USA > Missouri > Henry County > History of Henry County, Missouri > Part 18
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The question of drainage of swamp lands was agitated more or less continuously for a number of years and various projects were proposed. The overflow lands along the Grand River and the various creeks of the county are naturally wonderfully fertile, but the uncertainty which always
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existed because of the frequency and destructiveness of the overflow water, caused them to be very carelessly farmed. Various projects were put into effect in the period between 1910 and 1018, resulting in the establishment of a number of drainage districts, some of which have resulted in benefit to the country.
In 1910, an aeroplane was a great curiosity and there were few who were brave enough to express the opinion that they would ever become practical instruments for any purpose. The idea that they might be used as reliable means for the waging of war or the purpose of peace was not seriously advanced. Therefore it is well to remember that it was worthy of remark when one was brought to Clinton. Fount Piper, a very popular and well-known Clinton boy who had gone on the stage and taken the name of Bobby Fontaine, was managing a traveling show and one of the attractions that he advertised for the summer season of his enterprise was an aeroplane that was exhibited at every per- formance. He had arranged it so that the machine could be set up very easily at any place that he was exhibiting and while the machine never flew, yet it proved a very great drawing card.
Windsor had a great deal of difficulty about this time in getting a new high school. There was no question but what the people were in favor of the high school, but it seemed impossible for the school board to have a special bond election without holding it in some way that the legality thereof was threatened. Their second attempt to secure the bond issue was made in March, 1910, when the proposition to vote $20,000 was carried, but the bond companies refused to purchase the bonds owing to the fact that two judges of the election were young ladies and it was the opinion of their attorneys that the whole issue was illegal be- cause Misses Nellie Collins and Irene Moffitt acted as clerks at this elec- tion. A third election was called immediately thereafter and a month later Windsor voted the third time on the proposition. This time they overwhelmingly declared themselves in favor of educational progress. The bonds received 326 votes in their favor and 127 against. The bonds were duly sold and a splendid building erected.
H. A. Higgins, census supervisor for the Sixth district of Missouri, appointed census enumerators for Henry County in March and assigned them as follows: Bear Creek township, Fred R. Darnell; Bethlehem, Roy Mills ; Big Creek, William G. Smith; Bogard, Frank M. Causland; Clinton, William N. Cornick; Clinton, First ward, Edna P. Scott; Second ward,
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Lester L. Cain; Third ward, Jerome McCoy; Fourth ward, May Lovan; Davis, G. M. Hull; Deepwater, A. H. Wiley; Deer Creek, Thomas Day; Fairview, Howard S. Weaver; Deepwater City, Guy C. Hartsock; Fields Creek and Honey Creek, Walter Griffith; Leesville, C. L. Peek; Osage, M. R. Knisely; Shawnee, Emily Coats; Springfield, Roland G. Atwell; Teboe, Theodore Evans; Walker, William L. Pinkston; Whiteoak, Will- iam N. Overby; Windsor, Daniel F. Renfro; Windsor City; Mrs. Mary V. Fields.
The city election in Clinton on April 5, 1910, resulted in the election of every candidate nominated by the Democrats. The results of the elec- tion, together with the majorities, follows: For mayor, S. Blatt, Demo- crat, 119; majority over C. H. Snyder, Republican; for marshal, J. P. McGinnis, Democrat, by 4 majority over A. Moore, Republican; for col- lector, Mason Anderson, Democrat, by 211 majority over Watson Hart, Republican ; for assessor, W. B. Kyle, Democrat, by 185 over H. D. Staples, Republican; for treasurer, E. R. Lingle, Democrat, by 134 over E. T. Montgomery, Republican; for police judge, D. L. Byler, Democrat, by 171 over Jerome McCoy, Republican; E. H. Hess, James Wells, Charles Sherman and O. Kniseley, all Democrats, were elected aldermen.
