USA > Missouri > Jackson County > Kansas City > Kansas City, Missouri : its history and its people 1808-1908 > Part 14
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R. T. Van Horn bought the Western Journal of Commerce in May, 1865, and began publishing a series of inspiring articles. This editorial is from the issue of August 3, 1865:
"There is a tide in the affairs of men-and the same is true of cities. We are now approaching the flood. If taken advantage of, we shall be car- ried on to fortune. If we do not act at the tide of our opportunities our future history will be a record of failure and humiliation.
"The present is bright; we can, if we will, be the architects of our own fortune. To be so, we must be earnest, industrious and enterprising. Visions of the future show half a dozen railroads coverging at this point; it shows the river port for the plains; a point of trans-shipment for the minerals, the wool and other products of the South, Southwest and West, as also the art- icles from the East and foreign countries. It shows us the great central mart for the distribution of the wealth of half a continent-rich, powerful and magnificent. Providence never assisted a lazy man-fortune never smiled on an indolent community. The price paid for prosperity is labor, energy, enterprise. With a lively policy-by throwing old fogy notions to the winds-by placing our mark high and working up to it, we shall become in two or three years all that we have described."
The citizens heeded the call of the enthusiasts and began at once the work of building a great city at the Kaw's mouth. From 1865 to 1870 the popula- tion increased from about three thousand five hundred to thirty two thou- sand, two hundred and sixty, as shown by the government census; seven railroads and the Hannibal bridge were completed; gas works built, the Board of Trade established, the first stock yards built, first packing house built, public school system established, Kansas City Times founded, First National bank established, Coates Opera house begun, Twelfth street widened and graded, and other improvements made. The city spent one million, five hundred thousand dollars for street improvements between 1865 and 1874.
Bernard & Mastin organized a bank in February, 1866, that was suc- ceeded by the Mastin bank. The First National bank was established about the same time with G. W. Branham as president. The firm of Marsh, Hill- iker & Co. constructed a bridge across the Kaw river between Kansas City
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY
and Wyandotte, Kansas, that was completed in December, 1866, with much re- joicing.
The city council appointed a committee early in 1867 to compile a statement of the city's trade and progress for the year 1865. This report was submitted: Population, fifteen thousand, sixty-four; buildings erected seven hundred and sixty-eight at a cost of $2,166,500; amount of total trade in all lines, $33,006,827. At the time of the report there were in Kansas City: Fourteen churches, two colleges, two academies, twelve primary schools, twenty-one dry goods stores, eight grocery stores, thirteen clothing establishments, eight saloons, fifteen boot and shoe stores, eight hotels, two daily and three weekly newspapers, seven miles of macadamized streets, and three railroads in operation, all terminating here-the Missouri Pacific; Union Pacific, eastern division; and the Missouri river railroad. The latter line connected Kansas City and Leavenworth, and later became a part of the Missouri Pacifie system. The Missouri legislature amended the city charter, March 12, 1865, and defined the wards as follows: First ward, east of Dela- ware street and north of Ninth street; Second ward, east of Main street and south of Ninth street; Third ward, all territory west of Main and Delaware streets.
The Missouri legislature enacted a law in March, 1865, providing for the establishment of public schools in the cities and towns of the state. The Kansas City Board of Education was organized in August, 1867, under the authority of the new law. These were the members of the first board: Pres- ident, W. E. Sheffield; secretary, H. C. Kumpf; treasurer, J. A. Bachman ; E. Il. Allen, T. B. Lester and E. H. Spalding. J. B. Brady was appointed superintendent of schools. Immediately after the organization of the board, Mr. Kumpf retired and A. A. Bainbridge was chosen to fill the vacancy. When the public school system was established there were about two thou- sand children of school age in Kansas City.
The old Chamber of Commerce , organized in 1857 having lost its use- fulness after the Civil war, the Board of Trade was organized, February 6, 1869, with a membership of sixty-seven. The following officers were elected : President, T. K. Hanna; first vice-president, M. Dively ; second vice-president, S. S. Mathews; secretary, D. M. Keen; and treasurer, H. M. Holden. The organization at once became active in promoting enterprises for the benefit of the town. The gas company was incorporated in February 1865, and permanently organized, October 26, 1867. The Union Stock Yards com- pany was formed early in 1871, and opened its yards for business, June 1, 1871.
