HERITAGE VIGNETTES by Marilyn A. Bekker

FROM OUR PAST

The oldest and certainly most traveled church building in Muscatine stands on St. Mathias Hill. the first Catholic Church in the city was constructed at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, dismantled and floated down the Mississippi on a raft. It was assembled at Cedar and Second streets in 1842. In 1934, the building was moved to a site at the back of the church property on West Eighth Street. In 1975, it traveled again, a short distance to the front of the hill. The Dominican missionary, Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, was responsible for the construction of the church. According to the records of Mathias Loras, first Bishop of Iowa, the expense of the construction and transportation totaled $1,096.01.

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February 8, 1854, the first ground was broken on the M & M Railroad, later the Rock Island and Pacific. The earth was deposited along the river side of Front Street and the grading continued along up Mad Creek toward Wilton. The big cut needed near the Heinz Company was largely made during the winter of 1854-55. In the summer of 1855, the railroad iron was brought in by steamboats and the road building began. A small locomotive as brought here by barge from Rock Island. The engine and cars were used for transporting the iron and ties for the road construction. The road was formally opened for business November 20, 1855. The first railroad bridge across the Mississippi at Davenport was completed in the spring of 1856 connecting Muscatine with the Eastern states.

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Road improvement to the west and south of Muscatine were important topics of conversation in the spring of 1851. In late March, work was nearing completion on a suspension bridge over the Cedar River. The 600 foot span, with trestle work at each end of 500 feet, made a bridge of 1,600 feet. It was called a stupendous structure, unparalleled by any bridge in the great West and was talked of as a monument of praise to the citizens of Muscatine that would stand for years. On April 12 the bridge collapsed! A severe wind storm was claimed the cause of the downfall of the structure, but plans were being made to build another using most of the re-claimed material.

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Two State Fairs were held in Muscatine, both seemed extremely small compared to the modern State Fair of today, or even in comparison with the West Liberty Fair. Estimates of attendance ranged as high as 11,000 on a single day. Muscatine was able to host the fairs in 1856 and 1857 because the Fair was “on wheels” and moved from one part of the state to another. The Fair moved permanently to Des Moines in 1879. The major spectacle at the 1856 Fair was a balloon ascension, although proper recognition was given to farm pursuits. There were exhibits of swine and sheep and a spirited display of stallions. The entries in the pantry store were meager and the newspaper reports rebuked the ladies for their want of interest.

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Steamboats on the Cedar River – yes there were! Frequent rains during the summer of 1858 kept the river high and even in September it was in navigable condition. The steamer, Cedar Rapids, had been plying regularly between St. Louis and Cedar Rapids and did a flourishing business. Another steamer, to be named the Valley Queen, was being built at Cedar Rapids to run from there to Vinton. Tragedy was also known on the Cedar River, as on July 4, 1876 Brock and Company’s Carrie Ward exploded and burned seven miles above Cedar Rapids.

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At 1:30 a.m. on May 11, 1893, the homes of Editor John Mahin at 513 E. Second Street, E.M. Kessinger at 603 E. Fifth Street and Lawyer, N. Rosenberger at 1232 Mulberry were wrecked by dynamite blast, all at nearly the same minute. Residents of the homes were thrown from their beds. Floors were torn up, walls blown out and windows smashed. Mrs. Rosenberger and her baby found themselves in the basement and families tumbled and slid out of their homes in any way possible. Not one was killed, but most suffered cuts, bruises and sprains. The three men were leaders in prohibition action in Muscatine. The Board of Supervisors met in special session and offered a reward of $2,000 for the arrest and conviction of the guilty parties. A mass public meeting was held at the Old’s Opera House for the purpose of taking further action in solving the dynamiting.

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In September 1895, Henry Heinz, aware that there was good vocal talent among the German American citizens of Muscatine, organized a singing society. Fifty-nine local men joined the group known as the Muscatine Maennchor. On August 5, 1897, they joined the great Saenger-Bund of the Northwest, composed of singing societies in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Indiana. The singing group participated in Saengerfests throughout the Midwest, as well as entertaining in Muscatine for many years. The group continued until its membership dwindled through death and retirement and forced them to disband.

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Throngs of people attended the dedication ceremony for the Greenwood Cemetery Chapel on Sunday, May 12, 1901. The contractor, J.E. Howe, made a brief presentation speech on behalf of the chapel’s donor, Mr. Peter Musser. Mayor Schmidt accepted the memorial on behalf of the citizens and government of Muscatine. The dedicatory address was given by Dr. C.L. Stafford of the First Methodist Church. The Street Car Company kept a large number of extra cars operating on the cemetery line to handle the crowds. Hundreds more arrived in buggies. Because the building was too small for such number, many spent the afternoon walking about the grounds.

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In December, 1901, Miss Zoe Faddis of Chicago was busy at the new P.M. Musser Library classifying the 4,000 volumes on hand and deciding the location of the various categories. When the books firs arrived, they were entered in what was known as an accession book. The classification used the Dewey Decimal System as used in leading libraries throughout the country. Mrs. Emma Mahin, the librarian, assisted in the classification. The library, dedicated on December 20, 1901, opened to the Public on February 19, 1902. The first book issued was “Elizabeth and Her German Garden”. The first borrower was W.E. Battey.

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On April 6, 1909 the old Court House was sold for $401. The auctioneer, Capt. E.C. Peto, did not have a lively crowd, but he could claim to be the first and last man to sell Muscatine’s old hall of justice. The buyer was James Selden, who was accosted by the auctioneer as he walked up the steps. Selden, without stopping said “Oh, 401” when asked for his bid. Much to his surprise, he had made a purchase. The judge’s desk, clerk’s desk, benches and the acetylene plant in the basement were all included in the sale. Selden had 60 days to remove the building from the Court House Square.

