USA > Missouri > Jasper County > A history of Jasper County, Missouri, and its people, Vol. I > Part 44
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"'Citizens of Joplin and visitors,' began Judge W. B. MeAntire. 'I'm happy to meet you all here on this occasion. We have all been greatly interested in what has been said regarding our relation with each other. But gentlemen there has been too much jealousy in the past in this section. There is no sense in it. No one ever built himself up by tearing down some one else. As for us, we have no such feeling. We don't want to play dog in the manger. We can't afford to do it. We begin to feel that this spirit is dying out. We don't care how large Carthage or Webb City grows, how rich Galena gets or how many hateh- eries Neosho secures. We want to see them all prosper. We rejoice that you can't see each other without coming through Joplin and we are al- ways glad to see you too. We think we have the finest town in the world. Why, I used to hunt dueks right here where our streets are. I can remember, and I'm a young man yet, when lots here, where we now stand, were sold for a mere trifle. You could get one free by buying one and building a shanty on it. If some of the older residents had had a little more sand and bought more lots they would have been rich to- day. You hear that remark daily. Lots that used to sell for fifteen dollars and twenty dollars now sell for fifteen thousand and twenty thousand dollars. I expect to see them sell for one hundred thousand dollars. Consider well and you too will agree with me. This ground
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is all underlaid with ore. We will have a population here in a few years of fifty thousand people. We have now forty passenger trains daily, sixty traveling men on the road, new factories being daily es- tablished and new smelteries to be built soon. Snyder Brothers ship tomorrow one thousand tons of zine ore to Wales. Joplin has not yet reached the age of beauty. There are other places more gorgeous, but none more healthful, happy and prosperous. We have but one under- taker and half the time he's out of a job. We have a double traek electrie railway and white lead works that are unlike any other in the United States in one respect. They have a daily capacity of 65,000 pounds of pig lead and 20,000 of white lead. We have now a paint factory which will put a half dozen men on the road. In public schools we're not behind any city. We are to have new sewers and new smelteries and factories too numerous to mention. I hope, gentlemen, that your towns also will grow and flourish. The better off you are, the better off we are. Let us grow together.'
"One of the most finished and bright speeches of the evening was that of H. S. Wieks. The following extract will only give a faint idea of what he said : 'There should be no envy or jealousy between the cities of this lead and zine region. It should not be a question as to whether we shall outdistance Carthage or whether Webb City shall overhaul us or whether Galena shall spurt up along side. We are now all bound up in a com- mon destiny. Anything that benefits one, benefits all the others and any malieious attaek on one damages to that extent the rest. What we want is true, sympathetic and united action and, having all our common efforts moulded together in a common purpose, move forward to continually new triumphs in the future. The Joplin Club with an existenee of but little over two years has already been identified with every important project that has contributed to the prosperity of this community. Housed now in this splendid edifiee and equipped with every element of sueeess and every feature that will attraet new blood, and new life. Standing tonight on the threshold of new opportunities she should free herself from every dormant propensity and be ready and eager for new eon- quests.'
"Al Cahn, of Carthage, followed Mr. Wieks in a humorous address which elieitated much applause. He said Moses sent spies into Canaan and they returned with a goodly report of the land. They took baek grapes that would silence a hortieulturist of California ou that subjeet. 'Had those spies landed on Plymouth Rock they would have selected Jasper county as their destination and they would not have made a mistake. My relations did so and knowing a good thing when they saw it they stayed here. Jasper county has an area of twenty-two by thirty miles, is the third county in the state in size and the fourth in wealth ; has more railroad mileage and a larger publie school fund than any other county. Figures may seem a little dry just now after leaving the other room but they are truthful. Her output last year was $4,000,000. There is no more fertile land in this great country of ours than Jasper county. She has sixteen mills and the superiority of her flour makes it eom-
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mand a higher price than that of other states and it finds a ready sale in any market. Cattle, horses and sheep graze on her rich pastures and her farmers till the soil in summer and mine her lead and zine in the winter. She has 50,000 inhabitants and has room for 500,000 more. This is the best apple country to be found and had Adam and Eve been placed here that Garden of Eden story would never have been told. We have vineyards here for the German, railroads for the sons of the Emerald Isle, eommeree for the English, but no use for the Chinese.
