USA > Missouri > Henry County > History of Henry County, Missouri > Part 17
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The election resulted in the defeat of the entire Democratic ticket with the exception of C. A. Calvird for city attorney. The Democratic county convention which met in Clinton on Saturday, May 16, 1908, was im- portant because of the fact that it was the last time they were to select delegates to a State convention, as the candidaes for Sate officers were to be elected by State-wide primary. A number of suitors for State offi- cers were present, among whom were John O. Long, candidate for State auditor; John P. Gordon, of Lafayette County, also a candidate for audi- tor; Hon. William R. Painter, editor of the Carrollton "Democrat," candi- date for the office of lieutenant-governor, and Hon. Wall Bronaugh, of Henry County, candidate for railroad warehouse commissioner. The
234
HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
resolutions adopted expressed confidence in William J. Bryan, admiration for William J. Stone and approval of his record, endorsed the official record of Joseph W. Folk along the line of law enforcement, commended Hon. D. A. DeArmond, recommended to the voters at the primary W. C. Bronaugh for railroad commissioner, voted for Peyton A. Parks as dele- gate to the Democratic National Convention at Denver and for dele- gate at large to that convention, declared itself for Stone, Folk, Francis and Reed. The delegates to the convention were then named as follow: J. S. Turk, Davis township; Clay Hurst, Bethlehem township; Frank McCausland, Bogard township; C. C. Dickinson, of Clinton ; C. A. Calvird, of Clinton; J. D. Hall and Bruce Wilson, Deepwater township; Henry Carter, Fairview township; R. W. Carrington, Honey Creek township; H. B. Salsbury, Osage township; H. B. Hughes, Tebo township; T. B. R. Hackney, White Oak township; J. F. Wall and L. K. Meyer, Windsor township.
These fourteen delegates were authorized to cast the eleven votes to which Henry County was entitled at the State convention. The dele- gates returned in a jubilant frame of mind, having been able to assist in the election of all the men recommended by the county convention and the reports of harmony encouraged the local democracy. The candidacy of Hon. W. S. Cowherd and Hon. Dave Ball for Governor were overshadow- ing all others at this time before the Democratic voters. The people were hopeful that the enactment of a primary law would secure the selection of the best men for the various offices and recognized that the merit of this system was on trial in the State-wide primary which was held for the first time in August, 1908.
The result of the primary showed the selection of W. S. Cowherd for Governor on the Democratic ticket. Mr. Cowherd carried Henry County by a vote of practically two to one over his nearest competitor, David A. Ball. The other winners on the Democratic ticket were William R. Painter for lieutenant-governor, Cornelius Roach for secretary of State, John P. Gordon for State auditor, John R. Knott for railroad commis- sioner, W. W. Graves for judge of the Supreme Court.
The following candidates carried the county in the Republican pri- mary: Governor, H. S. Hadley; lieutenant-governor, J. F. Gmelich; sec- retary of State, John E. Swanger; auditor, Jesse A. Tolerton; State treas- turer, W. F. Maring ; attorney general, F. B. Fulkerson; railroad commis- sioner, W. W. Wilder; Supreme judge, Argus Cox.
The Prohibition party polled thirty-nine votes. The only State officer
235
HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
voted for was Hon. H. P. Faris for Governor, who received thirty-seven. This was the second time that Mr. Faris had been given the Prohibition nomination for Governor and it is related that as he returned home after receiving the Prohibition nomination for Governor as a result of the State primary he was given a unique recepton. At the train he was met by a band and a large crowd of citizens. The band played "The Old Oaken Bucket" as the nominee was greeted on the platform, while nearby stood the city water wagon gaily decorated with the National colors. A re- ception was held on the southwest corner of the square, where speeches were made by Mayor Shackleford and Rev. A. N. Lindsey, to which Mr. Faris briefly responded. The local papers add that it is noteworthy that the tent show which at that time was playing in Clinton that night played "Ten Nights in a Barroom," and several hours later a copious shower refreshed the earth.
