USA > Missouri > Henry County > History of Henry County, Missouri > Part 13
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The American Christian Commission, a branch of the Young Men's Christian Association, had established headquarters in a large tent near the 2nd Regiment in Chickamauga Park and was supplying the soldiers with all the comforts possible to men in the field.
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On July 3rd the Spanish fleet, which had been trapped at Santiago, emerged and gave battle to the American fleet under Admiral Schley and was entirely defeated and destroyed. This virtually ended the war, although interest continued until the demobilization of the Henry County troops.
Appeals were made from time to time for contributions from pa- triotic people so that the chaplain or other authorized officer could ex- pend the same for worthy work and the purchase of lemonade, ginger ale and other delicacies that soldiers needed.
On July 7th Admiral Dewey engaged and captured the forts adjacent to Manila and at the same time General Shafter had extended a truce to the Spaniards at Santiago preliminary to the surrender of that city, which followed soon.
The Henry County boys in camp had changed in the way of officers and non-commissioned officers. Wilbur C. Dixon, formerly first sergeant, was made second lieutenant, and the following was the non-commis- sioned standing the middle of July: First sergeant, F. S. Douglas; quartermaster sergeant, A. A. Wilson; sergeants, W. C. Arnold, G. N. Brandenburg, C. C. Canan and F. L. Paxton; corporals, Clifford Allen, Berry Anderson, Henry Bumbardner, W. A. Cock, Claud Dean, William L. Haynie, D. G. Hoard, D. W. Keyes, E. H. Seevers, Lee A. Violette, C. D. Wallace and C. L. Wilson.
The men were anxious to see active service by being sent to Porto Rico, but the close of the war prevented them realizing their ambition. The impression made by Company F and the regiment to which they belonged was most favorable whenever the troops were in service. The Lexington, Kentucky, "Leader" remarked: "Were it not for the fact that frequent comment was favorable upon the conduct of the 2nd Mis- souri Regiment, located at Camp Hamilton, few would know of their being here, so quiet and well behaved are the men composing this regi- ment. The 2nd Missouri is composed of a splendid set of men. This body of men was organized from the southwestern part of Missouri and the membership was made up of a fine-looking set of men. At Chickamauga Park there was much sickness among the men and the effect of the fever has not yet worn off of some of them.
"The 2nd Missouri is well drilled and several companies could com- pete favorably with any in the regular army. They feel proud of the fact that the Provost Marshal, in selecting men to do guard duty in the
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city, selected thirty-three of the members of this regiment. People of Lexington and Fayette County have extended a warm welcome to the Missouri boys, as there is a tie of friendship as well as relationship exist- ing between many of this regiment and the people of Kentucky." After remaining at Camp Hamilton for a period of time the Missouri boys were mustered out.
During the year there was considerable activity in the way of im- provements throughout the county, but particularly in Clinton, where the sewer system was inaugurated on a large and comprehensive scale and was put into operation. During the year the Tebo Mills were sold to Henry G. Sherman of Kansas City, and a carrier service for the delivery of mail was established in Clinton for the first time. Postmaster at the time was H. H. Mitchell and pursuant to orders from the United States Government, after civil service examination Eugene Brandenburg, Frank P. Daum and Carter Canan were selected as carriers and George Fergu- son as substitute carrier.
The most notable death in the county during the year was that of Col. William H. McLane, who was one of the oldest settlers of the county, a Missourian by birth and 83 years of age at the time of his death. There was no one in the county that was more widely known than he and his wide acquaintanceship, his services in the Missouri Legislature and in the army gave him a certain State-wide prominence. Another notable death of a man well known to all the people of the county was that of Sam Kahn, a prominent merchant of Clinton.
The railroads between Kansas City and Springfield seemed to be justifying the expectations of the founders. On one night over the Frisco line there was so much business, going south through Henry County, that the fast freight had to be run south in five sections and the north- bound freight in two sections. The one telegraph wire of the Blair line was found totally insufficient to handle the business, and it took two gangs of men some time to string additional wires enough to accommo- date the traffic. Responsible very largely for the increased business on these railroads was the establishment and development of the new sewer pipe tile works and brick manufacture of the Dickey Company at Deep- water. The Dickey plant at that time was claimed to be one of the larg- est establishments of the kind in the United States and had just com- pleted the erection and fitting up of extensive brick buildings and had filled them with the necessary machinery of the latest kind for the pro-
FARM SCENE, URICH, MO.
