USA > Missouri > Jasper County > A history of Jasper County, Missouri, and its people > Part 41
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JOPLIN ELECTRIC RAILWAY
In 1890 Henry Newman, of the Joplin National Bank, and a num- ber of capitalists, organized a company and built an electric railway in Joplin. The line originally extended from College Hill in East Joplin to Tenth street on Main. The first car was run over the line December 5, 1890, and C. H. Belden was the first superintendent of the road.
The line was shortly after extended to Blendville, running south on Maine, to Nineteenth, west on Nineteenth to Byers, south to Twenty- first street, thence west to Murphy and south to Twenty-sixth. The line was completed August 21, 1891. This line was of great benefit to Jop- lin, as it brought Blendville, then a thriving suburb, in closer touch with the main town, and as their business and social interests came to be identical, the two towns grew together. In 1892 Blendville was an- nexed to Joplin and now, excepting to old-time citizens, the former is only a name, for today, the city is built up solidly on the north and east and all trace of a dividing line has disappeared. The Joplin Electric was bought by the Southwestern Missouri Electric Railway Company in 1896 and is now a part of the great interurban system.
CUNNINGHAM'S GROVE BECOMES A CITY PARK
On July 5, 1898, T. W. Cunningham, then mayor of Joplin, gave to the city for a public park a beautiful seven-acre tract of land known as Cunningham's Grove. The splendid gift was accepted by the city and steps taken to make it a place second to no park in the state.
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Further mention of the park will be made in our article on "Parks of 1900-10."
THE "JOPLIN DAILY GLOBE"
During the first Mckinley-Bryan campaign, when the silver ques- tion was the great issue of the hour, a new paper came into existence to champion the cause of the silver plumed knight from the Platte, the Joplin Daily Globe.
In May, 1896, Messrs. L. C. McCarn, now the editor of the Morning Tribune, Frank Tew, late of Kansas City, and O. P. Meloy, now presi- dent of the Joplin Printing Company, came to Joplin and started a job printing office. Each of these gentlemen was an ardent cham- pion of silver. At that time the Joplin Daily Herald, the Democratic paper, was edited by W. F. Snyder, who leaned toward the gold stand- ard and, as a result, did not enthusiastically support the Democratic platform. During June and July, 1896, much political history was made and, shortly following the nomination of Mr. Bryan, Messrs. Mc- Carn, Tew and Meloy started the Joplin Daily Globe and, on ac- count of the intense excitement that existed, it sprang into great popu- larity with the Democrats of the city. Further mention of the Globe will be made in our chapter on the last decade.
THE JOPLIN TELEPHONE COMPANY
The Joplin Telephone Company was organized in 1894, largely through the efforts of Z. A. Lawdermilk, and was equipped and put into operation in 1895. The company at once became very popular and enjoyed a large patronage. The Joplin Telephone Company is now a part of great Home Telephone which operates in almost every city, town and hamlet of Jasper county.
REDELL'S DEEP WELL
In 1897 George H. Redell decided to drill for water and employed P. L. Crossman, the deep mine driller, to sink for him a deep well. The well was sunk to a depth of 1,400 feet, where a fine body of water was drilled into and the well at once became a matter of great pride to Joplin, for it demonstrated the fact that should at any time it become necessary to abandon Shoal Creek as a source of supply, an abun- dance of pure crystal water was within reach.
VOLUNTEER FIREMEN'S TOURNAMENTS
The Southwestern Firemen's tournament was held in Joplin, June 9-11, 1891, and was a splendid success. Three thousand dollars was given away in prizes, and the attendance of firemen and visitors gave the city a holiday appearance.
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The parade was a grand affair, 1,668 firemen being in the line of march, including Carterville companies from Ottawa, Ft. Scott, Pitts- burg, Columbus, Rich Hill, Springfield, Ft. Smith, Carrollton, Lexing- ton, Carthage, Carterville, Webb City, Galena, and Joplin, besides the Veteran Firemen's associations from St. Louis and Kansas City.
