Carroll County IAGenWeb

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY IOWA

A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement


VOLUME I ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1912

Transcribed and donated by Marilyn Setzler.

CHAPTER VI.


glidden high school

THE CITIZENS' RETRENCHMENT CONVENTION OF 1870—RESOLUTIONS DENOUNCING THE RECKLESS EXTRAVAGANCE OF THE PAST—PARTIAL VICTORY OF THE REFORMERS—THE FIRST TEACHERS' INSTITUTE—LAMBERT KNIEST'S ENTERPRISES—DEVASTATING TORNADO SWEEPS SECTION OF THE COUNTY—THE SECOND PEOPLES' CONVENTION—GROWTH OF THE COUNTY—DIVISION OF CARROLL TOWNSHIP—GUTHRIE & BOWMAN'S WHOLESALE SUCCESS IN COLONIZING THE RAW LANDS—GENERAL PHIL SHERIDAN'S VISIT TO CARROLL—VALUATION OF PROPERTY IN 1871 BY TOWNSHIPS—REPUBLICAN VICTORY AT THE GENERAL ELECTION—DEATH OF GEO. N. YOUNG—GROWTH OF THE GRANGER MOVEMENT—ORGANIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY—CARROLL'S FIRST CRIMES—PANIC OF 1873—KENDALL'S MURDER—THE PANIC AND THE SALE OF LAND—DEDICATION OF THE FIRST CHURCH EDIFICE IN CARROLL COUNTY—CONGREGATIONALISTS FIRST TO ERECT HOUSE OF WORSHIP—TRAGIC DEATH OF REV. HASTINGS—DEFALCATION OF COUNTY TREASURER PRICE—BIRTH OF ARCADIA—GRASSHOPPERS MAKE THEIR APPEARANCE—IOWA RAILROAD LAND COMPANY MAKES SETTLEMENT—DEDICATION OF M. E. CHURCH.

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY.

 1870-1875.

September 17—A republican mass convention having for its main plank opposition to the Northwestern Railroad company, met at the courthouse. The attendance was fair and the proceedings lively. One boy of about fifteen was noticed, when the hat was passed, to vote a handful of tickets with all the nonchalance imaginable. The nominations were as follows: Treasurer, A. L. Kidder; recorder, Wm. A. Young; clerk, John K. Deal; sheriff, Thomas Basler; supervisors, J. P. Yates, O. J. Soper and Isaac Harris.

September 20—The citizens' retrenchment convention met at the courthouse, where it was called to order and George Smith called to the chair. W. L. Culbertson was elected secretary. A committee on resolutions consisting of  I. Gee, W. E. Potter, Robert McRea, J. C. Kelley, S. D. Culbertson, T. Roderick and L. Kniest, reported the following:

Resolved, That we, the people of Carroll county, in convention assembled, ignore party and party lines, reposing our trust in the sober intelligence and discriminating justice of the people, unite in the following resolutions:

1. That we justly view with alarm the reckless extravagance which has for many years past characterized the conduct of our public affairs.

2. That a return to rigid economy and accountability is indispensable to arrest the plunder of the public treasury by these men who have had, for a number of years past, charge of the business of the county.

3. That the many startling developments of fraud and corruption among our county officials show that an entire change of officers is imperatively demanded.

4. That we demand economy and honesty in the administration of our county affairs.

5. That we are in favor of the speedy collection of all outstanding taxes justly and legally due the county, whether the same is owing by railroad companies, land companies or individuals.

These resolutions were unanimously adopted and the following ticket placed in the field: Treasurer, W. L. Culbertson; clerk, Geo. Smith; recorder, H. E. Russell; sheriff, P. H. Hankins; supervisors, Isaac Harris, O. J. Soper, W. S. Winnett.

October 16—There is now completed the publication of the list of lands owned by the Iowa Railroad Land company, and on which taxes are delinquent for the years 1866-67. About four thousand descriptions are embraced in the publication.

October 26—For several days large prairie fires have been burning in every direction. The prairies around Carroll and Glidden have been backfired for a safe distance to prevent the wild fires from sweeping the towns. The 7-year-old daughter of  Jas. Dewalt, living in Kniest township, was burned to death while the family was trying to extinguish the stacks, which had caught from the burning prairie. The child attempted to run between the burning stacks, when the flames and smoke overtook and suffocated her. When recovered the body was burned to a cinder.

October 27—W. S. Knapp, state agent for the Iowa Sabbath School association, organized a Carroll County association at a largely attended meeting at the courthouse. The following officers were chosen: Rev. S. Snyder, Carroll, president; Rev. W. R. Smith, Glidden, secretary; J. H. Kelsey, Carroll, first vice president; Dr. White, Glidden, second vice president; C. C. Mulloy, Carrollton, third vice president. Township secretaries were chosen as follows: Carroll, J. W. King; Glidden, H. Hildebrand; Jasper, A. E. Smith; Roselle, Mr. Coppage; Richland, W. L. Culbertson.

November 2—The Carroll druggist, J. W. Hatton, recently took a tour eastward and when he returned he came not alone. Mr. and Mrs. Hatton will make their home in rooms on Fifth street.

November 2—The newly organized reform party succeeded in the election of October 11th in electing two of its candidates,—H. E. Russell, recorder, and P. H. Hankins, sheriff. W. S. Winnett was elected over J. P. Yates for supervisor. W. H. Price was elected treasurer over W. L. Culbertson by eight votes, this result having been arrived at after a contest before the board of supervisors. The election was the hottest political contest ever known in Carroll county up to that time.

November 16—H. E. Kimball is teaching the public school at Glidden.  W. F. Steigerwalt, in charge of the Carroll school, and Miss Rumsey, his assistant, are giving the public excellent satisfaction.

November 18—L. H. McMann and John K. Deal were admitted to the bar at the late term of court, Judge Mott, presiding.

November 18—W. H. Price resigned his position as county auditor to qualify as treasurer and the board of supervisors appointed W. L. Culbertson to fill the vacancy thus occasioned.

November 30—Lambert Kniest has purchased the general store until the present conducted by L. McCurdy, and has surrounded himself with an immense stock for the winter trade.  The departure of Dr. Fejaus, who returned to his home in Philadelphia, was made the occasion of a complimentary oyster supper at Burke's restaurant, where the doctor was presented with two gold badges, one emblematic of his profession and the other of his Masonic relations.

December 14—The contract for building the county jail was awarded to L. C. Bailey, who will put up the building for $700.  It will be 12 x 16 feet with walls four inches in thickness, with a spike every six inches.

December 14—The contract for building the county jail was awarded the supervision of County Superintendent M. W. Beach, Professor J. L. Ennis of Cedar Rapids, was chosen to conduct the work.  The session continued six days and closed with an entertainment by the teachers.  There were thirty-four teachers in attendance.

December 24—The people of Carrollton have secured the services of Orville Johnson as teacher.  Mr. Johnson is a recent graduate of the Agricultural college at Ames.

