. Eaton, for defamation, retaining A. S. Blair, Esq. Olney secured the services of Henry L. Ryan. Blair introduced his evidence and made so clear a case, that Ryan saw his client was sure to lose. Determined to save his client and to maintain his own reputation, Ryan began to introduce evidence to show that his client. Olney, could not be believed under any circumstances, intending, thereby, to show that Doe had suffered no damage to his character. Blair objected as soon as he saw Ryan's drift, but Justice Eaton, thinking there was fun ahead, allowed the evidence. Ryan examined his witnesses. made an effective address to the jury, who brought in a verdict for the defendant. Mr. Blair says, in this connection, that Mr. Ryan was as troublesome an antagonist in his justice practice as he ever met, being full of resources in critical cases.
THE BRIDGES.
In 1861, the business of the town required that something should be done about making the river passable. The makeshift erected by Dyer & Ches- terman had entirely disappeared. Accordingly, in 1861, the people of Man- chester pledged a sum sufficient to erect a bridge, and the timbers were got out and hewed by C. C. Peers. The Board had appropriated $600 toward the structure. The bridge was planked and opened to the public the same Fall. It was a well built structure, and a credit to the publie spirit of the young town.
June 27, 1865, during the heavy rain, Thomas Toogood and A. M. Sher- wood procured a heavy cable and with it crossed the railroad bridge, came up on the west side, made fast the cable to the wagon bridge and tied it to a tree, steamboat fashion, near L. S. Millett's house. Early the next morning their precaution was justified, for the water floated the structure off its piers and swung it against the right bank, where it looked like a flat-boat gone to wreck. When the water abated, the work of replacing the bridge began, under the super- vision of C. H. Carpenter, Charles Paxson and W. C. White. The timbers and planks of the wrecked bridge being saved, a considerable outlay was avoided. Piles were driven and a bridge put up in much the same form as Cæsar's famous bridge across the Rhine. This stood till March, 1867, when it was broken down by the drifting ice, and again in 1868.
In the Summer of that year, after a heated contest among various business men as to where a new bridge should be located, the site having been finally referred to the Board of Supervisors and fixed by them, that body voted an appropriation of $5,000 toward a new bridge. This was as large a sum as the Board was allowed by law to grant, and the Town Council was obliged to raise the additional $6,500 necessary, by the sale of bonds. The bridge was begun and finished in that year, under the supervision of Charles Paxson, H. M. Con- gar and Joel Bailey, which stood until 1877, when it was replaced by a struc-
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
ture partly of wood and partly of iron. The piers laid in 1868 look as if they would stand as long as the earth itself.
THE PEOPLE EXCITED.
In 1861, the lot on the northeast corner of Franklin and Main sts., opposite the Clarence House, where a handsome brick bloek has since been erected by B. Thorp, Sr., was vaeant. On this lot stood a "Liberty pole " about fifty feet high. One bright morning, when the good citizens of the town began to be astir, they discovered the rebel flag flying from the top of that pole. Immedi- ately the whole town was ablaze with excitement and indignation. Who was the traitor who had dared to raise that rag ? Nobody knew, but there floated the Confederate flag and it must come down. A boy was sent up to cut the ropes, but when he had elimbed to within six or eight feet of the top he found the pole had been greased and he could get no further. Then they tried to cut the rope with bullets, but this was not successful, and after some time axes were brought and wielded by strong arms, the pole was eut down and the hated emblem of treason was eut in pieces by the loyal and indignant populace. It was dis- covered afterward that some young men for pure love of fun had, during the night, tied the flag to the pole just to see what the people would do when it was discovered, and after fastening the flag, the daring youth who ascended the pole greased it for several feet so that it would be difficult to climb again. The inci- dent served to demonstrate the loyalty of the people. The young men who perpetrated this practical joke afterward entered the service of the United States and served three years.