FOURTH STREET, URICH, MO.
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duction of the various kind of wares. In order to show Kansas City capitalists and others who were interested, the extent of the new works of the company, Mr. Dickey and the Memphis railroad people brought a large number of excursionists to Deepwater, where a complete inspection of the plant was had. This was the largest single industry in the county at that time and has continued to increase in importance.
C. C. Dickinson was endorsed at the Democratic county convention for State senator, but was defeated at the senatorial convention. About the same time Judge W. W. Graves received the nomination. for circuit judge, defeating Hon. W. E. Owen of Clinton. This was the first step that led Judge Graves ultimately to the supreme bench of Missouri.
Prominent in the Henry County bar for a great many years was Robert E. Lewis, one-time candidate for governor on the Republican ticket and intimately associated with the people of Henry County as a former prosecuting attorney, and as a long-time citizen, who late in the year decided to go to Colorado and an elaborate farewell meeting was held by the attorneys and representative citizens before his departure.
It will be interesting to note that during the Christmas season of 1898 the local poultry firms at Clinton advertised that they would pay seven and a half cents a pound for turkeys and farmers brought their birds for twenty miles to get this enormous price. One of the poultry men is quoted to have stated that he bought over 8,000 turkeys, which cost about $7,000 and the turkeys were brought from Benton County farmers who got notices of the sale one day and drove all night for fear they would not get to Clinton before these fabulous prices ceased to be paid. At the same time reports in regard to wheat show that D. Yount, near Maurine, had fifty acres which yielded eighteen and a half bushels to the acre, grading No. 2, and he received sixty-five cents a bushel for it. This was a very high price evidently, as Mr. Yount was very much con- gratulated. At the close of the year hogs were worth $3.60 per hundred. Best steers, $5.40 a hundred, and sheep $4 a hundred.
Tebo Mills, which had been sold a few months before, was adver- tised to be sold under deed of trust on account of the fact that the insurance on the property was not properly kept up. This mill, which was of a great deal of importance to every citizen of the county, had recently been in various hands and suitable ownership was greatly to be desired. This long standing hope on the part of the people and customers of this mill was fulfilled when Markus Bernheimer, of St.
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Louis, bought the property early in March from J. W. Harrelson of Kan- sas City. He associated with him in the management and operation of the property J. H. Kracke, formerly of St. Louis, who was well known to the people of the county and was at that time manager of a large corn meal mill and elevator in Clinton. Plans were made for the immediate remodeling and enlarging of the mills and to put in them the most modern milling machinery and increase the capacity to 700 barrels of flour per day. The elevators were also to be enlarged so that they would have a capacity of 60,000 bushels of grain. The county was to be congratulated on having Mr. Bernheimer enlist a part of his fortune in Henry County. The mills were rechristened "The Banner Mills."
The winter of 1899 was one of the coldest ever known in this county. Not only was it severe, but it was of unusual length. Ordinarily the extreme cold weather in this county only remains one or two days, but this year the reading showed that beginning on Wednesday, February 8th, until the following Tuesday, February 14th, the thermometer never rose above 10 degrees below zero and more than half of the time it was below 20 below zero, reaching 32 degrees below on Sunday, February 12. This broke the record for thirty years in Henry County.
The Bank of Montrose, the oldest bank in that town, closed its doors in March, 1899, owing to the fact that considerable past due paper was carried.
The Tebo and Neosho Railroad Company troubles which had agitated St. Clair County for many years continued to be of interest to the peo- ple of Henry County. The county judges constantly refused to levy a tax to pay a judgment against the county laid on it by the United States Court. The tax was to satisfy interest and principal of bonds issued for the building of the above-named railroad and as said road was never constructed the members of the court were always pledged before their election to vote against any such levy. They were regularly arrested after qualifying as judge and a good deal of the time they served the most of their term of office in the Henry County jail at Clinton. Early in this year two of the judges, Nevitt and Walker, hid in the brush to avoid the United States officer who was sent to arrest them for con- tempt of court and take them to the Clinton jail for safe keeping. It is related that the officer drove to Nevitt's farm in a buggy about 3 o'clock in the morning and hid in the barn and served papers on the judge when, clad in overalls and cap, he appeared to feed his stock about 7 o'clock.