At the elose of 1870, Kansas City had eight railroads and seven banks, and had built during the year nine hundred and twenty-seven houses at an
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GREAT BEND IN THE MISSOURI RIVER AT KANSAS CITY FROM AN OLD PRINT
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aggregate cost of $3,454,500. The jobbing trade for the year was estimated as follows: Dry goods, $2,511,840; groceries, $2,614,425; liquors, $618,108; miscellaneous lines, $3,004,320; making a total of $8,748,693. The whole volume for the year was estimated at $34,794,880.
The extraordinary expansion of the city immediately after the Civil war made it necessary to plat many additions to accommodate the new resi- dents. The following new additions were platted in the period between 1865 and 1870: Resurvey of Reed's addition, January 12, 1865; McElroy's sub- division, June 3, 1865; T. S. Case's sub-division, October 4, 1865; Pacific Place addition, October 5, 1865; S. S. Smith's sub-division, October 17, 1865; Cottage Place addition, December 15, McGee Place addition, Decem- ber 18, 1865; Vineyard's Second addition, February 19, 1866; Rice's ad- dition, February 27, 1866; West Kansas addition, No. 2, April 9, 1866; Bailis Place addition, May 2, 1866; Krey's sub-division, May 21, 1866; A. J. Lloyd's sub-division, May 24, 1866; T. A. Smart's Second addition, May 30, 1866; McLane's sub-division, August 7, 1866; Smart's Place addition, October 1, 1866; Long & White's sub-division, December 11, 1866; T. S. Case's addition, January 9, 1867; Guinotte Bluff addition, April 22, 1867; Gillis' addition, October 8, 1867; Case & Bailis' sub-division, November 18, 1867, T. A. Smart's Third addition, May 11, 1868; E. M. McGee's sub- division, May 22, 1868; extension to West Kansas addition, No. 1, June 11, 1868; B. F. Evans' addition, July 24, 1868; Bidwell's sub-division, August 19, 1868; William Toms' addition, October 2, 1868; Seegar's addition, Octo- ber 30, 1868; Armfield's addition, November 2, 1868; Broadway addition, November 5, 1868; Mulkey's addition, December 1, 1868; Second Resurvey of Reed's addition, April 21, 1869; Hammerslough's sub-division, May 4, 1869; Hurck's sub-division of Guinotte's Bluff addition, May 21, 1869; Matthew & Hill's sub-division, June 29, 1869; Thomas Green's sub-division of lot 116, Hurck's sub-division, July 29, 1869; Lykin's Place addition, September 12, 1869; Branham's sub-division, September 12, 1869; Gall- fly's addition, September 18, 1869; and Bank Street Block addition, October 5, 1869.
Campbell's gazetteer of Missouri, published in 1875, says this of Kansas City: "In 1866 actual recuperation commenced, and in the rapid increase of the city in population, in the immense amount of public and private im- provements, and in all the substantial and important interests which go to build up a great city, it has, perhaps, no parallel in the history of the con- tinent. In four years from that time (viz. 1870) the official census shows a population of 32,268, being an increase of more than 400 per cent in four years. The number and cost of public schools and churches, the magnifi- cent railroad and passenger bridge spanning the Missouri, the Exposition
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grounds of ninety acres with their adornments, the water works, the gas works, the commodius courthouse, the hotels, opera house and blocks of costly business and private dwellings, all attest unparalleled growth. Ten lines of railway concentrate within her limits, and four other lines are in process of construction, and the citizens of Kansas City, at least, regard it as a fixed certainty that, as she is now, and so she will remain. the great rail- road center west of St. Louis."
Practically all of the business in Kansas City, previous to 1870, was transacted north of Ninth street, with the business center on Main street, between Second and Fifth streets, and another at the Junction of Delaware and Main streets. Hotels were numerous; several were situated on the levee and others along Main street and Grand avenue. The Pacific House was at the corner of Fourth and Delaware streets.
