USA > Iowa > Van Buren County > The history of Van Buren County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c, a biographical directory of citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics history of the Northwest, history of Iowa &c > Part 49
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75
" The Commissioners then returned to the old northwest corner, and com- menced to run the line east, and, by close examination, they were enabled to discover abundant blazes and many witness-trees of the old survey, by which they easily found and re-marked the line run by Sullivan in 1816. The sur- veying of the eastern portion of the line was commenced on the 13th of : August, and terminated on the 18th of September, it being a distance of one hundred and fifty miles, forty-one chains and eight links, which, with the sixty miles and sixty-one chains first surveyed, makes the southern boundary of the State between the Missouri and Des Moines Rivers two hundred and eleven miles, thirty-two chains and eight links.
" Near the west bank of the Des Moines River, where the boundary termi- nates, on the line was planted a cast-iron pillar similar to the other two, with the words "State Line ' fronting the west. The line was also designated by cast-iron pillars four feet long, eight inches square at the base and five inches at the top, placed at intervals of thirty miles apart ; and one four feet long, seven inches square at the base and four at the top, at intermediate spaces of ten miles apart, all of which pillars mark in iron monument every ten miles the whole length of the boundary line.
"Sullivan's line was found in some places to deviate from a true east and west line, which was corrected by the surveyors. The iron pillars were planted in Sullivan's line as found at the particular points ; but as the line was bending in the ten-mile spaces between the pillars, it was found necessary to erect wooden posts at the termination of each mile in order to mark the line with more accuracy. In the prairies the mile-posts were marked with the letters ' B. L.' facing the east, the letter 'I.' facing the north, and the letter ' M.' facing the south, and the number of miles on the west face of the post. Where tim- ber exists, the number of the mile is marked on witness-trees, or pointers, with letters appropriate to each stake, there being one tree marked on each side of the line wherever it was possible to do so. The front of each witness-tree is marked with the letters ' B. L.' In all cases where the posts are set in mounds, the post is invariably nine links west, to designate it from other surveys. This line, as surveyed and designated under the direction of the Commissioners Hendershott and Minor, was adjudged and decreed by the Supreme Court to be
416
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
the true and proper boundary line between Missouri and Iowa. And thus closed a long and vexed dispute between the two authorities about the extent of their jurisdiction. To defray the expenses of establishing and running this line, the State of Iowa and the State of Missouri each placed at the disposal of the Com- missioners the sum of $2,000. But this was not sufficient to meet their expenses, for they were engaged at the work 180 days, and the Supreme Court allowed the Commissioners each the sum of $10 per day for their services, and $2 per day for their expenses, and each of the surveyors $8 per day. These allowances, with other expenses, cost over $10,000, which left over $3,000 apiece for each of the States to pay. The Legislatures of either State made up the deficiencies, and that was an end to the boundary war."
THE DES MOINES IMPROVEMENT SCHEMES.
Mr. Charles Negus, an authority in matters pertaining to the history of Iowa, published the following interesting account of the various improvement schemes connected with the Des Moines River, in the " Annals of Iowa." We give the entire article :
"The river Des Moines has connected with its history many things of interest. It is purposed at this time to notice some of the historical events connected with this river since the land through which it passes was purchased by the Government from the Indians.
"On the first settlement of Iowa, the building of railroads had just com- menced, and but very few in the West knew anything about this mode of con- veyance for travel and commerce. At that time, steamboats for these purposes were the great absorbing idea. This river, in high stages of water, was thought to be susceptible of steamboat navigation far into the interior of the State, and those who first settled in the vicinity of this river eagerly looked forward to the day when steamboats would move up and down these waters in large numbers, and when from long distances from its banks, travel and com- merce would seek a conveyance through this channel. And these expecta- tions were apparently well-founded. In 1836, the Sacs and Foxes, having dis- posed of their reservation on the Iowa River, where they had villages, moved West, and settled in the valley of the river Des Moines, in what is now Wapello County, and, as a natural consequence, trading-posts were established in this vicinity, which had to be supplied with goods; and in the fall of 1837, the few settlers along the banks of this river were, for the first time, gladdened with the sound of the shrill whistle of a steamboat, making its way up the river with supplies for these trading-posts.