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The judges continued to be kept in the Henry County jail from time to time for a number of years.
A meeting of representatives of the St. Clair County people with representatives of the holders of the Tebo and Neosho railroad bonds was held in Clinton, May 13, 1899, and a vain effort was made to reach some sort of a compromise. The week previous a compromise conven- tion was held in Osceola and by a narrow margin a resolution was voted favoring paying the face value of the bonds amounting to $231,000, and a committee of one from each township was selected to present this proposition to the bond holders at Clinton. The fact that even this propo- sition should have carried signified that the compromise sentiment was growing stronger and that sooner or later the unfortunate complication would be settled for the best interests of all concerned. Probably none of the men who attended this meeting realized that it would be twenty years before the two conflicting interests would reach a final agreement and relieve the neighboring county from its burden of debt. In fact the controversy continued until the latter part of 1918 before it was finally adjusted. The committee had a long session at Hotel Livingston (now Hotel Cozart) and for two hours sat behind closed doors while General John B. Henderson, John H. Overall and Thomas K. Skinker of St. Louis sat in the office below and awaited the pleasure of the St. Clair County representatives, and finally the two groups of men met; there was a long and spirited debate, but without any personal rancor. At times both sides would appear conciliatory and the representatives of St. Clair County would appear to be drifting toward a half-way point so as to make a settlement when someone would remind them of the wrong committed against the county and instantly all harmony would disappear. After an all-day session they adjourned without reaching any conclusion. The federal marshals continued in their effort to arrest the county judges after this fruitless meeting at Clinton and the judges continued to out- wit the deputy marshals. The public print briefly related how two United States marshals guarded the court house in Osceola continuously from 12 o'clock, midnight Sunday, to midnight Wednesday. The deputies knew that the court was to meet and select depositories for county funds, but their vigil was in vain. No judges appeared upon the scene. How- ever, on Monday night following, the judges came in and held a ses- sion of the county court between 9 and 10 o'clock at night. The judges continued in this manner to elude the officers of the Federal Court until a final settlement of the debt.
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The building of a Catholic Church in Clinton was assured during this year and the congregation which had hitherto been very unsatis- factorily housed were now assured of an adequate place of worship.
The Clinton ice plant burned on May 16, 1899. Ordinarily its capacity amounted to ten tons daily, but it was really much less than that, because the water from the private artesian well was so impregnated with sulphur that the plant had to be idle one day a week in order to clean the boilers. Early in 1896 F. A. Elsner, the proprietor, determined to rebuild his factory and enlarge it to the capacity of fifty tons daily and in June of that year the new plant was finished. It was a model in every detail. Two private artesian wells furnished the water. The machinery was the best procurable. A cold storage department was added and the city and county were justifiably proud of what was unquestionably one of the finest ice plants in the state of Missouri. The property was estimated to have been worth $80,000 and the origin of the fire was a mystery.
The city school board of Clinton elected Fred B. Owen as superin- tendent of the schools in May. Mr. Owen was a son of Judge Lee Owen, one of the oldest and most prominent men of Henry County. He suc- ceeded Superintendent Holliday, who was not an applicant for the elec- tion. Beginning at this time the Clinton schools started on a period of steady progress.
The State Bank of Clinton went into voluntary liquidation on Wednesday, June 28, 1899, papers on that day having been drawn up trans- ferring the assets of the bank to the banking house of Salmon & Salmon, who immediately upon beginning of business on the following day were prepared to pay all depositors.
The State Bank was organized and commenced business in July, 1890, with a capital stock of $100,000. Its officers at the time of liquidation were, Dr. C. H. Watkins, president; and J. M. Weidemeyer, cashier. The bank did a splendid business for about seven years. In 1896 it reduced its capital to $50,000, at the same time paying to all its stockholders one-half the amount of their holdings, or $50,000 in cash. It had already paid in dividends to stockholders the sum of $51,000. Since 1897 the business of the institution had not been profitable and the matter of volun- tary liquidation had been discussed among the officers and stockholders but action had been deferred from time to time. The bank was said to be entirely solvent and the assets to be good, all of which, including cash and credits, were transferred to Salmon & Salmon, who were instructed
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to realize on them by paying all claims on demand except those of the stockholders and the residue of such assets distributed among the stock- holders according to their holdings when the affairs of the bank were finally closed. No excitement was created by the news of the liquida- tion of this bank and when the notice was posted on the door announcing the liquidation through Salmon & Salmon's Bank no depositor felt at all uneasy. Much sympathy was expressed for President Watkins and Cashier Weidemeyer, whose business careers in Clinton were so long and honorable. There was much interest taken in the action of the officers of the bank and general satisfaction was expressed that the step had been taken in such a wise and prudent manner that business confidence was in no way disturbed.
