USA > Missouri > Jasper County > A history of Jasper County, Missouri, and its people > Part 36
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In the prize drill for the championship of the regiment in which six legions participated, Joplin won over Neosho by the small margin of 41 points out of a possible 1000.
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THE CENSUS OF 1890.
Jasper township 955
Duval township
970
Preston township, including Jasper City 1,365
Jasper City, 400.
Sheridan township 955
Lincoln township 821
McDonald township 1,205
Madison township
1,248
Marion township, including Carthage
9,323
Carthage, 7,981.
Mineral township, including Oronogo. (Oronogo not listed sep- arately in 1890) .2,145
Twin Grove township, including Carl Junction .2,323
Carl Junction, 699.
Galena township, outside of Joplin . 4,360
Joplin, 9,943.
Joplin township, including Webb City and Carterville
9,731
Webb City, 5,043.
Carterville, 2,884.
Jackson township 1,315 Union township 1,309
Sarcoxie township, including City of Sarcoxie. City of Sarcoxie
not listed separately in 1890
2,532
50,500
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CHAPTER XXVIII COUNTY AT LARGE
COUNTY POLITICS-EXCITING CAMPAIGN OF 1896-BUILDING OF THE COUNTY COURT HOUSES-CORNER STONE LAID OF JOPLIN COURT HOUSE-THE COURT HOUSE AT CARTHAGE-DEDICATION OF THE COURT HOUSE-AT THE SOUTH WEST MISSOURI TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION OF 1890-THE TEACHERS' NORMAL-AT THE WORLD'S FAIR, CHICAGO (1893)-THE INTER STATE CHAUTAUQUA ASSEMBLY-BUILDING OF THE INTER URBAN STREET RAILWAY SYSTEM-ANNUAL BANQUET OF THE JASPER COUNTY ELECTRIC CLUB-THE GOOD ROADS MOVEMENT- JASPER-NEWTON COUNTY OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION-THE GRIPPE IN JASPER COUNTY.
A comparison of the census of 1890 and 1900 shows that Jasper county made rapid strides in point of population during the nineties, the county having gained 33,518 inhabitants during the decade.
The business of the county likewise increased in volume, especially the mining industry which at the close of the decade showed triple the value in output over the amount turned in during the year 1890.
We find it much harder in this chapter to classify the history into divisions than we did in the seventies and eighties, so much that properly was local in its character yet had a county-wide influence, was found, that in the narrative of this decade much of the history of Carthage, Joplin, Webb City and Carterville will be found in our county-at-large chapter and we shall, however, as much as possible, confine our stories to the divisions in which they belong.
COUNTY POLITICS
1890, being an off year, no great rallies were had, but both parties made a vigorous speech-making campaign, with the result that a mixed ticket was elected. The following were the successful contestants: Pre- siding judge county court, H. A. Atherton; associate justices (Eastern district) Clay Leeming and (Western district) James A. Daugherty ; prosecuting attorney, James A. Dryden; recorder, John C. Barley ; county clerk, Annie W. Baxter; collector, H. W. Crane; circuit clerk, Frank Ney; treasurer, Thomas Garland; assessor, W. S. Cohenour; coroner, Dr. E. C. H. Squire; state senator, W. B. Hendrickson; repre- sentatives, (Eastern district) W. R. Schooler and (Western district) H. B. Fraser; sheriff, James Purcell.
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The presidential election of 1892 was an exciting one, the tariff ques- tion being the paramount issue. The vote on president was: Harrison, Republican, 5,360; Cleveland, Democrat, 4,801; Streeter, Populist, 1,818. The county officers elected at this election were: Representatives, (Eastern district), R. T. Stickney and (Western district), H. L. Isher- wood; sheriff, Jas. Purcell; collector, R. H. Crane; prosecuting attorney, J. T. James; judges (Eastern district), R. L. McMeecham and (West- ern district), Jas. A. Daugherty ; treasurer, I. F. Russum; coroner, E. C. H. Squire; assessor, W. S. Taylor; surveyor, George H. Bradford; public administrator, John T. Willoughby.
1894: Vote on judge supreme court : Republican, 4,738; Democrat, 3,395; Populist, 1,286.
Representatives (Eastern district), R. T. Stickney; (Western dis- trict), W. J. Sailor ; circuit clerk, F. B. Norton; recorder of deeds, James A. Seigler; county clerk, S. A. Stuckey; prosecuting attorney, H. L. Shannon; presiding judge county court, Charles W. Elliott; associate justices (Eastern district), Clay Leeming and (Western district), L. A. Fillmore; sheriff, W. S. Crane; probate judge, D. D. Keer; assessor, W. S. Taylor; coroner, William Galbraith.
