USA > Kansas > Reno County > History of Reno County, Kansas; its people, industries and institutions, Vol I > Part 29
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
333
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
About the only thing this council did that was out of the ordinary was the establishment of a city scales. The agitation had been running through several years and the council of July 23. 1883, ordered such scales, and fixed the salary of the city weigh-master and the prices to be charged for the use of these scales.
The city council realized the importance of better fire protection, and realized further that the wind-mill and tank that the city relied on was inadequate, and ordered one fire engine, hose and other equipment for fire protection. The water was obtained by sinking well points along Main street, and connecting them with one pipe from which the water was obtained. A volunteer fire department was organized.
The city council at a meeting held on July 21, 1884, passed an ordinance to include land not in the original city plat as part of the city. This was the first addition ever made to the original townsite as it was laid out by C. C. Hutchinson in 1872.
The treasurer's report showed that the expenditures of the city for the previous year were $7,790.42: the total disbursements, $7.091, leaving a balance of $699.42 on hands. The items of receipts showed that the sum of $4.430.18 was received from the county treasurer as direct taxes: that $29 came from fines in the police court; $625. 11 from licenses: $594.55 from the sale of city script : $776.30 from occupation tax: $208.30 from the city scales, and $5 from dog tax. The expenditures were divided as fol- lows: General fund. $4.208.18: street fund, $1.514.67; interest fund. $1.299.04 : improvement fund, $69.11. The report also showed that during the year, $1,301.73 of script was issued in the street fund and $3.781.88 in the general fund; or. in a general way, the city expended $4.384.19 more than it collected. This necessarily resulted. later, in the issuing of bonds to take up the city script. some of which are still unpaid. The treasurer's report also showed the bonded indebtedness of the city to be $10,200, divided up into improvement bonds of $5.000; funding bonds. $4.000. and bridge bonds. $1.200.
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS GOT UNDER WAY.
The election of 1884 was a peaceful one. There was only one candi- date for mayor. S. W. Campbell, who polled 365 votes. The members of the council chosen were L. A. Bigger, L. B. Young, J. M. Mulkey. Wilson McCandless and E. Wilcox. George Barclay and L. S. Shields were candi- dates for police judge. Shields received 228 votes and Barclay, 238. H. Whiteside was elected city attorney, J. P. Dillon was continued as city clerk,
334
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
Toe Christ was chosen as city marshal and Tom Jarvis as street commis- sioner.
This year marked the beginning of many of the permanent improve- ments of the present time. Early in the life of this council the agitation for a waterworks system was started. A committee was appointed to visit other cities and look at their water plants. At a later meeting an ordinance was passed requiring either stone or concrete pavements of the present width ( fourteen feet ) on all Main street property between certain streets. All of the principal streets were brought to grade and guttering was ordered. Street sprinkling was started in a systematic manner. While there had been some sprinkling done before. it was done in a very inadequate manner. The council also, at the meeting on April 1. 1885. took the necessary steps toward getting the state reformatory located in this city, one of the things done in this connection being the appointment of a special committee. composed of T. T. Taylor. G. C. Miller and L. A. Bigger, to handle the city's interests in the matter of the proposed location of the reformatory.
The election held on April 8. 1885, resulted in the re-election of S. W. Campbell as mayor, over Dr. N. T. R. Robertson, Campbell receiving 394 votes and Robertson, 2440. E. Wilcox, L. A. Bigger. J. M. Mulkey. D. Mc- Kee and Robert Lacy were chosen councilinen. George D. Barclay was elected police judge against L. S. Shields. J. P. Dillon was re-elected city clerk and George Hern, city marshal.
On September 15. 1885, the council granted a franchise to the Inter- state Gas Company -- a franchise granting that company the right. for twenty- one years. to use the streets and alleys for the purpose of furnishing gas for heating and lighting purposes.
On October 5. 1885, the council passed ordinance No. 199, providing for a system of waterworks. This was the last step taken by the city for effective fire protection. It will be remembered that the first fire protection provided for the city was some furrows plowed around the townsite to pro- tect the city from prairie fires. The second step was the erection of a wind- mill and tank. The third step was a hand-pump with well points driven at various places on Main street, from which water was to be pumped. and then, this last ordinance, that provided for a waterworks system that is so constructed that it has met the demands of the city as it has grown from a village to a city, and is capable of expansion to any extent necessary.
