Early in April a hook and ladder company was organized and on April 16, 1869, was confirmed by the council as a part of the fire department of Cedar Rapids. The officers of the company were as follows:
Samuel A. Lilly. H. C. Morehead, James Fowler, P. C. Garrett, J. C. Adams, Samuel Spalding, J. A. Hart, Joseph Lilly, J. M. Chambers, T. Snook, J. J. Calder, G. M. Howlett, C. D. Pettibone and six others constituted the active membership of this organization.
The official life of Chief Engineer Lusk was very brief and was marked by continued strife and dissension among the members of the department. He became persona non grata to the council and charges were preferred against him. July 13, 1869, Alderman Hill introduced a resolution reciting that while the chief engineer could not be declared guilty of intentional fraud he was indiscreet in many things and his influence for good in the department had been so impaired that his resignation was demanded. This did the business, and on July 23 he resigned. W. B. Leach was appointed chief engineer for the remainder of the term, and peace and good feeling prevailed in the department.
In March, 1870, after the inauguration of the new council of which W. B. Leach was mayor, a petition of the fire department was presented in which they asked the council to appoint Geo. A. Lincoln as chief engineer of the department. Another petition was also presented, signed by many citizens, asking that W. D. Watrous be appointed chief engineer of the department. On the 25th of March, a ballot being ordered, Geo. A. Lincoln received three votes and W. D. Watrous three votes, whereupon the mayor voted for Lincoln and declared him elected to the position of chief engineer, and on the 26th day of March he was duly qualified and took the oath of office.
Shortly after Mr. Lincoln assumed the authority vested in the office of chief engineer of the fire department, an element of discord arose in the council and an effort was made to secure by legislation and diplomacy what they had failed to accomplish when the vote was taken in March.
It was thought the original ordinance passed in January, 1869, was faulty and should be amended and the ordinance committee was directed to make such amendments as were necessary or to prepare an entirely new ordinance.
During the summer of 1870 the committee had prepared an ordinance which was practically the same as the old one. The only radical change was in the manner of electing a chief engineer. The new ordinance placed the election of the officer with the electors after the year 1870 and a new section was added which read as follows:
"No person shall be eligible to the office of chief engineer unless he be a resident of said city at least one year and shall have attained the age of twenty-five years."
To understand the force of this last clause in the ordinance it will be necessary to remark that at this time Mr. Lincoln was only twenty-three years old. This ordinance, the records say, was passed July 29, 1870, but it was found necessary to amend it and it was not until ordinance No. 98 was passed on September 30, 1870, that the council felt safe in electing a new chief engineer to take the place of the one so skilfully legislated out of office. On the 15th of October, 1870, A. R. West became the chief engineer of the fire department by the vote of the council. After the election of Mr. Lincoln during the spring and summer of 1870 it was uncertain whether the city of Cedar Rapids had a fire department or not, and it was also a question as to the authority possessed by the chief. There was much discord and bitterness among some of the members of the fire organizations. The city council was far from being harmonious and rarely acted in unison in legislating for the well being of the fire department. The citizens who had labored long and earnestly in this work of procuring fire apparatus felt that they had a right to demand that this bickering and personal contention between the organized fire department and the duly elected city council should be ended, but the strife continued. Early in the administration of Mr. Lincoln as chief of the department a communication was presented to the city council in which the petitioners, after recounting their many grievances, made the claim that the election of Mr. Lincoln was unparliamentary, unfair and contrary to the wishes of the department and to a great majority of the property holders, and that while the petitioners were willing to obey all ordinances of the city and the ruling of any legally appointed officer as chief of the fire department, they did not consider themselves lawfully bound to give any heed or attention to the said Geo. A. Lincoln. That they as members of the fire department would pay no attention to the said unlawfully elected chief engineer nor to any order coming from him. This petition was signed by Sam Neidig, C. W. Eaton, G. M. Howlett, Sam Lilly, Chas. Hubbard, J. C. Adams, Thos. Snook, and fifteen others.
Some time later the chief engineer made a report to the city council as the ordinance directed he should do, giving the necessary information in regard to the efficiency of the department and its probable needs for the future, but the council refused to accept it as the report of the chief engineer, making the broad claim that there was no fire department or a legally elected chief engineer and this was backed up by the opinion of the city attorney. Mr. Lincoln, not to be thwarted by the city council in refusing to listen to his report, was obliged to have it published in the city papers and some extracts are made here, showing the friendly feeling existing between him and some members of the city council. He reported that the steam engine was in good shape excepting that the grate had burned out and the committee on the fire department had refused to get it repaired. The hose was poor and not in condition to stand the pressure necessary in case of a large fire. This was owing to the committee on fire refusing to have the tower on the city hall arranged so the hose could be hung up to dry after having been used. Many small bills for supplies used by the department, and which were necessary for the running of the steamer, were hung up and not allowed, and in speaking of the cistern which the city had built he reports that one of the aldermen had the keys of the same and refused to turn them over to him and as to the amount of water in same he could make no report.
After the election of Mr. A. R. West to the position of chief engineer, the old original No. 1 Fire Engine Company, or a large proportion of its members, at one of its meetings passed the following resolution:
"Whereas, The city council has seen proper to persecute and finally to declare us not an organized fire company, and
"Whereas, We who compose the Fire Engine Company No. 1 have since organization labored faithfully to make the department as efficient as possible and have in all cases discharged our duties as firemen, therefore
"Resolved, That we turn over to the city council all the fire apparatus in our possession. That we refuse to offer our services as firemen so long as any member of the city council who has been persistent in our persecution shall remain in said council.
"Resolved, That we condemn the city council in thus deliberately and intentionally using their power to cripple and destroy the efficiency of the fire department.
"Resolved, That we preserve our company organization and that each and every one refuse to touch, use or handle any of the fire apparatus belonging to the city of Cedar Rapids."