In the prize races the following companies were winners: In the 100-yard race, of the eleven entries, Nevada captured first prize, Car- thage second and Pittsburg third.
In the championship race-200-yard run, lay line of hose and throw water-there were twenty-two entries, and the following were the prize winners: (1) Central Hose, Joplin, time 271/2 seconds; (2) Pay- ton Hose, Joplin, time 30 seconds; (3) Carterville Company No. 1, and Regan Hose Company of Carthage, tied for third place each, making the run in 31 seconds.
In the hook and ladder contest, Fort Scott won first money and Nevada second.
At the Volunteer Firemen's tournament at Springfield the Central Hose Company of Joplin lowered its record, winning first place by mak- ing the run in 23:45 seconds. Joplin was very proud of its volunteer de- partment.
THE PAID DEPARTMENT
In 1884 the City Council established the Paid fire department, and Aaron Haughton, the chief of the old volunteer department, became the first head of the new organization.
The first members of the Paid department were: W. F. Griffith, Frank Zellars, Henry Davis, Charles Sparling and Jos. Dunkle. Frank Zellars is still a member of the department and has twice served the city as chief. At the present writing he is its assistant chief.
A. Haughton remained at the head of the department until 1897, when he was succeeded by Bracken Wilson. Mr. Haughton was a great organizer and made the Joplin Paid department second to none in the state.
THE TOURNAMENT OF 1897
The Southwestern Missouri Firemen's Association again held its annual meeting in Joplin, June 12-18, 1897, and although Joplin, Car- thage, Springfield and other large cities had organized paid depart- ments and necessarily cut down the number of volunteer companies, the attendance was large and the meeting a success.
One of the notable features of the parade was the Carthage Veteran Firemen's Association. In the line were Capt. F. B. Tuttle, Mose Block, Thomas Garland, Charles Kesswetter, Thomas N. Davey, George Thomas, George M. Merrick, Charles Hubb, C. B. Wood and John Brounsell, who were members of Carthage's first fire department in 1872 and helped pull the old Babcock fire engine, during the seventies.
In the championship contest, the honors were won by the Free-
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man's Volunteer Hose Company of South Joplin, the time being 24:35. Webb City, their closest competitor (ten companies entering the contest), made the run in 25:15, the difference being a trifle over a second.
BLENDVILLE
In 1876 a good paying lead mine was opened on the Cox land, then two and a half miles southwest of the main part of town and the little settlement which grew up around these mines was called "Cox diggings." The county school district that was organized was called the Cox Dig- gings schools and ran along like other county school districts, with its occasional spelling match and literary society, until 1890, when a great change came over the little settlement and in less than six months time transformed the hamlet into a town.
The Empire Zine Company, which owned a large portion of the land where Cox Diggings was located, began active mining operations in the fall of 1889 and made some phenomenal strikes, their mines being among the best producers in the district. Doctor Carter and Cap- tain Rice organized the Mahaska Company and began developing the land just east of Cox Diggings, and Mrs. M. C. Allen, of Evansville, Indiana (Joplin's first "mining queen"), and the Snyder Brothers de- veloped, with great success, the land to the west. July 1, 1890, saw Cox Diggings a live town of not less than 1,500, with some twenty stores, and which, by common consent, was called Blendville. This, on account of the vast quantities of "jack" being taken from the ground, seemed a more appropriate name than Cox Diggings. The main street was built along either side of the section line road, now known as Twenty-sixth street, and called by the citizens Stump avenue. The houses for the most part were south of the main thoroughfare. The eighty acres, now com- prising the residence portion of Blendville, was then included in T. W. Cunningham's farm.