Lambert Kniest, chairman of the board of supervisors, has just completed a purchase of over 23,000 acres of land in addition to previous purchases from Iowa Railroad Land company. This purchase comprises nearly all of township 85, range 36, being the northwest township of the county, and is now united with Kniest.  This is the present Wheatland township.  It is a vast body of first class agricultural land, consisting of rolling prairie, well watered and supplied with fine springs.  Two years ago Mr. Kniest contracted with the Iowa Land company for the township immediately adjoining on the east.  It was then wild and tenantless and not a plow or spade had broken the turf with which nature had carpeted its thirty-six square miles.  To-day [sic] it is covered with houses and barns and rolls up 52 votes and has a population of over 300 intelligent and industrious people.  The first township purchased by Mr. Kniest was peopled by Germans only, but the new purchase will be thrown open to the world and until June 1, 1871, purchasers can select their land and sales will be made in quantities to suit.

1871

January 11—The county treasurer has been enjoined from receiving the taxes laid upon Newton township to pay the judgments against it. The petition recites that the judgment was fraudulently obtained and also sets forth that the judgments for which the levy was made are no legal claim of indebtedness against the township.

January 18—Coroner Wayne held an inquest at Glidden on the body of Joseph Rogers, who was found dead in a wagon in which he had left the town two hours before. The jury found that death was caused from over indulgence in alcoholic liquors and recommended the coroner to report to the grand jury the names of the persons selling the poison, who were not licensed to deal in such beverages.

February 1—John I. Blair of Massachusetts, president of the Town Lot and Land company, has donated to the Presbyterian church of Carroll the corner lot on Adams and Sixth streets, on which the society is arranging to erect a church building soon. The church was incorporated January 21st with the following officers: Directors, J. H. Kelsey, L. McCurdy, L. C. Bailey; treasurer, L. McCurdy; secretary, L. C. Bailey; trustees, Wm. H. Tibbles, M. A. Hoyt, C. L. Bailey. The public ordination of J. H. Kelsey and C. L. Bailey as deacons took place on the following Sunday. Rev. Mr. Smith is pastor.

February 2—Station Agent Holliday makes the following report of the business of the C. & N. W. railroad at the Carroll station for the year 1870: Total freight received, $24,087.78; freight forwarded, $7,795.50; tickets sold, $3,900.35; telegraph tolls, $209.54. Total $35,993.27.

February 3—Wm. H. Tibbles is a candidate for mayor on a platform containing eleven planks, the first of which is as follows: "I am in favor of early piety, and that the young and rising generation may become thoroughly imbued with this principle. I am in favor of erecting a Methodist church edifice on the center of each and every town lot in the incorporate town of Carroll." The eleventh plank reads: "All persons voting for me can go to Burke's and get all they have a mind to pay for."

February 9—H. E. Brooks and Col. J. B. Cooke have formed a partnership for the purpose of doing a general commission business in agricultural implements, lumber and farm produce under the style of Cooke & Brooks.

February 25—Dr. Gustine, of Panora, has made arrangements to remove to Carroll from Panora. The doctor owns 1200 acres of land in Carroll county, and this among the best land in it. He is a man of means and a physician of high reputation.

March 13—Council proceedings. The following ordinance was passed: "That ordinance No. 2 be so amended as to increase the license of saloon keepers from $100 to $200 per year, payable quarterly in advance."

March 15—Mrs. Bryant B. Terry this morning knocked at the door of the house of her father, Allen Preston, and when the door was opened fell over the threshold in a faint. Her face and clothes were covered with blood of her husband, who had shot himself, and after that had shot her and dashed his weapon in her face. When her father repaired to her house the husband was found in the last throes of death. Mrs. Bryant was shot in the cheek and her forehead laid open and skull slightly fractured by the blow from the pistol. Bryant had been drinking heavily for several days and was crazed with liquor.

March 15—Messrs. Bowman and Guthrie of Dubuque have been spending a few days in this vicinity. Mr. Bowman is connected with the Dubuque Herald. They are considering Carroll as a location for the land business.

April 12—The first note of the robin was heard March 24. The mean temperature of March was 37.8, warmest day 54; coldest 26.6. Nearly all of the wheat in the county was seeded in that month and put in good condition.

April 14—The council passed an ordinance providing for the closing of all places of business, save drug stores and the railroad and telegraph office at 11 o'clock on Saturday night, not to be opened until 6 o'clock Monday morning.

May 10—The influx of settlers in and around Tip Top (Arcadia) has made the establishment of a postoffice [sic] necessary. A new mail route has been established from Carroll to Sac City by way of Grant City.

May 14—The Glidden and Carroll baseball teams met at Carroll and in nine innings ran up a score of 35 and 51 respectively. Batteries for Glidden, Williford and Bruner; Carroll, Hastings and Russell. Umpire, L. G. Bangs.

June 14—L. Kniest has workmen engaged in extending his store building. When completed it will front on both Fifth and Fourth streets 100 feet in length, two stories high.

June 21—Saturday afternoon, the 17th, this county was visited by the most destructive storm ever known in this section. During the forepart of the day the weather was extremely sultry and early in the afternoon it clouded up and about six o'clock the storm came. It was a tornado and one of the greatest power. The cloud with its hanging arm was noted distinctly when yet some distance off. It traveled with fearful rapidity. The storm did not strike Carroll directly, but seemed to hang to the south and in the town the damage was confined to the overturning of light out buildings and the blowing down of chimneys. A barn, which had been put up by a Mr. Young, was torn down and flattened to the ground. Little harm was done, but at Glidden the damage to property was serious. Bowers & Culver, the druggists, were struck and their store so badly twisted that the upper story will have to come off. Glass fronts were blown in and light objects carried by the wind in every direction. A hay rake was driven across the street and carried through the front of Bruner & Browning's store. In the Gee settlement the residences of the following were totally wrecked and the buildings and contents scattered over the prairies: Harvey Ennis, Mr. Peabody, Mr. Wood, Mr. Armitage, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Alberts. Near Glidden the houses of Horace Hastings, Geo. Vader and Thomas Rich were entirely destroyed. Mr. Jewell's house was torn to pieces and a child about five years of age was instantly killed. Its body was found six rods from the house with the arm broken and skull crushed. An old lady, a relative of Mrs. Jewell's, was seriously injured and her recovery is doubtful. Several other persons were injured in various degrees. At Scranton four houses near the town were blown to splinters. James Huntington was killed and his son, James Huntington, and Mr. Rue, son-in-law of the man killed, both had fractured skulls and will die. One store was blown down and several houses carried from their foundations.

July 19—The first copy of the Sac Sun, a seven column paper, published at Sac City, has just been issued, with James N. Miller as proprietor and editor.

July 21—The name of Tip Top has been changed to Arcadia and Uncle Sam has established a postoffice [sic] there of that name. Five buildings have been erected in the new town and several more are in course of building.

The Chicago & Northwestern railroad through Division Superintendent Head, is making arrangements to establish a stock-yard at Carroll. One or two dealers will ship hogs from that point this season.

The first load of new wheat arrived in Carroll July 16 and was bought by Cooke & Brooks.

