USA > Missouri > Henry County > History of Henry County, Missouri > Part 14
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The Industrial Iron Works at Clinton, which had been but a small enterprise at the first, had been recently making a remarkable growth and foreseeing the increasing demand for small motor engines of the gas and gasoline type experiments were made by William F. Hall, proprietor of the concern, looking towards the manufacture of an engine superior
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to those then in the market and at such a low price as to bring it in reach of all requiring small power. Hall's efforts were remarkably successful and the engine manufactured embodied the two points aimed at by other machinists, strength and simplicity. In 1900 two sizes of upright gaso- line engines were manufactured in these works at Clinton and it was in- tended to build engines of greater horsepower. The largest machine so far made was an eight horsepower engine for the Windsor waterworks and proved to be very economical in operation and successful in use. The plant planned additions and was preparing for increased growth.
Early in 1901 the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad obtained con- trol of the Memphis. The purchase of the control in the Memphis rail- road by the Frisco gave the latter railroad three parallel lines between Kansas City and Springfield. The Clinton division of the Memphis had never been a money maker and it was the general opinion that the rails of the Clinton division from Olathe to Ash Grove would be torn up and the line abandoned. However, it was believed that too much money was invested to warrant such a wanton destruction of property. The suc- ceeding years proved the contention that both the Kansas City, Clinton & Springfield and the Kansas City, Osceola & Southern railroads could not be profitably operated. In other words, there seemed to be abundant business for one good road, business that would warrant one railroad being maintained in first class condition, but not enough business to jus- tify the best of service on two competing and almost parallel lines. In the succeeding years it was continually found necessary to try to har- monize the conflicting interests of these two roads. The consolidation of the Memphis and Frisco lines first went into effect June 1, 1901, and played havoc with train service and employes on both roads. The Frisco local agents at Kansas City, Harrisonville, Lowry City and Osceola lost their positions, their work being taken over by the former agents of the Memphis road and the Memphis agents at Belton, Clinton and Walnut Grove were let out, while the Frisco agents took charge of the interests of both roads. The change also affected employes and a number of the passenger conductors and passenger trainmen went back to the freight service or were transferred to other lines. The consolidation of the two lines was productive of a reduction of train service, and yet there were some benefits that came to the traveling public and to the shipper as well. By orders of the manager of the road a purchaser could buy a round trip ticket to Kansas City on either road and return on the other if he did
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not care to come back on the same road. The same choice was given him in regard to the shipment of freight. This arrangement seemed to be a forerunner of the conditions in the World War when the Govern- ment sent freight by the shortest and most direct line, no matter what road received it.
The articles of association of the Clinton Light and Water Company were filed with the county recorder in May, 1901, preliminary to incor- porating the company under the State law. Col. John L. Woolfork had sometime before acquired control of both the Home Waterworks Company and the Clinton Gas and Electric Company, and the consolidation made no change, except to effect the management of both systems as one prop- erty. The articles of association stated that the purpose of the company was the manufacture, distribution and sale of gas and electricity and to furnish public and private consumers with water. The capital stock was $180,000, divided into 1,800 of $100 each.
In the spring of 1901 agitation was begun for the boring for gas and oil and it was claimed that Clinton was in a gas belt. This feeling had already led to the drilling of the artesian wells which furnished the town with water, and while there had been discussion from time to time as to the practicability of boring for gas or oil, nothing ever had been done, although on several occasions a movement was started to resume drilling. There is good reason for the belief that gas underlays Henry County. About 1890 a flow of gas was struck at Lewis while drilling for coal. It was so strong that it was piped to the boiler of the engines at L. W. Good's mine and for several months furnished the fuel. It may only have been a large pocket or the pipe may have been defective, but at any rate it finally ceased to flow. However, fuel gas has been fre- quently struck in digging wells and oftentimes in considerable quantities. These gas pockets, while not large, afford convincing proof of the proxi- mity of some larger sources of supply, but this can only be reached by drilling, and probably to a great depth.
