USA > Missouri > Pettis County > The History of Pettis County, Missouri, including an authentic history of Sedalia, other towns and townships, together with biographical sketches > Part 52
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by any member of the Jackson family. He and his comrades had several fights during the day, while the city marshal was out in the country. They finally went to the livery stable of Capt. F. L. Parker, north of the present Garrison House, drove every one out of the place and did as they pleased. Forbes' clothes were torn, and he and several of his friends, who had been fighting among themselves, were smeared with blood. It was now about half past three o'clock in the afternoon and the gang had been " running things" the whole day. W. P. Jackson, the city marshal, came in from the country, accompanied by a man named Davis. He rode past the stable and was told what had been going on. When Forbes saw him as he came to the door of the stable he said to Jackson: " If you get off that horse I'll kill you." Jackson got off his horse. Forbes started to come towards him with a knife in his hand. Jackson had no arms, and must either flee or fight. At this critical moment Davis stepped up and handed Jackson a revolver. Forbes still continued to advance on Jackson. When he was within a few steps of the officer the latter leveled his revolver at him and shot him in the body three times, killing him almost instantly. With this same revolver S. S. Homans, a deputy sheriff, afterwards shot a man who was resisting arrest and advancing on him with an uplifted ax. A coroner's jury was summoned and they rendered a verdict that Forbes was killed while resisting an officer and that Jackson had acted in self defense. These are about the facts of the case, but there was a division of public sentiment, a minority of the community thinking that Forbes ought not to have been killed.
The preliminary steps for the establishment of the public school system were taken in 1866. In March of that year, the Legislature passed an act authorizing incorporated towns and chartered cities, to become separate school districts. A number of prominent citizens of Sedalia, headed by Maj. William Beck, began in the spring of 1866, to agitate this matter. These citizens worked among the people until the city council passed a special ordinance ordering an election to be held on Aug. 29, 1866, when the question as to whether the public school system should be adopted in Sedalia, was submitted to a vote of the people. The proposi- tion was favored by a large vote. In September following, the first board of education was elected. It consisted of the following gentlemen : Wm. Beck, Florence Crandall, A. Ensell, Dr. Thos. J. Montgomery, E. W. Washburn, and Wm. Bloess.
On September 19th, the officers of the board were elected, as follows: President, E. W. Washburn; Treasurer, Wm. Beck; Secretary, F. Cran- dall. Nothing further was done in a formal manner until March 19, 1867. On this date the board met, and it was decided to issue $25,000 worth of city bonds, the proceeds of which were to be used in the erection of public school buildings. At a subsequent meeting the sum was increased to
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$30,000, the bonds to bear ten per cent interest. These bonds were easily disposed of at eighty-seven and one-half cents on the dollar.
The entire half square on the south side of Broadway, west of Kentucky street, now occupied by the Broadway School, was purchased for the sum of $2,250.
Efforts were now made to secure the best plans for a building. The board finally concluded to erect it themselves. A. Ensell and Wm. Bloess, not agreeing with the plans of the majority of the board, resigned. Maj. A. C. Marvin and Col. Richard Ritter, were elected to fill their places. The erection of the large two story Broadway building was begun in the fall, and by Feb. 10, 1867, it was ready for occupancy. It cost about $24,000. This was the magnificent beginning of one of the finest systems of public schools in the State, outside of St. Louis. In 1869, the Franklin School building was erected at a cost of $10,000. In 1873, the Washington School, a frame, was built at a cost of $5,000. Richard Ritter and F. Crandall, were the building committee.
On Jan. 1, 1867, J. M. Byler, real estate agent, and Colton Bros. and Reese, began the publication of a large real estate monthly newspaper, filled with facts, figures and arguments, to induce immigration to Missouri. It was called the Sedalia Advertiser. During the last six months of the year it was edited and managed by Byler alone, and published at the Times office.
On Monday, Feb. S, 1867, one of the landmarks of Sedalia, disappeared in a cloud of flame. It has been repeatedly published that the old Sedalia House was burned in the fall of 1866. It was not burned until the above clate in 1867. . It was the oldest hotel building in the town, and had passed unharmed through all the dangers and vicissitudes of war. At the time it was burned it was occupied by a lot of tenants and families, and was not used as a hotel. The occupants barely escaped with their lives.