During the early nineties and before the extension of the city limits to the south, Blendville was a real live wire. The county court appointed a justice of the peace for the place, J. W. Napier, and two deputy constables were kept busy. In 1892, T. W. Cunningham did a great thing for Blendville and her people. He laid out his eighty-acre farm into town lots and put them on the market at a reasonable figure and in reach of the miners, selling them on long time and assisting those unable to build homes to do so. He gave lots for three churches and also donated twelve lots for a school site and here a twelve-room brick building now stands as a monument to his forethought and generosity.
To give an idea of Blendville importance we call attention to the fol- lowing happenings of the nineties :
A beautiful six-room school was built. Three churches were organ- ized and edifices for them built-the Baptists, South Methodists and the Latter Day Saints.
There were organized seven lodges-the Independent Order of Good
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Templars, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Woodmen, Red Men and Ladies auxilliaries to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and Woodmen.
During its early day there were numerous business houses. Every- thing was on the wide-awake order.
In 1890 the Rex Mining Company, composed of E. D. Porter, A. E. Stillwell, Galen Spencer, Henry Newman and others, purchased a tract of one thousand acres of land southeast of the city and began mining operations. The price paid for this land was $110,000. A thriving camp sprang up which was called Rex City, and was a live suburb of Joplin all during the decade.
FIRST SHIPMENT OF ZINC TO EUROPE
February, 1891, the Snyder Brothers, operating at Blendville, sold one thousand tons of zinc to Vivion & Son, of Swansea, Wales. This was reported at the time to be the first exportation of American zinc to Europe. The oar was sacked and it required three trains of thirty cars to carry the zinc to the seaboard. This shipment was of great im- portance to Jasper county, as it opened a new field for her mining product and enlarged the scope of her mining possibilities.
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CHAPTER XXXIV
JOPLIN EDUCATIONAL TOPICS
NEW HIGH SCHOOL-SCHOOL DISTRICT ENLARGED-HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI-FIRST ALUMNI BANQUET AND REUNION-ON THE AP- PROVED LIST-PUBLIC SCHOOL CADET CORPS-COLUMBIAN PARADE- ARBOR DAY, 1893-JOPLIN TEACHERS VISIT KANSAS CITY-MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOL OFFICIALS (1890-9)-ALUMNI OF HIGH SCHOOL -JOPLIN STUDENTS AT BAIRD COLLEGE-JOPLIN BUSINESS COLLEGE -BEGINNING OF THE LIBRARY MOVEMENT-CLUB WOMEN-THE EMERSON CLUB-1872 BOARD ENTERTAINS 1892 BOARD-OLD SET- TLERS' ASSOCIATION.
To give an idea of the growth of the Joplin public school system during the nineties we cite the following: On January 1, 1890, the school district which embraced East Joplin, Lone Elm and West Jop- lin had a teaching force of twenty-five. On December 31, 1899, sev- enty instructors were employed.
NEW HIGH SCHOOL
The building boom which came on following the adoption of the new charter, including the construction of sidewalks, sewer system, etc., was at its height, January 1, 1890, and the schools were so crowded that half-day sessions were resorted to in eleven of the twenty-four rooms occupied. Shortly after the opening of the session in September, 1889, it was apparent that more school rooms were needed and $30,000 was voted for school improvements, including a new ward and high school building combined, which was erected at Fourth street and Jackson avenue. The Jackson school, when first built, was a three story brick structure, the third story, of which consisted of two study rooms, and an auditorium which was used for the high school. The principal's room on the second floor was used as the superintendent's office. The Jackson High School was formally dedicated December 12, 1890, Maj: J. B. Merwin, of St. Louis, editor of the North American Journal of Education, delivering the principal address of the evening.
In 1892 it became necessary to build again and $20,000 were voted for ward-school improvements-additions being made to South Joplin (now the Franklin School), East Joplin, Byersville and North Heights (now Columbia). The north half of the present high school was built in 1896.