A special city election was held October 22, 1901, to vote on the question of annexing eighty acres more ground adjoining the southern part of the city. There was a light vote cast, but resulted overwhelm- ingly in favor of extending the city limits; the total vote being as follows: For 261, against 49. The addition to the town included the Artesian Hotel and part of the lake, not the bath house or auditorium, and also included the waterworks and electric light plants, the Martin grocery
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store and the vacant lots known as the Salmon & Britts addition. The extension of the city limits was deemed wise and desirable, both on ac- count of police and fire protection and for the purpose of taxation.
At the American Royal Cattle Show at Kansas City, in October, 1901, Col. G. M. Casey of Shawnee Mound, Missouri, brought fifty-two head of pure bred Shorthorns, and he captured a great many more cash prizes than any other exhibitor. His total special prize winning aggregated $2,190, which does not include the numerous prizes awarded his cattle in the regular classes in which they won every day. The first day of the show Colonel Casey received thirteen ribbons and at the conclusion of the show Colonel Casey made a deal with a butcher of Kansas City whereby the latter bought fifteen head of fat steers which attracted so much attention at the show, for $16.00 per hundred pounds on the hoof, which, up to this time, was the highest price ever paid for a carload of fat stock in the history of the world. Among the noted animals exhibited by Colonel Casey in the show rings was Alice's Prince, which headed his herd and for which he paid $2,750; Rose Prince, which was placed at the head of the Shorthorn aged cow class; Princess Violet, Prince of Tebo Lawn and other prize animals well known to the breeders of this section. Colonel Casey enjoyed the reputation of producing the best fat steers placed on the Kansas City or Chicago markets.
Early in 1901 the first rural free delivery routes were established in Henry County, the service being inaugurated by two carriers over two routes and shortly afterwards increased. Its effect on the country post- office was almost immediately apparent and before the end of the year the postoffice department had formally discontinued the offices at Quarles, Hortense, Alberta, Sparrow and Huntingdale. This was the beginning of the present system of rural carriers that reaches every farm in the county every day in the week with regularity that was unthought of in the cities but a few years before.
Henry County Court at its first session in 1902 let a contract for enlarging the county jail. When the jail was built the jail portion of the building was designed for two cell rooms, one above the other, but only the lower room was completed and it had been insufficient to meet the county's need. Designed to take care of sixteen prisoners, there have been twenty or more confined there and once thirty were crowded in by the jailer, who was compelled to exercise the greatest vigilance to guard them in the crowded condition of the jail. The work cost the county about $4,000, and was completed within a few weeks.
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The Democratc campaign was opened most auspiciously in the county by William J. Bryan, who spoke to a magnificent audience at Clinton on September 10. There was a tremendous crowd present from all over the county and at the close of his address he was overwhelmed by men and women who tried to shake his hand. The entire Democratic county, State and National ticket was carried in Henry County in November.
Delegates to the Democratic State convention which was to nominate candidates for supreme judge and railroad and warehouse commissions were selected at a county convention which met in Clinton June 16, 1902. Hon. W. C. Bronaugh of Lewis was a candidate for railroad and ware- house commissioner. The delegates were instructed to support him and to use all honorable means to secure his nomination and as a further testimony of esteem the convention permitted Mr. Bronaugh to name the delegates to the convention, who were as follow: G. M. Casey, W. F. Carter, Joseph P.' Allen, P. A. Parks, C. F. Morrow, F. W. Bronaugh, George H. Hackney, James E. Bennett; alternates, T. J. Lingle, James M. Spangler, Rolla M. Owsley, W. H. Shackleford, Ed Avery, J. E. Finks, Mack Thralls and Bruce Wilson. The delegates from Henry County la- bored to their utmost, but unavailingly, for the nomination of their dis- tinguished fellow citizen at the State convention which was held at St. Joseph.
The annual reunion of the Henry County Veterans' Association was held at Urich September 16, 17, 18 and 19, 1901, and was noteworthy because of the attendance of Dr. R. E. Bronson, department commissioner of the Grand Army of the Republic of Missouri and Major Henry New- man, adjutant of the United Confederate Veterans of Missouri. The attendance was very large and the occasion was one that marked an epoch in that section of the county.