August 23—At the late term of court E. H. Kimball, of Glidden, was admitted to practice law in the courts of Carroll county.

September 9—The peoples' convention convened at Carroll with Luke Reed as chairman and W. L. Culbertson as secretary. A committee on resolutions was appointed consisting of Thomas Roderick, James Hobbs, Henry Stevens, P. H. Hawkins, J. H. Prettyman, H. Baumhoover, [sic corr = Baumhover] D. J. McDougal and L. A. Jennings. The convention nominated W. L. Culbertson for auditor; J. C. Kelley, treasurer; R. Reed, sheriff; D. Wayne, coroner, and L. A. Jennings, superintendent of schools; W. F. Staiergerwalt, [sic corr = Steigerwalt] surveyor; supervisor, O. J. Soper.

Resolutions were passed as follows: Resolved, That we believe the true policy of the county is, not to draw party lines, but to put men in office who will best serve the people. Resolved, That taxation should be reduced to the lowest possible amount to meet the necessary expenses of the county.

September 16—The republican convention convened at the court house and I. A. Beers called to the chair. The following delegates were present: Carroll township: J. B. Cooke, J. E. Griffith, Geo. Wetherill, W. A. Moore, Robert Stevens, E. R. Hastings; Glidden township: Sexton Dockstader, John Burley, Robt. Dixon, J. E. Merines, W. H. Drew, L. G. Bangs, W. E. Potter; Jasper: I. A. Beers, T. A. Cochran, J. Strum; Sheridan: L. Gee; Newton: J. A. Sawvel, J. L. Grooves, T. Roderick, W. S. Winnett, S. L. Andrews, A. G. Leach; Roselle: S. W. King; Richland: Lambert.

The convention adopted resolutions as follows:

Whereas, The county affairs have in years gone been conducted in a manner to bring great discredit upon the county. Therefore, be it       

Resolved, That we are in favor of a set of officers who shall be

First. Men who will advocate republican principles.

Second. Men who will be faithful in the discharge of their duties and who will see personally that the duties of the respective positions are conducted on a basis of judicious economy.

The ticket nominated was: Auditor, W. L. Culbertson; treasurer, A. G. Leach; sheriff, H. C. Stevens; superintendent, I. A. Beers; surveyor, W. S. Winnett; supervisor, Wm. H. Drew.

September 28—President Grant passed through Carroll on the ten o'clock express, enroute for Cedar Rapids, where he will take train for Dubuque. It had been noised about early in the evening that the distinguished official was to pass through and quite a crowd of men and boys assembled at the depot, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. In this they were not disappointed, as the president came out on the platform and was introduced to the crowd by a gentleman of his party. The president greeted all pleasantly, but refused to talk to a reporter who undertook to interview him. The train remained at the station ten minutes. Grant refused to respond to calls for a speech.

October 4—Rev. Mr. Synder has been reassigned to Carroll by the conference of his church. A new circuit has been formed for him with appointments at Carroll, Glidden and the Gee and Higgins schoolhouses.

October 10—At the election of this date W. H. Price (Dem.) was elected treasurer, the republicans electing the following candidates: Auditor, W. L. Culbertson; sheriff, H. C. Stevens; superintendent, I. A. Beers; surveyor, W. S. Winnett; coroner, D. Wayne. W. H. Drew was re-elected supervisor. Of the four special propositions submitted to the voters two were carried and two were lost. The stock act (making all owners of stock permitted to run at large responsible for the damage caused by such animals) was carried. The proposition to increase the number of supervisors from three to five was carried. Prohibition and the proposition to levy an additional tax of two mills for county purposes were defeated.

October 11—There has not been a day for the past week that prairie fires could not be seen burning in every direction. Last Wednesday night the fires came very close to town on three sides and it took great effort on the part of the population to resist it. The atmosphere was thick with smoke and it was impossible to see half way across the street. On Sunday the fires were still raging, driven by high winds. Three bridges between Carroll and west side [sic corr = Westside] were burned and trains delayed twenty hours. One of the bridges burned was one hundred feet in length. Over the county to the north the people fought fire all day and had hard work to save their property. Many losses are reported, the aggregate of which is considerable.

October 19—Dr. Smith and Miss Soule will have charge of the Carroll public schools for the coming six months.

October 25—At many towns not far from Carroll the railroads are troubled for want of water. Here the company obtains its water from the Coon river. A steam pump forces the water through three-inch pipes into both tanks at once and both can be filled at the rate of six inches per hour. The engine used has a history. It exploded once at Dixon, Ill., after which it was cut down for a switch engine and taken to Chicago, where it exploded again, killing several men.

November 22—At the last term of court Bowers & Culver of Glidden received a permit to run a saloon and sell intoxicating liquors. The petition was signed by nearly all of the leading citizens of the town.

M. W. Beach, of Glidden, had several cases in court which he handled with the ease and skill of a seasoned practitioner.

J. C. Kelley has taken a partner in the land and banking business in the person of W. T. Minchen of Lyons, Iowa.

December 31—Improvements in Carroll during the year 1871: L. Kniest, two-story building, 26 frontage, 60 feet deep. Cooke & Brooks, one-story warehouse 50 x 100 for storage of implements; Wetherill & Hoyt, two-story wagon shop; D. Wayne, store building, south side of Fifth street; Guthrie & Bowman, spacious land office, Main street; J. H. Colclo, addition to Carroll House. J. H. Underhill meat market; F. E. Dennett, addition to storeroom. New residences: Wm. Lynch, F. A. Warrick, Wm. J. Lundy, Benj. Merredith, W. A. Moore, J. C. Kelley.

1872.

January 25—A Good Templars' lodge was organized at Carroll, to be known as Carroll Lodge, No. 618, with the following officers elected and installed: W. C. T., Rev. Snyder; W. V. T., Mrs. D. Wayne; W. R. Secretary, O. R. Gray; W. F. S., I. W. Collomore; W. T., Mrs. F. E. Dennett; W. C., H. C. Deinham; W. M., W. A. Moore; W. I. G., Mrs. Collomore; S .W., N. E. Lewis. The purpose of the organization is to crush out the sale of intoxicating liquors in the town and county.

February 21—I. A. Cory is teaching a successful school at Coon Rapids. He has twenty-five advanced pupils under his charge. H. W. Kester is teaching the school just east of Coon Rapids, Jas. M. Gilbert, ex-member of the board of supervisors, is teaching at the Hupp schoolhouse.

A petition is in circulation requesting that the town of Carroll be set off as an independent school district.

February 20—At a meeting of the bar of the county at Carroll for the purpose of organizing a county bar association it was determined to delay the enterprise for a time because of the limited attendance and interest.

March 4—At the Carroll city election 107 votes were cast for mayor and distributed between three candidates, as follows: J. C. Kelley, 53; J. F. Tuttle, 40; H. I. Sutton, 1. Kelley's majority, 13. D. Wayne was elected treasurer, and A. S. Curtis street commissioner. Councilmen, E. R. Hastings, Robt. Sweet, F. E. Dennett, E. H. Brooks, Wm. Gilley.

