USA > Missouri > Jasper County > A history of Jasper County, Missouri, and its people, Vol. I > Part 23
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Following Mr. Burr came W. B. Cochran and R. A. Thomson as pas- tors. During the ministry of Mr. Thomson, a front vestibule was put in, a new flue built, the ceiling lowered to improve the acoustics, chairs re- varnished and the house overhauled in general. Then came T. E. Shep- herd, J. T. Boone, W. W. Blalock, W. W. Carter and J. M. Rudy. Mr. Rudy was unusually successful in his work and to accommodate the people the house was enlarged, a baptistry put in, two dressing rooms added, house carpeted, papered and partially seated with opera chairs.
Then came Melanethon Moore, C. H. White and J. W. Glarrell as pastors. Besides these men the following evangelists have held meetings here : J. Cunningham, H. C. Patterson, A. D. Moore, and J. R. Speek.
(The sketch of the Christian church will be continued in the chapter on the 'nineties.)
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
St. Philip's Episcopal church was organized February 22, 1874, by the Rev. R. C. Wall of Carthage. Services were held alternate Sundays at Vol. 1-13
.
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various rented places until 1877, when they were for a time discontinued on account of financial difficulties, the membership of the church being small.
THIE CATHOLIC CHURCH
In 1875 Rev. Father O'Riley came to Joplin and took the pastorate of the Catholic church, holding his first meetings in Howell's Hall, East Joplin. Services were continued there until 1877, when the parish moved to the church building which had been completed at the corner of Eighth and Wall streets.
Father O'Riley was a zealons worker and labored faithfully for his church. The author remembers him well and recalls with pleasure the splendid advice he gave him and other school boys who were playing one day near the ehreh.
At the time of the dedication of the Catholic church the congregation had grown to one hundred parishioners.
THE BAPTISTS
On November 26, 1876, Rev. F. A. Bowman of the Spring River As- sociation, preached at Howell's Hall, East Joplin, and at the elose of the sermon invited all who would assist in forming a Baptist church to come forward. The following were the original members of the First Baptist church : Amanda E. Fike, T. A. MeClelland, Richard Walsh, Caleb Brooks, Cynthia Brooks, Win. B. Beasley, Caroline Beasley, Spencer Forshua, Martha Forshua, Sarah Martin, Robert G. Hyde, Elizabeth Hyde, May S. Piekett, Kate N. Tousley, and Andrew J. Martin.
The Council of Recognition which was called to formally recognize the church comprised Rev. J. W. Wilkes, W. T. Thomalsen and Rev. Bowman.
After the church was formally organized, Rev. Bowman was ealled as pastor and preached for the congregation one Sunday in each month. No church was built during the 'seventies, the services being held in a rented hall.
BUILDING OF THE TABERNACLE
During the fall of 1876 Rev. J. C. Plumb came to Joplin for the pur- pose of reorganizing, or more properly speaking, of gathering together the few members of the Congregationalist society in the city and estab- lishing a church of their denomination. The congregation gathered by the Rev. Gutton had never formally organized a church.
Beginning October 2nd, Rev. Plumb began a series of meetings in the Joplin Theater, continuing for eleven weeks. These meetings were sue- cessful and a large congregation was built up. Rev. Plumb now saw that this was the opportune time to ereet a church home, and accordingly a committee, consisting of John B. Sergeant, A. M. Haswell and W. L. Carver. was appointed to raise funds for a building. The congregation which attended Rev. Plumb's meeting was largely gathered from all
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denominations and it was decided to organize a non-sectarian society under the name of the Tabernacle Church of Joplin, $2,900 was raised. $600 was spent for a lot, corner of Fourth and Virginia, the site of the Landreth Machine Company, and $2,300 was used for building and fur- niture, a part of which was borrowed. The structure, a large one-room box frame building was sixty-six by forty feet, set off with a vestibule and a bell loft in front, which gave it a church-like appearance.
The room was not at first finished on the inside. It was used for the first time Sunday, December 31, 1876, the Rev. Robert West of St. Louis preaching the dedieatory sermon. The following were among the mem- bers of the Tabernacle church : J. C. Plumb and wife ; John B. Sergeant and wife ; A. M. Haswell and wife; C. F. Jennings ; Sarah Robinson ; Geo. W. McCoy and W. R. Frobish.
The church policy was liberal and the several members were permitted to think and freely express themselves on the several isms which divided the church relative to baptism, ereed, daneing, ete.
