USA > Missouri > Linn County > The history of Linn county, Missouri. An encyclopedia of useful information > Part 11
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TRADE OF 1856-57-THE STEAMBOAT BUSINESS.
The Journal of Commerce at a later period estimated that the trade of Kansas City during these two years did not exceed two millions of dollars, but with the close of the struggle, in 1857, the country filled up speedily, the trade was enlarged and the city grew rapidly. The Santa Fe trade prospered, and the plains' trade resumed more than its former proportions; while the trade developed by the settlement of southern Kansas all came to Kansas City, and with that and the outfitting of immigrants, her business became very great, so much so that a correspondent of the St. Louis Intel- ligencer noticed that she had the largest trade of any city of her size in the world, and was the point at which all freight and immigrants for Kansas disembarked. The Journal of Commerce, at one time during these years, described the appearance of the levee as that of a great fair, it was so piled up with all kinds of merchandise.
This was the great steamboat era on the Missouri River, and everything that entered the upper country then came by boat. In the year 1857 there were one hundred and twenty-five boats at the Kansas City levee, and they discharged over 75,000,000 pounds of merchandise. There were then a fleet of sixty through boats from St. Louis, and a daily railroad packet leaving the terminus of the Missouri Pacific at Jefferson City. Kansas City was then said by boatmen to be receiving more freight than any other five points on the river. .
85
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
The first paper (weekly) in Kansas City was the Public Ledger in 1852.
The first daily, the Journal, June 15, 1858.
The trade of Kansas City for 1860 was $10,705,947.
The first banking house, Coates & Hood, 1856.
The first jobbing dry goods house, J. Wise & Co., 1857.
The first telegraph line, December 20, 1858.
The first German paper, January, 1859, the Post.
The trade across the plains in 1860 from Kansas City, as a starting point, exceeded all other cities on the Missouri River combined, by nearly fifty per cent.
The number of men who left Kansas City for the plains and beyond was 7,084. They took of oxen, 27,920; of mules, 6,149; of horses, 464, and the amount of freight, in pounds, 16,439,134.
RAILROADS.
The railroad fever struck Kansas City as early as 1855, that is it began to take shape that year. The leading spirits of Kansas City were for years energetic railroad men ready to put both time and money into the work of making Kansas City a railroad center, the seat of a growing and pros- perous city, and they succeeded. Still, previous to 1860, the Missouri Pacific was the only railroad which had reached Kansas City, and that had no sooner reached there than it became its enemy and boldly avowed its determination to make Kansas City a way station. The fever took a fiercer hold after the war and from 1865 to 1872 Kansas City voted hundreds of thousands of dollars for the securing of important railway lines. The press was a powerful lever in those days. The Journal, under Col. R. T. Van Horn, the Times under the editorship of John C. Moore, and the Bulletin under Col. J. D. Williams made their columns bristle with strong points and still stronger statistics of the value of railroads and what they would bring of wealth and prosperity to the city. In this work the press, the en- terprise and the capital of the city were mutual. Reid, Coates, Kearney, McGee, Harris, Fosters, Abeel, Dively, Bullene, and a score or more of others, all put forth every exertion to make Kansas City a central point for the great iron horse, whose mouth was fire, its breath steam and its strength that of many giants. It was a success, and to-day she is the proud metrop- olis of the Missouri Valley. But with such difficulties as she had to over- come she never would have been if brains, energy and invincible nerve and determination had not characterized her people. Then this railroad fever started other enterprises. It was soon understood that the roads would come and then the city took a start even before they reached her. In 1865 and 1866, between six and seven hundred buildings were put up. The eyes of a continent began to look with wonder upon the little giant of the West. A mighty city will arise from these bluffs said Benton, and as the
KANSAS CITY
PRICE CURRENT
KANSAS CITY PRICE CURRENT
A'MSEY. MILLETT & HUDSON .
P
INTERS. LITHOGRAPHERS.
RAMSEY, MILLETT & HUDSON
ENGRAVERS & STATIONERS .
PRINTING HOUSE OF RAMSEY, MILLETT & HUDSON, KANSAS CITY.
87
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
work of progress went on that which had been termed the wild vagaries of an old man was seen through other 'glasses; the vagaries assumed titles of prophesies, and they were, for from the rugged hills upon which Kansas City now stands none but a prophet could have seen a giant and a mag- nificent city arise and none but a prophet's ken foretold it.
