USA > Missouri > Pettis County > History of Pettis County, Missouri > Part 14
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The charter provided for the appointment of a registrar by the mayor. This set of officers held their position until the first Monday in April, 1864, when the first city election was held. At this election the following officers were elected: James G. Tesch, mayor, and the old board of aldermen mentioned above.
The first meeting of the city council under the charter was held in a little frame building near the site of the old German House, East Main street.
In addition to those already mentioned as business men of 1861-64, there were the following persons in business in June, 1865, in Sedalia: Lawyers-Col. John F. Phillips, Judge Foster P. Wright, George Heard, M. Hilton, O. A. Crandall, Chan. P. Townsley ; Dr. J. S. Brackett, dentist ; T. W. Moses, collector of soldiers' claims; Hart and Bob Barnhart, car- penters ; Parker House, kept by Hungerford & Wilson; A. Moses, grocer ;
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
J. T. Brown, grocer; Henry Suess, saddlery ; Hughes & Ellis, dry goods ; J. G. Beck, druggist; E. Davis, livery stable; Elias Laupheimer and Wil- liam Bloess, dry goods and groceries; F. L. Parker, livery stable; Vick- ers & Landes, dry goods and groceries; Taylor & Company, E. Bixby & Company, firm, Elias Bixby & John W. Houx, Christina Landmann, fancy groceries, wines, beer and cigars; Mrs. Faulhaber & Sister, fashionable milliners.
In the summer of 1865, bids were asked for, for the grading of West Main street. The work was done and this was the first street im- provement in the city. The first flouring mill was built in Sedalia, in June, 1865. William and Theodore Hoberecht built it. A. J. and I. W. John- son, a new firm of carpenters, came to the city that year. Keberman and Gabriel Vogler received a new stock of furniture. Charles Harten- back then owned and conducted the Eagle Hotel on Main street. The delinquent tax list filled four columns of fine type in the paper for June.
In the summer and fall of 1865 the first brick buildings were erected in Sedalia, and the material to build them was brought from Washing- ton, Missouri.
Messrs. Stafford & Magann erected the first, a one-story brick, on the southeast corner of Second and Ohio streets, for a newspaper office. That point was then in the business suburbs of the town.
Col. John F. Philips' residence was the next built. At about the same time James G. Tesch and his brother erected two two-story brick storerooms, on the north side of Main street, between Osage and Ken- tucky. These were the first two-story brick buildings built in the town.
Work was begun upon the first church building in the town the same year. The Independent Presbyterian Church erected the edifice on the corner of Lamine and Second streets.
The first two real estate offices were opened; James M. Byler and Doctor Clark manager one, and Cotton Brothers & Reese the other.
The first two additions to the city were made this year. Smith & Martin's First Addition, extending from Third street south to the alley south of Fifth street; from Washington street on the east to Missouri avenue on the west, containing sixteen blocks, was laid off June 23, 1865.
C. D. Lesher and Louis Kum's Addition, on the west of town, was laid off December 12, 1865.
Among the new citizens, who were here in the spring of 1866 and actively engaged in business, are the following: W. W. S. Snoddy, Lucius
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
L. Bridges, James S. Botsford, late United States District Attorney ; Henry C. Sinnet, J. M. Glasscock, C. C. Bassett, Arch. J. Sampson, John S. Coch- rane, P. C. Hughes, lawyers ; Drs. A. Y. Hall, J. H. McGirk, A. Condee, Thomas J. Montgomery, John W. Trader; Carman & P. G. Stafford, real estate agents; John Walde, book store; John R. Stewart and John F. Jenkins, wholesale hardware and agricultural implements; H. C. Smith & Brother, hardware; Vogler & Nussberger, hardware and furniture; J. R. Veeters, drug store, Volney and Frank Mason, druggists; Staley, Vinton & Company, A. P. Morey, of Shields, Milliken & Morey, dry goods ; Charles C. Taylor, jeweler and watchmaker; E. Lungstras & Company, William Latour, Christopher Demuth, W. B. Adams, brickmakers; R. H. Moses, bricklayer and architect; John Stryker, builder and bricklayer; Cyrus Newkirk and Col. A. D. Jaynes, the founders of the first bank, the First National Bank; Col. Richard Ritter, James M. Mills, Clifton Wood, J. G. White, lumber dealer; Jamison & Oates, wagon manufacturers; W. S. Baker, John J. Yeater, groceries ; John F. Antes, Joseph E. Hillis, cooper shop ; S. H. Beiler & Company, grocers ; W. C. & J. J. Weiler, livery stable; C. E. Smith, clothing ; J. H. Mertz, druggist; S. L. Highleyman, John S. Landes, John D. Crawford (born and reared in the county), James P. Leake, John Burkhardt, B. G. Wilkerson, lawyer, and nephew of Gen- eral George R. Smith.