Baird College, which was founded in Clinton in 1885, and which had gone through many changes of ownership in the years following the surrender of the building by the Bairds, seemed to have a chance for continuation when the proposition was made in June by the Seventh Day Adventists, who were desirous of acquiring a location to develop the German work of that denomination. A committee composed of a num- ber of the officials of the college, came to Clinton and made a thorough inspection of the building and held a meeting with the people of Clinton, in which a proposition was made to buy the building and the sur- rounding ground. A. A. Olson of Washington, D. C., who was in charge of the educational work of the Seventh Day Adventists, stated that it was the purpose of the denomination, if the deal was made, to imme- diately put the building into good shape and to establish a school which would draw from the German citizenship, not only of this country, but from Canada. The proposition was briefly to accept Baird College build- ing proper, the lots north of it and two tracts aggregating 106 acres, lying east of the College, for which they agreed to pay $30,000 in cash, in return they asked a bonus of $12,500 from Clinton and an option on six acres immediately south of the college. After some further nego-
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tiations the transfer of the property to the church was made about the 1st of August and the school was opened the succeeding fall and has been continued ever since, with continued success.
The Artesian Park at Clinton, which had passed, under a great many vicisitudes into the ownership of H. P. Faris, was offered by him to the city as a gift, in July, 1910. The idea was suggested by Rev. W. A. Pearman, rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and in a letter to the Democrat, written and published shortly before that time, advocating the purchase of this park for a public playground. Mr. Faris was away at the time the article appeared, but on his return, he wrote an open letter announcing that he was ready to give the park to the city of Clinton under a lease for the term of ninety-nine years. The terms of the lease were to the effect that the tract transferred, comprised of a tract of seventy acres which was known as the Artesian Park tract. The lease was to be for ninety-nine years and to commence August 1, 1910. The lesee, H. P. Faris, and his heirs were to reserve nominal rights, the use of the artesian water for their own purposes and the right of ingress and egress across the property. The city as a rental, was to pay for the property one wreath of flowers to be placed on the grave of Adda C. Faris, deceased wife of H. P. Faris, in Englewood Cemetery, on the 22nd day of June annually. The city can not assign or under-let the lease without the consent of the lesee. It should pay all taxes and if any de- fault is made in the terms, the property would revert to the lesees or their heirs. The city was called on to bind itself to place control in a board of directors, both men and women, to be named by the various denominations, all of whom should be church members and one should be a member of the H. P. Faris family or their descendants, so long as qualifications will permit. The following provisions are the only ones made relative to restrictions: 1st. That all money-making features of whatever kind or character shall be closed and not allowed to be opened or used on the first day of the week, commonly known as Sunday, and no ball games or similar sports or railroad excursions shall be allowed on the said premises on said first day of the week, commonly called Sun- day, but this shall not be construed as preventing the furnishing of meals by any established hospital, restaurant or hotel that may be author- ized by said board. 2nd. No intoxicating liquors of any kind shall be permitted or allowed to be taken upon or used, or sold, given away or otherwise disposed of upon said premises, but all such intoxicating liquor
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shall be forever barred. The list concludes by the condition that it shall be inoperative if not accepted on or before September 1, 1910. The proposal was not accepted.
The fall election in Henry County resulted in the election of the entire Democratic ticket. The party had renominated H. F. Poague for prose- cuting attorney. Two years before Poague had been defeated by N. B. Conrad and a keen fight was made on him from every side. However, Mr. Poague was elected by 813, which was the lowest majority on the ticket, the highest majority being 1,116 for Peeler for county clerk. Eleven constitutional amendments were submitted for the consideration of the people and all of them were overwhelmingly defeated. Prohibi- tion being defeated by 495 in the county, which was the smallest major- ity returned against any of the eleven on which a vote was taken.
The last of November Judge B. L. Owen, one of the oldest residents of Henry county, passed away. By his death the county and city lost a venerable and beloved citizen who possessed characteristics of rugged integrity, sincerity and industry; a born Missourian who loved the state of his nativity and her people and was by them honored.
