The Daily news' history of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, Mo. From the time of the Platte purchase to the end of the year 1898. Preceded by a short history of Missouri. Supplemented by biographical sketches of noted citizens, living and dead, Part 16

Author: Rutt, Christian Ludwig, 1859-; St. Joseph Publishing Company, St. Joseph, Mo., pub
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [St. Joseph] : Press of L. Hardman
Number of Pages: 614


USA > Missouri > Buchanan County > St Joseph > The Daily news' history of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, Mo. From the time of the Platte purchase to the end of the year 1898. Preceded by a short history of Missouri. Supplemented by biographical sketches of noted citizens, living and dead > Part 16


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In consequence of the distrubed condition of society from the impending civil war, the School Board at a meeting on May 21, 1861, resolved to summarily close all primary and grammar schools, but continue the advanced school until the end of June. From this time until 1864 there were no public schools in the city, although the board met occasionally and maintained at least a partial organization. The buildings were sometimes rented for private schools and some- times occupied by the military.


On August 12, 1864, the Board of Public Schools-then consist- ing of Louis Hax, president; and David Pinger, William M. Wyeth, R. F. Maxwell, John Colhoun, J. P. Adolph and Bernard Patton, as members-resolved to reopen the schools. Professor Neely was, by unanimous vote, elected superintendent, a position which he has filled without interruption until the present time.


The board offered $80 per month salary to principals and $50 per month to assistants, and also decided to establish a high school, with the superintendent as principal, and one assistant at $80 per month. The schools were not entirely free. A matriculation fee of 50 cents per month was charged each pupil in the primary and intermediate grades, and $1 per month in the high school. The rate of taxation allowed by the charter was so small that full terms could not have been maintained without the aid of the tuition fee. On February 3, 1872, this practice was abolished, and since that time the schools have been entirely free.


October 3, 1864, the schools were reopened, with Professor Neely as principal of the high school, and Nelson Wilbur, a graduate of Dartmouth College, as his assistant. Nathan Somerville was principal of the First Ward School, with Miss Jennie Parsons as assistant. Benjamin R. Vineyard was principal of the Second Ward


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School, with Miss Alice Bruner as assistant, her place being after- ward filled by Mrs. Annie R. Townsend. H. C. Mclaughlin was principal in the Third Ward School and his assistant was Miss India Cowden (now Mrs. Evan W. Ray).


The schools were immediately crowded and many applicants who applied were unable to gain admission for want of room. This condition continued until the school board found relief through a charter amendment in 1866, permitting an increase in the rate of taxation, which gave the board the means for building two additional houses. With the proceeds of the sale of the First Ward property and the yield of the additional tax, the Everett School, at Twelfth and Olive streets, and the old High School building, at Tenth and Edmond streets, were erected. The buildings were identical in plan, and the cost of each, exclusive of ground, was about $36,000. Labor and material in those days were both extremely high, as the older people will remember.


The High School was opened in 1866, with John S. Crosby as principal, and was used as such until 1896. The building was dam- aged by fire in 1889, rebuilt and enlarged. In 1895 it was remodeled for grammar schools and offices of the board of education, and is now known as Robidoux School. The Everett has also been en- larged and is still in service.


In 1867 a house was provided for colored school children at Fourth and Michel streets. It was a one-story frame building, of which no trace remains.


In 1868 the school board found it necessary to issue bonds to provide additional buildings, and the sum of $40,000 was obtained from this source. As a result, the Washington School, at Fifth and Pouline, and the Webster, at Nineteenth and Beattie streets, were built in 1869, the former costing $11,658 and the latter $9,928. Both have since been enlarged to meet the demands. Outstanding in- debtedness was liquidated with the balance of the sum realized from th bond sale.


Still the provisions were inadequate, and buildings were rented where possible, to relieve the congested conditions. More school houses were necessary, and in 1872 the board found itself compelled to again issue bonds to erect buildings and make necessary improve- ments upon property already owned.


At this time the board purchased the property now known as the German-English School for $8,500. This school had been founded and maintained for some years by an association of German-English


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citizens, formed for the purpose of perpetuating their language in their children. In the conveyance of the property to the school board it was expressly provided that instruction in the "German as well as English language shall be given in equal proportions in all departments of instruction to meet the demands of the pupils from the whole city for such instruction, according to the capacity thereof."


The sum of $36,000 was realized from the bond issue of $40,000. With this money the board paid debts, built the Neely School at Twelfth and Scott streets, at a cost of about $10,000, erected an addi- tion to the Everett School at a cost of $6,000, repaired the Webster, which had been unroofed by a tornado, and made other substantial and necessary improvements.