EXCITING CAMPAIGN OF 1896
The campaign of 1896 was by far the most exciting of the nineties and also the most hotly contested of any election since the famous Hayes and Tilden campaign of 1876. The money question was the paramount issue; and over this question there was an almost complete new line-up for the great political battle that was on.
When the Republican party declared against the free coinage of silver, many members who favored bi-metalism left the party with which they had affiliated and formed the Free Silver Republican party which, as the campaign grew hot, affiliated with the Democrats. In the same way great numbers of Democrats who favored the single standard met and organized the sound money Democratic party and many of these, as the election drew on, voted with the Republicans. The Populist party also affiliated with the Democrats, and the alliance was sometimes spoken of as the Three Ringed Circus.
The excitement was intense and on almost every street corner and country store little groups of men could be seen discussing the all- absorbing question of the day.
Republicans wore yellow hats and yellow flowers, significant of the gold standard and the Democrats wore white hats and white flowers, significant of the white metal. Both parties held great rallies and torch light processions and at the four large cities these demonstrations brought together thousands of people.
The result in Jasper county was as follows: Bryan, Democrat, 7,016; Mckinley, Republican, 4,819.
The county officers elected were: Circuit judge, J. D. Perkins; rep- resentative (Eastern district), M. P. Jenkins and (Western district)
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James A. Daugherty; judge (Eastern district), W. R. Schooler, and judge (Western district), Albert B. Osborn; prosecuting attorney, Charles H. Montgomery ; collector, S. A. Emery ; sheriff, W. H. Warren; assessor, O. B. Morris; surveyor, Charles Clark, treasurer, J. M. Weeks; public administrator, James Day; coroner, Dr. William Whitley.
Officers elected in 1898: State senator, Ben. F. Thomas; representa- tive (Eastern district), M. P. Jenkens; representative (Western dis- trict), A. G. Carter; presiding judge county court, James M. Hickman; associate justices county court (Eastern district), William R. Schooler and (Western district), M. C. Terry; sheriff, W. H. Warren; county clerk, S. A. Stuckey ; circuit clerk, F. B. Norton ; county collector, C. A. Emery; county treasurer, John M. Weeks; judge probate court, Marion Brown; coroner, Wm. Whitley ; public administrator, Edwin O'Donnold; prosecuting attorney, H. L. Shannon; assessor, O. B. Morris and re- corder, F. B. Steadly. The vote at this election was as follows: Demo- cratic ticket, 5,567; Republican ticket, 5,466.
On the face of the returns John Malang, Republican, and F. B. Steadly, Democrat, tied for recorder. Both sides prepared for a contest, but after several months of legal manœuvres the contestants settled the controversy amicably, Mr. Steadly taking the office.
BUILDING OF THE COUNTY COURT HOUSES
After having twice defeated a proposition to build a court house the county, at a special election held July 15, 1891, by a vote of 6,816 to 3,106 decided to build two court houses-one at Carthage, to cost ap- proximately $100,000 and one at Joplin to cost $20,000. The city of · Carthage paid $50,000 of the cost of the Carthage house. The election had been bitterly fought, the citizens of Webb City opposing the proposition.
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On July 22nd, a jollification was had in Carthage which was at- tended by 20,000 people-10,000 taking part in the parade. A special train of nine cars, packed to the guard, came to Carthage from Joplin, and the revelry continued far into the night.
The election was contested by the citizens of Webb City and fought through the courts to the Supreme court, that body declaring the elec- tion void because the voters had not used the Australian system, which had been made a part of the laws of 1891 and had taken effect a few days prior to the election.
The matter was resubmitted to the people on May 9, 1893, and after a hotly contested campaign the tax was again voted, the ballot being as follows: For the court house tax, 8,174; against, 3,281; majority above the required two-thirds, 1,612.
CORNER STONE LAID OF JOPLIN COURT HOUSE
The laying of the corner stones of the two court houses marked two great days in Jasper county history. The court house at Joplin, being Vol. I-n
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the smaller of the two, was of course soonest ready for occupancy and the corner stone first laid.
. The corner stone of the Jasper county court house at Joplin was laid with appropriate ceremonies May 8, 1894, and was a gala day for that city. Although the morning portended rain, fully 15,000 people took part in the exercises, which were slightly marred by the storm which came on before the ceremonies were concluded. The Board of Education dismissed the schools for the day and the 3,300 pupils witnessed the demonstration.
The parade was a most imposing spectacle and was participated in by fifty-one organizations which moved as follows:
(1) Grand Marshal D. M. Page and staff.
