USA > Missouri > Linn County > The history of Linn county, Missouri. An encyclopedia of useful information > Part 30
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" Ordered by this court that Carlos Boardman, as presiding justice of the County Court, and William S. McClanahan, as the clerk thereof, sign the bonds of Locust Creek township to the North Missouri Central Railroad Company, amounting to $40,000, being the subscription of said township to said railroad, and when signed, deliver the same to said railroad company, the cost for signing the same to be paid by the railroad company."
The County Court, on February 1, 1869, made an order appointing Ma- rino Cave county agent, with free power to act for Linn county in the North Missouri Centrail Railroad Company, voting for it, and receiving its divi- dends, if any.
Notwithstanding the action of Locust Creek township in issuing $40,000 in bonds to the North Missouri Central Railroad Company and the action of Jefferson township subscribing $30,000, elections continued to be held in adjoining townships to secure the building of this road through or within their corporate limits. Clay township offered $20.000 if it passed through its boundaries, and Jackson offered $10.000 without any clause excepting from building from Milan to Linneus and Laclede on the route proposed. The former township, Clay, voted on April 26th, and Jackson on June 26th, 1869. As the road did not, nor was intended to go through Clay township, the $20,000 was not taken, but she was asked to do as Jackson township pro- posed, to give $10,000 to the route via Linneus and Laclede, and another election was called at the same time of that for Jackson township to donate this sum or subscribe for the stock, which was about the same thing. Then an election was ordered in Benton township for $20,000 on said twenty-sixth of June, the road to be built through that township.
THE BURLINGTON & SOUTHWESTERN.
Of course on this road, as on all others, delays would occur, but the se- rious trouble arose from the financial crash of 1873, which prostrated all large enterprises by the sudden closing of the banks. Money was impos- sible to be raised in any large quantity. The building of the road was sus-
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pended, and the people in the several townships became exasperated at the delay. Meetings were held in all the townships to protest and to object to taxation on the township bonds issued in favor of the road. Mr. E. B. Ward, of Detroit, Michigan, the heaviest creditor, leased the road in August, 1873, with the understanding that the bondholders should raise $750,000, Ward furnishing the securities to finish the gap of forty miles and settle the interest due, and pay the pay-roll. In a letter to the creditors October 20, 1873, Mr. Ward stated his ability if creditors of the road would hold off, to finish paying others and himself.
In another letter dated at Detroit, Michigan, he deprecated the violence threatened against the road because of its non-completion, and stated it was a bar to his raising money. He had paid and invested over a half million dollars in the road. The Linneus branch of twenty-two miles he said was in debt $12,000, a debt made by operating the road, the expenses exceeding the receipts to the above amount. The action of the townships in this mat- ter will be found in their history. The failure to complete the road to Stanley City, as agreed, was owing to the financial crash of that year spoken of above, the bondholders utterly failing, he says, to raise him the money, $750,000, promised. For these reasons he asked that he be given time to work out the redemption of the road. The road has never made any money and probably will not until it makes its Kansas City connection. That is at this writing expected to be done the present year, 1882.
The election in Jackson township failed to carry and a new election was ordered to be held on the seventeenth day of August, 1869, for the same sum of $10,000. The election for $20,000 in Benton township carried, and the court subscribed for the sum in the stock of the railroad company, the conditions of the subscription being the same as those of Locust Creek and Jefferson. The three townships voted the aggregate sum of $90,000. This sum was all that was eventually subscribed and the three townships through which the road passed, and would receive its benefits, were the ones to pay for it.
The road was built, and trains made regular trips for a while and then ceased to run south of Browning in 1873, but were started again December 2, 1873, by the lessee, Henry Hatch, passengers to take their own risk. The hard times coming on, the townships defaulted in paying the interest on their bonds, and they have now been several years trying to compromise and settle principal and interest on a basis of fifty cents on the dollar, giving new six per cent bonds redeemable in five years and payable in twenty.
The effort of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad to settle the school tax assessed against it was successful and they agreed to pay $15,000 for the years 1873, 1874 and 1875, in three equal instalments at three, six, and nine months, whichwas accepted by the County Court. The Linn county attorneys who
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
had prosecuted the suit were to be paid by the road the sum of $1,000 and the costs of the suits in Macon county and in the Supreme Court.