In April of 1877 the people voted, by a large majority, to in- crease the rate of taxation for general school purposes from three to five mills, and the county court ordered a five-mill levy for that year. But in 1878, when the board asked again for a five-mill levy, the county court refused to make it, contending that the people had voted for the five-mill levy for the year 1877 only. The board applied for a writ of mandamus to compel the court to make the five- mill levy, and a judgment was rendered in the circuit court in favor of the board. Through some neglect the judgment was not re- corded and it became necessary to go to trial again. The second trial resulted unfavorably to the schools, and the five-mill levy was not again made, it being the judgment of the court that the people must vote for such a levy each year. In 1878 the county court also questioned the legality of the school board's bonds by refusing to levy a sinking fund and interest tax. The question was tested in the United States court and the legality of the bonds fully sustained.


The present bonded indebtedness of the St. Joseph school board is $415,000, of which $215,000 bears 5 per cent interest and $200,000 bears 4 per cent. In 1888 $100,000 twenty-year 5 per cent bonds were voted for the erection of school buildings; in 1890 $115,000 twenty- year 5 per cent bonds were issued to refund outstanding 6 per cents. and in April of 1894 the people voted for an issue of $200,000 twenty . year 4 per cent bonds for school buildings, which contemplated the new high school and other necessary buildings.


In 1879 a school was built at Sixth and Jackson streets and named the Floyd. This was sold in 1888 to the Holy Rosary congre- gation and is now used as a Catholic church. The Crosby School, at Savannah avenue and Richardson streets, was built in 1889, at a


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cost of $7,400. The Steinacker School, at Second and Louis streets, was built in 1883, and the present estimated value of the building is $16,500. The other schools were built in the following order, and the amount represents the present estimated value of the buildings : Hall, Twenty-sixth and Duncan streets, 1887, $:,450; South Park, 1888, $7,600; Colored High School. Eighteenth and Angelique, 1888, $17,690; Young, Ninth and Mary, 1889, $25,725; new Floyd, Third and Hickory, 1889, $18,920; Bliss, Thirtieth and Olive, 1890, $7,500; Ernst, Walker's Addition, 1891, $7,500; Grant, North Eleventh street, 1894, $7,550; Lincoln (colored), St. Joseph avenue and Pen- dleton streets, 1894, $10,600; Jackson, Twenty-fourth street, near Clay, 1894, $7,500; Musser, Twenty-fourth and Olive streets, 1894, $6,550. The Avenue School, at Frederick avenue and Thirteenth street, was formerly a store building. It was rented for some years by the board and purchased for $10,000 in 1892.


After various unsuccessful efforts, the school board secured the consent of the taxpayers to erect an adequate and substantial High School building. The funds having been provided, the question of a site for the prospective new structure at once became paramount, and a lively rivalry ensued. The people in general would have been satisfied with an accessible and central location. However, the school board seems to have been actuated by high motives, so far as location and price went, for it purchased for $23,500 a piece of ground 125x 200, on the highest point of Carpenter's hill, fronting on Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, about 200 feet north of Olive street. There was much popular indignation at this deal, for the location was considered out of range and inaccessible, and the price exceedingly high.


Plans, prepared by Edmond J. Eckel, were adopted by the board during the winter of 1894-95, and the corner stone of the present building was laid with Masonic ceremony and a popular demonstra- tion, together with oratory and music. The building was occupied in the spring of 1896, the term being finished there. The contractors were Bernard Feeney and William Rupert and John DeClue, and the cost about $90,000.


The value of the property of the St. Joseph school board is given in the last report as folows: Buildings, $389,835; furniture and fix- tures, $49,415 ; grounds, $170,500; a total of $609,750. Of the build- ings named above the High School, the Floyd, the Young, the Stein- acker, the Lincoln, the Grant and the Jackson are heated and ven- tilated by the Smead system of dry closets and furnaces. The Web-


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ster, the Garfield and the colored High School are heated by steam, and the others by stoves. All are supplied with city water.


As the number of wards increased in the city so the number of school directors increased. Up to 1864 there were six members, in 1865 there were ten, and froin 1890 to October, 1895, there were sixteen. The members of the school board have always served with- out pay, but there was frequently spirited rivalry at the elections, which were held in June. And the sessions of the board were often so animated that the reports of the proceedings made spicy reading in the newspapers.