March 5—Died, Mrs. Sarah Blizzard, sister of Mrs. J. H. Colclo. The remains were taken to Carrollton for burial.

March 24—The newly constituted independent school district of Carroll held its first election and the following members of a board of education were chosen: J. B. Cooke, D. Wayne, F. E. Dennett, F. M. Cole, J. W. King and E. R. Hastings.

April 8—The case of Carroll county against Guthrie county, relating to the taxes levied by the former on the indemnity swamp lands belonging to the latter and situated in this county, has just been decided by the supreme court in favor of Guthrie county. It will be necessary for Carroll county to refund a considerable amount on account of this suit.

April 13—The officers of the district townships of Carroll and Arcadia met on the 13th inst. to adjust their financial affairs, the latter township having been recently divided off from the former. The fact that there was considerable indebtedness against the district township of Carroll makes this rather an important settlement. The representatives from Arcadia insisted, inasmuch as their township had never received any benefit from the money expended, and as the district composed of Arcadia had contributed largely to the general township fund, they should be discharged from paying toward cancelling the present indebtedness and offering, if this could be done, to waive any claim they might have to any property Carroll township might own. After considerable discussion, which was friendly at all times, the following settlement was made: Arcadia is to assume 17 per cent. [sic] of the indebtedness now existing and is to have a credit of 17 per cent. [sic] of the assets. No difficulty in making the settlement could have arisen if the affairs of Carroll township had always been honestly conducted, but when corrupt men involve a township in debt by paying $40,000 for a schoolhouse not worth more than $2,000 some one must suffer. The present judgment indebtedness is $21,000 with an offset of $17,000 due on delinquent judgment tax, which, if collected, would leave about $4,000. There are now claims outstanding to the amount of $20,000, but the probability is that nine-tenths of them are fraudulent.

April 16—A society has been organized in Union township and the southern part of the county for the suppression of lawlessness, the organization of which has been the subject of severe criticism by persons who are probably unacquainted with its purposes or have reason to fear that it will interfere with certain doings in that section of the country. Law abiding citizens generally have joined the organization, which they have called the Home Protection society. The preamble of the society's constitution declares that, "Finding ourselves surrounded by a worthless and degraded portion of humanity, whose criminal acts are constantly annoying the community, therefore, the more effectually to resist such conditions we have banded ourselves together in a secret society and agree to pay an equal portion of the expenses incurred by the prosecution of any case originated by the organization."

April 17—Baseball season opened by a meeting at the office of H. E. Russell and the election of E. R. Hastings president, O. R. Gray secretary and W. L. Culbertson treasurer. Ethan Akin of New York, the owner of a large amount of Carroll county land, is here and may remain to look after his interests.

May 1—Geo. W. Paine, formerly of Brooklyn, N. Y., now of Carroll county, has arrived with the intention of becoming a citizen. Mr. Paine was a prominent New York lawyer and will practice his profession here. Mr. Paine has bought the residence of L. C. Bailey, on the corner of Fifth and Clark streets in Carroll, paying therefor [sic] $2,000.

May 18—Judgments and warrants aggregating $35,469.03, represented by F. M. Hubbel of Des Moines, were compromised by the board of supervisors for $16,000 and paid by county bonds of an equal amount to run ten years with interest at ten per cent. This reduces the debt of the county to $125,418.44. The outstanding claims against the county in suits and under injunction amount to $58,872.35.

June 26—Guthrie & Bowman, the Carroll real estate agents, are doing probably the largest land business in the state. The land sold by them is taken by actual settlers only. During the last ninety days they have disposed of over fourteen thousand acres of land, besides a large number of town lots in several railroad towns of the vicinity. The average price of this land has been about $7.00 per acre, aggregating $98,000.00, and for the first payment on which Messrs. Guthrie & Bowman have received in cash, $25,649.00. Counting a family to every quarter section of land, ninety families or four hundred and fifty persons have located in our county within that time. If the firm keeps up its average of sales for the year it will have the satisfaction of having secured an addition to the population of the county of over 76 per cent of the census of 1870 and of having located over 1,500 people on its lands.

July 3—More or less excitement has been created in the county by parties passing through on their way to the Council Bluffs land office, intent on filing claims to homesteads on certain lands in Audubon and Shelby counties south of the limits of the Northwestern's twenty-mile grant. These lands are claimed by the Rock Island, but are claimed to be forfeited. About fifteen citizens of Carroll county have placed filings on these claims. There are 200,000 acres in the tract to which settlers are now rushing.

July 13—The crops promise unusual excellence. Farmers expect 18 to 25 bushels per acre from their wheat. A large amount of new breaking was done last year and nearly all of it was sown to wheat this season and the area of the crop is greater than ever before. The yield of other small grain promises to be good also. Nothing is now likely to prevent an enormous crop of corn.

July 20—Baseball between Arcadia and Carroll; score, Arcadia 7, Carroll 92; umpire, O. H. Manning. Batteries—Carroll, Hastings, Russell, Arcadia, Agnew, Lemoiner.

August 7—Baseball between Carroll and Glidden; score, Carroll 37, Glidden 12; umpire, L. C. Bangs. Batteries—Hastings, Russell, Locke, Hinman.

August 21—Return game—score, Carroll 33, Glidden 15; umpire, W. L. Culbertson; same batteries.

August 21—I. N. Voris of Arcadia, has in cultivation, one hundred acres of forest trees. He receives an exemption of $100 worth of property for every acre of timber, and is thus excused from paying taxes on a valuation of $10,000. Farmers are taking readily to the idea of tree culture.

August 30—An excursion party composed of General Phil Sheridan and other gentlemen from New York and Chicago, arrived in Carroll, coming through from Chicago, without stopping, to this destination. The party traveled in good style and has two cars and a full corps of servants. One of the cars was a Pullman palace car. The party consisted of twelve, among whom were several distinguished persons. The most prominent was, of course, General Sheridan, who joined the party at Chicago. On Sunday evening a party of citizens called on General Sheridan and asked the privilege of holding a reception in his honor. He named Monday evening as a suitable time. The courtroom was decorated with flowers and draped with flags, and when the general arrived the room was crowded to its utmost capacity. A condition of his presence was that there should be no speech making, but a gentleman of the party was introduced by Mayor Kelly, and he briefly thanked the people of Carroll for their courtesy, and the General shook hands with all in the audience. He is a short, stoutly built man whose features would not attract any special attention. The party was arranged by General Stager, superintendent of the Western Union Telegraph company. General Sheridan was attended by Lieut.-Col. Crosby of his staff, and another of the prominent guests of the party was Recorder Hackett, of the New York courts. While here the party attended strictly to the hunting of chickens and lived luxuriously in the cars.

September 14—The physicians of Calhoun, Crawford and Carroll counties met in Carroll to form a permanent medical society. The following officers were elected: President, Dr. H. H. Hoagland, of Carroll; vice president, Dr. F. C. Stewart, of Lake City; recording secretary, Dr. J. Oliver Stanton, of Denison; corresponding secretary, Dr. Smith, of Carroll; treasurer, Dr. Iseminger, of Denison; on Medical Ethics, Dr. Hildebrand, of Carroll. Dr. McVay, of Lake City, was proposed as a member of the association.

