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 85
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Kentucky
Ohio
Illinois
Missouri
Iowa
Nebraska
Kansas
Wheat
8.8
11.4
12.0
13.1
13.2 36.7
13.6
15.7
Corn
28.9
34.4
30.9
31.3
34.7
34.6
Rye
II 2
12.9
16 1
16.9
18.2
20.0
2I.I
In Kansas winter wheat makes a better average yield than spring, and the average at least one-fourth higher than that above given, or about twenty bushels. Spring wheat succeeds best in Nebraska and Iowa, and in Nebraska has been known to make a yearly average of twenty-eight bushels.
The following table will show the average of some other crops in the four of the States named :
Missouri.
Kansas.
Nebraska
Iowa.
Oats, bushels per acre .
33.0
42. I
41.3
37.3
Barley, bushels per acre .
23. I
30.6
30.2
26.5
Buckwheat, bushels per acre
2I. I
18.5
16.7
16.7
Potatoes, bushels per acre .
115.0
149.0
140.0
122.0
The Centennial edition of the report of the Kansas State Board of Agricul- ture makes a comparison of the yield of corn and wheat for twelve consecutive years in Kansas and several other States-Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri-in which it will be seen that the average for the seven States was: Of corn, 33 bushels ; Kansas, 36.3. Of wheat, the aver- age for the sevenStates was 13.4 bushels ; of Kansas it was 15.8 bushels.
627
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
Western Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa have about as large yields of corn as Kansas. Western Missouri yields about the same in fall wheat as Kansas. Iowa and Nebraska yield about the same average per acre of spring wheat. But of the aggregate yields of the country, we have no statistics later than the general census of 1870-the census of 1880 not being yet available. A careful computa- tion from the census shows for that year, ending June, there was produced in this region 26,452, 116 bushels of wheat ; 631,353 bushels of rye, 89, 236,854 bushels of corn ; 24,367, 214 bushels of oats, 1,429,946 bushels of barley, 1, 846,- 138 tons of hay, 6, 235, 366 pounds of tobacco.
In live stock it produced : Of hogs 2,596, 185 ; cattle other than exclusively grass-fed, 533,833, of grass-fed 2,061, 343 ; exclusive of the Indian Territory where there are large herds, but from which there are no returns; of mules, 116,585 ; of sheep, 233, 326 ; of horses, 885,833.
The value in soil products of the amount produced by these figures, at the current market rates paid at Kansas City, would amount to $85, 228,837. And the live stock, at a low average per head, are in value $26, 557, 640.
Or, in the aggregate, this portion of the Union produced in 1870, from its soil alone, a wealth of more than one hundred and twenty-eight millions of dol- lars. In 1880 the production was many fold greater.
FRUIT GROWING.
The country is yet so new that its capacity for the production of fruit is but inadequately developed. The effort so far has been largely experimental, for the climate and soil, differing somewhat from the country already settled, produces different results with the same varieties. Some of those which succeed best in more eastern localities do not succeed well here, hence the country may be said to be just ascertaining what fruits will pay.
Of its natural adaptability for fruits there can be no question. In no country in the world is there a greater variety or abundance of wild fruits, and in no country do they present more vigorous growths or finer natural flavors. Of the natural adaptation of the country we quote from Prof. Aughey, of Nebraska. What he says of the natural adaptability of the country applies equally well to all parts as well as Nebraska, because it is all of the same character. Referring to the soil deposits he says :
" As would be expected, these deposits are also a paradise for the cultivated fruits of the. temperate zones. They luxuriate in a soil like this, which has per- fect natural drainage and is composed of such materials. No other region, ex- cept the valleys of the. Nile and of the Rhine, can in these respects compare with the Loess deposits of Nebraska. The Loess of the Rhine supplies Europe with some of its finest wines and grapes. The success that has already attended the cultivation of the grape in southeastern Nebraska, at least, demonstrates that the State may likewise become remarkable in this respect. For the cultivation of the apple its superiority is demonstrated. Nebraska, although so young in years, has taken the premium over all the other States in the pomological fairs at Rich- mond and Boston. Of course there are obstacles here in the way of the pomolo- gist as well as in other favored regions. But what is claimed is that the soil, as analysis and experience prove, is eminently adapted to grape and especially to apple-tree culture. The chief obstacle is particularly met with in the interior of the State, and results fro'n the climate. In midsummer occasional hot, dry winds blow from the southwest. These winds, where the trunks of apple trees are exposed, blister and scald the bark on the south side, and frequently kill the trees. It is found, however, that when young trees are caused to throw out limbs near to the ground, they are completely protected, or if that has not been done, a shingle tacked on that side of the tree prevents all damage from that ource. Many fruit-growers also claim that cottonwood and box-elder groves on
628
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
the south side of orchards is all that is necessary to protect them from these storms. I mention this here to put any new settler who may read this and who has not learned the experience of fruit-growers in this State, on his guard."
