USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 16
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On motion, resolved, that Samuel Blackburn, George Eaton and Hiram Rookwood be appointed judges to judge horses and cattle.
On motion, resolved, that Anthony Minter, S. E. Lay and William Connor be appointed to judge hogs and sheep.
On motion of John W. Long, resolved, that the articles of wheat, corn, timothy and potatoes shall not be entitled to a premium ; decided that they shall.
On motion of W. B. ITall "that stal- lions shall be excluded"; decided they shall not.
On motion, resolved, that the three last judges be appointed to judge wheat, corn, timothy and potatoes, as follows: John Jacobs, James C. Agnew and W. J. Holliday.
On motion, resolved, that the ninthi, tenth and eleventh articles be adopted.
On motion of J. W. Long, resolved, that no one article shall be entitled to more than three preminms.
On motion, resolved, that the pre- miums be paid in silverware with the initials engraved on the same.
On motion of R. W. Moss, resolved, that the two best pig's shall be entitled to a premium, and the article in the by-laws naming the four best is hereby repealed.
On motion, resolved, that the best calf be entitled to a premium.
On motion, resolved, that no pig shall be exhibited over the age of six months.
On motion, resolved, that the greatest quantity of potatoes raised from one- eighth acre of ground shall be entitled to a premium, and the fifteenth article of the by-laws is hereby repealed.
On motion, resolved, that the exhibi- tion be held on the last Tuesday in Octo- ber next (1839).
On motion, resolved, that the secretary inform the judges of their appointment by letter.
On motion, resolved, that any member failing to pay on or before the time speci- fied shall pay the sum of one dollar.
The association held its meeting in Shelbyville on the appointed day, and it was an event of much moment and was liberally patronized.
Premiums were awarded as follows: Best stallion, Major O. Dickerson's "Sir Harrison"; second best, J. B. Lewis's "Bertrand." Best three-year-old colt, Nicholas Watkins; second best, John Dunn. Best mare, O. Dickerson ; second best, Dr. J. W. Long. Best yearling colt, O. Dickerson. Best hull, Dr. J. W. Long's "Gustavus"; second best, Wil-
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liam McMurray. Best boar, B. W. Hall's 1869. The purpose of the association, as "Thomas H. Benton"; second best, Rus- sell W. Moss's "Duff." Best sow, Dr. J. W. Long's "Queene." Best pigs, Wil- liam Moore; second best, Hiram Rook- wood. Best five acres of wheat (1253/4 bu.), Hiram Rookwood. Best five yards jeans, Mrs. J. W. Long ; second best, Mrs. Eskridge.
The association's existence was brief. Only two sessions were ever held. The awards were unsatisfactory, many came to the meetings and got drunk and fights were frequent. The best members with- drew after the 1841 exhibition.
THE SHELBY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL ASSOCIATION.
On July 7, 1868, a second venture was made in the organization and mainte- nance of a fair association. On that date the Shelby County Agricultural and Me- chanical Association was organized by the election of the following officers : President, G. G. Muldrow; vice-presi- dent, J. C. Duncan; secretary, P. B. rectors of the association were: O. T. Terrill, Robert J. Taylor, Samuel Dar- rah, T. W. Sheetz, James Chenoweth, J. M. Ennis, John T. Cooper, Joseph H. Foreman and William Ridge. The grounds of the association were located one mile south of Shelbyville and were purchased of A. M. and D. A. Brant and comprised at first forty acres, for which the association paid $600. The purchase was made July 18, 1868. On December 6, 1869, the association sold back the east half of the ground to D. A. Brant for $250, leaving twenty acres as the prop- erty of the association. The first fair held on these grounds was in the fall of
stated by one of the officials, was "to pro- mote agriculture and Imsbandry purely and simply." Premiums were offered on the agricultural products of the county, as well as on the horticultural prodnets and domestic science, together with the products of the loom and needle. To en- courage breeding and raising of better stock, liberal premiums were paid on the different classes of horses, cattle, hogs and sheep. The association prospered for many years and was the annual event of the county. The last officers of the as- sociation were : President, J. M. Collier; vice-president, Judge Joseph Hunolt ; treasurer, S. Van Vangh ; secretary, L. A. Hayward; chief marshal, Milt Baker; ring marshals, John Ellis and Barney Moore; field marshal, Dan McNeil; ticket agent, Thomas Gentry; gatekeeper, James Baker. The directors were John T. Frederick, A. W. Muldrow, J. M. Freeman, J. M. Gentry, W. A. Hughes, W. D. Gardner, W. Vaughn, B. F. Fry, T. W. Sheetz. The association held its
Dunn; treasurer, W. B. Cotton. The di- last meeting in the fall of 1883.
