USA > Kansas > Wyandotte County > History of Wyandotte County, Kansas, and its people, Vol. I > Part 35
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"And I further declare and proclaim that the first election of officers of said consolidated city shall be held on Tuesday, the 6th day of April, A. D., 1886. in the manner provided by the acts authorizing such consolidation.
"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and caused to be Vol. I-20
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affixed the Great Seal of the State. Done at the city of Topeka on the day and year first above written.
"By the Governor: JNO. A. MARTIN.
"E. B. ALLEN, Secretary of State.
"By W. T. CAVANAUGH, Assistant Secretary of State."
The original proclamation, as exeented by the governor and duly certified by the secretary of state, on Mareh 6, 1886, is on file in the office of the elerk of Wyandotte county.
THE FIRST CITY OFFICERS CHOSEN.
At the election held Tuesday April 6. 1886, under the proclamation of Governor Martin the first offieers to serve the new city were chosen :
Mayor-Thomas F. Hannan.
Clerk-John J. Moffitt.
Treasurer-Frank S. Merstetter.
Attorney-William S. Carroll.
Engineer-John H. Lasley.
Street Commissioner-John Wren.
Fire Marshal-J. K. Paul.
City Marshal-John Sheehan.
Police Judge-M. J. Manning.
Councilmen-Charles Bohl, W. T. Brown, William Clow, Edward Daniels, Thomas Flemming, Charles Hains, Samuel MeConnell, James Phillips, Cornelius Butler and Dr. J. C. Martin.
These officers were chosen to serve until a regular city election in April, 1897, and they were duly installed by Dr. J. C. Martin, who was mayor of Wyandotte at the time of its consolidation and therefore the provisional mayor of the new city.
ESTABLISHED WARD BOUNDARIES.
One of the acts of the first administration was the division of the city into six wards, as provided by laws governing cities of the first class in Kansas. The wards as then formed are described as below :
The First ward comprised all that portion of the city of Kansas City, Kansas, lying east of the Kansas river. First precinct: All that portion of the First ward lying south of the center line of the extension of Kansas avenue east of the Kansas river, ineluding the localities known as Toad-a-Loup and Greystone Heights. Second preeinet: All that portion of the First ward lying between the center of Lyon avenue (formerly Fifth street) on the north and the extension of Kansas avenue on the south. Third precinct: All that portion of the First ward lying north of the center of Lyon avenue, extending from the Kansas to the Missouri river.
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The Second ward comprised all that portion of the city lying north of the center of old Ohio avenue extended. and east of the center line of Fifth street prolonged to the city limits on the north. Fourth precinct : All that portion of the Second ward lying south of the center line of Minnesota avenue and east of the center line on Fifth street. Fifth precinet : All that portion of the Second ward lying south of the center of Virginia avenue, east of the center line of Fifth street, and north of the center line of Minnesota avenne. Sixth precinct : All that portion of the Second ward lying north of the center of Virginia avenue, and east of the center line of Fifth street, prolonged to the northern city limits.
The Third ward comprised all that portion of the city lying west of the center line of Fifth street, prolonged to the northern city limits, and north to the center of State avenue. Seventh Precinct : All that portion of the Third ward north of the tracks of the Chelsea Park branch of the elevated railway. Eighth precinct: All that portion of the Third ward lying south of the tracks of the Chelsea Park branch of the elevated railway, and east to the center line of Ninth street. Ninth precinct : All that portion of the Third ward lying south of the tracks of the Chelsea Park branch of the elevated railway, and west of the center line of Ninth street.
The Fourth comprised all that portion of said city lying be- tween the center line of State avenue on the north, the center line of Fifth street on the east, the center line of old Ohio avenue on the south and the city limits on the west. Tenth precinct : All that portion of the Fourth ward lying west of the center line of Ninth street. Eleventh precinet : All that portion of the Fourth ward lying east of the center line of Ninth street. and north of the center line of Tauromee avenue. Twelfth precinct : All that portion of the Fourth ward lying east of the center of Ninth street and south of the center of Tauromee avenue.