This old, original company, No. 1, was then a fire company to all intents and purposes, acting under the original organization, with most of the original members belonging, but they had no apparatus, no engines, nothing to use in case of fire. But this did not long remain. A subscription was started among the members of the company, and they with the aid of their friends and citizens soon had subscribed a sum sufficient to buy a substantial hand engine of a late pattern, together with 5,000 feet of new hose, a new hose cart, and also to put up a comfortable and neat engine house in which to hold their meetings and to shelter their engine and the other necessary equipment.
This engine was purchased of Josiah Gates & Son, Lowell, Mass., and cost the sum of $800, which amount was paid in cash from the proceeds of the many subscriptions. It was called the E. S. Hill Independent Fire Company, in honor of E. S. Hill who was the patron saint in all their contentions with the city council, being an alderman from the First ward, and also one of the most liberal subscribers to the fund to procure the engine, he having led the subscription list with $200.00.
The hose cart was procured from Quincy, Ill., where it had been previously used by that city, and cost $300.00 all complete. The hose to the amount of 500 feet cost the sum of $500.00. The material for the building of the engine house was obtained free from the local dealers and the construction was almost all done by the members of the company.
After this company had procured their apparatus and were domiciled in their new building they developed into a very aggressive company of fire fighters, and it was the boast of some of its members that they could get out to a fire, extinguish the flames and be ready to return home before the steam engine company could get to the fire and be ready to work.
A. R. West, who had been duly elected chief engineer of the fire department, together with John T. Hamilton, who was appointed assistant fire engineer, succeeded after much labor in bringing order out of the chaos that had so long existed in the affairs of the fire department.
The steam engine, together with the hook and ladder equipment, was put into the hands of a newly organized company, most of the members of which had not been identified with any of the previous unpleasantness between the council and the fire department.
For the next five years Cedar Rapids had two fire departments, the one belonging to the city and under municipal control, and the other denominated the "Independent," owning their own equipment and subject to no official orders from the city.
This continued until the advent of the Cedar Rapids Water Co., who put in their system of waterworks and established hydrants in all parts of the city.
Mrs. R. C. Rock, one of the earliest of the pioneers, is still living in a serene and vigorous old age. She is a relative of Judge Greene, and came west to Dubuque in 1849 at his request to assist him in getting out his first volume of Iowa Reports, which was printed in New York. She later came to Cedar Rapids with the judge and assisted materially in getting ready for the press and in proof reading the matter for the other volumes of his Reports. The members of the supreme court would frequently gather in Cedar Rapids in chambers to prepare their opinions and to O. K. them for publication. Mrs. Rock did much of the law copying for these judges. Their decisions were turned over to her to record and to edit for publication. She says Judge Williams was flowery in his language and it became necessary to do a good deal of trimming of his decisions so as to condense them properly before publication, as attorneys were not so much interested in the language of the court as they were in getting quickly at the meat of the decisions. Mrs. Rock did not hesitate to do a great amount of pruning, with the result that Judge Greene received many compliments over the improvements noted in his second volume as compared with the matter that appeared in the first publication.
For a time Mrs. Rock did editorial work on the Progressive Era, which was published from the Greene Bros. building. J. O. Stewart was then "devil" in the office, and many a time brought to her the proofs of her contributions. The files of this early Linn county newspaper were burned in a fire which destroyed the publication office, so that now there are in existence but a few scattered issues. An early one was given a few years ago to the Masonic Library by Mrs. Rock who found it by accident among some of her effects.
Mrs. Rock came west by boat from Buffalo to Milwaukee, and then by stage to Dubuque in 1849. The next year she removed to Cedar Rapids, coming here by stage over the Old State Road laid out from Iowa City to Dubuque by Engineer Barney of Washington, D. C. This road was a very crooked one. His son, W. J. Barney, on being twitted about its many windings replied that he believed his father was entirely sober when he staked out the route, and that its numerous windings were necessary to avoid the sloughs and swamps.
Mrs. Rock well remembers some of the trips she made on the old stage from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids. It was customary to make 25 miles of the journey the first day. On one trip on arriving at the usual stopping place it was found impossible to obtain any hay for the weary horses. After a further drive of five miles a stop was made at a farm cabin, it being customary for the settlers at any place to provide entertainment for travellers. Here they found feed for the horses, but they were told there was no bread or flour in the house, the man not having returned from the distant mill with his grist. There was some milk, and at last a little flour or meal was discovered. The two were mixed and put in a pan on the stove to cook. Unfortunately it was so badly burned that it could not be eaten, and the travelers were compelled to go to bed supperless. During the night the man returned with his grist, and Mrs. Rock and party had a fairly good breakfast of saleratus biscuits and pork.
One day while living in Cedar Rapids Mrs. Rock learned of the Spirit Lake massacre. She states the people here for a time had a genuine Indian scare, but nothing came of it.
Mrs. Rock has distinct recollections of prairie fires here. She says they were beautiful but terrible to behold. They were especially prevalent every fall on the west side, and many a time has she seen the bright flames cover the hills that are now incorporated in the city of Cedar Rapids. Judge Greene had early planted a large orchard at Mound Farm, and once after it had borne fruit for a number of years it was threatened with destruction from a prairie fire. All Cedar Rapids went out to help fight the flames. They saved the orchard at this time, but later the trees were killed by an unusually severe winter.
The ladies of Cedar Rapids were very patriotic during the war years. They made all the uniforms for the boys of Col. T. Z. Cook's company, and supplied them with generous quantities of bandages and lint. It happened that after the severe engagement at Wilson's Creek those bandages were the only ones available on the field. Mrs. Rock's brother, then 18 years old, enlisted under Colonel Cook. After the hundred days for which the company had entered the service he re-enlisted under Captain Stibbs, being wounded at Ft. Donelson. He then again entered the army under Captain Coulter, father of Ed. Coulter now living in Cedar Rapids, and was later killed in the south. Captain Coulter's company was known as the "Brindle Brigade," because it was made up of men from so many regiments that had disbanded.
