The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 51

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn
Number of Pages: 1058

USA > Iowa > Pocahontas County > The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 51

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Simpson. The enrollment at present is fifty-seven, which includes both men and women, T. A. Thompson is president and Matie L. Bailey is secretary and treasurer.

CATHOLIC ORDER OF FORESTERS.

St. Mary's Court, No 1071 of the Catholic Order of Foresters was in- stituted at Fonda, February 21, 1900, with thirty-two members. The offi- cers chosen at this time were, J. R. Mullen, C. R .; J. F. Howe, V. C. R .; Arthur McCartan, P. C. R .; H. A. Daubenberger, R. Sec .; C. F. Linnan, F. S .; John McCafferty, John O'Brien, and Wm. Bradford, Trustees; Carl O'Donnell, I. S .; J. W. Clancy, O. S .; Dr. T. J. Dower, M. E .; John Tolan, Treas .; and Rev. J. F. Brennan, Chap. The object of this organiza- tion is to promote friendship, unity and christian charity among its mem- bers.

FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WATER WORKS

The first call to service was on Sept. 6, 1895 when the building of R. E. Rosa was on fire, the second was Ken- nedy's elevator Dec. 26, '95, and the third the fire in the Presbyterian church Jan. 6, 1896. The whole num- ber of calls to which they have res- ponded has been twenty-seven, of which the principal ones were the burning of the tile sheds of Straight Brothers' and Ray- mond's house in 1898, the corn cribs near the Kennedy elevator in 1899 and the Kelley restaurant at the corner of Main and Second streets in January and March 1900. The first engineer was Peter Kurvink and he was suc- ceeded by G. C. Weber in April 1896.

The town well was sunk and the water tank erected in 1895. An addi- tional well that serves the purpose of

The Hose Company No. 1, of Fonda, a reservoir or a supply tank was com- was organized June 27, 1895 with pleted in March 1900. The city has twenty-three members as follows: G. now a very complete and satisfactory R. Reniff (Chief), A. G. Wood (Asst. system of water works. The water Chief), C. M. Carroll (Capt.), F. J. is excellent and its supply is so abund- Kenning (Treas.), H. C. Dorton, A. J. ant that it meets all the wants of the Sauter, Wm. Dunn, George Wendell, city and also of the two railways that Guy S. Robinson, George Kinney, intersect each other at this place.

386

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF POCAHON- known as the Agricultural Society TAS COUNTY.

of Pocahontas county, ten acres of The establishment of the Big Four land at Pocahontas and to sell ten District Fair Association, at Fonda, was the outgrowth of a number of acres more for the same purpose at a very reasonable rate. An executive propositions and efforts to establish committee, consisting of one man similar organizations in other parts of from each township in the county, the county during the preceding dee- was appointed to solicit stock as fol- ade.

lows: John Fraser, Powhatan; J.

As early as April, 1879, a proposition Hughes, Swan Lake; Peter Wendell, was made through the columns of the Bellville; D. C. Williams, Washington; W. J. O'Brien, Sherman; C. M. Saylor, Lincoln; J. P. Welch, Center; P. H.

TIMES to organize an Agricultural so- ciety by the people of Pocahontas, Sac, Calhoun, and Buena Vista coun- Bendixon, Clinton; A. F. Hubbell, ties.

Dover; A. L. Thornton and Rufus

During January and February 1883 Green, Laurens; H. C. Tollefsrude, several articles appeared in the col- Grant; Carl Steinbrink, Lizard; A. G. umns of the TIMES advocating the Maxwell, Colfax; Robert Struthers, Des Moines; Horace Chipman, Lake, and Wm. Marshall, Cedar.

organization of a County Agricultural Society, and on March 17, 1883, a pub- lic meeting, attended by twenty-five At the next meeting of this society, persons, was held in the school house held in the Court House May 19, at Rolfe, for that purpose. Articles 1883, officers for the first year were of incorporation were read and ap- elected as follows: C. M. Saylor, Pres- proved. James J. Bruce, who served ident; John Fraser, Vice President; as chairman of the meeting, tendered George Sanborn, Secretary and J. F. a donation of forty acres of land near Harlan, Treasurer. A board of direc- Rolfe to the society, and then they tors, consisting of one member from adjourned to meet at Pocahontas Cen- each township, was elected, and a ter on April 11th following. committee of four members was ap-

On March 31, 1883, a similar meet- pointed to prepare a constitution and ing of the citizens in the vicinity was series of by-laws for adoption at the held at Pocahontas and the articles of next meeting. incorporation adopted at this meeting