" 'There need be no danger or fear of over-production or exhaustion of our mineral resources. Lead has been mined in Spain, Germany and other older countries for hundreds of years and still they continue to mine there and find it. They go 800 and 1000 feet deep for their lead. He who placed it in the ground over there also placed it here. The commercial valne of our lead and zine will keep right along with the priee of other commodities. In the next century the center of population will move west, the next world's fair will be held here, and the greatest curiosities on exhibition will be the pick and the shovel and other tools used in mining. I am not dreaming or indulging in idle prophecy. It will come true and our descendants will laugh at the primitive way in which we are mining.
" 'We need more capital. Let me conelude with an illustration. This evening as I was walking over to this beautiful building I overheard two gentlemen in front of me talking about Joplin. They were visitors here and, like me, guests of this evening's dedication. One of them said : "Well, I have been very much entertained today in going about through the mines, and this is surely a live town; but if the mines are as big as they say they are, and if they are making as much money as they say they are, why don't they build more sidewalks and make more public improvements? " The question was a pertinent one and I will answer it by telling this little story : One morning at the opening of school in a western town, a boy came to be enrolled who was poorly elad and who was exceedingly dirty. The teacher told him to go home and wash his face and not to come back until he was presentable. In the afternoon the urehin came back with the lower half of his face washed, but the top part as dirty as ever. The teacher said, "See here! I told you to go home and wash your face. I did not mean just half. Now I want to know why you did not wash your face perfectly elean." "Well," re- plied the boy, "I didn't wash any higher because my shirt-tail would not reach any farther."
" 'And so it is with us. We are doing the best we can and are reach- ing ont just as far as our financial shirt-tail will reach ; and as we grow older will no doubt do better.'
"Dr. C. C. Wood, president of Searret College, Neosho, who with Al Cahn carried off the honors of the evening, said in part : 'I am somewhat puzzled to know just why I was invited to address this club. Just why a Methodist minister should be asked to talk on an occasion such as this I cannot figure out. A preacher is generally supposed not to know any- thing about finance and real estate. With one lie has no intimate ac-
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quaintance and with the other he usually owns just as much as he car- ries on his clothes when he falls into a mud hole; and this he owns by right of discovery. A minister is generally called upon to christen babies, celebrate the bonds of matrimony and bury the dead. As a minister, I suppose I am called upon to christen this magnificent build- ing and help launch into history the new era of good fellowship which will come to Joplin and all of the surrounding cities and towns.
" 'I am often called upon to attend to all that is left of a man when the lawyers and the doctor get through with him and I now bury all the past envy and animosity between Missouri and bleeding Kansas. A portion of Kansas is now on the other side of the room refreshing him- self after so long a dry spell.
" 'With Kansas I would have liked to have been on more intimate terms a few years ago. During the war they came over and took our animals instead of digging for the "jack" as they do now. That was reciprocity. I met a party of about 1,000 Kansans one day during the late unpleasantness and retired in good order, but I hated to see them go because they took my best saddle horse. I reciprocated not long after and, going over into Kansas, with a party of Missourians, captured him back.
" 'Newton county, where I live, is a great county and if Brother Cahn had mentioned that Newton county is the center of the world I would have said his head was level. I visited Newton county when I was a young man, but I did not take any of the grapes home for fear my neighbors would beat me down and get the place I had picked out for my future home. I know a good thing when I see it, but there is one strange thing about Newton county though. We have plenty of water there and yet the Democrats have a good working majority.
" 'Neosho is the healthiest place in the world. Do you know that we had to lynch a man in order to start a cemetery down there. We have one lady in Neosho who is so old that she says she guesses the Lord has forgotten her. Joplin is only twenty miles from Neosho, and there is something to be proud of.'
"Dr. Wood then closed with a beautiful eulogy to the future Mis- sourian and the possibilities of the great southwest.
"J. T. James, president of the Webb City Commercial Club, and Phil Campbell of Pittsburgh, both made short talks, after which the as- semblage retired to the stage of the Club Theater and there partook of a sumptuous banquet."
OTHER JOPLIN CLUB TOPICS
The following gentlemen served the club as presidents during the 'nineties : 1890, S. C. Henderson ; 1891, W. H. Picher ; 1892, W. C. Weth- erill; 1893, F. E. Williams; 1894, H. H. Gregg; 1895, E. O. Bartlett; 1896, Jno. C. Trigg; 1897, J. H. Spencer; 1898, B. T. Wilson; 1899, Chas. Schifferdecker.