The Fifth ward comprised all that portion of the said city lying between the center line of the old Ohio avenue, and the old Ohio avenue extended on the north, the Kansas river on the east, the main line tracks of the Union Pacific railway on the south, and the city limits on the west. Thirteenth precinct: All that portion of the Fifth ward lying east of the center line of Mill street, and north of the tracks of the Riverview branch of the elevated railway. Fourteenth precinct: All that portion of the Fifth ward lying east of the center of Mill street, and south of the tracks of the Riverview branch of the elevated railway. Fifteenth precinct: All that portion of the Fifth ward lying west of the center line of Mill street.
The Sixth ward comprised all that portion of said city lying south of the main line tracks of the Union Pacific Railway and west of the Kansas river. Sixteenth precinct : All that portion of the Sixth ward lying west of the center line of Coy street (formerly Fourteenth street,
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Armourdale). Seventeenth precinct : All that portion of the Sixth ward lying between the center line of Coy street on the west, and the center line of Fourth street (formerly Seventh street, Armourdale) on the east. Eighteenth precinct : All that portion of the Sixth ward lying east of the center of Fourth street.
THE FIRST REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTION.
At the first regular election held in Kansas City, Kansas, in April, 1887, Mayor Thomas F. Hannan, Clerk John J. Moffitt, Treasurer Frank S. Merstetter, Attorney W. S. Carroll, Fire Marshal J. K. Paul and Street Commissioner M. J. Manning were elected for a term of two years. A. W. Boeke was chosen city engineer at that election to suc- ceed J. H. Lasley. The councilmen ehosen at this election were : First ward, James Sullivan and James Phillips; Second ward, Charles Bohl and Charles Scheller; Third ward, Dr. J. C. Martin and James Varner ; Fourth ward, Joseph Peavey and Joseph C. Welsh ; Fifth Ward, L. F. Martin and William Miller, and Sixth ward, Thomas D. Kelley and M. G. McLean.
THE METROPOLITAN POLICE.
The police department on April 15, 1887, was placed under control of a board of police commissioners appointed by the governor, under what was known as the Metropolitan police law enaeted by the legisla- ture of 1887. The first commissioners were William A. Simpson, J. W. Longfellow, and George W. Bishop. The commissioners appointed P. K. Leland police judge and O. K. Serviss chief of police, and organ- ized a Metropolitan police force. This same police administration was continued with few changes of commissioners and heads of the depart- inents until the Metropolitan police act was repealed in 1899 and the police department was placed in control of the mayor and council.
The system of municipal government provided by the charter laws underwent few changes for twenty-four years, public improvements were made, and the fire and police forces, as well as those of other departments, were enlarged as the growth of the city demanded.
THE ANNEXATION OF ARGENTINE.
The area of Kansas City, Kansas, was increased by the extension of the limits at different times to take in adjoining additions until, in 1909, the territory embraced in the city extended west from the Missouri river to Eighteenth street which was the western boundary.
In 1909 there was another notable movement for enlarging the city. It was then that the citizens of Argentine decided to annex their
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city to Kansas City, Kansas. This declaration was followed by the necessary ordinances and on January 1, 1910, Argentine became a part of Kansas City, Kansas, and was designated as the Seventh ward.
About this time, Quindaro, Midland Park, Chelsea Place and several additions on the north, west and south, increased the area of the city to seventeen and one-half square miles, with a west boundary at Thirty-third street.
OFFICIALS OF THE CITY.
Since the organization of Kansas City, Kansas, in 1886, the follow- ing have served as mayors :
Thomas F. Hannan, 1886-9.
William A. Coy, 1889-91.
Thomas F. Ilannan, 1891-3.
Nathaniel Barnes, 1893-5.
George J. Twiss, 1895-7.
Robert L. Marshman, 1897-1901.
William II. Craddock, 1901-3.