Three very prominent and popular citizens of Henry County died within a short time of each other during 1902. George H. Blakemore, for over forty years in business in Clinton, was one of the trio, departing this life April 13. Col. John B. Colt, long a resident of Clinton, one of the original contractors for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad when it was built and highly successful in carrying out various business in- terests, died on April 21 following, while B. L. Quarle, well known all over Henry County and beloved by every man who knew him, entered into rest July 10. Mr. Quarles had been one of General Price's body- guard during the war between the States and from time to time had
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held the offices of county and circuit clerk. All three of these men left large families and their places in the community were hard to fill.
The ever recurring Rock Island rumor was revived early in 1903, that the impression prevailed generally that there was some merit in the contention of the city council of Clinton which had inaugurated proceed- ings against the Frisco for consolidating parallel lines and it was the gen- eral impression that the Frisco would be willing to sell the Kansas City, Clinton & Springfield railroad to the Rock Island and thus avoid the necessity of defending itself in the suit brought against them by the State of Missouri.
One of the most important matters to come before the forty-second General Assembly was the election of a United States Senator for a term of six years, beginning March 4, 1903. In the Senate the speech nomi- nating William J. Stone was made by Senator C. C. Dickinson of Henry County. Senator Dickinson said in part: "I desire to present the name of the distinguished Democrat who by the Democratic caucus has been named for the high position of United States Senator. He is known to you all. He is a man of commanding ability, a fearless leader of his party and unquestioned fealty to its principles and nominees. He is a worthy successor to that great Senator, George G. Vest, and worthy colleague of the Hon. F. M. Cockrell. Born in Kentucky he has fought his way to success. He has been crowned from time to time because he deserved it. He has overcome obstacles. Every leader is assailed. It is the part of him who stands in the forefront of battle, but the people re- spond, so they award this high honor to this great man. The voice of the people is the law of the Republic. The voice of the people has re- corded their desires. I take great pleasure in presenting the name of William J. Stone. I have been his friend for twenty years. I helped him when he was first nominated for Congress. He voluntarily retired when he could have been renominated without opposition. I placed his name in nomination when he was nominated for Governor. Now, after six years of private life, he has asked for higher honors. The people desire that he shall be the United States Senator from Missouri." The Repub- licans had nominated R. C. Kerens of St. Louis and a vote on the Senator was as follows: In the Senate Stone 25, Kerens 7; in the House, Stone 82, Kerens 59.
Early in 1903 agitation was begun for the holding of a chautauqua at Clinton with the idea of making it a permanent institution, and, at a
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meeting of business men a committee consisting of Col. J. L. Woolfork, Major H. W. Salmon, J. R. Gunn, T. M. Casey, J. F. Lindley and S. Degen were appointed to ascertain the sentiment of the community and to try to determine on some original plan for undertaking the project. The matter of acquiring Artesian Park for chautauqua purposes was touched upon, but not gone into in detail. The committee finally arrived at an agreement with the Seven Hills Chautauqua Company and formed a permanent organization by the election of J. L. Woolfork as president, T. M. Casey first vice-president, S. Degen second vice-president, J. R. Gunn treasurer and W. M. Godwin secretary. A splendid program was prepared and the preparations for the holding of a most successful meet- ing were perfected. The chautauqua was very largely attended and was a great success. The most prominent celebrities who took part in the chautauqua were William J. Bryan, who opened the meeting; Gen. Fitz- hugh Lee, and Capt. Richmond Pearson Hobson.