The Chillicothe & Brunswick, known as the St. Louis & Omaha, com- promised their school tax for $721 for the years 1870 to 1873, inclusive, and from 1874 to 1876, inclusive, they paid $222 more. The general tax was still a subject of controversy.
The Burlington & Southwestern, since January 1, 1882, called the Chi- cago, Burlington & Kansas City Railroad, compromised their school tax for the years 1873 to 1878, inclusive, for $3,964.46, ten per cent of which, $396.44, was paid to the attorneys of the county who effected the settle- ment, and came forward and offered, November 9, 1881, to pay all of its taxes, without penalties, by July next. The townships have been trying to effect a compromise with this company, but have not as yet succeeded. Several propositions have been made on both sides and rejected by each, and just what the outcome will be, except a lawsuit, is hard to tell. The amount due by the townships will be found under the head of financial in the general history.
The assessments of the different railroads in the county have come down to a satisfactory basis. In the general assessment of last August, 1881, the three roads were given the following valuation :
Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad $9,000 per mile, etc. $340,730.50 Chicago, Burlington & Kansas City Railroad, $3,500 per mile, etc 78,081.32
St. Louis & Omaha Railroad, $5,000 per mile, etc .. .. 16,290.00 Total assessed value of all the railroad property in Linn
county January 1, 1882 $435,101.82
CHAPTER XIII.
AGRICULTURAL UNITY AND POLITICAL AMALGAMATION.
The Grange-Object and Aims-The First Organization-Rapid Progress-Names and Number of Granges in the County-Organization County Grange-Constitution-The End-The First Election-Campaign of 1840-Songs-Presidential Election 1844- 54-40 or Phight-Fun and Free Whisky-Whigs and Democrats, Local Fights-Linn County Democratic up to the Drake Constitution-Also after Its Repeal-Close Figures- Vote County, State, and Congressional-County Officials 1892.
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.
This order took its rise in the early part of the year 1873. It flourished exceedingly for a couple of years, and then waned. It faded almost entirely from view in 1875, yet it still has a sort of organization and a few men
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
meet in annual conclave who claim to represent it, but as above remarked, for all practical purposes, ends, or aims, it ceased to exist in 1875. It did not deserve its fate. It was founded upon principles that should never die in the breasts of American freeman, and its rapid growth for the two years of its life was a wonder to the whole country. This banding together of the yeomanry of the land caused the great railroad kings to tremble, and monopolies in general to lower their banner of fraud and robbery and crawl at the feet of those whom they had so ruthlessly robbed and defiantly chal- lenged to provide a remedy. Unfortunately for the farmer and the work- ing man, the skilled mechanic and the artisan, traitors wormed themselves into the order, brazen political harlots succeeded in getting a foothold, and the order which had promised so much, which had caused fraud of every kind to tremble, had but a few months of life and then was gone forever. But it is not and will not be forgotten, and the day may come when the order will again arise, assert its power, and cause the organized bands of robbers, under the names of different monopolies, to hang their heads with fear.
The order was indeed a power, and for nearly three years caused a halt among those who, under the guise of law daily plunder the people. Five States in this central belt were for a time in the hands of the Grangers, and for a while held monopolies by the throat until they made them feel their power.
The number of patrons in these five States numbered their thousands, Missouri led, and on January 1, 1875, these States had the following num- ber of orders, all correct excepting Wisconsin:
Missouri had 2,002 granges; Iowa, 2,000 granges; Indiana, 1,999 granges; Illinois, 1,522 granges; Wisconsin (approximated) 1,350 granges. .
ITS OBJECT.
The order in all respects was one to be proud of. Its object and aim was the elevation of the great working classes of the country and to show them their rights, and how those rights could be secured by a unity of action and a concentration of purpose. Not only this, but the education and culture of all was one of its cardinal features. To enhance the comforts and attrac- tions of their homes, to foster and encourage neighborly feeling, to lessen expenses by cooperation, to purchase cheaper by combining and purchasing in large quantities, to avoid litigation, and to earnestly work to allay all sectional strife and make ours indeed one people and one country, were links in the chain which bound together those who had united with the order.
There was enough in these desires to found an organization as durable as the rocks, but fraud enlisted the thousands that are ever ready to sell their souls to the devil for gain, and what they could not and dare not do openly to oppose this organization was done by treachery and deceit.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
While it flourished it did a large amount of faithful and earnest work. The granges will ever hold a green spot in the memory of all who were earnest and innocent members, and there were none who were but what will regret its downfall. Its principles, however, will live, and it may again blossom, and perhaps live until the fruition of its noble work.
