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CHAPTER VIII
On the 17th of June, 1882, the
Weather Service observations showed that Iowa was in an area of low
barometric pressure which extended from Dakota to the Mississippi
River. An immense storm cloud began to form in the northwest which
was observed in Cherokee, Carroll, Buena Vista and Calhoun counties
over which it was gathering and increasing in size before it assumed
tornado formations. As the thunder storm swept on into Greene
County a terrific wind arose accompanied by a heavy fall of rain.
As it passed over Rippey, swiftly flying clouds from the northwest
met others driven by a strong gale from the south. Then began the
whirling mooting of the clouds. The storm increased in fury and
blackness as the stronger southern current of wind swept it in a
northeasterly direction and the deadly funnel began to form, hanging
down toward the earth. It first touched the earth in the southwest
corner of Boone County, destroying houses, barns and live stock and
killing a boy. It then raised and for nine miles no damage was
done. After crossing the Des Moines River the funnel again
descended to the earth carrying death and destruction in its path.
It was about six o'clock in the evening when the tornado passed
into Story County and several funnel shaped clouds were observed to
be lowering and rising as the storm swept on in an easterly
direction. A continuous heavy roar was heard and the electrical
display was continuous and fearful. People sought safety in cellars
and caves at the approach of the storm. Buildings were suddenly
reduced to fragments; orchards and groves were destroyed; crops and
fences ruined, while domestic animals were mangled and killed.
Hundreds of persons lost all of their possessions except the bare
land or lots upon which an hour before stood comfortable homes. For
more than a hundred miles the tornado swept eastward over farms and
prairie, fortunately missing towns, until at half past eight in the
evening it struck Grinnell.
Eye witnesses give the
following description of the tornado as it was seen approaching:
"An hour before sunset
the northwestern sky was hung with conical downward pointing clouds,
the like of which none of us had ever before seen. After sunset and
even when the darkness was gathering the western sky half way to the
zenith was lurid, brilliant and unearthly; an ominous sight which
fascinated while it filled us with an ill defined dread. Almost
before the brilliant apparition in the west had disappeared the
storm broke upon us. A distant heavy roar was heard like the
rumbling of a dozen heavy freight trains. With a dense dark cloud
of dust the wind came sweeping leaves, branches of trees, chimneys,
houses and everything in its awful pathway. The rain came like a
waterspout, blinding flashes of lightning were continuous and amid
the wreck and roar came total darkness, wild confusion and chaos.
As the tornado bore down upon us, most of the terror stricken
people fled to their cellars for such safety as they could afford.
All say the felt the monster coming and that it had the power and
rock of an earthquake in it. It seemed to strike a sliding or
gyrating blow, as if its mighty power were taking them in a circle
to compress them to utter demolition. At places it would appear to
crush a house together as in a vise, then it would expand itself
hurling the debris in every direction or carry it miles away,
leaving hardly a fragment where the house had stood. In places it
would cut off the front or side or take out the end of a building.
Again it would lift a house from its foundation and drop it in a
complete wreck near by. Some houses were crushed into shapeless
wrecks and their ruined rooms were filled with fragments of other
buildings. A phaeton was taken from a barn and its wreck lodged in
a tree thirty feet from the ground.
The College buildings
were struck with terrific force; the stone building was unroofed and
the upper story destroyed; while the brick building went down in a
mass of ruins. Seven students were in their rooms in the third
story, three were killed and others severely injured.
One-fifth of the town
was in ruins in less than ten minutes from the time it was struck.
Dead, dying and mangled forms of more than a hundred men, women and
children were strewn around, torn, bruised and mutilated in every
conceivable way, covered with mud so that they could not at first be
recognized. Thirty loaded freight cars were hurled in a confused
wreck from the Central Railroad, and three miles away an approaching
Rock Island train was caught up and thrown into the ditch, crushing
to death two men in the ruins."