On November 10, 1883, this society were published in the next issue of the held an annual meeting at Pocahon- TIMES over the signatures of Oscar I. tas, and elected officers for the ensu- Strong, A. L. Thornton, O. A. Pease, ing year, which were the same as be- J. H. Heaton, Noah Morrison, M. F. fore, except that A. G. Maxwell be- Patterson, M. D., W. J. Cullen, W. G. came secretary in place of George Bradley, Samuel Lyons, W. C. Rals- Sanborn. The meeting adjourned un- ton, Louis Brodsky, C. M. Hunt, W. til January 12, 1884 and then this so- H. Hodges, J. W. Wallace, E M. ciety also went into "inocuous desne- Hastings and J. F. Harlan.

tude "

On April 10th, 1883, those represent- ing this organization met again at the

BIG FOUR DISTRICT FAIR.

In May 1888 the publie agitation of Bissell House, pursuant to previous a Fair Association was renewed by adjournment, George Sanborn, serv- the business men of Fonda, and they ing as chairman and J. F. Harlan as issued a call for a meeting in Mckee's secretary. At this meeting a letter Hall, on Saturday May 12, 1888, for from Warrick Price was read in which the purpose of effecting an organiza- he offered to donate to this Society, tion that should embrace Pocahontas

387

CEDAR TOWNSHIP.

and the three other counties that are tions had been provided for a large contiguous to Fonda. number of all kinds of stock raised on

In response to this call no meeting the farm. The cost of these improve- was held until Saturday afternoon, ments was $4,071.

March 15, 1890. On this date there

At the first exhibition there were was a large attendance of representa- more than a hundred entries of horses tive farmers and stock raisers from and swine, and nearly as many of cat- Pocahontas and the three adjoining tle. This liberal patronage was a , counties, and the meeting was organ- source of gratification and encourage- ized by the selection of Wm. J. Bus- ment to all who were interested in the by, chairman, and A. G. Wood Esq., enterprise and a similar exhibition secretary. A committee was appoint- has been held every year since that ed to prepare articles of incorporation date. As indicated by its name and and by-laws, another to solicit stock the representatives on its board of at ten dollars a share and a third one directors, this Big Four District Fair, to report the best site available for an has received the liberal patronage of agricultural fair.

the greater portion of the four count-

On March 31, 1890 the first meeting ies that have Fonda as their geograph- of the stockholders was held in Mc- ical center and most convenient trad- Kee's Hall, N. B. Post serving as ing point. The track has proved to chairman. The Big Four District be one of the finest and most attract- Fair Association was organized by the ive in the state, so that a large num- adoption of articles of incorporation, ber of the best trotting horses in it and on April 8th, officers were elected have participated in the races, at for one year, as follows: J. N. McLel- every exhibition. The grounds and lan, President; Hon. James Mercer, buildings are very convenient of access Vice President; A. G. Wood, Secreta- both from the town and railway sta- ry, and A. S. Wood , Treasurer. Ten tions, and many that have had the op- directors were chosen as follows; J. J portunity of inspecting those in other Allee (Newell), Foster Blackington localities have pronounced these as (Pomeroy), Col. Phil Schaller (Sac fine as any in northwest Iowa. City), Abram Burson, Wm. Bott, J. B. The following items relating to the Bollard, J N. McKee, E. Kay, M. W. finances of this association have been Linnan and Charles A. Zeigler. gleaned from the annual statements

On April 17th, 37 acres of ' land, lo- that have appeared in the local pa- cated west of Main street and south of pers. the railroad, were purchased for $1850 1890 1895 1897 1899 and on May 30th, stock to the amount Gate Rec'ts $1228 $1295 $1988 $1669 of $1,500 having been subscribed, ar- Privegs. etc. 952 995 829 200 200 rangements were made for holding State approps. 200 1605 the first agricultural fair, in Pocahon- Total Rects. 2280 2698 2390 3793 tas county, September 23 to 26, 1890. Shares sold 3490 548

The work of improvement advanced Premiums 1614 rapidly so that at the time of the first Attractions exhibition the grounds were enclosed Improv'mts. 3170 with a good fence, floral hall and an Expenses 518 amphitheater seating one thousand Debt and Int. 453 persons had been erected, a half mile *Includes expenses

1794*

2103

2177

265

206

212

870

341

504

296

781

track had been completed in the most This exhibit shows that the associa- approved style for the display of fast tion has added considerable improve- horses, and comfortable accommoda- ments and made substantial financial