A statement of business transacted and financial condition of the Henry County Mutual Insurance Company for the year beginning De- cember 1, 1901, and ending November 30, 1902, is interesting to the farmers of the county and affords a ready means of comparison between the present Farmers' Mutual and the organization existing at the time above mentioned. H. T. Burris made the statement in the weekly Demno- crat to the effect that the company at that time consisted of 885 members, carrying a total assessed valuation of $755,000. The business had in- creased $81,477 in the last year. During the year 1902 two assessments of fifteen cents each on the $100 valuation were made and it was ex- plained that the assessments were so heavy because of unusually heavy losses that were sustained in the latter part of 1901. An abridged state- ment for the business done in the period above. mentioned follows:
Receipts, balance in treasurer's hands $ 27.05
Receipts from eighteenth and nineteenth assessments 2,506.35 Total
$2,533.40
Expenditures, loss by fire and lightning from 1901 950.00
Expense account carried from 1901
149.26
Loss by fire and lightning, 1902 1,139.50
Expense account, 1902 215.36
Balance
79.28
Total expenditures
2,533.40
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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
Assets, balance November 30, 1902 79.28
Assessment No. 20, of ten cents on the $100 valua-
tion and a total valuation of $755,000 755.00
Total assets
834.28
Liabilities, losses carried to 1903 154.00
Expense account carried from 1903 215.00
Balance to meet any losses that may occur Total liabilities
465.28
834.28
Capt. Wall C. Bronaugh spent the latter part of his life in attempt- ing to secure the liberty of the Youngers, who were confined in the State prison at Minnesota under punishment for the final raid of the James Younger desperadoes of the Northfield, Minnesota, bank, in which the cashier, Haywood, was killed, September 7, 1876. The three Younger brothers were captured in the pursuit that followed the attack on this bank and were condemned to life imprisonment, and for years Captain Bronaugh devoted his entire efforts towards securing them their liberty. For more than thirteen years he devoted his entire time, talents and means toward the liberation of Cole Younger and it was generally sup- posed that his activity was due to the fact that he was an old-time per- sonal friend of the Younger boys and knew them before they became outlaws. This fact Captain Bronaugh himself denied, saying that he had never seen Jim Younger before he saw him in the Minnesota prison and had never seen Cole Younger more than once or twice before visiting him in prison and that the only times that he had seen Cole Younger were when they were serving together with the Confederate Army. Captain Bronaugh took the attitude that he knew the conditions surrounding men in western Missouri in war times, and he believed that because they were his old comrades he should do all he could to liberate them, and he trav- eled thousands of miles, securing signatures to petitions for pardon and letters from men of influence. When Cole Younger was finally released from prison Captain Bronaugh was the first man to meet him and brought him with him to St. Louis and remained with him day and night. In April Captain Bronaugh brought Cole Younger to Henry County with him on a visit and while Younger's coming was unexpected he was readily recognized from his pictures and was greeted cordially by the hospitable people. Younger recognized a great many landmarks as he came on the train from Kansas City through Cass and Henry Counties and pointed out land formerly owned by their family, which he had not seen for
A BROOM CORN SCENE ON THE DAHLMAN FARM
LA DUE GRAIN ELEVATOR, OWNED BY FARMERS
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probably thirty years. He remained at the Bronaugh home for some days and was visited by a great many people of the county, particularly those who had known him in the Confederate service.
Clinton was at one time very proud of the fact that it had a street car line and the citizens gave themselves metropolitan airs over the horse drawn cars that made semi-occasional trips from the terminus of the line, which was where the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad crossed Franklin street at what is now the Cozart Hotel, to Artesian Park. The line was a great deal like the railroad in Texas which was said not to have any destination at either end, but for a number of years it was popular and used to a considerable degree by the people. However, as the popularity of the "well" declined and people ceased to visit it with the regularity that they had formerly done, the patronage of the car line decreased and finally all attempt at the regular schedule was aban- doned and trips were made only at very rare intervals, sometimes as much as thirty days apart, simply for the purpose of maintaining the franchise.
The question of paving the streets came up about this time and it was proposed to put down brick pavement in Clinton and consequently (part of the work being planned for in the year 1903 and much of it completed in that time) the street car track was an obstacle to the suc- cessful progress of any plan for paving. There was no public action taken in regard to the track. In fact, no one ever knew what had become of it. The only thing we could be certain about at this late day in a court of law is that one evening as the sun set the track was in existence and functioning as well as could be expected, ready to carry the street cars on their semi-occasional trips and that at daylight the next morn- ing there was none within the limits of the town, nor anywhere in the neighborhood thereof. Some resident of the town or county detained later than usual on the street might have seen the rails and ties being carried away during the night by unknown parties, but if he did, nothing was ever said.
Among some of the prominent citizens who appeared before the city council which met in March to discuss the matter of paving were James L. Elliston, Dr. S. T. Neill, Col. J. L. Woolfork, James T. McKee, Dr. J. H. Britts, W. F. Crome, John Bixman, Joe Harness, John Price and C. A. Calvird.