The conviction that the board was unwieldy had been growing upon the people for some time and a movement to have the charter amended by the legislature met with hearty popular support. This . was done at the session of 1895. Under the provisions of the new charter the school board is composed of six members, two of whom are chosen at each general city election and each of whom serves six years. It is customary for each of the political parties to select a candidate, who is endorsed by the opposing party, thus taking the school board practically out of politics. At the April election of 1895, according to the emergency clause of the bill, six members were chosen-Messrs. B. R. Vineyard, I. T. Hosea, Dr. E. A. Don- elan, B. Newberger, K. M. Mitchell and David Marshall. The board did not, however, take charge of affairs until October 1, 1895.


When the new board took charge of the schools the members elected Dr. Donelan as president and drew lots for terms. Direc- tors Hosea and Mitchell were placed for six-year terms, Dr. Donelan . and Mr. Newberger for three years and Messrs. Vineyard and Mar- shall for one year. In April of 1896, Mr. Vineyard was elected to succeed himself and A. C. Hinckley was elected to succeed Mr. Mar- shall. In April of 1898, Dr. Donelan was elected to succeed him- self and Charles J. Borden was elected to succeed Mr. Newberger. Dr. Donelan has been the president of the board continuously. From August 1864, to August, 1883, Superintendent Neely was ex- officio clerk of the school board and the buildings, supplies, etc., were looked after by committees. August 7, 1883, Frederick C. Parker was appointed secretary and superintendent of buildings. This gentleman held the position until March 1, 1897, when he was succeeded by Harry H. Smith, the present incumbent, who is as- sisted by Miss Cornelia Fredericks.


For many years the board officed and met in the Kirschner building, corner of Felix street and Market square. In 1892 quarters


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were secured in the Burnes building at Third and Felix, and these were occupied until August of 1896, when the present permanent quarters in the Robidoux school building were taken.


The following are the names of the various presidents of the school board : Dr. J. H. Crane served 1860-63; John Colhoun, 1863- 67; Samuel Hays, 1867-70; Wm. H. Floyd, 1870-79; Adolph Steinacker, 1879-85; Waller Young, 1885-94; C. A. Mosman, 1894- 95 ; Dr. E. A. Donelan, 1895-98, present incumbent.


The following is a list of the members of the old school board. from 1860 to 1895: John Shehan, Louis Hax, John J. Abell, Jas. A. Millan, E. F. Dixon, W. M. Albin, Thos. Harbine, A. Andriano, David Pinger, W. M. Wyeth, James Tracey, Robt. F. Maxwell, J. B. Adolph, Bernard Patton, J. M. Hawley, H. Nash, P. Bliss, Joseph Steinacker, E. Whiting, H. N. Turner, E. Sleppy, L. M. Lawson, J. J. Wyatt, D. C. Anderson, Otto Behr, Geo. Lyon, Elias Eppstein, Chas. F. Ernst, John T. Ransom, Jas. B. Johnson, Samuel Reynolds, Wm. Drumhiller, W. B. Johnson, John C. Evans, John B. Albrecht, F. T. Davis, D. H. Winton, Isaac Wilkins, J. H. Lewis, R. L. McDonald, W. A. P. McDonald, Samuel Russell, Louis Fuelling, Jno. A. Dol- man, J. B. Bernard, John Broder, W. Z. Ranson, John S. Crosby, R. R. Calkins, George C. Hull, F. G. Hopkins, Jo. Hansen, J. M. Armstrong, Rob't Musser, Christ. Mast, C. H. Foote, D. F. Bom- beck, A. J. Redding, Geo. P. Dixon, Jno. Townsend, Waller Young, Alex D. Vories, O. E. Vandeventer, U. Schneider, C. C. McDonald, J. H. Bulling, C. B. Claggett, George M. Good, C. L. Groscup, Fred'k Neudorff, Jno. S. Andrews, A. E. La Brunerie, H. G. Getchell, H. W. Burke, Samuel Hilpp, Jos. Albus, C. B. Lucas, Wm. H. Floyd, Jr., Thos. Winston, W. E. Sullivan, John Jester, H. C. Twedell, John Albus, Jr., W L. Reynolds, C. C. Crowley, M. M. Crandall, F. M. Atkinson, I. T. Dyer, H. B. Shale, Dr. J. B. Riley, C. J. Pohl, John D. Preston, George E. Acklam, Oscar M. Spalsbury, George Voltz, and B. C. Thayer.


As the directors were generally re-elected, many of them having retained their seats ten and twelve years, the roster is not larger con- sidering the number of elections and members. Among those who served longest are the following : H. N. Turner, twenty years; John1 Broder, sixteen years; Geo. C. Hull, sixteen years; Charles F. Ernst, twelve years; H. Nash, eleven years. Quite a number served nine years and from that on down to four years.