"This boat was the S. B. Science, commanded by Capt. Clark, which, by forcing its way against the swift current, passing safely over the concealed sand-bars and hidden rocks, demonstrated that the waters of this river, at high stages, was navigable, much to the joy and satisfaction of those who lived in the vicinity, and afforded a theme for pleasant conversation for days and months.
"By the treaty of 1842, by which the Sacs and Foxes sold all their lands in Iowa, they were permitted to retain possession of that portion which lay west of Red Rock for three years, and the Indians moved up the river and located themselves near the Raccoon Fork, and the Government thought proper to locate a body of troops at that point; and for the conveyance of soldiers and their equipage to that place, the little steamer Ione was employed
417
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
and laden with stores, and a detachment of troops landed on the site where is now the city of Des Moines, on the 9th of May, 1843. This is the first steam- boat that ever ventured to disturb the waters of this river so far from its mouth. The Ione, having made a successful trip, added greatly to the expect- ation of the estimated importance and value of this thoroughfare, which was brought to the attention of Congress, and on the 8th of August, 1846, a law was enacted giving to Iowa, for the purpose of aiding to improve the naviga- tion of the river Des Moines from its mouth to the Raccoon Fork, an equal moiety in alternate sections of the public lands remaining unsold, in a strip five miles wide on each side of the river, to be selected within the territory of Iowa by an agent, or agents, who should be appointed by the Governor of the Territory, subject to the approval of the U. S. Treasury.
"When this grant was first made, it was not supposed by any one that it extended above Raccoon Fork, and Gov. Clark, in communicating the intelli- gence to the Legislature, estimated the grant to amount to about three hundred thousand acres. This part of the Governor's message was referred to a select committee, for them to take into consideration whether it was advisable for the State to accept the grant, and if so, to devise the method of disposing of the lands and the mode of improving the river.
"The committee, after having the matter under consideration several weeks, through their Chairman, Dr. James Davis, of Wapello County, made a very lengthy report, in which they took the ground that the grant was not limited to lands below the Raccoon Fork, but extended to every alternate section for five miles on each side of the river to the northwestern boundary of the State, : if not to the source of the river. They estimated the grant to contain 400,- 000 acres below the Raccoon Fork, and 560,000 above, making 960,000 acres of land. The report of the committee at first was looked upon as visionary, and but very little calculation was made on getting any land above the fork of the river; but a matter of so much importance was not passed over without examination and full discussion.
"From this time on, for several years, the improvement of the river Des Moines entered largely into the politics of the State. Politicians became inter- ested in it ; the construction put upon the grant by the committee was the popu- lar side, and found many advocates, and scarcely any one opposed it. The committee reported in favor of receiving the grant, with provisos, and a bill for creating a Board of Public Works. On this report the Legislature passed an act accepting the grant, with a proviso that it was not to form a part of the 500,000 acres which the State was entitled to by an act of Congress of 1841, giving to each new State that amount of land for internal improvements. This was conceded by the General Government, and it also permitted the State to divert 500,000 acres from works of internal improvement to the purpose of education. The Legislature, on the 5th of February, 1847, also passed an act creating a Board of Public Works, and providing for the improvement of the river. The Board consisted of a President, Secretary and Treasurer, who were to be elected by the qualified electors of the State, on the first Monday of the following August. The President was to be the active agent of the work, and was required to make monthly reports of his doings and of the progress of his work to the Board ; the Secretary was to record the proceedings of the Board and to sell the lands ; the Treasurer was to receive and disburse the moneys. The officers were required to commence the work on the Mississippi, near Keokuk, at the mouth of Dead Slough, or of the Nassau Slough, and then up the slough to the river. And subsequently the work was commenced by under-
418
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
taking to dig a canal from the mouth of the Nassau Slough to St. Francisville, the first place on the river where it was thought practicable to build a dam.
