USA > Iowa > Lee County > The history of Lee county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 80
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Before this was completed, a Mr. Weir, who had just completed the Water Works at Muscatine, visited Keokuk, and submitted to the City Council a plan to furnish a supply of water for domestic and public purposes, which combined the two grades of gravity and direct pressure-gravity for domestic, and direct pressure for public purposes, including the extinguishing of fires.
Mr. Weir's plan was a very good one and met the approbation of the City Council, and he was requested to meet the Council at its next session and explain his plans and estimates more in detail. He appeared before the Council, as requested, and explained his plans, which comprised a reservoir on the avenue, capable of holding 130,000,000 gallons, with pumping machinery to furnish 1,500,000 gallons each twenty-four hours, five and one half miles of mains and fifty hydrants, at a cost of $150,000.
Mr. Stripe also appeared before the Council, and upon permission being given him, addressed them in opposition to Mr. Weir's proposition, mainly on the score of its extravagant cost, criticised it in detail and proved to the satis- faction of all who heard him that the entire apparatus proposed by Mr. Weir could be furnished for a sum but little exceeding one-half his figures. Consider- able excitement ensued on the subject, Mr. Weir having stated publicly that his plans would assuredly be adopted. But the inexorable logic of figures pre- vailed and the Weir project was abandoned. Now was Mr. Stripe's opportunity. He invited a number of gentlemen who had manifested an interest in the mat- ter to meet him at his residence. To them he exhibited his plans and estimates, which they examined minutely, and having approved them determined to submit. them to the City Council and ask their co-operation to establish the work.
Mr. Stripe met the Council, exhibited the plans and estimates, which com- prised pumping apparatus to furnish 1,000,000 gallons per day, a stand-pipe sixty feet high, to be erected at the intersection of Second and High streets, a location 154 feet above the city datum line, and about eight miles of mains, at a cost of $70.000 to $75,000.
This would have furnished an ample supply for domestic use all over the city and for fire purposes, without the intervention of fire-engines at any point no higher than Main street.
The city fathers gave this plan a qualified approval, but decided that to have their entire approval and co-operation, the whole city must be protected by the hydrants independent of fire-engines. With indomitable pluck and tenacity, Mr. Stripe again went to work and devised the plan which was adopted, and the consummation of which has been established.
To the gentlemen comprising the Board of Directors the citizens are also largely indebted for these works. More particularly may be named in this con- nection William Leighton, President; Guy Wells, Vice President; J. H. Anderson and S. P. Pond, Directors of the Company.
But for their nerve and foresight, we would have had no water works. They worked for them physically and mentally ; they contributed liberally of their means and influence, and that, too, at a time when probably not one in ten of our citizens had any faith in the result. Through good and evil report they gave the project an energetic support, and the fruit of their labors is now apparent and a fixed reality. Nor must we forget the contractors. These gen- tlemen from the start have put the works through in a manner without prece- dent. They have done the work thoroughly, have very far exceeded the
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
requirements of their contract, and furnished us, as we sincerely believe, the best works of their size in the United States. and beyond a doubt the cheapest. "Tis a pleasant task to award them all praise for their vim, their intelligence and their honorable conduct. And while according credit to others for the part they have taken in the enterprise, we claim that the Gate City is entitled to its share. We consider that to W. C: Stripe, more than to any other one individual, Keokuk is indebted for the works. He has striven with tireless energy and an unyielding determination to succeed. The other gentlemen named are also entitled to all praise. But when the project was hanging in the balance, and it was uncertain whether it was going to win or not, the Gate City took hold with earnestness and labored day after day in urging upon our citi- zens the importance of securing the works, until the necessary amount of stock was taken, and the success of the undertaking insured.
THEIR CHARACTER AND CAPACITY.
There are ten miles of mains, covering all of the business and nearly all of the valuable residence property of the city, seventy-five double hydrants and five public drinking-fountains, that have a capacity for furnishing 2,200,000 gallons of water every twenty-four hours.
The distribution of the mains is as follows:
The fourteen-inch pipe from Water to Third street, on Concert.
The twelve-inch pipe on Main from Third to Twelfth street, and on Third from Concert to Main.
The ten-inch pipe on High from Third to Fourteenth, on Fourteenth from High to Main, and on Main from Twelfth to Fourteenth.