September 18—The valuation of Carroll county property as returned by the township assessors is as follows: Jasper, $110,068; Sheridan, $92,658; Kniest, $190,464; Arcadia, $180,775; Carroll, $460,169; Carroll (city), $171,764; Glidden, $238,935; Richland, $101,645; Roselle, $184,042; Newton, $131,716; Union, $102,656.

October 12—The republican county convention was presided over by J. E. Griffith as chairman and W. T. Minchen, secretary. An economy and retrenchment platform was adopted. The following candidates were nominated: Recorder, H. E. Russell; clerk, E. M. Betzer; supervisor, W. S. Winnett, O. J. Soper, Geo. W. Paine.

October 26—The democratic convention selected for its chairman F. D. Gifford; secretary, Frank Krause. No resolutions were indulged in. The candidates are: Recorder, A. E. Smith; clerk, H. L. McMann; supervisors, O. Horton, Daniel Cooper, D. Keffeler.

November 5—At the general election the republicans cast 411 votes for the state ticket; democrats, 192. The following county officials were chosen: Recorder, H. E. Russell; clerk, E. M. Betzer; supervisors, Oliver Horton, O. J. Soper.

December 3—The express company's safe was broken open and robbed of $478 at 3 o'clock in the afternoon while the agent, E. G. Holiday, was absent on business with the key to the safe in his pocket. The thief shortly afterward restored the money and was not prosecuted.

December 4—The Germans of Carroll have formed a society to assist one another in time of need, with officers as follows: President, Christ Burk; vice president, L. Kniest; secretary, Dr. L. Rick; treasurer, Wm. Arts; committee for relief, John Lemuel, Rudolph Sommermyer. The society meets monthly.

December 27—Geo. N. Young, of Carrollton, was found in his room at a hotel in Pomeroy, Calhoun county, dead; death having probably been caused by apoplexy. He left home the day before he died with $1,000 in his pocket with which he intended to buy cattle. The money was fully returned to his family. Young was a son of Thos. N. Young, postmaster at Carrollton, and had a family of a wife and two children.

1873.

January 13—Carroll County Teachers' institute in session with an attendance of forty-five.

January 18—The weather for ten days ranged from 12 to 18 degrees below zero, reaching the low mark of 27 below.

January 29—A special election for representative in the legislature in the district (composed of Carroll, Cherokee, Sac and Buena Vista counties) results in the election of Edward R. Duffie, of Sac county (413 votes), over O. H. Manning, of Carroll county (398 votes).

February 26—O. H. Manning sells his interest in The Carroll Herald to E. R. Hastings and O. R. Gray.

March 5—The city election was spirited, J. F. Tuttle being elected mayor over Fred M. Cole. Number of votes cast, 113. Wm. Lynch, Jr., was elected recorder, W. O. Sturgeon treasurer, W. B. Crabbs marshal, and C. H. Dunham assessor. Councilmen—John W. King, Wm. Gilley, L. A. Lewis, C. L. Bailey, J. L. Berger.

March 12—E. R. Hastings has been appointed postmaster to succeed W. R. King, and the postoffice [sic] removed to the building known as the Herald building. The new quarters are an improvement over what they were, the office being fitted with boxes, lock boxes, drawers, etc., and it is much more convenient for the public. There is among a few some opposition to the appointment of Mr. Hastings. This in nearly every instance is due to friendly interest in his predecessor or through a mistaken idea that he desired the position to the development of a real estate business.

March 19—The Presbyterians at Glidden are organizing themselves to build a church and a subscription paper has been started and is being circulated by P. H. Hankin, chairman of the board of trustees. Good success has attended the movement so far.

J. J. Wieland is the most recent acquisition to the mercantile circle of Carroll. He comes from the eastern part of the state. Mr. Wieland is now in Chicago buying goods for a new store which he will soon open.

March 26—William Barron, a young actor thirty-five years of age, whose home was in Boston, died at this place of tuberculosis. During his previous career he filled responsible positions in eastern theatres and was regarded as a young man of much prominence, playing with Booth in Horatio and Hamlet. After a severe cold he lost his voice, came West and during the several months of his stay in Carroll formed a wide acquaintance and many friends.

April 9—The farmers of Roselle township have organized themselves into an order to co-operate with each other in the matter of their farming interests. They have elected J. Todd president, J. James vice-president, and S. C. Quint secretary and treasurer. The club is a very interesting and profitable institution and meets at the only schoolhouse in the township once a week to discuss farm topics.

April 17—The Grange movement has been making progress in Carroll county for some months and several lodges have been successfully launched. It is a farmers' secret society and is suspected of having political tendencies, though members are admitted freely from all parties, and the organizers declare the order has no such object but rather that its purpose is to facilitate various plans of co-operation among farmers. The lodges thus far formed and their principal officers are: Glidden Grange, L. Mereness, master; J. A. Culbertson, secretary; Carrollton Grange, Oliver Horton, master; W. A. Young, secretary; Liberty Grange, F. J. Beers, master; M. Kimball, secretary; North Coon Grange, Daniel Cooper, master; F. A. Cochran, secretary.

A tax having been levied for the purpose, the board of supervisors will order the erection of several bridges in the county during the coming summer. There are many places where bridges are needed. It has occurred in several instances that the county has furnished the lumber and the officers of the township have furnished the labor.

April 20—The report of the Iowa Railroad Land company for the year ending March 31, 1873, shows the number of acres of Carroll county land sold in the year then at an end to have been 32,577. The nearest approach to this figure of any of the counties in this vicinity is reached by Crawford county. However, the sales are over 8,000 acres less there than in this county. What is more remarkable in this land showing is the fact that the sales in Carroll county were all made by one firm, while in Crawford the company has agents at Vail, Denison and West Side, besides a salesman on salary. The rapid settlement of the county is a matter of congratulation upon all of its present inhabitants. From present appearances the county will have a population of 5,000 by the first of next year. Most all of the recent arrivals are Germans, most of whom have lived in this country for years and are acquainted with our language and customs. Their principal settlements are in Kniest and Wheatland townships, with quite a number in Sheridan, Carroll and Roselle.

June 5—Married, on Thursday, June 5, at the residence of the bride's father in Carroll, Iowa, by Rev. J. M. Phillips, Mr. W. L. Culbertson, auditor of Carroll county, to Miss Ruth Johnson. The bride and groom left for an extended trip to St. Paul, Chicago, Davenport and other places.

June 7—In response to a call issued by O. H. Manning for a meeting of citizens at Carroll to organize a county agricultural society a well attended meeting at the court house on the 7th inst. arrived at a plan of permanent organization. The board of directors as chosen is as follows: W. S. Winnett, J. M. Boyce, W. F. Steigerwalt, J. A. Coppock, A. Gee, J. W. English, L. G. Bangs, Alex McArthur, P. H. Hankins, D. Wayne, W. H. Rue, T. L. Bowman, W. E. Potter, H. C. Stevens, E. M. Betzer, and O. H. Manning. The following officers were then chosen by the board of directors: President, L. G. Bangs; vice-president, D. Wayne; secretary, T. L. Bowman; treasurer, O. H. Manning. Later T. L. Bowman, secretary, purchased for the society forty acres for fair grounds of the Iowa Railroad Land company and on which he made the first payment. The land is just one mile east of the depot on the south side of the track. The location is a very choice one. Over two thousand shares have been subscribed on the stock of the society and the first payment made.