The State Reunion of the United Confederate Veterans met in Clin- ton, September 28 and 29, 1899. A committee appointed by Major General Robert McCulloch, commanding Missouri Division, had met in the Planters Hotel in St. Louis earlier in the year and had chosen Clinton as the meet- ing place after a brisk contest between Salisbury, Clinton and Warrens- burg for the location. The citizens of the town and county united in demonstrations of appreciation and welcome for the veterans who had worn the gray and no men were more hospitable than the old Union soldiers. Every train brought gray-clad men who had followed the Stars and Bars and they were accompanied by fair maids of honor to typify the maids of the South and exemplify the endurance of that chivalric deference toward women which is the keynote of the Southern character. The veterans were welcomed by their old comrades in arms and the ladies by Clinton's fairest daughters. They were taken into the hearts and homes of the people and made to feel the warmth of that Southern hospitality which has always been characteristic of Henry County. Major General McCulloch had as aides six handsome boys dressed in neat uni- forms who were as follows: Hal Piper, Percy Allen, Steve Carter, Clem Dickinson, Young Spangler and Mark Finks. The parade was partici- pated in by nearly 1,200 veterans who fought for the Confederacy, nearly 800 ex-Union soldiers, about 1,200 school children and Company F of the 2nd Missouri Infantry, recently back from Chickamauga. Among the prominent men of the State who were present was Dave Ball of Pike County ; Frank L. Pitts, State treasurer; State Senator C. H. Vandiver, Col. M. E. Benton of the Fifth Congressional District; Judge William L. Jarrott of Cass County; R. P. Williams of Fayette, afterwards State
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treasurer, and Hon. David A. DeArmond, representative of Henry County in the National Congress.
The Southwest Missouri Teachers' Association held annual meeting in Clinton, December, 1899. It was said to have been the most successful one so far ever held. A great many teachers of State-wide reputation were present, among whom were Supt. I. N. Evrard of Greenfield, now of Missouri Valley College at Marshall; Dr. Frank Thilly, at that time pro- fessor of philosophy at the University of Missouri; Supt. E. E. Dodd of Springfield; Dr. J. C. Jones, dean of the University of Missouri; Hon. John R. Kirk, ex-State superintendent of schools; Supt. G. V. Buchanan, then of Sedalia; the then State superintendent of schools, W. T. Carring- ton, and other prominent educators.
Among the deaths of prominent and well-known citizens during the year was that of W. W. Jackson, who had been a resident of Henry County since 1855 and in the undertaking business in Clinton since 1872; John W. Wilder, for fifteen years a resident of the town, and Alvin Haynie, one of the most prominent lawyers in the county and a leading member of the Presbyterian Church.
General Banton G. Boone, after an illness of but little more than twenty-four hours, passed away Sunday afternoon, February 11th, at his home in Clinton in the sixty-second year of his age. While his death was somewhat unexpected, yet his many friends in the county and State were not unprepared, for he had been feeble physically for some time and the nature of his malady was such that it was certain that the end was not far off. A native Missourian, born in Callaway County in 1838, he lived his whole life in Missouri. When but eighteen years of age he removed to Clinton and lived continuously in Henry County until his death. Soon after his taking up his residence in Henry County he was appointed deputy circuit clerk and held the position for four years and employing his leisure moments, both day and night during this period, in the study of the law, in 1859 he was admitted to the bar, but scarcely had he begun the practice of his profession when the terrible war between the States began and, true to his Southern blood, General Boone cast his fortunes with the Confederacy, enlisting in the Southern army and serving for the lost cause. After the war was ended he returned to Clin- ton and resumed practice. In 1874 he was nominated by the Demo- crats of this county as a candidate for the Legislature and elected by a very large majority. On the convening of the Legislature he was nomi-
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nated and elected Speaker of the House, over such prominent Democrat rival candidates as General James Shields and M. V. L. McLeland. In 1880 he entered the race for Democratic nomination for attorney general and in the convention came within one-third of a vote of being nomi- nated. In 1884 he again sought the honor and was successful, being elected at the general election the following fall. During his term of office as at- torney general he appeared as counsel for the State of Missouri in various important cases and after the conclusion of his term he was appointed by various governors to positions of honor where he represented his county and his State with great credit. There was no resident of Henry County who was more widely known than he and in the death of Banton G. Boone the county lost one of its most distinguished citizens.
