The History of Jackson county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens, Jackson county in the late warhistory of Missouri, map of Jackson county, Part 63

Author: Union Historical Company
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Kansas City, Mo. : Union historical company
Number of Pages: 1068

USA > Missouri > Jackson County > The History of Jackson county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens, Jackson county in the late warhistory of Missouri, map of Jackson county > Part 63

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Resolved, That it is the deliberate judgment of this convention, representing the interests of western Missouri and the Territory of Kansas, that justice to the whole country, as well as the advantages of the General Government, requires and demands the construction of the Continental Railway by the central or thirty- ninth parallel route-the route of the Kansas Valley.

Resolved, That we call upon our representatives in both houses of Congress, to urge the location of said railroad upon this great central route, as just to the country, in unison with the demands of the great centers of population and com- merce, and in a still farther development of the commercial facilities already provided by the people themselves. And,

Whereas, We deem it a fitting period in the progress of the country, for the people of the west, to take measures for the control of their own commerce, and to provide :

I. For the opening up of routes to the seaboard, shorter and less exposed to the obstructions of climate and distance.

2. That, as our nearest seaport by present lines of transportation is more than 1,290 miles, subject to suspension, by ice, snow, and traverse of long lines of rivers, lakes, and railroads, and interrupted by numerous interests con- trolled by competing corporations, that,

3. We require a shorter route controlled by a community of interests, and,

4. That it being but 600 miles to the ocean at the Port of Galveston, from the mouth of the Kansas River, that a railroad connecting these points would aid in developing one of the richest portions of the American continent, now denied an outlet to the markets of the world-therefore,

Resolved, That a railroad from the mouth of the Kansas River, running south to Galveston, in the State of Texas, would add greatly to the wealth and power of the Union, by opening up to the markets of the world, the rich valleys of the Osage, Neosho, Arkansas and Red Rivers, and of the great State of Texas, by affording an outlet to the productions of this vast region, and a direct line to supply our central region with the groceries of the Gulf of Mexico.

Resolved, That in. the opinion of this convention, a grant of lands should be made by Congress for this purpose, which grant would be the means of opening a market by short lines of transit between the productions of the northern and southern portions of the interior of the Republic-now denied them ..

Resolved, That we call upon our representatives in Congress to ask and urge upon that body a compliance with the just demands of the people in this regard- by granting lands sufficient to secure the construction of the great line of rail- road. And,

Whereas, A connection with the system of railroads centering at, and di- verging from Chicego, to the east, by a shorter line than at present, requires a connection north from the mouth of the Kansas River-therefore,

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HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.

Resolved, That a road connection with the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, is of the first importance to the country represented in this convention.

Resolved, That we will aid to the extent of our means and influence, in the early prosecution and construction of such connection.

Resolved, That in the attainment of objects contemplated by this convention, the only guarantee of success is in combined and harmonious action ; and, there- fore, it is most earnestly recommended to the citizens of the towns and districts in Kansas and Missouri, having a common interest in the construction of one or more of the railroads designated in the foregoing resolutions, to render active and efficient co-operation and aid, with a view of obtainining from Congress a grant or grants of land to aid in the building of such road or roads.

OTHER INTERESTS.

In May, 1839, a convention at Richmond, Ray county, proposed a road from some point in North Missouri to Kansas City, which has since been realized in what is now the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific.

July 26, 1856, at Osawatomie, a company was organized to procure the construction of a road from Kansas City to Galveston, under a charter granted by the State of Kansas, February, 1858. On the 9th of September, the Wyan- dotte and Osawatomie Railroad Company was organized, and later in the season, the Kansas City, Galveston and Lake Superior project was agitated again in a series of meetings.

At the session of the Missouri Legislature in 1859-60, the Missouri Pacific, Iron Mountain and North Missouri Roads were all in a condition that they could not go forward without further State aid. The Legislature labored with it all the session but finally adjourned without doing anything. Kansas City felt this to be a most calamitous blow. Indignation meetings were held here, and Governor Stewart was urged to recall the Legislature. Other sections similarly situated took like action, and Governor Stewart recalled the Legislature to meet February 27, 1860.

