USA > Iowa > Linn County > The history of Linn county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &t., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics history of the Northwest etc > Part 66
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
The church is of recent organization, during which time the most wide- spread financial panic of modern times has paralyzed the industries of the country ; yet, notwithstanding all discouragement, it has maintained its organ- ization intact, and is firmly established as one of the Christian agencies of the community. A lot has been purchased in an eligible location, and a house of worship will be erected at as early a period as possible.
African M. E. Church .- The African Methodist Episcopal Church of Cedar Rapids is a creditable structure, surpassing in architectural appointments many of the churches of the towns and villages of Iowa which have large and wealthy congregations. The census of 1873 showed a colored population of less than 100 souls in the city. In 1874, a beginning was made toward the erection of a house of worship. Dr. Ely contributed the lot, and the citizens generally responded to the request for aid in a liberal manner. The church building was completed, and dedicated with appropriate ceremonies by Bishop Wyman, of Baltimore, on the 1st day of July, 1876. Sixty-four members were enrolled at the first organization. There have been several changes in the pastorate since that time. Henry Simons, of Cedar Rapids, was the first officiating clergyman ; but he soon afterward resigned, and is now preaching in St. Paul. George Meartyn was the next minister in course. and was succeeded by the Rev. James Lewis. The Rev. Mr. Hutchinson is the present officiating minister. The finances of the society are understood to be in a healthy condition. A flourish- ing Sunday School is connected with the church. In fine, the African M. E. Church of the city is a credit to the limited population to which it must look for support. Its continued prosperity in the field it occupies alone seems to be an assured fact.
The Church of Christ .- This church was organized August 1, 1875, Rev. N. A. McConnell officiating. . There were thirty-four persons who united them- selves with the church at that time, viz .: J. J. Witwer, Sarah Witwer, I. H. Shaver and Mrs. Shaver, Bessie Shaver, H. C. and Cornelia Waite, John D. Bunger and wife, N. A. McConnell, wife and two daughters; W. A. Kitching and wife, F. R. Witwer, F. V. St. John, S. A. Mershon, H. D. St. John, J. H. Sutherland, Maria Sutherland, Aquilla Miller, S. E. Miller, Mary J. Miller, M. S. Dickey, Elizabeth Dickey, L. Hiltebrande, Dorcas Lutz, H. E. Witwer, W. II. Frick.
The church is composed, as will be seen by this list of members, of many our most substantial citizens, and the membership has considerably increased since that time.
The minister in charge, the Rev. N. A. McConnell, is an able theologian of ripe experience, and the organization is a very strong one. A lot has been purchased on the corner of Jefferson street and Park avenue, and in due time a house of worship will be built thereon, and a first-class one may be expected when they do build. When they are once domiciled under their own roof, with the strength which comes from a strong organization, its influence will be powerful in the community for good.
United Brethren Church .- The United Brethren Church of Cedar Rapids was organized in January, 1876, by the Rev. Father Bookwalter, of Western College. At present, the society worships in the store-room owned by Mr. Morse, on First street. They propose soon to purchase a lot and build a church, which will be located somewhere on the west side of the river. The church has had several revivals of religion since its organization, and already numbers about sixty members. The Pastor is the Rev. Father Bookwalter. The Trustees are W. B. Smith, John Bear, Christian Bear and Mr. Garlow. The Sunday
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
School, of which W. B. Smith is Superintendent, is large and flourishing, hav- ing about seventy-five scholars.
A Union Mission School, in which this church takes a deep interest, was organized nearly a year ago on the east side of the river, and meets every Sunday afternoon in the Dubuque Southwestern depot. The Superintendent 3f this school is also W. B. Smith, and the number of scholars is about sixty-five.
The church is largely composed of zealous members, and bids fair, relig- iously, to occupy their great field of usefulness in the work of the Master.
The Evangelical Church of Cedar Rapids was organized at a comparatively recent period. No house of worship has yet been erected. The old Presbyte- rian Church on Adams street was used for preaching until that edifice was torn down recently. The Rev. Mr. Ilion is the present minister in charge, and public services are held at stated intervals. A house of worship will in due time be erected. A large number of citizens holding to the tenets of this organization live in the city and vicinity, and the society will, with this begin- ning, undoubtedly grow and become one of the leading evangelical denomina- tions of the city.