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SCHOOL DISTRICT ENLARGED
In 1892 the city extended its limits to embrace Blendville on the south and, at the annual meeting in 1893, the Blendville school district containing some 600 children of school age, and the Parr Hill district embracing the southeastern portion of the enlarged city, with a two- room well organized school-both voted to unite with the city district. Following the addition of this new territory the original six rooms of the beautiful Alcott school were built.
In order that the reader may have an idea of the public educational system during the decade, we mention here a few of the school hap- penings which occurred during that period :
On June 1, 1891, the census covering the school districts of Joplin, Blendville and Parr Hill showed the following: Joplin, 3,528; Blend- ville, 539; Parr Hill, 215. Total, 4,282.
HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI
On February 22, 1890, the members of the classes which had grad- uated in 1887, 1888 and 1889 met and formed a permanent organiza- tion, the following being elected the officers of the Alumni Associa- tion for the year 1890: President, W. A. Nickel, class of '87; vice- presidents, Misses Ida Calfee ('87), Blanche George ('88), and Stella Taylor ('88) ; secretary, Blanche Sergeant ('87) ; treasurer, Eunice Timmons ('88).
THE FIRST ALUMNI BANQUET AND REUNION
The first reunion and banquet of the alumni was held at the Key- stone Hotel, at the close of the school year 1894, when that body for- mally welcomed the class of '94 into the organization. The affair was a brilliant success. F. T. Snapp was the master of ceremonies and as a toastmaster was a success, and by his witty little speeches in intro- ducing the several speakers, kept everyone in the very best of humor.
The following was the program: "Welcome to the Class of '94," W. A. Nickel; response, R. N. Graham; "History of the Alumni," Mrs. Emma Price; "Recollections," Miss Alice Q. Haven; original musical selection, Miss Ira Joe Grant ; recitation, Miss Maude Stewart; "The Present and Future of the High School," Principal Vawter; "The Next Thing, " Rev. J. J. Martin.
These banquets and receptions so happily commenced were con- tinued through the nineties.
PLACED ON THE APPROVED LIST
On March 9, 1890, Supt. R. D. Shannon received a letter from President Jesse, of the State University, stating that the state in- spector of high schools had approved the Joplin High School as meeting the requirements of a standard school and that the faculty of the
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university, acting on his recommendation, had placed that institution on the list of schools whose graduates would be admitted to the Fresh- men class of the State University without examination.
PUBLIC SCHOOL CADET CORPS
In 1891, at the suggestion of O. B. Hamlin, a member of the Board of Education, a Cadet Corps was organized and placed in charge of
PUBLIC SCHOOL CADET
Joel T. Livingston, principal of the Byersville school, as commandant, with George H. Shaw, supervising architect and second sergeant, Joplin Light Infantry, and John W. Gray, principal of the Lone Elm school and late sergeant Carthage Light Guards, as captains of the two com- panies that were organized. Fred W. Parks, now chief clerk in the office of Cornelius Roach, secretary of state, then a young man just out of a military school, acted as adjutant. The corps consisted of eighty boys belonging to the seventh and eighth grades and the fresh- men year in the high school.
For the purpose of procuring uniforms an entertainment was given at the Haven Opera House and the beautiful play of "Pygmalion and Galatea" was presented to a large audience. Emmet King, then an actor residing in Joplin, and who has since won great fame before the foot lights, and as a story writer, played the part of Pygmalion, and Mrs. Victor Brown of Griffin, Georgia, a most beautiful woman and
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an elocutionist of note, who was visiting in the city, represented Gala- tea. The entertainment netted enough money to buy the cloth for uni- forms for the entire corps, and the mothers of the boys, together with a number of the lady teachers, under the direction of Mrs. Lola Spear, met one day and cut out and made the uniforms which were of the zouave type so popular in that day.
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The corps made its first public appearance August 26, 1891, when, on the invitation of O. P. Morton Post No. 14, G. A. R., it accom- panied the old soldiers to Baxter Springs to the big reunion acting as escort to the old veterans. The exhibition drill which they gave on the parade ground of Camp Weldy won for them a hearty round of ap- plause. The Cadets maintained their organization until the middle nineties, during which time they participated in a number of public celebrations, having been reviewed by Gov. Francis on the occasion of one of his official visits to Joplin-the meeting of the Missouri Co- lumbian World's Fair Commission.