During the agitation pending these proceedings Kansas City organized the Kansas City and Gallatin company to build a road to a connection with the Hannibal & St. Joe at the latter named place, but it waited the action of the Legislature in regard to the Pacific. Soon after meeting the Legislature passed a bill giving the required aid. Kansas City had come so near the evils of a long delay in the building of the Pacific that this action proved most exciting to the people. Meetings were held, torchlight processions had, and for a few days the town was almost wild with joy. Wyandotte and Olathe caught the infection and held meetings also. R. M. Stewart, the father of the Hannibal and St. Joseph road, was Governor, having been elected as a railroad candidate, and by railroad advocates. The bill was just about what he had asked the Legislature to pass, hence the people had good reason to feel that all was secured. It was but a few days, however, until outgivings from the executive office portended a veto. The people were astonished, public enterprise held its breath in suspense. It was not long, however until the blow struck; the veto came, based upon some technical- ities; the Legislature immediately adjourned, and railroad prospects were again plunged in gloom. " The people felt that they had been betrayed by their Gov- ernor; they had been kept so long oscillating between hope and fear-success and disappointment-that they were thoroughly aroused. The flood of public excitement was turned upon Gov. Stewart, and he was denounced in unmeasured terms. He tried to explain his action through the public press, but to no effect. That veto was his political death.

KANSAS CITY AND THE CAMERON ROAD.

At a meeting of indignation in this city, Dr. Johnson Lykins offered a reso- lution, which was adopted, creating an executive committee to foster our railroad

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HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.

interests, and to correspond with other places to that end. It at once opened a correspondence with the people of Clay county relative to this road, and to the Hannibal and St. Joseph. The result was that in a few days a company was organized called the Kansas City & Cameron Railroad Company. Meetings were held, and thus an interest awakened along the line. On the 27th of April this city voted it $200, 000, and Clay county voted it $200,000, June 12th. The survey was begun April 27th. In July, Mayor Maughs, of this city, E. M. Samuels and Michael Andrews, of Clay county went to Boston and effected a contract with the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad Company, August 7th, to build the road. The contract for the work was let to W. J. Quealy, August 16th, and work begun October 8th. In the following January (1861) the work was one-third done. There were about six hundred men employed, and it was ex- pected to have two-thirds done by April and the cars running by June. The war, however, stopped the work, and the road was not finished until its close.

Meantime the Pacific Company, having failed to get State aid, effected a shift by which it was able to command the necessary means, and went on with its road. Ground was broken at Kansas City July 25, 1860, and the work was progressing rapidly, with every prospect of completion in 1861, when it, too, was stopped by the war.

KANSAS HOSTILITY.

A territoral railroad convention was held at Topeka, October 17, 1860, which seems to have been the outgrowth of a feeling on the part of several towns in Kansas, hostile to Kansas City. These places had used every effort since the convention in this city in November, 1858, to prevent Kansas people from taking an interest in railroads centering at Kansas City, and to concentrate the interest on railroads running to other places. This spirit was shown in the resolutions adopted, which were as follows :

Resolved, That a memorial be presented to Congress asking an appropriation of public lands to aid in construction of the following named railroads in Kansas : I. A railroad from the western boundary of the State of Missouri, where the Osage Valley & Southern Kansas Railroad terminates, westwardly by way of Emporia, Fremont and Council Grove to the Fort Riley military reservation.

2. A railroad from the city of Wyandotte (connecting with the Parkville & Grand River Railroad, and the Pacific Railroad ), up the Kansas Valley by way of Lawrence, Lecompton, Tecumseh, Topeka, Manhattan and the Fort Riley military reservation, to the western boundary of the Territory.

3. A railroad running from Lawrence to the southern boundary of Kansas, in the direction of Fort Gibson and Galveston Bay.

4. A railroad from Atchison, by way of Topeka, through the Territory in the direction of Santa Fe.

5. A railroad from Atchison to the western boundary of Kansas. .

The Osage & Southern Kansas Railroad referred to in the first section of .this resolution, was a road then chartered to start at the mouth of the Osage River, in Missouri, and follow the valley of that river to the Kansas line. It has never been built.