In March, 1864, ten years after the first building was erected, Manchester contained 203 buildings, 140 of which were dwellings, and the business of the town was as follows, as published in the first number of the Delaware County Union, March 25, 1864 :
Dry Goods, Groceries, etc., Loomis & Cornish ; Robert Rule; John Tier- nay ; H. Hutchinson ; Cattron & Wheeler ; H. M. Congar & Co .; Paxson, Thompson & Seeds. Harness Shops, W. H. Bard & Co .: M. A. Newcomb. Boots and Shoes, B. H. Keller; Seth Brown. Hardware and Stoves, I. U. Butler ; Adams & Freelove. Drugs, Charles Burnside ; M. Cotton. Jewelry, D. R. Lewis ; Dodson & Wells. Agricultural Implements, N. Ruggles. Gro- ceries and Liquors, Clinton & McCarty : S. Davidson; W. C. White. Meat Market, Geo. Brownell ; Millinery and Dress Making, the Misses Davis ; Mrs. R. H. Cotton; Miss Lizzie White. Blacksmiths, Edson Merrill; James Brown; Harrison L. Bates ; W. E. Foster. Wheelwrights, G. A. Chapman; H. Walton. Saloon, M. Plimpton. Produce, L. A. Loomis. Tailor, Louis Haubenestel. Ambrotype Artist, E. P. Libby. Chair Factory. G. R. Hartwell. Livery Stable, Morgan & Daggett. Select School, S. L. Doggett. Hotel, Clarence House, by Toogood & Bethel. Coopers, S. W. Green. Wagon Shops, Smart & Doolittle ; Enos Hamblin. Painter, J. E. Harker. Fanning Mill Manu- factory, Tush & Brownell. Grain Elevators, I. P. Adams : A. R. Loomis ; Paxon, Tomlinson & Co. Lumber Yard, I. P. Adams. Railroad Eating House, John Schilling. Press, Delaware County Union, by Edward Burnside. Doctors, J. W. Robbins ; L. B. Ross. Lawyer, H. S. Blair.
In the Spring of 1865, the patriotie citizens of Manchester erected another liberty pole, with appropriate ceremonies, speech, ete. " Thereby hangs a tale." The necessary funds were subscribed and several patriotic citizens organized an expedition for the purpose of discovering a sky-scraper, and obtained one. Soon after the mast had been placed in position, it was discovered that about $60 had
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been paid by the citizens, and a report of expenditures was called for, which was rendered substantially as follows.
Citizens of Manchester for procuring liberty pole :
To - and team two days $ 6 00
To and team two days 6 00
To 's work, two days 2 50
2 50
To 's work, two days.
36 50
To lunch for party.
6 25
To board, five persons two days
Total $59 75
This was accepted as satisfactory, but a few days after a German citizen of Richland Township put in an appearance at Manchester and talked about legal proceedings for stealing timber, but accepted a five dollar bill as a compromise, and some people say they don't quite understand the report and voucher above presented.
On Saturday, September 9, 1865, a temporary bridge was built across the Maquoketa to take the place of the one which had been swept away by the floods, on the site of the old one at the foot of Franklin street.
The population of Manchester, in 1865, had increased to 852.
In January, 1866, a brass band was organized in Manchester, with the fol- lowing members : Charles Eaton, Leader; A. M. Sherwood, J. W. Holmes, Robert Rule, Jr., J. A. Wheeler, L. W. Adams, John F. Merry, H. A. Bur- - nett, A. M. Freelove, A. L. Manning, Joseph Cary and Truman R. McKee.
MURDER AND SUICIDE.
On Thursday evening, November 8, 1866, J. W. Myers, maddened by jealousy, attempted to shoot his wife, but missed her, when she fell to the floor; his mother-in-law started to her feet in alarm, having their four months old baby in her arms, when he discharged the remaining barrel at them, instantly killing the baby and badly wounding the lady. He then went to the barn in the rear of the lot, and cut his throat with a razor, three times, severing both the jugular vein and wind pipe.
Edward Burnside, Esq., first editor of the first paper published in Manches- ter, the Delaware County Union, died December 28, 1866.
Until 1866, the village of Manchester constituted an integral portion of Delaware Township.
In November, 1865, Simeon L. Doggett, Esq., drafted a petition to the County Court, that the village of Manchester and additions be organized into a town. That petition defined the boundaries of the proposed town, and possesses historical interest, as it preserves the names of many of the citizens interested in municipal affairs at that time, and the following is a copy of the document:
STATE OF IOWA, DELAWARE COUNTY .- PETITION.