388

. 5

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

progress during the last five years. out exception, the agricultural press The amount due on the grounds has of this state and all good people in been reduced to $1,100. Of the pre- every community now boldly express miums the amount paid for speed du- their disapproval of spending money ring the last three years, 1897, '98 and for these sensational and foolhardy performances, and protest against all

'99, has been $1,445, $1,317 and $1,565 respectively. The gate receipts on midway attractions at our county Thursday September 1, 1898, were fairs, because of their immoral tend- over $1,300 and it was estimated that nearly 7000 persons were present that day, which was the largest attendance encies, is one of the better signs of the times, and indicates that a reaction- ary movement has already commen- until that date. The special attrac- ced that has for its object, the promo- tions that day were an oratorical con- tion of the educational idea that test in which George M. Allee, of tends to enrich and the suppression of Newell won a two years' scholarship the sensational and immoral that in the college at Streator, Ill., always impoverishes. base ball games, bicycle races and a The succession of officers of the Big Four District Fair Association has been as follows: balloon ascension that owing to some unforeseen cause did not prove a suc- cess.

PRESIDENTS: J. N. Mclellan, 1890,

A special program of interest to the M. F. Patterson M. D. '91-92, Emmet public has always been provided for Kay '93-97, Thomas L Kennedy '98- the first day of the fair, and the sec- 1900. ond one has from the first been desig- nated as "old soldier's day," because

VICE PRESIDENTS: Hon. James Mercer 1890, N. B. Post '91, Elias on that day free admission is accorded Shutt '92, Capt. Jos. Mallison '93, Wm. Bott '94-96, Dr. D. W. Edgar '97, A. S. Wood '98-1900.

to every one of them. This is a recog- nition they have greatly appreciated and when they have formed and marched to the grounds in a body their numbers have surprised those who have witnessed the procession. In 1890 a campfire was held in the even- ing, and Col. Phil Schaller, of Sac County was master of ceremonies.

SECRETARIES: A. G. Wood Esq 1890 and '93, Capt Jos. Mallison '91-92 and '94-96, R. Wright '97-00; F. Thornton. TREASURERS: A. S. Wood 1890-92, Geo. E. Hughes '93-94, P. C. Toy '95-96, . G. R. Reniff '97-98, Geo E. Hughes '99 -1900.

During the last few years there has The present board of directors (1900) consists of Harvey Eaton, D. W. been a growing tendency to attract the attention of the public to the Edgar M. D., Charles S. Darling, Hon. county fairs in this section, by afford- James Mercer, G. R. Reniff, E. Kay, ing the people the opportunity to wit- J. P. Mullen, Charles G. Perkins, Jos. ness abnormal feats, such as a man Fuchs and Wm. Bott.

leaping from an ascending balloon or a FONDA BRICK AND TILE WORKS. horse diving from an elevated plat- The most important manufacturing form into a tank filled with water, etc. establishment at Fonda, is the Brick This suggests a demand for sensation and Tile Factory, of the Straight or something to awaken astonishment Bros., located west of the city water rather than that education which works. Early in the summer of 1894, should be the aim and object of an Lee S. Straight and his father, both agricultural fair. The fact that our of El Paso, Ill , visited this section of most successful farmers almost with- the state in search of a suitable loca-

JOHN D. CARPENTER, MERCHANT.

FRANK WHITE, COUNTY SUPERVISOR.

MR. AND MRS. DAVID C. LUCAS, MABEL (BUSH), EBEN, JENNIE (SAYLOR), AND HOWARD.

FONDA AND VICINITY.

FONDA BRICK AND TILE WORKS, STRAIGHT BROS., PROPRS. 1895.

RESIDENCE OF WM. H. HAIT, OLD ROLFE, IN 1900.

This building, erected by Mr. Hait in 1867, is believed to be the first frame dwelling built in- Pocahontas County. He sawed the frame lumber and sheathing at Old Rolfe, and hauled the siding, flooring and shingles from Fort Dodge. The carpenters were Thomas L. MacVey and W. D. McEwen. Mr. Hait, who appears in the rocker in front of it, still (1904) occupies it.