The Parkville & Grand River road, referred to in the second section, was a road partly constructed between Parkville, in Platte county, Missouri, to Cam- eron, on the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, and the Pacific referred to in the same section, was the Missouri Pacific, which at that time had decided to make its terminus on the west line of the State, opposite Wyandotte. This section meant opposition to Kansas City's connection with the Hannibal & St. Joe, and to remove the connecting point to Wyandotte for both that road and the Missouri Pacific. There was a great effort made about this time to concentrate interest in the road south from Lawrence, as opposed to the projected road south from Kan-

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HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.

sas City. The proposed road up the valley of the Kaw was designed as an opponent to the Kansas Valley Railroad projected by Kansas City.

The idea of a railroad from Kansas City to Santa Fe was sought to be over- shadowed by a request upon Congress for a grant of lands for such a road by way of Topeka. Hostile to Kansas City as was this action, it was not strong enough for the Leavenworth delegates, so they withdrew, taking some others with them, aud held a convention of their own. Two railroad projects were started at that Topeka convention which have since been realized-the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, and the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern-but the main lines of both run to this city.

In the spring of 1861 there was a revival of the agitation of a road to the southwest into Kansas. The people of Kansas, under the influence of her cities, had become well imbued with a feeling of State pride in the building of towns and railroads. The people of the southern part of the State understood the com- manding advantages of the point at the mouth of the Kaw, but wanted to make the town on the north side of that stream. Hence they got two companies char- tered-the Wyandotte and Osawatomie, and the Wyandotte and Minneola. These occupied the same route to Olathe, and thence deployed much as do the Fort Scott and Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern roads now. In the spring of 1861 there was an effort made to consolidate these companies, as the existing roads are now consolidated, and put them under way, and to that end Kansas City voted $100,000 at the same time it voted aid to the Cameron road. But the war cloud was gathering and it soon engulfed this enterprise also.

THE MEN OF THE PERIOD.

The men of this period, many of whose names appear in this chapter, were the real founders of Kansas City. They laid broad and deep the foundations of her present and future supremacy, and though but few of them appeared after the war to build the superstructure, that few, efficiently aided by other hands, have built it as they planned, and the proud city which was to them a fond dream only is to us a grand reality. Whoever has succeeded or may succeed them, will never exhibit more comprehensive enterprise, courageously undertake more am- bitious schemes, or be called upon to be more vigilant, or undergo severer trials for the attainment of grand objects. Their trials and services can never be ade- quately rewarded by succeeding generations.

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HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.

CHAPTER X.

KANSAS CITY IN THE WAR.

The Excitements and Events Preceding the Great Struggle-The Marshaling of the Hosts on Both Sides-Van Horn's Battalion-The First Fighting-Bush-whackers and Red Legs-The De- pression of Trade and its Revival-Resumption of Railroad Building-The Great Raid of 1864.

The close of the year 1860 saw Kansas City the most thriving and prosper- ous city on the western border, with the largest local trade, a monopoly of the trade to New Mexico, and much the larger part of that to Colorado. Two rail- roads-the Pacific from St. Louis, and the Cameron Branch of the Hannibal & St. Joseph were near completion, and both were expected to be done by the middle of the summer 1861.

A FEVERISH COMMUNITY.

But public sentiment was very unsettled and feverish. The presidential campaign of 1860 was an unusually exciting one, and some time before its close it was apparent that it would be followed with excitement and possibly revolution. The division of the country on the slavery question, the division of the advocates of slavery between Douglas and Breckinridge in the campaign, and the unity of all anti-slavery elements upon Mr. Lincoln, early gave the issue an ominous aspect for the Democratic party and the friends of slavery. There were threatenings of revolt from the south before the close of the contest, and the sentiment of the Democracy of Missouri, or at least the dominant element of it, was rapidly crys- tallizing into the form of rebellion when the contest closed. The feeling through the campaign became so bitter toward Republicans, that out of about two hun- dred and fifty residing in Kansas City, but about eighty were bold enough by the day of election to take the chances of voting for that ticket. Outspoken Union Democrats were regarded with little less aversion. The Journal of Commerce supported Douglas, and it was apparent that it and its editor could not be led into any secession scheme. It was the leading paper in the city, and by reason of its warm support of the public enterprises, and the earnest advocacy of the interests of the city for the five years preceding had attained a very influential position. Its manifest anti-secession tendencies made it an object of profound concern to the rapidly forming secession element, and to control it in their interest became an object of first importance. Finding that its editor was implacable, a scheme to get rid of him was concocted, and as early as August Ist, 1860, he had to dispose of his interest. His partner, D. K. Abeel, became the purchaser, who retained him as editor, and soon let the embryo secessionists see that he was as little to be influenced by them as the editor whom they had sought to get rid of.