The association suspended operations on the above year on account of the or- ganization of the county association at Shelbina. The grounds at Shelbina were much larger and contained the good race course and were located on the railroad, which made them more accessible and in- viting to the general public, and as the county could not maintain two associa- tions, the Shelbyville association was discontinued.
THE SHELBINA FAIR ASSOCIATION.
In 1881, the citizens of Shelbina pur- chased a tract of land consisting of acres of Dr. J. H. Ford, for which they
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paid $3,500, and which was located one- half mile north of the city.
The association was organized on March 18, 1881, and the following officers were elected : President, J. H. Fox; vice- president, Daniel Taylor; secretary, R. C. Dickerson; treasurer, C. H. Lasley. The directors were J. M. Ennis, I. N. Bonta, C. W. Hanger, J. T. Frederick, J. H. Gooch, J. H. Ford, S. G. Parsons, J. R. Ridge and G. W. Greenwell. The as- sociation has been successful and is one of the most popular annual events in the county. Each year the exhibitions are large and interesting. The improve- ments on the grounds are large and equal to those of any similar association in the State. The buildings consist of two large amphitheatres, band stand and di- rectors' office, one dining hall, several large stock pavilions and numerous barns and stalls for live stock.
The Fair Association has been a great stimulus to the live stock industry of Shelby county and today Shelby county ranks as one of the foremost counties in the State in the live stock industry. Here annually are assembled the pick of the county in all the different species of domestic animals, from the proud roos- ter to the hybrid animal, which is the pride of all Missouri.
Financially the fair has been a success, owing to its splendid management and the patriotism of the inhabitants of the county. The annual receipts of the asso- ciation now total about $4,500. The as- sociation annually distributes in premi- ums about $4,000. The admission fee is 35 cents for a single admission or $1 for a season ticket. The association holds a four days' meeting each year, generally the latter part of August, and Thursday
is always considered the "big day." The record on gate receipts was made Thurs- day, August 25, 1907, at which time $1,750 was taken in at the gates above the season ticket admission.
The present officers of the association, elected in 1910, are: President, J. Thornton Keith; vice-president, E. W. Worland; secretary, W. H. Gillespie; treasurer, Frank Dimmitt. The associ- ation is out of debt and is planning for some permanent improvements in the way of erection and repairing of amphi- theatres, stalls for stock and new pavil- ions for live stock exhibits.
LOCAL OPTION AND TEMPERANCE.
Shelby county was one of the first counties in the state to adopt local op- tion. There has not been a saloon in the county since 1887. The last license granted in the county was to F. A. Des- sert. The license was dated February 1, 1886. Mr. Dessert conducted a saloon in Shelbina. The county records show that C. D. Vine was granted a license on Jannary 5, 1885. He was the next to the last man to operate a saloon according to law in Shelbina. On the same date (Jan- uary 5, 1885) the records shows that a license was granted to Dale & Hogan, who were the last parties to run a sa- loon in Clarence. Louis Dickerson was the last person to own a saloon in Shelby- ville, and the last time the court granted him a license was on February 20, 1887.