Thomas B. Gilbert, 1903-5.
William W. Rose, Edward E. Venard and Dr. George M. Gray, 1905-7.
Dudley E. Cornell, 1907-9.
Ulyssus S. Guyer, 1909-10.
James E. Porter, 1910-13.
Those who have served the city in other offices since the date of organization are:
City Attorney-W. S. Carroll, H. L. Alden, A. H. Cobb, L. C. True, K. P. Snyder, T. A. Pollock, F. D. Hutchings, Marvin J. Reitz, S. R. Nelson and W. L. Winship.
City Counsellor-II. L. Alden, L. W. Keplinger, Winfield Freeman, James N. Rees, K. P. Snyder, George B. Watson, T. A. Pollock, J. W. Dana, E. S. McAnany, H. L. Alden, L. W. Keplinger and Richard Higgins.
City Clerk-J. J. Moffitt, Benjamin Schnierle, William Albright, B. L. Short, George E. Yeager, E. R. Ireland, William B. Trembley, P. J. Nugent, George Foerschler, Jr., J. E. Smyth and Girard Little.
City Treasurer-F. S. Merstetter, Chas. P. Dennison, John W. Ferguson, John A. Adams, Lillian J. Adams, Tiera Farrow and Kate Daniels.
City Engineer-J. H. Lasley, A. W. Boeke, Charles A. Ellis, Francis House, S. G. MeLoon, Robert L. MeAlpine, S. G. MeLoon, R. L. MeAlpine and William Barclay.
Chief of Fire Department-J. K. Paul, W. J. Hill, J. K. Paul, C. E. Staub, Larkin Norman, Jerry Grindrod, Larkin Norman, T. B. Bowl- ling and John McNarry.
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Chief of Police-John Sheehan, O. K. Serviss, S. S. Peterson, C. P. Dennison, W. T. Quarles, O. K. Serviss, W. T. Quarles, Robert J. MeFarland, Ilenry T. Zimmer, A. J. Murray, Vernon J. Rose, D. E. Bowden, W. W. Cooke and H. T. Zimmer.
Police Judge-M. J. Manning, P. K. Leland, S. S. King, P. K. Leland, M. J. Manning, W. H. M.Cammish, T. B. Bowling, W. B. Trembley, John T. Sims and J. L. Carlisle.
City Assessor-J. C. Bailey, Frank Mapes, W. H. Bridgens, Harry Darlington, William Pray, D. W. Troup, H. T. Zimmer and George Stumpf.
Street Commissioner-John Wren, M. J. Manning, C. Patterson, H. F. Johnson, W. N. Woodward, W. B. Garlick, William Rodekopf, James A. Young, James E. Porter, A. R. MeClaskey, H. S. Swingley and C. Patterson.
Commissioner of Election-W. B. Taylor, Robert C. Foster, S. S. King, R. J. McFarland and W. W. Cooke.
Police Commissioners-R. W. Hilliker, W. A. Simpson, J. W. Longfellow, George W. Bishop, Hinton Gordon, A. W. Cunningham, William Pray, George W. Mitchell, John Caskey, Leonard Daniels, Wil- liam S. Gress, O. Q. Clafflin, J. L. Sterrett, O. J. Peterson and H. S. Swingley.
GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION.
A notable event in the history of the progress of Kansas City, Kansas, was the adoption by the voters of the city at a special election early in 1910 of the Commission form of municipal government. The act of the Kansas legislature, which was the charter under which cities adopting the system are operated, provided for a mayor commissioner and four other commissioners, each to have charge of a particular department of municipal affairs and to be held responsible for their management. At the election held in April, 1910, these commissioners were elected : James E. Porter, mayor commissioner; James A. Cable, commissioner of water works and public lighting; Charles W. Green, commissioner of finance and revenue; Ilenry E. Dean, commissioner of parks, health and public property; and Otto Anderson, commissioner of streets and public improvements.