All the balance is six-inch pipe. The following is approximately the num- ber of feet of each size of pipe:
Fourteen-inch, feet. 1,050
Twelve-inch, feet 4,100
Ten-inch, feet. 6,300
Eight-inch, feet. 4,600
Six-inch feet 34,770
The hydrants are located as follows :
Main street-One on each corner from the Levee to Fourteenth street.
Blondeau-At Levee, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth and Eleventh streets.
Concert-At Levee, Fourth, Fifth and Eleventh streets.
High-At Second, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Tenth, Twelfth, Thirteenth and Four- teenth streets.
Morgan-At Second, Third, Fourth and Seventh streets.
Fulton-At Fourth, Ninth, Eleventh and Twelfth streets.
Franklin-At Third, Fifth and Seventh streets.
Orleans-At Fifth, Eighth and Ninth streets.
Avenue-At Seventh and Eighth streets.
Johnson-At Levee, First, Second, Third, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth and Tenth streets.
Exchange-At Second, Fourth, Sixth and Twelfth streets.
Bank-At Seventh, Ninth and Tenth streets.
Timea-At Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth and Twelfth streets.
Fifth-At Cedar and Palean streets, and the porkhouses.
Fourteenth-Between Blondeau and Concert streets.
The engine-house, which is located at the foot of Concert street, is of brick with a slate -roof, 35x60 feet. The smoke-stack is 110 feet in height. The filter is 50x15 feet. All water for private consumption passes through this, and is thoroughly cleansed. The influent-pipe is twenty inches in diameter, and the suction-pipe sixteen inches. An admirable arrangement has been made for obviating the tendency of the influent-pipe to clog up by deposit of silt.
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
By closing one valve and opening another, a stream can be thrown by the pumps through the intluent pipe outward with ample force to clear all impedi- ments. This is a new feature in the construction of water works, and a very valuable one.
The pumping machinery is of the latest design of the Holly Manufacturing Company, and embraces all recent valuable improvements. The engine is of the compound type, and guaranteed to perform a duty equal to raising 50,- 000.000 pounds of water one foot with 100 hundred pounds of coal. It has four steam-eylinders, each 143 inches in diameter, 22-inch stroke, with four corresponding pumps, each & inches in diameter and 22-inch stroke, attached by direct connections, and erected on a heavy-arched, double frame of iron. set at an angle of 90 degrees, one steam-eylinder and its pump being placed at each of the four corners. The frame supports at its top a shaft with an over- hanging erank at either end, to which the four engines are connected by ordi- nary connecting-rods. The eylinders and pumps are detached at pleasure, and may be run singly, in pairs or all together, according to the demands for water- supply from time to time. The engine is provided with the usual air-pump and jet or surface condenser, and by a peculiar arrangement of pipes and valves may be run either at a high or low pressure or compound engine, and may be changed from one to the other at any moment by the engineer. This arrange- ment is necessary to secure ceonomieal daily pumping for domestic supply, which is done by compounding steam, and prompt increase of power for efficient fire protection, which is secured by converting the machine into a high- pressure engine. When compounding, the steam is taken from the boilers into one cylinder and exhausted into the other three, and when running high-press- ure, steam is taken directly into all the eylinders, thus increasing the power from four to eight times.
The cost of the works will be about $100.000. The amount paid the con- tractors is nearly $91,000, but there will be other expenses and outlays that will run the total cost up to nearly the sum named.
HOW ALARMS ARE GIVEN.
Immediately upon a hydrant being opened, a steam-whistle in the engine- room announces the fact and the throttle-valve is opened automatically. This is not as quick or reliable as the fire-alarm telegraph, but will answer the pur- pose very well until the eity gets ready to invest in the latter improvement. A water-pressure of 30 pounds at the highest points in the city is kept on constantly, and when an alarm of fire is given this is increased as may be necessary.
Operations on the works were commeneed February 8. 1878. They were to have been completed by June 18, but were delaved through tardiness on the part of the city in grading the streets where pipes were to be laid as provided by ordinance. At the time of the final test. July 18. 1878, the contractors had been employed just seventy-four working days. Messrs. Coverdale & Cowell were the contractors.
The machinery was put up under the supervision of A. P. Hlolly, of Lock- port, N. Y.
The pipes were furnished by Dennis Long & Co., of Louisville, Ky.