To the County Court of Delaware County :
We, the undersigned petitioners, do hereby petition the Court aforesaid, that we be organized into an incorporated town ; that the village known as Manchester, with all the additions thereto, consisting of all the tract of land as recorded in the plat called Manchester (except those lots now recorded as vacated), and of all the tract of land as recorded on the plat, called Burrington's Addition to Manchester ; also, the Iowa Land Company's Addition to Manchester ; also, the Iowa Land Company's Subdivision of part of the village of Manchester ; also, the Railroad Addition to Manchester ; also, Amsden's Addition to Manchester, and of all the tract of land before this dale laid off into town lots and recorded, of any size, on any side of said Manchester, and as far north, south, east or west as said lots so added to said Manchester may extend, not including any lots now recorded as vacated, he organized into an incorporated town. The territory proposed to be embraced in such incorporated town, being the same as that delineated into lots and streets
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
and shown forth on the map or plat to this petition annexed, being located mostly on the north part of Section 32, and the south part of Section 29, in Delaware Township of Delaware County, lowa, having for a boundary line, commencing in the middle of Prospect street at the corner of Lot Number 17, in Burrington's Addition to the village of Manchester, according to said map and the recorded plat of said addition; said lot being the lot now occupied by C. II. Carpenter and cornering on Franklin street (that is the West Union Road) and said Prospect street; said line commencing with said Prospect street at said Franklin street and running east along the middle of said Prospect street to Buchanan street; thence south along the east verge of Buchanan street ; thence east along the north line of North street in the Iowa Land Company's Addition to said Manchester, according to the annexed map and the recorded plat of said last mentioned Addi- tion ; thence west along the middle line of the Earlville road; thence south along the east boun- dary of Lots Number 171, 172, 222, 223, fronting on Reynolds street of said village; thence west along said Lot 223 (its south edge); thence south along a part of Wayne street in the said Amsden's Addition to the south line of the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad ; thence west along said railroad (including ot L253 on the Delhi road just south of said railroad) to the Maquekota River, and in a southern direction along the east bank of said river to a point opposite the south- east corner of Lot Number 781, in said village, and across the river from said point to the corner mentioned last ; thence west along the south edge of said lot and the contiguous Lot 782, to Lot Number 939 in said village; thence south along the last mentioned lot to its southeast corner ; thence west to the west edge of Fifth street of said village; thence north to the southeast corner of Lot Number 940 of said village; thence west along the south lines of said lot and of said rail- road, to Twelfth street of said village ; thence north along Twelfth street to the Burrington and Coffin's Grove road, and east along said road to Ninth street of said village (including Lots Num- bers 482 and 505, cornering on said street and road in Manchester); thence along said Ninth street, Howard street of said village; thence along said Iloward street to Lot Number 356 in said village; thence along the back lines of said lot and the adjoining Lots Numbers 357, 358, 359, 335, 334, 333 to the southwest corner of said Railroad Addition ; thence north along the west boundary of said Railroad Addition to the north line of the same; thence along the said north line or boundary ; thence south along the east of said Railroad Addition to a point opposite to the northwest corner of Lot Number 32 in said Burrington's Addition ; thence across from said point to said corner and along said Lot Number 32 to the middle of said West Union Road; thence along the middle of said road south to said Prospect street, the place of beginning of this boun- dary, including all the territory within the boundary line herein set forth, and as shown on said map And your petitioners, the undersigned, declare the said map annexed to this petition is an accurate map of the said territory proposed to be embraced in such incorporated town. And we here state the name proposed for said incorporated town shall be Manchester, and we also name as persons authorized to act in behalf of your petitioners in prosecuting said petition, B. H. Keller, H. M. Congar, Edson Merrill, I. P. Adams, Pardon Wells, I. U. Butler and S. W. Green. Your petitioners further state that they are qualified voters, residents of the territory to be embraced in the proposed incorporated town ; that this petition in writing is signed by not less than thirty of said voters; that there are more than fifty qualified voters who actually reside within the described limits, in this petition, and that this petition has been signed by a majority of the voters within said limits; that said limits have been accurately described, and an accurate plat or map thereof made and filed ; that the name proposed for said town is proper and sufficient to distinguish it from others in the State. And so your petitioners pray that this, their said peti- tion, be granted and so will ever pray until this, their petition, is granted.