(2) Military division, Major F. E. Williams commanding : Joplin Drum Corps, Carthage Light Guards, Joplin Rifles and Scarrett Guards of Neosho.
(3) School division, consisting of three marching organizations rep- resenting the Macedonian Phalanx, the Crusaders and the Continental Minute Men of 1775.
These three organizations had participated (in costume) in a school entertainment, February 22nd, and had made such a hit that they were especially invited to participate in the corner stone parade. The Mace- donian Phalanx appeared in the costume of the time of Alexander the Great, the boys carrying spears. The Crusaders, in the habiliments of the legions of Richard Cœur de Lion, carried swords. The Minute Men appeared in the uniform of the Continental patriots and drew after them a small cannon which had been cast at Freeman's foundry and which had done service as an enthusiasm raiser, in the campaign of 1892, also the court house campaign.
(4) Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Ancient Order of United Workmen division, Capt. R. A. Spear, commanding: Twin City band; Joplin and Carthage cantons; Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodges of the county and Ancient Order of United Workmen lodge-twelve or- ganizations in line.
(5) Knights of Pythias division, Capt. G. K. Davidson, command- ing : Joplin Cadet band; Uniformed Ranks Knights of Pythias, divisions from Carthage, Webb City and Joplin and subordinate lodges of Jasper county.
(6) Miners' division, Marsh Hinton, commanding: Marching club of miners in working clothes, carrying dinner pails, etc., followed by floats on which were seated two miners and carrying out the idea that the spade hands are the real kings in whose keeping are the destinies of the mining district.
(7) Masonic division, Maj. Clark Craycroft, commanding: Car- thage Light Guard band; Knights Templar, Carthage and Joplin, Grand Lodge of Emergency; Masons of Jasper county; county officials and invited guests.
(8) Neosho Hayseed band and Knights and Ladies of Honor lodges.
(9) Fire departments, Chief A. Haughton, commanding: Joplin's
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new paid fire department, with their new fire wagon and celebrated span of horses, Major and Dan; volunteer departments of Carthage, Carter- ville and Neosho.
(10) Mounted division, T. W. Cunningham, commanding: Galena Firemen's band and one hundred men on horseback, riding four abreast and making a magnificent appearance. Each of the horsemen wore a small United States flag in his hat and in each of the horses' bridles was a pretty boutonniere of red white and blue.
The following composed the Grand Lodge of Emergency who laid the corner stone : Most Worshipful Master, P. L. Crossman; Right Worship- ful Master, Al Reynolds; S. W., E. C. H. Squire; J. W., E. F. Martin; Treasurer, W. S. Carson; Secretary, Harmon Cline; Chaplain, Rev. J. J. Martin; S. D., W. A. Skelton ; J. D., Jno. H. Tutt; Grand Pursuviant, J. C. Faulkender, Tyler, T. J. Patterson; Grand Stewards, C. H. Hand, W. H. Miles, W. M. Thompson and A. S. Abbott; Bearer of the Bible Square and Compass, John S. Reynolds; Bearer of the Constitution, John S. McDonald.
At the conclusion of the ceremonies a number of addresses were made, among them those of S. A. Stuckey, Carl Junction, Jacob Friek, Jasper, and the mayors of Carthage and Carterville. The coming on of the rain shortened the program.
One of the most delightful features of the day was the entertainment provided by the Joplin Club: Capt. E. O. Bartlett as chairman of the entertainment committee, dispensed for the club at the Keystone Hotel, light refreshments before and after the exercises and every out-of-town visitor was invited to partake of the hospitality.
The Joplin court house was dedicated in April, 1895, and used until June 13, 1911, when it was destroyed by fire. At this writing it has not been rebuilt.
THE COURT HOUSE AT CARTHAGE
The corner stone of the Jasper county court house was laid August 23, 1894, and was an event long to be remembered. The ceremonies were conducted by Masons, assisted by various fraternal and military societies acting as escort in the grand parade which preceded the exer- cises.
PARADE
(1) Col. W. K. Coffee and staff acted as grand marshal of the day and the parade moved in the following order.
(2) Carriage containing the then four oldest living citizens in the county-Mr. and Mrs. John A. Dale, John Onstott and Judge Rushe.
(3) Carriages containing the county officials.
(4) Carthage Light Guard band.
(5) Second Battalion, Second Regiment, M. N. G., Maj. F. E. Will- iams, commanding.
(6) Masonic lodges of Jasper county, escorted by the Knights Templar.
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(7) Galena Firemen's band.