In 1866, the war clouds having drifted by, the building era of Sedalia began. Demuth & Adams established a brick yard, the first in the city. The first kiln was ready in June. This firm made the brick for the Stew- art & Jenkins building on Main street, later occupied by W. S. Mackey ; for all the buildings on the north side of Main, between Osage and Ken- tucky streets, but three; for over half those on the north side of Main, between Osage and Ohio; for Charles Lesher's building on the south side of East Main; for Louis Kumm's residence in East Sedalia; for the Bazoo office on Ohio street; for the Old Red Store on West Main; for the Ohio Street Methodist Episcopal Church. All were erected in 1866. They also furnished the brick for the residences of Col. A. D. Jaynes, Cyrus Newkirk and M. M. Pritchard, on Broadway, which were built later, and for the entire Ilgen House block, and the Christian Church. D. T. Hartshorn bought Mr. Adams' interest in the yard. The firm con- tinued to furnish the brick for nearly all the brick houses which were constructed up to 1871. T. W. Cloney, on Main street, put up two brick buildings; the Methodist Church on Ohio street was built; also the brick
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
residence of Elias Bixby, on the southwest corner of Third street and Washington avenue.
On the present site of the Pacific depot was erected the McKissock House, a frame hotel, depot and eating house. Cyrus Newkirk and Col. A. D. Jaynes founded the first National Bank, with a capital of $100,000. The bank was opened in a small frame building on the west side of Ohio street. The first Baptist Church was completed early in the spring, with the Rev. E. T. Brown, the founder, of East Sedalia, as pastor. The first church concerts for the benefit of the Episcopal and the Baptist churches were given in June and July.
Today, September 28, 1918, Col. John S. Banks, now of Hartshorn, Oklahoma, raised on the old Brown farm, five miles northeast of Sedalia, and lived in Pettis County from 1850 to 1905 (57 years), called on the writer of this work and furnished him with much valuable information which concerned Sedalia of the early days. The Colonel is seventy-three years of age and hale and hearty.
In the winter of 1866 the Christian Church was completed. In the latter part of December, 1866, the Ohio Street Methodist Episcopal Church was completed. R. H. Moses was the builder, assisted by Mr. Hubbard. On Christmas Eve, 1866, the ladies of this church gave an entertainment for the building fund of the church. The Congregational Church was almost completed in December, 1866; at that time it was away out in the suburbs and there was only one house on the west side of Ohio street, from the Ilgenfritz block to the church.
Sedalia Lodge No. 236, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, was in active working order in this year; G. R. Kull, Worshipful Master. The I. O. G. T. had an organization, of which P. G. Stafford was the chief officer. Neapolis Lodge No. 153, I. O. G. T., was organized and in active working order; Dr. Thomas T. Montgomery, N. G.
The Sedalia Brewery, F. Zelleken proprietor, had been started in 1865. In August, 1866, a Fair Association was formed: Maj. William Gentry was elected president; Cols. John F. Philips, A. D. Jaynes and Capt. F. L. Parker, vice-presidents; Dr. J. F. Tobias, secretary, and O. Harris, treasurer. On the farm of Clifton Woods, grounds of a temporary char- acter were prepared and a fair was held in the following September. This was the first fair that was held in the county after the war. When the last one was held at Georgetown the site of Sedalia was open prairie land.
In November, the county officers were elected and all of them were
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
Radicals. The registration law was in force and ex-Confederates could not vote. P. G. Stafford, elected Representative to the Legislature; W. H. Porter, sheriff; Bacon Montgomery for Circuit Clerk; S. A. Yankee, county clerk ; Florence Crandall, recorder of deeds; J. G. Beck, treasurer; C. C. Crawford, assessor; William I. Pace, surveyor; John S. Cochrane, W. P. Jackson, supervisor of registration.
In the summer of 1866 the Sedalia Lyceum held meetings. This was the first organization of a literary character in the city.
Four additions were made to the city in 1866, as follows: Cotton Brothers' First Addition, April, 1866; Lyons' Addition, April 20, 1866; Cotton Brothers' Second Addition was laid off in July, 1866; Heard's Addi- tion, in East Sedalia, was laid off August 1, 1866. These additions were not only laid off, but there was an active and steadily increasing demand for the lots. One year before an acre of land could have been bought for just about the price that the choice lots now sold for, that is, $100.