Six miles east of Grinnell the
tornado struck the village of Malcom where seven persons were
killed, many injured and several business houses and one-third of
the residences wrecked. As it passed Malcom three distinct branches
of the tornado were visible and many farm houses were destroyed for
a distance of thirteen miles. Raising and lowering as it swept
eastward its branches spread over a wide scope of country and
damage, was done in Iowa, Keokuk, Johnson, Jefferson, Henry,
Washington and Des Moines counties. As it spread out wider in its
eastward sweep, the whirlwind funnels disappeared and a straight
wind took their place. In Keokuk County several houses, barns and
orchards were destroyed but no lives lost. In Henry County the
destruction of property was great. In Mount Pleasant many
residences, business blocks and several churches were wrecked while
in the country many farm buildings, orchards and groves were in
ruins. Two person were killed and the loss of animals was large.
The number of persons killed was two in Boone County, two in Story,
seven in Jasper, fifty-seven in Poweshiek and two in Henry. Of the
hundreds crushed, mangled and mutilated many died after intense
suffering and others were crippled for life.
The property destroyed was
estimated at more than a million of dollars. Governor Sherman
promptly issued a proclamation calling upon the people of the State
to aid the sufferers. This was generously responded to.
The week following this
tornado brought three more terrific storms which wrought great
destruction. They came on the 22d, 23d and 24th, and swept over
Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.
While extending over the entire upper Mississippi valley and
destroying property to the amount of more than a million of dollars,
the loss of life was comparatively small. In Iowa the greatest
losses were in the counties of Sioux, O'Brien, Clay, Emmet,
Cherokee, Palo Alto, Buchanan, Linn and Black Hawk. Eleven persons
were killed in Iowa and many seriously injured. It was a week of
terrifying storms of wind, hail and rain such as had never been
known in this latitude.
The Greenback party held its
State Convention at Des Moines on the 6th of June and adopted
resolutions substantially reaffirming the declaration of previous
platforms. The following candidates were nominated for State
officers: Secretary of State, W. J. Gaston Treasurer, George Derr;
Auditor, G. A. Wyant; Attorney-General, J. H. Rice; Supreme Judge,
M. H. Jones; Clerk of Supreme Court, E. N. Clark; Reporter Supreme
Court, J. H. Williamson.
The Republican State
Convention met at Des Moines on the 2d of August and nominated the
following ticket: Secretary of State, J. A. T. Hull; Treasurer, E.
H. Conger; Auditor, J. L. Brown; Supreme Judge, W. H. Seevers;
Attorney-General, Smith McPherson; Clerk Supreme Court, G. B. Pray;
Reporter Supreme Court, E. C. Ebersole. The resolutions reaffirmed
former declarations.
The Democratic State
Convention met at Marshalltown on the 16th of August and nominated
the following candidates: Secretary of State, T. O. Walker;
Treasurer, John Foley; Auditor, Wm. Thompson; Attorney-General, J.
H. Bremerman; Supreme Judge, C. E. Bronson; Clerk Supreme Court, H.
F. Bronorden; Reporter Supreme Court, L. A. Palmer. The resolutions
adopted were similar to the usual declarations of policy.
The Republican ticket was
elected by an average plurality of about 36,000.
The election for
Representatives in Congress resulted in the choice of McCoid,
Wilson, Cutts, Kasson, Hepburn, Holmes and Struble, eight
Republicans; Murphey and Pusey, two Democrats; and Weller,
Greenback.
The Prohibition State
Convention was called to assemble at Des Moines on the 7th of
February, 1883, to confer upon the nullification of the
constitutional amendment by the Supreme Court and decide upon what
action it was advisable to take in the premises. James Wilson of
Tama County was chosen president and J. R. Sage of Linn County
secretary. The committee on business reported in favor of the union
of the different temperance organizations of the State for the
purpose of making their work more effective. A committee was
appointed to present to the Governor a petition for an extra session
of the Legislature to be called for the purpose of taking the steps
necessary to again submit to the people an amendment to the
Constitution for prohibition. Among the resolutions adopted by the
convention the following were the most important:
Resolved, That it is
the deliberate judgment of this convention that the Executive and
General Assembly should immediately take steps to put in force and
effect the will of the people as expressed by the vote of the 27th
of June last, by providing an extra session called at as early a
date as can legally be done; first, for submission of a prohibitory
amendment to the Constitution of Iowa; second, for such other relief
by statutory law as will relieve the people and the homes of the
State from the cause of the liquor traffic.