There were some lawless people among the earliest settlers, says Mrs. Rock, and they occasionally appropriated a horse or two, necessitating some corrective action by the community. On one occasion N. B. Brown borrowed a horse from a man whose discipline was decreed and went to Westport to secure tar for the purpose. At dusk the horse was returned to the barn. C. C. Cook seized the individual, assisted by Gainor and others. His legs were tied and he was taken to the side hill on B avenue where his clothes were removed and he was treated to a coat of tar and feathers. The following day he appeared among his fellows, and my relator states there was "not even a smell of tar about him," but the treatment proved effectual.
One of the early settlers, Joe Leverich, had a fine library, was a great reader, a shrewd observer of human character, and his descendants are people of intelligence and high morality. Among those who came later were Dr. J. F. Ely and Dr. S. D. Carpenter in 1849, Judge Greene in 1850. They were men of education and attainment. Soon followed Miss Legare of Washington, D. C., the Bryans, and Stoneys from Charleston, S. C., A. S. Belt, a lawyer, son of Commodore Belt, of Maryland, the Taylors from Virginia, and many others whose character and culture gave moral and mental tone to the growing community. In religious intercourse a broad and kindly feeling characterized all, and now in 1910, the same feeling prevails. The Daniels brothers erected a store, three stories, where the Masonic Temple now stands. In 1849 the Green Brothers erected a three-story brick building diagonally across, the first floor being used for merchandizing, the second for Judge Greene's office and ware rooms. In one large room in this building Miss Calder, from New York, opened a school for girls in the fall of 1850. In a hall on the third floor, a Masonic lodge was organized the same year. Miss Calder [Mrs. Rock] drew designs for the emblems and attended to making the aprons.
The first district school house was built several years previous on the lot on Second avenue and Fifth street. The Cedar Rapids Business College is now located on this site. This was used also for religious services on Sunday. Squire Abbe's daughter taught the first school, and Miss Louisa Roberts, daughter of the Congregational minister, the second. Squire Abbe was a member of the Territorial Legislature.
Miss Calder's school prospered; and two other teachers were secured; one from New York for the piano, and another, Miss Parkhurst, to assist in the English branches. She was a recent graduate from Miss Sill's seminary at Rockford, Illinois. Miss Calder herself continued with some of the English grades, also with French and Drawing. Pupils were attracted from neighboring towns, Marion, Vinton, Dubuque, Muscatine, Burlington, Fairfield, etc., but after a few years, failing health caused her to relinquish it to two young ladies from Ohio, and within two years it ceased to exist. The following year Miss Calder married R. C. Rock, a hardware merchant. About the same date the Rev. Williston Jones, Presbyterian minister, opened a school for boys in his private residence, and after a few months turned it over to Mr. Blakeley, when it was transferred to the "Little Muddy" church. Mr. Blakeley's public examination was the occasion of a lampoon by Dr. S. D. Carpenter, but he was a fine man and a good teacher. Geo. E. W. Leonard was financial agent for this school.
These efforts resulted in Rev. Mr. Jones securing from Daniel Coe, of Green county, New York, a gift of $1,000.00 with which was purchased eighty acres of land adjoining the town, a part of which is now occupied by Coe College and from which numerous lots were sold to aid in establishing this school. The first college building was erected by subscription of the citizens. The only surviving incorporator of the institution is Dr. Seymour D. Carpenter, now residing in Chicago, aged about eighty-four.
The first religious services were Methodist, held in the district school house, and their circuit riders came every two weeks. They organized a Sunday school and insisted on a union school. The Presbyterians, New School, effected the first organization in 1847 in Mr. Vardy's shop, corner Third street and Sixth avenue. They, too, worshiped in the school house. Dr. Ely read the sermons, but their first minister, Mr. Roberts, of Marion, was a Congregationalist. He was succeeded by Rev. W. Jones, before mentioned. The first Episcopal clergyman was Rev. James Keeler, who found an occasional opening for service in the school house, but soon came to using Miss Calder's school room for regular Sunday service.
Real estate investments have always been successful and profitable in Cedar Rapids, and probably will always continue to be so. As shown in other articles, the land upon which Cedar Rapids is built was originally owned by five men, Judge Greene, Nicholas Brown, Addison Daniels, Wm. Sanford, and Alexander Ely. The division of the property was made in 1849 as is shown elsewhere, and it is from that time that most of the real estate transfers were made. All the gentlemen made fortunes from their speculations.
How these five gentlemen came to be possessed of all the land in the city of Cedar Rapids would make an interesting story, especially if the prices they paid for each lot could be secured. They doubtless bought up the claims for almost nothing. We get some inkling of how the lots came into their possession by a curious old document which was deposited by Mr. C. G. Greene with the curator of the museum for the semi-centennial week.
The property mentioned in it is the Grand Hotel corner, and this is a copy of it:
"Received, Cedar Rapids, Sept. 7, 1848, of John L. Shearer, one yoke of oxen valued at thirty-five dollars, in full for Lot 9 in block No. 23 in the town of Cedar Rapids.
But it appears that Judge Greene did not think he had a very great bargain, for only seven months later, in May of the following year, the county records show that this same lot upon which the Grand Hotel now stands, and forty feet additional, 120×150 feet in all, was sold by Judge Greene back to John L. Shearer for $75. Up to 1865 it passed through several hands, with slightly increased value, when it was sold by Henry McBride to Charles Weare for $1,100. Weare sold immediately to S. B. Fleek for $1,500, and Fleek sold it in 1871 to E. M. Greene for $9,000. In 1877 Greene sold 80×140 feet to John T. Waterhouse for $10,000, and this property which originally brought $75, could not now be purchased, if unimproved, for less than $100,000. It is now held by a syndicate.
William Stewart originally owned the ground where the Cook & Laurance store used to be located. He traded an Indian pony for it in the early days, and held it until 1873, when he sold it for $7,500.