Colonel E. S. Jewett came to Kansas City in September, 1867, and opened a ticket office for the Missouri Pacific Railroad company in connec- tion with Barlow, Sanderson & Co.'s stage office in the Pacific House. The ticket office was in a room on Delaware street adjoining the office of the hotel. After the furniture and tickets arrived, the new agent opened the
door for business one Friday morning. That night the Pacific House burned. In a few days another room was secured at the corner of Fifth and Main streets that was partly rented by a candy store. The rent for these small quarters was $100 a month. After the Pacific House was rebuilt the ticket office was moved back to the original location, where it remained for five years. The removal of this office up town from time to time, in an effort to keep in the heart of the business district, shows how the business center has gradually moved south from the levee. From the Pacific House the ticket office was moved to the corner of Missouri and Main streets. From there it went to Eighth and Main streets and then to Ninth and Main streets, at the Junction.
The Nelson hotel at the northeast corner of Second and Main streets, was intended to cost $100,000 and to be an especially fine hostelry, but the company, of which Colonel Frank Foster was the president, failed and the building was sold to the county and used as a courthouse. The building was destroyed by the cyclone of May 11, 1886, and six men were killed in the crash.
In the early seventeen hundreds, the forest trees and little white tepees were the hotels, game and fish the food, furs and buckskin the covering. Gradually log cabins were scattered on the bluffs and in the bottoms, fol- lowed by log houses; then the trapper was followed by the trader, until in 1846. Mr. Thompson MeDaniel built a frame house for a hotel, on the southwest corner of Main street and the levee, containing a living room, a
NINTII AND MAIN STREETS, SHOWING JUNCTION BUILDING, 1871
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bar and an office "all in one," lodging rooms above. A stable connected at the back. Numerous lodging houses followed "Mr. McDaniel's hotel": The Gil- lis hotel, known at various times as the "Western," the "American," the "Eldridge" and the "Union" hotel. Dr. Benoist Troost built this hotel in 1849 at the beginning of the California gold fever. The history of this old hotel from 1849 to 1870, to a great extent, was the history of Kansas City. Standing as it did facing the levee, between Delaware and Wyandotte streets, the house was the headquarters for river men and strangers arriving in the city during almost the whole period of river navigation. Year after year the halls and galleries of the old Gillis house resounded with the tread of many guests of every age, every nationality, and of every degree of life, nearly all of whom have now been gathered to their long rest. In later years the Gillis was made five stories high and presented a picturesque ap- pearanee to the passengers upon approaching steamboats.
The Gillis house was well supplied with galleries for the accommodation of the guests in summer time, and, bore an air of thrift which made it famous in the West. Here the Santa Fe traders caught a hasty glimpse of civilization while outfitting for their arduous journey across the plains, and here hundreds of gold seekers and hunters rested in preparation for their entrance upon the prospector's life. The overland stage for many years made headquarters at the Gillis house. In the Civil war the Gillis hotel was the scene of many an encounter and dark deed whose history will never be given to the light of day. The escape of Governor Reeder of Kansas from the hotel in the disguise of a laborer is one of the celebrated incidents of the border war.
Next in hospitality and also in construction came the old Farmers' hotel, Colonel Milton MeGee's "Wayside Inn." This old hotel was built and opened by Milton McGee, and stood on Grand avenne-MeGee's addi- tion-near Sixteenth street, and was a "half way house" between West- port and the river landing.
The Union hotel was built in 1858 at Main street and Missouri avenue, on the side of the present Nelson block. The hotel was torn down in 1884. Following these hotels eame the Pacific house, the Morgan house, and so on down through the years to the palmy days of the old Coates house in 1868. The old Pacific house stood for seven years at the southeast corner of Fourth and Delaware streets. A. B. Cross drew up the plans of the old hotel which was destroyed by fire in 1867, but rebuilt the following year on a more pre- tentious plan. The Pacific house was the headquarters for cattle men for many years. In the Civil war the old hotel was seized several times and held as headquarters for federal soldiers. The Morgan house on Fifth street, be- tween Wyandotte and Delaware streets was one of the old hotels of the city.
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In the spring of 1855, the house was occupied as a private residence. but later was transformed into a boarding school. The house then was sur- rounded by a beautiful yard with shade trees, and stood on an elevation. Fifth street was graded in 1866, leaving the house standing on a high bank.