Resolved, That as a law
must be enacted and enforced by State officials who are elected by
the people and who ought to be their representatives, we pledge our
support at the polls only to such as are unreservedly pledged to
carry out in good faith the expressed will of the people on the
subject of legal prohibition.
After mature consideration
Governor Sherman declined to call an extra session of the
Legislature for the purpose of inaugurating proceedings for a
constitutional amendment. The principal reason given by the
Governor for this decision was that he had serious doubts as to
whether it was competent for an extra session to propose such
amendments to the Constitution. At the April term of the Supreme
Court an attempt was made to secure a reversal of the decision on a
petition for a rehearing which had been filed by Judge C. C. Nourse
and J. A. Harvey in February. Able and exhaustive arguments were
made for the validity of the amendment by James F. Wilson, John F.
Duncombe and C. C. Nourse and against it by John C. Bills. The
majority of the Court, however, adhered to its former opinion and
the amendment was finally set aside as invalid. In relation to a
new point raised by the counsel for the prohibitionists, that it was
not competent for the Court to determine whether an amendment to the
Constitution was legally adopted where a majority of the legal
voters had approved the amendment, the Court uses the following
language:
"No heresy has ever
been taught in this country so fraught with evil as the doctrine
that the people have a constitutional right to disregard the
Constitution. It ends to revolution and anarchy. it is incumbent
upon all who influence and mould public opinion to repudiate so
dangerous a doctrine before it bears fruit destructive of republican
institutions. The cause of temperance can sustain no injury from
the loss of this amendment which would be at all comparable to the
injury to our republican institutions which a violation of the
Constitution would inflict. Whatever interests may be advanced or
may suffer, whoever or whatever may be voted up or down, no
sacrilegious hand must be laid upon the Constitution. Abidingly and
firmly convinced of the correctness of our former conclusions,
recognizing no superior higher than the Constitution, acknowledging
no fealty greater than loyalty to its principles and fearing no
consequences except those which would flow from dereliction of duty,
we adhere to and affirm the doctrine already announced. The
petition for a rehearing is overruled."
The friends of prohibition
were sorely disappointed by this affirmation of the former decision
as it would require nearly five years to secure a new amendment to
the Constitution. The more practical among them, however, saw that
the Legislature had ample power and undisputed authority to enact as
rigid prohibition without a change in the Constitution, as it would
had the amendment been held valid. The contest must now be made
direct in the choice of members of the next Legislature and the
Governor. The fight with the liquor power must begin in the
political nominating conventions. It was evident that a majority of
the Republican voters were in favor of prohibition and it was
equally certain that a majority of the members of the Greenback
party were also prohibitionists, while on the other issues they were
too widely at variance to afford any hope that they could be united
upon candidates in the next election.
The Democratic State
Convention met at Des Moines on the 6th of June, 1883, and nominated
the following candidates: for Governor, L. G. Linne;
Lieutenant-Governor, Justus Clark; Supreme Judge, W. I. Hayes;
Superintendent of Public Instruction, E. B. Farr. On the subject of
prohibition, which was regarded as the chief issue likely to be
involved in the campaign, the following resolution was adopted:
"Resolved, That we are
opposed to constitutional prohibition and in the interest of
practical temperance we favor a well regulated license law, with
penalty of forfeiture of license for violation thereof."
In nomination of Judge Hayes,
who had given the decision in the District Court declaring the
prohibitory amendment to the Constitution to be invalid, and the
resolution of the convention declaring against constitutional
prohibition, the challenge was made to the prohibitionists to fight
the battle out in politics. They accepted the issue and determined
to carry it into the Republican State Convention and, if possible,
procure an outspoken declaration for prohibition from that body. It
soon became evident from the tone of the Republican press and the
voice of many of the leaders of that party that the prohibitionists
would be easily control the convention and that the challenge of the
Democratic Convention would be accepted, making prohibition the
chief issue in the approaching campaign.