THE COMMERCIAL ADVANCE.
In 1860 the trade of the city was $10,705,947; in 1867 the trade of the city was $33,006,827. Over two millions of dollars were invested in build- ing in the latter year, and a population of 4,000 had increased to 15,000 within four years. This is what you might call progress. But the grand year of prosperity which will clearly mark an era in her wonderful devel- opment was that of 1869. Houses went up as if by magic. Great enter- prises werestarted and the wonder came when the little town of 4,000 and a few over in 1865 had swelled to 32,269 when the census was taken only five years later. Forty-two additions had been added, nineteen of them in 1868-'69. A board of trade was organized with T. K. Hanna, wholesale merchant, as. president, and sixty-seven members. And from that day until the great crash of 1873 Kansas City moved onward and upward with accelerated speed. Street improvements had taken a firm hold of the people, while other enterprises to make the city a home for all were put forth. School property had been purchased and the advance in real estate began to be so rapid that grounds had been secured up to 1870 for five fine school-buildings, and the advantages of Kansas City in her schools has been one of enlightened progress and great liberality. To-day she has no superior in this line. Churches kept pace with the schools, and the once border town and outpost has become the seat of refinement and culture. Street railroads began to appear, and other evidences of a metropolitan city were to be found on every hand. Water-works were broached and manu- factories of all kinds began to spring up. The water-works started in 1873 and were completed in 1875. The Great Exposition started in 1871 and a law library was purchased the same year. In the great fire of 1871, at Chicago, Kansas City promptly subscribed $10,000 for the benefit of the sufferers. Elevators and the largest pork-packing house in the country are located here. Of the latter, two, the Armours' and the Fowler Bros', are immense establishments, and besides these there are several smaller ones. The crash of 1873 caused matters to move slowly and with caution. The years 1875 and 1876 were not noted for any great forward movement but a steady onward march was kept up. The rolling-mill, a much needed enterprise, was started, and other manufacturing interests. People began to arrive; vacant houses, which the panic had made empty, were scarce; matters began to assume a more healthy appearance-one of them was the filling up of the vacant places-and a new era of building was started. Some ten new additions had been added and a few platted. Her railroad facilities
88
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
and her immense packing-houses began to tell. The Texas cattle business had assumed large proportions and it was clear enough that Kansas City could command a large part of that trade. Western towns, like Abilene, had put up yards and were handling a large number of cattle, but it was evident that if Kansas City would put forth exertion it would come. Stock- yards were built, offices arranged and a systematic course taken to secure this heavy addition to the business of the city. To show how successful the move became the following statistics will tell:
CATTLE, HOGS AND SHEEP.
In 1870 Kansas City received, cattle
21,000
hogs
36,000
1875 66
cattle
181,114
66 66
66
66 66
hogs.
59,413
66
66
66
sheep
24,987
the hog crop was a failure.
1880, cattle. 244,709
hogs.
676,477
66
sheep
50,611
PACKING.
This city became a packing point by 1870, before it was yet a stock market.
The next year, 1871, the creation here of a cattle and hog market greatly facilitated packing, and by 1872 Kansas City had attained great importance as a packing point. In 1874 she was the principal source of supply for packed beef, and since that time has attained nearly a monopoly of the trade.
Hog packing did not prosper equally for the sole reason that hogs could not be had, the packing capacity of the city being in excess of the supply.
The following table shows the packing done here since 1874-5:
HOGS. .
1874-5
70,300
1875-6
72,500
1876-7.
114,869
1877
180,357
1878
349,097
1879
366,830
1880
539,097
CATTLE.
1874
42,226
1875
25,774
1876
26,765
1877
27,863
1878
18,756
1879
29,141
1880
30,922
BANTA ENG.K
HOOFFIN DEL:
KANSAS CITY WATER-WORKS,
90
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
THE GRAIN MARKET.
From the earliest dates to 1870 Kansas City imported flour from eastern Missouri and Illinois. This country had become self-sustaining, so far as this part of Missouri was concerned, before the war, but the great demand by immigrants to Kansas, and the trade with New Mexico and Colorado, made a demand that local production could not supply. By the time Kan- sas became a State she was producing large amounts of grain, but the immi- gration took all surplusage. Between the close of the war and 1870 the same conditions existed, though the production of the country had immensely in- creased. By 1870, however, production began to exceed the local demand, and that year the railroads took small amounts of grain to the eastern mar- kets. Perceiving this fact the people, in the latter part of 1870 and the early part of 1871, began to agitate the establishment of a grain market .. The spring of the year 1871 gave promises of a good yield of all kinds of grain, and the press opened upon the subject again. Its agitation caused the Board of Trade to take it up and discuss it.