" About $150,000 was expended in the effort, but the attempt proved to be an impracticable undertaking, and, after expending this large amount of money, the work of digging a canal was abandoned. At the August election, Hugh W. Sample, of Jefferson County, was elected President ; Charles Corckery, of Dubuque County, Secretary, and Paul Braton, of Van Buren County, Treas- urer. The officers elected were qualified, and at first opened their offices at Fairfield. Samuel Curtis, from Ohio, was selected by the Board as Chief Engineer ; but there was very little done this season toward improving the river, further than making surveys. The necessary surveys having been com- pleted, early in the spring of 1848, the work was commenced. The canal and three dams were put under contract, and about five hundred hands were put at work. On the 21st of August, the building of ten more dams was contracted for. and there seemed to be a fair prospect for the speedy completion of the entire improvement.
"There was at this time but very little known of the resources of the upper valley of the river Des Moines. This year, by authority of the United States, provisions were made for a geological survey in Iowa, and a party was sent up the river, which explored it to its source. The report made by this party was very flattering. They reported that coal was found for two hundred miles on the Des Moines, and from indications, heavy deposits of iron were believed to exist ; that gypsum in abundance, forming cliffs for miles, was encountered ; and that limestone, that makes a superior hydraulic lime, existed in abundance ; limestone, suitable for lime, clay suitable for brick, rock suitable for polishing, for grindstones, whetstones and for building purposes, some of superior quality, were found in abundance along the Des Moines. And Col. Curtis, in specu- lating upon the future, in his report to the Legislature, led the people to anticipate great results from this improvement. He said : ' No country can afford like accommodations to manufacturers ; no country can produce more agricultural wealth than that within sixty miles on either side of this river.' And further : 'That, taking all things into consideration, the matter is math- ematically certain (except in times of high water in the Missouri), the trade of Council Bluffs will incline to follow down the improvement. But it is not this point alone that is reached ; we enter the great valley of Nebraska, and the upper branches of the Missouri, and offer the commerce of these valleys the cheapest and most expeditious route for their products. A country of a thou- sand miles extent, capable of furnishing vast and unknown agricultural and mineral products, may, by wise and discreet energy in the prosecution of this work, become tributary to the improvement now in progress on the Des Moines.'
" These glowing reports of the country and the advantages to be derived from the improvement of the river excited the public mind to the highest expectations, and the people became very anxious to secure as much of the public lands as possible, that this great undertaking might be spedily com- pleted ; and to ascertain the construction put upon the grant by the General Government, application was made to the Land Department for a decision. Richard M. Young, the Commissioner of the General Land Office, on the 23d day of February, 1848, in a letter addressed to the Board of Public Works. gave it as his opinion that the State was entitled to the alternate sections within five miles of the Des Moines River, through the whole extent of Iowa. This decision gave assurances that the amount of land claimed would be received. The Board of Improvement made great preparation for rapidly push-
419
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
ing on the work, and the public mind was exhilarated with the greatest hopes of speedily realizing the great advantages represented to be derived from this undertaking.
" But, as it is the lot of man to meet with disappointments, such seems to have been the result in this case ; for it was found that the lands could not be sold fast enough to meet the expenses of so extensive a work as had been undertaken. To remedy this difficulty, the Board of Public Works recom- mended to the Legislature 'that bonds, bearing the sanction of the supreme power of the State, should be issued by the Board, and pledging the proceeds of the sales of the lands, as well as the tolls of the improvement, for their redemption. But this policy did not meet with the sanction of some of the lead- ing Democrats of the State, who regarded such a measure as not being in accord- ance with Democratic principles, among whom were Ver Plank Van Antwerp. Van Antwerp, having held the office of Receiver in the first land office estab- lished in the Southern Iowa, and then holding the same office at Fairfield, and also, for awhile, editor of a paper, was extensively known, and at that time exerted much influence among the people, and he took a very active part against the proposition recommended by the Board. He claimed that the measure was not only Antidemocratic, but impolitic, and went to Iowa City as a lobby member, and made himself very busy with the members to defeat it ; and the opposition with which it met from Van Antwerp and other private individuals had its effect with the members of the Legislature, and the measure was defeated, much to the discomfiture of Sample. The interference of Van Antwerp with the recommendations of the Board created a coolness between Sample and Van Antwerp which caused some singular results in the future political matters of the State.
