USA > Iowa > Wapello County > The history of Wapello 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 > Part 51
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Now ensued a sharp encounter of wits. Gen. Dodge felt that he held the key to the situation, since through him alone could the desired organization be compassed. The Whigs, on the other hand, apprised themselves of the fact that the Mormons were becoming anxious to show their ill-will toward the Demo- cratic party, as a means of avenging themselves for their expulsion from Nauvoo.
Messengers were dispatched from both camps to feel the pulse of the people in the West, and each faction returned bearing metaphorical bunches of huge grapes, while their reports were that the land flowed with oil and honey for the. respective candidates. In all this bartering there was evidently an understand- ing between the Whigs and the Mormons ; for a flat refusal on the part of the latter to vote the Democratic ticket, would certainly have prevented their voting at all. The powers that were had to be mollified, and a go-between was found to represent to the Democrats the solidity of the Pottawattamie precinct.
When the character of the vote was satisfactorily determined, there still remained the question of its legality. If the territory lay west of the last organized county, which was then Monroe, that county had the power to create a precinct. If it did not, then there was an opportunity to contest the validity of returns from the river precinct. The Democrats believed that Kanesville, as the Mormon settlement was called, did lie within the legal territory of Monroe, but a survey was deemed necessary to settle the point. In accordance with that idea, a party was engaged to ascertain the geographical whereabouts of the vil- lage, and a random line was run. Subsequent surveys have shown that the line was, indeed, a random one, but that point did not come up in the contest which followed. For all practical purposes, the place lay west of Monroe. In the decision of this question the Whigs wisely submitted to the Democrats, and the work of establishing the locality was performed by such means as the Democrats could, under no circumstances, thereafter dispute. It was highly important for the Democrats to locate Kanesville in Monroe territory, because Monroe was then Democratic, and they feared that the Whigs would oppose the organization of so strong a precinct, if they had it in their power so to do.
The Whigs, meanwhile, confident of the victory they were to win, offered no objections to the formation of the precinct, but seemed quiescent in the mat- ter. On the 3d of July, 1848, the Monroe County Commissioners issued the following order :
Ordered, by said Board, that that portion of country called Pottawattamie County which lies directly west of Monroe County, be organized into a township, and that Kanesville be a precinct for election purposes in said township, and that the election be held at the Council
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House in said village ; and that Charles Bird, Henry Miller and William Huntington be appointed Judges of said election ; and that the boundaries of said township extend east as far as the East Nish na-bat-na.
This public announcement of the plan warned the Whigs to work. Greek met Greek. It was known that the Board, then consisting of Andrew Elswick, William McBride and George R. Holliday, and Dudley C. Barber as Clerk, was Democratic. The latter officer made out the poll-books and sent them to the new precinct. Both parties sought the field of battle, and for a time the Mormon element became the favorites of the politicians, since they held the balance of power. The Mormons at home in Nauvoo were Democratic in senti- ment, it was argued, and the Democrats were confident of their co-operation in the time of need.
The election took place on the 7th day of August. To the consternation of the Democrats and the joy of the Whigs, the vote of the new precinct was cast almost solidly for Daniel F. Miller, the Whig candidate, and the Democratic candidate, William Thompson, was left out in the cold.
No sooner was the result of the election made known than the Democratic leaders took counsel, one with another, what to do. J. C. Hall went to Albia from Burlington, and it is asserted that he and others advised the rejection of the poll-books. The messenger with the returns arrived in Albia, and the can- vass of the votes was held on the 14th day of August. Dudley C. Barber, as Clerk of the Board, had a deciding voice in the matter. The canvass was made at his log cabin, one of the three or four buildings then standing on the town plat.
Among the prominent men of Albia at that time was Dr. Flint, who subse- quently removed to Wapello County, and there became County Judge, and also State Senator from that county. He was brother-in-law to Barber, the Clerk who made out the poll-books, and who was authorized to pass upon their accept- ance for canvass. Dr. Flint exercised a strong influence over Barber, and was an intense partisan. He urged the arbitrary rejection of the books. The little cabin was filled with excited men, and the canvass could not proceed. Among the Democrats were Mr. Hall and Israel Kister, of Davis County, who subse- quently was elected State Treasurer on that ticket.
The Whigs were determined to see the Pottawattamie vote counted, since they had beaten the Democrats at what they considered their own game. Among those men was Mr. Mark, who was Postmaster of Albia at a later date. He stood directly behind Barber when the latter decided to reject the books. Mr. Mark inquired :
"Do you really intend to reject the returns made out on poll-books pre- pared by yourself, and in legal form, Mr. Barber ?"
" Yes, sir, I do!" responded the Clerk.
At this juncture, further examination of the books was to be made, when the disputed volumes could not be found. Search was instituted and vigorously prosecuted, but to no effect. The books were gone from the table where they had lain but a moment before. It was announced that the books had been stolen, and could not, therefore, be used as returns.