The old Tabernacle church was not a pretentious looking building, nor was it handsomely furnished, but it was very near and dear to the hearts of the great mass of Joplin people. For the want of a town hall the church was largely used for public gatherings of all kinds and the people came to look upon the old Tabernaele as a part of the home life of the eity.
In this old church the following came to life: The Francis Murphy movement in 1877; the first skating rink in June, 1878; the first school exhibition, June, 1878; the reorganization of the fire department, after the establishment of the water works, 1881; the organization of the first Y. P. S. C. E. in the city, 1886, and the preliminary meeting to organize the Y. M. C. A., 1887. We mention these few incidents to show how generally, the Tabernacle was used and for what a variety of purposes.
The old bell at the Tabernacle was the biggest and best in the city, be- ing bought and paid for by publie subscription. It now graees the city hall. When the Tabernaele burned, in 1893, the firemen worked hard to save the tower so that the old bell might not be injured.
FIRST CHURCHI WEDDING
The first church wedding in Joplin was that of Philip Arnold, princi- pal of the West Joplin schools and Miss Henrietta Mereer. The wedding was celebrated in the South Methodist-Presbyterian church, East Joplin, in October, 1874, the Rev. Robert Wall performing the ceremony.
THE MASONIC FRATERNITY
On the 10th day of August, 1873, a meeting of the Masons was held to take the preliminary steps toward forming a lodge of that order. The meeting was largely attended and a petition in due form was forwarded to the Grand Lodge of the state praying that a dispensation be granted for the organization of a lodge at Joplin. The grand master of the Ma-
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sonic fraternity at that time was Hon. R. E. Anderson, and he declined to grant the petition, saying in reply that he thought there were already enough Masonic lodges in the county. A little thing like the denial of the charter could not daunt the pioneer Masons of Joplin. It so hap- pened that at the little town of Fidelity, then on the decline, there was a Masonic lodge (Fellowship Lodge, No. 345) which had been instituted January 22, 1870. Among the members of the lodge who had moved to Joplin were S. H. Caldwell, ex-sheriff, and James A. Bolen, later county recorder and now the coal merchant prince of Kansas City.
It was now proposed to move Fellowship Lodge to Joplin and a vote of the members taken resulted favorably. On February 19, 1874, the grand master approved the petition to move the lodge and it was accord- ingly transplanted to Joplin, the first meeting after the removal being held April 1st. The lodge room was the second floor of the building on the southwest corner of Second and Main streets.
The officers of the lodge at the time of the removal to Joplin were: M. H. Patrick, worshipful master; J. W. Brook, senior warden; M. W. Halsell, junior warden; J. W. Burch, secretary; Jas. Ayler, treasurer ; C. D. Tucker, senior deacon; E. M. Burch, junior deacon, and W. W. Webb, tyler.
The membership of Fellowship Lodge at the date of its removal to Joplin was nineteen. Twenty members were admitted by demit and six brothers were raised during the year.
Most of the above officers lived in the county, in and around Fidelity, and at the election of officers held the following June the following were inducted into the chairs: Reuben Whitwell, worshipful master; S. H. Caldwell, senior warden; M. W. Stafford, treasurer; W. E. Maynard, secretary ; E. D. Tucker, senior deacon; E. M. Burch, junior deacon, and W. A. Greenlee, tyler.
In 1876 the lodge was moved to the second story of the brick building now occupied by the Ramsour bar, where it remained until 1877, when a two-story frame building was erected at No. 516 Main street, the lower portion being rented for a store room and the upstairs being used for a Masonic hall.
MEDOC (NOW JOPLIN LODGE) No. 335
After Fellowship Lodge was moved to Joplin the Masonic craft grew and prospered for a time, but during the year 1875 the jealousy and riv- alry between East and West Joplin crept into the lodge room and the East town brethren desired a lodge over on the East side. Accordingly, the major portion of the brethren who lived in East Joplin demitted and began casting about for the best method to pursue to secure a lodge on the east side of the creek.
Medoc Lodge, No. 335, which had been instituted at Medoc in the northwestern part of the county, June 18, 1869, like the lodge of Fidelity, had for some montlis been dormant and quite a number of its members had moved to Joplin, among them C. A. Underwood, who was the senior warden of the lodge. A proposition was made to move the lodge to East
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Joplin and on December 21, 1875, the vote was taken and almost unan- imously carried.