THE FIRST ELEVATOR-THE INFANT MARKET.
The result was, that in July, 1871, Messrs. Latshaw & Quade began the erection of an elevator of about one hundred thousand bushels storage ca-' pacity. This was situated on nearly the same ground as is now the Union Elevator. It was finished and open for business in December. But there were no grain-dealers to use it, and Messrs. Latshaw & Quade went into the business themselves, and were the first men to conduct a grain business in the city as a strictly commercial pursuit. Messrs. Branham & Sons owned and operated a corn-mill ou Fourth Street, near Broadway, and Messrs. De- war & Smith owned and operated the Diamond Mills. In 1871 Messrs. Price & Doane took a large house on Santa Fe Street and Union Avenue,. and opened a grain business, but for a long time their business was largely of a retail character.
The following statistics of the grain trade will be found interesting:
. STORAGE AND TRANSFER CAPACITY OF ELEVATORS AT KANSAS CITY.
STORAGE.
DAILY TRANSFER CAPACITY.
NAME.
Bushels.
Bushels.
Union.
400,000,
100,000
Arkansas Valley .
425,000
125,000
"A".
175,000
30,000
Advance.
60.000
15,000
Alton. .
175,000
250,000
State Line.
100,000
30,000
Novelty
225,000
40,000
Total.
1,560.000
590,000
91
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
In 1880 Kansas City received the following number of bushels of grain:
Wheat.
4,093,528
Oats.
366,486
Barley
82,894
Corn
4,421,760
Rye.
55,267
In the years 1876, 1877, 1878 and 1879 the receipts in the above grain had been much larger in corn. In wheat 1878 was double, and 1879 about 50 per cent larger than in 1880.
COAL.
This is another very important trade and is assuming immense propor- tions, while it is, also, growing rapidly. In 1870 very little coal was used, and but 18.000 bushels were reported to have been consuined. Undoubt- edly this is a mistake, and it probably exceeded 200,000 bushels. The rest. of the table given may be considered approximately correct. It is as fol- lows:
1871
1,408,760 .
1872
2,722,750
1873
2,755,500
1874
2,799,000
1875
3,226,500
1876
3,388,000
1877
3,107,050
1878
4,621,725
1879
5,307,000
1880
5,772,405
ENTERPRISES OF 1878.
On the 19th of January a number of leading citizens organized a mining stock board for the purpose of locating here a market for mining stock. Col. C. E. Kearney was president, T. F. Oakes and H. M. Holden, vice- presidents, Col. John C. Moore, secretary, and Mead Woodson, treasurer. It tried to arrange for the opening of the board May 10th, but did not suc- ceed, and before the close of the year passed into entire quiescence.
BLOODED-STOCK SALES.
On the 15th of May there was opened here the first great sale of blooded cattle, the stock coming mainly from the blue-grass regions of Kentucky. It was tried as a venture by parties owning the stock, and was so successful that it has been since maintained as a semi-annual sale. At this first sale two hundred animals were sold at an aggregate price of twenty-four thou- sand dollars. This and subsequent sales have brought into the country ad- jacent to Kansas City large numbers of blooded animals, the effect of which in the improvement of cattle is already perceived.
92
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
THE COURT-HOUSE AND POST-OFFICE.
On the 8th of March a bill authorizing the construction of a public build- ing in Kansas City, for post-office and custom-house purposes, passed Con- gress. It was introduced by Hon. B. J. Franklin, of this city, who at that time represented this district in Congress, and provided for a building to cost two hundred thousand dollars, one hundred of which were appropriated at that session. Besides the bill for the benefit of Kansas City, Mr. Frank- lin secured the passage of a bill authorizing the holding of United States courts in this city, and introduced a bill providing for the organization of the Indian Territory and its opening to settlement, for the passage of which he made great, but, unfortunately, unsuccessful effort. In this latter he received the support of the people in unanimous resolutions adopted at public meetings and forwarded to him.
SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIX.
The building for 1878 had proved greater than was expected reaching to seven hundred and six buildings erected during the year, at a cost of $1,040,000, many of them elegant business houses and residences.
