USA > Missouri > Jasper County > A history of Jasper County, Missouri, and its people, Vol. I > Part 29
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JASPER COMMANDERY, No. 31, K. T.
What St. John's day is to Masonry, so Ascension day is to the Knights Templar. The occasion is the one day during the year when an appropriate celebration is always had.
This important annual event was three times publiely observed by the Carthage commandery, until during the 'eighties the exercises of 1885 were perhaps the most elaborate of its publie gatherings. Ascension commandery of Joplin, and Mount Olive of Lamar were the guests of the mother commandery and participated in the parade and other ex- ercises. The day was eoneluded by a banquet at the Harrington Hotel. Among the speakers at the banquet were D. A. Preston, of Joplin, who spoke eloquently on the subject "Ancient Knighthood." Col. A. A. Ilulett of Webb City spoke of "Templarism of Modern Times" and paid a glowing tribute to the work of the temple as exemplified now.
S. S. Wells, on behalf of Jasper commandery, responded to the toast "Carthage," while S. Wells, of Lamar, spoke of the tender mnem- ory of the Mount of Olives. II. HI. Barns of Joplin told of the wondrous charm of lady fair, and paid a glowing compliment to the Eastern Star.
THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
Stanton Post No. 16, Grand Army of the Republic, was mustered July 19, 1882, by Major William Warner, of Kansas City, then depart-
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ment commander of that organization. As will be noted from the num- ber, the Carthage Post was one of the first to be organized in the state and has always been a strong organization, both in point of numbers and good works. It has exerted a great influence in Carthage and has cared splendidly for its members. The feeling of comradeship has been strong and has brought the brothers-at-arms closer together as neighbors and friends. ยท
The following were the Charter members of Stanton Post No. 16: Thomas Buekbee, seeond lieutenant, Company B. 13th Mo. Cav .; G. M. Hurley, ass't surgeon, Medieal Staff; W. S. Bower, quarter gunner. United States Navy ; T. A. Wakefield, first lieutenant, Company A, 8th Mo. Cav .; C. P. Phillips, private, Company A, 17th U. S. Col. Inf .; H. Armstrong, eaptain, Company A, 2d Mass. Cav .; Bennett Hall, sergeant, Company E, 129th Ill. Inf .; Amos H. Caffee, surgeon, 13th Kas. Inf. ; Benton Tuttle, private, 1st N. Y. S. S .; Frank IIill, private, Company H, 5th Mass, Vol .; Jesse Rhoades, corporal, Company H, 30th Ill. Inf. Vol .; E. J. Montague, second sergeant, Company B. 9th Ill. Inf. Vol .; A. Pettyjohn, private, Company E, 88th Ind. Inf. Vol .; J. W. Burch, private, Company E, 107th Ill. Inf .; S. S. Riley, private, Company C. 23rd Ind. Inf .; E. R. Wheeler, private, Company E, 22nd Ill. Inf .; J. P. Hubbart, private, Company A, 2nd Ill. Cav .; A. B. Parkell, major, 4th Iowa Cav .; Dr. Miller, corporal, Company H, 9th Ind. Inf .; J. G. Irwin, first lientenant, Company K, 18th Ohio Inf .; J. H. Coffman, second lieutenant, Company B, 126th Ill. Inf .; M. Shupert, private, Company D. 24th Ohio Inf .; Il. Hubbart, private, Company F, 2d Ill. Cav .; R. L. Galbreath, second sergeant, Company L, 14th Pa. Cav .; Theo. F. Gray, second sergeant, Company I, 169th Ohio Inf .; J. H. Ralston, private, Company A, 16th Ill. Inf .; A. J. Crandall, private, Company C, 51st Wis. Inf. ; Walter Benedict, private, Company B, 100th Ill. Inf. ; R. G. Seawell. corporal, Company D, 100th Ill. Inf .; J. E. Twitchell, corporal, Company E, 6th Mo. Inf .; A. F. Lewis, lieutenant, Company I. 13th Kans. Inf .; John C. Gill, private, Company B, 40th Ill. Inf .; G. Rose, private, Company G, 15th Ill. Cav .; Charles Pool, corporal, Company B, 24th Ind. Inf .; Sam Wetzel, captain, Company B, 29th Ind. Inf .; John T. Hodsheir, private, Com- pany E, 4th Mo. Cav .; E. Edwards, private, Company C, 12th Mo. Inf .; J. C. Bridges, private, Company K, 21st Ill. Inf .; Charles Bovard, private, Company G, 11th Pa. Inf .; Josiah Tilden, paymaster, U. S. A .; C. W. Botkin, private, Company II, 1st Ala. Cav. ; H. P. Sloan, eaptain, Company C, 74th Ill. Inf .; E. C. Stephenson, private, Company D, 36th Wis. Inf .; Andrew Russell, private, Company I, 14th Iowa Inf .; W. O. Robinson, second sergeant, Company F, 16th Iowa Inf.
