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 53
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The Sedalia Savings Bank was started in February, by Mr. Mentor Thomson, Elisha Brown, formerly of Boonville, as the principal stock.
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holders, with a paid up capital of $50,000. Adam Ittel was the teller, and one of the early settlers of the city.
The following buildings were either started or completed this season: Smith's Hall, those on the burnt district, two south of the present Bazoo office, Lesher's building on East Main, and at least twelve others, of which record could not be found; all were two-story bricks. That year Henry Suess sold a house and lot on the southeast corner for $8,000. This will show the immense increase in the values of real estate since the close of the war.
E. D. Winslow, who afterwards gained a world-wide reputation as the most collossal and unscrupulous swindler of the decade, was at that time a prominent business man of the city doing a large trade, "Wearing the livery of Heaven to serve the devil in." " At pious feasts he knelt among the saints, and with his wicked hands touched holy things." His fine intelligence, business acumen and success made him popular, respected, and gained him the confidence of a free-hearted community. His evil record was not made until later.
On Jan. 11, 1868, the county court ordered a special election, the date of which was finally fixed at May 12, for the purpose of submitting to a vote of the people the question of subscribing $100,000 to the T. & N. and the St. L. & Lex. R. R. schemes.
A Young Men's Christian Association was formed in the summer. The I. O. G. T. took possession of a large hall on West Main street, for their regular place of meeting.
On March 5, Gen. Bacon Montgomery announced in the Times that he had purchased Mr. Magann's interest in that paper, and he became at once one of the editors. A city election was approaching and there seemed to be only one difference between the two parties, and only one plank to the platform of either. It was the old question of Union man and Con- federate. These matters are referred to only as a part of the true history of the town. There was bound to be more or less intensity of feeling. The Democratic paper talks of "Northerners, Yankees, Satraps, Nigger-lovers, Miscegenationists, Radical thieves, Fletcher's war dogs," and similar characters. The Radical paper terms its opponents, " Rebels, Traitors, Southern mud-sills, Secessionists, Copperheads." At the election in April, Gen. Mortgomery and Maj. Henry Suess, both of whom were Union soldiers, were the candidates for mayor. The straight Republicans supported Montgomery. Maj. Suess was on the "Fusion ticket," and it was supported by Conservative-Union men and ex-soldiers and Democrats, like Dr. Thos. J. Montgomery, Maj. A. C. Marvin, and Dr. A. Y. Hull. After a sharp contest, Montgomery was elected by a majority of seventeen.
One of the aldermen of that year, a Mr. Jamison, employed a very novel
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method of "cleaning out " one of the dens of infamy, which even then began to infest the town. The officials of the present day may learn from the somewhat arbitrary and yet very effectual means employed by Mr. Jamison to "suppress vice " and cleanse the city of the stains of immor- ality, just what idea the city officers had of their own powers and authority. The people of the present day may also learn from the action of this municipal law-maker how extremely prompt and practical the councilmen were in those days in performing what they conceived to be their duty to their fellow citizens. This den of infamy was a small frame house. The occupants and their associates had been guilty of the most outrageous disorder.
Mr. J. came down town one evening about eleven o'clock and quietly ordered out the splendid new $6,000 steam fire engine and the hose cart, with a thousand feet of hose. The fire department followed their leader. He stationed the engine near a large well, had the long line of hose run out, and the conspirators at the nozzle approached the house in silence and darkness. In a few moments more the sounds of revelry within were literally drowned beneath a magnificent flood of water poured into the house by the full force of the new engine. The house was cleaned out. Some one who escaped, cut the new hose in two places. Mr. J. got " a good dose of newspaper," and had to pay for the repair of the hose, and thus it was that a great moral reformer had cold water thrown upon his enthusiasm because he threw cold water on immorality.
On Dec. 1, 1868, a list of only the principal business houses, which were erected that year, was prepared. It is as follows, and is the first " build- ing review ":
Burkhart & Son, two-story brick, cost $4,500; John F. Antes, two- story brick, cost $8,000; Morrison, Kimbrough & Co., one two-story brick, $25,000; Lohman & Co., two two-story bricks, $30,000; Julius Conrath, two-story brick, $15,000. All the following are two-story brick buildings: A. W. Winzenburg, $10,000; Charles Yost, $10,000; George Sugden, $7,000; E. Lamy, $8,000; Clifton Wood, $9,000; John J. Yeater, $15,000; I. Nussberger & Co., $20,000; Lieb & Houx, $10,000; W. E. Bard, $10,000; J. Wolf & Bro., $8,000; D. Levy & Bro., $8,000; George R. Smith (Smith's Opera House), $40,000; J. Landmann, $10,000; H. Lesher, $10,000; Randall & Ilgenfritz (Opera House), $25,000; O. A. Crandall, $7,000; W. W. Cecil, frame, $4,500.