THE EVENTS OF 1879.
Early in the year 1879 a proposition was made by some of the mem- bers of the old Chamber of Commerce to revive that organization, but after several meetings and a conference with the Board of Trade the scheme was abandoned and the Committee of Commerce of the Board of Trade was appointed in its stead. This committee has never been an active one, yet several important enterprises have been inaugurated and secured by it, among which were the smelting-works and barge line of 1880.
One of its first acts was to memorialize Congress on the improvement of the Missouri River. On the 7th of January Messrs. Camp, McDowell and Poe, government commissioners to locate the court-house and post-office, arrived in Kansas City, and after acquainting themselves with the views of the people and examining the different sites offered, accepted the corner of Ninth and Walnut streets, January 25th, and it was purchased for $8,500 and the work of constructing the building soon afterward begun.
In May a party of United States engineers, under J. W. Nier, Esq., ar- rived in Kansas City and commenced work on the improvement of the river a few miles north of the city, an appropriation of $30,000 for that pur- pose having been secured by Mr. Franklin. About the same time the first term of the United States District Court was begun in Kansas City, Judge Krekel presiding.
In the latter part of the month, Robert Gillham, a young engineer who had recently located in the city, proposed to improve the means of transit between the western and eastern parts of the city by building a tramway
93
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
down the bluff on Ninth Street. He secured the interest of many of the best men in the city, but the project met with such unfavorable treat- ment at the hands of the city council that it is still one of Kansas City's uncompleted enterprises.
In August the first effort was made to organize a provident association in Kansas City. Mr. J. T. Howenstein was the projector of this movement and about forty prominent business men joined it; but for lack of attention it was allowed to expire.
In September much interest was taken in a proposition to convert the roads of Rosedale and Independence into boulevards, but after a number of public meetings the interest was allowed to die out; yet it will doubtless be done at some future time.
This year was one of great activity in business and individual enterprises of all kinds. Trade was rapidly extended in all directions; the population increased. Real estate became very active, and transfers increased $1,943,- 350; besides which there were thirteen additions platted and largely sold, some of which were outside the city limits. And there were about thirteen hundred new houses built, at an estimated cost of about $1,500,000.
RAILROAD CHANGES.
" Great changes have taken place during the year in the ownership of the railroads at Kansas City. Mr. Jay Gould and associates, who previously held control of the Union & Kansas Pacific and St. Joe & Denver Rail- roads west of the Missouri River and the Wabash Road east of the Missis- sippi, early in the year bought a controlling interest in the St. Louis, Kansas City & Northern and consolidated it with the Wabash under the name of Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific. This connected the roads except the Union Pacific, and to make connections with it the Pattonsburgh Branch of the St. Louis, Kansas City & Northern was extended through to Omaha. Soon afterward the same parties bought the Missouri Pacific and the Central Branch Union Pacific and have since consolidated them, making two divisions, connecting with each other at Kansas City. The same parties also bought an interest in the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad during the year, and latterly have bought the Missouri, Kansas & Texas."
In addition to the sales of roads here mentioned, the Fort Scott Company bought the Springfield & Western Missouri Road in June, and has since completed it to a connection with the main line at Fort Scott; and Mr. Gould bought the Kansas City & Eastern Narrow-gauge in November, and in December it was leased to the Missouri Pacific, which he had previously bought, and became a division of that road. Another important addition to Kansas City's railway facilities was the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, which in December made a contract with the Hannibal & St. Joseph Rail- road for trackage rights over that road from Cameron, Missouri, and it began to run its trains to Kansas City on the first of January, 1880.
KANSAS CITY BOARD OF TRADE.
95
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
ยท The year 1879 was characterized by another great railroad war, which seemed to be the result of the completion of the Chicago & Alton Railroad to Kansas City. In view of its early completion the pool was dissolved again on the 12th of April, and a promiscuous cutting of rates opened on the 14th. The Alton, however, was not opened for business until the 18th, and did not begin running passenger trains until May 13. The war arose over the allotment of its share of business to St. Louis, and was inaugu- rated by the St. Louis roads. On the 7th of June the war was extended to passenger business also, and for the remainder of the summer passenger rates between Kansas City and St. Louis, and Kansas City and Chicago were but fifty cents; and freight rates went so low that for a considerable time grain was carried from Kansas City to St. Louis for five cents, and to Chicago for seven cents per bushel, and at one time reached the almost in- credible limit of three cents to St. Louis and five to Chicago. The trouble, however, came to a close in September, and on the 12th of that month a new pool was formed which took in the Alton.