THE CARTHAGE SKATING RINK
In 1884 Messrs. J. E. Sombart and Frank Jeans built a skating rink which at that date was the finest institution of the kind west of the Mississippi. The structure is one hundred and fourteen by sixty-six feet,
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the auditorium being one hundred by sixty-six. The building, since 1890, has been used as an armory for the Carthage Light Guard and is ad- mirably fitted for drill purposes. The old rink has been the scene of many a brilliant military ball and other social functions where space was a factor. The building originally cost $5,000.
CARTHAGE CITY HALL
In 1884 Carthage built a commodious city hall, and we clip, from the Banner of June 6, 1884, the following description of the building: "Certainly no fault can be found with the contractors for the new city hall with reference to their promptness in completing the building Their contract called for its completion by the 13th of July, 1884. The structure was today turned over to the city for examination and ac- ceptance. Another feature of the business upon which the city is to be congratulated is that the city hall is a fixed fact without having ex- ceeded the $7,000 voted for the purpose.
"It is a building of which our city may be proud. It is not par- ticularly magnificent, but is neat, commodious, conveniently arranged and in every way fills the bill.
"The ground floor contains the city jail, which is subdivided into a corridor and five cells, six by eight feet each, besides the iron cage which is seven by fourteen feet, the remainder of the ground floor, twenty-two by forty-three feet is intended for the fire department, and is connected by an archway in one corner with the hose tower.
"The second floor is divided by a hall way running the full length of the building north and south. On the west of the hall is the record- er's court room, eighteen by forty-five feet in dimensions, with a stair- way at the south end leading to the jail department, for the convenience of those lodging below who are called upon to meet His Honor. On the east side of the hall are three rooms for the use of the various city officers. Water, gas and every convenience are admirably distributed throughout the building. A broad stairway from the front on Grant street, which goes up between the city hall and Harrington & Sander- son's new block, affords the main communication of the offices with the outer world, besides which however the hallway extends clear across the block and the building is accessible from Harrington's front stair- way opening on the public square.
"The city council this morning thoroughly inspected the building and found it in every particular up to contract. Messrs. Harrington & Sanderson will receive due credit from the public for the promptness and thoroughness with which they performed their obligations to the city."
CHAPTER XXIII
JOPLIN, CIVIC AND BUSINESS
THE WHITE LEAD WORKS-ZINC FACTORY-WOOLEN MILL-JOPLIN FLOURING MILL- FIRST STREET CAR LINE-WATER WORKS-BUILD- ING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION-THE JOPLIN CLUB-INTRODUCTION OF TELEPHONE-ELECTRIC LIGHTS-CITY POLITICS AND AFFAIRS-FIRE DEPARTMENT-BANKS AND BANKING-THE NORTH ROAD-THE SPLITLOG (KANSAS CITY & SOUTHERN) RAILWAY-SCHOOLS DURING THE 'EIGHTIES-FORMAL ADOPTION OF HIGH SCHOOL COURSE-ARBOR DAY-FIRST COMMENCEMENT-HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY-DISTRICT OF JOPLIN ORGANIZED-COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS.