Total expended for brick business houses alone, $286,000.
Two hundred private dwellings at an average of $500 each, $100,000.
Amount spent on the improvement of the streets, &c., $78,000.
Expended in erecting gas works, $30,000.
Grand total for 1868, $494,000.
It is fair to estimate that there were many miscellaneous improvements
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which are not mentioned, but would have been had the town been sub- jected to a personal canvass, as it now is, each year, by the Sedalia Demo- crat. This would bring the figures up to at least $500,000.
On Nov. 28, the President of the Lexington and St. Louis Railroad, J. Lewis, met a number of the citizens of Sedalia. There were present: A. J. Sampson, Secretary; Gen. G. R. Smith, Col. Jaynes, C. Newkirk, Col. J. D. Crawford, Col. Marvin, Maj. Gentry, J. M. Sneed, Capt. Wm. Paff, D. H. Smith, Henry Suess, and a large number of other prominent men. Col. Lewis informed the meeting that Lafayette County was ready to issue $500,000 in bonds to aid in building the road as far as George- town, and that Sedalia would have to build the short piece between Seda- lia and Georgetown. A' resolution was carried declaring that Sedalia would do this. Committees were then appointed to canvass each town- ship, to get all the citizens together in December and perfect plans to raise the money. At a later meeting in December it was determined to submit to a vote of the people the three propositions that Sedalia and Pettis County should subscribe $25,000 additional to complete the T. & N. road to the Henry County line, to subscribe $50,000 to build the Lexington & St. Louis Road to Muddy Creek, and $75,000 to build the N. E. extension of the T. & N. to the Cooper County line.
Among minor events may be mentioned the following: Porter & Tesch opened a planing mill, the Leroy House was opened, S. S. Homans, a policeman, shot out the eye of a Malay, whom he was arresting, and while the man was attempting to kill him with an ax; Robt. Blythe hanged himself to tree near the brewery; C. F. Lohman & Co. shipped in June and July 516,000 pounds of lead from the city; Thomas Spotswood, of Calhoun, Mo., killed John H. Jones, of Ohio, by striking the latter in the back of the head with a stone while he was going home at night from a circus; John W. Patterson murdered J. G. Clark, just south of Sedalia, with a hatchet, robbed him of $400, was arrested in Sedalia, escaped before his trial and was not caught and hanged until 1881, at Clinton, Mo .; Hoberecht & Bro. enlarged their mill; Gen. Grant dined at the Ives House in July; the first great torch light procession came off on the nom- ination of Burdett & Stover to Congress; the Sedalia Turner Society was organized and an exhibition held, at which F. Kneckhous won first prize; William Korkhammer second, John Hennings third and Frank Sampson fourth; the third annual convention of the Pettis County Sunday Schools was held.
During the latter part of the year there was intense excitment and activity over the Presidential election. The papers conducted the cam- paign with considerable personality. The Democratic Press published many violent charges against Gen. Bacon Montgomery regarding his stern and positive measures in suppressing lawlessness in Lafayette
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County, and the Times answered with scathing sarcasms upon the per- sonal character, political record, and educational and literary attainments of Dr. A. Y. Hull. The first political cartoons were published during this campaign in the Times, and the blocks from which they were printed are still in some one of the newspaper offices of the city. One represents Andrew Johnson "overwhelmed by a sea of troubles;" another repre- sents Gen. F. P. Blair as " on a bender;" a third shows Dr. A. Y. Hull "climbing a greased pole backward which is 1805 feet high," a feat he promised to perform if Grant was elected.
During the year there was much talk of a Ku Klux Klan in the county, and it was claimed that several outrages were committed on the persons and property of Union men by the members of it. In December, Maj. A. P. Morey, Deputy Sheriff, arrested near Longwood John H. Bridge- ford and his brother on a charge of sending threatening letters to Union men. One of the members of the alleged gang turned against his com- rades and declared that some of the Klan had formed a plan to throw a passenger train off the track west of Sedalia, and then to rob the train.