Henry County Good Roads Association, which held a meeting in
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Clinton on May 9, 1903, was presided over by Dr. John H. Britts as presi- dent. Interesting talks were made by James Finks, H. H. Armstrong, Jacob Snyder and O. L. Kehler. Concrete results of the meeting were embodied in a series of resolutions empowering the several vice-presi- dents of the association to call meetings in their township or school dis- trict for the purpose of promoting good roads and selecting of delegates in addition to the vice-presidents to attend the county meeting. The men who acted as vice-presidents of the Good Roads Association were pioneers in Henry County and should be remembered. A list of the vice-presidents for 1903 follows: Bear Creek, C. E. Dutro; Bethlehem, W. A. Hastian; Big Creek, A. M. Butcher; Bogard, Dr. Joseph Noble; Clinton, E. P. Mitchell; Davis, John Miller; Deepwater, Van Brown; Deer Creek, Will- iam H. Combs; Fairview, F. P. Aldrich; Fields Creek, George Spangler; Honey Creek, R. W. Covington; Shawnee, S. M. Thompson; Osage, A. Johnson; Springfield, Thomas P. Parks; Tebo, Chase E. Avery; Walker, William Moore; White Oak, Benjamin Henny ; Windsor, William H. Davis.
Particularly enthusiastic over the question of good roads was the Calhoun Clarion, whose editor, James Bush, advocated the building of them with perennial persistence. In June, 1903, this newspaper had just moved into a new office and its efforts for the upbuilding of the com- munity were appreciated by the people who had shown their apprecia- tion in a practical fashion.
The summer of 1903 will be remembered as a period of niost disas- trous storms. Continual rains threw all of the creeks out of their banks, flooding the lowlands and making all connection by rail or wagon road impossible where either went through the bottoms or across a water course. Water stood six or eight feet deep in the Kansas City Union Depot and for some days no trains were able to reach Kansas City at all. Finally one of the Frisco trains from Clinton got into Kansas City. The storm that swept over Henry County the twenty-first of July, 1903, was one of the worst ever known. The chautauqua had just adjourned when the storm broke. The damage over Clinton and Henry County was very considerable. The Frisco round house in Clinton was destroyed and a great deal of damage was done in town. The county alms house was damaged and a new barn belonging to W. L. Bowman was scattered over an eighty acre field. The house of W. L. Petermans was damaged and one of his children was badly hurt. Barns belonging to Ed Empey, Andy and Fritz Detwiler were unroofed. The roof and porch was blown off of
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Charles McDonald's house and damage through the whole county was ex- cessive and serious.
Preparations for the Henry County exhibits at the World's Columbian Exposition, to be held in St. Louis in 1904, were made in the summer of 1903. Most of the samples of grain necessary were selected from the products of 1902. Clay Adair was made commissioner for the county by order of the executive committee, of which Thomas Day was chairman. Notification was made that the exposition would offer prizes for the best twenty ears of white corn and of yellow corn; also prizes for the ten largest and for the ten longest ears and for the best twenty ears of calico or bloody butcher corn. It is worth while to note that the prize offered was $10 for the best ten ears of either white or yellow corn and only $5 for the best twenty ears of bloody butcher corn. Twenty years later prizes of $150 were offered for exhibits of corn under certain conditions by some counties of the State.
The candidacy of Joseph W. Folk for Governor began to be agitated in midsummer throughout the county. The popularity gained by Folk when as circuit attorney of St. Louis he had successfully prosecuted the boodling aldermen of that city caused the Democrats of the State and of Henry County to look upon him as a fit candidate for Governor. Early in September a Folk Club of fifty members was organized at Hunting- dale. The meeting after organization was addressed by C. A. Calvird of Clinton, who was present by invitation, and fifty of the seventy Democrats in Huntingdale precinct of Shawnee township quickly enrolled. Jesse Spitzer, a prominent farmer, was elected president and E. E. Schroff, a well known Huntingdale merchant, was elected treasurer. A Folk Club was organized at Montrose of which James H. Vickers was elected presi- dent and Judge James M. Ballard was elected secretary. This club was also of large membership and numerous others were organized throughout the county.
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