Joplin during the 'eighties made a steady and continuous growth, although there was no period that could have been designated as a boom. The following business ventures figured prominently in the upbuild- ing of the city.
THE WHITE LEAD WORKS
As mentioned in our chapter on Joplin during the 'seventies, the white lead works revolutionized the manner of handling that ore, and when it became a fixture in the mining district the other lead furnaces, one by one, suspended operations and the smelting industry centered in the lead factory of Moffet & Sergeant.
The original plant of the lead works was destroyed by fire on April 3, 1880, and was rebuilt at once, the new factory being double the size of the old works.
During the middle 'eighties the lead works were sold by Moffet & Sergeant to a company composed of L. P. Cunningham and others and they, in turn, sold the plant to the Picher Lead Company. the present owners of the works.
The white lead from the Picher factory is now sold in all the markets of the world, the United States government being a purchaser, using the .Joplin sublimated lead to paint the battleships.
THIE ZINC FACTORY
Another institution which was of vast importance to Joplin during the 'eighties and the 'nineties was the zine works located on west Ninth street, just north of the cemetery. The company was organized in Deeember, 1881, by P. Murphy, William Byers, Thomas Connor, T. A.
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McClelland, O. H. Picher, L. P. Cunningham. C. II. Brewster and Ed. Zilliken. Here a number of furnaces were built for the reduction of zine and a large amount of the mineral of the Joplin distriet was there made ready for the market. A hundred or more men were employed and its influence was greatly felt in a manufacturing way. The works later became the property of the Empire Zine Company, and when the natural gas fields of Kansas offered a cheap fuel were torn down and moved to the sunflower state.
THE WOOLEN MILLS
The later part of 1882 a number of the leading business men of the city conceived the idea of making Joplin a manufacturing, as well as a mining center. and organized the Joplin Woolen Mills Company with a capital of $25,000.
The mill was built in 1883 at the corner of Eleventh and Main
BROADWAY, EAST JOPLIN. IN 1883 (Old mule cars making first trip.)
streets and for four years was operated with a fair degree of success. In 1884 the capital of the company was increased to $50,000.
During the later 'eighties the operations of the mill were not sue- cessful and the plant was leased to the Inland Lead and Paint Company and turned into a paint factory.
JOPLIN FLOURING MILL
In 1882 Jolin B. Sergeant built the Joplin Flouring mill, a three- story brick building on the site of the Brand-Dunwoody Milling Com- pany's plant. Eleventh and Wall streets.
This was Joplin's first mill and proved a great boom to the city, as it brought, to Joplin many farmers, with their grains, who previously had gone elsewhere.
The mill when first built had a capacity of grinding one hundred
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barrels a day, and its elevator had a capacity of 40,000 bushels. Dur- ing the first year of business the mill ground 20,000 bushels of wheat. This mill was destroyed by fire in 1892 and was rebuilt by W. G. Ser- geant, a son of the original builder. The mill now belongs to the Brand- Dunwoody Milling Company who have since doubled its capacity, mak- ing it a 300-barrel a day plant.
FIRST STREET CAR LINE
John B. Sergeant, after having made a fortune out of the mines, did not go elsewhere to seek investment, but used the large capital he had made to further build up and develop Joplin. We noted during the 'seventies his connection with the first railway that was built by the City of Lead, and so, in the 'eighties, we find him organizing a com- pany to build a street car line.
On November 15, 1882, a franchise was granted to John B. Sergeant to build a street ear line in the eity. The Joplin Street Car Company was organized with a capital of $20,000 and a mule car line built, the road extending from East Broadway to the zine works on West Ninth and traversing Broadway in East Joplin and Main and Ninth streets in West Joplin. The ear barns were on Broadway in the old Collins stable. The company operated four cars and owned eighteen span of mules which were used as the motor power. Clark Craycroft was the super- intendent and general manager of the road. With the advent of elec. tricity as a motive power of the old mule ears passed off the stage and made way for the np-to-date mode of transportation.