IN LINN COUNTY.
At the time the grange movement struck this county there was organ- ized what was called a Farmers' Club. There was a central organization, and numerous auxiliaries all over the county. This, at first, retarded the grange in the county.
FIRST GRANGE.
The first attempt to organize a grange was at Meadville, in March, 1873, and some members of the Farmers' Club objected on the ground that it would interfere with their organization, or injure it. It was, however, or- ganized in due time. Union Grange, of Bucklin, seems to have been the first in the county of the grange organization, and eventually swallowed up the Farmers' Club, the latter generally joining the granges. By the fall of the above year sixteen granges had been organized in the county, and the prospects for a rapid increase were flattering. A convention of the Farmers' Club was called April 19, 1873, at Linneus, and delegates from every . township were present, fully five hundred people meeting to take into con- sideration the good of their organization and its future. J. P. Witherow was elected president, E. W. Gamble and H. H. Hazen, vice-presidents, and Lyman Smith, secretary. The meeting was harmonious and resulted in a satisfactory interchange of opinions.
PICNICS.
The summer of 1873 was passed, and though in the financial world there was a crash that made millionaires beggars, the farmers of the great cen- tral valley were prospering, and the future was bright in the outlook for good crops. The first grange picnic held in the county was in Jackson township, some three miles west of Browning, September 17, 1873. It was a beautiful day, and will be remembered by those present as long as life lasts. The gathering of the bone and sinew of the land was immense, there being fully three thousand people present, the largest gathering which had ever congregated upon the soil of Linn county. The Linneus cornet band furnished the music, and speeches were delivered by Elder Mc- Inturf and H. M. Patterson. The picnic dinner was a grand success, and this grand concourse of noble men and women returned to their homes fully satisfied with themselves and all the world. Nearly a month later, to be precise, on October 15th, 1873, the Grangers once more rallied in full
.
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force, this time at Linneus, and held their picnic at the fair ground. No such sight had ever greeted the good people of Linneus before, nor has- there since. The procession numbered three hundred wagons, filled with as rugged, healthy, and independent a crowd as was ever before congregated upon the soil of Linn county. It was a day to be remembered. The old farmer and the young ones brought in their baskets well filled, and a good many half-starved people whose life in town was not always one of plenty, got a good square meal that day, and, like the story of the olden times, there were many baskets full left after the people had eaten their fill. The- dinner and the speeches were the grand features of the occasion. C. W. Kilpatrick, of Chariton county, gave the farmers a splendid home talk, and he was followed by L. B. Searles, H. H. Hazen, A. P. Dobson, and Beverly Neece, who with earnest words and eloquent tongues, spoke of the great fu- ture of the agricultural interests of the country, and the immense power the grangers could wield, not only for their own benefit, but that of the whole people. Linneus was dressed that day in holiday attire, and joined the- throng with both pleasure and profit to itself.
This ended the picnic season for 1873, but it had served to unite the far- mers in the work of caring for their own interests and educated them to real- ize their position as the working force of the country, not puppets to be con- trolled by scheming demagogues and banded monopolists. They had com- bined to resist extortion, to secure a right at least to a part of the fruits of their own labor.
MEETING OF COUNTY COUNCIL.
The first meeting of the county council was November 15, 1873, and the Farmers' Club of the county mnet the same day, the latter still keeping up its separate organization, though the members of one were generally mem- bers of the other. At this meeting sixteen granges were represented. Previous to this, on October 18th, 1873, the Brookfield Grange had called a meeting to take into consideration a central organization, to effect more concentration in the work before them, and to employ an agent to look after the financial department, and aid the farmers in buying their supplies more cheaply by taking larger quantities. The meeting at Brookfield fa- vored this course, and the county council which met November 21, as be- . fore spoken of, agreed, by appointing Mr. William Garrett financial agent. Just when this county council first met was not found among the records.
THE NUMBER AND NAMES.
The granges continued to increase and by the first of April, 1874, num- bered twenty-seven, and by the first of July, thirty-three. That seems to- have been the highest number organized in the county, and the member- ship roll numbered nearly, if not quite, one thousand, the ladies holding
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
about one-third of the membership. Every township in the county was represented in this organization, and could they have held together, leaving politics alone, simply exercising their individual rights as American citizens to cast their votes for good men without regard to politics the order mnight have stood to this day, a terror to organized monopolists and usurers, and a power for good to the workingmen of the county, let them have been farm- ers, laborers, merchants, mechanics, or artizans.