The Tremont house, near Wyandotte on Fifth street, was built about 1870 and has since been operated as a hotel. The Lindell opened in 1871 at the northwest corner of Fifth street and Wyandotte. but later was torn down to make room for the New Lindell, which cost $200.000. The Metro- politan and Delmonico hotels of Fifth street, the Blossom house on Union avenue, the St. James hotel on Walnut and the Grand Missouri and Centrop- olis, are all among the historic hotel structures and have enjoyed a good share of business. During the rush to the opening of Oklahoma and the Indian Territory for homesteads in 1885 and '86, the Blossom house, owing to its location at the Union depot, did an unprecedented business. The Vic- toria and the Warder hotel. now the Auditorium, were completed within the years of 1885 and 1890.
The original Coates house was projected before the war but was not car- ried higher than its foundations until 1866, when the project was revived and the house was completed in 1868. For years the Coates house was the only first class hotel of the city and entertained many distinguished guests, from the President of the United States through all the ranks of official life. The hotel was remodeled and enlarged a few years ago, and now contains 325 rooms and is supplied with every device known to the best hotels of the world.
Colonel Kersey Coates. owner of the hotel which bears his name, was an important man in Kansas City before and after the war. He came West in 1854 as agent for a party of Philadelphia capitalists. After looking over the field. with a far-seeing sagacity which characterized his business trans- actions through life, he came to Kansas City. In the spring of 1855 he pur- chased large tracts of land in the city and vicinity, laying the foundation of a great fortune. Colonel Coates died in Kansas City in 1887.
The Midland hotel, from its central location, great size and completeness in arrangements for the comforts of its guests, vied with the Coates house. The building was seven stories high and was completed and thrown open to the public in the fall of 1888, with Charles Hill as its manager. The structure was one of the largest and finest in the city, and every resource of mechanical skill was drawn upon in designing and carrying out the work. The house was perfectly lighted and was recognized as thoroughly fire-proof. May 27, 1908, the Midland closed its doors as a hotel and when the doors are opened again it will be as an office building. The work is now (1908) under construction and will be completed during the following year. With
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the closing of its doors, one of Kansas City's well known hotels passes into history. The old Midland was not a home for Kansas City people, but for twenty years it has been the stopping place of many of the notable visitors to the city, the headquarters of the politicians who made parlor "S" famous for political gatherings, the Western stockmen and a favorite meeting place for conventions. It was in the old Midland that Elihu Root, the Secretary of State and E. H. Harriman came right up to the verge of a clash over the Roosevelt policies during a banquet of the Commercial club.
The newspapers in Kansas City, in the summer of 1871, began to urge the establishment of an industrial exposition. The public favored the idea, and a company was organized to give an experimental exposition in the fall of that year. The fair was held and was regarded as highly successful. Tremendous enthusiasm attended the opening of the exposition in the fall of 1871, when for the first time the products of the adjacent country were brought together in one display. From 1871 to 1893, Kansas City had a fair regularly every autumn.
It was the original plan of the Industrial Exposition association organ- ized in 1871, to have no exposition grounds, but to display the exhibits in different parts of the city. There were to be booths in the courthouse for the light machinery and smaller exhibits, horses and mules were to be shown on the public square, the cattle market was to be situated in the West bottonis, the speed trials in the driving park in McGee's addition, and a special build- ing was to be erected for the agricultural implements and heavy machinery.
But the directors of the exposition association decided that the exhibits must be grouped, and a site was selected on the McGee farm, bounded by Fifteenth, Sixteenth, Campbell and Cherry streets. Here were erected four temporary structures, an agricultural implement and machinery hall, a fine arts hall, a horticultural building and a main building.
The early fairs and expositions held in Kansas City were of such great public interest that they were given the personal support of almost every one of the inhabitants. Almost the entire population of the city, if reports are correct, witnessed the opening of the first fair, October 16, 1871. The public schools were closed and practically all business was suspended for the day. Almost every house on Main street between Third and Twelfth streets, was decorated. The throng that gathered on Main street early on the morning of the opening day was described as "dense." It was Kansas City's first great gala day. It was estimated that 20,000 persons, half of the population of the city, marched in the parade. Every benevolent society, trades union and military organization in the city was fully represented. The entire fire department "turned out." Local brass bands and bands from
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Fort Leavenworth, Fort Riley and several neighboring towns headed the various divisions of the parade.