It was in the early part of this year that the money-order depart- ment was established in the Sedalia postoffice.
The preliminary steps for the establishment of the public school system were taken in 1866. In March of that year, the Legislature passed an act authorizing incorporated towns and chartered cities, to become separate school districts. A number of prominent citizens of Sedalia, headed by Maj. William Beck, began in the spring of 1866, to agitate this matter. These citizens worked among the people until the city council passed a special ordinance ordering an election to be held on August 29, 1866, when the question as to whether the public school system should be adopted in Sedalia, was submitted to a vote of the people. The proposition was favored by a large vote. In September fol- lowing, the first board of education was elected. It consisted of the fol- lowing gentlemen: William Beck, Florence Crandall, A. Ensell, Doctor Thomas J. Montgomery, E. W. Washburn, and William Bloess.
On September 19, the officers of the board were elected, as follows: President, E. W. Washburn; treasurer, William Beck; secretary, F. Cran- dall. Nothing further was done in a formal manner until March 19, 1867. On this date the board met, and it was decided to issue $25,000 worth of city bonds, the proceeds of which were to be used in the erection of public school buildings. At a subsequent meeting the sum was increased to $30,000. Efforts were now made to secure the best plans for a building. The board finally concluded to erect it themselves. A. Ensell and William
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
Bloess, not agreeing with the plans of the majority of the board, resigned. Maj. A. C. Marvin and Col. Richard Ritter, were elected to fill their places. The erection of the large two-story Broadway building was begun in the fall, and by February 10, 1867, it was ready for occupancy. It cost about $24,000. This was the magnificent beginning of one of the finest systems of public schools in the State, outside of St. Louis. In 1869, the Franklin School building was erected at a cost of $10,000. In 1873, Wash- ington school, a frame, was built at a cost of $5,000. Richard Ritter and F. Crandall were the building committee.
The Fire Company was organized with the hook and ladder com- pany this year.
This year the people and the newspapers began to call for a court house, a city hall, a jail, additional sewerage, more sidewalks and the grading and macadamizing of Osage and Kentucky streets. Tthe city council took up the question of building a city hall, market house, etc., and the addi- tional question, whether the city should take $30,000 in bonds of the Tebo & Neosho railroad. Late in the summer a special election to submit these two questions to a vote of the people was ordered. Both questions were carried by the following vote: Whole number of votes cast on the railroad bond question, 235; for, 212; against, 23. For issuing bonds to erect city hall, etc. Total vote cast, 211; for, 182; against, 29.
The first baseball club was organized, and among its members were Maj. A. P. Morey, Ben Lyon, E. H. Renish, and John Scheer.
In September a special election was held to decide whether $60,000 in bonds should be issued to build a court house and county jail. The proposition was carried.
On the night of November 6, 1867, occurred the most destructive fire that had befallen the city. The loss was estimated at the time at $90,000. In this fire, all the buildings on the north side of Main street, from the middle of the block, westward to Osage street, and the handsome and spacious McKissock House, which was also the depot, were consumed, with a great portion of their contents.
The following additions were made to Sedalia in this year: Lesher Brothers' Addition was laid off March 7, 1867. McVey Brothers' Addition was laid off March 26, 1867. Woods' Addition was laid off July 2, 1867. Meyers' Addition was laid off September 7, 1867. In all these additions, lots were sold and a few houses erected, but the great bulk of buildings were still confined to the central portion of the town.
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
On January 27th the second great fire-exclusive of the burning of the Missouri Hotel in 1861 and the Sedalia House, 1867, occurred, and it destroyed $50,000 worth of property and the half block of frame build- ings on the north side of Main street, from the center of the block east- ward to Ohio street. The Sedalia Savings Bank, with a capital of $50,000, was organized. The Sedalia Gas Light Company was organized and the building of the works begun. The Broadway school was opened and had an attendance of 500 pupils during the year. The Ilgenfritz Opera House, on Ohio street, was completed and opened, December 21, by George D. Chaplin, the actor.
The great fire of January 27, originated in the dry goods store be- longing to L. S. Florsheim; John B. Gallie, the city marshal, discovered it when it was in full progress, broke open the front door and permitted Mr. Florsheim to escape, which he did in his night clothing, and with barely time to save his life. The buildings were all of frame, and even the aid of two good fire engines, which the city did not have, could not have saved them.
The Sedalia Savings Bank was started in February, by Mentor Thomp- son, Elisha Brown, formerly of Boonville, as the principal stockholder. Adam Ittel was the bank's teller.