Three days after the election Mayor U. S. Guyer and the twelve members of the council gave over the management of the city to the commissioners and retired. The water board gave over control of the water works and the park board afterwards surrendered control over the parks and boulevards to the commissioners.
The inauguration of the new rule brought many radical changes from the former council system. By a division of the responsibility of management and the close application of each commissioner to his
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duty the city's affairs were placed on a business basis, its floating debt paid and its expenses kept within its revenues.
At the end of the first year of the new rule Mayor Commissioner Porter and Commissioners Cable, Dean and Anderson were re-elected for terms of two years. Mr. Green, who had made a splendid record as commissioner of finance, retired with honor to devote himself to his business interests. James E. Caton was chosen as his sneeessor.
CHAPTER XXVII.
OUTSIDE OF KANSAS CITY.
ROSEDALE, AN INDEPENDENT CITY-MAYORS FOR THIRTY-FOUR YEARS -A PICTURESQUE LITTLE CITY-ROSEDALE SCHOOLS-CHURCH HISTORY -A CITY OF HOMES-A GREAT MEDICAL SCHOOL AND HOSPITAL-RAIL- ROAD TERMINALS-THE OLD ROLLING MILL OTHER INDUSTRIES-A PIONEER FOR KANSAS GOOD ROADS-BONNER SPRINGS, THE ANCIENT QUIVIRA-THE FIRST COMMERCIAL CENTER-THE FAMOUS FOUR HOUSES -THE TIBLOW FERRY-THE CELEBRATED SPRINGS-TOWN ORGANIZED- CITY ORGANIZED-DISCOVERY OF NATURAL GAS-LAKES AND PARKS- CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS-FIRST RURAL MAIL DELIVERY THERE -- OTHER TOWNS IN WYANDOTTE COUNTY.
Rosedale, with a population of 5,960 by the 1910 United States census, is the only Kansas municipality at the state line in Wyandotte county that has failed to give up its identity and be annexed or merged into the larger city, Kansas City, Kansas, which now eovers the eastern part of Wyandotte county in the fork of the Missouri and Kansas rivers. Wyandotte, the old City of Kansas City, Kansas, and the ambitious city of Armourdale, all gave up their individuality in 1886 and were merged into Kansas City, Kansas. Argentine, the busy city on the south of the Kansas river, gave up on January 1, 1910, and came into the same municipal fold. Then historie old Quindaro, Chelsea Place, Midland Park and other adjoining communities were absorbed.
ROSEDALE, AN INDEPENDENT CITY.
But Rosedale, at this writing, is a separate city, and, although some of its citizens favor annexation, there is little likelihood that such a thing will soon come to pass. The high bluffs on the south side of the Kansas river have been a barrier to intercommunication, by direet high- way or street railway, between the peoples of the two cities, and al- though the limits adjoin there never has been that community of in- terest that would make one city and one people of the two corporations.
Rosedale proper covers a small area, so far as its corporate limits extend, but in reality it is one city from the southern boundary line of
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Kansas City, Kansas, to the northern line of Johnson county, extending from Kansas City, Missouri, on the east more than two miles west. It is a part of the territory that was occupied by the Shawnee Indians and the half-century before Rosedale was builded was rich with historie interest.
THE TOWN'S FIRST START.
Rosedale was platted, in 1872, by James G. Brown and A. Grand- staff, then owners of the town site. The description of the area was : "South half of the southwest quarter of section 27, northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 34, township 11, range 25 east ; also a strip of land on the south part of the north half of southwest quarter of section 27, township 11, range 25 east."
A boom of the town was commenced in 1875, as the Kansas City Rolling Mills were located there in that year. It was not until the year 1877, however, that the city contained the necessary population of six hundred to demand a government under the act authorizing the crea- tion of eities of the third elass. On August 3rd, of that year, Judge Iliram Stevens ordered an election for the 28th of that month, which resulted in the selection of the following city officers for the ensuing year: Mayor, D. S. Mathias; councilmen, John Hutchison, Sr., IIenry Juergens, William Bowen, John Haddock and Benjamin Bousman ; police judge, Edward Blanford; city clerk, William Dauks.