In this year J. West Goodwin founded the daily Bazoo, and begun its publication. On Jan. 11, 1868, Gen. Smith laid off the addition now called Lincolnville or Negrotown, in the northern suburbs. It now con- tains, probably, 300 negroes.
THE YEAR 1869.
In the year 1869 the city was well established, well known throughout the entire State, and progressing with rapidity and solidity.
In January the postoffice was moved to the west side of Ohio street, between Second and Third.
In this year the gas works were completed and the city lighted by gas.
In February, the County Court orded the issue of $110,000 in county bonds, for the aid of the St. Louis & Lexington Railroad.
The grandest event of the year was the beginning of work on the extension of the Tebo & Neosho Railroad; later the M. K. & T. Rail- road from Sedalia to Hannibal, or rather to Boonville, which was the first division built. On March 10, 1869, a large force began work.
This action was authorized by the action of the County Court, which on March 3, 1869, ordered the issue of $200,000 in county bonds to built the line through Pettis County. Work progressed on the road very favorably during the summer. In the following October it was taken charge of by the New York Trust and Loan Co., and the name changed to the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad. On May 11, 1869, the grand ceremonies attending the "breaking of ground" for the St. Louis & Lex-
HISTORY OF SEDALIA.
MEWYTYPE 4
"AVONDALE," RESIDENCE OF THOMAS B. PRICE, BLACKWATER TOWN- SHIP, PETTIS COUNTY, MO.
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ington Railroad were held. There was a crowd of notables present, a multitude of people and immense rejoicing. The city now had two new railroads in process of construction.
In March the St. Louis Conference of the M. E. Church was held in the city. This was the first religious meeting of such magnitude and character held here.
On June 3, 1369, Smith's Opera House was opened. This was the second opera house opened in the city.
On Saturday, July 25, 1869, the work of changing the guage of the Missouri Pacific Railroad began, and was completed in sixteen hours.
The people and the papers during the summer of 1869 began to agitate the proposition to built a Market House and City Hall.
The Congregational Association of Missouri met in the city this year, and already the city was recognized as a location so accessible and so near the center of the State that important bodies chose it for their place of meeting.
During the year there was a large amount of building done. A num- ber of brick store-rooms were completed on Main street; there were a large number of old business houses then on Main street, and Ohio street had begun to rival it. Business houses on Ohio street were located south of Pearl River.
The year was especially remarkable for the large amounts of real estate which was disposed of in the city and surrounding country. Two large monthly real estate papers were published. The Western Real Estate Register, by Jas. M. Byler and Wm. H. H. Hill, afterwards Crimi- nal Judge. These papers were scattered throughout the length and breadth of the land, making known the chief great fact that in 1870 it would be one of the great railroad centers. In addition to the individual real estate firms, the Missouri Land Company was chartered and organ- ized with a capital of $100,000. Albert Parker, recently Postmaster of this city, was General Superintendent, and vast tracts of land on the M., K. & T. R. R. both north and south of Sedalia, were disposed of.
In the early part of March, 1869, was planted the germ from which the beautiful portion of the city designated as East Sedalia, has grown. Rev. E. T. Brown laid off his first addition to the city and began the active work of building it up.
A more extended notice of East Sedalia and of Lincolnville will be found in the chapter on "City Government" and "Municipal Matters."
THE LAST DECADE.
The history of the city has now been traced from its foundation to the year 1870. Many minute details have been given in regard to the events of the first ten years, because there were not so many, and because they
Highand Kibler Cal 28 the Rightlle Infly Note
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are really of the most importance and interest to those who will devote most time in perusing this history. The remaining twelve years of the city's history must be treated in a more general manner, as it is beyond the scope of this work to give any more than a general mention of the leading events and the most important epochs. It would require a volume of large size to contain even a condensed account of all the matters which were of interest in their day, but no longer of interest to the reader of the present.
The various chapters in this book on business enterprises, the city gov- ernment, the social development, public enterprises, benevolent and mis- cellaneous societies, the railroads, churches and schools, contain most of the important details of the city's history for the past twelve years-that is from 1870 to 1882.
The histories of the Lexington & St. Louis, the Tebo & Neosho, and M., K. & T. Railroads, their building and completion, fill up the years of 1870-1-2-3.