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Seventeen year old Frank Healey had a big fish story to tell on April 7, 1909. While working on a fence adjacent to the Muscatine Slough, the young man and a younger brother noticed an immense fish resting in the shallow water near the shore. Determined to catch it, he grasped the fish by the gills in an attempt to hold it, but the monster fish was too much for him and dragged him 80 feet into the Sough. His brother, Clarence, then grabbed a hatchet and swam to aid in the capture. He rained blows on the head and back of the fish until it was stunned and could be towed to shore. This was no “fish that got away” story. When the great catfish was placed on the scales it weighed 40 pounds.

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Street car service was extended up Iowa Avenue to Eighth Street on Sunday, December 17, 1913. Residents of Iowa Avenue were awakened a bit early by the unfamiliar sound as the cars were run out the new extension. Many doubted the new line would be patronized and were surprised to see the crowded condition of the cars during some periods of the day. Parishioners of St. Mathias Church use the service afforded by the new line and a large number residing along other lines were carried by rail to church services for the first time in the history of the city.

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Ten thousand people swarmed the streets in the vicinity of the Rock Island depot on the evening of June 26, 1916, to bid farewell to the men of Battery C. Not since the 1860’s had so many militiamen been called from the city. The mobilization of the National Guard was called for when war with Mexico became nearly certain. After a farewell exercise held at City Hall Square, the Batterymen, escorted by the patriotic societies, marched to the train depot. Following a platoon of police came a martial band composed of civil war veterans and sons of veterans and then marched the boys of ’61 to ’65. Just before the train departed, whistles were blown and many church and school bells rang, a sad note of farewell to young men of Muscatine going off to war.

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On November 5, 1921, visions of hidden treasure were aroused in the minds of workmen engaged in razing the old Kemble Hotel when they discovered an old half dollar in the debris of one of the wrecked walls. A search revealed seven other coins of the same denomination, the oldest bearing the date 1823 and the newest, 1834. The oldest coin, minted nearly a century earlier, was little worn and evidently hidden before it had circulated widely. Workmen claim it was possible the sum of money could have been greater, but much of the debris had already been hauled to the dump where the discovery was made.

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Several hundred people heard the first of a series of semi-weekly radio concerts at Weed Park on the evening of July 18, 1923. The receiving set was provided by the Battery Service Company of 113 Cedar Street. The concerts would continue throughout the summer each Wednesday and Sunday evening. The July 18 program consisted of musical numbers and a lecture by Ralph Cram, governor for the Seventh Aeronautical District. A 45 minute musical program from the Drake Hotel in Chicago was received. There was no difficulty in tuning in” and there was no interference from static. The programs were broadcast from the palmer School Station in Davenport and lasted from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

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Mrs. Emma Byers of New York gave the main address at the formal dedication of the Muscatine Y.W.C.A. on February 25, 1924. A large audience filled the auditorium-gymnasium of the new building constructed at a cost of $119,000 at the corner of Third and Sycamore Streets. The swimming pool, one of the finest features of the new Y.W., was donated by Mrs. E.L. McColm. No other town the size of Muscatine had a pool to compare with it. The staff included Miss Minnie Smith, general secretary, Miss Marie Lemberger, health education director, Miss Myrtle Vanderwelt, cafeteria director, and Miss Mildred Kemble, office director.

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Reports of children and animals being bitten raised the cry of rabies in October of 1924. As the month went on, reports also came in from the county. So serious was the problem that by the 17th six children were being treated with the Pasteur treatment of 21 shots. The dog owners were advised to tie their dogs and to report the tag number and location to the authorities. After October 14 all untagged animals were to be killed on sight by the police. Tagged animals running free would be captured and held. On October 27 Officer Sam Dye was bitten by a Spitz dog he had picked up when it was reported acting sick. Although the head of the animal was sent to Iowa City immediately, the tests were inconclusive and he began the series of shots. All citizens were warned to take precautions.

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On October 12, 1926, a bronzed metal statue of an Indian was placed upon the base of natural stone in Riverview Park, the gift of the Musquitin tribe, Imperial Order of Red Men. It was dedicated in a ceremony attended by many visiting Red Men and local citizens. The event was the high point for the public in the day’s session of the Great Council of Iowa. G.A. Allbee, local attorney, made the presentation on behalf of the Red Men. Charles P. Hanley, a member of the levee commission which created the park, accepted the gift. I.B. Richman gave a historical sketch of Indian life in the territory to complete the presentation program.

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May 7, 1945, the headlines read “German Quits – Unconditional Surrender Told”. Muscatine joined the nation in celebrating the end of the war in Europe. It was not the gala, hilarious occasion like Armistice Day in 1918 because the day’s victory meant only half the battle had been won. The war in the Pacific continued. The blowing of the fire siren and the tolling of the church bells officially informed the people of Muscatine that the fight had ceased. Business halted, schools closed, most churches scheduled special services. The cost of the war was high. Hundreds of men were injured or missing in action from the community. One hundred men from the county were dead, 40 from the surrounding area and former residents lost their lives.

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Tuesday, August 14, 1945 Muscatine was wild with excitement! The celebration of the end of the war with Japan eclipsed any ever held in the city’s history. Impromptu parades were formed, people cried tears of joy as they walked through the streets, servicemen and women in uniform were there, confetti and town newspapers fluttered down on the throngs, firecrackers hoarded from prewar days were set off. It was striking evidence of the abandonment of the tension which had gripped the people since the news of Japan’s intention to surrender was announced the previous Friday. For the second time in a few months sirens wailed and church bells rang out, this time to signal the end of the war. On Wednesday, through its churches, Muscatine gave thanks, but on August 14 they could only express their exuberant joy!

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