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PRIVATE SCHOOLS .- Reference was made to the first school in the county in the opening lines of this chapter. Others of perhaps equal importance existed in different parts of the county from that time to the permanent establishment of the public school sys- tem. In 1845 Mrs. Israel Landis opened a female seminary in St. Joseph, which prospered for several years. Contemporaneous with this Mrs. Mary Stone, a Roman Catholic lady of culture, taught a private school in the city. In 1850 Rev. T. S. Reeve, a minister of the New School Presbyterian church, opened a female seminary in the basement of a church that stood on a hill upon the site of the First National bank, at Fourth and Francis streets. Mr. Reeves taught successfully for four years and then withdrew from the pro- fession.


The St. Joseph Female High School opened at Fifth and Faraon streets in September of 1854. It was conducted by three ladies named Lesueur.


F. X. Stuppy, Wm. O'Toole, James Hart, Wm. M. Albin, Pro- fessor Charles C. Byrne and Mrs. Burr also taught private and sub- scription schools. In the fall of 1854 Edward B. Neely, the present superintendent of the St. Joseph public schools, arrived from Virginia, accompanied by R. F. Maxwell. They established a school in the rooms vacated by Mr. Reeves. Mr. Maxwell soon retired and the school was successfully conducted by Mr. Neely until that gentle- man closed it.


In 1855 Professors Davis and Rogers opened a female academy in what was afterwards the Saunders House, at Third and Faraon streets. Professor Davis retired in 1858 and Professor Rogers in the following year. Rev. A. V. C. Schenck conducted the school for a brief period and sold out to William Cameron of Lexington, Mo., who remained until the building was converted into a hotel.


In 1858, Alonzo W. Slayback, who afterwards figured promi- nently in the history of St. Joseph and of Missouri, taught a private school in what was the Cumberland Presbyterian church, at Sixth and Edmond streets, and which was afterward used as a syagogue. In 1859 J. P. Caldwell taught a school in the same building.


Miss India Cowden (Mrs. E. W. Ray) and Miss Sarah Bell (Mrs. Tiernan) also conducted schools before and during the civil war.


At DeKalb, before the war, Professor Charles S. Raffington con- ducted the Bloomington Academy, a school of high reputation. During the war Professor Raffington came to St. Joseph and opened the St. Joseph Classical Institute in the Franklin school building. It ceased to exist when that house was required by the public schools.


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The Patee house was twice used for school purposes. Rev. James H. Robinson, a minister of the M. E. church, South, opened a female academy there in September, 1865, which continued to Janu- ary 1, 1869. In 1877, Rev. E. S. Dulin, D. D., L.L. D., a prominent minister of the Baptist church, opened the St. Joseph Female College in the building. This institution had a high reputation and was suc- cessfully conducted for four years.


A prominent factor in education in the early days was the Ger- man School Society (Deutscher Schul-Verein), a chartered organiza- tion of German-American citizens of St. Joseph. This association was founded in 1855 and is still in existence. Up to 1869, the late Joseph Dreis taught in a building on North Sixth street. The so- ciety, by means of entertainments, accumulated a considerable fund. With this money ground was purchased at Tenth and Felix streets and a building erected. The corner stone was laid with great cere- mony on July 4, 1868. Professor Dreis was succeeded by William Beneke and Ernst Kuehl. Instruction was given in both German and English. In 1872, the St. Joseph school board purchased the property for $8,500 and agreed to perpetually give instruction in equal proportion in both English and German-in all branches taught.


Bryant's Business College, which was established in November of 1864 by Prof. Thomas J. Bryant and continued up to the date of Professor Bryant's death, several years ago, was a commercial school of reputation and had pupils from almost every point in the West. Professor Chapman and Professor Ritner were also successful for many years during the seventies and eighties with commercial schools.


In 1868 the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul (Sisters of Charity) opened a school for girls on the south side of Felix street, between Seventh and Eighth, in a building owned by Dr. Long. This con- tinued until 1883, when the Sisters moved to Tenth and Powell streets, where a hospital building had been erected upon a block of ground donated by Joseph Corby. A school was maintained here until 1891, when it gave way to the present hospital.


Of the schools other than public which are still in existence, the Academy of the Sacred Heart is the oldest. In June of 1853 four members of this order came to St Joseph from St. Louis. They at once established a school, and during the first month enrolled about one hundred pupils. In 1856 the foundations of the present convent were laid, and in the following year the academy was opened. As the establishment flourished the building was enlarged and equipped


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until to-day it is one of the best owned by the order of the Sacred Heart in the West.


