USA > Missouri > Jasper County > A history of Jasper County, Missouri, and its people, Vol. I > Part 18
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THE FRANKLIN SCHOOL
During the 'forties a school district which embraced the greater por- tion of southwest Jasper county was organized and a log school built
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near Castle Rock. The school was on the south side of the creek and not far from the old Schifferdecker Garden.
In 1870, when the mining activities of Joplin were commenced, the district extended from Pilot Grove (now Mount Hope Cemetery ) on the north to the county line on the south, and from Harmony Grove on the east to where Schifferdecker Park is now on the west. This old log build- ing, although like most of the pioneer schools poorly furnished and without modern conveniences, housed a sturdy class of pupils, was pre- sided over by a number of good masters and sent out into the world a number of boys and girls who have achieved success. The following are some of the boys and girls who there learned their three R's: John C. Cox, Jr., capitalist ; B. F. Cox, attorney and retired capitalist ; Mrs. Alex
OLD COX HOMESTEAD (BUILT IN 1867). EAST TOWN, JOPLIN
Campbell (nee Josie Cox) who was, by the way, the champion speller of the school ; Mrs. Dr. Blackwell (nee Sadie Cox) ; W. S. Taylor, ex-county assessor and James Turk, Villa Heights booster.
MOFFET AND SERGEANT
During the spring of 1870 J. Morris Young, superintendent of the Grandby Company at Oronogo, offered a reward of five hundred dollars to the miner or company of miners who should mine the most lead from any one shaft during the four months from March 4th to July 4th, in- clusive. E. R. Moffet and John B. Sergeant won the prize. With this five hundred dollars for a capital they leased a ten-aere tract of land from John C. Cox in the Joplin Creek valley and commeneed mining for themselves.
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OLD-FASHIONED WINDLASS
FIRST ATTEMPT AT A HOISTER (A WHIP)
Vol. 1-10
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IHISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY
Messrs. Moffet and Sergeant pitched their tent in the Joplin Creek valley in August, 1870. Their first shaft was put down about five hun- dred feet north of the Broadway bridge over Joplin ereek and after several weeks of prospeeting, during which time their money was about all expended, they struek a fine body of ore. It is told by old timers that the shot which opened up this rich pocket of lead was borrowed, their stock of powder being exhausted.
The news of the Moffet and Sergeant strike spread over the neigh- borhood and soon a dozen miners were prospeeting in the Joplin Creek valley and the little eamp which sprang up naturally was ealled Joplin.
The Moffet and Sergeant strike proved to be a rich one and they soon ereeted a smelter to smelt their lead, the melted produet having a more ready sale than the raw material. The smelter was built near their first mine and not far from the site of the new Union depot.
January 1, 1871, saw about twenty prospectors in the Joplin Creek valley and by August, one year after the first strike, it was estimated that there were five hundred people in the eamp, most of whom were men.
FIRST NEWSPAPER MENTION
In its issue of June 22, 1871, the Carthage Banner makes this first mention of the new camp: "There is a new town in Jasper county. Its name is Joplin and it is located fourteen miles southwest of Carthage on the farm of J. C. Cox. It has lead in unlimited quantities under it. Everybody out of employment ought to go there and dig. That is het- ter than doing nothing and it may lead to fortune."
This first mention of the new bonanza attracted the attention of many and in an incredibly short time Joplin was a red-hot eamp, the Creek valley being literally filled with tents and small-box houses.
TOWN OF JOPLIN PLATTED
Seeing the richness of the mines on his farm and realizing the eom- mercial value of a permanent town, John C. Cox decided to lay out a small town and platted on the hill, just east of the mining activities, the original town of Joplin. The plat was filed for record July 28, 1871, and lots were at onee plaeed upon the market. The first lot was bought by Henry Bloekwell, lot No. 5, block 2, northwest corner of Cox and Central avenue, on which he built a dwelling house. The lot is now owned by P. L. Crossman and the house, which was remodeled in 1887 by Chancellor Livingston, the owner at that time, is one of the prettiest in East Joplin.
MURPHYSBURG, OR WEST JOPLIN
During the month of July, 1871. Patrick Murphy of Carthage or- ganized the Murphysburg Town Company, consisting of himself, his partner, W. P. Davis, C. W. Elliott and wife of Oronogo, and William Byers. A forty-aere traet of land on the hill west of the ereek was pur- chased and a town laid out and platted. The town west of the ereek was
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called Murphysburg. In August Murphy & Davis commenced the erec- tion of a store, corner of First and Main streets and there opened up a. general store on the completion of their building.