The first local option election held in the county was on November 5, 1887. There were only eight townships in the county then and four of these went "wet" and four went "dry" The local option, however, had a majority of 267 in the total. The townships that went
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
for local option were as follows: Clay, perfectly satisfied with the law and it is for 247, against local option 30; Taylor, likely it will be many a day before an effort will be made to repeal the law again. 101 for to 66 against; Black Creek, 258 for to 71 against; Salt River, 303 for to 236 against. The townships voting against the proposition were as follows: TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES-THE HANNI- BAL & ST. JOSEPH RAILROAD. Tiger Fork, for local option 22, against local option 89; Jefferson, for 78, against 122; Bethel, for 87, against 124; Jackson, for 135 to 176 against. The total vote for local option was 1,231. The total vote against local option was 964. This was a big victory for the "drys." There was no further agita- tion of the question until in 1900, at which time some of those residing in the county, who favored saloons, thought the local option question could be de- feated. Accordingly the proper peti- tions were prepared and presented to the county court. The court called an election for June 10, 1901. At this elec- tion the vote was overwhelming in favor of local option. The figures were 1,823 against the sale of intoxicating liquors to 932. This was a "dry victory of 991 majority, nearly two to one, and the question has never been raised since. The county was, however, not so strong in favor of state-wide prohibition. At the general election held on November 8, 1910, at which time the prohibition question was submitted to the voters of the state, the county of Shelby only reg- istered up 305 majority for state-wide prohibition.
During the period of twenty-three years in which Shelby county has been under local option there has, of course, been some violation of the law. The violators have been frequently punished, vet it is seemingly impossible to stop the sale altogether. The residents are
It was twenty-two years after the cre- ation of Shelby county until the first railroad was built. What was known as the Hannibal & St. Joseph, now part of the great Burlington system, was com- pleted across the county in 1857. The initial steps to building the road were taken in 1846 at Hannibal in the office of no less a person than that of "Mark Twain's" father, John M. Clemens, Esq. The president of the enterprise was Hon. Z. G. Draper, and R. F. Lakenan was made secretary. At first it was contem- plated to run the new road through the county seats, which would have been a line connecting Palmyra, Shelbyville, Bloomington, Linneus, Chillicothe and Gallatin, then into St. Joseph. This plan was, however, defeated by the local jealousies and controversies which sprang up between the towns near the proposed line that were unfortunately not county seats. This feeling between the towns prevented the building of the road for some few years. The people along the proposed line, of course, fa- vored it, as did also the newspapers lo- cated in these towns. The people and newspapers of the towns close to the contemplated line were active in their opposition to the proposed enterprise. The newspapers of St. Joseph were strongly supporting the proposition, and on November 6, 1846, the Gazette in an article favoring the building of the road said: "We suggest the propriety of a
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railroad from St. Joseph to some point on the Mississippi, either St. Louis, Hannibal or Quincy." The people of Hannibal wanted the road to start from their town, the people of St. Joseph were interested in having the road reach their town from some point on the Mis- sissippi. It was certain that St. Joseph would be the terminus, but not so certain whichi town on the east would be the starting point. It was therefore up to the people of Hannibal to keep their eyes open or some other town might cap- ture the prize. The people of Hannibal were successful in forming an alliance with Hon. Robert M. Stewart, of St. Joseph, who was elected to the state sen- ate and who promised to work for the procurement of a charter making Han- nibal the initial and St. Joseph the ter- minal point. The charter for the new road was granted by the state legislature in 1847. The author of the charter was Hon. R. F. Lakenan, who was the strong- est worker for the enterprise.
The principal supporters of the enter- prise in the legislature were Hon. R. M. Stewart, James Craig and J. B. Gar- denshire, of St. Joseph, and Carter Wells and John Taylor, of Marion.
As soon as the charter was granted subscriptions were started along the line. Publie meetings were held and all phases of the subject were discussed. The largest meeting, perhaps, in point of attendance and in importance was the one held in Chillicothe, June 2, 1847. Hundreds of delegates were present and nearly every county along the line was represented. The meeting was presided over by Governor Austin King, of Ray county; the vice-presidents of the meet- ing were Dr. John Cravens, of Daviess
county, and Alex McMurtry, of Shelby. The secretaries were H. D. LaCassitt, of Marion, and C. J. Hughes, of Caldwell.
For some two or three years interest lagged and it was not until 1850 that any further move of importance was under- taken. In fact, some supporters of the proposition along the line gave up and advocated the abandoning of the enter- prise. In 1850, however, the fire within the breasts of the people along the line began to burn again, new directors were selected to take the place of those who had grown lukewarm. Each connty was re-canvassed and subscriptions solicited. The people became enthusiastic for the enterprise and those who announced as candidates for congress and for the leg- islature were made to promise support to the cause whenever and wherever opportunity presented itself.