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On November 2, 1893, the Joplin Club made a trip to Kansas City, having a two-fold object in view, first to get better acquainted with the business men and methods of Kansas City, and thus have better business connections, and secondly to advertise Joplin. The trip was highly suc- cessful both in a business and social way. Another Kansas City junket was indulged in during 1896.
In 1893 a Kansas City company was formed to build a railway from that city to Port Arthur and the Joplin Club at once got busy to secure the road for Joplin. Fifteen thousand dollars was subscribed toward sceuring the new road. The K. C. P. and G. acquired the old splitlog railway and extended the line from Joplin to Kansas City via Pittsburg, Kansas and from Siloam Springs south. The P. & G. is now known as the Kansas City Southern.
COMPANY G, SECOND INFANTRY, N. G. M.
In 1890, when the National guard was being reorganized all over Missouri, the military loving men of Joplin began agitating the ques- tion of reorganizing the old Joplin Rifles.
Among the new comers, who were attracted to Joplin in 1890 by the boom that was on, was Capt. F. C. Florance, of Kansas City, a member of the Third Regiment and ordinance officer of that organization. Cap- tain Florance put the matter in form by making application to Col. W. K. Caffee for permission to organize a company for the Second Regiment. The application was approved by Colonel Caffee, Adjutant General Wickham and Governor Francis, and a membership committee at once set out to secure the required number for a company. The company was formally mustered into the service of the state December 30, 1899, by Col. W. K. Caffee, of the Second Regiment. The charter membership of the company at the date of its muster-in was forty-three, but it was at once recruited to sixty-five. The following were the first officers of the company : Captain, F. C. Florance ; first lieutenant, Guy G. Farwell ; second lieutenant, John Kehlor; first sergeant, F. H. Wilson ; sergeants, Steel MeMillen, A. L. North, Bert Schnur and G. H. Davidson ; corpor- als, W. J. Morrow, John Dawson, H. P. Schellenback, Bert Fenn, Fred Parks and George H. Shaw.
Company G made its first appearance at the funeral of General Sherman at St. Louis February 20, 1891. The company had sixty-four men in line and was especially mentioned by the Post Dispatch, of St Louis, as being the largest company attending the obsequies of the dis- tinguished soldier.
On August 27, 1891, Captain Florance resigned his commission and J. B. Glover, of the famous Zouave Drill Corps was chosen captain. In June, 1892, Captain Glover withdrew from the company, and there was a complete reorganization. George B. Webster, late of the First Regi- ment, St. Louis, was chosen captain ; Sergeant A. S. Chappel was elected first lieutenant and J. S. Casey, second lieutenant.
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Under Captain Webster's command the company attended the regimental eamp at Carthage and was complimented by the officers sent to make the regimental inspection for its deportment in eamp. In July, 1893, Captain Webster and Lieutenant Chappel both removed from the city and the company was again reorganized, with the following corps of officers: Captain, Joel T. Livingston: first lieuten- ant, J. S. Casey ; seeond lieutenant, Fred C. Clippenger ; first sergeant, W. E. Bailey.
The company which had run down to thirty-six men was now re- eruited up to sixty men and the Crossman Hall in East Joplin rented for an armory.
The company went into camp at Cunningham Grove. July 3-4. 1894: also took part in the regimental camp at Springfield in August of that year. The commanding officer prescribed a code of signals for assem- bling the company for an emergency call. In July. 1894, the captain re- eeiving telegraphie orders from Colonel Caffee to assemble and hold the company in readiness to go to Moberly, where Governor Stone had planned to assemble the Second and Fourth Regiments for the purpose of preserving order in the railway strike which was tying up the traffic of the state. The call to assemble was sounded on the fire bell and in one hour after receiving the message forty-two men were at the armory and in heavy marching order.
On February 22, 1895, Company G banquetted at the Joplin Hotel, with Brigadier General Wickham, Colonel Caffee and staff, and Major Williams, together with their wives and sweethearts as guests. This was one of the brilliant affairs in Company G's history.
In May, 1895, Captain Livingston resigned his commission and was succeeded by R. A. Spear, of the famous Canton Lincoln, a natural born commander and military man. Shortly following Captain Spear's election the lieutenants resigned and E. L. Shepherd, just graduated from the Marmaduke Military Academy. and E. E. Duckett, one of the craek-drilled men, were chosen lieutenants.
In 1896 there occurred a series of social functions, given by the com- pany at their armory, which was now moved to the second story over Serage livery barn. At the annual inspection in 1896 Company G made the highest per cent of any of the companies in the Second Regiment.