(8) Battalion of Uniformed Ranks Knights- of Pythias, consisting of divisions from Carthage, Webb City and Joplin, commanded by Col. Carl Gray.
(9) Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodges of Jasper county, es- corted by Patriarchs Militant.
(10) Carthage Drum Corps.
(11) Veterans of Civil war.
(12) Joplin Drum Corps.
(13) Stone cutters working on the court house.
(14) Citizens ..
The corner stone was placed in position by Honorable John D. Vincil of St. Louis, past grand master Missouri Grand Lodge of Masons. The following articles were deposited in the receptacle: The Holy Bible and photograph of workmen throwing first shovel of dirt; copy of High School Star; advertisements and posters of court house meetings; certi- fied order of court announcing result of election; World's Fair coins; Rosters G. A. R. posts of Jasper county; literary societies of Carthage and Masonic bodies participating in the ceremonies; a $10 Confederate bill; copies of all newspapers in the county ; miscellaneous articles.
Mayor E. B. Jacobs, C. O. Harrington and T. B. Tuttle comprised the committee which planned and carried out the details of the exercises.
Fifteen thousand people witnessed the impressive corner stone ceremonies.
DEDICATION OF THE COURT HOUSE
The Carthage court house was formally dedicated October 9, 1895, with appropriate ceremonies. The exercises opened with a parade which was participated in by the military and civic societies and the school children of Carthage. The latter feature was an imposing spectacle, every one of the pupils wearing a badge and carrying a United States flag. John W. Halliburton was the marshal of the day.
Two speakers' stands were erected one at the northeast and one at the southeast corners of the court house and addresses were made by Congressman Burton E. C. Devore, of Carterville, T. B. Houghawout and Major H. H. Harding.
In the evening, at the Harrington Hotel, the Jasper Courts Bar As- sociation held a meeting and concluded with a banquet, Hon. Galen Spencer of Joplin presiding as toast master. Among the toasts and re- sponses were the following: "Our Courts," Major H. H. Harding; "The Lawyer," J. W. McAntire; "Our Clients," Thomas Hackney ; "The Jury," L. P. Cunningham; "Oratory in Court," John H. Flannigan.
AT THE SOUTH WEST MISSOURI TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION OF 1890.
At the meeting of the South West Missouri Teachers' Association in December, 1890, at Lebanon, Jasper county carried off all of the honors.
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In the oratorical contest in which sixteen of the twenty-seven counties in the association sent a contestant, Miss D. Lorane Buchanan, of Joplin, won the first prize. Miss Buchanan later became an actress of great ability. In the prize essay contest W. M. Wharton, principal of the Medoc school, and later county superintendent, won the first honor and in the general display of school work the Webb City schools captured the blue ribbon.
R. D. Shannon and S. A. Underwood, of Joplin, were elected presi- dent and secretary of the association and J. M. Stevenson, county school commissioner of Jasper county, treasurer, while Joplin was chosen as the place for holding the next session. At the Joplin meeting in De- cember, 1891, a pleasing incident occurred. Treasurer J. M. Stevenson and Secretary S. A. Underwood were both present at the meeting in Carthage when the association was formed in 1878, and each had at- tended every session of the association from its formation. These gentle- men, with other teachers who were prominent in the educational affairs of South West Missouri presented to the association a gavel made of twenty-seven pieces of wood-one piece obtained in each of the twenty- seven counties. The gavel was a splendid souvenir and was also a beautiful piece of mechanical work. The gavel had in it ten different kinds of wood grown in South West Missouri. In presenting it to the president Professor Stevenson told a number of interesting reminiscences of the Jasper schools. A feature of the Joplin meeting was a class of sixteen boys and girls from the Longfellow school in Kansas City, who came to the meeting accompanied by the physical director of the Kansas City Schools and gave an interesting exhibition of calisthenic exercises. The director also read a very instructive paper on how to teach physical culture in the public schools.
THE TEACHERS' NORMAL
All during the nineties the Teachers' Normal continued to be a great factor in educational circles. Three hundred teachers and applicants for teachers' certificates attended the 1890 Normal and all who were in attendance felt that a profitable and pleasant school month had been spent. The faculty this year consisted of County Commissioner J. M. Stevenson, conductor; Prof. Howe, of the Warrensberg State Normal; Prof. Dodd, of the Carthage High School; Lyda Clark and V. L. Vawter.
Spelling was a feature of this year's course of study and at the close of the Normal a spelling contest was had in which 225 teachers par- ticipated. The following were among the teachers who scored 100: Agnes McCarty, A. B. Callison, Euphema Potts, W. M. Wharton, Alice Corley, Stella Hodshier, Sakie Gray and Ella Lawton.