So Hutchinson grew from a few scattered houses on the prairie to a city of the third class. It has made much progress toward its present con-
335
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
ditions. It has established the streets, guttered them, and put permanent pavements in front of them. It has established adequate fire protection for its property. It has straightened Cow creek through the city, and formed a more permanent outlet for flood waters. It has established a street-lighting system. Its population has grown to 2.300. The city considered at times that it would be made a city of the second class, in order that it might have increased authority over its local matters to provide for the increased popu- lation. It was made a city of the second class on March 25, 1886, and as such city of the second class it will be considered in a following chapter.
CHAPTER XLV.
HUTCHINSON, A CITY OF THE SECOND CLASS.
After the requirements of the statutes had been met, a proclamation signed by Governor John A. Martin, declaring Hutchinson a city of the second class, was received by the city council and was ordered recorded with the register of deeds of Reno county. This was done on March 26, 1886. and Hutchinson became a city of the second class.
The first thing necessary for the council to do was to divide the city into four wards. At the same time it was ordered that all houses be num- bered. This latter was also preparatory toward the establishment of the free delivery mail system. The first election as a city of the second class resulted as follows: For mayor, L. A. Bigger: police judge, T. A. Decker: city treasurer, W. T. Atkinson : treasurer of the board of education, E. A. Smith ; councilmen. first ward. O. Wolcott and D. B. McKee; second ward, R. A. Campbell and S. W. Campbell; third ward, Herman Beers and John B. Brown: fourth ward, A. J. Fisk and Frank Vincent. Charles E. Hall was appointed city clerk and James Mckinstry, city attorney.
Two important matters were up for consideration during this adminis- tration-one was the granting of a franchise to John Severance for a street car line, the other was the voting of bonds for aid in the construction of the Wichita & Western railroad, or what is now the Missouri Pacific railroad. Severance was granted the charter for a street car line on June 5. 1886, and the election for the voting of bonds for the Missouri Pacific was held on June 30, 1886, by which the city subscribed for fifty-one thousand five hundred dollars worth of stock in the Wichita & Colorado railroad, which was paid to the railroad company on November 23, 1886, when the road was com- pleted into Hutchinson. This included likewise the western extension of this road, which was constructed under the name of the Salina & El Paso rail- road. This council also submitted to the people the question of voting bonds for the Chicago, Kansas & Nebraska railroad, now the Rock Island, for twenty-five thousand dollars. This bond vote was of the same nature as that in behalf of the Missouri Pacific railroad, an issue of the city's bonds in exchange for the company's capital stock of equal amount. The council met
337
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
on July 21, 1886, and called an election for August 31, 1886. This election had the unique distinction of having had but one vote cast in the negative. The proposition received ten hundred and thirty-two votes favoring it, and only one against it.
The election held on August 8, 1887. the second under the city's charter as a city of the second class, resulted as follows: Mayor, L. A. Bigger ; police judge. J. S. Houser : city treasurer, W. T. Atkinson; treasurer of the school board, E. A. Smith ; councilmen, first ward, Hiram Constant ; second ward. O. Wolcott, long term: D. McKee, short term; third ward. J. B. Brown: fourth ward, Frank Vincent. Charles S. Hall was continued as city clerk, and George Hern as city marshal. The first matter of importance this council considered was the establishment of a sanitary sewer. It was esti- mated that the proposed sewer would cost forty thousand dollars, and it was to be constructed in such a manner that it could be added to as the city grew.
This council did what no other council has ever done. It paid the expenses of a committee of Hutchinson men who were in Chicago trying to secure the location of a packing-house in this city. No one ever questioned the right of the council to so appropriate money to obtain sufficient money and property to offer a bonus, and it was regarded as necessary to have this financial help from the city.
CITY'S BOUNDARY LINE EXTENDED.
During this year the boundary lines of the city were very largely extended, petitions for fifteen additions to the city being granted at one meet- ing in February, 1888. It was the beginning of the "boom," when town lots were laid out in every direction. Many of these additions were vacated after the boom in real estate collapsed. Some of them went back to farm land. In some the streets and alleys were vacated. The original corporate limits of the city were sufficient for a city of twenty times the size of Hutchinson : but of the additions to the city limits, there was no end in the early days of 1888. when there were more real estate men in Hutchinson than those engaged in any other occupation. The town was boomed by everybody. Values were inflated in such a manner that there could be no hope that those values would remain. But the council admitted every applicant for a place within the cor- porate limits of the city, on the theory that the newcomers would have to help support the city in taxes and the council of 1887 and 1888 denied none who knocked, but published the ordinances admitting them as fast as they were requested.