In the early part of this year, Perry Hawes, of Xenia, O., came to the city and bought a half interest in the Times. He had been raised in a newspaper office, was a practical editor, a man of fine mind and education, and he made a great improvement in the paper. He was subsequently appointed postmaster, and held the office eight years. This was one of the great building years. Seventy-five buildings were in course of erection and repairs, and additions were being place on others.
It was during this year that the First National Bank erected the build- ing now occupied by them. Though the first brick building in the town it to-day has no superior in the city for strength and stability. Messrs. Jaynes and Newkirk watched its construction continually and never let a weak piece of material go into it. It cost about $30,000.
Broadway was laid out and the first tree planted on it this year.
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The Ilgenfritz Opera House was built on Ohio street. It was subse- quently burned.
In 1867 Bacon Montgomery was Brigadier General of Militia and in command of the Second Missouri District. He had been stationed at Lex- ington with a considerable force in the early part of the year. Lafayette County was the last to settle down to peace. During the last year of the war, Gen. Montgomery had killed a young desperado in Lexington, named Arch Clemens. In February the forces were withdrawn. A short time after Gen. Montgomery was arrested for the killing of Clemens, taken to Jefferson City and subsequently released. Here the matter was dropped.
Although Sedalia was a most thriving and progressive town at this time, the social manners and customs were still of the " free and easy" character, which is inseparable from life in the far west. An incident which occurred in July of this year, will best illustrate this fact, and it will probably be remembered by every man who was at the time a resi- dent of the city, as long as he lives. A popular saloon in the city was at that time located about the spot now occupied by Rod Gallie's grocery store. Three prominent city officers, a United State officer and two well known lawyers, met in a back room at this saloon on the morning of July 3d, 1867, to perfect arrangements for the celebration of the Fourth of July. When they had settled their formal business they called for "sherry cobblers, " as the temperature was torrid. They continued to call for the same seductive combination until all were in a joyous and mischievous humor. One of the party, a man of gigantic stature, and a prominent lawyer, wore a long linen duster, the tails of which hung in flowing drap- ery over each side of the seat of his chair. Another member of the party got behind him, caught the sweeping tails of the coat in either hand; gave a mighty jerk and split the garment clear up the back. The lawyer arose, caught hold of his antagonist and after a hard struggle-both being men of splendid strength-succeeded in tearing his friends coat into shreds and tatters. By this time all had joined in the sport. They locked the doors of the room they were in, and went at the work of retaliation with a vengence. They pulled and tugged at each other for a half an hour, racing around the room and over-turning chairs and tables, amidst shouts of laughter, until there was not a man in the room that had a piece of clothing on him big enough to cover a three weeks old baby! By this time every man was covered only with perspiration and they desisted from their fun. The proprietor was sent for and requested to go to C. E. Smith's, clothing store, which was near by, and have a new suit of cloth- ing sent down for each of the party. Smith knew the stature of each one in the party and in a few minutes sent down a large dry goods box full of clothing, on a dray. Each man was soon arrayed in a new suit, but
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the big lawyer could not find a shirt large enough to cover his manly form, and he had to content himself with a big standing collar and a bril- liant cravat as a subtitute for this very necessary under garment.
It is quite probable that if the gentlemen who now occupy such promi- nent official and social positions as those then did, were to now engage in such a rollicing frolic, the press would assault them and articles of impeachment would be filed. It was considered a gigantic joke in those days.
The following is a list of minor events of the year: J. West Goodwin printed a Gazetter and Directory of the Union Pacific Railroad, containing descriptions of railroads, towns, &c.
On the first Sunday in March the basement room of the Ohio street M. E. Church was formally dedicated.
Maj. A. C. Marvin, Provost Marshal of Sedalia during the war, and after the war, proprietor of the Marvin House, a man of recognized ability, identified with all the important projects of the city, and a man in whose probity and intelligence the entire community had confidence, was elected president of the Tebo & Neosho R. R. Co., and actually started the work of construction.
Col. A. D. Jaynes and Gen. Geo. R. Smith, at a great railroad meeting held in July, were appointed a committee to visit Chicago in the interest of this railroad scheme.
In February there was a meeting to organize a Fire Company. They then had some kind of a hand engine and ladders. On Feb. 23, the Fire Company and Hook and Ladder Company had a parade.
The McKissock House, under the management of Jas. O. Ives, was completed early in the Summer. Late in the Summer the grading and macadamizing of Ohio street was completed to Fifth street.
Very nearly $50,000 was put into church buildings during the year.