389

CEDAR TOWNSHIP.

tion for such a plant. They examin- terial in the form of crude clay enter- ed the clay at Fonda, and in several ing at one end of the factory and pas- other localities. Two months later sing through the processes of drying, Lee S. Straight and Guy H. Straight, grinding, screening, mixing, pressing, his brother, the two men who com- and cutting comes forth at the other pose the present firm, returned to end of it a perfect brick or tile. It is Fonda, and receiving from the town an interesting operation to all who council the promise of a certain con- witness it because, from the time the cession relating to the payment of clay in the pit is lodged upon the car taxes during the first ten yearsand an- on the inclined track, all the various other from the Town Lot and Land processes are accomplished with uni- Company, consisting of a grant of five form effect by machinery that is ad- acres of land valued at $500, on the mirably adapted for that special purchase of as many more by them, purpose.

they decided to locate at this place The car on the inclined track when and signed an agreement to erect a loaded ascends to the top of the clay- brick and tile factory that should house in response to the movement cost not less than $8,000 and manufac- of a small lever and there, striking a ture 50,000 brick or tile the first year trip, the bottom of the car opens and and afterwards one million annually. the clay falls upon a carrier that con-

About November 1, 1894, these two veys it to the grinding machines.

men, accompanied with their families,

These are so constructed as to located in Fonda and began the work throw out all large gravel and the of constructing the buildings. The ground clay, after passing through first kiln, containing 15,000 tile was two screens with very fine meshes, is burned April 1, 1895. The buildings carried to the mixers. For these pro- erected together with their machine- cesses the clay must be so dry it will ry, all of which is of the latest and not stick to the machinery. In the most improved style, cost $16,000, or mixer the clay is moistened with double the amount that was at first contemplated.

water according to the judgment of the man in charge of this operation,

The buildings consist of an engine The wet mixed clay drops into the room 28x30 feet, a clay house 40x60 press on the ground floor and there it feet, an inclined track from it to the is forced into smooth, shiny strips for clay pit, a press room, 28x30 feet, three brick, or long, hollow tubes for tile. dry houses, one 18x170 feet, one two

The smooth glossy surface is pro- stories 36x120 feet and a third one duced by a jet of steam as it emerges three stories 36x150 feet. three kilns from the mouth of the huge press. and an office.

The long strips or tubes then pass

The engine is of 100 horse power, the over the cutting table where they are boiler 125 horse power and they are automatically cut into exact lengths firmly set in solid masonry. An inex- for brick or tile. haustible supply of water is furnished Four men are required to receive the product as it comes from the cut- by a well 220 feet deep.

All the work, as far as possible is ting table and place it on the little trucks that convey it to the dry

done by machinery and the amount of manual labor required is small when houses. In one of the dry houses compared with the old style of manu- there are five tracks supplied with facture, nevertheless profitable em- eighty trucks that hold each 640 brick ployment is now given to as many as or altogether enough of brick or tile twenty-five workmen. The raw na- for one kiln. When a dry house has

390

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

been filled the building is closed and and the success they have achieved the exhaust steam from the engine be- have been well merited.

ing turned in through 17,000 feet of THE FONDA CREAMERY COMPANY. gas pipe laid underneath the floor, the If we consider the number of men temperature within is raised to 130 or employed, the people interested and 140 degrees, and in forty-eight hours the amount of money put in circula- the brick or tile are ready for the kiln. tion, the manufacturing interest at They are conveyed thither by the lit- Fonda, next in importance to the tle trucks and these when empty re-

Brick and Tile works, is the one rep- turn on a side track to the cutting resented by the Fonda Creamery Co., machine for another load. When a of which R. F. Beswiek has been the kiln has been tilled its doors are sealed, principal proprietor and manager the fire is applied and in three to four since the fall of 1889, when the com- days the finished product is brought pany was organized. The task this forth and placed, either on the rail- company undertook at that date was road ears that await their load on a to make a success of an industry of special side track, or in tiers within great importance to this community the yards to supply the local trade.

A spur from the main track of the C. M. & St. P. R. R. extends into the yards, and on it the cars of coal for the engine are run to the coal shed and those for shipment are loaded with the products of the factory. The brick and tile manufactured are of the best quality and they are shipped in every direction within a radius of seventy-five miles. The effort to sup- ply the demand hitherto has kept the works running at their full capacity.

All the buildings of this plant were

but which had proven very unprofit- able to its predecessors. The aecom- plishment of this difficult task for more than ten years, has revealed a business sagacity and courage that have been able to meet and successfully cope with difficulties previously in- surmountable.