In the final examination H. Church, of Carthage, received honorable mention for having turned in the neatest set of papers of the entire teaching body.
At the school election in 1893 W. M. Wharton was elected county com- missioner and was twice reelected. In 1899 Prof. E. B. Denision, of Joplin, was elected superintendent.
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All during the nineties the Normal was a great summer school, al- ways having had a most excellent corps of teachers, and each year showed some advancement over the year previous. We will not attempt to set out in detail the accomplishments of each of the normals, other than to say that during the nineties it was held every three years at Carthage, Webb City and Joplin.
W. M. Wharton, who became county superintendent in 1893, intro- . duced in the Normal the plan of issuing diplomas to the teachers who had completed the courses of study mapped out. The first Normal class graduated in 1898 and the examination passed by the graduates was the same as given by the state superintendent for a five-year state certificate.
AT THE WORLD'S FAIR, CHICAGO (1893)
In the selection of the Missouri Board of World's Fair Commission- ers, Governor Francis honored Jasper county with the selection of Col. H. H. Gregg, of Joplin, as one of the five to look after the proper adver- tisement and showing of Missouri's great industries and resources, and to him was especially assigned the collection of mining exhibits.
In the Missouri building at the fair Jasper county was assigned one room, and this was filled up by the county under the direction of a board of lady managers selected from the different cities of the county. Mrs. J. W. Harper, of Carthage, was the president of the board of lady man- agers for the Jasper county room and this association met at stated in- tervals at different points over the county to devise ways and means for decorating the room and collecting the exhibits. In Joplin, Carthage and Webb City entertainments and balls were given by the ladies and a neat sum raised, to which the mine operators added $3,300 for the dis- tribution of advertising matter at the fair. The room was tastefully decorated and attracted much attention. Among the exhibits in the Jasper County room which excited favorable comment were samples of the various forms of lead in its native state and the manufactured prod- uct by the Picher Lead Company of Joplin. A huge pyramid of zinc was exhibited, made from specimens sent in from the different camps. Among the single pieces of zinc was a mass from the Blendville mines weighing 6,500 pounds and one from Webb City weighing 2,600.
THE INTER STATE CHAUTAUQUA ASSEMBLY
In 1897 there was organized the Inter State Chautauqua Assembly and the first of a number of interesting and instructive meetings held at Carthage June 21st to July 9th of that year.
It was originally intended to be a Jasper-Cherokee county affair and the first board of directors were chosen from the several cities of Jasper county and Galena, Kansas.
The officers for 1897 were: President. Dr. D. J. Stewart, of Car- thage; vice president, Rev. J. B. Welty, of Joplin. Among the Jasper county citizens on the board were: Jno. H. Taylor, Rev. Paul Brown
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and G. B. Young, of Joplin; Dr. Cook, president of Webb City College, and A. A. Hulett, of Webb City; J. W. Petty, of Carterville, and Dr. Goucher of Carthage.
The first assembly was a success in every particular excepting that the finances ran short on account of a severe storm during the middle of the meeting which kept down the attendance. Days were set apart for various organizations and a number of speakers of national reputation were in attendance, among them, William Jennings Bryan, Senator Dol- liver of Iowa; Gen. S. B. Prentis, the hero of Shiloh; T. DeWitt Tal- mage; Sam Jones and many others.
Bryan day, June 24th, 20,000 people were on the grounds and on the Sound Money day, when Senator Dolliver was the orator, almost as many were in attendance.
It was regrettable that the severe rain, which came on in the midst of the assemble, marred the financial success of the meet, because it had brought together, in a delightful summer school, the literary and music loving people of the county. Among the musical celebrities from abroad none outshone Jasper county's own Miss Emma Johns, of Carthage, now Mrs. De Armond, whose piano performances thrilled the vast as- semblage who heard her play. The first Jasper County Chautauqua went down in history as a most delightful literary and social success.
BUILDING OF THE INTER URBAN STREET RAILWAY SYSTEM.
As in the seventies, the building of the three lines of railroad trans- formed Jasper county from an unimportant country community to a great wideawake business center, so during the nineties, three electric street railways were built and they wrought wonderful changes, both in a business and social way. The three electric roads built and operated were the Joplin Electric Street Railway Company, the South West Missouri Electric Railway Company and the Jasper County Electric Railroad.
The Joplin Electric Railway is mentioned in the history of Joplin and we will therefore speak here only of the South West Missouri Elec- tric and the Jasper County Electric, all three of which are now con- solidated and under the management of the South West Missouri Rail- road Company.
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