The field notes and the survey of Murphysburg were completed the 1st of September and the plat filed for record on September 4, 1871. The first lot in Murphysburg was sold to II. Gekchnacher, better known among the miners as "Moneymaker"-lot No. 4 on Main street, be- tween First and Second, on which he erected a building which he used for a bakery and lunch room.
The following story is told about the sale of the first lot in Murphys- burg. The lines were run by the surveyor, E. Lloyd, during the latter part of July, but the field notes and plat were not put in form until the latter part of Angust. As soon as the lines were run and a blue print of the new town made, lots were placed on the market and a number of
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FIRST JOPLIN HOUSE, BUILT BY MR. BLOCKWELL Picture taken in 1886.
them sold, the deeds being formally signed and delivered after the plat was filed.
On the 4th day of Angust Mr. Murphy and John S. Reynolds were at work putting up a store building at the southwest corner of Main and First, when Mr. Geldmacher, with three wagon loads of household furni- ture, baking utensils and confectionery stock, drove up and in broken German inquired for Mr. Murphy. Mr. Murphy asked what he wanted and on being informed by Mr. Geldmacher that he wanted to buy a lot, came down off the scaffold and showed him the blue print which had just been completed. They walked off to the south of the store a few feet and Mr. Geldmacher selected his lot and paid the price agreed upon. Returning to his teams he drove his effects to the lot and began unload- ing. As soon as the wagons were unloaded, Mr. Geldmacher began build- ing a bakeoven and after it was completed mixed a batch of bread and put in a bake. In the meantime, he put up a tent and lived in this until
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his house was built. Lumber for a two-story structure was purchased and carpenters were set to work to build a house which was to be used as a restaurant and bakery.
CLARK CRAYCROFT ARRIVES
Clark Crayeroft ate the first meal in the new hotel and relates the following interesting story about his first trip to Joplin: In June, 1871, Mr. Crayeroft was graduated from the State University at Columbia and was casting about to settle into some business or profession. A friend of his in Cooper county had inherited a farm in Jasper county near the present site of Carl Junction and was coming out to see it. He asked Mr. Craycroft to come with him on the trip. The drive over- land from Cooper county to Jasper took five days and they came to the
OPENING A NEW CAMP IN THE 'SEVENTIES
Spring river country about the early part of August. One morning, about the middle of the month, he started out with his rifle for a hunt. hoping to scare up a deer. At that time Mr. Craycroft had never heard of Joplin. He walked along the Center Creek prairie where he came to the old Manlove ford and, taking off his shoes and stockings, waded across the creek and came out in the woods south of the stream, walking south half a mile or so. Reaching the prairie between Center and Turkey creeks, partly from curiosity and partly because he thought that he could scare up a turkey, he crossed it and came to Turkey ereek. The water being shallow, he crossed and pushed on to the south, making his way up the valley now used by the Kansas City Southern Railway Com- pany for their traeks, came into the Kansas City Bottom and there dis- covered Joplin, which at that time was in the Joplin Creek valley. He walked on up through the mines and met John B. Sergeant at the old shaft where he and Mr. Moffet had first struck lead. He had a pleasant
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conversation with Mr. Sergeant, little dreaming that 'ere long he would be the son-in-law of the mining king.
FIRST MEAL AT "MONEY-MAKER'S" RESTAURANT
Mr. Crayeroft inquired of Mr. Sergeant a place to get his dinner and was informed that Mr. "Money-maker" was building a bakery and res- tanrant up on the hill. Arriving at "Money-maker's" place, he found that the building was not yet completed, or the furniture in place (two carpenters were then working on the building, one shingling the roof and the other making a table), and was informed that if he would wait awhile that he could be served, as one of the tables was almost completed. When the carpenter had finished the first able, he set it in place and wiped the shavings off with his earpenter apron. Mr. Craycroft drew up a chair. laid his hat on the floor, stood his rifle up against the wall and got a good square meal, the first one to be served in the eating house, which for twenty years after occupied a prominent place in Jop- lin history.
Mr. Crayeroft's visit to the mining camp made a lasting impression on his mind and, after having read law and been admitted to the bar, he returned to Joplin, arriving there the second time in April, 1875.