At the 1851 session of the Missouri state legislature, in February, the state's credit was granted to the erection of the road to the amount of a million and half dollars. The grant was made on the con- dition that the company expend a like amount in installments of $50,000. The county of Marion put up $100,000, Han- nibal $50,000, and in July of 1851 Shelby county promised $25,000, conditioned that the road should run through Shel- byville and locate a depot there. The people of the county had voted in favor of the proposition at a special election held on March 10 of the same year. On motion of R. M. Stewart, who was then agent of the road, and who was after- wards governor of the state, the bonds were ordered issned npon condition that the county should receive stock in the enterprise to the amount of the bonds issned. The bonds were issued for
.
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
twenty years and were to bear 10 per cent interest.
The company made the first two calls for this money in October of 1852. The calls were each for 5 per cent of the sub- scription, or $2,500. The program was, however, changed before another call was made and the railroad in July, 1854, returned these bonds to the county ean- celled, and no others were issued. This agreement was reached by the county giving the company a release from all liabilities arising out of the subscription and the road released the county from its liabilities. The county also granted the railroad the right of way across all county roads and streams. The agent for the county for the return of the bonds was Hon. John MeAfee. On De- cember 10, 1855, the legislature of the state extended its eredit to the road to the extent of another million and half dollars. The new bonds were to run thirty years and bear not to exceed 7 per cent interest. The state was to hold a first mortgage upon the road for this extension of credit. The building of the road was now assured and work begun in earnest. It was planned by Duff & Co. to begin work at both ends, but work at the St. Joseph end did not begin until 1857.
The traek from Hannibal to Palmyra was finished in June of 1856 and on the 10th of that month ears were run be- tween Hannibal and Palmyra. Work was pushed as fast as possible and soon the road reached Monroe City, and in 1857 was completed aeross Shelby coun- ty. The road enters the county on the east just a quarter of a mile south of the Monroe county line. The first town it strikes in the county is Hnnnewell.
The track then bears north of west and leaves the county just six miles north of the entering point. The main track of the road within the county is 24 73/100 miles, and over half as much side traeks. Stations were established and are still maintained at Hunnewell, Lakenan, Shelbina, Lentner and Clarence.
The ceremony of breaking sod was pulled off in Hannibal on November 3, 1851. A large and enthusiastie erowd assembled, and many distinguished per- sous from different parts of the state attended. Among the number were R. M. Stewart, who turned the first spade- ful of dirt, and who was afterwards governor. Also Hon. J. H. Lucas and Hon. L. M. Kennett. The speech of the day was made by Hon. J. B. Criekett, of St. Louis. In 1851 the board of di- rectors memorialized congress for a large grant of land to aid in the construc- tion of the road. R. M. Stewart and R. F. Lakenan visited Washington in 1852 to secure favorable action of congress upon this all important proposition.
In 1852 congress passed an act giving alternate sections of land to the state of Missouri in trust for the benefit of the railroad from Hannibal to St. Joseph. The state then turned the lands over to the Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad Com- pany. This grant carried over 600,000 aeres of Missouri's best lands into the hands of the railroad company and it was then a sure thing the road would be built. In 1852 a contract was made with Duff & Leamon, of New York, to build the line. The contraet was to build over the "northern route" through Shelby- ville in this county. On March 10, 1853, the direetors met in Glasgow and decided to follow the "southern route," or the
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
present route. The contraet was then re-let to John Duff & Co. to build the line at $23,000 per mile.
The chief engineer in locating the line was Maj. James M. Bueklin. The north- ern route came up Black Creek to Shel- byville and then crossed the creek and passed west to Bloomington, Macon county. The survey was made in 1851.
The county of Shelby, be it said to her honor, has never issued bonds to build a railroad except as previously stated. The road was secured without a burden- some bond issue and outside of a few private subscriptions and the right of way grants the road cost the county posi- tively not a cent.