Manchester, Delaware County, State of Iowa, November 11, A. D. Eighteen Hundred and Sixty-Five.
(Signed) B. H. Keller, S. L. Doggett, Edson Merrill, W. G. Kenyon, W. E Brown, F. W. Dunham, P. R. Wa'ton, James Brown, Charles Burnside, K. G. Glover, George R. Hartwell, George Gilbert, I. U. Butler, J. A. Osborne. J. W. Myers, F. A. Lowell, Tunis Mosier, J. M. Burnett, Robert Rules, J W. Kelsey, John Otis, Vernon Burrington, H. J. Brown, E. R. Congar, J. F. Merry, Willis E. Foster, C. G. Tyler, E. Hamblin, Edward Burnside, Lyman L. Ayers, L. S. Sherwin, S. M Smart, John Crowther, O. A. Bishop, J. C. Aldrich. W. W. Hollenbeck, Wm. N. Boynton, S. W. Green W. C. Cawley, John Moody, Ray B. Griffin, R. R. Walsh, John Tous- lee, D. R. Lewis, T. J. Safford, William Tate, S. W. Stevens, E. H. Barnes, Eli Miner, Orange Harris, L. A. Koe, A. Rudolph, J B. Freelove, A. M. Freelove, W. T. Adams, B. F. Skinner, J. W. llastings, Seth Brown, Henry H. Hills, R. W. Tirrill, M. S. Stevens, T. Adams, A. J. Brow- nell, A. M. Sherwood, N. L. Whitney, E. D. Phillips, A. L. Brownell, Hiram Babcock, W. A. Morse, L. H. Abbey, V. Childs, W. Richmond, S. C. Bowen, A. T. Loring, W. S. Doolittle, Will- iam Bremner, J. W. Robbins, A. K. Johnson. J. C. Hladley, C. W. Lyman, Pardon Wells Oliver Cronk, J. E. Brady, M. Cotton, N. Ruggles, G. Yeoman, E. Tush, J. C. Skinner, N. C. Skinner, F. A. Walton, L. Haubeunestel, Wm L, Stevens, Joseph Coats, E. P. Libby, Fred. Schelling Geo. Sheldon, Wm. V. Cattron, C. M. Bronson, George Brownell, Elijah Cheney, George W. Ingram, Silas Estey, T. Schelling, Ira P. Adams, Wm. Cattron, II. M. Congar.
February 5, 1866, the prayer of the petitioners was granted by J. B. Boggs, County Judge, and February 8th the town plat was filed for record.
490
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
The first election was held May 29, 1866, when the following officers were elected : A. R. Loomis, Mayor ; W. H. Board, Recorder; C. H. Carpenter, Nixson Denton, Charles Paxson, Joel Bailey, John U. Schelling, Trustees. The Board organized June 11th following, when W. H. Board was appointed Town Treasurer, and the following first order was passed :
On motion of Mr. Bailey : The Treasurer is to receive as fees two per cent. of all moneys received and paid out by him.
June 12, the Board created the office of Marshal, and, on the same date, ordinance No. 1 was passed, being " An Ordinance for the protection of the Public Peace in the Corporation," which prohibited racing or driving any horse, mule or team immoderately on any street or alley ; the unnecessary discharge of any fire-arms within the town limits ; indecent or immodest exposure of the person in any street or other publie place, or in the pond or river ; gambling or disorderly conduct in any public house, and the indecent exhibition of any stud- horse or jaek within the limits of the town.
On the 30th of June, Anson Shelden was appointed Marshal. August 20th, the Town Council ordained that it should be illegal to keep for publie use any billiard table, nine or ten-pin alley, bagatelle board or table, or shooting gallery within the corporate limits of the town, without first obtaining a license there- for from the Town Conneil.