It is reported by an eye-witness of the scene that pistols were drawn and a general riot seemed imminent, but no serious outbreak followed the coup d'etat of the Democrats. Of course it was clear that the Whigs had not stolen the books, since it was for their interest to retain them. It rested, consequently, with the opposing faction to explain the mysterious disappearance of the docu- ments.
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The evening of that day, Barber called to his aid two Justices, and, it is said, with locked doors, mnade a canvass of the vote of Monroe, throwing out the books from Pottawattamie entirely. This rejection of the western vote secured the election of Thompson, and he accordingly took his seat in the first session of the Thirty-first Congress.
If we may be allowed to parody a classic quotation, uneasy sits the Con- gressman who is not soundly elected ! No sooner was he here than the Whigs made an effort to oust him. The case was laid before a proper committee, and voluminous discussion ensued. Finally, the case was remanded to the District, Court at Keokuk. Before a decision could be reached, an election took place in the State for State officers and member of the Thirty-second Congress. The campaign was a hot one. During the stump-speech season, and just prior to the election in August, a meeting was held in Albia, at which A. C. Dodge, Mr. Baker, et al., addressed the Democracy. At this meeting, cheers were proposed for Mr. Barber, on the grounds that he had defeated the election of Miller.
It may be here incidentally remarked that the August election resulted in the seating of Bernhart Henn, of Fairfield, in the Thirty-second Congress from this district, his term beginning in 1851.
There still remained one session of the Thirty-first Congress, and after the August election referred to, the Miller-Thompson fight was renewed. During the controversy, Mr. Miller, or one of his friends, desired certain papers of Judge Mason, who was a strong counsel on the Democratic side. By mistake, the missing poll-books were handed to the Whig, who immediately announced the fact with an appropriate demonstration !
This startling denouement completely upset the Democratic case, and a new election was ordered to " fill vacancy " in the First District. The election took place September 24, 1850, and resulted in the choice of Mr. Miller, who filled the seat in Congress one session.
The question reverts to the cause of the Mormon change of front in 1848. All manner of rumors were afloat at the time, some of them even charging that the Democrats had offered but $1,000, while the Whigs had paid $1,200 for the vote. On the authority of one who admits that he was a party to the barter, we state as fact that the only gift presented to Elder Hyde by the Whigs was a printing office and some ten reams of printing-paper and a keg of ink. Hyde wanted an office, and the Whigs were willing to give him one. The materials for the office were shipped to him by the Whigs prior to the casting of the vote. Hyde had a grudge against the Democrats, which he desired to pay, and there- fore refused to listen to overtures of a financial character from them. It was a case of diamond cut diamond, in which the Whigs proved the hardest.
As to the missing books : it is a matter of evidence that Israel Kister placed them in Mr. Hall's saddle-bags, during the heated discussion, probably with no real intention to steal them at the time, but supposing that they would be dis- covered before Hall left. They were not detected, and the lawyer rode away with them. It was then too late to acknowledge the error, and so the case stood until accident brought them to light.
The Whig papers made furious onslaught against the Democrats over the affair, and there is but little doubt that it caused a decidedly good political war-cry during those days. Dr. Flint was openly charged with having burned the books, and Barber was figuratively drawn and quartered continuously. The vigorous attacks upon him finally undermined his health and he died, a victim of mistaken sense of duty. Dr. Flint's career in the county of Wapello was
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one of considerable importance, until he was guilty of eloping, it is alleged, with a lady of his acquaintance, although he was an old man at the time. It is believed that he died, some years since, in Canada.
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 commerce would seck a conveyance through this channel. And these expectations were apparently well founded. In 1836, the Sacs and Foxes, having disposed of their reserva- tion 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 were 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 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 steamboat 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 expectation of the esti- mated 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 navigation of the river Des Moines from its mouth to the Raccoon Fork, an equal moiety in alternate
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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 exami- nation 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 the 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 Nassaw Slough, and then up the Slough to the river. And subsequently the work was commenced by under- taking to dig a canal from the mouth of the Nassaw Slough to St. Francisville, the first place on the river where it was thought practicable to build a dam.
" About $150,000 were 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
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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 this 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 ore 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 qual- ity, were found in abundance along the Des Moines. And Col. Curtis, in spec- ulating 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 speedily 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- 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
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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 leading Democrats of the State, who regarded such a measure as not being in accordance with Democratic principles, among whom were Ver Plank Van Antwerp. Van Antwerp, having held the office of Receiver in the first land office established in Southern Iowa, and then holding the same office at Fair- field, and also, for a while, 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 Anti-democratic, 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 meas- ure was defeated, much to the discomfiture of Sample. This 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 con- vened, and had his strictures printed in handbill form, and on the morning of the Convention 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 officers of the old Board, and William Patterson, of Lee County, was nominated for President; Jesse Williams, of Johnson, 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
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