It is quite probable, as has been often asserted, that the Hannibal & St. Joseph could have been made to run on the "northern route" if the people and the authorities along the line had been a little more liberal in the matter of sub- seriptions. That route was more expen- sive than the "southern route"-much more so. The citizens and the county courts were asked to make up the differ- ence, according to the estimates of the engineers. They uniformly refused, in some instances, for the reason, avowing that they "didn't want any railroad run- ning through their neighborhood, scaring the stock and killing men, women and children, besides setting the woods and fields afire." In other cases, as in Linn county, prominent men objected to the building of the road because it would furnish superior facilities for the slaves to run off and escape.
"Certain citizens of this county made desperate efforts to have the road lo- cated through Shelbyville, but they could not induce enough of their friends to join
them. Too many were indifferent, many thought the road would come anyhow, and those who worked so hard gave up in despair. So Shelbyville was 'left out in the cold,' and Shelbina was created to become the leading town of the county." (History Shelby County of 1884.)
The Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad was completed in 1859. The first through passenger train came out of St. Joseph February 13, 1859. The engi- neer's name was E. Sleppy. Ben Colt was conductor. George Thompson was the first engineer to pull a train into St. Joseph. The construction work was completed by J. M. Ford and others in- stead of the first contractors, John Duff & Co.
Over six hundred guests sat at a ban- quet in St. Joseph on February 22, 1859, to celebrate the completion of the great enterprise. "The mingling the waters of the Atlantic, the Lakes, the Missis- sippi and the Missouri" was performed by Mayor Broaddus Thompson. There was great enthusiasm and joy displayed over the completion of the first road to cross the state of Missouri.
The great Burlington system, as it is now known. has done muel to develop the northern part of Missouri, and espe- cially Shelby county. The county is now one of the largest exporting counties of live stock, poultry and grain, and de- pends entirely upon this system for transportation facilities. The road at first charged 5 cents per mile and some- times more for passenger traffic, and has always enjoyed a liberal patronage and is considered one of the best and safest lines to travel over in the west, or in the United States. The passenger ac-
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
commodations are also of the very best. There are ten passenger trains daily, besides two local freight trains that carry passengers, and the whistle of the freight train bearing the great loads of grain and live stock from the west to the east, and the products of the shop and factory from the east to the west is almost constantly upon the breezes of the north Missouri prairies through which the road runs.
A person ean now take a train at any railroad point in the county at nearly any time of day, and land in Kansas City in less than five hours, and the trip to St. Louis, about 180 miles from the farthest point in the county, is made in abont the same space of time. Hanni- bal and Quiney are reached in about two hours from the farthest point in the county. The road now charges 21% cents per mile for passenger travel and furnishes the best equipment and most comfortable accommodations.
THE BUILDING OF THE SHELBY COUNTY RAILWAY.
(By V. L. Drain.)
It is with much reluctance that I have undertaken the task of writing the his- tory of the Shelby County Railway. Having been more or less intimately as- sociated with the enterprise from its in- ception to the present time, the prompt- ings of modesty suggested that it coukl be more properly written by the pen of another. However, at the request of the compiler of this vohne, who it seems, could not indnee anyone else to contrib- ute it. I will endeavor to furnish an im- partial sketeh of this important achieve- ment.
It is not easy to determine with pre- cision just what aet or what influence was the determining factor in the build- ing of this limited bnt important traffie line; neither is it a small task to ascer- tain just at what hour it was made sure of completion. Indeed, to those upon whose shoulders rested the burden of its building there seemed no relief from the responsibility until after months of suc- cessful operation it was sold to the pres- ent owners, who are the successors of the original shareholders of the corpora- tion. Nevertheless, it is safe to assert that conditions and circumstances made necessary and possible the building of this railway. As necessity is the mother of invention, so is it the parent of oppor- tunity.
The increasing freight and passenger traffic between Shelbyville and the adja- cent territory and Shelbina could not be properly served by the primitive meth- ods of transportation, and the bad con- ditions of the dirt roads was a serious handicap to the development of Shelby county and also a fearful inconvenience to the citizens.
It was also apparent to persons of ordinary vision that sooner or later the vast rich territory lying between the Wabash railroad on the west and the Mississippi river on the east, would be traversed by a railway line running north and south and that any portion of this line so occupied wonld some day con- stitute a part of a great traffic line. And the time is drawing near when this will be accomplished either by the extension of the Shelby County Railway or by its absorption into a larger system which will serve the splendid region which is still largely unocenpied.
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