In addition to the fact above stated by Prof. Aughey, that Nebraska took the premium over all other States at the pomological fairs of Boston and Rich- mond, it needs only to be stated that Kansas took the premium over all other States at the fair of the National Pomological society, at Philadelphia, in 1869, at the fair of the American Pomological society, at Richmond, in 1871, and has taken highest premiums at the fairs of the Pennsylvania Horticultural society, at the St. Louis fair, at the State fairs of New York, New Hampshire, and at the New England fair at Lowell, Mass.
These facts sufficiently establish the character of Kansas and Nebraska as fruit growing States. In 1873 a collection of Missouri fruits from the western part of the State took the premium at the Kansas State Fair, which sufficiently tes- tifies to the quality of Missouri as a fruit State. At this fair there was an exten- sive display of California fruits, intended for exhibition only, which brought the fruits of Kansas and Missouri into close position and critical comparison with those of the most famous fruit State in the Union. And they did not suffer either as to size, perfection, or flavor.
Although the fruit interest of these States is young and but little developed, displays of fruit have become a prominent feature, and a most attractive one at all their fairs. And it is the verdict of visitors from the east that better fruits are not grown anywhere in the United States. Kansas is the only State from which we have any late statistics of acreage in fruit. She had, in 1875, 100, 489.97 in all fruits except grapes, and 3,004.44 acres in vineyard.
LIVE STOCK.
A country possessing such favorable conditions of climate and producing so abundantly of all that feeds animal life could not be otherwise than favorable for stock growing. It has been the experience of farmers and freighters that cattle and mules live and thrive on the native grasses of the western plains and main- tain fair conditions of flesh although continually under the yoke or in the harness. In many parts of the country cattle are subsisted exclusively on grass the year round and are never provided with shelter, yetthey thrive and fatten and are con- verted into beef without further feed.
Stock of all kinds is becoming a great interest with the farmers of Kansas and Nebraska, as it has already with those of Missouri and Iowa. Cattle, hogs and sheep are, however, taking the lead, as they do everywhere.
As to the adaptability of the country for hogs, little need be said, besides what has been said already relative to the climate and abundance of the yield of corn, which make that one of the most profitable as well as most easily handled kinds of stock. It has already become a prominent interest. However, there were in 1880 1, 281,630 hogs in Kansas, and in Nebraska 767, 702, and there are as many now.
CATTLE.
The production of cattle has become a very profitable branch of agriculture, and farmers prefer feeding their corn to shipping it. In 1880, there were in Kansas 748,672 head of cattle other than milch cows, and in Nebraska in 1880, 675,244. This does not include grass-fed cattle which are the chief stock resources of the country, but of these there are no statistics. They are mostly driven from Texas at the rate of from 175,000 to 400,000 head per annum, and fattened on the western plains, after which are sold at the Kansas City market. western Kansas and Nebraska, and Colorado, New Mexico and Texas, are well stocked with them, and the supply is exhaustless and annually increasing. In fact, there is no country in the world so well adapted to them as the western
629
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
plains. A few years ago Dr. Latham, of Omaha, collected much valuable information relative to the adaptability of the plains of western Nebraska and Colorado for stock growing. It is needless here to give any extended summary of the facts collected by him. He summarized them all in the following :
" In conclusion, to be brief, I think no one can deny nor doubt that the above testimony proves conclusively that we have 1,000, 000, 000 acres of pastur- age, where wool can be produced as cheap as in Buenos Ayres, where 1, 000, 000,- ooo sheep can graze summer and winter, where beef and mutton can be raised at so low a price that the poorest paid labor can have an abundance, and that we should be exporters of all classes of animal productions, instead of dependent importers. It does not need prophetic vision to see, within the next quarter of a century, a time equaled by Mr. Ward's and Mr. Major's experience, 20,000,- ooo of people west of the Missouri River, with more live stock than is in the States east of it, and our country providing the wool to run the spindles of the world. There is much more to be said in connection with this subject, such as descriptions of particular locations for stock, but I have treated of this subject at such length that I forbear. My excuse for such great length is the magnitude of this national subject."