Mr. Craycroft, in relating his experiences to the author says: "I came to Joplin in 1875 with $4.65 in my pocket. My library consisted of two books and I possessed in addition, a silk hat and a long-tailed coat. The hat I lost in Shoal creek while saving a friend from drown- ing. The coat I wore out, but I still have the two books and the major part of the $4.65."
Mr. Craycroft is now a retired lawyer and capitalist, having a goodly portion of the world's goods and being eonnted by most people as a rich man.
MURPHYSBURG MAKES A RAPID GROWTH
The Murphysburg Town Company adopted a most liberal policy in the disposal of the lots and offered such easy terms of payment that they sold rapidly, and before the close of the year there were either built, or being built, some fifty houses in the town on the west side of the creek. Among other inducements which were offered by the west side company were the following : Main street was widened, being made eighty feet wide, thus offering better opportunities for the transaction of bus- iness. Desirable lots were sold on a small payment down and long time on the balance; and perhaps the most attractive offer-when a lot was sold, if the purchaser would build a house the company would make him a deed to the lot next to it.
In October, 1871, Messrs. Murphy and Davis built a smelter north of First street, about B and Joplin, and employed a large force of men.
THE JOPLIN MINING & SMELTING COMPANY
During the same fall a company, the Joplin Mining and Smelting Company, capitalized at $200,000 (mostly held by Kansas City parties).
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was organized and began the development of the land in Joplin Creek valley north of the Moffet & Sergeant and Murphy & Davis mines. The northern portion of the Joplin Creek valley has sinee been known as the Kansas City Bottom. The organizer and leading spirit of the company was John H. Taylor, who from that time to his death, was identified with the mining interests of Joplin. The Joplin Mining & Smelting Company soon aequired a large traet of land extending along the entire east side of Joplin Creek valley to Fourth street on the south, and on this land a monster addition was platted, the lots in the valley and west side of Moon Range (the crescent shaped west side of East Joplin Hill) being reserved for mining purposes and the ones on the hill for residenee property.
1871 drew to a close with the two towns-Joplin and Murphysburg and the valley between them-containing approximately two thousand people, an increase of one thousand five hundred since the platting of the two burgs. Both of the towns had about the same population and the rivalry between them was intense; in fact, the rivalry led to much ill feeling and did not die ont until many years after the two places had been united into one city.
JOPLIN-MURPHYSBURG (SPRING OF '72)
In January, 1872, there were in Joplin one general store, three groe- eries, one furniture store, one hardware store, one pawn shop, one cloth- ing store, one news stand, two liveries, one meat market, one boot and shoe store, one drug store, one dry goods store, one restaurant, one bak- ery, one doctor, one barber, one hack line, four saloons, smelters all in Valley Bottom.
At Murphysburg were: Four general stores, one lumberyard, one elothing store, one livery, one meat market, one boot and shoe store, one drug store, three smelters, four hotels and restaurants, one billiard and pool room. one doctor, two barbers, one blacksmith, and two saloons.
JOPLIN AS A MINING CAMP
All of the capital that was required to become a prospector and if suceessful, a mine operator, in the early day of Joplin, was a pick, a shovel and two willing hands. The mining was almost entirely shallow- digging, and ouly lead was sought for, the value of zine then being unknown. Every man who wished to prospect made application to one of the companies or land owners for a mining lot and signed the register which contained the contraet and record of sub-leases. The mining lots were usually two hundred by two hundred. The miner sunk at his own expense his shaft, and if successful paid to the land owner or company, as the case might be, a royalty or per cent. of the mineral turned in. The royalty at first was 50 per eent, but later was reduced as the number of mines and expense of mining increased.
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Among the prospectors who came to Joplin during the first year of its existence were a man and his wife, who were residents of Arkansas and were attracted here by the fabulous story of the new El Dorado. The man took a lot on the Moon Range and began sinking a shaft; when it was down about twelve feet he rigged up a rickety windlass and his wife hoisted the dirt to the top of the shaft-a willing worker with her hus- band and sharing with him the excitement and hardships of the pros- pect. When the shaft was down about twenty feet, he struck a rich poeket of lead and in two months' time had taken out $10,000 worth of mineral. When the mine was worked out, he and his good wife re- turned home and with their quickly amassed little fortune purchased a fine farm.