(22)
338
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
The council of this period came more nearly being one of "continuous session" than any the city has ever had. Besides the regular monthly meet- ings, special meetings were held almost every week, and on some weeks, two and even three times a week were they called together. The boom was on and when some real estate man wanted to plat an addition to the town, he induced three of the members of the council to call a special meeting. Per- haps no council in the city's history ever had as strenuous a time as the one of this period. Perhaps no other council acted on as many matters as did this council.
The election held on April 6, 1888, elected only the councilmen and members of the city school board. The mayor held his office for two years. The result of this election was as follows: Councilmen, first ward, :1. M. West : second ward. G. W. Hardy ; third ward, J. V. Clymer; fourth ward, W. E. Hutchinson. The members of the school board chosen at this election were: First ward, J. B. Allen : second ward, L. W. Zinn ; third ward, F. R. Chrisman : fourth ward, B. S. Hoagland. The mayor appointed the city offi- cers as follows: Marshal, George Hern ; assistant marshal, Eugene M. Rugg : city clerk. Charles E. Hall, and R. A. Campbell, city attorney.
The most important matter this council considered was the construction of a sewer system for Hutchinson. On November 26, the council passed an ordinance defining the sewer district. On January 22, 1889, the contract for the sewer was let and construction was soon begun.
ELECTION WARMLY CONTESTED.
The election held on April 5. 1889, was one of the most warmly con- tested ones in the history of Hutchinson. There were two candidates for mayor-Hiram Constant and J. F. Greenlee. Constant greatly outdistanced Greenlee, although it was confidently expected that Greenlee would be elected. Constant polled 1,361 votes and Greenlee received 933 votes. J. P. McCurdy, D. B. McKee, D. W. Holaday and J. F. Gardner were elected councilmen. D. W. Stimmel was elected police judge over four competitors. Mrs. Sadie Lewis was elected city treasurer. A. W. Robbins was chosen by the mayor for city marshal and A. A. Meredith for city clerk.
The council of this year had but little of importance beyond routine mat- ters. One of the most important was the voting of twenty thousand dollars worth of bonds to aid in extending the terminal facilities of the Hutchinson. Oklahoma & Gulf railroad, now the Hutchinson & Southern railroad. This bond issue was carried by a vote of 784 to 420.
339
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
On August 28, 1889, a franchise was granted to R. R. Price to manu- facture and supply gas to the citizens of Hutchinson for heating and illum- inating.
This year saw the beginning of the decline in values from the "boom" when prices for real estate were pushed up to a level for which there was no warrant. One of the factors that carried the inflation so far was the ease with which money could be borrowed. There were loan agents in abundance, handling Eastern money that then was so plentiful. There was not enough business in the county to justify the building that was carried on and as a consequence, as soon as the interest became due, it was realized that there were more houses, both for business and residence, than the town needed.
Out of the reaction there came two men who were never bothered by the terrors of a business collapse. One was Ben Blanchard. The paralysis of the boom in South Hutchinson, which Blanchard had largely built, impelled him to bore for oil. In his efforts to get oil he struck salt, and this was the beginning of the'salt industry that is spoken of elsewhere.
AN ENTERPRISING EDITOR.
The other man whose ardor was not dampened by the decline in real estate was Ralph M. Easley. The collapse of the boom had annihilated the prospective resources of the Hutchinson Daily News, of which he was the owner and editor, and Easley, like Blanchard, hunting around for some way out, of his own volition and without consulting any other citizen of Hutchin- son, telegraphed Dold & Company, of Kansas City, a cash offer of one hun- dred thousand dollars to build a packing house in Hutchinson. Dold answered Easley's telegram, and Easley, L. A. Bigger and Sam Campbell were appointed a committee to go to Kansas City and see Dold, and out of this struggling venture to hold on, finally came the packing-house, the lard refinery and the stock yards, also spoken of in another chapter of this history.