MAYORS FOR THIRTY-FOUR YEARS.
Since that time Rosedale has continued to maintain a municipal government under which it has grown to its present proportions, and the men who have served as mayor, with the dates of their election, are named herewith :
D. S. Mathias, 1877.
W. B. Mathias, 1894.
D. E. Jones, 1882. John Robinson, 1896.
W. C. Boyer, 1883. J. M. Kilmer, 1899.
D. E. Jones, 1884. Newell E. Smith, 1901.
W. H. Spencer, 1885. B. M. Barnett, 1903.
D. E. Jones, 1886.
II. E. Kiefer, 1905.
E. F. Bryant, 1907.
E. J. Eieholtz, 1909.
D. E. Jones, 1892. Sammel Classen, 1911.
A PICTURESQUE LITTLE CITY.
B. M. Barnett, 1889.
J. M. Kilmer, 1890.
The original town was located entirely within the then quiet peace- ful valley that was almost entirely surrounded by high bluffs whose
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summits and slopes were covered with forest trees, while from the val- ley to hilltops, in every ravine and crevice and covering every rock, banked high, was a perfect bower of wild roses. From this Rosedale derives its name.
When first laid out Rosedale was small and between it and Kansas City were miles of farms, and it was a busy, bustling town, everybody made money and everybody spent it, and there was a rollicking, jolly appearance of prosperity evident npon every hand. But the rolling mill failed in business, moved away and Rosedale discarded her appear- ance of prosperity and gradually lapsed into a state of decay. But this was not to last. The phenomenal growth of Kansas City in the eighties began to be felt in Rosedale, and new people moved in, taking the place of those who left with the mill, until, in 1897, Rosedale's population reached 2,200. About this time the eity was changed from third class to second class and then the real and substantial prosperity began. Newell E. Smith was elected mayor and served four years, and in rapid succession followed a water works system, owned by the city. A telephone exchange was established, and instead of seven telephones there are now over two hundred and fifty. The old gasoline street lamps gave way for are lights, and the old fourth class post office has been abandoned and a strictly modern and first class office established in its stead, with carrier service, both city and rural. The principal streets have been paved with modern pavement and a sewer system is being built. Besides all these there have been builded mills, elevators, railroad yards and railroad shops, factories and business houses, and the state of Kansas is now erecting a medical college to be surrounded by a group of hospitals and a training school for nurses. In time this will be the greatest medical institution of the west.
ROSEDALE SCHOOLS.
The board of education in Rosedale is composed of ten members. Two are selected from each of the four city wards and two are selected from the outlaying districts. In 1907 the city possessed a high school building, erected the year before at a cost of $25,000, and three ward schools. Twenty-five teachers were employed in these schools and the en- rollment was about 1,230 for the opening day. In 1906 twenty-two teach- ers were employed, with 1,220 enrollment. There are four teachers em- ployed in the high school. George E. Rose was superintendent of schools.
CHURCH HISTORY.
The First Methodist Epicopal church of Rosedale, Kansas, was organized in the winter of 1879, with a membership of thirty, and the first pastor in charge was C. W. Shaw, formerly of Sabetha, Kansas,
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who, being a carpenter by trade, built the old church located on Ilen- ning avenue, which was dedicated July 5, 1880. Services have been held continuously in the church from that time until the present. Realizing that the old church had outlived its usefulness, being too small to accommodate the Sunday school and seeing the need of a larger and more commodious building, steps were taken to build a new stone church on Kansas City avenue, and on the 6th of October, 1907, the corner stone, was laid by the "Old Men's Association." On March 29, 1908, the new First Methodist Episcopal church was dedicated, with a membership of three hundred.
The Walnut Street Methodist Episcopal Church South is one of the oldest and most prosperous religious organizations in Rosedale. The church is at Walnut street and Florence avenue. It has a membership of about 400 and the pastor, in 1911, was the Rev. John K. Beery.