THE WATER WORKS
As mentioned in our section devoted to the 'seventies that the great majority of the people who came to Joplin in its early day did not ex- pect to remain longer than to make a quiek fortune. Consequently the early improvements were not of a permanent character. The honses were quickly put together, but few people dug wells or eisterns, and the main water supply was from the water wagon. S. O. Ellis, of East Jop- lin, had a deep well from which he secured a fine supply of water which, was sold to his customers, but the great majority of water haulers ob- tained their supply from the mining pumps. With these conditions the establishment of a water works system was hailed with delight.
Shortly after his election as mayor W. E. Maynard appointed a com- mittee of citizens and the city council to act jointly and to investigate and report a feasible plan to build a water works system for Joplin. The committee consisted of L. A. Filmore, P. Murphy, J. Hewitt, O. H. Picher, A. B. McCarty, Dan Collins, C. J. Lewis, P. E. Blow, W. L. Harris, and A. C. Blakey.
The committee held a number of sessions and during their settings listened to three propositions by C. E. Gray of St. Louis, Charles H. Fuller of Deeatur, Paul B. Perkins of Geneseo. Illinois. The one sub- Vol. 1-17
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mitted by Mr. Perkins seemed the most feasible and on the 22d of De- cember, 1880, the committee submitted its report to the city council recommending that a franchise be granted to that gentleman and that the system of water works proposed by him be adopted.
The matter was submitted to a vote of the people and at a special election held on January 11, 1881, was carried by a tremendous ma- jority-1,229 votes being cast in favor of the proposition and only 31 against it.
The Joplin Water Works Company, successors of Paul B. Perkins, was incorporated April 9, 1881, with a capital of $124,000. The officers of the company were O. II. President, president; P. Murphy, vice pres- ident and treasurer; L. P. Cunningham, secretary, and C. J. Lewis, superintendent.
The works were built during the summer and fall of 1881; a public test, which proved highly satisfactory, was made October 20th, and the plant was formally accepted by the city and opened to the public on November 1st.
The building of the water works was perhaps the most important event of the 'eighties and marked the beginning of the passing from an overgrown mining camp to an up-to-date city. With their building came a modern fire department and adequate fire protection. It lessened insurance rates and supplied the city with a quantity of fresh water from beautiful spring-fed Shoal creek. It made possible a water sup- ply for factories, mills and mining plants. In short, it paved the way for a greater Joplin.
The building of the water works also gave a confidence in the stabil- ity of the city and was one of the factors in its real establishment. In 1882, the first year after the construction of the water works, some $500,000 was spent in buildings of various kinds-not much for today, but then a considerable sum.
THE JOPLIN BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
Perhaps no other society did more toward building up Joplin than the Building and Loan Association, which was organized April 10, 1883. The capital stock was $200,000, consisting of 200 shares of $1,000 each. At the organization of the association it was agreed that no one should own or control more than ten shares, and in this way a large number of people were interested and the possibility of a few controlling the as- sociation was precluded.
During the 'eighties and later years this association was the means of assisting a great many people to build homes, and also benefited the city as a whole by starting the home-building boom which commeneed in the 'eighties.
The association also fostered a love of the beautiful and inaugurated an era of better building.
The first board of directors in the Joplin Building and Loan Asso- ciation, comprised John H. Taylor, Clark Craycroft, W. B. Holyard,
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C. J. Lewis, G. B. Young. A. H. Warle, D. C. MeConny, W. H. Fair- banks and J. C. Gaston.
THE JOPLIN CLUB
The Joplin Club (now the Joplin Commercial Club) was organized in October, 1888, and from then to now has been a great factor in the building of the city. The following were its first officers: President, Galen Spencer; vice president, Thos. Connor; secretary, W. H. Proud- foot; treasurer, Gilbert Barbee.