SHEEP.
The production of sheep and wool has also become a great interest in Kan- sas and Nebraska, and it is rapidly increasing. In 1880, Kansas had 416,492 sheep, and Nebraska in 1880 had 194, 159, and in Colorado, 782,649 Of the number in New Mexico we have no statistics, but the number is very great and annually increasing. In regard to sheep raising on the western plains, we quote again from Dr. H. Latham:
" All the country lying west of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers is of that high, dry, rolling character which is so favorable for the growth of the healthiest sheep and most valuable fibers of wool.
" All of the trans-Missouri country, west of the ninety-eighth meridian, to the crest of the Snowy Range, has less than six weeks of rainy season, which is in the month of May, after the cold weather. Usually there is no rain fall from November till May. The snow is dry and round and does not adhere to the sheep. There is not an acre of all the billion acres of country that does not fur- nish summer and winter grazing for sheep. There is winter grazing enough in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, to graze all the sheep in the United States. Australia and the Argentine Republic, the aggregate of whose wool product is 300, 000, 000 pounds, worth $100,000,000.
"There is plenty of water for countless flocks in the network of streams that drain our mountain ranges of their snows.
" There is an entire absence of the marshy lands and wet soils so destructive to sheep in the form of " foot ail." The sheep in New Mexico, Colorado and Utah have not, after ten years in the two latter Territoriesand forty years experi- ence in the former, developed any diseases. The universal testimony has been in all our Territories and States west of the Missouri River that there have been no diseases among the flocks, and that they have improved in the quality and quantity of the fleeces.
"The great fact of winter grazing will enable our flock-masters to make wool growing exceedingly remunerative. In many instances which came under my own observation here on the plains, flocks have yielded one hundred per cent annually upon the investment in them.
"In countries where either the natural resources or protection makes wool growing profitable, it makes most wonderful advancement. The industry of South America, South Africa and Australia does not date back more than a quarter of a century-and now they export 250, 000, 000 pounds.
" There are many remarkable instances of rapid increase in wool growing, but
230
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
there is nothing that shows how rapidly the product can be increased, and how wonderfully the demand increases, so much as the figures of England's importa- tion thirty years ago-then seventy-four thousand bales were imported from Germany ; ten thousand bales from Spain and Portugal; British colonies, eight thousand bales ; other places, five thousand ; total, ninety-eight thousand bales. In 1864 there were imported from Australia three hundred and two thousand bales ; Cape of Good Hope, sixty-eight thousand bales; South America, ninety- nine thousand bales; and two hundred and nineteen thousand, three hundred and thirty-six bales from other sources-in all, six hundred and eighty-eight thousand, three hundred and thirty-six bales. Australia now supplies more than three times the whole amount of foreign wool consumed in England thirty years ago, and the production of South America exceeds the whole consumption then."
HOGS.
A country possessing such a climate as the New West is here shown to pos- sess and producing such an abundance of corn cannot fail to be exceedingly prolific in the production of hogs. In fact, this is one of the leading interests of the corn-growing part of this country, as shown in the following table of the number taxed in the States named in 1880. We add in this table also, the number of cattle, horses and sheep in these States for the year 1880 and for the three preceding years, thus showing the increase from year to year :
Horses.
Cattle.
Hogs.
Sheep.
Missouri
1,843,533
3.367,279
1,436,820
Iowa.
964,039 673,055
1,528,109
2,213,226
301,752
Kansas .
367,589
748,672
1,281,630
416,492
Nebraska
198,381
675,244
767,702
194,959
Colorado
69,274
541,563
782,649
Wyoming
10,602
269,626
456
171,810
Texas
966,760
3,552,192
1,599,686
2,546,582
Total 1880
3,249,700
9, 158,940
9,329,979
5,951,074
Total 1879
2, 104,337
7,396,890
7,383,013
3,356,093
Total 1878
1,782,028
6,353,742
6,832,566
3,083,831
Total 1877
1,935,176|
6, 127,702
4,826,610
3,589,034
TIMBER.