Other Methodist churches are the African Zion, at Bluff street and Lafayette avenue, the Bethel church at 245 Valley street, and the Wesley Chapel, colored, at Shawnee avenue and Summit street.
The Baptists have five churches: The Rosedale Baptist at South- west boulevard and Wyandotte street; the Pleasant Valley Baptist, at No. 1013 Bluff street ; the Baptist Mission, at No. 346 South Row; the Colored Baptist, at No. 537 Tangent avenue.
Other religious denominations represented are : The Congregational church, in Maple Leaf addition; Malvern Hill Latter Day Saints church, at Forty-second street and Hudson avenue; Bethsada ehapel, at Forty-second and Fisher avenue; the Christian Alliance Mission, at Thirty-fifth street and Southwest boulevard.
The Holy Name Catholic church, at Kansas City avenue and Shaw- nee boulevard, is the oldest church in Rosedale. It has a beautiful stone edifice and a good parochial school. The Rev. Father Dornseifer is the parish priest.
A CITY OF HOMES.
Rosedale is now a city of pretty homes, neat business houses, banks and offices, well paved streets, sewers, sidewalks, churches, sehools, rail- roads and industries that combine in the making of a busy little city. The Southwest boulevard built as a great highway from Main street in Kansas City, Missouri, to the southwest, runs through Rosedale. It was given to the city in the early days by Dr. Simeon B. Bell, pioneer advocate of good roads and Rosedale's wealthiest eitizen and benefactor. It is traversed by a Metropolitan street railway line to the heart of Kansas City, Missouri, and also by the Interurban railway to Merriam, Shawnee and the southwest.
The secret societies of Rosedale are represented by the following : Interstate Lodge, I. O. O. F .; Council No. 647, Knights and Ladies of Security ; Modern Woodmen of America, No. 6062; the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and the Nu Sigma Nu medical fraternity.
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A GREAT MEDICAL SCHOOL AND HOSPITAL.
The Eleanor Bell Memorial IFospital and the Medical School of the University of Kansas, built in the last five years, have brought recogni- tion to Rosedale throughout the United States as a seat of learning in medicine and surgery. These institutions were made possible by the
ELEANOR BELL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
benefactions of Dr. Simeon B. Bell, and, although only a part of the great plan has been worked out, the buildings already erected and equipped have cost more than $100,000. It is in the hospital, the lab- oratory and the clinical school that many noted cases are treated, and many of the celebrated discoveries beneficial to science are made.
RAILROAD TERMINALS.
Rosedale has many things that distinguish it as being something more than a mere place in which to reside, or as a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. The Saint Louis & San Francisco and the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad systems have their extensive terminals along the valley through Rosedale, with their yards, shops, roundhouses and terminals contributing to the employment of labor, as well as to the industrial and commercial life of the city.
THE OLD ROLLING MILL.
The buildings of the Kansas Rolling Mill Company, which once occupied all the Turkey Creek valley near where Kansas City avenue
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now turns to the west, have disappeared one by one. The old mill onee employed 1,500 men. It was built in 1875 for the purpose of working over old railroad iron. The village grew up around it. There were no street-car lines then to hurry the people of Rosedale to the business section of a big city nearby, and it was an up-hill drive to Westport, the closest place. So the rolling mill company had its store. The mill used to be one of the sights, and parties would drive out to see the red- hot rails re-rolled. The railroads used iron rails in those days, and as they were worn down new ones were made by working old ones over. The mill also made stoves and other articles of iron in common use.
The mill proper closed in 1883, as a result of legal disputes among the members of the company. The old buildings stood idle for some time. Then part of them were torn down and others were moved aeross the tracks of the railway yards, and re-opened by the Kansas City Wire and Iron Works. The property has now been taken over by the Illinois Steel Company, which held a mortgage on the wire and iron works. The machinery has been sent to St. Louis. The old building is to be torn down and the ground feneed up.
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