On March 3, 1871, the matter of building water works in the city came up before the Library Association, which was then the substitute for a Board of Trade. On Oct. 2, 1871, the city ordinance was passed author- izing the issue of $100,000 in city bonds for their construction, and on Oct. 11, 1871, the contract for digging ditches for the mains was given to Russell & Chaney.
The machinery was received in August, 1872, and in September, 1872, the first test of the machinery was made. On Jan. 1, 1873, the works were in full operation, and three miles of main pipe and five miles of street pipe were furnishing the water supply to the city. In 1870, in the spring, two great fires occurred, one on the east side of Ohio and the other on the south side of Main, east of Ohio.
The first Presbyterian Church was built the same year; also the palatial residences of Gen. Geo. R. Smith, Col. A. D. Jaynes, Cyrus Newkirk and Albert Parker, on Broadway. The Southern M. E. Church on Third and Massachusetts, and fifteen brick store rooms on Main and Ohio were erected.
The people were agitated over the question of locating the State Normal School in the city.
July 23, 1871, the first excursion train ran to Clinton, over the M., K. & T. Railroad.
The Fair Association purchased the ground now known as Sicher's Park, gave a fair and distributed $7,000 in premiums.
The Missouri Pacific freight depot was moved to its present location, and the Transfer Co. organized.
In 1871 the Daily Democrat was first issued as a daily, January 17; 19
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five buildings were consumed by fire on Main, between Osage and Ken- tucky; the Library Association was organized, and the Franklin School built. The Ilgen House and first M., K. & T. shops were erected.
In 1872 the erection of the Missouri Pacific Round House and shops began, and the Lex. &. St. L. R. R. was about completed, and the Union Depot built.
In 1873 small pox raged in the city, and there were sixty cases, but only eight deaths; the first excursion train was run on the northeast extension of the M., K. & T .; the first building association was organized, and the city had a population of over seven thousand.
In 1874 the Court House was moved to White's Hall ; the Farmer's Mill was started; the city limits were extended so as to include East Sedalia; Rev. E. T. Brown built the East Sedalia Baptist Church; the Catholic Church was erected; October 23, the corner stone of the City Hall was laid, and the building completed before the end of the year.
In 1874-5 there was a large amount of building done, and in 1875 the Street R. R. Co. was organized, but no work done.
The darkest days in the history of Sedalia were during the year 1877. In constructing the water works and making other improvements it had incurred a bonded indebtedness of $265,000 at ten per cent interest, making a total annual interest of $26,500. To enable the city to meet this heavy demand, property had been assessed very high, and in many instances more than its actual value. The charter limited the levy of taxes to $2.00 on every $100. The new State Constitution which took effect in 1875, prohibited cities assessing property at a higher valuation than it was assessed for State and County purposes. By this provision the total valuation of all the property in the city was reduced to a little less than $1,400,000, on which a levy of two per cent would not, (even if all were collected), produce more money than was neeessary to pay the interest on this large debt, and leave nothing for ordinary expenses. Of course default was made in the payment of interest. Dr. Clark was mayor, and Dr. T. T. Major, chairman of the committee on ways and means, and they were doing everything possible to protect the credit of the city. There was no disposition to repudiate, but it was simply a matter of inability to pay, and all leakages were stopped and expenses reduced, but to no purpose. Interest was accumulating every day, and the bondholders becoming clam- orous. The citizens were equally as much distressed over the condition of the finances as the officers. Many consultations were had over it. In this crisis Mr. O. A. Crandall came forward and volunteered his services to go east where the principal part of the bonds were held, and meet the creditors and make some arrangement for saving the credit of the city. His offer was gladly accepted, and he started on his mission. He met the creditors at Boston, explained the situation, and soon arranged with them
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J.W.TRUXEL'S
MUSIC HOUSE.
PIANOS HOW TRUNG A
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ORGANS
J. W. TRUXEL'S MUSIC HOUSE, SEDALIA, MO.
to refund the whole debt for twenty years, at five per cent interest, thus reducing the annual interest to less than $14,000. The city accepted the compromise thus made and proceeded at once to carry it into execution, and in less than two years all the bonds were refunded, and all the accu- mulated interest and floating debt paid, and the finances of the city placed in good condition.
From the year 1877, to Jan. 1, 1882, the city has gone ahead so rapidly that it would require a chapter to tell of even the most important events, but all of them are known to the people.