The following gentlemen were the officers and employes of the Water Works Company at the time of their completion: President, William Leigh- ton: Vice President. Guy Wells: Chief Engineer and Secretary, W. C. Stripe: Directors, William Leighton, Guy Wells, S. P. Pond, J. 11. Anderson
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
and George Williams; First Engineer, F. A. Holly; Second Engineer, George Workman; Third Engineer, William Meek.
President, William Leighton ; Vice President, Guy Wells ; Chief Engineer and Secretary, W. C. Stripe. -
Directors, William Leighton, Guy Wells, S. P. Pond, J. IL. Anderson and George Williams.
First Engineer, F. II. Holly ; Second, George Workman : Third, William Meck.
FINAL TESTS.
'The final tests of the works were made on Thursday, July 18, 1878, and was an eventful day in the history of Keokuk. Says the Gate City's local report :
" The day started off in the red-hot fashion of weather that has prevailed for the past two weeks-the sun scorching and baking everybody and every- thing, the thermometer climbing, umbrellas and parasols spread and fans going nervously. Notwithstanding this, the streets began to swarm with teams and people at an early honr, the circus procession and the water works dividing the interest, with the odds in favor of the former. After that was over, however, the crowd turned its entire attention to the water works, and every movement was watched with interest. The sidewalks on Main street were thronged nearly the entire length, and every window and door along the route that offered any sort of a view of the display was filled with as many heads as could be crowded into it. It is difficult to estimate the number, but it is safe to say that several thousand people were congregated to witness the exhibition, a goodly number of whom were strangers. A gentleman who was at the test of the Burlington works says the crowd yesterday was at least three or four times greater than on that occasion.
"Test number one took place promptly at 9 o'clock A. M. Three one inch streams were thrown from hydrants on the corner of Twelfth and Timea, Twelfth and Exchange and Tenth and Timea streets. This is the highest point reached by the mains, and the test was therefore one of the severest on the programme and one which indicated what the works will do. The eleva- tion is 115 feet above the pumps, and the contract required that a stream should be thrown 60 feet high. The stream was measured and found to reach an alti- tude of 146 feet, or nearly two and one-half times higher than the contract calls for. This was a wholly satisfactory test, and all interested expressed themselves highly pleased with it. Adding the elevation from the pumps to the altitude of the stream, we have a height of 261 feet, to which water was forced. The display was an attractive one, and was witnessed and admired by a large gather- ing of spectators.
" Display number one consisted of a stream thrown from three hydrants through a one and three-fourths inch nozzle at the Presbyterian Church, corner Seventh and Blondeau streets. This location was chosen in order to compare the altitude of the stream with the height of the church steeple. Soon after the water was turned on, a section of hose near the nozzle burst and had to be replaced. Just as the stream was beginning to climb well the second time, a break occurred in the main corner Sixth and Main street, tearing up the street and crossing, and forcing a large volume of water to a height of several feet. This interfered with the pressure so that the stream on Seventh only reached an altitude of 164.23 feet. Except for the break, it would no doubt have ascended to a height of 220 or 230 feet. The contract calls for' an altitude of 100 feet at that point, so that as it was the stream went 64 feet higher than was required
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
of it. Including the elevation of 60 feet from the pumps, the total altitude was 224.23 feet. The church steeple is 151 feet in height, so that the stream reached 13 feet above that. It was very uniform in size and height, and pre- sented a very beautiful appearance as it shot heavenward in a solid column and descended in white sprays.
" Test number two consisted of six one-inch streams, from the hydrants at Second. Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Tenth, on Main. At first, the valves where the water had been cut off from the break leaked so that it was impossi- ble to obtain the pressure necessary to make the test : but this difficulty was subsequently overcome, and six very fine streams were thrown. While all of them were on, the one at Fifth street was measured, and found to be 183 feet. The elevation above the pumps at this point is 65 feet, making a total height of 198 feet.
" Following this, came a display not on the programme, one in which the weather took a hand. A heavy thunder-storm came up, and for about an hour the rain deseended in torrents. It was a display that was enjoyed as much as any of the others, for, after two weeks of sweltering weather, people took an interest in seeing water come down as well as go up. During and subsequent to the storm, the thermometer fell from 96° to 809, and the change was a delightfully refreshing one. After the storm and an intermission of two hours, the people again assembled. to witness display number two, which consisted of eight one-inch streams, from the hydrants at Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth, on Main, and of Johnson, Main, Blondean and Concert, on Water street. This was a splendid display, the streams all being good ones. The one at the corner of Main and the Levee reached an altitude of 1491 feet. All that the contraet requires is that six streams shall be thrown to a height of 100 feet.