CHAPTER XXI.
BEGINNING IN 1900
THE 'FRISCO BUYS THE BLAIR LINE-THE BEER INSPECTION LAW-INDUSTRIAL IRON WORKS-THE FRISCO CONTROLS THE MEMPHIS GAS AND OIL-THE CASEY HERD-RURAL MAIL DELIVERY-THE URICH REUNION-THE FIRST CLINTON CHAUTAUQUA-THE HENRY COUNTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COM- . PANY-THE YOUNGERS-STREET CAR HISTORY-GOOD ROADS MOVEMENT- HENRY COUNTY AT THE WORLD'S FAIR-THE CANDIDACY OF FOLK FOR GOVERNOR-THE "FOUR COUNTY FAIR"-THE WEATHER.
An important railroad merger was effected early in 1900, when the Frisco railroad bought the Kansas City, Osceola and Southern, or what was familiarly known to the people of Henry County as the Blair line. The Kansas City, Osceola & Southern railway had been built by John I. Blair and after the death of this capitalist the Frisco had leased the road and operated it since the middle of the year 1898 until the completion of the link between Bolivar and Osceola. It had never been a paying proposition, but with the road running to Springfield it had become a paying investment. The purchase of the road was consummated in New York between the Frisco directors and representatives of the Blair estate. It was announced that the Frisco management planned to expend $1,000,- 000 on the reconstruction of the line and would ballast it with rock and relay with sixty-five pound rails.
The Democratic county convention met in Clinton on Saturday, April 7, 1900, for the purpose of selecting delegates to the various conventions. After an enthusiastic meeting the following prominent Democrats of the county were sent to the convention at Kansas City to nominate State officers and were instructed for A. M. Dockery for governor, Sam B. Cook for secretary of State, E. C. Crow for attorney general and W. C. Bro- naugh of Henry County for railroad commissioner; J. P. Allen, C. E.
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Griffith, L. P. Beatty, R. H. Garrett, W. L. Pinkston, Dr. W. H. Gibbons, C. H. Whitaker, Sr., Henry Adkins, J. E. Gutridge, J. E. Jeter, J. R. Bradley, Clay Adair, P. A. Parks, W. L. McDonald, W. W. Adamson, Dr. J. S. Wilson.
The school census of Clinton, which was compiled by T. P. Bates, showed that in 1900 there were 1,682 white children of school age, of whom 795 were boys and 887 were girls; with eighty-six negro boys and ninety-five negro girls, making a total enumeration of 1,863 in the school district.
One of the unique characters in Missouri politics was Gen. Billy Rider. Every session of the Legislature he was certain to appear. His object in attending the Legislature was problematical, but every citizen of Missouri who went to Jefferson City for any purpose always saw Billy Rider and never forgot his peculiar appearance. In the Legislative ses- sion of 1899 there was passed a pure beer law, but this statute was more popularly known as Billy Rider's beer bill from its author. While nomi- nally designed to prevent adulteration or introduction of impurities the principal object of the bill was to raise revenue from all beer made within or imported into the State. It provided for the appointment of a State inspector and assistants for the inspection of all beer and for the placing of labels on beer so inspected, the manufacturers to pay specified fees into the State treasury. Proper penalties were provided for in the bill, and as the breweries refused to recognize its constitutionality the attor- ney general determined to test the matter legally and determined to do so in Henry County. In order to make this test the attorney general wired the Henry County authorities to summon a special grand jury to bring necessary indictments and the following prominent citizens of the county were summoned: C. W. Gains, John Doyle, H. L. Hunter, T. E. Baskett, W. W. White, W. L. McDonald, Robert E. Harman, W. E. Sams, Ellis Smith, Al Craig, T. P. Carnes and J. T. Hendricks. Two well known saloon keepers were arrested on indictments returned by this special grand jury and the constitutionality of the statute affecting the whole State was de- termined by proceedings instituted in the Henry County Court.
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