The Democratic campaign in the county was very active in the fall. Among the speakers were Hon. Elliott W. Major, candidate for attorney- general, who spoke at Deepwater, Montrose and Windsor. Governor Joseph W. Folk spoke at Montrose and Clinton on Tuesday, the twentieth of October, and Governor A. M. Dockery spoke on October 8. United States Senator William J. Stone spoke at Windsor on October 21 and that night at Clinton. The farmers of the country were very much interested in the election of Bryan and had contributed over $1,000 in one dollar subscriptions toward the Democratic National campaign. On the seven- teenth of October there was a tremendous rally in Clinton in which James B. Reed was the leading speaker, and at a night meeting Congressman DeArmond and Hon. Frank M. Lowe of Kansas City made addresses. The results in the county showed a clean sweep for the Democratic ticket, the lowest man being H. F. Poague for prosecuting attorney, who won by approximately three hundred plurality, and the leading candidate J. D. King for sheriff, whose plurality exceeded 800. Bryan carried the county for President by nearly 800, while Stone's majority over Folk for the Senate was nearly the same. Cowherd for Governor ran about 200 votes below the National ticket. The Democratic State ticket was elected with the exception of Governor, the Republican candidate, Herbert S. Hadley, being successful.
On September 15, 1908, a terrible explosion occurred at the depot at Windsor. A consignment of ten kegs of rifle powder-270 pounds in all-was in a car being consigned to W. F. Crome, wholesale grocer at Clinton. Five kegs of this powder securely floored were at one end of
236
HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
the car and the other five equally well fastened to obviate jarring were in the other apartment. The usual four powder posters were placed on the car to caution those who were to handle it. As the car was loaded with general merchandise besides the powder, it was switched to the south end of the depot. The station agent and a number of trainmen, draymen, helpers and one tramp gathered around it to sort over and take out the Windsor freight. The most plausible story of the explosion is that one of the kegs of powder had sprung a leak and some of it had sifted out on the floor. One of the negroes, helping, procured a broom from the depot and swept up the powder, intending to take it out. Some one dropped a match, the powder lighted along the floor and there oc- curred a terrific explosion, blowing out with awful force the side of the car.
Twelve lives in all were lost in the accident, including Frank Yake, the station agent; J. G. Hall, a drayman of Deepwater; James McCabe, à brakeman; Ernest Igo, a depot helper; Ira Malone, a miner; Elmer Keach and Walter Bachs, two boys who were loitering about; Charles Dawes, John Walker and Howard Kerns, three nero helpers, and Harry Gravestone, a tramp. In addition eight or ten others were more or less seriously injured. This was one of the most terrible and deplorable acci- dents that ever occurred in Henry County.
Clinton indulged in another local option campaign in November, 1909, the holding of such elections having become a habit. Henry County being dry, there was a continual agitation on the part of the drys to vote the saloons out of Clinton and thus destroy the only oasis in the county. After several weeks of active campaign, an election was held on Tuesday, the 23rd of November, and resulted in a wet victory by a majority of 129. Owing to the high license at this particular time, while Clinton's status as wet territory was not changed by the election, yet the town had actually been dry for some six months. The vote on the question by wards follows :
Ward.
Wet.
Dry.
First
191
125
Second
66
54
Third
176
85
Fourth
164
204
Totals
597
468
Wet majority
129
237
HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
Henry County people were horrified in late November, when the ap- palling news came of the burning to death of their beloved Congressman David A. DeArmond in his home at Butler. The Congressman and his , five-year-old grandson were sleeping on an upstairs porch in the DeArmond residence, when the house caught fire from some unexplained cause, evi- dently starting near the place where Judge DeArmond and the little boy were sleeping, and that portion of the house was all in flames when neigh- bors reached the scene. It is said that a maid-servant who slept in the rear of the house was the first one awakened and that only when the flames burst into her room. She escaped in her night clothing and ran to the front of the house, where her screams aroused the neighbohood. No one could get near the front of the building on account of the intense heat. Mrs. DeArmond and Mrs. Harvey C. Clark, her daughter, were aroused by the cries of the boy and the assurances of his grandfather that he would be saved. Judge DeArmond could easily have saved him- · self but he remained to save his beloved grandson and both were burned to death. The people of Henry County felt peculiarly close to Judge DeArmond; though born in Pennsylvania, he had been long a resident of Bates County, had served as judge of the circuit in which Henry County was located and several times had been a representative of Henry County in Congress and was known to practically all the citizenship of the county. Few men in the last half-century have had a more spectacular or brilliant career than he, winning his political spurs in his home as a lawyer, Presi- dential elector and State Senator, later as judge of the Circuit Court and member of Congress, he was greatly admired because of his commanding ability. Rarely has any district had a man to represent it, who was so relied upon and whose judgment on all matters was so implicitly ac- cepted by his constituents.