The property upon which the Calder buildings now stand, 60×140 feet, was also originally owned by Judge Greene. He sold it to Alexander Ely, who sold it to Harvey Higley and Samuel Hook, and they in turn sold it, in 1850, to Frederick Miles for $82. Miles held it until 1875, when he sold it for $1,500. Mr. Calder's friends told him at the time that he was throwing his money away, but now it doesn't look that way, as the land unimproved would sell for many times that sum.
Where the Golden Eagle store is now located, 60×140 feet was sold in 1848 by James M. Berry to Homer Bishop for $150. After passing through several hands the ground was purchased by P. Mullally and W. W. and M. A. Higley, who, in 1874, sold 60×140 feet of it to John T. Waterhouse for $12,300.
The ground where George A. Mullin's store is located, 120×140 feet, was sold by Mary A. Ely in 1853, to D. M. McIntosh, for $350. H. G. Angle bought it in 1854 for $600. It was afterwards taken by creditors, and was held by them until 1875, when it was sold to J. T. Waterhouse for $13,000.
These are cases illustrative of the wonderful growth in the value of Cedar Rapids real estate. It will of course some day find its level, and will very probably go above it, but it is quite safe to say that just now it is worth all that is paid for it.
Every time a real estate transfer is made it is amusing to get an "old citizen" started, and have him bemoan his failure to invest a few dollars in a block or so twenty years ago, and hold on to it until the present time. If he had done so he would have been rich—but the trouble is he didn't do it.
Thomas McGregor, who was working for a Mr. Robinson in the fifties, was offered lots where the Quaker Oats plant is now located at $10 a lot, but needed the money to keep his family on as he got only 75 cents per day.
On arrival of the first steamer in Cedar Rapids lots were offered free to passengers and crew in case they wanted to locate. Many lots were given away by real estate boomers in those days to increase the population of the city. Many of these lots were later lost because the owners thought so little of their value that they let them go to tax sales.
Property on Second avenue between Second and Fourth streets was then only residence property, sand hills, and the like. Now all of this has become valuable business property and is held at not less than $1,000 a front foot, and still going higher. These lots were sold less than fifty years ago at $25 a lot.
Property on Third avenue was even less valuable than property on Second avenue. With the location of the station here with the hotels, bank buildings, etc., lots are now selling at fabulous prices. With the advance of prices rents have also advanced. I. C. Emery some twenty years ago had the same location which he has recently gone into, and paid at that time about one-third of the rent he pays today. Rents on the ground floor in the Kimball building, the Ely block, the Dows block, and in others of the old buildings have gradually advanced in accordance with the advance in prices of the real estate holdings, and pretty much in the same ratio.
Large office buildings have been erected from time to time, and it has been said that the city would never demand such quarters. It has only been a little time till there has been a demand for more office and store buildings on a larger scale and these have been filled without any trouble.
The property where is located the Denecke building was once used for a livery stable, and the property on which is located the Magnus block was occupied as a dwelling house. These properties were traded back and forth for a song. The O'Haras finally snapped them up and began improvement and were thought at the time to be crazy. Mr. Denecke then began purchasing and the same was said of him. When Mr. Magnus made his purchase of the block in 1894, during the depression, they said he would never get his money out of it. Today he has been offered more than twice what he paid and refuses to consider the offer. The corner where the Security bank is now located had been sold and re-sold, and no one thought it worth anything, and when G. F. Van Vechten purchased a few feet for a bank location many years ago the people of the town still thought it impossible that this corner would be worth so much. The bank later had to pay a handsome price in order to get ground enough to make the improvements desired, and would have made money by having bought much earlier. The Taft building was purchased by the late Judge Hubbard some ten years ago at $55,000, and is now worth twice that sum.
However old settlers say that for years real estate in Cedar Rapids did not move and it was a drug on the market, and the rents were not in ratio with the values. For years town lots were peddled about the town and traded for stocks of goods, for old horses, and other personal property, and it was always thought that the person who obtained the real estate got the poor end of the bargain.
William Stone, Osgood Shepherd, Thomas Gainer, David King, H. G. Angle, and others of the early settlers did not know what a mine they possessed had they only hung on long enough. Stone settled on the Iowa river and later left for Wisconsin, and Shepherd soon followed, all thinking he had made a good thing by selling his squatter rights to Brown and his friends.
Dr. E. L. Mansfield arrived in Cedar Rapids in 1847, going overland to California in 1850. He traded the west one-half of the block between Third and Second avenues west, and between First and Second streets for a rifle, which was considered a high price in those days. On this lot Dr. Mansfield erected a large dwelling house and lived there for many years. He purchased the lot on which the Whelihan drug store now stands for $600, and the lot adjoining many years later for $10,000, at what was then considered a very high price. Thus the property of 140 feet fronting on Second street and 120 feet fronting on Second avenue were purchased for less than $12,000, property which is now some of the most valuable in Cedar Rapids. Dr. Mansfield also held part of the property which was later purchased by the Cedar Rapids Savings Bank, and was held by him up to the time of his death. This had been purchased at an early day at low prices, when it was nothing but the cheapest kind of renting property.
A. C. Taylor, holder of much valuable real estate in Cedar Rapids, first owned the property where the First Christian church now stands. He also purchased the property on First avenue near the Union block. Mr. Taylor is the second oldest merchant in Cedar Rapids, and has not moved more than a block from the time he came here to locate in part of the postoffice on the alley where the Masonic Temple now stands. In speaking of rents, Mr. Taylor says that he has been surprised at the way rents have gone up year by year.
Osgood Shepherd, of whom it is said that he jumped Wilbert Stone's claim, held this claim till 1847, when he disposed of his squatter interest in what became Cedar Rapids to N. B. Brown, George Greene, H. W. Gray, A. L. Roach, and S. H. Tryon for the sum of $3,000.