The first meeting held after the move was February 17, 1876, the meeting being in a frame building at the corner of Galena and Broadway. At the time of its removal to Joplin, Medoc Lodge had eighteen members in good standing and at this session (February 17th) some twenty Joplin citizens deposited their demits.
The following brothers served the lodge as masters during the 'sev- enties : 1876, C. A. Underwood ; 1877, Lee Taylor; 1878, C. L. Shepherd, and 1879, S. H. Thompson.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS
The third great fraternity to be organized in Joplin was the Knights of Pythias. On June 15, 1876, Joplin Lodge, No. 40, was instituted by the Hon. C. J. Lucas, grand chancellor of the order.
The charter list contained among the signers some of the best citizens, among them the mayor, F. E. Williams; city marshal, Cass Hamilton; P. Murphy, the father of Murphysburg; C. W. Glover, cashier of the Joplin's Savings Bank; Peter Schmur, editor of the Joplin Daily News; Postmaster M. W. Stafford and men of that character. The Knights of Pythias lodge was to Joplin during the early days what the Elk lodge is now, the social organization of the city.
The following were the first officers of Joplin Lodge, No. 40, K. of P. : Past chancellor, E. D. Porter ; chancellor commander, F. E. Williams ; vice chancellor, F. A. Miles; prelate, W. E. Maynard; master of ex- chequer, Chas. W. Glover ; master of finance, R. T. Greer; K. of R. and S. Peter Schmur; master-at-arms, M. W. Stafford; inside guard, Geo. W. Gore, and outside guard, Joe Murphy.
JOPLIN TURNVEREIN GERMANIA
Joplin contains among its citizens many splendid representatives of the German fatherland and their influence has been greatly felt in this city. The two pioneer "jack" buyers are Germans. It was a German who built the first bakery in the city and a German who interested in the organization of the first bank in Joplin. In many ways the sturdy sons of Germany have taken a great part in the building and developing of the city. The people of German descent have made most excellent citi- zens and, while they are loyal to the United States and take an active in- terest in our national government and local affairs, they still eherish, as they should, a kindly feeling for the home in the old world. For the pur- pose of keeping alive the tender memories of their native land, for the promotion of their mutual interests and for the education and general uplift of their fellow-countryman, the Germans have in every large city formed societies through which they mingle and spend a goodly portion of their social life.
The Germania Social and Literary Society of Joplin was organized
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December 22, 1876, with a charter membership of fifty, the first officers being : Henry Lutz, president; S. Landauer, vice president; Henry Wolfe, secretary ; William Karbe, treasurer.
The purposes of the society are the cultivation of literary tastes and the social entertainment of its members, and its balls, pienies and enter- tainments have always been brilliant affairs, its singing society having a reputation which has gone beyond the limits of our ten-story county.
CHAPTER XX
IN THE LATER 'SEVENTIES
JOPLIN AND GIRARD RAILWAY-THIE MISSOURI AND NORTHWESTERN- KANSAS CITY, FORT SCOTT AND GULF -- A CITY OF HOLES-DEATH OF JOSHUA P. TAYLOR-SOMETHING ABOUT BLACK JACK-BOARD OF TRADE-BUILDING OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH-THE INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS-ANCIENT ORDER OF UNITED WORKMEN-THE WHITE LEAD WORKS-THE GRANBY SMELTER-THE JOPLIN OPERA HOUSE-THE "HERALD"-THE MINERS' BANK-JOPLIN GAS WORKS -THE FRANCIS MURPHY MOVEMENT-OLD SKATING RINK-FIRE DE- PARTMENT REORGANIZED JOPLIN EXPOSITIONS-HARMON'S FOUNDRY -SCHOOLS-CITY POLITICS-WILLIE WATSON'S CHRISTMAS SOCK- WEBB CITY -- G. P. ASIICRAFT -- WEBB CITY AS A TOWN-AS A FOURTH-CLASS CITY-FIRST CHURCH-THE BLUNT RAID-CARTER- VILLE-ORONOGO-OTHER TOWNS.
During the later 'seventies Joplin did not make its former rapid strides, in the way of an inereased population, for the following reasons.
First-Toward the close of 1877 the price of lead took a tumble and the mining of this product was not as profitable as before.
Secondly-Lead was discovered at Short Creek (now Galena) just across the Kansas line, and large numbers of Joplin people went to the new eamp, which, like pioneer Joplin, was a live wire. The main business thoroughfare in Short Creek was called "Red Hot street" and the name told the whole story.