In 1898 the company responded to the country 's call, went to the front with the volunteers in the Spanish-American war and made an excellent record. It being apparent that the company would see no fighting, Lieu- tenant Shepherd resigned before the close of the war and second lieu- tenant Duckett was promoted to the first lieutenancy. First Sergeant A. C. Tschappler receiving the appointment of second lieutenant.
Returning home at the elose of the war. the company was banqueted by the citizens and the reception was a most enjoyable occasion.
The following is a roster of Company G at the time of the Spanish- American war: Captain Robt. A. Spears; first lieutenant E. S. Shep- herd (resigned in October, 1898) : first lieutenant E. E. Duckett : second lientenant, Ameal C. Tschappler : sergeants, Frank Samson. D. D.
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Watson, Claud W. Calvin, Archie M. Kidd, James H. Mears and James Kelley ; corporals, E. J. Boggs, William Jones, Clarenee Warren, Albert C. Owen, Lester M. Ingraham, Ralph G. Borung, David Garrison, Frank Smith, William St. Clair, Thomas Rogers and Charles V. Spyers; trum- peters, Walter Axton and Benton Ebling; wagoner, Chas. Mason; arti- fieer, Clarenee W. Sloan; cook, James Dunean.
Privates, Jesse Axton, Edwin E. Brumbaugh, James N. Bailey, John F. Bean, William Bodkin, Robert E. Bennett, James H. Clarey, William M. Clarey, Thomas F. Clarey, Evert E. Collier, Benjamin Corn, Edward Crampton, Charles Chennoweth, Jay Z. Dun- woody, Charles E. De Witt, M. P. Fox, George K. Freeman, Claude Flemmy, R. A. Greer, Charles R. Gould, James Gilmore, Y. A. Hayes, Wiley Ilodshier, Homer Hollwork, Henry Haynie, C. M. Hills, Logan Horner, Joseph Howard, Henry G. Helm, Adrian Hallerman, Fred Henekley, Charles Johnson, Joseph Jaranch, Walter Johnson, Simon Jones, Fred Kenner, Fred Kerr, Jeff Long, Lester Loy, Arlington Lan- von, Henry Lewis, Dennis Landon, Harley Mccullough, Percie Mylins, Levi Newgent, Jacob Nischurtz, Henry Neff, Otis Nicholson, Norton Olivar, Harry Plimmer, John Pemrose, Frank Reka, Charles Rhodes. William Rice, Charles Rice, Edward Riseling, Herbert Ryan, John E. Smith, Charles Shaffer, William Saulsbury, Chester Smith, Howard Shryock. Nicholas Spoil, Patrick Spoil, N. Short, Frank Triganza. George Thompson, Thomas Thomolson, Audley Woodward, Melvin Wylls. Lewis Watzdorf. Walter Wicks and George Zeilter.
COMPANY G RELIEF ASSOCIATION
As mentioned before Company G was first stationed at Chickamauga Parks during the summer of 1898. In this eamp were 45,000 United States volunteers, and it was but natural, with such a large body thrown together, that the sanitation of the camp should be a great problem and this, with the intense heat during July and August, brought quite a number of the boys to the hospital tent. On learning the condition and realizing that quick action was necessary to relieve the boys at the front, Mrs. J. L. Briggs called a meeting of the women of the eity at the Meth- odist church for the purpose of organizing a Hospital Relief Association. Two hundred ladies responded to the call, on July 14, 1898, and organ- ized the Company G Relief Association.
The following were the officers of the society: President, Mrs. J. L. Briggs; vice president, Mrs. A. A. Carey ; secretary, Mrs. M. T. Down- ing; treasurer, Mrs. W. F. Halliard.
Executive committee : First Ward, Mrs. O. P. Simson ; Second Ward. Mrs. C. W. Lyon and Miss Alice Triganza ; Third Ward, Mrs. J. M. Me- Adams: Fourth Ward, Mrs. Galen Speneer; Fifth Ward, Mrs. Greene Sanson and Mrs. N. Moore.
Quite a sum of money was collected and forwarded to the company for the purpose of securing additional nurses and for the purchase of
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medical supplies. July 20th, on the beautiful lawn of Mrs. Briggs' home, a social was given which was a financial success and gave the asso- ciation a good working fund.