BANK CHANGES.
First National Bank failed January 29, 1877. Mastin's Bank failed August 3, 1877. Watkin's Bank was consolidated with the Bank of Kansas City December 8, 1877.
NEWSPAPERS.
DAILY JOURNAL.
The Journal was established by a stock company composed of William Gillis, W. S. Gregory, H. M. Northrup, J. S. Chick, M. J. Payne, Dr. B. Troost, E. M. McGee, Thompson McDaniels and Robert Campbell, and made its first appearance in October, 1854, under the name of The Kan- sas City Enterprise, with D. K. Abeel, Esq., as printer and business man- ager, and William A. Strong, Esq., as editor. One previous attempt had been made by a Mr. Kennedy to establish a paper called the Public Ledger but it failed, and its failure led to the organization above. On the 15th of February, 1872, the Journal Company was organized and incorporated under the State laws-Col. Robt. T. Van Horn, editor, Mr. Abeel con- tinuing as business manager until August 9th, 1872, when he disposed of his stock in the company and was succeeded by Isaac P. Moore, Esq. Mr. Abeel, Chas. N. Brooks, M. H. Stevens and W. A. Bunker purchased a controlling interest in the paper and took charge of it August 8th, 1877, Col. Van Horn retaining his interest and continuing as editor-in-chief. On the 10th of January, 1881, Messrs. Abeel, Brooks and Bunker retired, and A. J. Blethen became business manager.
Its stock is now $40,000, and during the past year has sold at a high premium. It owns its own building, an elegant structure on the corner
96
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
of Sixth and Delaware streets, worth probably $50,000. It is issued daily, tri-weekly, and weekly, and has a very large circulation.
THE KANSAS CITY TIMES.
On Tuesday morning, September 8, 1868, the first number of the Kansas City Times was issued. In starting the Times there was experienced that risk which every journalist who attempts to establish a new paper en- counters. The first paper was an eight-column folio, the size of the sheet. being 262x44 inches. At its head it bore the national Democratic ticket for president and vice-president, and also for State officers. B. R. Drury & Co. were proprietors. On December 22, 1868, the paper changed hands, and a company was organized under the name of the Kansas City Times Publishing Company. Messrs. Wm. E. Dunscombe, Chas. Durfee, J. D. Williams and R. B. Drury were elected directors. Mr. Williams served as business manager, and Messrs. John C. Moore and John N. Edwards, editors.
The present company was formed in 1878 part of the old company selling their interests. The directors of the company after this were James E. Munford, Morrison Munford and Chas. E. Hasbrook; and the officers were James E. Munford, president; M. Munford, secretary and general manager; and Chas. E. Hasbrook, vice-president and business manager.
It occupies its own building on Fifth Street between Main and Delaware, where it has one of the finest counting rooms in the city-and a thoroughly equipped outfit of machinery, presses, etc., required to publish its immense circulation. It is a newspaper establishment that any city of 100,000 in- habitants might well feel proud of.
THE KANSAS CITY MAIL.
The Evening Mail Publishing Company was incorporated as a stock company May 4th, 1875, by a few prominent business men of Kansas City, with E. L. Martin as president and John C. Gage as treasurer, having for its object the publication of a journal opposed to the movements of the water-works clique as it then existed. Col. John C. Moore was acting ed- itor-in-chief.
The growth of the Mail has been remarkable. In the winter of 1878-9 the Mail suffered severely from the effects of fire. The present manage- ment found the material of the paper in ashes and cinders. The expense of fitting up a respectable place of business on Missouri Avenue was considera- ble, but the increase of business in the spring and summer of 1879 cleared the office of indebtedness and left a margin for future operations. So flatter- ing was the outlook in the beginning of the present year that a new three- revolution Hoe press was ordered and a removal to a more commodious building determined upon.
The Mail is now issued from its new office in the Mail building, 115 West Sixth Street.
97
HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY.
THE EVENING STAR.
Messrs. M. R. Nelson and S. E. Morss, formerly of Fort Wayne, Indiana, came to this city in the fall of 1880 and established The Evening Star, a low priced afternoon journal, similar in size and style to those in all the other large cities of the country. The first number of The Evening Star appeared on the 18th of September. It is still published.
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