Alonzo Bradbury was another lucky miner on the old Moon Range. In his mine he dug out a large chunk of lead, at about fifty feet depth,
A HORSE HOISTER
which weighed over 4,000 pounds and it was necessary, in order to get it out without breaking, to enlarge the shaft, put up a temporary derrick and to use a block and tackle to hoist it to the surface, which was ac- complished with no little trouble, because machinery was a scarce artiele in those days.
The speeimen was taken from the Moffet & Sergeant land, was placed on a sled and drawn to the American House (Murphysburg's first hotel, southeast corner First and Main streets) and there placed on exhibition.
J. C. Gaston took out of his mine, also on Moon Range, a chunk of lead which weighed 1,080 pounds.
In the fall of 1872 a hotel, the Bateman House, was moved from Bax- ter Springs to Joplin and rebuilt in East Joplin at the corner of Hill and Galena Avenne. The hotel was managed by George H. Ruddy, later of the Joplin and Keystone hotels, was a popular hostelry, and continued the leading hotel until its destruction by fire, in 1875.
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THE REIGN OF TERROR
The two towns made a phenomenal growth and naturally where so many people were congregated, with no local government, "everything went." The miners about the eamp living as they did in a constant state of excitement, and without the refining influence of the home (for in most instances the family was left behind), plunged into a continuous round of merry-making and the lawless element, unrestrained by the officers, had everything their own way. Men who lived on the exeite- ment of frontier life flocked to the new town and gave the "future great" a bad name ; and so the winter of 1871-2 eame to be known as the Reign of Terror.
It must not be understood that all of Joplin's citizens conntenaneed these unlawful aets, or participated in all of the viees that existed ; for such was not the case. The great majority of the prospectors who came
BATEMANHOUSE
SE
JOPLIN'S FIRST HOTEL: GEORGE II. RUDY AND C. F. TAYLOR IN FOREGROUND
in 1871-2 were from southwestern Missouri and southeastern Kansas. They came from the stores, the work shops, the factories and the farms and were from among the best citizens of Missouri and Kansas, and, while they lived amidst the wild excitement of the day and in a way par- ticipated in the revelry. they were good citizens and composed the sturdy yeomanry who laid the broad foundation of a great eity.
As mentioned before, most of the men who came to Joplin in its early day left the family at home, for there were but few who expected to live here longer than to make a quick fortune and then return, but there were a few men, like John B. Sergeant, Pat Murphy and William Carter, who saw far into the future and who had an unshattered con- fidence in the mining industry and built for a greater Joplin.
During this period, when Joplin possessed all of the elements of a red-hot mining camp, it was no uncommon sight to see "Reekless Bill."
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"Three Fingered Pete," and "Rocky Mountain Bob" attired in regn- lar western frontier style. Street fights were common occurrences and occasionally the excitement was heightened by a shooting serap. It must be observed, however, that, considering the conditions that existed, there were bnt few murders, the lawlessness for the most part being good-natured revelry.
THE MAN OF THE HOUR
During the latter part of January, 1872, a little incident occurred which helped to bring the Reign of Terror to a close. A desperado, who styled himself "Dutch Pete," the bad man from Bitter creek, was ter- rorizing the town of Murphysburg. J. W. Lupton, a miner, who was prospecting on the Moffet & Sergeant land, was a trained athlete, a good shot, and, in the right cause, a good fighter. He was one of the citizens who thought that the time had come to bring the Reign of Terror to a close, and, on hearing of the depredations of the wild and woolly cit- izen, proposed to subjugate him. Although warned not to take a hand, he walked boldly up to the unwelcome stranger, after a desperate strug- gle threw him to the floor and, after tying the bully, disarmed him. The incident proclaimed Bill Lupton the man of the hour, and brought forcible to the attention of the citizens of the towns, the necessity of hav- ing a local government and officers to enforce the law.
A meeting of the good people was held and a resolution passed pray- ing the county court to make a municipal township of southwestern Jas- per county and to appoint J. W. Lupton as constable. At the February meeting of the county court Galena township was created. The town- ship included all of Galena township, as now organized, and the west half of Joplin township which was organized later. J. W. Lupton was appointed constable and I. W. Davis, late of Baxter Springs, and D. W. JJones, justices of the peace.
It is told by old-timers that Judge Davis, at the time of his appoint- ment as justice in Galena township, held a similar position at Baxter Springs and did not resign his Kansas commission or move his family here until after he had assumed the judicial ermine in Missouri. It used to be said in a joking way that the judge would hold court one day at Baxter and the next day at Joplin. Laying aside jokes, however, Judge Davis was a well-informed lawyer and made a good justice, and until the 'eighties figured prominently in Joplin legal and social life.