On January 11, 1868, General Smith laid out the addition, in the northern suburbs of the city, and called it Negrotown, or Lincolnville. In 1882 it contained 300 negroes.
In the year 1869, in January, the postoffice was moved to the west side of Ohio street, between Second and Third.
In this year the gas works were completed and the city lighted by gas.
In February, the County Court ordered the issue of $110,000 in county bonds, for the aid of the St. Louis & Lexington railroad.
On June 23rd Smith's Opera House was opened.
On March 3, 1871, the matter of building water works in the city came up before the Library Association, which was then the substitute for a board of trade. On October 2, 1871, the city ordinance was passed authorizing the issue of $100,000 in city bonds for their construction, and on October 11, 1871, the contract for digging ditches for the mains was given to Russell & Chaney.
On January 1, 1873, the works were in full operation, and three miles
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
of main pipe and five miles of street pipe were furnishing the water sup- ply to the city.
The first Presbyterian Church was built the same year; also the resi- dences of Gen. George R. Smith, Col. A. D. Jaynes, Cyrus Newkirk and Albert Parker, on Broadway. The Southern Methodist Episcopal Church on Third and Massachusetts, and fifteen brick storerooms on Main and Ohio were erected.
The Fair Association purchased the ground now known as Liberty Park, gave a fair and distributed $7,000 in premiums.
The Missouri Pacific freight depot was moved to its present location, and the transfer company organized.
The Library Association was organized, and the Franklin school built. The Ilgen House and first Missouri, Kansas & Texas shops were erected.
In 1872 the erection of the Missouri Pacific round house and shops be- gan, and the Union Depot was built.
In 1873 smallpox raged in the city. There were sixty cases and eight deaths. The city had a population of seven thousand.
In 1874 the court house was moved to White's Hall; the Farmer's Mill was started; the city limits were extended so as to include East Sedalia; Rev. E. T. Brown built the East Sedalia Baptist Church; Catholic Church was erected; October 23, the corner stone of the City Hall was laid, and the building completed before the end of the year.
In 1874-75 there was a large amount of building done, and in 1875 the Street Railroad Company was organized.
In 1880 the city spent $500,000 for general improvements. Large additions were made to the Missouri Pacific shops, the dispatcher's and superintendent's offices were built. The same year the waterworks reser- voir was built. In 1881, $615,000 was spent for general improvements. The General Railroad Hospital was built, and so was the old Missouri Pacific brick shops. The site for Missouri Pacific (then Union) Depot was chosen and also their yards laid out and built.
In May, 1882, the waterworks dam was completed.
The only legal existence that Sedalia had in 1860 consisted in the fact that a plat of the town had been filed with the county recorder. So far as any civil government was concerned it was still only a part of Mount Sterling township.
During the winter of 1863, when the town contained about 800 in-
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
habitants, including refugees, Gen. George R. Smith, Maj. William Beck, F. L. Parker, Ira C. Pierce, R. Waltenspeil, Richard Hulland, Elias Laup- heimer, Frank McCabe, and James G. Tesch formed themselves into a citizens committee. They assembled in the parlor of the old Sedalia House, with T. W. Moses as their secretary, and drew up the outlines of a charter. When completed it was sent to the Legislature with a petition to grant Sedalia a city charter, containing the substance of the draught sent with the petition. Very few changes were made in the original copy, and on February 15, 1864, the Legislature passed a bill granting Sedalia a city charter.
By this charter the first city officers were appointed, George R. Smith, mayor, and seven of the above-named parties aldermen. James G. Tesch was appointed Marshal by the mayor. This was the first civil government, and it was still tacitly aided by the military power. These officers continued in power until the first election under the charter. This was held in April, 1864. James G. Tesch was elected mayor, and the seven aldermen above mentioned as appointed such by the charter, were elected by the people to fill the offices for the first term. T. W. Moses was appointed Register, and Chan. P. Townsley assessor.
The office of city treasurer was created in 1867. The office of treas- urer was separated from the marshal's office in 1870. In 1873 all of the officers were serving by election. The city hall cost $15,000 in 1877 when it was built. In these times the fire department consisted of ten men, who received as salary $150 per year. The chief received $200 per annum.
Population in 1882, according to the number of school children listed by the agent of the school board, 15,584; number of school children, 3,667 ; expended on grading, etc., of streets and alleys in 1881, $35,079.95; on new water mains, $5,700; by Sewer Companies, $4,000; for new water- works dam, $10,000; assessed value of real and personal property in 1881, $2,373,124; same in 1882, $2,681,310; increase in assessed value of real and personal property in one year, $308,186; paid into the city treasurer for special licenses alone, 1881, $10,304.39.