The Republican State
Convention convened at Des Moines on the 27th of June, 1883, and was
one of the largest ever held by the party. The opening speech of
the president, Hon. John A. Kasson, in which he declared that "the
Republican party in this contest would not take the side of the
saloon" clearly indicated the temper of the convention on the
absorbing issue. There was no opposition to the re-nomination of
Governor Sherman and Lieutenant-Governor Manning; J. R. Reed was
nominated on the second ballot for Supreme Judge over Judge Day, who
was vigorously opposed by the prohibition delegates owing to his
action on the prohibitory amendment, uniting with the majority of
the Court in declaring the amendment void. J. W. Akers was
nominated for Superintendent of Public Instruction. On the subject
of prohibition the convention declared:
"Without making any new
test of party fealty we recognize the moral and political obligation
which requires the enactment of such laws by the next General
Assembly as shall provide for the establishment and enforcement of
the principle and policy affirmed by the people at the non-partisan
election and to this end the faith of the party is pledged.
"That while we extend
our earnest sympathy to the people of all countries who are
struggling for their rights, in opposition to oppressive laws and
systems, we also plant ourselves on the side of the homes of our own
people in their contest against the saloons."
The fifth resolution made a
clear declaration on another issue which had become prominent in
many other States of the Union which was as follows:
"The General Assembly
at its next session, should enact a law prohibiting the giving to or
receiving by public officers any railway pass during their term of
office and the same should be enforced by proper penalties both
against the giver and receiver."
The Greenback State Convention
met at Des Moines on the 11th of July, 1883, and, by unanimous vote
nominated General J. B. Weaver for Governor. Sanford Kirkpatrick
was nominated for Lieutenant-Governor; D. W. Church for Supreme
Judge; and Abbie O. Canfield for Superintendent of Public
Instruction. Among the resolutions adopted were the following:
"The manufacture and
sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage shall be prohibited and
the will of the people as expressed in the non-partisan election of
June 27th, 1882, he respected and carried out; and we arraign the
present Executive of the State for permitting the will of the people
to be overthrown:"
"We demand equal
political rights for all men and women."
The campaign was conducted
with great vigor, especially as to candidates for the Legislature.
Prohibition was the chief issue and there was a large defection
from the Republican vote on that account. The loss of that party
from the vote of 1880 was 19,984, while the Democratic vote for the
same period was increased 33,363. The loss of the Greenback vote
was 9,691 during the same time. There was a Republican majority
over the combined vote of the other parties, of less than 20,000.
The contest over members of the Legislature was very warm but the
Republicans elected a majority of each branch of the General
Assembly.
M. E. Cutts, a Republican
member of Congress, died before the expiration of his term and a
special election in the Sixth District for his successor resulted in
the choice of J. C. Cook, the Democratic candidate over E. H.
Stiles, Republican, by a majority of two hundred forty-one.
The winter of 1882-83 will
long be remembered by the fruit growers of Iowa from the great and
widespread damage to orchards. During the latter part of the summer
and the early weeks of autumn an unusual drought prevailed and early
in October warm rains began to fall. The vegetation which had been
dried up and withered in August was revived by the moisture and heat
of October, making an unusual and very late growth. Buds started
and sap was found to be abundant. While in this abnormal condition
a sudden and very hard freeze came in November, which found an
unusual amount of sap in the stimulated late growth which had not
ripened. When spring came it was observed that the orchard trees
were suffering from some severe injury. Careful examination
disclosed the fact that the inner bark, next to the wood, was
discolored and as the season advanced it was observed to turn black
and the trees to wither and gradually die. The greatest damage was
found to be in the bearing orchards while the nursery trees and
young orchards which had not yet come into bearing were, as a rule,
nearly exempt from injury. Bearing cherry trees were seriously
injured and thousands of them died as the season advanced. A very
few varieties of apples seemed to have escaped with slight injury
but many which were heretofore regarded as hardy were as badly
damaged as the tender kinds. All through the central and
southeastern counties the destruction was very great and hundreds of
thousands of bearing orchard trees perished as the season advanced.