The Christian Brothers College is another of the older institu- tions. In 1858 Father James Powers, a pioneer priest, erected a. three-story building at Thirteenth and Henry streets and placed it in charge of the Christian Brothers. The school was discontinued dur- ing the war and the building used as barracks by Federal soldiers, for which the government, through the mediation of Congressman James N. Burnes, made an adequate alowance some years ago. In 1867 the school was reopened by Brother Noah. In 1886 the old building was made part of the present commodious modern structure.


In 1865 Dr. Charles Martin established a female academy at Fifth and Antoine streets, which he conducted until 1893. Since then it has been under various managements. Doctor Martin died March 7, 1896. His daughters are conducting a preparatory school in the building at this time.


A parochial school has been maintained at the church of the Immaculate Conception since the creation of the parish. German and English are taught here by Sisters of the Order of St. Joseph. At St. Patrick's church a school for boys has been in existence for many years under the direction of the Christian Brothers and one for girls under the direction of Sisters of St. Joseph. Holy Rosary, St. Mary's, SS. Peter and Paul and Wyatt Park Catholic parishes all have schools attached. A parish school is also maintained in con- nection with the German-Evangelical church, on South Tenth street.


MEDICAL COLLEGES .- At one time there were three medi- cal colleges in St. Joseph. The St. Joseph Hospital Medical College was founded in 1876. It was located on Second street, north of Francis. Among the faculty were Dr. C. F. Knight, Dr. Joseph D. Smith, Dr. J. M. D. France, Dr. Thos. H. Doyle, Dr. J. M. Rich- mond, Dr. C. J. Siemens and Dr. A. V. Banes.


The College of Physicians and Surgeons was founded in 1879, and was located in the old Christian church building at Third and Robidoux streets. Among the faculty were Drs. W. I. Heddens, Jacob Geiger, E. A. Donelan, J. W. Heddens and P. J. Kirschner.


These two colleges were merged and the name was changed to Ensworth Hospital Medical College, in honor of Samuel Ensworth, deceased, who left $100,000 for this purpose. The Ensworth build- ing, at Seventh and Jule streets, was erected in 1888. The hospital


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has recently been placed in charge of the Order of Deaconnesses, under the auspices of the Fifth Street Methodist Church.


The Northwestern Medical College was founded in January, 1881, by Drs. F. A. Simmons, S. F. Carpenter, J. P. Chesney and J. T. Berghoff. Until the burning of the court house the college was quartered in the second story of that building. Subsequently it was located at Eighth and Sylvanie streets. In 1895 Dr. T. E. Potter, Dr. O. B. Campbell and others of the faculty withdrew and formed the Central Medical College, which is located at Ninth and Felix streets. The Northwestern continued for a short time and was dis- continued.


CHAPTER XVII.


ST. JOSEPH BRANCHES OF FEDERAL SERVICE .- THE FEDERAL BUILDING .- HISTORY OF THE ST. JO- SEPH POSTOFFICE .- RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE .- THE INTERNAL REVENUE OFFICE .- ST. JOSEPH AS A PORT OF ENTRY .- SURVEYORS OF THE PORT .- THE FEDERAL COURT.


Three branches of the United States government are represented in St. Joseph-the postoffice department, the department of justice and the treasury department. All of these are quartered in the Fed- eral building at Eighth and Edmond streets. This is the most im- posing public edifice in the city and it represents an expenditure of $350,000.


The first appropriation for the building was made by congress August 5, 1882, while the late Nicholas Ford was our representa- tive. Of the original appropriation $50,000 was set aside to purchase a site and inaugurate the work of construction. After a long delay the lots at Eighth and Edmond streets were purchased for $11,750. There was more or less objection by down-town mer- chants, who argued that the proposed location was too far removed from the business district of the city. The growth of business since that time, however, has been in the direction of the Federal building until now it is conceded that excellent judgment was displayed in se- lecting the site.


When the late James N. Burnes entered Congress he took up the work of pushing the completion of the custom house where his predecessor in office had left off. Congressman Burnes secured a second appropriation of $40,000 July 7, 1884, and, on March 3, 1885, another appropriation of $50,000. August 4, 1886, Congressman Burnes succeeded in getting $50,000 additional, and March 3, 1887, the last appropriation of $127,000 for the building proper was made. August 29, 1890, Congressman R. P. C. Wilson obtained an appro- priation of $3,600 for the purchase of a clock for the tower of the building, making the total appropriations $345,000.


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Seven years were ocupied in building the custom house, there being much vexatious delay, as is usual in cases of this kind. The principal loss of time was caused, however, by the sinking of the building at the northwest corner. Much of the masonry had to be taken down and rebuilt after the foundation had been properly strengthened: The latter part of 1890 saw the building completed, and it was occupied in January of 1891.




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