The opening address was delivered by Norman J. Colman of St. Louis. Mayor William Warner of Kansas City and Kersey Coates, president of the exposition company, spoke. These are some of the incidents of the exposi- tion as given in the old Kansas City Times:
"There are many pens for hogs on the grounds and yesterday a huge porker eseaped and in his route ran under a lady and triumphantly carried her the distance of some fifteen or twenty yards, apparently well pleased with his burden. Andrew Reno was seated upon the railing at the top of the seats, twenty feet from the ground. A favorite horse took the premium and while vociferously applauding he lost his balance, fell to the ground and broke his shoulder blade; he was from Clinton county. One of the cows, per- haps a little irritated because she failed to get the premium ribbon, on leaving the ring took little Johnnie Bayles on her horns and tossed him a complete somersault; he was more seared than hurt.
The visitors at this early fair seem to have been impressed especially by the exhibits of machinery and farming implements. Sewing machines were not as common then as at a later date, and they attracted attention. A machine that made button holes was an especial object of wonder at the fair of 1871.
The attendance at the fair increased as the week progressed until one day there were 40,000 paid admissions. According to the press reports 1,500 persons came from North Missouri, and on one occasion forty-one persons were seen riding on the roof of a one-horse street car that was constructed to carry only twelve passengers. The principal attractions for the last day of the exposition were a brass band tournament, base ball games, running races a slow mule race and a baby show. Ninety-six infants were entered in the baby show. The prize a baby carriage with satin lining and gold and silver mountings, was awarded to Florence, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Leverige.
The experimental fair of 1871 was a financial success and was highly satisfactory to the residents. The Kansas City Industrial Exposition associa- tion was incorporated at once, and obtained a six years' lease on ninety-seven acres, between Twelfth street and Fifteenth street, known as the Evans tract and later called Dundee place. The fair grounds in the fall of 1871 were small and the equipment was inadequate, but there was ample room on the Evans traet for a grand stand that seated 20,000 persons, a circular race track, several large buildings for exhibits and stables and pens for the live stock and poultry.
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The new fair grounds were a natural park. The land was rolling and in places was high enough to give a view of the entire enclosure and part of the surrounding country. There was a fine grove of oak trees and blue grass, and wild flowers grew in luxuriance. An old fashioned mansion that stood on the property was used as the administration building. The old homestead had a spacious gallery that was supported by fluted columns and classie Corinthian capitals.
The exposition held in the fall of 1872 in every way surpassed that of the previous year. The exhibits were large and better and the attendance was increased. The prosperity of the exposition attracted the attention of the Jesse James gang of bandits, and on September 26, 1872, occurred the famous robbery of the box office at the fair grounds.
At sundown on the "big Thursday" of exposition week, three masked men mounted on horses rode to the ticket office at the Twelfth street entrance to the grounds. One of the men, said to be Jesse James, dismounted and went to the ticket booth. He "covered" Benjamin Wallace, the ticket seller, with a revolver and took $978 from a tin box. The robbers escaped.
The name of the exposition company was changed in 1873 to the Kansas City Industrial Exposition and Agricultural Fair association. In the fall of 1873, the Farmers' and Cattle Men's convention was held the same week as the exposition and there were daily live stock sales. The premiums amounted to $20,000; an offer of $5,000 was made for the best display of raw cotton. Some of the most noted speed horses in America raced at the exposition in the fall of 1874. The exhibits of farm products, live stock and poultry were especially satisfactory that year. The feature of the expo- sition held in the fall of 1875 was the visit of Jefferson Davis and his address on agriculture. The distinguished guest was given a public reception at the Coates House. At the exposition grounds he was introduced by Kersey Coates. In the opening remarks of his speech, Mr. Davis said :
"I have heard of the rich country of the Northwest Missouri. I have heard much of your soil, teeming with all that is necessary for the support of man. I have heard of your undeveloped mines, and I have had occasion to know something of your gallant people. But I say to you as the Queen of Sheba said to the, King of Israel-'the half has not been told me.'"
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