"During the summer of 1848, a portion of the land above the Raccoon Fork was brought into the market and offered for sale at the land office at Iowa City, and some of the lands which it was supposed were embraced within the river grant were sold by the General Government. The failure of the Board to get the Legislature to authorize them to issue bonds, and the selling of these lands by the General Government, greatly frustrated the plans of the Board and put a damper upon the public expectation. For the purpose of securing the full amount of land claimed, the Legislature passed a memorial asking Congress to enact an explanatory law confirming to the State the quantity of land claimed. But Congress did not feel disposed to do this, and the extent of the grant was a disputed question for several years.
" At the August election, in 1849, the officers of the Board of Public Works were to be again elected, and the old officers were desirous of holding on to their offices, and Sample made great efforts to have the old officers renominated by the State Convention for candidates before the people. Those who were in favor of issuing bonds for the speedy completion of the work were in favor of re-electing the old Board ; those who were against this measure were opposed to them. Among those who took an active part against the old Board was Van Antwerp, and his opposition was particularly made against Sample, which got up much ill-feeling between them. Van Antwerp, to accomplish his ends before the convening of the Convention, prepared a stricture on Sample's political acts. which 'showed him up' in no very enviable light. Van Antwerp went to Iowa City, where the Convention was to be held, a short time before it convened, and had his strictures printed in handbill form, and on the morning of the Conven- tion circulated copies all over the city, so that a copy found its way into the hands of every delegate. This had the effect to beat Sample and the other
-
420
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
officers of the Board, and William Patterson, of Lee County, was nominated for President; Jesse Williams, of Johnston, for Secretary ; and George Gillaspy, of Wapello, for Treasurer.
" These individuals were all elected, entered upon the duties of their trust, and with energy undertook to complete all the work which had been put under contract. But they soon found that they could not sell lands fast enough to meet their expenditures, and had to suspend a portion of the work. But they did not do this until they had contracted a large amount of debts, which they had not the means to pay. The new board, on making settlements with the contractors, not having the money to pay them, issued bonds or certificates of indebtedness, pledging the lands for their payment, and binding the Board to redeem them as soon as they had the means to do it. So the new Board, with- out the sanction of law, did what the old Board had tried to get the Legislature to authorize them to do by law, and for which policy they were turned out of office and others put in their place. Those contractors who were stopped from going on with their work claimed damages; legal proceedings were had and some of them recovered large amounts.
"The course pursued by the new Board met with much censure from the public and the newspapers ; particularly the Whig press was very severe in its strictures. The course which had been pursued by the Board of Public Works made the improvement of the river Des Moines a prominent matter before the Legislature, which convened in December, 1850. The issuing of bonds did not meet with the approval of that body, and a law was passed abolishing the offices of President, Secretary and Treasurer, and the offices of 'Commissioner and Register of the Des Moines River Improvement' were created, which, instead of being elected by the people, were appointed by the Governor, by and with the consent of the Senate.
"As soon as the law abolishing the Board of Public Works went into effect, the Governor appointed Ver Plank Van Antwerp Commissioner, and George Gillaspy Register of the Imprevement, who, on the 9th of June, 1851, entered into a contract with Bangs Brothers & Co., of New York, in which they stip- ulated to complete the whole work, from the mouth of the river to the Raccoon Fork, in four years from the time when for the improvement of the river a confirmation should be secured of the extension of the grant of land above that point. When the contract was closed, Bangs Brothers & Co. and the officers of the Improvement went to work and succeeded in getting the Land Department of the General Government to reconsider the decision in which it had been held that the grant of land only extended to the Raccoon Fork, and obtained a decision that it extended to the northern boundary of the State, which gave hopes that the river would soon be made navigable. On the first reception of the news, there was much rejoicing, but when the details of the contract with Bangs, Brothers & Co. were made public, it was found that the contract pro- vided that the lands below the Raccoon Fork were not to be sold for less than $2.00 per acre, and those above for not less than $5.00.