The timber resources of the New West are large notwithstanding it is a prai- rie country. The prairie part of the country is, of course, dependent upon other localities for its supplies, but in Missouri, Arkansas, southeastern Kansas and Indian Territory, there are large forests of black walnut, oak, hickory, ash and other valuable hard woods for manufacturing purposes, while in parts of Arkan- sas and Texas there are heavy forests of hard pine. The extension of railroads will soon make available such of these woods as are not available now.
MINERAL RESOURCES.
Of the mineral resources of the New West, probably less is known than of any of its other resources. The mines are yet in so undeveloped a state that no adequate idea of their extent can be attained. But enough is known to warrant
631
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
the assertion that no other similar area in the world has such a variety or such an extent of mineral wealth.
SALT.
There is salt enough in Kansas and Nebraska to supply the continent, and it is of exceptional purity. At the great salt wells at Lincoln, Nebraska, and at numerous places along the lines of the Kansas Pacific and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroads in Kansas, the salt water flows to the surface, and crystallizes by solar evaporation into huge cakes, of exceptional strength and purity. This great interest is as yet wholly undeveloped, but at some future time salt from these localities will constitute a prominent feature of Kansas City's commerce.
COAL.
The coal resources of the New West are also immense. All southwest Mis" souri and southeastern Kansas are underlaid with a superior article of bituminous coal. About fifteen thousand car loads are annually moved along the line of the Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf road, most of which is sold in this city. The veins lie near the surface, which makes mining easy and cheap. The prevailing price in this city is not materially above that of other cities contiguous to coal mines, and the quality of our coal is very superior for fuel and steam purposes.
That obtained at Fort Scott will run a railway engine sixty-five miles to the ton, while forty-five is the highest of other soft coals obtained in the United States. All the western part of Missouri, south of the river, is underlaid with coal of the same veins, and hence of the same quality, and it extends westward in Kansas, to an ascertained distance of seventy-five miles, and may be found much farther west. In the mountain districts of the west it is abundant.
LEAD.
This mineral is found in great quantities in southwest and southern Missouri, and as far west and north as Pleasanton, Kansas. The principal mines at the pres- ent time are at Joplin, Missouri, and they have been developed within the past six years, though known for a much longer time. It is the best soft lead found on the American continent, and is, we believe, the only American lead of which the best quality of paints can be made, without an admixture of foreign lead. Of the extent of the product there are no statistics.
ZINC
Is also found at Joplin, Missouri, of exceptional purity and richness, and it is be- ing successfully mined and smelted. The late Hon. Henry T. Blow, of St. Louis, affirms that it is from fifty five to sixty-five per cent. oxide, or thirty-five to fifty per cent. pure metal.
IRON.
Missouri is already famous for the extent and richness of her mines. This reputation has been made principally by the ores found in the southeastern part of the State, but the same deposit extends to the western. In fact, all southern Missouri is underlaid with it, as with coal and lead, though outside of the mines at Pilot Knob and Iron Mountain, it is but little developed. It is found also in inexhaustible quantities in the mountains of Colorado and New Mexico.
GOLD AND SILVER.
The gold and silver mines of Colorado and New Mexico have been famous for many years. Specie and bullion from New Mexico was a prominent article of traffic in the old days of the Santa Fe trade at Kansas City, though the mines were then but little developed and worked only by the indolent Mexicans. The extent and richness of these mines will not be ascertained for many years to
-
632
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
come. The whole Rocky Mountain country is full of gold and silver, as well as coal, iron and lead. Of the annual yield of most of these minerals the statistics are not available, but we here quote from a report for 1880, carefully compiled by John J. Valentine, Superintendent of Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express, St. Louis, the total product of the precious metals of the western mines for, indeed, it will be seen that that and other sections connected commercially with Kansas City show the largest increase :
STATES AND TERRITORIES.
PRODUCT 1880
Colorado
$21,284,989
California.
18,276, 166
Nevada. .
15,031,621
Oregon .
1, 059,641
Washington
105, 164
Idaho
1,894,747
Montana
3,822,379
Utah .
6,450,953
New Mexico
711,300
Dakota .
4, 123, 081
Arizona.
4,472,471
Mexico (West Coast)
2,090,557
British Columbia .