June 20—A church board was elected by the members of the Presbyterian church on June 20, consisting of the following persons: M. A. Hoyt, J. E. Griffith, Wm. Hunter, and E. R. Hastings.

July 5—The southwest portion of the county was visited by the most severe hail storm since the settlement of that district. In Eden township crops were cut to pieces and practically ruined. Windows suffered severely. Mr. Bennett had twenty-four panes of glass broken out of the windows of his house. He picked up a hailstone that measured eleven and a half inches at its largest part and eight and a half at the smallest part.

August 27—Information from farmers from every portion of the county is favorable in the matter of the crop situation. The yield of wheat is stated from fifteen to twenty-five bushels per acre and running as high as thirty bushels. No individual who has ten acres of wheat who is willing to bet that his yield will be less than four hundred bushels.

September 3—The Chicago & North Western Railroad company has issued a new rate schedule. A substantial reduction has been made on all classes of freight. On the old schedule the wheat rate to Chicago was 23 1/4c, and under the new schedule the rate is reduced to 19c. A liberal reduction is also made on agricultural implements, lumber and general merchandise. The concession is made in deference to the Granger sentiment which is spreading among the farmers in all sections of the state.

September 10—Grady's great three-tent show, balloon ascension and great arenic [sic] display was Carroll's first circus. The Cardeff [sic corr= Cardiff) giant was a great fraud, but the circus performance was fully as good as the rule and many of the gymnastic performers first class. The balloon did not ascend very far and was not in the air over three minutes. Crowds of people were in from the country. They were thrown into a condition of excitement by a shooting affray in which Ira Ames, acting as town marshal, involved himself with one of the circus people. The impression was current that the marshal had acted imprudently in shooting the showman, especially as Ames disappeared after it occurred. Ames has returned to Carroll and says that on the authority of a dispatch from Fort Dodge he had arrested and committed to jail one of the followers of the circus. After this he went to the Carroll house [sic corr - horse] barn where two showmen set in to abuse him and one of them struck him with a pair of brass knuckles. He drew his revolver and the other struck at him with a sling shot, which hit the revolver, causing it to go off, and thus the first shot was fired. He followed the showman to another stable where he attempted to put the man under arrest, when one of the men struck him on the hand, and Ames then drew his revolver and fired, the shot striking the man in the fleshy part of the thigh, inflicting a slight wound. The circus people got into a disturbance at Denison where two of the men were shot and one mortally wounded.

September 12—The board of supervisors at their June session formed a new township to be known as Pleasant Valley and provided that township officers should be elected at the regular election in October. The new township is a portion of Newton township. The board also made a division of Kniest township at the September session, separating the west half from Kniest township and giving it the name of Wheatland township. It is also provided that township officers are to be elected at the next general election.

September 14—The enumeration of the independent school disrtict [sic] of Carroll of persons between the age of five and twenty-one resulted in a total of one hundred and sixty-five, of which sixty are males and one hundred and five females. The enumeration taken in the spring showed but one hundred and five. The number between the ages of seven and fourteen is seventy-six.

September 17—The Republican Representative convention of the forty-second district met at Glidden September 17 and nominated on the twenty-third ballot James N. Miller of Sac county to be representative in the legislature. The district is composed of Carroll, Sac, Calhoun and Greene county [sic]. Mr. Miller was not a candidate, and his name was sprung after it was apparent that the convention would not nominate any of the numerous candidates who figured in the early balloting.

October 1—The failure of J. Cook & Co. of Philadelphia, which precipitated the panic about two weeks ago, the injury of which has been felt from ocean to ocean, as effecting the Carroll banking situation through the failure of the Franklin Bank of Chicago, O. H. Manning who has that bank for his correspondent visited Chicago and looked into its condition and is satisfied that the bank is safe and will be able to meet its liabilities. Griffith & Deal have for their New York correspondent Henry Cless & Co., but their balance in the East is not very large and that bank will not be affected. The banks of the town are in a hearty condition and feel no embarrassment from the situation, which is so difficult in the East.

October 11—Last spring young Kendall, living in Kendrick township, Greene county, was murdered while on a round visiting his traps along the Coon. Suspicion was directed against one Locy Chambers, who was arrested and a confession forced from him by a mob which had assembled to lynch him, in which he charged his brother Alva Chambers with the crime, admitting himself to have been an accessory. The grand jury of Greene county indicted Locy for murder and a change of venue removed the trial to Denison. During the trial a sensation was created by the appearance of Alva Chambers, who said he had been in Montana and had heard nothing of the murder and arrest of his brother until he met a man from Jefferson who told him about it. Alva says that at the time of the murder he was at work on a railroad south of Council Bluffs. The trial of Locy lasted a week and the jury returned a verdict of murder in the first degree. He was sentenced to imprisonment for life.

October 12—Craton C. Colclo undertook to clean a large pinion upon which a cog wheel was running in Col. Cooke's elevator, when his hand was caught and mangled in a terrible manner. Craton bore his suffering, which was terrible at the time, with much more fortitude than many another in his position would have displayed.

October 14—Glidden has arisen to the dignity of an incorporated town and an election of officers has been held with the following result: Mayor, J. O. Havens , recorder, W. H. Stiles. Councilmen, Samuel Campbell, George Ferguson, O. H. Hankins, Daniel Smith and N. D. Thurman. The council has already adopted several ordinances, among others, one imposing a fine of $4.00 a month on saloons. Two saloons pay the license.

October 15—For more than a month smallpox has existed in the German settlement north of Carroll. The cases first reported were from eight to twelve miles distant, but now there is a case which is pronounced genuine smallpox within three and one-half miles, Henry Hockisen being the victim. The case had a fatal end. Several other deaths occurred in Kniest township.

Prairie fires are running in all parts of the county. The people in the north part of Sheridan township were compelled for two days and nights recently, in order to save their property, to fight the fires. Mr. Van Radden had 200 bushels of wheat burned recently and Mr. Cooper, a neighbor, 1500 bushels destroyed.

October 22—The decline in the live stock market in the last few days has been heavy. Great difficulty has been experienced in selling even at the lowest rates which have ruled and large numbers remain unsold in the pens at Chicago at the end of each day.

October 27—The republican county convention met on the 27th of October and nominated: Treasurer, Wm. L. Culbertson; auditor, Wm. Sturgeon; sheriff, H. C. Stevens; superintendent of schools, W. F. Steigerwalt; coroner, D. Wayne; surveyor, C. L. Bailey; supervisor, A. J. Coppedge.