" Display number three was the crucial test of the works. A one-inch stream was thrown for fifteen minutes through 1,200 feet of hose, at the end of High street. The elevation above the pumps at this point is 120 feet. and the stream was thrown to a height of 92 feet, making 212 feet in all. The friction through this length of hose is very great, and although the display was not as attractive as some of the others, the test was one of the most satisfactory.
OTHER DISPLAYS.
" The remainder of the displays took place at the corner of Main and the Levee, being four large streams, each of which was thrown through three lines of hose, centering in one nozzle. This was. undoubtedly, the most magnifi- cent exhibition on the entire programme. The following is the height reached by the different streams :
If-inch stream.
Feet.
217
216 2
2}
..
..
.. . 2101
1944
" The water-pressure during the test varied from 180 to 195 pounds to the square inch, and the steam-pressure stood uniformly at about 90 pounds.
" The altitudes of the streams were taken by Maj. Worrall, of the Rapids Improvement, and Mr. Stripe. It was done by means of an instrument, and can be relied on as absolutely correet. Only the solid streams were measured. Sprays shot up from these a distance of several feet, but they were not meas- ured.
" The test was a very gratifying one to all concerned. Except for the break in the main, better results would have been shown, but the result was, on the
633
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
whole, entirely satisfactory, and everybody seemed pleased with the exhibition. The test was made under the direction of Contractor Cowell, and was admira- bly managed throughout. The movements of the firemen were directed by Chief Wickersham and his assistants. The firemen worked hard, handled the pipes well."
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 was organized in the spring of 1856. Benjamin F. Dodson was President; D. B. Smith, Secretary, and John B. Knight, Treasurer. Dodson now lives at Decatur, Ill., and Smith and Knight still reside in Keokuk. The first Truck Foreman was L. L. O'Connor, now deceased.
The Young America Fire Company was organized at a meeting of citizens held at Burrows Hall, October 9, 1856. Hon. John Adair McDowell, present Superintendent of the Custom House building at Chicago, was President of the meeting. A number of the gentlemen present at that meeting became prominent public characters. Among these were Gen. S. R. Curtis, Gen. W. W. Belknap, late Secretary of War, Ilugh W. Sample, and others of that class of Keokukians. Frank H. Norton, a Southerner, and a young lawyer, was Secretary of the meeting. Ile returned South and became a noted char- acter in the rebel army. The late Confederate General Winder was also a young lawyer here at the time, and became notorious as Superintendent of Libby Prison, at Richmond, Va. R. H. Magruder, also of Southern birth and education, was an active member of the company, and was its President for three or four years.
Messrs. Curtis, Belknap, McDowell, Sample and Magruder took an active part in securing the first hand-engines. The "Gallery" was built at Balti- more Works of Rogers & Son, and the " Honneyman " was of Boston manufac- ture. The " Gallery " became useless years ago, and was sold for old brass. The " Honneyman " is still in active use, and is at the "Rolla" engine-house. The "Columbia " hose-reel has been remodeled and changed to a one-horse truck.
STEAM ENGINES.
The first steam-engine was manufactured at the Amoskeag (N. H.) Works. It was purchased by the city authorities in the spring of 1866, and presented to the Young America Company, by which name it was christened.
The Rolla Fire Company was organized in 1860. Among the prominent members were George Hagny, W. B. Miller, George W. Hardesty and A. J. Hardin, the present City Marshal. This company raised about one-half of the purchase money for their first engine. The first meetings of the company were held in an old blacksmith-shop belonging to Christ. Smith, one of the members, who made a large triangle which served the company in place of a bell. After the great fire of July, 1870, the city purchased a Silsby (Seneca Falls, N. Y.) engine, which was christened the "Rolla," and presented to this company. In 1874, the "Rollas " sold their old engine to West Point.