For 1867, Mayor, A. R. Loomis; Recorder and Treasurer, W. H. Board ; Marshal, Anson Shelden ; Trustees, N. Denton, C. Paxson, Joel Bailey, C. H. Carpenter, J. Acers. September 14th, Mr. Acers was authorized " to build a calaboose, to let the contract and draw on the Treasurer for the requisite funds." At this meeting, the question of issuing bonds for building the bridge across the Maquoketa River was discussed. September 16th, Mr. Denton resigned, that the people might have an opportunity to express their will in relation to bridge bonds, and at a special election, September 30th, Nixon Denton was re-elected Trustee to fill the vacancy occasioned by previous resignation, and Charles O. Torry was elected Assessor. February 13, 1867, the bridge at Manchester was again swept away.
For 1868, Mayor, William Cattron ; Recorder and Treasurer. John Brem- ner; Assessor, Joel Bailey ; Marshal, S. Malone ; Trustees, E. N. Tomlinson, B. H. Keller, E. R. Congar, A. F. Townsend and L. A. Loomis. March 20th, S. Malone was appointed Street Commissioner. Mayor Cattron, S. Malone and Tomlinson were appointed a committee on temporary bridge or crossing across the Maquoketa River. The Board of Supervisors of Delaware County, having made an appropriation sufficient to meet three-fifths of the expenses to be incurred in building a bridge at Manchester, and appointed Charles Paxson, Joel Bailey and HI. M. Congar Building Commissioners for said bridge, with power to contract on part of the county for said iron bridge, not to exceed the sum of $5,000. The Town Council, on the 20th of March, accepted the propo- sition, and voted to proceed to the erection of a permanent bridge across the Maquoketa River, and appointed Messrs. Paxson, Bailey and Congar Bridge Commissioners on the part of the town. On March 28th, Messrs. Cattron, Tomlinson and Townsend were appointed a committee to consult with the Bridge Commissioners, with instructions to report plans and means of raising funds for building said bridge. This committee reported, April 9th, that they had obtained individual pledges to take bonds of the town payable in 1870-71-72, and rec- ommended for approval the plans for a bridge drawn by J. E. Ainsworth, for a Ilowe truss bridge one hundred and fifty feet span. Accepted. April 14th, the Town Council appropriated $5,000 for the construction of the bridge at the
Franklin Emerson MANCHESTER
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
point located by the County Commissioners, and authorized the issue of the bonds of the town for the purpose of raising that sum.
For 1869, Mayor, Simeon L. Doggett ; Recorder, H. A. Dyer ; Trustees, L. A. Loomis, Hiram Hoyt, N. Ruggles, M. Cotton, Ira P. Adams. May 18th, the Town Council passed " An Ordinance to guard against fires."
For 1870, Mayor, S. L. Doggett ; Recorder, H. A. Dyer ; Trustees, H. M. Congar, L. A. Loomis, N. Ruggles, S. G. Van Anda, J. S. Belknap. May 17th, the Street Commissioners, after making an examination of the bridge and water ways on Main street, recommended to the Council there be a new bridge built of sixty feet span, sixty feet east of the old bridge, and that there be a new channel opened accordingly ; that the old channel be filled and the banks properly secured.
For 1871, Mayor, S. L. Doggett ; Treasurer and Recorder; Trustees, J. S. Belknap, A. R. Loomis, J. D. Kennedy, C. O. Torry, G. R. Buckley.
For 1872, Mayor, S. L. Doggett ; Treasurer and Recorder, John F. Merry ; Trustees, J. D. Kennedy, J. S. Belknap, Egbert Hoag, B. H. Keller, Chas. Burnside.
For 1873, Mayor, Joel Bailey ; Recorder, John F. Merry ; Treasurer, W. E. Brown : Trustees, E. Hoag, J. F. Mckay, J. S. Belknap, Charles Paxson, Chas. Burnside.
For 1874, Mayor, Joel Bailey ; Recorder, W. E. Brown ; Treasurer, D. F. Riddell; Trustees, Charles Paxson, Charles Burnside, J. F. McKay, Egbert Hoag, J. D. Kennedy.
THE TOWN HALL.
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