The number and names of the granges of Linn county are as follows:
St. Catharine Grange-Master, Jonathan Haney; secretary, W. M. Bru- ner. Post-office, St. Catharine. Regular meetings every Wednesday on or after full moon.
Calhoun Grange -- Master, William B. Calhoun; secretary, J. M. Stone. Post-office, Linneus. Meets every Saturday night at the Hooker school- house. Visiting patrons cordially invited to attend.
Indian Bluff Grange -- Master, E. L. Webb; secretary, A. J. Smith. Post- office, North Salem. Regular meeting third Saturday of each month.
Farmers' Home Grange-Master, R. J. Allen; secretary, G. C. High- baugh. Post-office, Linneus. Regular monthly meetings fourth Saturday in each month at six P. M.
Woodview Grange -- Master, E. W. Gamble; secretary, J. T. Stephenson. Post-office Linneus. Regular meeting every Friday night.
Eureka Grange -- Master, W. H. Lewis; secretary, George F. Lewis. Hold regular meetings at the Hallenburg school-house on the first Friday after full moon, at seven o'clock P. M. Post-office, St. Catharine.
Pleasant Grange-Master, R. G. Arnold; secretary, J. L. Ogan. Regu- lar meeting first Wednesday before full moon. Post-office, Meadville.
Forest Flower Grange-Master, Martin Foss; secretary, Geo. D. Kel- sey .. Post-office, New Boston. Regular meetings Saturday on or before full moon.
Grantsville Grange -- Lyman Smith, master; James W. Dodge, secre- tary. Regular meetings every Wednesday evening at half-past six o'clock.
Economy Grange -- Master, Jordan Sights; secretary, J. J. Hendricks. Regular meetings, Thursday before full moon. Post-office, St. Catharine.
Browning Grange -- Master, Tandy Tully; secretary, Benjamin George. Post-office, Browning.
Parson Creek Grange-Master, W. H. Patterson; post-office, Meadville. Secretary, Milton Alexander; post-office, Sebago.
Brookfield Grange -- Master, L. B. Searle; secretary, Simeon Wilson. Hold their regular meetings on the first Saturday of each month, at two o'clock P. M., from October 1st to April 1st. Post-office, Brookfield.
Jackson Grange-Master, Frank Adams; secretary, George Adams. Post-office, Linneus.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
Sebago Grange -- W. J. Cox, master; William Pittman, secretary. Reg- ular meetings every other Thursday evening. Post-office, Sebago.
Benton. Grange -- Master, James W. Gooch; secretary, J. D. Jenkins. Post-office, Browning. Regular monthly meetings first Saturday after full moon.
Willow Vale Grange-Master, C. W. Trumbo; secretary, J. L. Jones. Post-office, Linneus. Regular meetings, second Thursday in each month at six o'clock P. M.
Meadville Grange-Master, R. E. Tower; secretary, A. L. Loomis. Post- office, Meadville. Regular monthly meeting the fourth Saturday in each month at seven P. M.
New Enterprise Grange-Master, James Anderson; secretary, W. T. Gooch. Post-office, Northcott. Regular monthly meetings, first Saturday after full moon.
Oak Grove Grange-Master, A. Moyers; secretary, G. B. Miller. Reg- ular monthly meeting's, Friday evening before full moon. Post-office, Brookfield.
Turkey Creek Grange-Master, L. W. Lyons; secretary, W. J. Furbee. Post-office, Laclede.
Ivy Grange-Master, N. S. Libby; secretary, L. L. Parish. Post-office, Linneus. Regular meetings first and third Thursday in each month.
Strawberry Grange-Master, N. S. Libby; secretary, W. W. Peery. Post-office, Linneus. Regular monthly meetings the first Saturday after the full moon.
Industry Grange-Master, J. P. Withrow; secretary, James Turner. Post-office, Sebago. Regular monthly meetings on Friday before the full moon.
West Liberty Grange-Master, E. Carrier; secretary, J. P. Weston. Post- office, Linneus. Regular meetings Friday before the full moon in each month.
Prospective Grange-Master, George Anderson; secretary, A. C. Moore. Post-office, Laclede. Regular meetings, first Saturday in each month, at seven P. M.