It was a discouraging sight to the fruit growers who saw widespread
ruin of the orchards that had cost them long years of patient
waiting and care. Of the bearing orchards of more than forty
counties in the central, eastern and southeastern portions of the
State, very few escaped great and fatal injury. Many of the trees
lingered for several years producing fruit of an inferior quality
but their vitality was so seriously blighted that it was never
recovered. The escape of the younger orchards and the trees in the
nurseries seemed to puzzle the most experienced fruit growers as to
the cause of the general destruction of the older trees. There was
wide differences of opinion on the subject and it is still an
unsettled problem.
The Twentieth General Assembly
met at Des Moines on the 14th of January, 1884, and William P. Wolfe
of Cedar County was elected Speaker. Lieutenant-Governor Manning
presided over the Senate; Governor Sherman and Lieutenant-Governor
Manning were inaugurated for a second term on the 17th of January in
the new State House which was so far completed as to accommodate
this General Assembly. As the members prepared to vacate the old
Capitol building to assemble in joint convention for the first time
in the new State House, the following entry was made on the journal
of the House:
"As the Senate filed
into the room the Speaker's gravel fell for the last time upon the
time-worn desk; a desk the blows upon which had wakened into
existence concurrent legislation which had brought relief to the
oppressed and suffering, pangs and dread to those who choose the
ways of darkness rather than light. The walls re-echoed to the
stately tread of progress and the old legislative halls which had,
biennially since 1856, sheltered the representatives of a great
people from the incipient days of pioneer zeal and self-sacrifice,
in panic and war and into the bloom and fruition of peace and
prosperity; halls in which statesmen have been made and heroes been
sent to perform missions of freedom, to free men, as only such truly
noble patriots and freemen could. These rough old walls scarred and
picked, seamed and worn by the work of weary years, saw the
departing shadow of former greatness, as at 2:14 P.M. the last line
of members left the old house and silence fell like leaves from
memory's journal upon the beach of years, whispering a regret, yet
sighed relief that time had worked such changes."
The magnificent structure
which now became the permanent State Capitol is classic in style
with a superstructure of buff limestone. It is three hundred and
sixty-three feet in length, two hundred and forty-seven feet in
width, with a central dome rising to a height of two hundred and
seventy-five feet. At the time of completion it was surpassed only
by the Capitol of the State of New York at Albany. The building was
dedicated in January, 1884, with imposing ceremonies, at which Hon.
John A. Kasson, delivered the principal address. It was due to his
untiring efforts in past years that the General Assembly was induced
to adopt the general plan and make appropriations for the erection
of a State House commensurate with the rank and growing wealth of
Iowa.
At the biennial meeting of the
Pioneer Lawmakers' Association in 1896, Mr. Kasson gave an
interesting history of the legislation leading to the erection of
the building. He says:
"From this time onward
the three active Commissioners manifested the greatest care and a
most wise discretion in every detail of the work. Never was s
corrupt or misspent dollar charged to their account. The prime
principle of honesty in the expenditure of public money, which
requires a dollar's worth for every dollar spent, was their constant
guide. Thanks to their unusual fidelity to this obligation and to
their wise tact in procedure, the Senators and Representatives
trusted them session after session with amounts largely in excess of
the original estimates until the cost of the finished structure has
amounted to $2,871,682.05. Instead of grumbling and dissatisfaction
on part of the people over the cost, there was universal pride in
the noble building. * * * Every farmer and mechanic, every
merchant and patriotic citizen of Iowa, as he views the grandeur of
its proportions, the massive, time-defying walls, the splendid
legislative chambers, the beautiful library, the fire-proof vaults,
the large and convenient executive offices, the ample committee
rooms, and its general adaptation to the wants of an intelligent and
advancing State, feels and expresses satisfaction over this home of
his State government. It is his constant boast that there is not a
dishonest dollar from the base course to the crown of the dome.
* * * The names of John G. Foote, Peter A. Dey and Robert S.
Finkbine should long be remembered among us as names of men who
executed their duties faithfully and well, and who were above the
sordid temptation to make private profit out of a public trust,
under which so many men elsewhere have fallen."
On the 23d of January William
B. Allison was elected for a third time to the United States Senate
for a term of six years. The Democratic members voted for Benton J.
Hall and the members of the Greenback party gave their votes to D.