In 1879 the work of building the Narrow Gauge R. R. to Warsaw began; in 1880 the new water works reservoir was built and the city spent $500,000 in general improvements; the new Superintendent's and Dispatcher's office of the Missouri Pacific was built, and large additions made to the shops and the number of workmen.
In 1881 the city expended $615,000 in general improvements; the new dam and reservoir of the water works was begun; the new brick shops of the Pacific R. R .; the general Railroad Hospital was established here: the new Missouri Pacific yards built, and the site for the Union Depot chosen.
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In May, 1882, the new water works dam was completed, and the first four months of the year $75,000 of new buildings erected.
CHAPTER V .- THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
The Town a Military Post and Governed by Military Law until March, 1864-Who Drafted the City Charter-When it was Granted-The First Officers-The Full List of Officers up to 1883-Digest of the Charter and Amendments made-Political Parties having Control-Special and Peculiar Laws-Changes made in Offices-Terms of Office-The Police and Fire Departments-The City Buildings, City Statistics, &c.
The only legal existence that Sedalia had in 1860 consisted in the fact that a plat of the town had been filed with the County Recorder. So far as any civil government was concerned it was still only a part of Mount Sterling township.
In 1861, when the war broke out, Missouri came under martial law; Sedalia was a part of a military district; became duly a military post and was governed by military power and law. It had no civil government and was not an incorporated town.
During the winter of 1863, when the town contained about 800 inhabi- tants, including refugees, Gen. George R. Smith, Maj. Wm. Beck, F. L. Parker, Ira C. Pierce, R. Waltenspeil, Richard Hulland, Elias Laup- heimer, Frank McCabe, and James G. Tesch formed themselves into a citizens committee. They assembled in the parlor of the old Sedalia House, with T. W. Moses as their secretary, and drew up the outlines of a charter. When completed it was sent to the Legislature with a petition to grant Sedalia a city charter, containing the substance of the draught sent with the petition. Very few changes were made in the original copy, and on Feb. 15, 1864, the Legislature passed a bill granting Sedalia a city charter.
By this charter the first city officers were appointed, Geo. R. Smith, Mayor, and seven of the above named parties Aldermen. Jas. G. Tesch was appointed Marshal by the Mayor. This was the first civil govern- ment, and it was still tacitly aided by the military power. The above officers continued in power until the first election under the charter. This came off in April, 1864. James G. Tesch was elected Mayor, and the seven aldermen above mentioned as appointed such by the charter, were elected by the people to fill the offices for the first term. T. W. Moses was appointed Register, and Chan. P. Townsley Assessor.
For the nature of the charter granted the city, its provisions and powers, and the various changes that have been made in it since it was first granted, the reader is referred to the opening chapter on city history, where the subject is fully treated. Under the original charter the Register,
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Assessor and Marshal were appointed by the Mayor. These and all other city officers are now elected by the people.
The following is a full list of the city officers who have served from those first appointed by the charter, up to July 1, 1882:
1864 .- Mayors, George R. Smith, Jas. G. Tesch; Aldermen, F. L. Parker, Wm. Beck, Ira C. Pierce, R. Waltenspeil, Richard Hulland, Elias Laupheimer, Frank McCabe; Marshal, Jas. G. Tesch; Assessor Chan. P. Townsley.
1865 .- Mayor, E. W. Washburn, (resigned). F. L. Parker, elected to fill vacancy; Aldermen, J. L. Vickars, Jno. Harding, Louis Kumm, John Houx, B. H. Ingram, Abram Meyer, James G. Tesch; Marshal and Collector, William P. Jackson, (resigned), James M. Mills, elected to fill vacancy.
1866 .- Mayor, John F. Philips; Aldermen, Henry Suess, Wm. Beck, T. W. Moses, Rod Gallie, John L. Hall, P. G. Stafford, Thos. J. Mont- gomery; Marshal and Collector, John B. Gallie; Attorney, Lucius L. Bridges: Register, Wm. Wallace, (resigned), A. J. Sampson, elected to fill vacancy.
1867 .- Mayor, Henry Suess; Aldermen, J. J. Weiler, (resigned), Jas. G. Tesch, Jas. Jamison, Richard Hulland, W. F. Boyer, Sam S. Vinton, Roderick Gallie, Asa C. Marvin, elected to fill vacancy, E. R. Stevens, elected to fill vacancy; Marshal and Collector, John B. Gallie; A. J. Sampson, removed; Register, A. H. Thompson; Assessor, John Walde; Treasurer, William E. Bard.
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