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.
This association was organized April 19, 1876. A meeting was held in the Lutheran Church on the evening of that day, for the purpose of organizing such a society. Robert Widensall, a member of the Executive Committee of the Young Men's Christian Association of the United States, was present and was elected Chairman. The first membership was sixteen. The prime mover in this laudable work was T. M. Sinclair. The society would never have been a success had it not been for the untiring efforts of Mr. Sinclair, who was elected first President. For a time the association held regular meetings in the various churches in the city, at stated periods, when, through the kindness of Hon. Stephen L. Dows, room 13 in the Post Office Block, was placed at the disposal of the Association for as long a period as they desired. The Associa- tion held their meetings in the above room for nearly a year, when John T. Waterhouse, wishing to see the Association prove all that its members desired, fitted up and furnished in handsome style a room on the ground floor of the " Waterhouse Block," just back of the Grand Hotel, in which place meetings are now held. There are six committees-Finance, Mission Work, Printing and Publishing, Lectures and Sociables, Devotional Meetings and Bible Study, and Receptions and Strangers. During the two years of the existence of the Association they have done a great deal of good, and have followed out the letter of the Constitution-the encouragement of the study of the Bible and the growth of spiritual life and unity among young men. The Association hold Sabbath School and union prayer meetings at 3 and 4 o'clock P. M., at the district school house in "Time Check." Thomas Mclaughlin and others are particularly interested in this movement, and do much good in their Sunday afternoon work.
The present officers of the Young Men's Christian Association are: J. C. Broeksmit, President; John Gates, Vice President; George M. Olmstead, Sec- retary ; H. C. Waite, Treasurer.
PROFESSIONAL.
Attorneys-The legal fraternity is now largely and ably represented in Cedar Rapids. The following is an alphabetical list :
E. R. Bradford, J. W. Bull, H. G. Bowman, U. C. Blake, Charles A. Clark, J. J. Childs, F. C. Clark, A. D. Collier, G. D. Crafts, C. J. Deacon, A. L.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
Daniels, A. V. Eastman, R. H. Gilmore, N. M. Hubbard, B. F. Hein, E. S. Hill, H. G. Higley, F. C. Hormell, Charles B. Keeler, Jere Lynch, W. B. Leach, J. C. Leonard, John M. May, Mason P. Mills, James A. McCreery, J. J. Powell, N. D. Parkhurst, Isaac M. & Edward C. Preston, J. P. Swisher, J. M. St. John, A. St. Clair Smith, Joseph Sosil, H. J. Smith, Frank A. Sim- mons, J. W. Traer, I. N. Whittam, M. L. Ward, A. R. West, J. W. Weyand. Physicians-Allopathic-Ezra Bliss, D. T. Brown, George P. Carpenter, J. P. Coulter, J. W. Eades, John F. Ely, George W. Holmes, J. R. Kinney, E. L. Mansfield, F. McClelland, D. McClenehan, Henry Ristine, John M. Ristine, A. B. Reed, G. R. Skinner, J. H. Smith, C. Schlemm, A. H. Taylor. Physicians-Homoeopathic-G. E. Coggswell, - - Coggswell, Mrs. C. Hickox, J. V. Law, P. Moore.
Physican-Eclectic-H. Warren.
Dentists-A. B. Dennis, E. Ebi, A. K. Minor, C. Sterneman, L. J. Walter.
RAILROADS.
Chicago, Iowa &. Nebraska Railroad-The people of Linn County did the preliminary work for several railroads before they realized the benefits of any.
The Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad was the first road constructed into the county. The company was organized at Clinton (which was then a corn- field), on the 26th of January, 1856. The first officers were : Charles Walker of Chicago, President ; James Purdy of Mansfield, Ohio, Vice President ; T. T. Davis of Syracuse, N. Y., Treasurer pro tem ; R. H. Nolton, Secretary ; Col. Milo Smith of Clinton County was appointed at the same time Chief Engineer, which position he filled until June, 1861. Several Cedar Rapids men were con- nected with the first Board of Directors, a list of whom could not be obtained for this work. Considerable local aid was subscribed here and at other points from Clinton to this city ; but the most of the solid wealth which built the road was furnished by the Eastern stockholders. It was built as an extension of what was then known as the Dixon Branch of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad, the western terminus of which was Fulton, Illinois. The managers believed it would pay to construct a road over the fertile prairies of Iowa, and in this they were not mistaken.