October 27—The democratic convention nominated the following ticket: Treasurer, W. H. Price; auditor, A. E. Smith; sheriff, F. J. Beers; superintendent of schools, D. Hildebrand; surveyor, W. H. Bohnenkaup; coroner, D. F. Gifford; supervisor, H. Olerich.

November 3—Married, Sunday, October 25th, by Rev. M. Collins, Horace Squires to Miss Etta Livingston. Married, Clinton, Iowa, November 3, 1873, by Rev. Cowden, S. C. Martin, of Carroll county, and Miss L. C. Ryder.

November 6—The entire republican county ticket was elected.

November 26—The sale of land in this county does not appear to have been seriously affected by the panic. The Iowa Railroad Land company report that the sales this month are larger than ever before at this season of the year and will equal the sales of some months of last spring and summer. The influx of newcomers is steady and promises to be heavy in the spring.

December 1—At the first tax sale in Carroll county this fall but a small portion of the property was disposed of. Since then two adjourned sales have been held and nearly all of the delinquent property sold, except that belonging to residents. This has been offered, but only a few pieces have been taken. Either the tax sale purchasers sympathize with the unfortunate residents who have been unable to redeem their property or do not wish to put them to the expense of redeeming, or some other influence has restrained them.

December 2—Some time since the Carroll town authorities began negotiations for the purchase of a fire engine and hook and ladder truck, but owing to the inability of the town to pay the sum of $500.00 in cash on the delivery of the engine and truck the negotiations came to an end.

December 7—On this day the first Carroll Protestant church building was dedicated to the service of God by the Congregational society. The society was organized on the 26th day of November, 1872, with the following members: Charles L. Bailey, Mrs. Delia L. Bailey, Mrs. E. O. Price, Mrs. H. Look, Geo. W. Paine, and Mrs. F. B. Paine, six in all. Since then its membership has increased between twenty and thirty. Work on the foundation of the church was commenced June 23d, and the plastering was completed October 25th, since which date the building has been finished off and seated. The dimensions of the room are 26x40, with sixteen-foot ceiling, and will accommodate an audience of from two to three hundred. The carpenter work was under the supervision of C. L. Bailey and S. P. Hart, and the total cost of the building was $1,977.12. The weather for the dedication was beautiful. The following persons assisted in the ceremony: Revs. DeForest, Pickett, Phillips, Hastings, Smith and White. The choir was under the training of Mrs. E. O. Price. After the music followed a prayer by Mr. Pickett. The dedicatory sermon was delivered by Mr. DeForest, of Council Bluffs; the dedicatory prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. White, of Boonesboro. Rev. R. Hastings pronounced the benediction.

 1874.

January 11—Rev. E. P. Vail and Rev. R. Hastings, of Carroll, with Mr. Coder, of Sheridan township, left Gee settlement this morning for Carroll with a double-seated, two-horse buggy. While descending a slight elevation near Storm creek, three miles from town, a part of the harness gave way and the horses became unmanageable. The pole dropped from the neck yoke and, striking the frozen ground, vaulted the buggy into the air and the occupants were thrown out. Mr. Coder was stunned; Mr. Vail received several, but not dangerous, injuries; Mr. Hastings was found lying in the snow, which was blood stained, with a deep gash in the top of his head. He was lifeless and no aid could be given him there, and so he was placed in a wagon, which was following, and in this condition was brought to relatives in Carroll. He died at two o'clock, living only two hours after receiving the blow.

February 18—The brewery recently erected at Mt. Carmel by Mr. A. L. Gnam is completed and an excellent quality of lager beer is being manufactured. A large quantity of this beer is being consumed in Carroll county.

March 4—At the Carroll city election D. Wayne was elected mayor; Wm. Lynch, recorder; I. W. Collomore, treasurer; A. D. White, marshal; Wm. J. Lundy, street commissioner; Charles H. Dunham, assessor. One hundred and thirty-one votes were cast for the head of the ticket. Members of the council: Wm. H. Price, W. L. Culbertson, Wm. Arts, H. C. Stevens, Wm. Gilley. At a city election at Glidden the following were elected: Mayor, F. J. Beers; recorder, C. I. Hinman; treasurer, John Waldron; trustees, W. H. Platner, John Moran, James Cornell, Isaac A. Price, Samuel Campbell.

March 28—Carroll county convention of Grangers met March 28th and proceeded to elect officers as follows: C. Poccock, master; R. L. Wolfe, overseer; J. L. Mereness, secretary; E. H. Cole, treasurer; R. Stevens, stewart; C. B. Dockstader, gatekeeper. A committee was appointed to complete arrangements for Grange elevators, to be located at Carroll and Glidden. The prospect is that by the coming fall at least one elevator, if not two, under the control of the order, will be in operation.

April 23—Former County Treasurer Price has been found short in his accounts between $5,000 and $6,000. The shortage in the various funds is $11,813. Since the deficit was first found he has paid over to his successor the sum of $5,038. The total amount yet due from him is $5,774, secured by a bond of $75,000, signed by F. J. Beers and about twenty-five others. Mr. Price was not a speculator, nor had he met with any financial misfortune which would account for such a deficiency. His accounts of his living expenses show that the money could not have been used in that way. He is unable to account for the shortage and no one can explain it, save on the theory of lost or misplaced vouchers.

May 6—Dr. S. C. Dunkle located at Glidden at the beginning of the year and is already enjoying a good practice. The Glidden ladies have presented a petition to the town council, signed by every woman of the town, asking that body to pass an ordinance prohibiting the sale of beer and wine.

May 13—The prospectus of Der Carroll Democrat has been issued and the first number will appear in two weeks. T. L. Bowman, of Carroll, and John Burkhardt, formerly of Omaha, are the publishers.

May 27—Arcadia, the youngest town in Carroll county, stands where four years ago was unbroken prairie from Carroll as far west as Denison. The first settlers of the new town were Messrs. Voris, Lamson and Carpenter. Mr. Voris had laid out his town, but the railroad company was not pleased with this and platted another one adjoining it and named it Tip Top. For a time there was something of a rivalry between the owners of the two sites, but all the difficulties were adjusted and the railroad purchased Mr. Voris' share of the land, paying him $175 per acre for land that he had some time before purchased for $10. During the early part of 1870 and spring of 1871 the population of the town increased slowly and at the first fall election in 1871 eighteen votes were cast. A year later this had increased to twenty-one and last year the vote polled was fifty-three. Last year from fifteen to twenty buildings were erected. The pioneer merchant of the place was Henry Carpenter. Others were John Bowdish, J. D. Peters, L. S. Stale, J. D. McDougall, James Carroll and J. Smutney.

July 8—The Carroll County Democrat, with the names of H. L. McMan and F. F. Kelly as publishers, has appeared, and has a neat and creditable appearance. Clouds of grasshoppers have been seen passing over the county and the gravest apprehensions are entertained regarding the coming harvest, upon which depends the financial success or failure of a majority of the farms. After alighting, the hoppers have delayed but a short time before mounting into the air and passing on. They have inflicted but little damage. William Trowbridge is running a hack from Carroll, making two trips to Mt. Carmel on Sundays for the purpose of carrying those who attend Catholic services at that point. The fare is $1.00 for the round trip. Carroll lodge, No. 274, I. O. O. F., has installed the following officers: J. N. King, N. G.; J. W. Hatton, V. G.; W. L. Culbertson, secretary; H. E. Cole, treasurer, and W. F. Steigerwalt, secretary. The lodge was organized three months since and has grown to have a membership of thirty-six.