FROM THE CEDAR RAPIDS REPUBLICAN, SUNDAY, JUNE 3, 1906
When was the first Decoration Day celebration in Cedar Rapids? That is a question which many might find it hard to answer, and the story of the preparations for that day and of the day itself is so interesting that it is well worth a place here. There were comparatively few graves to decorate on that occasion. Not many of those who fought in the war had passed over the great divide in the year 1873, more than thirty years ago. Men whose heads are silvered and their steps trembling were then young and they marched firmly to the cemetery to take part in the exercises on that first Decoration Day. Since that time many of them have been laid beneath the sod and their comrades have done for them what they helped to do for others.
The day was made memorable by an eloquent and beautiful address by the late Judge Hubbard, a man who always loved the flag and the men who fought for it. Patriotism was one of the subjects that always lay nearest his heart.
The first meeting to arrange for the Decoration Day exercises was held May 8, 1873. The Cedar Rapids Daily Republican of the following morning has the following interesting account of the meeting:
"The meeting called for the purpose of taking measures to suitably observe Decoration Day, took place at the City Hall last night.
"It was called to order by A. D. Collier, Esq., upon whose motion J. H. B. Otto was elected president of the meeting.
"On motion of Hiel Hale, A. N. Neidig was chosen secretary.
"On motion of Mr. Collier, a committee of five was appointed to recommend names to the meeting for the various committees to be appointed to make preparations for that day.
"The following persons were selected as said committee:
"A. D. Collier, Geo. A. Lincoln, D. A. Dingman, P. H. Francis, Hiel Hale.
"After some time spent in deliberation the committee reported the following names to be placed upon the several standing committees. They also reported names of persons as officers of the day, the whole report being adopted:
"President of the day, Capt. Wm. B. Leach.
"Chief marshal, Col. T. Z. Cook, with power to choose his own assistants.
"Finance committee, J. F. Charles, Capt. Otto, George Wynn.
"Committee on grounds, Ed. Thompson, Ed. Buttolph, J. I. Calder.
"Flowers, L. M. Ayers, Geo. A. Lincoln, Geo. H. Rhodes, R. A. Austin, George Hesse.
"Decorating graves, P. H. Francis, Hiel Hale, C. H. Sterneman, Dr. Bliss, Jos. Stoddard, with privilege to choose five ladies to fill the committee.
"Invitation, Capt. W. W. Smith, S. Neidig, Dr. Skinner.
"Speakers, A. D. Collier, D. A. Dingman, W. B. Leach.
"Printing, A. H. Neidig, Dr. F. S. McClelland, Dr. Camburn.
"Music, C. Ferguson, Mr. Baxter and Dr. Bliss.
"On general arrangements, W. B. Leach, J. F. Charles, Ed. Thompson, L. M. Ayers, P. H. Francis, W. W. Smith, A. D. Collier, A. H. Neidig, and C. Ferguson.
"On motion of Capt. Wm. B. Leach, Captain Otto, as the last commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, was instructed to call a meeting of the soldiers and sailors of this vicinity to have them meet and consult with regard to the part they shall take in the observance of the day.
"On motion adjourned."
The program of that first Decoration Day was as follows:
"The following programme will be observed on Decoration Day:
"President of the day—Col. W. B. Leach.
"Chief Marshal—Col. T. Z. Cook.
"Assistant Marshals—Capt. W. S. Bradley, Geo. W. Wynn, A. D. Collier.
"Chaplain—Rev. A. B. Kindig.
"Orators—Rev. Col. S. H. Henderson, Hon. Col. N. M. Hubbard.
"At ten o'clock a. m. the procession will form on the corner of Iowa avenue and Commercial street in wagons, and headed by the band, will proceed to the cemetery on the west side, where the graves will be decorated, and after which an oration will be delivered by Col. S. H. Henderson.
"At two o'clock the procession will form on Iowa avenue, the right resting on Commercial street.
"The following will be the order.
"Line of march will be down Commercial street to Eagle, up Eagle to Madison, down Madison to Greene street, thence to Oak Hill Cemetery, where the graves will be decorated, after which an oration will be delivered by Hon. Col. N. M. Hubbard.
"All soldiers and citizens in the vicinity are cordially requested to be present, and assist in paying respect to our honored dead.
"Soldiers will leave the number of their regiment at the Times office and they will be furnished with a badge to wear on the occasion."
Following is the account of the exercises of that day with the text of the address delivered by Judge Hubbard. It is taken from the Daily Republican of May 31, 1873:
"Decoration Day has come and gone. It brought with it the noble thought to honor the heroic dead of our land, and left thousands of green graves strewn with choicest flowers of spring. This kindly and befitting token of love and honor was placed on every soldier's grave, to show how green and fresh in our hearts are the memories of their noble deeds. This day is one of mixed sorrow and pleasure—sad for the heavy sacrifices that had to be made, but happy to keep green the sacred memories of those who fell for their country's good.
"The soldiers and sailors, who have died to save the nation's life, will never be forgotten so long as flowers are strewn upon the quiet graves beneath whose verdant mounds those gallant hearts lie stilled forever.
"It is the sum of mortal glory for posterity to gather around the tombs of fallen heroes, as around holy shrines, and pour out their libations in songs, prayers and in fitting words of praise on their noble lives and gallant deeds.
"The day opened yesterday morning with a rain storm, which continued more or less until about ten o'clock. It looked discouraging indeed, and many hearts felt sad at the uninviting prospect.
"At eleven o'clock a few persons gathered on the west side and proceeded to the cemetery on that side of the river, and spent a short time in decorating the graves of a few soldiers that lie buried there. Rev. S. H. Henderson spoke a few moments on the importance of the occasion when the company dispersed and returned to their homes.