Every possible token of respect was paid to him by the people of his district and the greatest sympathy was felt for his bereaved family by all of his constituents whom he had so long and so faithfully served. The death of Judge DeArmond of course, necessitated the immediate election of his successor and national conditions were such that the election in the Sixth district was looked on with a great deal of interest all over the country. The election of a Congressman here afforded the first direct expression in any country district, of the popularity of the Payne-Aldrich tariff law just enacted by the National Congress; of what was called Cannonism in the House of Representatives, and, in general, of the Taft administration.
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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
The Democratic convention insisted that national issue should con- trol in this fight. The plurality with which Judge DeArmond was elected in 1908 was about two thousand; both Democratic and Republicans alike, agreed that it would be a test whether the successor to Judge DeArmond should receive the same or a larger vote, and decided to nominate a con- gressional candidate by convention and to hold such convention on De- cember 21st. The place was fixed at Butler and the ratio of representa- tion was one delegate to every 250 votes cast at the last election for the Democratic candidate for President, or each fraction over 125 or more votes. Such ratio gave the following representation in the convention: Bates County, 13; Cass County, 13; Cedar County, 6; Dade County, 6; Henry County, 14; Johnson County, 14; St. Clair County, 8.
Pursuant to the call of the congressional committee, the convention met at Butler and besides the seventy-four delegates present, there were many Democratic leaders from the various counties in the district. More than thirty citizens of Henry County were in attendance, promoting the interests of C. C. Dickinson, who received the solid vote of Henry County from the start. There were four counties which had home candidates and whose delegates were instructed for them. Henry's fourteen dele- gates were instructed for C. C. Dickinson; in addition, Bates County was also instructed for him; Mr. Dickinson also had two out of Cedar and two from Cass, giving him a total of thirty-one votes. Johnson's fourteen delegates were instructed for J. W. Suddath; St. Clair's eight delegates were instructed for C. P. Hargus, and Dade's six for Charles W. New- man; the eleven delegates from Cass County usually voted with Johnson's fourteen, for Suddath; occasionally, some of these Cass County Suddath delegates would vote for Newman or Hargus. Hargus had four votes from Cedar, in addition to his eight from St. Clair. Newman had no out- side strength except an occasional Suddath delegate or two from Cass County. The officers of the convention were: Charles R. W. Sloan, of Cass, presiding, and W. R. Bowles, of Dade, secretary. Hon. W. E. Owen nominated C. C. Dickinson and the other three candidates were placed before the convention in equally eloquent speeches.
On the first ballot, Cass scattered six votes between Hargus and Newman. On the second ballot, five between these two men; on the third and fourth ballots, four; the fifth ballot two, and finally the sixth ballot brought them back to Suddath; on this sixth ballot, the vote was: Dickinson, 31; Suddath, 25; Hargus, 12; Newman, 6.
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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
This represented practically the actual strength of the various can- didates, as the five earlier ballots had only differed from this result be- cause of the complimentary votes from Cass County, given to Hargus and Newman. Balloting continued until midnight Tuesday, more than one hundred ballots being taken with no change, an adjournment was had until Wednesday morning. Wednesday, Dickinson gained one vote from Suddath and thus increased his vote to thirty-two; the balloting proceeded all day Wednesday without any further break, although various rumors were afloat-some that one man was going to receive accessions, others that it was another; but the most persistent was that Dade was preparing to go to Dickinson and nominate him. After over three hundred ballots had been taken, the convention again adjourned until Thursday; ballot- ing continued all day Thursday without any indication of a break until nearly midnight; finally, after nearly seven hundred ballots had been taken, the instructions were taken off the delegates and each was left to vote according to his own inclination. On the 675th ballot, C. C. Dick- inson of Henry County received forty-two votes, or four more than were necessary to nominate him. On this final and decisive ballot, the counties voting for Mr. Dickinson and the number of votes from each were as follows: Henry County, 14; Bates County, 13; St. Clair, 4; Dade, 3; Cass, 2; Cedar, 6. Total, 42.