During that period, for the first and only time in the history of Hutch- inson, the mayor died while holding office. Mayor Constant died on January 19, 1890, and appropriate action was taken by an extra session of the city council. Mr. Constant, as noted in the resolutions passed by the council, was regarded as one of the benefactors of the city, and his care and consideration of the poor and unfortunate were especially dwelt upon. He was also com- mended for his unselfishness and devotion to the public, as well as to his private duties. J. V. Clymer, being president of the council, assumed the
340
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
duties of mayor until the regular annual election, when a mayor would be elected to fill out the unexpired term of Mr. Constant.
The election held on April 4, 1890, resulted in the election of John Ser- erance as mayor. He was the only candidate and received all but two of the votes cast. Frank Colladay was elected member of the council from the first ward: J. T. Norman, from the second ward; F. McCollom, from the third ward, and Samuel Matthews, from the fourth ward. Jerry Ballinger was appointed city marshal ; William Ingham was chosen as city clerk : Z. L. Wise was appointed city attorney and Fred Carpenter, city engineer.
There was little of public interest during this administration. The city ordinances were revised and the council spent the greater part of its existence trying some policemen for misconduct. They took the time of several meet- ings listening to the testimony in the case, when they might have suspended him in a few moments; but it was the demand of the chief of police, who, from the testimony introduced before the council, was more intent on getting evidence of misconduct on the part of some policemen than he was in looking after the vindication of the law. But the administration closed without "getting" any of the offending policemen.
COUNCIL AND MAYOR AT OUTS.
In the election of April 7, 1891, the following were chosen for city offi- cers: Mayor, R. A. Campbell ; police judge, D. S. Gibbs ; city treasurer, E. A. Smith : councilmen, first ward, D. E. Reid; second ward, D. B. McKee; third ward, S. J. Sipes; fourth ward, H. Miskiman. The mayor and council got into a wrangle at the first meeting. The council refused to confirm the mayor's appointments. After several meetings the officers of the city were appointed one at a time. A. R. Little was chosen city clerk. Jerry Ballinger declined the office of city marshal by reason of the council's refusal to confirm the mayor's appointment. At a meeting held on October 31, 1890, Mayor Camp- bell resigned and W. L. Winslow was elected to fill his place. This arrange- ment met with the approval of the council, for all members voted to accept the nomination. Though the record doesn't disclose the deal, it is recalled that as soon as Mr. Campbell's successor was elected he appointed the former mayor as city attorney, and by this means ended the row between the mayor and the council. Jerry Ballinger was succeeded by George E. Miller as city marshal. Resignations being a part of the activities of this council, D. E. Reid felt called upon to resign for some failure of the council to act as lie desired on matters he suggested. His resignation was unanimously accepted.
341
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
The election of 1892 resulted in the selection of Frank Vincent as mayor, and councilmen as follows: First ward, long term, Charles E. Brown ; short term, J. B. McCurdy ; second ward, W. L. Winslow ; third ward, long term. J. T. Norman, short term, David Holliday : fourth ward, James Myers. The following appointments were made by Mayor Vincent : City attorney. F. F. Prigg ; city marshal, George E. Miller ; city clerk, George D. Barclay. This council was a peaceable one: no friction developed and there was only one resignation, that of the city clerk, George D. Barclay, who resigned on December 20. W. R. Underwood was appointed as his successor. During this administration the number of the wards was increased to six. The con- demnation of some old board sidewalks, as a result of several accidents and resultant damage suits, was one of the principal acts of the council, and for the first time the city began to require permanent sidewalks of stone or brick. The drainage damage suits against the city also received the attention of the council, many of the people living below the city on Cow creek, into which ali the sewage of the city was emptied, having brought suit against the city for damages and for a permanent injunction against the city so disposing of the sewage.
CITY WARRANTS HEAVILY DISCOUNTED.
The city treasurer's report for 1892 showed the total receipts of the city for the year to be $11,463.48, and the total expenditures, $10,338.86, leaving a balance of $1, 124.62 on hands. There was no detailed report of either receipts or expenditures, nor was there any showing of the bonded or floating indebtedness of the city.
The election on April 6, 1893, resulted in the election of Frank Vincent as mayor ; councilmen, first ward, W. F. Wass; second ward, Marion Watson : third ward, D. H. Holliday; fourth ward, F. P. Hettinger : fifth ward, long term, C. A. Ryker; short term, H. Miskinnen: sixth ward, long term. J. M. Mulkey; short term, E. Edwards. The mayor appointed the following: City attorney, F. F. Prigg; city clerk, W. R. Underwood : city marshal, George E. Miller.