In January, 1911, the west wing of the Franklin High School build- ing in Clinton was condemned as unsafe and was abandoned. The part of the school building which was endangered was erected in 1870 and contained six school rooms, five of which were in use, being occupied by 160 pupils. Supt. Arthur Lee had noticed cracks in the wall some weeks since and as the bricks used in construction of this wing were very soft, the cracks in the wall justified the gravest apprehension. The school board, at the suggestion of the superintendent, investigated the conditions at the school and at once vacated it, putting the children in different schools and in rented rooms at different places through the city. Agitation was begun immediately for the issuing of bonds for the erec- tion of a new high school and a new ward school to take the place of the one condemned. The Franklin school was abandoned and the elec- tion was called by the board for March 23rd, at which the people were asked to vote $45,000 for the new high school and $15,000 for the new ward school. The campaign for the new building was one of intense interest and the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the schools, the people declaring themselves in favor of educational progress by 891 for to 95 against. The board immediately sold the issue of bonds to the Mississippi Valley Trust Company of St. Louis, the bonds selling at a
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premium of 11/2 per cent, netting the city $60,900 for the issue. The school board engaged practical wreckers to tear down the old Franklin school building as its condition was such that it was unsafe to use it for any purpose. When the building was torn down a number of things were recalled in connection with the original school in Clinton. Harvey Tutt found an old deed from the Teboe Masonic Lodge to the Board of Education, conveying to it lot 43 in the original town of Clinton. This deed was dated June 1, 1868, and the school building was erected on the ' lot which served until 1872, when the old Franklin building was erected. The location of the first school building was on West Jefferson street, where the Curtis livery stable stood. On the deed conveying this property to the school district was the signatures of the entire membership of Teboe Masonic Lodge No. 68. That lodge is now no more, but has been succeeded by Clinton Lodge No. 548. The deed is signed by the following officers and members: B. L. Quarrels, worshipful master; George F. Warth, senior warden; S. D. Garth, junior deacon; J. W. Stewart, tyler; R. Allen, past master; G. Y. Salmon, past master; Matt Zener, junior warden; D. T. Terry, senior deacon; James Parks, secretary ; Thomas D. Hancock, treasurer; S. E. Price, W. B. Cock, G. F. Royston, James R. Connor, John H. Britts, James Bradley, S. F. Williams, J. B. Riggins, Ausby Fike, F. M. Estes, J. W. Taylor, H. Dunnig, L. Bergheim, W. T. Thorn- ton, Sr., Will S. Stone, B. L. Oeven, C. H. Smith, J. F. Norman, James Clifton, H. C. Adkins, J. H. Webster, N. I. Dunn, V. O. Grant, M. S. Peeler, John A. Stewart, J. G. Middlecoff, A. M. Fulkerson, W. W. Jackson, F. M. Groff, William Paul, John W. Fike, Charles T. Collins, William A. Duncan, J. Bergheim, William Settles, W. T. Thornton, Jr., J. H. Nelson, A. B. Riggins, W. A. Norris, T. B. Sharp.
Plans for the new building were accepted by the school board and bids asked on the same, which were opened on August 10th. Nineteen different firms bidding for the contract. The Anderson Construction Com- pany of Kansas City, Kansas, receiving both bids. Their bid for the high school building was $31,060, and the bid for the ward school, $14,854. In addition the buildings cost $12,167 for heating and plumbing, $3,000 for architect's fees and $650 for the lot, making a total expenditure of $61,731. The cornerstone for the new high school was laid by the Ma- sons with their very impressive ceremony, on Friday, October 12, 1911. Th cornerstone is at the southeast corner of the building and is simply inscribed "Clinton High School, 1911."
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The completion of the building left the board confronted with the necessity of building walks and procuring suitable furniture for the new schools and a special election was necessary to procure the money needed for the above purpose. It required three attempts to secure the passage of this tax. The first election the proposition was not well understood and the people defeated it, thinking it was an annual tax. The second the friends of the measure were overconfident, but on the third time the proposition was submitted, in July, 1912, it was carried by a vote of 592 for to 149 against. The formal opening of the new high school building was had on Friday evening, October 25, 1912. Its erection was creditable to the city and insured the maintenance of a high standard of educa- tion in the community for all time to come.
CHAPTER XXV.
RAILROADS
RAILROADS-PAYMENT OF BONDS AND THEIR HISTORY-CELEBRATION OF BOND- BURNING-FIRST ISSUE OF BONDS-LITIGATION-COMPROMISE-PAYMENT- OFFICIAL RECORDS-JUDGE PHILLIPS' ADDRESS.
At the date of publication, there are four railroads running through Henry County; one, the main line of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas sys- tem, which enters the county at the northeast, passing through the city of Windsor, and going in a southwesterly direction through Calhoun, Lewis Station, Clinton, Deepwater and Montrose; a branch line of the St. Louis & San Francisco or Frisco road (formerly known as the Kansas City, Osceola and Southern, or Blair line), which runs through Blairs- town, Maurine, Harvey, Clinton and Brownington; the other, which is also in reality a branch line of the Frisco system, called the Kansas City, Clinton and Springfield, (or "Clinton Line") passes through Urich, Hart- well, Clinton and Deepwater. With the building of the three railroads named, there is little that is not common to the history of other railroads. The fourth is the St. Louis-Kansas City branch of the Rock Island, which passes through the city of Windsor.