The Fonda Creamery was built in 1881 by Sampson and French, of Storm Lake, who leased it when completed to Geo. L. Brower, a general merchant at Fonda. As this was the first creamery built in this section, as many as ten teams were employed to

erected and all of its machinery was collect the milk for it and they were selected and put in position by the distributed as follows; Two in the country around Pocahontas, three

Straight Bros., themselves. These facts show that they are expert ma- around Pomeroy, and five in the vicin_ chinists and builders as well as manu- ity of Fonda, During the first year facturers, During the five years the of its operation Mr. Brower sustained factory has been in operation they a loss of $6,600, and it was attributed have manufactured fifty to seventy. to the fact there was a continuous dos five kilns of brick (45,000 each) or tlle cline in the price of butter throughout (10,000 to 20,000 each.) annually and that entire year. During the previ- given employment to twenty-five ous year there had been a constant workmen. On October 20, 1898 one of advance in its price and this long the dry houses was destroyed by fire continued upward tendency had the but it was immediately rebuilt. The effect of stimulating not only the proprietors have given this enterprise erection of many new ereameries in their undivided attention and have different parts of the country, spared no pains or expense necessary but the manufacture in the cities of to make their goods of the best quali- cheap imitations of butter called but- ty. The confidence they have won terine and oleomargarine. 'The ex-

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CEDAR TOWNSHIP.

tensive sale of these bogus articles, to sixteen men during the summer before they were properly restrained and twenty-five during the winter.

by law, had the effect of demoralizing the market for the genuine product.

During the next three years this creamery was operated with serious loss by Michael Crahan, who in 1882 became the successor to all the busi- ness interests of Geo. L. Brower at Fonda. During this period the fact was realized that the method of test- ing the cream was very defective, worked constant injustice to the pro- prietors of creameries and in many instances involved them in heavy losses.

The creamery after remaining closed for two years was reopened in the spring of 1887 by Edward L. Beard who continued to operate it until Nov. 1, 1889 when it was again aban- doned as an unprofitable enterprise.

It is a well established fact that the creameries conducted on the Cooley cream gathering system once proved the most successful of any in the country and paid the largest net prof- it to the dairymen. 'The introduc- tion of the separator however was an improvement that increased their profit from 25 to 40 per cent.

In 1891 Iowa's dairy products were $33,746,100, which is $500,000 more than all the gold produced in the United States that year. In 1892 the railroad earnings in the state of Iowa were $37,405,171, and the dairy pro- ducts of the state that year rivaled that amount. In 1896 the dairy pro- duct of Iowa was $42,000.000, which was twice the amount of the silver product of the entire country that year.

The Fonda Creamery Company took The fact that this is a great dairy country is becoming clearer every possession of the Fonda creamery in the fall of 1889, on a lease for five decade. All agree that the soil is un- years. Under this lease the old inachin- rivaled either in richness or the va- ery was replaced by that which was new and improved, and a centrifugal separator was introduced to separate the cream from the milk. Soon after it was opened in the spring of 1890 put in successful operation in Wil- liams township, Calhoun county, the

riety of the grains and grasses it will produce, but all have not realized its great value and importance as a dairy district. The following facts connec- ted with the development of the busi- another creamery was established and ness of the Fonda Creamery Company serve to illustrate this truth and also great value of the cream? About that same time a butter fac- ery industry to this community. tory and storage plant for butter.

On balancing their books for their eggs and dressed poultry was estab- first eight months, May 1 to Dec. 31, lished in connection with the office 1890, they found they had paid the which is in Fonda. In the fall of that patrons of the Fonda Creamery $9,011 year the Fonda Creamery, together for milk. During the year 1895, the with ten acres of land on which the first one after the period of long con- buildings are located, was purchased tinued drought the amounts paid to and in 1891 another separator was in- some of their patrons by this compa- serted. In 1897 the business of this firm ny for milk was as follows:

was further extended by the establish- Henry Rix

$460

ment of a creamery at Sulphur Mrs. B. McCartan

290

Springs, and in 1898 by the purchase Henry Meyer

354

272

of the creamery in Douglas township, H. Helmbrecht Sac county. These various industries D. Focke 332

have afforded constant employment W. S. Young

200

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PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

Christ Meyer

312 tion had already won the enviable

A. Samuelson

S. Barron

Henry Becker

Pat Duffie

250

John Holyer

246

258 reputation of having achieved success 265 in all his previous business under- 252 takings. As year after year has pass- ed the people of this community have had ample opportunity of witnessing

John Lemp during the six months how well, as a man of affairs, he has preceding January 31, 1896, delivered sustained these high elements of at the creamery from fifteen cows 49, character. The task before him 159 pounds of milk and received $260. has been a hard one, but by close ap- Deducting the cost of hauling it four plication and a constant effort to miles, $48, his net receipts were $212 make the industry he represents a or an average of more than $14 for source of financial protit to every one each cow for the six months. of his patrons, he has proven equal to

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The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 51

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846 Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn
Number of Pages: 1058