UNION CITY
The question was now agitated of consolidating the two towns and on February 27, 1872, a mass meeting of the citizens of both towns was held at Brazelle's store to discuss the advisability of incorporating as a town. The meeting, which was largely attended, was presided over by John B. Sergeant, and Messrs. P. Murphy, Jesse Shortess, W. M. Carter, Wm. Fallis and others spoke in favor of incorporation. A committee,
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consisting of H. Campbell, W. M. Carter, and P. Sehnur, of Murphys- burg, and Jesse Shortess and William Fallis of Joplin, were appointed to draft and circulate petitions praying the county court to incorporate the two towns under the name of Union City.
The petition was presented to the county court March 14th and that body made an order incorporating the town of Union City, which in- cluded both Joplin and Murphysburg.
The board of trustees appointed to hold until the general election in November, 1872, were Jesse Shortess, W. H. Fallis. Chas. A. Under- wood. E. R. Moffet and John S. Workizer.
On the 19th of the month the board went to the county seat, took the oath of office as trustees and organized by eleeting Jesse Shortess as president ; C. J. G. Workizer, clerk ; J. W. Lupton. marshal ; I. W. Davis, police judge and P. Murphy, treasurer.
Jesse Shortess, the executive officer of Union City, was born Jannary 16, 1820, at Wilkesharre, Pennsylvania. He received a liberal educa- tion and was especially gifted in mathematics. After the war he was elected a member of the legislature from Benton county, Arkansas, and served with distinction for two terms, advocating and championing, dur- ing his service in that body, laws in the interest of good roads and popu- lar education. He was by nature a peacemaker and endeavored, dur- ing his service as president of the board of trustees, to bring about a better feeling between the two towns. Mr. Shortess endeavored also to uplift the moral tone of the city. He died April 3. 1882.
The incorporation of Union City brought the Reign of Terror to an end, and during the year 1872 many improvements were made. Many men who before had hesitated at bringing their families to the "future great," now felt that the camp had permaneney and stability and brought their families to the new town. During the year also three new mining camps were opened up-Lone Elm. Parr Hill and Swindle Ilill.
EARLY LEGISLATION FOR UNION CITY
The board of trustees immediately passed a number of ordinances looking to the betterment of the town-enaetments against disturbance of the peace, "pistol-toting," drunkenness, ete .. and a small jail was built on Broadway between the two towns. The jail was made of two by four oak timber and had two apartments or cells.
THE FIRE PATROLS
Perhaps the most unique law passed by the trustees of Union City (one, too, which showed the originality of the pioneer lawmakers and likewise carried out the idea that "necessity is the mother of invention") was the ordinance which was designated "the Fire Patrols." The law provided that, for the purpose of protecting the town against fire, every man who operated a store or business house on Main street or Broadway should keep in front of his place of business a barrel of water and a
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bucket to be used in case of fire. When a fire broke out in any house, every man got his bucket, filled it with water and rushed to the scene of the conflagration. This was called the Bucket Brigade. If the fire Had not gained mueh headway, it was sometimes put out, but it will be readily seen that the fire-fighting apparatus was decidedly primitive. A destruetive fire in East Joplin, on December 22nd, swept away a whole business bloek, including a large hotel.
DISSOLUTION OF UNION CITY
While the organization of Union City brought the Reign of Terror to a close and helped to strengthen the confidence in the future of the mining distriet, it did not succeed in doing away with the rivalry and ill feeling betwen the east and west towns; many people in East Joplin elamored for a separate eity government east of the creek, claiming that the east side did not have the same poliee protection as Murphysburg. The bitterness grew, and, feeling aggrieved, some of the merchants of East Joplin refused to pay an occupation tax and one of the saloon keepers took the matter into court, seeking to dissolve the town on the ground that it had not been legally incorporated, setting up that the petition which was presented to the county court contained the names of many who were not bona fide citizens of the town. The case was taken to Barton county on a change of venne and during the month of December, 1872, was tried and decided against the town. The in- corporation of Union City was dissolved, and the old names of Joplin and Murphysburg were resumed. The last act of the corporation of Union City was to provide for the taking of the census of the town. The count showed that East Joplin had a population of 1,364 and Murphys- burg 1,343, and total 2,707.
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