The greatest interest in the railroad history of Henry County centers around the issuing of bonds for a railroad which had to be paid by the people of the county. After the payment of the bonds, they were burned in Clinton, on Saturday, October 2, 1915. The following account of the burning is taken from the Henry County Democrat:
"The day of Jubilee: Henry County freed of the fraudulent debt placed upon her happy homes and fertile fields nearly a half century ago, rejoices and is exceeding glad.
"It was a happy inspiration which prompted the suggestion, months
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ago when the end of the long road was foreseen, that the payment of the last dollar of indebtedness and the burning of the bonds be made a day memorable for the people of Henry County. As the plans developed, it was determined to invite all of Missouri to rejoice with us, and espe- cially, to urge the presence of Missourians of prominence. Then, since the soul of Missouri is hospitality, came the thought of hospitable en- tertainment. The present county court arising to the spirit of the occasion resolved to provide out of the funds left after paying the last dollar of bonded debt and interest, an old-fashioned barbecue and burgoo, such as delighted older Missourians, such as the present generation has heard related around the fireside but has never witnessed.
"The spirit of the Bond Burning Jubilee was contagious. Our invi- tation has traveled far and wide to the remotest part of the State, for our lighted candle has not been hidden under a bushel. Henry County towns vied with each other in arranging for delegates, while our railroads fully co-operated by providing special trains. There were bands of music galore, and the greatest crowd of Missourians ever gathered together for such an occasion.
"For all roads Saturday morning led to Clinton. At midnight, when the long trenches in the court house yard shone with the embers and there were laid across them the sacrificial animals which would later give forth delightful odors to the hungry, there also shone in many a Henry County farm house the lamp which lighted the family with their prepara- tions for the long drive through the crisp October morning to Clinton to see the bonds burned. As the morning advanced there were in every country lane and road, long processions of neighbors who fell in at the cross roads and jogged together, save when some impatient auto swept by with staccato jeerings at faithful Dobbin. And then came the excur- sion trains, on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas, the Frisco and the Clinton line, otherwise in local vernacular, the "Katy," the "High Line," and the "Leaky Roof," each bringing in their hundreds.
"So the crowd came; and coming, filled the spacious Clinton square, told to be the largest square in the State, as it was never filled before; and neighbor greeted neighbor and friend hailed friend, as they circulated around and sniffed the aromatic aroma arising from the west side of the court house yard where trench and kettle steamed away right merrily.
"Let us tell you about the barbecue. There were 200 feet of four- foot trenches in which glowed the embers of ten cords of wood burning
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since 4 o'clock the afternoon before. There were twelve beeves and eight sheep slowly roasting over this open fire, under the watchful eye of that prince of barbecuers, John Calloway, and his helpers. A few. feet distant were the kettles, a whole flock, 20, count 'em, simmering away importantly, filled with that delicious stew of the Southland, the Burgoo. Into it were put material things which can be scheduled; but there went also the spirit of hospitality, the rare October sunshine, the sharpness of the atmosphere, the zest of the occasion which brought it to perfec- tion. But let us also classify the material things which went into the kettles: Of beef, 500 pounds; of mutton, 100 pounds ; of soup bones, 300 pounds; forty-eight chickens, with two turkeys for good measure; 75 cans each of tomatoes and corn, 200 pounds of cabbage, 50 bunches of celery and a bushel each of carrots and onions and two bushels of beans.
"Then there were 1,800 loaves of bread and a crew of lads put in the morning slicing them. Of tin cups, spoons and plates, 4,000 each were provided ; and tables which if put together would reach considerably over a quarter of a mile awaited the serving.
"The excursion trains arrived from 9 to 10 o'clock, adding to the crowds and bringing willing hands to help the hilarity of the occasion. The special from Windsor had attached the sleeping coach with the State officials and others prominent in politics. They were met by a numerous reception committee and escorted in parade to the Elks club-rooms, which was headquarters for the day for visitors.