"By noon the clouds had cleared away and the sun shone forth beautifully. At half past 2 o'clock Washington street in the vicinity of the City Hall was crowded with a large number of people who were listening to the fine strains of music that the Ferguson band were discoursing. About three o'clock the procession began to move, and in pretty much the same order as has already been published in the Republican. Between seventy-five and a hundred carriages, buggies, and wagons were in the procession, preceded by many footmen; also a number were on horseback. It was one of the most brilliant occasions of the kind that was ever witnessed in Cedar Rapids.
"We are unable to go into the particulars, as we have not the space today to record them.
"The number on the cemetery grounds has been estimated by many at two thousand people, and some have raised the estimate a thousand more. The following graves were decorated:
"John Harrison, Henry N. Graves and Carter Berkley, 6th Iowa Cavalry, Co. K; Henry Fleck, 40th Ind. Inft.; John Hall, 31st Iowa; Amos Fergeson, Band, 15th Iowa Inft.; James Morehead, Sr., Co. I, 37th Iowa Inft.; James Morehead, Jr., Co. K, 9th Iowa Inft.; Judson L. Boughton, Co. D, 12th Iowa Inft.; Parker Ayres, Co. D, 12th Iowa Inft,; Robert Mallahan, Co. A, 37th Iowa Inft.; James Hammersley, 31st Vt. Int., J. R. C.; Henry Berger, Minn., Minn.; Geo. Wells, 141st Penn. V. Inft,; Edward W. Calder, Co. D, 12th Iowa Inft.; Lt. Joseph Hollan, 20th Inft.; Benj. Shaw, 20th Inft.; Donald Lothian, 31st Inft. West side—David Martin, 24th Inft,; Ebenezer Martin, 12th Inft,; John Dean, 20th Inft.; Donaldson,—. After these interesting decoration ceremonies were over, the people gathered around the stand that had been erected for the purpose, where the following programme was carried out:
"Judge Hubbard's address was so fine that we reproduce it entire. He spoke as follows:
"My Countrymen, and Comrades of the Army of the Union:
"Courage and bravery always challenge admiration, but when combined with exalted patriotism, they command the affection and gratitude of mankind.
"The highest earthly care of man is to preserve as long as possible this life, and therefore the greatest human sacrifice is to give this life for one's country.
"History is full of examples of this sacrifice in all time, and yet its frequency has never lessened the appreciation of it.
"Patriotism—love of country, makes a great nation possible. Without it men would live isolated, or in mere tribes, and powerless.
"The intellectual development of man shows him at once how weak and insignificant he is alone, and he seeks, by a combination of great numbers, to attain not only great power, but even immortality. We all know that our own lives are short, but the life of a nation may be so long, that we are apt to make delusion that it may be immortal, real.
"The natural love and anxiety we have for our children, who are to live after us, extend to and embrace the country and the government in which they are to live.
"Hence, we may be said to have two lives, an individual and a national one; and the latter commands the former in proportion to its increased span. We value everything somewhat in proportion to its power to last.
"The study and contemplation of the national life, of which we are a part is always a matter of interest and solicitude.
"On every hand men are seemingly wholly engaged in devising and planning for their individual prosperity and happiness, and silently but surely national prosperity and greatness follow these individual efforts. It is only when the nation stands in immediate peril, that we become aware how much greater our anxiety is for it, than even for ourselves.
"You who can recall the thrill of horror, of anxiety, and of grim determination that came over you when the news first came that Sumter was fired upon, and the Stars and Stripes were shot away, can tell, but I can not describe what boundless sacrifices the national life is capable of calling forth.
"How quick we found what a pride and what an interest we had in the magnitude, power, and prosperity of our country, and how firmly we were attached to its beneficent government.
"The history of modern civilization in Europe has shown a constant struggle for many years for what they call the balance of power.
"Five leading nations, speaking five different languages, and having different modes of thought and life, have watched and emulated each other, and each at times has had the reputation of being the most powerful. Fifty years ago France was foremost, today Prussia is the first power in Europe. These changes may be traced almost indefinitely.
"In all the past, the national life, the national pride has grown with the growth of civilization.
"It would be impossible that a nation should become great or powerful without a national self-love that wrought glowing pictures of its manifest destiny.
"We find ourselves possessed of a country whose productive extent is far greater than all Europe, with its 300 million population, put together.
"Beginning a little less than a hundred years ago with a population of three million, it has doubled every twenty-five years, if we shall reach forty-eight million in 1875, which scarcely admits of a doubt. The whole emigration added is less than six million.
"At the same rate of increase for the next one hundred years our population will reach the enormous figures of seven hundred and sixty-eight millions. But suppose we shall touch the resistance, namely the lack of territory to supply so great a population with food; yet we may safely estimate reaching five hundred million, and the population equally distributed will then be about equal in density to the present population of Massachusetts.
"I have neither time nor is it necessary to describe the variety of climate embracing the tropic and the temperate zones, nor the vastness, nor the fertility, nor the mineral and coal resources of our country.
"Thus far nothing is problematical, but the people of future America are a study.
"We know how sturdy and enduring the Anglo-Saxon is, how volatile yet tenacious is the Frenchman, how sober, solid and unwavering is the German, and how hardy and everlasting are the people who inhabit with the Polar bear. These are American now, but the Ethiopian and the Asiatic are to be added. The Star of Empire from the East and from the West have met upon the American continent. I believe the original Anglo-Saxon trunk will sustain all these grafts and that a nation will come of us by the cross of all civilized people that will be as superior to any of them, as the grafted fruit is superior to that of the seeding. Future America will be fitly symbolized by the Lion and the Polar Bear, surmounted by the American Eagle.
"With one country, one language, one hope, one aspiration, bent sublimely upon achieving the highest intelligence, virtue, and culture that man can ideal, diffused through a population of five hundred million people, inhabiting one-quarter of the habitable earth with a republican government, is a spectacle that the world has never yet seen, but is to see through us and our children.
"And but for these sacred graves, which we, and all the people throughout the land, have come today to crown with wreaths of flowers, no such hope, no such picture of the future of our country would be possible.