" This gave great dissatisfaction, for a great portion of these lauds was occupied by claimants who expected to buy their claims at $1.25 per acre, as others had done who had settled upon Government lands. This provision stirred up much ill-feeling among the settlers ; public meetings were held, and this part of the contract was condemned in the strongest terms; and such were the feelings that there were apprehensions of serious difficulties if this part of the contract should be enforced. But when these excitements were at their highest, news came that Bangs Brothers & Co. had failed, and probably their
R. M. Cresap M.D. BONAPARTE
THE NEW YORK TALE CHE PARY
423
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
contract would be annulled, and this allayed the public feeling. Bangs Broth- ers & Co. did not comply with their contract in furnishing means, and the work on the river did not go on, and the public expectation of a speedy completion of the proposed improvement vanished.
" The officers of the Improvement were appointed for only two years, and at the expiration of their term of office, Van Antwerp was re-appointed Com- missioner, and Paul C. Jeffries was appointed Register. But these last appoint- ed officers held their trust but a short time, for during the past two years the work on the river had progressed very slowly; the contract with Bangs Broth- ers & Co. had been declared forfeited, and it was understood that other sources were to be looked to for going on with the work. . The officers appointed by the Governor not being successful in their undertaking, the Legislature, on the 1st of January, 1853, repealed the law authorizing the Governor to appoint, and made these officers again to be elected by the people, and on the first Monday in the following April, Josiah Bonney, of Van Buren County, was elected
Commissioner, and George Gillaspy, Register. And, for the purpose of aiding the Commissioners in conducting and concluding any contract on the subject of improving the river, the Legislature appointed George G. Wright, of Van Buren County, and Uriah Biggs, of Wapello, his assistants, 'with equal powers of the Commissioner in making and determining such contract.'
"From past experience, it was not deemed advisable to parcel out the work to many individuals, and consequently these officers were required by the Legis- lature not to make any contract, unless such contract stipulated for 'at least $1,300,000 to be faithfully expended in the payment of the debts and liabilities of the Improvement, and its completion to the greatest extent possible.' And to this end, if it was necessary, they were authorized ' to sell and dispose of all and any lands which had been or might hereafter be granted by Congress for the improvement of the river, and, if it was necessary to effect a contract, they were authorized to convey the right to tolls and water rents arising from the Improvement, for the length of time and upon such terins as they might deem expedient. But in disposing of the lands, they were not to contract them for less than $1.25 per acre ;' and if no contract of this character should be made before the 1st of September, 1853, then the pay of all the officers connected with the work, except the Register and one engineer, was to cease, and all operations connected with the work, except such parts as were under contract, were to be suspended until further action by the Legislature. The Register was required to put all unfinished work then under contract in such a condition as to prevent it from injury, and to see that all property of the State connected with the work was carefully preserved. If the Register, at any time subse- quent, should receive propositions which he deemed sufficient for consideration, he was to submit the same to the Commissioner; and should a contract be made on the terms required by the Legislature, then the pay of the officers should commence and the work go on as though it had not been suspended.
" The new Commissioner, being conscientious about the expending of money, immediately after taking charge of the work, dismissed all the engineers, except Guy Wells, the chief engineer, and employed no officer or other persons, except when the necessity of the work imperatively demanded it. There were in several places of the river snags and bowlders, which much obstructed the navigation, and had become a source of much inconvenience and complaint; but during the official term of Bonney, the river was 'cleared of snags, bowlders and other obstructions to such an extent as to make the navigation of the river, ut proper stages of the water, safe.'
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.