The records fail to disclose anything but routine matters during the existence of this council. The election of April 4. 1894, resulted in the elec- tion of the following councilmen : First ward, M. Hoagland : second ward, O. E. Comstock ; third ward, W. R. Bennett; fourth ward, J. M. Harsha : fifth . ward, H. Miskimen; sixth ward, E. Edwards. The appointments of the mayor for the other officers of the city were the same as that of the
342
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
previous year. The city's finances were in such a shape that city script was at such a discount that it became necessary to vote nine thousand dollars in bonds to take up the script then outstanding. Beyond the election and the mayor's veto of guttering ordinances, because of the bad financial condition of the city, this council did nothing of importance.
The election held on April 1, 1895, resulted as follows: Mayor, Frank Vincent : councilmen, first ward, G. W. Wright; second ward, M. Watson; . third ward, S. H. Holliday; fourth ward, A. L. Forsha; fifth ward, C. A. Ryker : sixth ward, H. W. Willett. John Anderson was elected police judge ; the city clerk and city attorney of the previous administration were reap- pointed, and S. V. Davis was appointed city marshal. Among the things this council did was to issue eighteen thousand dollars in city warrants to take up the city script that was being so greatly discounted. These warrants bore interest at the rate of six per cent. until paid by the city. The entire trouble with the city's finances was the loss of taxes caused by the shrinkage in values of property after the boom had collapsed. The city was constantly running behind in its financial matters.
Little interest was taken in the election of April 7, 1896, a very light vote being cast and only one ticket having been nominated. William Pells was elected councilman for the first ward; J. R. Campbell for the second ward: A. H. Foeltzer, third ward; J. P. Harsha, fourth ward; Walter Kile, fifth ward, and J. S. George, sixth ward. The appointive officers remained the same as during the previous administration. The financial matters of the city were finally adjusted by the city voting bonds for fifty-five thousand dol- lars to take up outstanding warrants and script.
The election held on April 4, 1897, resulted in the election of J. P. Harsha, as mayor, F. P. Hettinger being his opponent. The councilmen chosen were: First ward, J. W. Roberts : second ward, W. S. Randle: third ward, J. B. Baxter ; fourth ward, N. L. Hollowell; fifth ward, Jacob Schoen- feld: sixth ward. W. H. S. Benedict. W. R. Underwood was elected city clerk. Charles J. Noyes, police judge, and D. E. Benedict, city marshal.
MORE AID GRANTED RAILROAD.
During this administration the city voted twenty-five thousand dollars in bonds to the Hutchinson & Southwestern Improvement Company. These bonds were for the building of the depot for the Hutchinson & Southern railroad. This road had been using the Rock Island depot for its station. The depot was built by the Hutchinson & Southern railroad and for a couple of
343
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
years was so used by that road, but when the road was sold to the Santa Fe. the depot was discontinued and the Hutchinson & Southern, then a branch of the Santa Fe, used the depot of the latter road. Later this depot was sold to the Missouri Pacific, which formerly had its depot on Avenue D, and the Santa Fe discontinued the use of that depot and the Missouri Pacific began the use of the old Hutchinson & Southern depot.
The election held on April 8, 1898, resulted in the election of Jonathan Teter as councilman from the first ward: E. S. Handy, second ward ; A. H. Foeltzer, third ward; W. H. Kinney, fourth ward ; M. V. Whetzel, fifth ward, and J. P. Shunk, sixth ward. D. E. Benedict was elected city marshal, and W. R. Marshall. city clerk. F. F. Prigg was continued as city attorney.
The city council, on February 20, 1898, bought a building on Sherman street, west, lots 29 and 31, for city purposes, including council rooms, city jail, city clerk's office, police judge's office and fire department headquarters. The city paid thirteen hundred dollars for the two lots and the two-story brick building located on the lots. It also undertook to give Prospect Park to the Hutchinson & Southern railroad for roundhouse, shops, etc., but later it was discovered that the park could not legally be used for any purpose other than that for which it was given to the city, namely, for a park, hence the inability of the council to carry out the liberal offer it had made to the Hutchinson & Southern railroad. Otherwise there was not much of general interest developed in Hutchinson in 1898.
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.