"The future destiny of the American absolutely demanded that the fundamental idea of the Declaration of Independence should be made true, and that Liberty (in fact, as in name) should be proclaimed throughout all the land to all the inhabitants thereof, and also, that the United States should be one and inseparable forever.
"Need I tell you how bravely and how well the army of the Union settled these questions? The men who lie silent beneath our feet and their comrades, have taught the South, and Great Britain, and the world, that the belt of country usually known as the North is the heart and power of the Republic. It is the strong arm that pushes the car of civilization in the new world. It is the second Defender of the faith of our Forefathers. It has fought the good fight, and many of its bravest sons have gone to their reward.
"The Republic is emancipated, impartial suffrage and equality before the law established, and the work of regeneration is left for us and our posterity.
"During all the long struggle which literally ridged the country with graves like these, there was everywhere present, through the ranks of the grand army, an abiding faith in the future greatness of their country, and in the final triumph. No soldier ever despaired of the Republic.
"We come today to crown their valor by decorating their graves. What great eulogy can we pronounce upon them?
"These silent graves are more eloquent than the tongues of the living. Their deeds commemorate their fame and their names do live after them.
"As we meet year after year to perform this ceremony of love and gratitude to our fallen comrades, new graves will be added and new obligations will rest upon us, until the last soldier of the Army of the Union is laid to rest.
"When that day comes, let us trust that the national life and prosperity that has cost so much to maintain and defend, will be inestimably dear to our children, and that they may fully realize all the hopes and aspirations of our forefathers and the second Defenders of the faith. If we shall not be disappointed in this, the 30th day of May will be as sacred as the 4th of July.
"But new trials and new perils await us. Poverty is the home of virtue, and riches the abode of vice. The Republic has passed the age of poverty, and is approaching the age of wealth—always the sure accumulation of generations. Rome withstood all her enemies from without and within, but the corruption following in the train of her conquests overcame her.
"If Heaven permits departed heroes still to know and watch over our beloved country, what anxious prayers are being made now, lest the blessing which the hand of their forefathers have left shall be wasted by the political dissension, frauds, corruptions, and wealth of coming generations! It is not fitting that I should name here and now what you all know so well and deplore. But may I not ask that we consecrate ourselves anew over these sacred graves, and resolve that our remaining days shall add something to the purity, patriotism, and lustre of our country that has been vouchsafed to us through the blood of these martyrs of liberty.
"But whatever of adversity or misfortune may be in store for us as a nation, the fault in no way rests upon these graves. Their services and their fame are secure.
"And today also the graves of the Confederate dead are decorated and strewn with flowers. It is a deserved tribute to their valor and patriotism. They had been educated to believe that the South alone was the nation. We believed and knew that the nation was from ocean to ocean and from the gulf to the lakes. But it was half slave and half free.
"Today it is all free, and fifty years hence, if our hopes of the future of the Republic are realized, the South and North will rejoice in a common joy, that 'Union and Liberty' have been so signally preserved to them and their posterity forever.
"And while we wreath flowers for these graves, let us not forget to return thanks and give honor to the brave seamen who guarded our coasts, and let the 'Father of Waters go unvexed to the sea.'
"And the widow and orphan of the soldier and sailor, let them be remembered with blessings, with charity and with thanks. All they have left them for their great sacrifice is their country and its gratitude. Let these be generous and unsparing.
"And still again let us not forget the brave men and women who fed and clothed all, who nursed and cared for the sick and wounded, who cheered and encouraged all with patriotic deeds and words. And finally, and above all, let us thank God who gave us the victory, whereby it has become possible that the Stars and Stripes float over an unbroken emancipated Republic, strong enough to maintain its existence against all foes, and yet without power to abridge the liberties of the humblest citizen."
FROM CEDAR RAPIDS REPUBLICAN, JUNE, 1906
It was in 1882 that an agitation was instituted in the city of New York, in which all the great labor organizations of the United States took part, and out of which grew the setting apart of Labor Day as a day of recognition of the cause of labor. It was not until 1887, however, that the germ thus planted gave fruit. On February 21, 1887, the state of Oregon passed a law setting aside the first Saturday in June for the observance of the cause of labor, and six years later the first Monday in September was chosen by the same state. That day has been observed ever since. The second state to legalize the holiday was New Jersey, and in May of the following year New York passed a similar law, Colorado and Massachusetts soon followed. In 1890 many of the other states passed acts recognizing the day. West Virginia and North Carolina were far behind the rest in this regard and did not legalize the day until 1899.
The first great labor demonstration was held in New York city in 1882 and the parade which took place on that day is still remembered as an event of unusual magnitude. All the labor organizations of the city were in line and with their splendid floats, banners, etc., they made an imposing spectacle.
The following year it was determined to repeat, if possible, the parade of 1882, which had come to be termed "The Labor Day Parade." This time the date was changed to the first Monday in September and when in 1884 the discussion of a repetition of the occasion came up, George B. Floyd offered a resolution in the Central Labor Union convention to the effect that the first Monday in September be declared Labor Day. The resolution was unanimously adopted and at the next session of the legislature a bill was introduced declaring Labor Day a legal holiday. There was considerable objection to the measure, however, and it was not until 1887 that a majority in its favor could be rallied together.
With the day recognized by the legislature of New York and two other states a concerted effort was made to secure action by the various labor organizations throughout the country, and in a few years the majority of the states had declared in its favor.