The announcement of the result in a scene of great enthusiasm, caused Mr. Dickinson's opponents to vie with each other in their efforts to move to make his vote unanimous. The result of the roll-call was never offi- cially announced. Mr. Dickinson and the men who had remained with him, returned home and were enthusiastically received, although they arrived in Clinton at one o'clock in the morning in the midst of a driving snowstorm. The interest taken in the contest in Clinton and Henry County had been intense; it was not confined to the Democrats alone, but the nominee was assured the support of his many friends, irrespec- tive of party. In the campaign that followed, a great many Republicans and Independents declared themselves in favor of Mr. Dickinson and against the Republican nominee. The result of the election was a Demo- cratic landslide. Mr. Dickinson carried his own ward by 147; he car- ried the city of Clinton by 429, Henry County by 1,309 and the Sixth district by 3,790, which was practically twice the normal majority of the district.
CHAPTER XXIV.
OTHER EVENTS AFTER 1905
A FEDERAL BUILDING-DRAINAGE QUESTION-FOUNT PIPER'S AIRPLANE-THE CENSUS OF 1910-BAIRD COLLEGE PURCHASED- THE ELECTION OF 1910- BUILDING ACTIVITIES.
In November, 1910, the council provided for another election to pur- chase the public utilities. The first proposition prepared was to issue $60,000 in bonds drawing not over five per cent interest, to acquire water- works and gas plants from the Clinton Light and Water Company. The second proposition was to issue $10,000 in bonds to enlarge, extend and perfect its present electric light plant. The election under the order of the council was duly held on December 20th and both propositions were voted down by a vote as follows:
On the $60,000 Proposition.
Yes.
No.
First Ward.
39
.100
First Ward
49
93
Second Ward
22
55
Second Ward
24
53
Third Ward
28
106
Third Ward
33
101
Fourth Ward
58
100
Fourth Ward
60
47
Totals
147
381
On the $10,000 Proposition.
Yes.
No.
Totals
166
294
The result was not surprising as from the start public sentiment was against the deal. The council acted in good faith in securing the lowest option ever submitted for the purchase of the plants, but the people decided otherwise.
. A land mark of prominence near Clinton and to every one who had occasion to pass through on the train, was the old North Clinton depot.
241
HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
which was destroyed by fire in early summer of this year. The fire started from a spark thrown by a passing locomotive and owing to the distance of the building from the town there was no hope of saving it, owing to the fact that it had attained great headway before the depart- ment could make the run. The building was the original depot of the Blair line and before the "Y" was built which enabled the trains to come down to the Second Street Depot, it was a place of considerable importance. In fact, it was seriously projected to extend the late lamented street-car system to it. However, while its importance was diminished by the build- ing of the depot on Second street, yet all trains, both on the Blair and Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad, stopped at this depot until the burn- ing of this house. For a time it was a very busy place, and when the Frisco first purchased the Blair line it was a most important link be- tween Texas and Kansas City and for a year a Fred Harvey eating house was maintained in the building. When, however, the Frisco bought the Memphis and Texas, traffic was diverted over other lines, the eating house was taken away and the Katy trains no longer stopped. At the time of its destruction the building was unoccupied and used only as a store room.