The objects of the club, when organized were two-fold-first, to foster and encourage whatever would build np or improve the city of Joplin and, secondly, to promote a better spirit of friendship among the business men of the city, and to this end the social feature was cul- tivated.
The first place of meeting was in the Barbee building, where a beau- tiful suite of rooms was fitted up and used until the building of the Club Theatre building in 1890. when the present quarters were oc- enpied.
INTRODUCTION OF THE TELEPHONE
In 1881 a telephone exchange was installed in Joplin and neighbor- ing towns by C. W. McDaniels, and put in operation in October of that year. The interests of Mr. McDaniels were later absorbed by the Bell Telephone Company. The telephone, which then was regarded as a great curiosity, is now in this twentieth century day of progress almost a necessity. The total number of 'phones in use in Joplin now-includ- ing those of both the Bell and the Home-number over 7.000.
ELECTRIC LIGHTS
The electric light was first seen in Joplin in 1882 at the Cole circus, where the tent and grounds were illuminated with lights generated from a dynamo and apparatus carried by the show. In 1887 G. W. Sergeant, son of J. B. Sergeant, and like his father, a man of great energy, built an electric light plant on Joplin street, between Fourth and Fifth, the site of the present office of the Empire District Light and Power Com- pany. The first exhibition light was erected at Fourth and Main streets, and after its power and excellence had been demonstrated a contract was awarded his company to light the streets in the business district. The Empire Distriet Electric Light and Power Company the successors to the franchises granted Mr. Sergeant and John W. Free- man, et al., has a total capacity of forty 2,000-candle power lights.
CITY POLITICS AND AFFAIRS
At the city election in October. 1880. W. E. Maynard was reelected mayor, being petitioned by the citizens to accept the chair a second
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term. The other officers chosen were: L. C. Hamilton, marshal; W. B. MeAntire, police judge; George Oreor, city attorney ; A. C. Pyle, treas- urer; S. O. Elles, G. B. Young, A. P. McCarty, W. L. Harris. L. Hare. Hugh Dyer, L. A. Filmore and W. B. Holyard, members of the city council. J. P. Newell was appointed city clerk and F. E. Williams, collector. The important event of Mr. Maynard's administration was the building of the water works, already mentioned.
1881
In October, 1881, the city election passed off quietly, Galen Spencer, then one of the leading lawyers of the city, being elected mayor and, like his predecessor, being brought out by a petition signed by numer- ous friends. With Mr. Spencer the following gentlemen came into the council : M. F. Downy, S. Landauer, John C. Bailey, Charles Gaide, M. Clark and . C. Mason, with Messrs. Elles and Fillmore hokling over.
The other officers elected were : L. C. Hamilton, marshal; F. M. Red- burn, police judge; Thomas Dolan, city attorney; G. B. Carson, treas- urer; B. T. Webb, city clerk, and F. E. Williams, collector.
Mr. Spencer was reelected mayor in 1882.
1883
At the city election in October, 1883, there was but one candidate for mayor, W. B. Holyard, and with him were elected the following officers : City council-II. Petitt, J. C. Gaston, J. C. Bailey, and W. V. White; marshal, L. C. Hamilton ; police judge, F. M. Redburn ; city attorney, J. W. McAntire ; treasurer, G. B. Carson.
1884
At the election in 1884 the following were inducted into the official chairs : Mayor, A. B. McCarty ; city attorney, J. W. McAntire; treas- urer, Jas. B. Glover, Jr .; marshal, L. C. Hamilton; city council, Alex- ander Campbell, J. L. Briggs, W. H. Warren and J. A. Shepherd.
1885
Mayor-A. B. McCarty. Marshal --- L. C. Hamilton.
Police judge-F. M. Redburn.
Treasurer-J. B. Glover.
Attorney-J. W. McAntire.