844,867
$80,167,936
Commenting on the product of the mines Mr. Valentine says: "Colorado shows an increase of $6,871, 474 over our report of last year-chiefly from Lead- ville district. California shows an increase in gold of $579,579, and a decrease in silver of $360,873. Nevada shows a total falling off of $6,966, 093, the yield from the Comstock being only $5, 312,592, as against $8,830,562 in 1879, a decrease of $3,517,970. The product of Eureka district is $4, 639,025, as against $5,859, 261 in 1879, a decrease of $1, 220,236. Utah shows an increase of $982,- 074. Dakota shows an increase of $914,094. Arizona shows a notable in- crease."
RM &H. K.CMC
633
HISTORY OF INDEPENDENCE.
HISTORY OF INDEPENDENCE.
Introductory-Names of Early Settlers Given Under Blue Township-County Seat Located in .1827-Additions to the Town of Independence-Sale of Lots-First Instrument of Record- The First Court-Gold Excitement-The First Court House-Jails and Sheriffs-Business of the City-Banking, Etc .- Streets and Boulevards-Beautiful Scenery-Incorporation-Names of Mayors-Religious History-Joab Powell- Baptists-M. E. Church, South-Christian Church -Old School Presbyterians-M. E. Church-Cumberland Presbyterians - Old School Baptists -- Latter Day Saints -. Catholic Church-The Cemetary-Colleges and Schools-Secret Societies-Business Directory- Wayne City Bluff-The Finest Mansion in Jackson County.
In this sketch of the history of the city of Independence we shall endeavor to give a comprehensive, though not exhaustive review, of its establishment as the seat of justice of Jackson county, its growth and development and its present condition. Those who know the history of Independence so well that the most observant and inquisitive historical pen could not bring to the mind a single unheard-of incident or experience, nor present an old one in a new light, per- haps may not highly prize what is so familiar to them ; but posterity will cherish a deep interest in any facts with which their fathers were associated. Independ- ence is one of the most beautiful little cities in the Union ; the large and elegant homes, the tall and branching shade trees, the smooth macadam streets, the large and beautiful court house, the commodious churches, the colleges and schools, the substantial business houses, the wealth and business enterprise and the moral and intellectual culture of the citizens, all conspire to make Independ . ence the pride not only of those who reside within its immediate bounds, but of the State at large.
In speaking thus of this little city of Independence we are at the same time aware that our noble State, Missouri, contains many other good towns, and that the fertile soil, the sunny skies, the fruitful seasons, the advantages of culture and the smiles of Providence are blessings enjoyed in every clime, but to the same extent and degree as found here exceedingly few examples can be cited. Independence is most emphatically one of Missouri's representative towns, but that it is in every particular a model we shall not pretend to maintain. How- ever, it is certainly much easier with Independence in mind to frame an ideal model, than taking most other cities of the same size as the basis.
The early settlers for the most part came from Kentucky and Tennessee, though some were from Virginia and other States. Scholarly parents have removed to Independence in order to secure the best advantages for their chil- dren, and there is no place in the State better suited to their purpose.
Not many of the first settlers of Independence are now alive; a very few who came soon after the first still live and relate the scenes in which they took such active interest. The laying out of the town, the establishment of the seat of justice for Jackson county, the building of the first Court House and Jail, the New Mexico Trade, the Gold Excitement, Doniphan's Expedition, and many more events of that nature are nearly forgotten by the few old settlers and scarcely heard of by the youths.
The settlement of Jackson county is inseparably connected with the settle- ment of Independence. In these pages devoted to this beautiful growing town we shall endeavor to present as many facts, as a short sketch will permit. Such men as Abraham Mcclellan, Richard Fristoe, Samuel C. Owens, Jacob Gregg, Henry Burris, Joel P. Walker, L. W. Boggs and others were among the first pioneers who directed the affairs of this county.
Independence was laid out by David Ward, Julius Emmons and John Bartle-
634
HISTORY OF INDEPENDENCE.
son in 1827. These gentlemen were appointed by the General Assembly of Mis- souri to pre-empt a tract of land upon which to locate a county seat for Jackson county ; their final report bears the date of Mareh, 1827. The first court was held by David Todd, on the 21st of May, following. The original town plat contained 240 acres, upon which have been found sixteen springs of pure water.
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