The winter of 1860-I was a season of feverish excitement and suspense. Where men had before stood shoulder to shoulder, forming the schemes of future commercial greatness, they now stood apart, narrowly watching each other's movements, and waiting the exciting news from the Southern States. As events in that quarter progressed, the secession sentiment in Kansas City and Missouri crystallized, and early in the winter business began to be neglected and to go down, and instead of preparing for an active spring trade, as had been the pre- vious custom, people prepared themselves for the inevitable storm that threatened the country.

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HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.

Public meetings that winter were frequent, not only in Kansas City, but in all adjacent parts of Missouri, as had been the case in previous years, but the resolutions adopted, unlike those of former meetings, were not declaratory of the sense of the people relative to some railroad or business project, but of their sym- pathy with the Union or with secession. Several of the Southern States having seceeded from the Union, and the State officers of Missouri, elected in 1860, being all in ardent sympathy with them, a convention was called for February 28, 1861, to determine whether Missouri should follow them.

The election for delegates to that convention took place February 18th, and for the district composed of Jackson, Cass and Bates counties, James K. Sheeley, Abram Comingo and R. A. Brown were elected delegates. The first named two of these were opposed to secession and the other in favor of it. The convention failed to pass the necessary ordinance of secession, but that did not stop the movement ; the threatening storm gathered faster and faster. The Legislature pro- vided for calling out the militia, and Governor Jackson began to prepare ac- tively to defend the State against invasion by the Federal Army. Under this pretext, treasonable as it was, many companies were organized throughout the State. Meantime the situation was constantly getting worse in this city, and by the time spring opened peaceful pursuits were quite abandoned. The Journal of Commerce, for the lack of support, was suspended on the 7th of March. The Free State Republican, a Republican paper established in the campaign of 1860, and edited principally by Dr. Theodore S. Case, was suspended March 25th, partly for the lack of support and partly because it was no longer safe to attempt the publication of a Republican paper in the city. The Missour Post, German, and loyal, published by Mr. A. Wuerz, now Post and Tribune, was removed to Wyandotte, while another paper, under the different names at different times, of Enquirer, Star and Dispatch, but always secessionist, continued for a brief time to incite its partisans to overt acts of revolt against the Government. Early in the spring the militia pillaged the United States arsenal at Liberty, in Clay county, and armed themselves for the defense of the city.

RAISING THE REBEL FLAG.

Toward the latter part of April the Unionists raised an American flag on the public square just east of the market house. This gave great offense to the secessionists, and they proceeded at once to cut the halyards, availing themselves of the cover of the darkness of night for that purpose. The flag, however, caught in some way at the top of the staff and did not fall as they had intended it should. They then determined to offset this circumstance by raising a rebel flag, and pre- pared to make the occasion one of great ceremony. Militia companies and volun- teer companies were invited from the surrounding country, and responded liberally. The day set for the occasion was the 30th of April, and early in the day companies of militia and in regular companies came in from Westport, Independence, Sni-a-bar township and from Clay county, and uniting with local companies and sympathizing citizens and a large concourse of citizens from the country, paraded the streets, flying a rebel flag, led by bands playing rebel airs. At the same time, numerous rebel flags were displayed from residences and business houses in all parts of the city. The procession moved to the top of the hill, east of Main and north of Second street, near where the county court-house now stands, and raised the flag with great eclat, attended with the beating of drums, martial music, and the firing of artillery, the gun used on the occasion being one they had stolen from the United States Arsenal at Liberty. Speeches of the most inflammatory character were made and cheered to the echo by an excited concourse of people, large for those days. Union people feeling it unsafe to remain in the city after this demonstration, began to pack their property and fly.

TIMES BUILDING

KANSAS CITY TIMES.

WESTERN AUXILIARY. PUB. CO.

ml.