Among the prominent business men whose names appear in the paper are those of W. S. Mackey, L. N. Guild, Peter Brandt, W. A. Winzen- burg, W. W. Cecil, Jno. Burkhart, F. L. Robbins, Jno. Kullmer, G. L. Lagden, Wm. Inch, E. Lamy.
On the 26th of April the Odd Fellows of the city had a grand celebra- tion and a royal feast at the McKissock House.
Among the additional new brick buildings put up in the summer were those of Elias Laupheimer; Major Beck, corner Main and Osage; Louis Kumm, Main street; Clifton Wood, Hall & Beiler, several on the burned district mentioned hereafter, and the Broadway school building.
This year the people and the newspapers began to call for a Court House, a City Hall, a jail, additional sewerage, more side walks and the grading and macadamizing of Osage and Kentucky streets. The City
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Council took up the question of building a City Hall, Market House, &c; and the additional question, whether the city should take $30,000 in bonds of the Tebo & Neosho Railroad. Late in the summer a special election to submit these two questions to a vote of the people was ordered. Both questions were carried by the following vote. Whole number of votes cast on the R. R. bond question, 235; for, 212; against; 23. For issuing bonds to erect City Hall, &c .: total vote cast, 211; for, 182; against, 29.
The Publishers' Convention of the Fifth Congressional District met in the city during the summer,and this was probably the first meeting of news- paper editors and publishers ever held in Central Missouri, the first ever held in Sedalia and the first held in Central Missouri since the beginning of the war. There were representatives present from the papers of Kan- sas City, Independence, Holden, Pleasant Hill, California, Warrensburg, Boonville, Marshall, Clinton, Jefferson City, Warsaw, Osceola, and Lexing- ton; much important business was done and uniform rates for legal and other advertising agreed upon. There was a special meeting of the same body again in October.
June 15th the following officers of the Fair Association were elected: Wm. Gentry, president; Jno. F. Philips, Thos. F. Houston, F. L. Parker, vice-presidents; Col. A. D. Jaynes, treasurer; Dr. Tobias, secretary; the officers above, Jno. M. Sneed, Wm. Paff and others, directors. On Sept. 30th a very good fair was held and a large list of premiums offered.
W. A. O'Brian, of Troy, N. Y., visited the city and proposed to build a Gas Works if a joint stock company was formed. He did not succeed then in accomplishing his object, but from that on the question was agi- tated until works were put up.
The first base ball club was organized, and among its members were Maj. A. P. Morey, Ben. Lyon, E. H. Renish, and John Scheer.
C. P. Anderson of the Central Missourian, at California, Mo., threat- ened to bring a lible suit for $10,000 against the Sheldon Times. Col. Richard Retter was appointed County Road Commissioner, S. S. Vinton, Public Administrator.
Jas. M. Swan, a railroad man, was killed at the depot while coupling cars. This was the first man killed there that the records show. He was a Mason. Wm. B. Wallace, a prominent Odd Fellow, died this summer.
About the eighth of August burglars broke into C. G. Taylor's jewelry store, blew the door of the safe open, and got away with over $5,000 in jewelry and money. It was in this summer that a Gypsy woman swindled Mr. Reeves, of Georgetown, out of $6,000 in cash. She represented to him that she could tell him where there was a gold mine on his farm if he would get $6,000 to hold while she made her incantations. Reeves bor- rowed $1,000 ·from his brothers, mortgaged his farm to Reece Hughes for $5,000, and got the cash. The woman tied the money in a package
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for him to hold in his hand. She substituted a similar package for him to hold and carried off the one with the money in it. This is the largest swindling operation ever known in Central Missouri.
In September a special election was held to decide whether $60,000 in bonds should be issued to build a court house and county jail. The propo- sition was carried.