The corps also made a number of out-of-town trips, one of the most enjoyable to Pittsburg, Kansas, accompanying the teachers of Joplin to a friendly visit to the Southeastern Kansas Teachers Association in session at that place.
COLUMBIAN PARADE
The four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus was appropriately observed in the public schools of Joplin, the feature of the day being a parade of the children of all the grades -from the primary to the eighth, and the high school pupils. The
JOPLIN SCHOOL CHILDREN'S PARADE, COLUMBUS DAY, 1892
parade was participated in by 2,600 pupils, and it was a most imposing sight. Every child carried a small United States flag and also each wore a souvenir badge on which was printed a picture of Columbus. Under the head of the great discoverer was the motto of the United
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States and over it the national eagle. The pupils were assembled by grades at the Central school and the line of march was down Main to Fourth and west to the Jackson school, where the exercises were had.
The exercises were concluded in the evening at the Club Theater by a spectacular production representing different historic happenings and events in American history, and the rise of English liberty. The char- acters in the extravaganza were chosen from the teachers and pupils, over two hundred taking part in the several historic sketches.
The Joplin Daily Herald, in speaking of the affair, said: "The entertainment, as a school creation and production was, without excep- tion, the most enjoyable, meritorious, and successful ever given in Joplin. In every one of the historic sketches there was obvious careful preparation, studied effect, tasteful arrangement and almost perfect execution-all conspiring to make the whole a charming divertisement from the usual school entertainment."
The following were some of the historic sketches and spectacular productions presented :
Columbus conceives the idea that the world is round and determines to make the voyage to the west across the Atlantic.
Columbus on his triumphant return to Spain and his presentation to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
"The works and deeds of Columbus still live."
"The past, present and future of national liberty."
The above was an imaginary spectacular extravaganza in which were introduced many of the historic events and characters leading up to the establishment of American liberty.
ARBOR DAY, 1893
April 7th, Arbor Day, was generally observed in Joplin and at all. of the schools appropriate exercises were held, trees and shrubs were planted and the pupils taught the use and care of trees.
At the Jackson school a tree was planted and christened "Tenny- son." Dick Graham delivered the christening oration. Miss Lillian King read a charming essay on "Historic Trees and Forest Products," and Principal S. A. Underwood delivered an interesting talk on "Tree Planting."
At the Franklin school a very large number of patrons assembled to witness the exercises, over one hundred visitors being present. Each of the six rooms planted a tree, after which the visitors were invited into the school to inspect the display of school work.
The six trees planted by the Franklin school were named Ferdinand, Isabella, W. E. Coleman (the father of Arbor day in Missouri), George Washington, Columbus, and Gen. George A. Custer.
At the Columbia school four trees were planted and named Cole- man, Washington, Columbia and Whittier. Every one present partici- pated in the planting, placing a shovelful of dirt around the trees.
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At East Joplin, Byersville and Central trees were planted and the yards cleaned up.
JOPLIN TEACHERS VISIT KANSAS CITY
In February, 1894, at the suggestion of Superintendent S. A. I'n- derwood, the entire corps of teachers obtained a two days' leave of absence and visited the schools of Kansas City. The visitation was of great benefit to the schools, and everyone of the sixty-four teachers came home filled with new ideas and enthusiasm for a greater and better school system.
MANUAL TRAINING
Manual training was introduced into the high school in 1898 and at once became very popular, the Joplin exhibit of mechanical work having excited the favorable comment of the citizens of Joplin and educators of surrounding towns who came to see the display.