M. Clark.
In reaction to the prohibitory
amendment to the Constitution, which had been declared void by the
Supreme Court, Governor Sherman in his message says:
"The proposition to
amend the fundamental law by the prohibition of the sale of
intoxicants as a beverage, having passed the several stages of
legislation prerequisite, was at last submitted to the citizens of
the State and by them adopted by a decisive vote. The amendment so
adopted was attempted to be nullified by the coordinate branch.
"Various opinions
prevailed as to such an attempt and its binding force and effort;
but one only can obtain as to the moral obligation resting upon the
representatives of the people in the General Assembly in such an
emergency. The duty remains to the lawmaking powers that the
principle thus adopted by the people must be voiced in proper
statutory enactments; and I confidently trust that ere your session
shall end, the legal remedies will be provided whereby the people
may protect themselves from further devastation caused by this
unlawful traffic, destructive alike to present and future
generations. * * * Partisan ties should be laid aside in
consideration of this great question and forgetful of all else save
the ultimate good of the State, let us vie with each other in
perfecting the law in response to the public demand."
the General Assembly proceeded
to amend the prohibitory liquor laws of the State, strengthening
them in many important features, providing additional penalties and
declaring buildings in which the illegal traffic was carried on,
public nuisances. All of the reasonable demands of the advocates of
rigid prohibition were enacted into law.
One of the most important acts
of the session was that providing for the semi-annual payment of
taxes. A bureau of labor statistics was provided for. The
amendment proposed to the constitution by the Nineteenth General
Assembly, granting suffrage to women, was defeated by this
Legislature, while the other proposed amendments were adopted
changing the time of holding elections, from October to November;
permitting any General Assembly to reorganize the judicial districts
of the State; providing that a grand jury might consist of any
number not less than five nor more than fifteen, to be determined by
the General Assembly; and providing for the election of county
attorneys.
The presidential campaign of
this year opened with the Greenback National Convention which was
held at Indianapolis on the 28th of May, at which General B. F.
Butler was nominated for President and A. M. West for
Vice-President. The Democratic National Convention assembled at
Chicago on the 10th of July, nominated Grover Cleveland for
President and Thomas A. Hendricks for Vice-President. The
Prohibition National Convention met at Pittsburg on the 23d of July,
nominated John P. St. John for President and Wm. Daniel for
Vice-President.
The Republican State
Convention was held at Des Moines on the 20th of August, 1884, and
nominated the following candidates: for Secretary of State, Frank
D. Jackson; Auditor, John L. Brown; Treasurer, V. P. Twombly;
Supreme Judge, J. H. Rothrock; Attorney General, A. J. Baker.
The Democratic Convention
convened at Davenport on the 3d of September and nominated the
following candidates: Secretary of Stare, James Dooley; Treasurer,
George Derr; Auditor, J. E. Henriques; Attorney-General, M. V.
Gannon; Supreme Judge, L. E. Burton.
The election resulted in the
success of the Republican candidates for state officers by a
plurality of about 18,500; the vote for President was, for Blaine,
Republican, 197,089. The Democratic and the Greenback parties
effected a fusion on the Presidential electors, as well as on the
State officers and the combined vote for Cleveland and Butler in
Iowa was 177,316. St. John received 1,472 votes. The majority for
Blaine of 18,126, was the smallest majority given by Iowa to a
Republican candidate for President since 1860, when the entire vote
of the State was 128,205. The Congressional delegation stood
politically, seven Republicans to four Fusion.
Upon the reelection of J. L.
Brown as Auditor, a controversy arose between that officer and
Governor Sherman as to the approval of his official bond. When the
bond was presented to Governor declined to approve it on the ground
"that the Auditor had failed to account for all of the funds during
his first term" and had failed to produce vouchers as required by
law for public money expended. As the two officers were unable to
reach an agreement over the subject in controversy, the Governor
appointed a Commission to make an examination of the accounts in the
Auditor's office. The Commissioners reported some irregularities in
the affairs of that office and upon the filing of the report the
Governor issued an order suspending Auditor Brown from exercising
the duties of the office. The Auditor refused to vacate the office
and thereupon the Governor called the military and on the 19th of
March, 1885, the Auditor was forcibly expelled from the office and
J. W. Cattell installed in the position upon appointment by the
Governor |