In May, 1857, the C., I. & N. R. R., was opened to De Witt, then the county seat of Clinton County, a distance of twenty miles from the Mississippi River, and to the Wapsipinicon, a distance of thirty-six miles, in the following December. In July, 1858, it was opened to Clarence in Cedar County, a distance of forty- seven miles, and in December of the same year to Lisbon, sixty-four miles, which was the first railroad station in Linn County. In June, 1859, the long- anticipated completion of the road to Cedar Rapids became a fixed fact. The event was celebrated by an excursion given by the railroad company, and all the people were invited to take a ride on the cars. It was an important event in the history of Cedar Rapids. It was "the beginning of the end " in the struggle for railroad supremacy in the county. The C., I. & N. R. R. is one of the best roads in the West, having no heavy grades or sharp curves, its route seeming to have been intended by nature for a railroad. It was constructed during the time of the great depression of business which immediately preceded and followed the panic of 1857. It was built well, but owing to the peculiar condition of the country, and the fact that its owners paid cash for everything, the cost per mile was probably less than any other road in the State has ever been built for. The stock is above par.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
The present officers of the road are: Horace Williams, President ; John Bertram, Vice President ; J. Van Deventer, Secretary and Assistant Treasurer ; D. P. Kimball, Treasurer and Register of Stock.
The road is now operated by the Chicago & North-Western Railway Company, and, in connection with the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad, constitutes the Iowa Division of that great corporation, extending from Clinton to Council Bluffs.
The Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad Company was organized in the year 1858, at or about the time of the completion of the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad to Cedar Rapids, it being in effect an extension of the lat- ter road from this point to the Missouri River at Council Bluffs. The Legis- lature of the State, at the session of 1860, conferred upon the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad Company the grant of land made by Congress to aid in building a railroad across the State on or near the 42d degree of latitude. This grant had been previously conferred upon the Iowa Central Air Line Railroad Company; but as the work had not progressed to the satisfaction of the Legislature, that body exercised its legal right to make a change, which it did, as stated above. In 1860, the surveys were made and some grading done. In 1861, forty miles of iron were laid, taking the track to Chelsea, in Tama County. The next year, 1862, the iron horse made his appearance at Marshall- town. The work was pushed steadily and persistently, and was completed to Council Bluffs in February, 1867. The last 150 miles of the road was graded and the iron laid in 275 days. This rapid work was done in order to earn a dona- tion offered by the Union Pacific Railroad Company of $75,000, provided the road reached the Missouri River by April, 1867. It was completed two months before that time, and it was then considered a great feat in railroad building. This was the first road built across the State to the Missouri River, and a great portion of the material for the construction of the Union Pacific Road was transported over the line. The principal office of the company has always been at Cedar Rapids, the meetings of the stockholders taking place here annually in May.
The officers of the company are: Horace Williams, President ; Frederick Nickerson, Vice President; P. E. Hall, Secretary ; D. P. Kimball, Treasurer and Register of Stock ; J. Van Deventer, Assistant Treasurer; George T. Crandell, Auditor.
The capital stock of the company is: Common stock, $6,850,400; seven per cent. preferred stock, $769,600 ; first mortgage seven per cent. bonds, $3,614,000. Dividends on stock, February and August.
The Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad is leased to the Chicago & North-Western Road, and in connection with the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska, forms the Iowa Division of the North-Western Road. Steel rails have been laid on the whole road, and it is said to be not only the best managed road in the State, but it is also claimed that it is the smoothest and best in the West. It does a very large passenger and freight business. The management have made it popular with the people along the line, and eventually it will be the principal east and west road of the State.
Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad .- In the year 1865, the Cedar Rapids & St. Paul Railway Company was organized in this city, and in the Fall of that year D. W. C. Rowley, who had the contract on the first nine miles of the line from here to Vinton, commenced the grading and did the first work on what is now the great highway from Minneapolis and St. Paul on the north, to St Louis on the south.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
The Cedar Valley Construction Company took the contract to build the Cedar Rapids & St. Paul Road from this city to Waterloo, Mr. Rowley being a sub-contractor from that company. This Construction Company was a home institution, Dr. Ely, being the President; William Greene, Superintendent ; and D. W. C. Rowley, Secretary. The work proceeded slowly for a while, but during the next year (1866) a considerable portion of the grading was com- pleted between Cedar Rapids and Vinton.
In December, 1866, a company was organized to build a road from this city to Burlington. It was named in the Articles of Incorporation, the Cedar Rapids & Burlington Railway Company. The object, as stated therein, was the "con- struction of a railroad from Cedar Rapids to Burlington, via Iowa City and Wapello, to connect with the road from Burlington, via Keokuk, to St. Louis." The first President of this company was the present Governor of the State, the Hon. John H. Gear; the Secretary was James E. Putnam, of Burlington ; Directors, S. D. Carpenter, of Linn, Ezekiel Clark and P. A. Day, of Iowa City, and John Bird of Louisa County.
In June, 1867, the Board of Directors was increased to fifteen, and the words "via Iowa City " stricken from the Articles of Incorporation. George Greene, N. B. Brown and Charles Weare were added to the Directory from Linn County ; George Greene was unanimously elected President and Charles Mason Vice President. The route via Iowa City was abandoned because the people of that city preferred to take stock in another north and south line, which soon afterward failed, leaving that place out in the cold for the time, as far as a cross road is concerned.
In June, 1868, a consolidation of the Cedar Rapids & St. Paul Company and the Cedar Rapids and Burlington Company took place, and the new organ- ization was known as the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railway Com- pany. Judge Greene was continued as President, and soon afterward D. W. C. Rowley was elected Secretary.
Article 14, of the new incorporation provided, that after the year 1869, the annual meetings of the stockholders should take place alternately at Cedar Rapids and Burlington, in June of each year. It was also provided, that the business meetings of the Directors should take place alternately at each place. In 1871, after the road had been completed from Burlington to Cedar Falls, the Articles of Incorporation were amended, changing the time of holding the annual meetings to December, and making Cedar Rapids the principal place of business.
The Articles of Consolidation divided the road into three divisions : the first comprising the portion between Burlington and Cedar Rapids ; the second, all between Cedar Rapids and the State line, and the third, all that portion lying within the State of Minnesota. The fourth section provided that track-laying should commence at the same time on the first and second divisions-at Burling- ton for the first and at Cedar Rapids for the second division. On the 4th of June, 1869, J. H. Potter, of Burlington, was appointed Superintendent of the First Division, and William Greene, of Cedar Rapids, Superintendent of the Second Division, with authority to purchase all necessary materials, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.
On the 6th of May, 1869, the railroad company entered into a contract with the Iowa & Minnesota Construction Company to lay the iron and complete the first division from Burlington to Cedar Rapids. It was stipulated that the cars should be running to Columbus Junction by the 1st of October, 1869 ; to West Liberty by January 1, 1870, and the whole to Cedar Rapids by January 1,
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
1871. The Construction Company complied substantially with this contract, and the cars were running to the several points mentioned at or about the time specified.
Track-laying was commenced at Cedar Rapids on the second division in the Spring of 1870. S. L. Dows had the contract for laying it down, and it was pushed along with his well-known energy. The track was completed and the cars entered Waterloo during that year. From this date on there was no let- up in the vigorous prosecution of the work. During 1871 the track-layers reached Plymouth, near the north line of the State. The two divisions had been previously united south of Cedar Rapids, and early in the year 1872, trains commenced running through from Burlington to St. Paul.
The Pacific Division of the road and the Milwaukee Division had been de- termined upon before the completion of the main line. Considerable work was done on both during 1872, and in September, 1873, the latter was completed from Cedar Rapids through to Postville, a distance of one hundred miles. Dur- ing the same year the Pacific Division was opened to Traer, in Tama County. That place was the terminus for several years. After the reorganization of the company in 1876, it was determined to extend this branch, and the work was commenced in 1877, and completed to Holland, in Grundy County. During the same year the main line was extended to Albert Lea in Minnesota, at which place more favorable connections were secured with St. Paul and Minneapolis.