TIMES

CROSSCUP.& WEST

KANSAS CITY TIMES BUILDING.

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HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.

THE INCREASE OF THE EXCITEMENT.

At the spring election the question of secession or Union had come squarely before the people, R. T. Van Horn being the candidate of the Union men, and Dr. Maughs, the incumbent, the candidate of the secessionists, and the Unionists had been victorious. But when Mayor Van Horn came into office he found himself almost powerless to preserve order, for among other acts of the Legisla- ture during the winter, was one creating a metropolitan police system for Kansas City, granting the commissioners extraordinary powers, so that through them the Governor might bind Kansas City to the cause of secession, no matter how the people might vote. Hence, Mayor Van Horn found himself unable to control that important part of the municipal machinery, or direct its use to the preservation of public order.

All the spring was spent by the people in excitement and preparations for the struggle, Gov. Jackson meantime marshaling his militia forces. The first formal assemblage of these was at Camp Jackson, St. Louis, where they were dispersed by Gen. Lyon, May 10th. The news of this affair proved very exciting through- out the State, and nowhere more so than in Kansas City. On the 15th, Mayor Van Horn issued a proclamation urging the people to quietude, and forbidding all unlawful and tumultuous assemblages. Excitement now ran very high, and more of the Union men left the city. But Mayor Van Horn found himself pow- erless to preserve order in the city, as the police had not only been taken from under his control but had actually become a source of apprehension to Unionists. In this situation, and with the secessionists arming all over the State and breath- ing threatenings toward Union men, nothing was left them but to prepare for de- fense or abandon their homes. Mayor Van Horn then went to St. Louis, by the way of St. Joseph, and obtained authority from Gen. Lyon to recruit a battalion of troops for the defense of Kansas City, and procured an order, also, for troops to be sent here from Fort Leavenworth to protect Union men while being enlisted.

MILITAY OCCUPATION.

In pursuance of this order, Captain Prince, U. S. A., with two companies of infantry and three of cavalry came to Kansas City, June 12th, and took up camp on the hill, near the Catholic church. This was the first military occupa- tion of this city.

As soon as it became known that Federal troops were coming, the secession- ists began to withdraw and collect at Independence. The next day after his ar- rival, Captain Prince sent Captain Stanley (since better known as Gen. Stanley), with a party of soldiers, under a flag of truce, to interview Captain Halloway, who had command of the secessionists collected at Independence, to ascertain his purposes, etc. Captain Halloway was very equivocal in his replies to Captain Stanley, and as the latter saw evidences of hostilities among Halloway's men, he ordered his own to retire, when fire was opened upon him. A sharp fight en- sued, in which the secessionists were repulsed, with a loss of three killed, Cap- tain Halloway, J. B. McClanahan and a Mr. Harbaugh, while Samuel Ralson and Pery Stonestreet were wounded. This was the first fight in Jackson county. The rebels then retired to Blue Springs, and the next day Captain Prince went with part of his command to Independence, and after marching about the town, returned to camp in this city.

While these events were transpiring at Kansas City, matters were assuming more definite shape throughout the State. On the 12th of June Gov. Jackson issued a call for fifty thousand troops to repel the Federal forces. With what forces he could collect under Gen. Sterling Price, he retired from Jefferson City to Boonville, burning the railroad bridges across the Osage and Gasconade rivers,

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HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.

and on the 17th the battle of Boonville was fought, soon after which Price and Jackson, with their forces, were driven to the southwest.

On the 19th of June the secession paper in this city suspended. On the 20th, news of the battle of Boonville was received, and the secessionists who then had a large encampment at Blue Springs removed to Lexington. On the 24th Mayor Van Horn's battalion being fully recruited, was mustered in and organized, with Mayor Van Horn as major. Captain Prince then withdrew, leaving Major Van Horn in command of the post. One of his first acts was to disband the disloyal metropolitan police force.

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The History of Jackson county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens, Jackson county in the late warhistory of Missouri, map of Jackson county, Part 63

Author: Union Historical Company Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Kansas City, Mo. : Union historical company Number of Pages: 1068

Author: Union Historical Company
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Kansas City, Mo. : Union historical company
Number of Pages: 1068