On the night of Nov. 6, 1867, occurred the most destructive fire that had thus far befallen the city. The loss was estimated at the time at $90,000. In this fire, all the buildings on the north side of Main street, from the middle of the block, westward to Osage street, and the hand- some and spacious McKissock House, which was also the depot, were consumed, with a great portion of their contents. The fire originated in the grocery store of C. P. Childs. The people had nothing but a hand fire engine, and cisterns to draw water from. There was a brisk breeze; most of the buildings were frame, and in a very few moments the half- block was beyond the power of salvation. The following buildings were burned: C. P. Childs, grocer, stock, loss, $3,500; Geo. Sugden, house, loss, $2,500; Grossbeck & Phillips, dry goods, stock, loss, $18,000; insur- ance, $15,000; E. Lamy, brick building, loss, $5,000; insurance, $2,000; Strauss & Guttman, on stock, $10,000; covered by insurance; Lohman's brick block damaged $800; Marvin House, furniture, $200; Chas. Lyon, billiard hall and saloon, loss, $2,200, insurance, $1,200; L. Kumm, damage to house, $600; Weiller Bros., livery stable, damage, $300; insured; Chas. Yost, saloon and stock, total loss, $3,000, insurance, $1,300; Winzenburg & Co., tobacconists, stock, $3,000, insurance, $1,500; Bellas' building totally destroyed, insured; Jno. Montgomery, Jr., Asst. U. S. Collector; Maj. Richard Penny, U. S. Inspector, all books and papers lost; other buildings, loss, $3,500; McKissock House, $15,000; Kleiner & Co., liquors, loss, $1,000; Stewart & Jenkins, loss, $1,500; Independent Press, office, loss, $3,000, insurance, $2,000; Silver Cornet Band instruments, $500; Merchants Union Express Office, $5,000; Jas. O. Ives, furniture in McKissock House, $6,000, insured.
The original fire was on Main street, and swept southward for a time, long enough for the flames to damage houses on the south side of the street. The second period of the fire was when it swept north, and the flames were communicated to the McKissock House. This building was new, built of strong, fresh pine lumber, and those who saw it when it was com- pletely enveloped in flames, say that it made the most magnificent con- flagration ever witnessed in Sedalia. The list of losses and insurance are given to show the character of the buildings in the city at that time, the amounts of stock carried, and the proportion of insurance. This great · fire brought about a great change. After that a steam fire engine was procured, and all the large business houses erected were built of brick.
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In a month after this fire there were over one hundred men at work on the grounds, engaged in the preliminary work of erecting brick blocks. The people were too full of energy and ambition in those days to waste time in idle repining. .
For two or three years the people had been talked to about the build- ing of the railroad from Sedalia to Fort Scott. Many preliminary meet- ings had been held. Maj. A. C. Marvin, Gen. George R. Smith, Col. A. D. Jaynes, Cyrus Newkirk, Col. Jno. F. Philips 'and other prominent citizens had worked actively for the cause. In 1867, when Maj. Marvin was elected president of the Tebo and Neosho Railroad Company, the principal advocates of the scheme, the subscribers to the stock, and the people at large, felt satisfied that now something would be done that was tangible. In July, 1867, the following amounts had actually been sub- scribed for the road: Bourbon County, Kansas, $150,000; Henry County, Mo., $150,000; Sedalia, $50,000; private subscriptions, $60,000; Ft. Scott, Kas., $50,000; Clinton, Mo., $25,000. Total $615,000. On July 15, T. W. Wilson, former president of the road with a force of men, was in the suburbs of the city awaiting the formal "breaking of the ground," which had been fixed for Sept. 18, 1867. On this date there was a splendid demonstration in honor of that very important occasion. Gen. Blair of Kansas, Col. Philips and others of the leading workers in the good cause, made speeches which did much to encourage the people to aid the work in future.
In December this year, several miles were graded out from Sedalia. Six miles were graded near Clinton, and a considerable distance graded from Ft. Scott, Kansas. The history of this and other ranroads is treated under a separate head.
During this year the Masons, the oldest secret organization in the city, moved into their new hall, in the second story of the First National Bank building, which had been completed.
The following additions were made to the area of the city during this year:
Lesher Brothers' addition was laid off March 7, 1867.
Mc Vey Brothers' addition was laid off March 26, 1867.
Woods' addition was laid off July 2, 1867.
Meyers' addition was laid off Sept. 7, 1867.
In all these additions, lots were sold and a few houses erected, but the great bulk of buildings were still confined to the central portion of the town.
Now that Sedalia had the actual work of building a railroad to Fort Scott, Kansas, in progress, and enough money subscribed to pay all the present demands for work, the people began to think of another railroad project. When they had one thing well under way they seized on some
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new project: In 1858, a charter had been granted to the Lexington and St. Louis Railroad Company, now commonly called the Lexington Branch Railroad, to build a line of road from the Pacific main line to Lex- ington on the Missouri River. When this company received its charter, it was supposed that the Missouri Pacific main line would run through Georgetown. Before the war, work was begun on this line, near Smith town, and it was graded almost to Georgetown. The war stons, w pped the work. In the fall of 1867, the question of starting this line from Sedalia was broached, and in the following spring the company was re-organ- ized.