Curiously enough the original Labor Day was just after the organization of the first local in this city, which the "old residents" say is Typographical Union No. 192. There may be some objection to this claim on the part of some of the present members of the typographical union. The charter of the Typographical Union local is now hanging in the K. P. hall, and it is dated December 26, 1881. Unless challenged the members of the Typographical Union will claim the honor of being the first organization of union labor in the city of Cedar Rapids. The charter bears the names of the following charter members:
C. M. Hopkins, George S. Bradley, Harry Ingalls, J. D. Canan, L. C. Hay, L. B. Kramer, J. H. Enos.
If the memory of Sam Snouffer is correct the local was organized among the employees of the Republican office and it was a local of newspaper printers only. Sam says that he was a job printer at the time and the boys on the cases who organized the local didn't at first allow job printers to hold membership in their organizations. He says that the local was organized for a fight and it had it at frequent intervals during the early part of its history. But it grew and flourished and today the Typographical Union Local in Cedar Rapids is recognized as a conservative, yet aggressive body of men, with the courage to ask for its rights and the level headedness to get those rights without trouble.
During the war when the boys were about to return home they sought to carry back mementoes of the long struggle. Company E of the Twelfth Iowa as a trophy of the war picked up a mountain howitzer which had been captured by the rebels and re-captured by the United States troops. Some members of Company D of the Twelfth Iowa then, by some means known only to the soldier boys, unlawfully laid claim to the cannon and Homer Morehead, one of the old Cedar Rapids boys, was able to get the cannon as far as Davenport, the city council of Cedar Rapids providing means to get it to Cedar Rapids.
The cannon, a two hundred pounder, was used freely by every organization for a number of years whenever any celebration took place. During the Grant campaign, in October of that year, the republicans had a blow-out and the cannon was used; in this celebration the cannon was slightly damaged and was hauled down to John Mehan's for repairs. While there some person, or persons, saw fit to take it in the night time and nothing was heard of it for many years. A note was tacked up to the wall where the cannon had been left for repairs to the effect that it would be returned and shot off when a democratic president was inaugurated. The soldier boys and many of the prominent citizens of Cedar Rapids were very much stirred up over this affair and publicly accused a number of prominent Cedar Rapids democratic citizens of stealing the cannon, but no one, at least who was publicly accused, admitted having anything to do with it.
The incident was nearly forgotten when Cleveland was elected, the first democratic president since the Civil war. One morning as Harry Brown was walking down the street John Mehan called to him to come over and see what he had found. There, sure enough, was the same old mountain howitzer cleaned up and in first class repair, with a note tied to it that it was returned as agreed and would be ready for action in due time. This affair stirred up the republican camp once more and threats were made that this cannon would never be shot off to celebrate a democratic victory, and it never was.
It now remains as a relic in the old postoffice building, and many are the citizens of Linn county who have inspected this little cannon and have heard the story told by the old settlers.
Not until a short time ago was it definitely known who removed the cannon from the Mehan shop in 1868. A Center Point person had been accused of having something to do with it; how true this is no one knows. It is thought that two young men in the employ of N. B. Brown, a stanch democrat, took the cannon and placed it in the stable owned by O. P. Emery which stood on the ground where the Denecke building now stands. Mr. Emery no doubt knew of the whereabouts of the cannon, and when he removed up on Second avenue a heavy box was moved by workmen supposed to contain tools. When Mr. Emery removed to the home of his son-in-law, John B. Henderson, on First avenue, the same heavy box was once more moved. Mrs. John B. Henderson noticed that her father, after the election of Cleveland, spent several days in the barn working steadily polishing up some iron, but she never inquired what he was doing or what he wanted to accomplish. A short time before his death O. P. Emery admitted to his daughter that while he did not remove the cannon he knew of its whereabouts and had some of his intimate friends restore it to the Mehan shop after Cleveland's election as it had been agreed in the letter or note left the night of the capture of the cannon when no one was around to watch this much prized treasure.
Linn county during the Civil war had its share of so-called "copperheads," as well as a goodly number of loyal sympathizers known as "fire eaters." During this period of our country's history many unfortunate affairs occurred of which all parties ever afterwards were ashamed. In a state where the majority was strong in favor of the war measure it behooved those who were against this measure not to say too much. Frequently innocent people had to suffer for the acts of some one who talked openly and above board, not only against the president but against those who were instrumental in sending troops to the front. Democrats in the north were classed by the republicans as follows: Those who went to the front as loyal democrats, and those who stayed at home as "copperheads," although they may have been otherwise law-abiding citizens.
On the morning that news was received of the assassination of Lincoln Cedar Rapids became a town of turmoil and strife. Never in the history of the town had excitement run so high. The question of another war was discussed in saloons and on street corners, and during the entire day this strife was kept up. Towards evening a story got started that Bill Harper, a well-known anti-war democrat and a person who had frequently when intoxicated said some pretty mean things of the republicans in general, said "that he was glad that Lincoln got killed; that he should have been shot four years ago." The story spread like a western wild fire, and in less than an hour it was all over town. A crowd got together and it was not long till a self-appointed committee was organized for the sole purpose of hanging Bill Harper to a rafter or a sour apple tree at sight and without trial. A good sized rope was procured and the yelling crowd, headed by the late I. N. Whittam and others, made for the store room kept by Brown & Harper, on what is now North First street. That Harper was a well-known and outspoken so-called "copperhead" was universally known and no question arose in the minds of the mob as to the truth or falsity of the charge. A few in the party uttered remarks that there might be a mistake and that there ought to be some investigation to bear out the facts before the rope was applied, but the majority ruled and these faint-hearted fellows were laughed to scorn. N. B. Brown, who had heard of the trouble and who was a partner of Harper, got into the store building, mounted a barrel and talked to the crowd, claiming that Harper could not have said the words with which he was charged, for he had not been in town for several days. Squire Knowles, a republican and a believer in fair play, tried to persuade the mob to disperse, but his plea found little favor with a mob who insisted on a hanging. Then Bill Darr, a neighbor of Harper, also a republican, had to come to the front and tell what he knew about Harper. He said that Harper had been at home near Bertram and had been sick in bed for several days, and that he had been to his house and called on him the day before and he was certain that Harper knew nothing of what had taken place at the national capital. Darr was not treated any better than the others and was called "traitor" and all sorts of names because he wanted to save his neighbor's life if possible.