Thirdly-The mines at Leadville, Colorado, were being opened np and there was a great exodus also to the Centennial state.
Lastly-Many of the shallow pockets of lead had been mined out and the shafts abandoned, the prospectors not knowing that just a little deeper down would be found the richer deposits of jack, abandoned the prospect to try their success in newer fields.
While there was a slight falling off in population there was, however, a steady growth in a business way, the Joplin & Girard Railway being completed, the white lead works and two foundries built and a number of other industries established.
L'p to the close of the 'seventies lead was the standard-the highest price being paid for jack during the 'seventies was fourteen dollars a ton. While Joplin lost a con- siderable floating number in 1878-9. it held its own and rounded out the decade with only a slight decrease in population, as shown by the special census January 1, 1877, which showed a bona fide population (not counting the floating, or the couple of thousand just out of the city) of 7,544.
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1877
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BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF JOPLIN IN 1877, SHOWING ITS SEVEN HILLS
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY
THE JOPLIN AND GIRARD RAILWAY
As mentioned in our article on railroads, the Joplin and Girard was the first road to enter the former city and the story of its building is unique and full of interest. In December, 1875, Messrs. Moffet and Ser- geant organized the Joplin Railway Company with a capital stock of $600,000, all of which was subseribed by local capital. It is related by old-timers that at the commencement of this railway project Moffet and Sergeant had lying idle in their safe $125,000 in greenbacks and that this was used as a nneleus with which to build the road. The purpose of its construction was threefold-to provide a cheaper and quicker mode of transporting the oar to the market; to have a direct route to the Kansas coal field and thus bring the fuel to the smelters and to open a northern market. At this time St. Louis was the only market for the Joplin product.
The first rail on the road was laid in May, 1876, W. C. Hlinkson of the Halyard Hardware Company, this city, driving the first spike. As soon as the road was completed to Pittsburgh a box car was set out for a depot and the road began operations with one engine and a few cars, hauling freight and passengers between these two points and pushing out the construction gang as the road was completed to the south. This road was not bonded, but was paid for piece by piece as it was completed, the stockholders digging up successive assessments as the construction went on. In the fall of 1876 the road was finished to the MeGee Crossing on Turkey creek and completed to Joplin the next summer, the last spike, appropriately made of lead, being driven August 26, 1877. The depot was located in Smelter Hill, just north of the Leckie foundry, and was occupied by A. E. Stillwell, a prince of good fellows, as agent, who moved the office stock from the box-car depot which had been moved along with the construction from Girard to the end of the line. The first train to run into Joplin was pulled by Pete Butterly as engineer and conductor W. C. Hinkson wielding the ticket puncher. It was the original design of this company to extend the road to Neosho and into north Arkansas and capital was at once subscribed to complete the line. A right-of-way was acquired and grading commenced and a road bed completed to be- yond Thurman, when in 1879 the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway bought the Joplin and Girard, which has since operated as a part of its system. The road to the south has never been completed and after the sale of the line the depot at Smeller was discontinued and later torn down.
THIE MISSOURI AND NORTH WESTERN
In 1879 the Missouri and Northwestern Railway, now the 'Friseo, was built from Oronogo to Joplin and the ears were running before the close of the year.
When the road was first built it was a branch line and was operated as such until the 'nineties when the main-line train began running
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through Joplin. J. L. Briggs was the first agent of the 'Frisco Railway Company in Joplin.
THE KANSAS CITY, FORT SCOTT AND GULF
During 1879 the Kansas City, Ft. Seott and Gulf, later the Memphis route and now a part of the 'Friseo system was built to Joplin and the train began running in October, 1879.
A CITY OF HOLES
As mentioned before, the early mining of Joplin was shallow digging and, too often, when the miner had mined out the first pocket struck he abandoned the shaft. In time this left the city with hundreds of aban- doned mines and the Carthage Banner very appropriately spoke of Jop- lin during the latter 'seventies as the City of Holes. It was not until a number of aeeidents had happened, and several deaths had oeeurred, be- fore the owners of the land and the miners were compelled to fill up the abandoned mines in close proximity to the streets and largely traveled roads.