Shortly after the destruction of the Independent Press, the Demo- cratic newspaper, by the fine of the sixth of November, a company was organized to establish "a new paper called the Democratic Press. The paper did not make its appearance, however, until the following January, 1868. The leaders in this move were, Col. A. C. Marvin, John P. Thatcher, O: A. Crandall, E. C. Bouldin, and Dr. A. Y. Hull, and J. M. Sneed.
During the year 1868, the city made rapid strides forward in material prosperity, and the year is rendered memorable by a number of impor- tant events, which have had a decided influence upon the ultimate success of the town, though they are devoid of the tragic element, and the liter- ary interest which attaches to the events of the year previous. Peace and law were established, except in strong localities. The great influx of men from other States, professional and business men and farmers, was at its full tide. Two of the real estate firms of that period claimed that during the latter part of 1867, and the early part of 1868, that they sold $100,000 worth of city and county property.
The wholesale trade, which was now augmented by the local demands of new settlers and the necessity of restoring everything lost in the war, was immense. This trade had rapidly increased ever since 1863, and it never ceased until the M. K. & T. (Tebo and Neosho) Railroad was com- pleted and in actual operation, ready to furnish all the southwest with supplies. The records of the court show that up to 1868, 1409 warrantee and quit claim deeds were recorded. The papers of that date, and they were very probably correct, state that Staley, Vinton & Co., wholesale dry goods, etc., did a business of $400,000; that Stewart & Jenkins, wholesale hardware, agricultural implements and house furnishing goods, did a business of $400,000 per annum, and it is stated that the oldest firm of the town, Cloney, Crawford & Co., general dealers and commission merchants, did a business of $400,000.
On January 3, the first issue of the Democratic Press made its appear- ance. It was run by a joint stock company, in which the Lingles, the
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former proprietors of the Independent and the Scdalia Advertiser, were interested. Dr. A. Y. Hull was editor and business manager.
The other important events of the year, summed up, are as follows: On January 27 the second great fire-exclusive of the burning of the Missouri Hotel in 1861 and the Sedalia House, 1867, occurred, and it destroyed $50,000 worth of property and the half block of frame buildings on the north side of Main street, from the centre of the block eastward to Ohio street. The first fire had destroyed the west half of. the block. The Sedalia Savings Bank, with a capital of $50,000, was organized. The Sedalia Gas Light Company was organized and the building of the works begun. The Broadway school' was opened and had an attendance of 500 pupils during the year. The beautiful' Ilgenfritz Opera House, on Ohio street, was completed and opened, Dec. 21, by: Geo. D. Chaplin, the actor; the Ives House was constructed as it now stands, (the Garrison House;) the building of Smith's Hall on Main street was begun and almost completed; a row of brick buildings was erected on . the "burned district," previously mentioned, and numerous others in various promi- nent business localities; the people of the city and county voted to sub- scribe $100,000 more to the building of the T. & N. Railroad, and, to aid in the building of the Lexington & St. Louis Railroad; the population of the town was increased nearly 40 per cent and at the end of the year was about 6,000; an important city election was held under a peculiar com- bination of men and parties, and the entire Radical ticket elected; the city purchased a new steam fire engine and organized a regular an'd efficient fire department. The Lexington & St. Louis Railroad Company was reorganized, propositions made and accepted which made Sedalia the'; southern terminus of the road, and the actual work of building it was begun. A history in detail of each of these leading events, together with a mention of minor matters, will now be given.
The great fire of January 27, originated in the dry goods store of L. S. Florsheim; John B. Gallie, the city marshal, discovered it when it was in full progress, broke open the front door and permitted Mr. Florsheim to escape, which he did in his night clothing, and with barely time to save his life. The buildings were all of frame, and even the aid of two good fire engines, which the city did not have, could not have saved them. The buildings and stocks burned were those of Clifton Wood, Elias Laup- heimer, L. S. Florsheim, J. Nussberger & Co., Jno. W. Liebe, W. E. Bard, D. Levy & Bros., J. Wolf & Bros. The loss on the buildings was $10,000, on stocks about $63,000, and the total loss above insurance was about $42,000. This was a calamity of sufficient magnitude to daunt any but. determined and hopeful men.
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