SCHOOL OFFICIALS (1890-9)
We present below a list of the several gentlemen who served the city of Joplin as members of the Board of Education during the decade, the superintendents and principals of the high school, and the graduates from the first class in 1887 to the thirteenth class in 1899:
Members of the Board of Education: R. S. Lanyon, Lee Taylor, C. Schifferdecker, P. L. Swartz and A. H. Waite, April 1, 1890; A. B. McCarty, April 5, 1891; H. Cline, June, 1892; M. L. Downing, J. H. Spencer and H. B. Crossman, April 4, 1893; H. Phelps, April 3, 1894; T. W. Cunningham and E. O. Bartlett, April 2, 1895; J. W. Freeman and C. W. Lyon, April 7, 1896; A. Reynolds and A. C. Blakey, April 6, 1897; C. S. Poole, April 5, 1898; and C. M. DeGraff, 1899.
Superintendents and principals of high school: 1890, R. D. Shan- non and S. A. Underwood; 1891, E. T. Ingham and S. A. Underwood; 1892, R. D. Shannon and S. A. Underwood; 1893, R. D. Shannon and S. A. Underwood; 1894, S. A. Underwood and V. L. Vawter; 1895, W. B. Brown and J. D. Ellif; 1896, W. B. Brown and J. D. Ellif; 1897, W. B. Brown and J. D. Ellif; 1898, J. D. Ellif and J. M. Guinn; 1899, J. D. Ellif and J. M. Guinn.
ALUMNI OF HIGH SCHOOL
1888-Johanna Becker, Ida Caffee, M. M. Hamilton, Cora Hoyt, Cora Lichliter, Mayme Robinson, Blanche Sergeant, William Lechie, . Taylor Snapp, L. L. Lichliter, Roy Lapsley, W. A. Nickell, Ollie P. Simpson.
1889-Corrine Allington, Judith Barner, Irene Faulkener, Blanche George, Iva Grant, Lucy Jenkins. Leela Taylor, Eunice Timmons, Rose Mary Grant, Venona Wootring, James Cox.
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1890-Daisy Darby, Alice Duncan, Blanche Elam, Sarah Ellen, Emma Price, Laura Roesch, Jessie Stephenson, C. B. Spencer.
1891-Maude Ells, Alice Haven, Jessie May, Alice Treganza, Sadie Lichliter, Anna McNeal, Maud Neeley, Margaret Ryan, Dora Price, Lizzie Risling, Albert E. Duncan, Eugene Hamilton.
1892-Eula Freeman, Jessie Gardner, Ella Helpenstine, Cora Hol- lingsworth, Minnie Lambkin, Jennie Maddy, Ora Miller, Eva Price, John Murphy, Cornelia Shannon, Maude Stewart, Lenora Turner, Isa- bella Wade.
1893-Flo Adams, George Dickenson, Dilno Ells, Minnie Cotton, Mabel Downing, Maude Wright, Dollie Board, Cora McDonald.
1894 Josephine Elam, Erma Roesch, Dick Graham, Callie Leard, Maie Price, Lena Lowry, Lois Whitwell, Marie Klotz, Edith Cotton.
1895-Pearl Kier, Jessie Short, Ella Whitwell, Bertha Greer, Lena Phelps, Aruba Treganza, Clara Paul, Margaret Donnan, John Cotton, Ray Wenrich, Chas. McGarren, Mercer Arnold, Claud Calvin, Ollie Faulkender.
1896-Blanche Trigg, Walter George, Mabel Price, Emily Reeves, Will McAntire.
1897-Gertrude Creller, Roy Calvin, Pearl Campbell, Ethel David- son, Myrtle Foster, Grace Fones, Lillian Foster, Nellie Fenn, Clar Frye, Ovilla Gardner, Ben Lutman, Oscar Nelson, Louis Ogburn, Imo Price, Bertha Pertusche, Etta Taylor, Elmer Williams, Luna Yale, Susie Maupin, James Broadbent, Laura Adams, Edith Donnan, Sam Thorn- ton, Hugh Claycomb.
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