THIE "HERALD'S" COMPANY G BOX
When the boys were first mustered into the service supplies, of course, were scarce and realizing that our boys at Chickamauga would probably be in need before the army could be thoroughly supplied, the Joplin Daily Herald asked the citizens to make up a box and send to the front. The response was liberal and the Herald box from home brought much comfort and joy to the boys who had gone to fight for Cuba's independ- ence and to "Remember the Maine."
After the war Company G was reorganized and again mustered into the service of the state. The following were the officers of the company after the Spanish American war: Captain, E. E. Duekett; first lieu- tenant, James Kelley; seeond lieutenant, E. J. Boggs; first sergeant, Jesse Axton.
Other mention of Company G is made in our notes of the Second Regiment.
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC ENCAMPMENT OF 1893
The meeting of the Missouri Department, Grand Army of the Re- public, in Joplin April 12-14, 1893, was an important event and brought to the "City that Jack Built" fully five thousand visitors. Joplin never does things by halves and on this occasion entertained the veterans of the Union army in a royal manner. The Confederate veterans joined with the citizens and extended to the boys in blue a magnificent welcome.
The encampment was opened by a reception to the veterans and a general good time was had. Old acquaintances were renewed, war stories were told and songs were sung, bringing back to the old soldiers the stirring times and scenes of the early sixties. C. W. Whitehead, of Kan- sas City, department commander, presided over the sessions of the en- campment. Among the distinguished visitors present were National Commander A. G. Weissert, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Past Commander William Warner, of Kansas City, and Ex-Governor Phelps, of Spring- field.
The morning session was given over to routine business, the appoint- ment of committees, etc., the two principal features of the day being the grand parade in the afternoon and the eampfire at night.
THE PARADE
The parade occurred at four o'clock in the afternoon and was a mag- nificent affair. Over fifteen hundred veterans were in line. The military and semi-military societies of the city acted as eseort and helped to lend enthusiasm to the occasion. Past Commander E. W. Beach was the
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grand marshal and, with his aides, Col. J. V. Pierce and Captain Galen Spencer, formed the big parade and promptly at the hour set gave the signal to "forward march."
The order of march was as follows: City marshal ; platoon of mounted police; Chief Marshal Beach; Mounted orderlies; First Division, Gen. Charles W. Squires, marshal; Carthage Light Guard Band; Canton Lincoln, I. O. O. F .; Joplin Light Infantry ; Division No. 40, U. R. K. of P .; Joplin fire department ; Second Division, A. II. Brewer, marshal ; Nevada Martial Band; National Commander Weissert ; Department Com- mander C. W. Whitehead, and staff ; Delegates to Department Encamp- ment; G. A. R. Third Division, H. W. Davidson, marshal; Kansas Drum Corps; Merrill Camp, Sons of Veterans and all visiting Sons of Veterans.
Visiting posts and comrades of the G. A. R., O. P. Morton Post No. 14.
Fourth Division, T. W. Cunningham, marshal.
Southwest Protective Association and other mounted bodies.
Main street was lined with people from Second to Ninth, and the side- walks were impassable from Third to Seventh. Hundreds of people congregated at points of vantage on the side streets. Most of Joplin was out to view the spectacle. The music, the bright uniforms of the civie societies, the measured tread and military appearance of the Grand Army posts, and the waving flags and banners, combined to inspire an enthusiasm which broke out in cheer upon cheer when the Central school building was reached. Here the pupils of the public schools were massed. They occupied both sides of Wall street from Ninth to Seventh and their lines extended from the curbing to the fences. Others were massed in the yard of the Central school building and all of them were supplied with flags which they waved vigorously. The veterans un- covered as they passed between the lines and cheered in return for the cordial greeting of the pupils. This was a marked and most interesting feature of the parade. The Joplin Daily Herald, in commenting on the parade had an interesting column, "On the Skirmish Line." Fol- lowing are some of the interesting notes : Colonel Cunningham's Cavalry contributed an important feature to the parade.
The U. R. K. of P. made an excellent showing.
Canton Lincoln was complimented all along the line.
Capt. M. M. Rice as captain of the guard looked well in uniform.
The registry department was thronged the entire day by searchers for old army comrades.
Hassendeuble, F. P. Blair and Ransom posts, of St. Louis, made a magnificent appearance.
The mounted police presented a fine appearance and did good service in elearing the line of march.
"Marching Through Georgia" is now, as it was nearly thirty years ago, the popular song of the soldier.
Next to Missouri, Illinois regiments have the largest representation in the registers; Iowa comes next.
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