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of this road to the business interests of Cedar Rapids. A reference to the map will show that the road was built for this locality. The main line stretches away to the north, while the branches extend on either side, opening up to our business and enterprise a vast expanse of the richest territory in Iowa, the Garden State of the West. It would be a frightful calamity to contemplate, were it possible to wipe out of existence this road. Its several lines converging here constitute the veins through which pulsates the life blood of the city. The busy brain which con- ceived the plan, and the tireless energy which triumphed over every obstacle, and made it a success, are well known and will never be forgotten.
The original Articles of Consolidation between the St. Paul Railway Com- pany and the Cedar Rapids & Burlington Railroad Company provided that the car, repair and machine shops of the second division of the road should be located at Cedar Rapids, " on the east side of Cedar River." The shops of the first division were of course located at Burlington ; and thus in the early his- tory of the enterprise the work was divided. Experiences soon proved that this was not good policy, as it required double expense in the way of machinery and the salaries of Superintendents and other officers. Cedar Rapids being more centrally located, the principal part of the work was done here. Before the company was reorganized, Gen. Winslow, acting as Receiver of the road un- der the order of the United States Court, obtained an order to authorize him to construct the necessary buildings for the permanent use of the road, and the present magnificent shops were commenced. They are the largest and most complete railway shops west of Chicago. The buildings consist of a round house, constructed of stone and covered with iron ; a machine shop proper, 402x86 feet, and a blacksmith shop, 102x67 feet. The main shop is con- structed of brick and stone, with a glass roof, and is supplied with all the most improved machinery for building cars and doing all necessary repairs. The number of hands employed varies from 250, the lowest, to 400 during the busy season. The pay roll of the company at this point amounts to from $25,000 to $30,000 a month. The employes are nearly all married men, and this large
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
sum, being distributed at regular periods among our business houses gives life and animation to all branches of trade.
The present officers of the company are, Gen. E. F. Winslow, Vice Presi- dent and Manager ; C. J. Ives, Superintendent and General Freight Agent ; W. D. Walker, Secretary and Paymaster ; J. C. Broeksmit, Auditor ; B. F. Mills, Assistant General Passenger and Ticket Agent; A. H. Mohler, Assist- ant General Freight Agent ; John C. Fox, Superintendent of Telegraph and Train Dispatcher ; L. A. Bein, Assistant Train Dispatcher ; Geo. W. Edwards, General Agent ; G. S. Winslow, Purchasing Agent; R. W. Bushnell, Master Mechanic ; A. R. Foot, Local Agent.
Dubuque Southwestern Railroad .- This road was extended from Marion during the year 1865, and through trains commenced running from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids about the first of October of that year. This was an important local event to the city. Six years previous (in 1859), the North-Western road entered the city, and its track was gradually creeping westward toward the " Big Muddy." As the second in chronological order the advent of the Southwestern will always be reckoned as being an important step toward constituting this city one of the great railway centers of the West, a consummation which the most sanguine of the citizens at that time could only hope for in the dim, uncertain future.
The Southwestern road has always been an important one to the city. It was the first north and south line in the State and opened up communication between the northwestern part of the State and the central portion, and also with the State Capital. Its Eastern connections were not such as to make it a competitor for business at this point, and for several years its business here was quite limited. In May, 1878, the road was sold to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Company. The vigorous management of that organization soon put new life into the concern, and its further history will be found under that heading.
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway .- A brief sketch of the con- struction of the Iowa Division of this road and its completion to Marion, appears in its proper place elsewhere. In May, 1878, the Company purchased the Dubuque Southwestern Railroad from this city to Farley, thereby practically extending the Milwaukee road into Cedar Rapids and making this place its present terminus. Improvements were at once commenced by the Company and new switches and side tracks put down to accommodate the increased business which the change of management would naturally bring about. A round house for engines and a coal house have already been built; new ground for additional side tracks has been purchased, and an elegant freight and passenger depot will be erected soon. It is understood that the city authorities have granted the Company the use of a portion of the Public Square, just north of the Oat Meal Mills, for the site of the new depot, which will be large, commodious and of con- siderable architectural proportions, and an ornament to the street.
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