DEATH OF JOSHUA P. TAYLOR
The following article, clipped from the Daily News, August 12, 1877. will illustrate how dangerous was the conditions of the locality during the 'seventies: "Never before have we been ealled upon to chroniele an affair with as great sorrow as we now record the terrible and sudden death of Joshua P. Taylor, the foreman of the Daily News. Saturday evening Mr. Taylor left the office in company with a fellow-craftsman, an old-time acquaintance, and to please him, who had heard so much of Joplin, they took a stroll over the city. They remained on West Main street until near ten o'clock, when they passed down on Broadway, merely through curiosity. The night was dark and they missed their way and Mr. Taylor who was in advance, fell head-long into a shaft which opened its cavernous jaws to receive him. His companion gave the alarm, and in a few moments the shaft was surrounded by sturdy miners, a windlass and rope were immediately procured, and they soon had the dying man at the top. He was taken to his residenec on Joplin street, where a more careful examination of his injuries was made. His scalp was found cut in three places, and his skull slightly fractured. No bones were broken, but he received internal injuries to the lungs which showed that death was inevitable. His wife up to this time had been led to be- lieve that his wounds were slight, and when informed that medieal skill could not save him her grief was indeed painful to witness. At half past two o'clock Sunday morning the spirit of Joshua P. Taylor took its flight and the circle of friends who stood about his couch beheld only the in- animate remains of one whom they had learned to love and admire for his noble qualities and goodness of heart.
"The remains were then taken charge of by the Masonic fraternity, of
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which the deceased had long been an honored member. His death will be learned with profound sorrow by his old associates both in the East and West, and many a printer who has been his companion in the past will drop a tear to his memory."
SOMETHING ABOUT BLACK JACK
Toward the close of the 'seventies zine had come into considerable prominence in the mining district. We publish here a clipping from the Daily News, April 4, 1878, which gives an idea of the manner it steadily crept into prominence : "The dissatisfaction existing among many miners concerning the prices paid for black jack, arises in many cases from the fact that to us in the southwest zinc ore is but imperfectly understood, it having been a remarkable product here only within the past three or four years. Until within the last two and a half years the price paid for it was so small that but few miners cared to handle it; in fact, it did not pay them to do so unless they had a solid face of the rosin ore on which to work. This being the case, and consequently not being experts, they find it to be a difficult matter to distinguish between first class ores and those of lower grades.
"Black jack at present is quoted at $11 a ton for 'strictly first-class' ore, and that is all that is paid for it. But there is ore which is graded even above ,'first class,' and which commands a premium in the market. Only two mines yielding such ore are found in the southwest, which are on Parr hill and operated by Hoffman & Saunders and Barbee & Mc- Clelland. This ore is much better than any other now mined and com- mands about thirty-three per cent. more in the market. Consequently, many labor under the impression that their ore should be worth as much as the Parr hill article because, not being experts, they cannot distinguish the difference in the grades.
"Why the Parr hill ore should be any better than any other in the same locality is a matter which even the most expert geologists have not been able to explain. The presence of iron, salvage, mundie and other impurities tend greatly to reduce the value of the article, and we have noticed that those who take the most pains to clean their ore always re- ceive the highest price. It should be well cleaned, for if it is not the buyer must not only pay for cleaning it himself, but must pay freights to distant points on the dirt as well as the ore. This fact the buyer takes into consideration, and the result is, the miner who sells dirty ore must pay all those expenses, which reduces the value of his ore. As soon as southwest miners become as well acquainted with zine ore as they are with lead ore and as able to grade it, then transactions between them and buyers will be far more pleasant than at present."
BOARD OF TRADE
On October 31, 1877. the Joplin Board of Trade was organized, its charter list representing nearly every line of business in the city. Shortly
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after its organization that body made a trip to Kansas City for the pur- pose of becoming better acquainted with the wholesale interests and to cateh a few pointers on up-to-date merchandising. The trip was both pleasant and profitable.
BUILDING OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
In 1876 the Rev. D. K. Campbell of Alleghany City, Pennsylvania, came to the Joplin field and took charge of the First Presbyterian church. Rev. Campbell was sent to the Joplin charge by the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions. West Joplin had now passed East Joplin in point of size and it was the sense of the new pastor that the church would cover a larger field of activity if the congregation was moved to West town, and, accordingly, the half interest which the Presbyterians owned in the East Joplin ehnreh was sold back to the South Methodists and the church moved to the west side, taking temporary quarters in Fergu- son's hall at Fourth and Main streets.
Measures were now taken to erect a church building and Col. O. S. Picher, father of O. H. and W. H. Picher, of the Picher Lead Company, donated a lot seventy by one hundred and ten feet at the northeast corner of Seventh and Main streets, and there a brick church was erected in 1877, the edifice being dedicated the first Sabbath in September of that year.
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