It will be noted that the entire administration was reelected. The following new members came into the council: Chancellor Livingston, Charles Schifferdecker, J. W. Gill and Sidney Ilire.
The interesting feature of the election was the choosing of a coun- cilman in the First ward. Four candidates were in the field, all of them receiving about the same strength. Messrs. Chancellor Livingston
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and Bracken Wilson tied, and the matter was decided by lot, Mr. Liv- ingston drawing the lucky ticket which gave him the seat.
MURDER AND LYNCHING
After the adoption of the prohibitory law in Kansas and the closing of the saloons of Galena, Joe Thornton, a desperate character, erected on the state line a double building, located half in Missouri and half in Kansas. On the Missouri side was a saloon and on the Kansas side a gambling house. Joe Thornton and his hangers-on were a source of an- noyance to the officers of both Jasper and Cherokee counties.
On July 19, 1885, Thornton came to Joplin and Deputy Sheriff .J. C. Miller, Constable H. H. Haven and Offieer Daniel Sheehan, of the Joplin police force, went to Swarts' famous 144 (one of the popular dry goods stores), where Thornton was making some purchases, for the purpose of arresting him. Deputy Sheriff Miller walked up to Thorn- ton and informed him that he had a warrant for his arrest. Thornton wheeled and quickly drew his revolver. The three officers grappled with him, and endeavored to take his revolver away. In the scuffle Thornton discharged the weapon and killed Sergeant Sheehan. Deputy . Sheriff Miller and Constable Haven then overpowered him and safely lodged him in the city jail.
Sergeant Sheehan was exceedingly popular, and during his long service on the police force had discharged his duties faithfully, and that night a large number of citizens came to the jail, took Thornton out and hung him to a tree at the corner of Second and Joplin streets.
The people of Joplin, in order to commemorate the memory of the brave police officer, erected a handsome marble monument at his grave in Fairview cemetery.
With the lynching of Thornton the lawlessness on the border came to an end.
1886
At the fall election, in 1886, Mr. McCarty declined to be a candidate for a third term and J. L. Briggs, the popular agent of the 'Frisco Railway was elected mayor. L. C. Hamilton, who for ten years had served the people as marshal, also declined to be a candidate for re- election and was succeeded by Calvin Niekel, who won over four other candidates by a margin of 39 votes. M. T. Downing was elected treas- urer and Thos. Dolan city attorney.
The councilmen chosen at this election were J. M. Sackett, J. M. Wise, James Roach and M. G. Harris.
1887
The city electors of 1887 was an exceptionally interesting one, inas- much as there were many aspirants for honors and also because it was exceptionally close for three of the important positions-mayor, attorney and marshal.
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Chancellor Livingston, of the First Ward, was elected mayor by one vote; J. J. Cofer, city marshal, by twenty-eight, and Messrs. Thomas Dolan and J. W. MeAntire being tied for city attorney.
L. C. Hamilton, who for so many years was city marshal, was elected police judge, and M. F. Downing reelected treasurer.
The following gentlemen were elected to the city council : Alexander Campbell, Charles Schifferdecker, J. B. Minor and J. V. Hibbard.
During this administration the city surrendered its special charter and organized as a city of the third class. The proposition which had been defeated at the regular election in October, '87, carried at the special election on May 8th by a nice majority.
The vote on the question was as follows: For the new charter- First ward, 84; Second ward, 289; Third ward, 48; Fourth ward, 211.
Against surrender-First ward, 99; Second ward, 48; Third ward, 65: Fourth ward, 54.
Majority for the charter, 326.
It will be observed that the heaviest vote cast against the new charter was in Lone Elm, where the people lived almost entirely on nn- platted and mining lands and where it was thought that, with the adoption of the new charter, more stringent laws would prevail relative to stock running at large, building of streets, sidewalks, etc. The heavy vote for the proposition was in the down-town district, where laws providing for publie improvements were greatly desired.
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