The Union Fire Company No. 3 was organized in. 1861. George 'T. Hig- gins, the present Sheriff; W. B. Miller, who was afterward Chief Engineer of the Fire Department, and now deceased ; William Landers, Jacob Speck, Donald Robinson and Ed. Bowden were among the active members. This company first worked the old "Gallery" hand-engine, which was turned over to them by the "Rollas." In 1866, the "Young Americas " turned "Little
634
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
Honneyman" over to them, which is still in good condition. It remained under their direct control until the organization of the paid fire department in October, 1878. Until that time, the fire apparatus was managed by indepen- dent fire companies.
VETERANS.
The following-named gentlemen have been prominently identified with the fire department since the first organization of Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, in the spring of 1856: Capt. W. H. Appler, Joseph A. Samuels, Ed. C. Booth, James Lynch, George Hagny, A. J. Hardin, Jacob Schlotter, H. C. Landes, the present President of the "Young Americas," Charles Wright, Ed. H. Jones, Robert Martin, E. H. Wickersham, John Ruse and Henry d'Louis. Of these, the following-named have severally served as Engineers-in-Chief: Joseph A. Samuels, Ed. C. Booth, George Hagny, A. J. Hardin, Jacob Schlotter and E. H. Wickersham. Mr. Samuels has also served as Alderman. James Lynch is now Justice of the Peace, and has held various other offices during the last twenty years. H. C. Landes, the present President of the "Young Americas," has also served as Foreman and Secretary of the com- pany. Henry d'Louis has been a member of the Young America Company since he was a boy ten years of age. He commenced "running with the machine " at that age, as torch-bearer, and was taken into full membership at the age of twenty-one years, served the allotted ten years, and is now an hon- orary member of the company, and a member of the paid department.
KEOKUK GAS-LIGHT AND COKE COMPANY.
Edward Kilbourne and William Herrick were the original projectors of the works which were erected and mains laid in the fall of 1855. The Company was not organized until December 20, 1855, when the two above named and Charles B. Foote filed Articles of Incorporation under its present name, with a capital stock of $100,000. Edward Kilbourne was its first President, and Josiah Davis first Secretary. The street-lamps were first lighted on Friday even- ing, January 4, 1856.
The present officers of the Company are D. Mooar, President, who owns a controlling interest in the Company ; R. H. Wyman, Vice President : and H. R. Miller, Secretary and Superintendent.
BANKING INTERESTS.
To George C. Anderson belongs the credit of opening the first banking- house in Keokuk. In 1846, he opened a broker's office in connection with his business, as wholesale grocer, on the corner of Second and Johnson streets. Subsequently, he established the well-known banking-house of George C. Ander- son & Co., which he conducted until his death, in 1867.
In 1852, Charles Parsons opened a bank on Main street, two doors east of Second. The building, a one-story brick-and-stone structure, still stands, occu- pied as a cigar-store. Parsons afterward moved to the southeast corner of Second and Main streets, where he went under in the crash of 1857.
Soon after Parsons, the banking-house of Granville B. Smith & Co. was opened, the members of the firm being Fitz Henry Warren, A. D. Green and E. H. Thomas, of Burlington.
They were succeeded by A. L. Deming & Co. (J. H. Claypoole) in January, 1856. Afterward, the firm was Deming & Love.
635
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
In June, 1856, E. R. Ford, Charles T. Graham and D. W. Ford opened a banking-house. Others, who engaged in the business in the flush times which culminated in the panic of 1857, were George Chapin and George C. Lee, from Albany or Auburn, N. Y .; Hatch & Thompson, from Kentucky ; and Ficklin & Lucas.
On the 4th of February, 1858, the banking-house of Rix, Hale & Co. was opened, and continued until March 3, 1862, when Mr. Hale was elected Cashier of the State Bank, and the exchange and deposit branch of the business was discontinued.
George C. Anderson was succeeded by Alex. Barclay & Co., afterward Bower, Barclay & Co. Barclay died in 1871.
The financial interests of Keokuk are, at this time, represented by four banks, all of them of the most substantial character and transacting a profita- ble business.
STATE NATIONAL BANK.
This institution is successor to the Keokuk Branch of the State Bank of Iowa, which was organized September 25,, 1858, with the following as the orig- inal Directors : John W. Cleghorn, John G. Floyd, Samuel F. Miller, Benja- min F. Moody, James M. Shelley, Smith Hamill, Christian Garber, J. C. Ramsey and J. B. Billings.
Samuel F. Miller was its first President, and J. W. McMillen first Cashier. The latter was succeeded by O. C. Hale, March 3, 1862.
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