City and county assessments and commercial value was as follows : Assessed value of real and personal property in the county in 1881, $7,139,774; assessed value of real and personal property in the county in 1882, $8,102,011; increase in 1882, $962,230; assessed value of real and personal property in city in 1881, $2,681,310; increase in one year,
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
$308,186. Commercial values of personal and real property in this city and county are double the assessed values. Commercial value city prop- erty in 1882, $5,362,620; commercial value of same in county in 1882, $16,204,022.
Semi-Annual Statement of Receipts and Disbursements of the City of Sedalia, Missouri, for the Six Months Ending July 1, 1918.
Receipts.
Balance on hand January 1, 1918 $ 63,367.27
Real estate, personal and corporation taxes
11,757.42
Penalties
406.92
Cemetery revenue
2,364.73
Licenses from all sources except dram shops
3,776.58
Advalorem taxes
267.20
Library fines
75.00
Police fines
504.50
Market house and scale rentals
1,116.40
Street cuts
504.00
Bell Telephone Company
788.27
Home Telephone Company
220.82
Dram shop licenses
6,300.00
Interest on daily balances
362.96
Fumigator collections
12.00
Water, street and alley
27.84
Sale fire department horse
50.00
Plumbing licenses
20.00
J. F. Reece, city collector
280.41
Outstanding warrants, July 1, 1918
2,143.85
$ 94,346.17
Disbursements.
Liberty Park Bonds
$ 10,000.00
Interest on Funding Bonds
1,127.81
Interest on Liberty Park Bonds
1,127.81
Interest on General Hospital Bonds
501.25
Crown Hill Cemetery
1,932.28
Charity Account
1 2,666.54
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
Contingent Account
4,926.15
Engineering Department
1,492.76
Fire Department
6,778.63
Hospital Account
14,099.39
Liberty Park
1,181.40
Public Library
2,849.57
Police Department
6,091.89
Public Buildings
2,736.68
Public Lights
6,516.07
Salary Account
3,590.48
Streets and Alley Departments
5,260.45
Fire Hydrant Rentals
4,015.00
Twelve Mile Road District
3,525.00
1917 Warrants paid 1918
910.08
Treasurer's Balance
13,016.93
$ 94,346.17
Total Indebtedness July 1, 1918.
Refunding Bonds, Issue 1897 $ 50,000.00
Liberty Park Bonds
50,000.00
Outstanding Current Revenue Bonds
42,000.00
General Hospital Bonds
20,000.00
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$162,000.00
Railroads.
The Missouri Pacific was the first railroad commenced and first finished in the State. Incorporated March 12, 1849; authorized capital $10,000,000; opened to Cheltenham March 23, 1852; amount of State aid, $7,000,000; St. Louis County aid, $700,000; land sold, 127,209 acres; entire length from St. Louis to Kansas City, 382 miles; total cost, $14,382,208.
The successive stages of its construction were: Chartered, March 12, 1859; first ground broken, by Mayor Kennett of St. Louis, July 4, 1851; road opened to Cheltenham, December 23, 1852; to Kirkwood in May, and to Franklin July 23, 1853; completed to Washington, February 11, 1855; to Hermann, August 7, the same year, and to Jefferson City, March 12, 1856; completed to California in Moniteau County, May 14, 1858 ;
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
to Tipton, July 26, same year; and to Syracuse, August 1, 1859; opened to Cedarville, August 24, 1860; to Smithton, November 1, same year; and to Sedalia in February, 1861. Here it stopped during the first two years of the war. But Pettis County voted $75,000 to aid it, and Jackson County $200,000. Commenced running trains to Dresden, May 10, 1863; to Warrensburg, July 3, 1864; in 1865 the road was opened to Holden May 28; to Pleasant Hill, July 19; to Independence, September 19. Mean- while work had been going on from Kansas City westward, the two gangs of workmen meeting at Independence; and on this 19th day of September, 1865, the last rail was laid and the last spike driven, which connected Missouri's two principal cities with iron bands unbroken from east to west line of the noble commonwealth. On the next day, the president of the road, Mr. Daniel R. Garrison, left Kansas City at 3 a. m., and arrived in St. Louis at 5 p. m., thus making the first through trip over the com- pleted line. The trip is made at the present time, by the road's mail trains, leaving St. Louis at 2:20 a. m. and arriving at Kansas City 9:30 a. m., a little over seven hours' travel. The average through passen- ger train makes the trip in eight and one-half hours.
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