"At 10:30 the program commenced at the south platform. Chairman Stevens, of the Commercial Club, extended a welcome to all visitors, and Hon. Peyton A. Parks followed with a condensed historical review of the bonds, which is well worthy of preservation as an accurate survey of the experience which Henry County has gone through. Mr. Parks said:
" "This is a scene, an occasion the like of which has never been wit- nessed by any of us; in fact, an event unique and novel in the history of this State. Assembled with the body of the citizenship of this county, we have more distinguished guests and eminent men than ever gathered together at one time in a city of this size; we have with us in addition to the speaker of the day, Judge John F. Phillips, judge of the Supreme Court, both United States Senators, members of the Public Service Com- mission, Congressmen, the Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Superintendent of Education, and other State officials, for- mer Secretary of State John E. Swanger, Hon. Walter S. Dickey, Hon.
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E. E. E. McJimsey, the vice-president, general attorney, general passen- ger agent, and other high officials of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas, and of the Clinton and Frisco lines, and other public men of note.
" 'The citizenship of our neighboring towns and vicinity are brought here through the kindly assistance of the officials of all railroads center- ing here, are brought with their bands on special trains to help us cele- brate.
" 'This afternoon the County Court, with the supreme judges sitting with them, and with our distinguished guests and witnesses selected by the court in compliance with the statute, in the sight of assembled thousands, will burn the bonds which we have been paying in principal and interest for forty-eight years ; an event, an occasion which is a source of inspiration and at the same time a lesson to the young, a matter of greater rejoicing for the old and of congratulation and joy to all.
"'Many of our people, those who have in recent years come as wel- comed citizens into our midst, and those who have been to the manor born since the earlier bond history, have been and are today asking for information. To answer in a measure, at this opening meeting of the day, I have been placed on the program for an address at this time, chiefly because my father, Judge James Parks, fought the bonds from the in- ception, so that through him perhaps with the exception of Major Salmon I am more familiar with the history of our bonds, litigation and settle- ment than any other now living.
" 'Necessarily the address should be, and will be, as short as it can be, in fairness to the occasion. The history of our bonded indebtedness, commences with 1866 and ends with 1915; with the year following our Civil War, while the passion of that era still curtained the hills of our commonwealth; a span of a half a century of marvelous growth and de- velopment; brief illustrations of which are not now permitted by time allotted for the address.
" 'Such history for sake of clearness of statement, logically subdivides itself into four periods: (a) The creation of the debt; (b) The litigation over the debt; (c) The compromise and refunding of the debt; (d) The payment of the debt.
" 'Recurring to its creation, the history of which will be given this afternoon by one of the distinguished men of this State, one of Missouri's greatest orators and jurists, Judge John F. Phillips. He was part and parcel, both in war and in peace, in the history of this State, preceding
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and during the creation of the debt. He defended Henry County in the bond litigation which went to the Supreme Court of the United States. For him is reserved to place before you that history of creation and liti- gation and the lessons taught thereby as well as by the subsequent history of the compromise and payment.
" 'Suffice it now to say that this bonded debt which we have been paying for over forty years, originally amounted to six hundred thousand dollars and was created in three separate issues. The first issue of $150,000 was issued on January 1, 1867, after a vote in its favor at a special election on September 26, 1866. This issue bore 7 per cent com- pound interest.'
(The author has included in the address of Mr. Parks such infor- mation as did not appear in the issue of the paper, but is necessary to make a complete history of the transactions leading to the creation of the debt and to the litigation which followed, up to the compromise in the payment. The matter not in Mr. Parks' address is enclosed in parenthesis.) The order of the court which is a record of January 5, 1867, is as follows:
"In response to said resolutions and in compliance with the vote of the county at a special election held on the 26th day of September, 1866, it is considered and ordered by the court: That the County of Henry, in the State of Missouri, take and subscribe to the capital stock of the Tebo and Neosho Railroad Company, fifteen hundred shares of one hun- dred dollars each, amounting to the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and that Royal L. Burge, be, and he is hereby appointed, the agent of said county, to subscribe said shares to the capital stock of said com- pany, with full power and authority to represent said county and trans- act all business of the same pertaining to said stock. It is further ordered that a single bond of said county for the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, bearing date on the first day of January, 1867, payable ten years after date, with interest at the rate of seven per centum per annum, payable semi-annually, and both principal and interest pay- able in the City of New York, be issued and delivered to said company for its immediate use; and it is further ordered that upon the return of said bond to said county, that one hundred and fifty bonds of the said county for one thousand dollars each, payable ten years after date, bear- ing seven per cent interest per annum, with suitable coupons attached, be issued in lieu of said bond, and delivered to said company in payment of the subscription aforesaid. It is ordered by the court that Peter A.
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