The Public Building Committee of the National House of Represen- tatives, early in July, 1906, reported a provision for the purchase of a postoffice site at Clinton. In January of that year Mr. George S. Holli- day, president of the Commercial Club of Clinton, and acting under the authority of the club, had gone to Washington and began a quiet, but active campaign for public building and had worked so thoroughly that the report of the committee insured the final erection of the building. A bill carrying the appropriation of $7,500 for the site was duly intro- duced and passed and after an inspection of a great many locations the Secretary of the Treasury, the following November, announced the selec- tion of the southwest corner of Second and Franklin streets. The lot has a frontage of 150 feet on Franklin street and 208 feet on Second street. It was owned by Dr. John H. Britts and was a high and idle lot with a number of large trees growing on it and while a block from the square, is near the center of the town population. Nearly every business man in Clinton had signed a petition favoring the selection of this lot and it was so well adapted for postoffice purposes that even men to whom other sites would have been more convenient, rose above that consideration and asked the selection of the Britts tract. Congress later appropri-
242
HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
ated $65,000 for the erection of this building and after advertising for bids, the contract for the erection of the building was awarded to the firm of M. Yeager and Sons of Danville, Illinois, for the sum of $68,359. The sum was considerably in excess of the appropriation for the building, but arrangement was made to carry the work forward and to finish it under additional appropriations. Under the terms of the bid Bedford lime stone, a beautiful light gray stone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the main part of the building. The south or rear wall was of light-colored brick. The Government moved slowly, but surely, and a considerable time had elapsed between the appropriation for the site and the letting of its contract, which was done in October,. 1910. Exca- vation was started on the Government building and were continued until they reached the depth set forth in the specifications, when it was found that the contractors had not yet reached bed rock and work was sus- pended for more than two months until the Government could be con- sulted and arrangements made for alteration of plans. Work was re- sumed again in March, 1911, and on the 19th of April following, the cornerstone of the building was laid by the Masonic Grand Lodge of Missouri. An account written at the time, says: "The cornerstone was set properly by the workmen. It is severely plain, bearing only this inscription : 'Franklin Mcveigh, Secretary of the Treasury; James N. Thomas, Supervising Architect, MCMX.' There was no cavity for the reception of coins, documents or relics. After the stone was placed the symbolic implements of Masonry was presented by Grand Architect S. Degen, to the proper officers, as follows: The square to the Right Wor- shipful Deputy Grand Master, H. L. Hunter, who applied it and reported the stone to be square; the level to the Right Worshipful Grand Senior Warden, W. W. Kitchen, who applied it and reported the stone to be level ; the plumb to the Right Worshipful Grand Junior Warden, Uel W. Lam- kin, who applied it and reported the stone to be plumb. Grand Master Briggs then declared the stone properly tested and. that the craftsmen have successfully performed their duty." At the conclusion of the laying of the stone, the Grand Master made an address to the assembled peo- ple and following him Dr. W. F. Kuhn, the Grand Orator, was intro- duced and delivered a scholarly and eloquent oration. During the course of the exercises Hon. A. L. Armstrong, in a proper address on behalf of the people of Clinton, presented George S. Holliday with a gold-headed umbrella in recognition of his services in connection with the securing
243
HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
of the building. Work was continued without interruption on the build- ing and it was finally completed and taken over by the Government from the contractors, March 1, 1912. This was the first Government building erected in Henry County, and is commodious and splendidly arranged for which it is designed.
The Republican nominees for county ticket in 1906 were as follows: For representative, Fred Darnell; for prosecuting attorney, N. B. Con- rad; recorder, B. S. Graham; sheriff, J. W. Shy; county clerk, J. H. Ken- nedy; collector, Jasper N. Shivers; circuit clerk, C. H. Williams; treas- urer, J. Walter Ford; probate judge, D. C. Blanchard; coroner, Dr. F. F. Netherton; presiding judge, Thomas Day; associate judge, north, William H. Tillman; south, Willard Charles.
As a result of the Democratic primary the following county ticket was nominated: Representative, Mack V. Thralls; prosecuting attorney, H. F. Poague; circuit clerk, R. L. Covington; county clerk, Walter L. Finks; sheriff, J. D. Hall; recorder, W. A. McConnel; collector, Robert H. Piper ; treasurer, S. M. Thompson ; probate judge, J. D. Carney ; coroner, James R. Wallis; presiding judge, T. W. Ogg; judge north district, M. R. Amick; judge south district, John Harrison. As a result of the elec- tion the entire Democratic ticket was elected except H. F. Poage for prosecuting attorney. N. B. Conrad, his Republican opponent, being elected by 145 majority. J. D. Hall, Democrat, for sheriff, received only 49 majority, and R. L. Covington, Democrat, for circuit clerk, but 36. There was a great deal of "scratching" as evidenced by the three votes mentioned, the ticket in general having polled a majority of between 400 and 500
In July, 1906, Charles H. Whitaker, senior editor of the Democrat, died at his home in Clinton. Long a sufferer from a chronic malady, he had remained at his post of duty through sheer force of will and only a few days before his death was he compelled to lay aside his work. Born in Pennsylvania in 1836, he was a newspaper man all his life, finally purchasing the daily and weekly Democrat in 1893 and remaining its head until called home. He was a man of distinguished ability and widely known and respected through the county and State as well.
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