Jefferson Grange-Master, Nelson Howe; secretary, Joe A. Horn. Time of holding meeting, second and fourth Saturday of each month. Post-office, Laclede.
Waverly Grange-Master, E. Spokesfield; secretary, Thomas J. Guier. Regular meetings, second and fourth Saturdays in each month. Post-office, Bear Branch.
Prairie Nook Grange, No. 1886-Post-office, Bucklin. Allen Nickerson, master; J. W. Hall, secretary.
Advance Grange, No. 1887-Master, W. H. Davis, post-office, New Bos-
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ton; secretary, Daniel Thudium, post-office, North Salem. Regular meetings, third Saturday of each month.
New Hope Grange-Master, P. Moore; secretary, J. H. Bell. Post-office, Bucklin. Meetings, first Saturday in each month.
Progressive Grange-Master, Leander Lineberry; secretary, W. T. Lam- kin. Meets every Saturday night.
Union Grange, No. 102-Master, M. Herriman; secretary, Hiram Long. Meets the first Saturday of each month at Locust Ridge, and the third Sat- urday of each month at Bucklin. Post-office, Bucklin.
ORGANIZING COUNTY GRANGE.
The organization of the County Grange was effected November 1, 1873, the subordinate granges in the county sending each their delegation. The result of this meeting was the establishment of a county council, with the following officers:
E. W. Gamble, president; C. W. Trumbo, vice-president; A. Cams, secretary; N. S. Libby, assistant secretary; E. Chesround, treasurer; A. Hayes, doorkeeper; H. H. Hazen, steward; R. E. Tower, E. Spokesfield, John Baker, James Anderson, and James P. Witherow, trustees.
A series of resolutions and by-laws were brought before the convention and adopted. The constitution, which was unanimously adopted, is given; but the by-laws, being subject to changes, are not.
THE CONSTITUTION. ARTICLE ONE-NAME.
SECTION 1. The association shall be called the Linn County Council of the l'atrons of Husbandry.
ARTICLE TWO -- OBJECTS.
SECTION 1. The objects of this association shall be the promotion and at- tainment of the united and uniform action of granges of which it is com- posed, in all matters affecting their interests and welfare, in bringing the producers and consumers of agricultural implements and products closer together by buying and selling through this association, or through such parties as may make arrangements with it to buy or sell such articles or im- plements as we may need, and to transact such other business as may be necessary to secure these ends.
ARTICLE THREE-MEMBERSHIP.
SECTION 1. This association shall be composed of subordinate granges in regular working order, who have complied with the rules and regulations of this association.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
SEC. 2. All granges in regular working order may become members of this association by the payment of one dollar to the secretary, and may re- tain such membership by the payment of annual dnes in a sum equal to five cents for each of its members.
· ARTICLE FOUR -- REPRESENTATION.
SECTION 1. Each grange belonging to this association shall be entitled to one delegate only.
ARTICLE FIVE-OFFICERS.
SECTION 1. The officers of this association shall be a president, vice-pres- ident, secretary, treasurer, steward, doorkeeper, and five trustees whose pow- ers and duties shall be fully defined in the by-laws of this association.
SEC. 2. The five trustees shall compose an executive committee.
SEC. 3. These officers shall be elected annually by ballot at the first reg- ular meeting in each year, to be held on the first Tuesday in September. A majority of all the votes cast shall be necessary to a choice.
ARTICLE SIX -- LAWS.
SECTION 1. This association shall have power to make all laws necessary for its government, provided that such laws shall not conflict with State or national. Also to alter, repeal, and modify such laws as· may be found ob- jectionable or inoperative; and to alter and amend this constitution when- ever it shall be deemed necessary by a two-third majority of its delegates; . proposed amendments, alterations, or modifications to be presented in writ- ing and to lay over three months.
ARTICLE SEVEN -- MEETINGS.
SECTION 1. The regular meetings of this association shall be as follows: An annual meeting and three quarterly meetings to be held at such places as may be designated by the association and its trustees-the annual meet- ing on the first Tuesday in September at ten o'clock A. M., and the quarterly meetings to be held on the first Tuesday of December, March and June of each year, at ten o'clock A. M.
SEC. 2. Special meetings may be called by the president and secretary whenever it is deemed necessary for the good of the association, and the secretary shall give each grange at least ten days' notice of such special meeting.
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