July 22—The tax suits between Carroll county and the Iowa Railroad Land company have been decided by the supreme court. Wm. Cook, taxpaying agent for the land company, has turned over to Treasurer Culbertson the amount held to be due under the decision, the exact sum being $41,214.47. Of this Judge Grant received for his services $10,303. This is the largest fee ever paid in a case arising in this county. It does not come out of the county treasury, however, but out of the treasury of the corporation which has so long fought the county. The amount owing the county is disputed, but the state fund, county and township fund and the general fund have been replenished to the amount of $7,731.

August 5—County Attorney J. C. Kelly has just received information from the clerk of the supreme court informing him of a decision just handed down in seven of the cases of the county against the Iowa Railroad Land company, which will give additional inflation to the county treasury of about $27,000.

August 19—The attendance at the Normal Institute is not as large as it has been at times in the past. Regular recitations are conducted by Prof. Van Coolen and Superintendent Steigerwalt. Thirty-six teachers are in attendance.

August 27—The brick making experiment of Kruger Bros., at Carroll, turned out successfully. The brick are hard, of good quality and have the ring which is the best test of their quality. Kruger estimates that he can make from fifteen to twenty thousand brick per week, and expects to have his kiln ready for its first use very shortly.

October 14—For more than three years the Methodists have had the question of building a church at Carroll under consideration. The work of gathering subscriptions was carried on under many discouragements, but a sufficient amount was finally pledged. Accordingly in the latter part of the summer of 1873 work was commenced. The building was enclosed before winter, and resumed the next spring, and prosecuted as rapidly as possible without involving it too deeply in debt. The carpenter work was done under the direction of J. W. King. The building is situated on the lot north of the courthouse square. The building as completed is thirty by forty feet with sixteen feet ceiling. The house is finely seated and the pulpit very neat and tasteful. On Sunday the 11th inst., was the day of the dedication, with the following ministers present and assisting in the ceremonies: Rev. J. M. Phillips, of the Presbyterian church; Rev. N. D. Porter, of the Congregational church; and Rev. D. M. Collins, E. W. Brady, Joseph Manning, and W. C. Smith, of the Methodist church. The sermon was preached by Rev. M. D. Collins, who took for his PDF the tenth verse of the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious." At this time a debt of $700 rested over the building, and although the outlook was not good to raise this amount in a short effort, it was announced at the close of the meeting that $820 had been pledged, so that the church is now out of debt.

October 28—Kruger Bros. have turned out their first kiln of brick and shipped a carload to Arcadia. They retail brick in any quantity desired at $10.00 per thousand.

November 22—Sabbath, November 22, the Presbyterian church of Glidden was set apart by appropriate services to the service of God. Rev. B. C. Smith read the scripture lesson and Rev. J. S. Dunning preached from Psalms, eighty-fourth chapter and the first verse. Rev. Geo. R. Carroll of Cedar Rapids, who organized the church, gave a historical sketch. Rev. J. M. Phills offered the dedicatory prayer. Rev. Thomas A. Shover pronounced the benediction. The building is a new frame structure, 28 x 46 with 14-foot ceiling, and will seat two hundred and fifty persons. The house cost $1,695.00, all of which is paid.

November 25—Dan Cooper of Jasper township, sold eighty head of hogs to Cook & Jones for $6.25 per hundred, the sale aggregating him something over $1,600.

December 2—Cook & Jones disbursed $13,000 for hogs and grain for the week ending November 20th. They increased this, however, to such an extent that during the following week they paid out over $30,000 in their business at Carroll, Glidden, Scranton and Arcadia.

December 16—Volumes of smoke were seen pouring out of the upper part of the building occupied by D. B. Horton & Co., The building adjoined the large storehouse of L. Kniest. Ladders and buckets were procured and the hose attached to the railroad water tank, and also several Babcock extinguishers arrived, and did good service. The fire was confined to the upper story of the Horton building and the damage resulting was small. The Wetherill & Hoyt hardware store was threatened at one time.

 1875.

September 5—A portion of Carroll county was visited on the 5th inst., by a terrific hail storm, the worst ever known in this part of the country. About 2 o'clock in the forenoon a massive black cloud after a hot day appeared in the northwest and moved towards the southeast. The wind also commenced to blow violently. As soon as the edge of the cloud came over the town a few hailstones came, an indication of what was behind. In a few moments hail began to fall more rapidly and soon covered the ground several inches deep. The stones were from the size of a walnut to the size of a man's head. The storm continued about twenty minutes. The damage in Carroll was considerable, but not very serious. A great many lights of glass were broken on the north side of buildings, and skylights stood no chance at all. The front of the Carroll County bank was battered in, and the lights in Guthrie & Bowman's office were knocked out. At Hillsdale the damage was terrible. A strip of country two miles wide and four miles long was utterly devastated. The next day, twenty hours after the storm, the hail lay in heaps upon the ground. Immediately after it was over the country around Hillsdale presented the appearance of being entirely under water, so deep did the hail lay. A large quantity of wheat was still standing in the shock, and this was threshed out, and rendered entirely worthless. Fields of corn, sometimes of one hundred acres each, were actually beaten to the ground and destroyed. Over one hundred and fifty head of hogs were killed outright by the hail and many were crippled. Jos. James had ninety acres of fine corn and fifty acres of wheat entirely wiped out. lanoz [sic corr = Lanoz] Dangle had his entire crop ruined, twelve hogs killed and his house broken up and badly damaged. Jos. Buckheit, one hundred and forty hogs killed. J. Todd, Barney Lordeman, Bhussmann [sic corr = B. Hussmann] and many others lost their entire corn crops besides considerable of their wheat, and a number of their hogs. The crops of J. W. English were injured but not destroyed. All the fruit and forest trees in Hillsdale were either killed entirely or broken. The damage will reach far up into the thousands.

July 28—The assessors in the various townships made a census report last winter. Their figures were sent up to the auditor who condensed them into a report, the recapitulation of which is as follows:

Dwellings................................................................................................................

1,262

Population.............................................................................................................

5,076

Females..................................................................................................................

2,671

Families.................................................................................................................

1,175

Males......................................................................................................................

3,087

Number over 16 years of age who cannot read....................................................

12

Voters.....................................................................................................................

1,197

Foreigners not naturalized....................................................................................

170

Acres of improved land.........................................................................................

58,065

Acres of unimproved land.....................................................................................

309,694

Rods of fences........................................................................................................

45,772

Acres of Wheat......................................................................................................

26,756

Acres of Corn.........................................................................................................

16,007

Acres of Rye..........................................................................................................

9

Acres of Oats.........................................................................................................

3,238

Acres of Barley......................................................................................................

414

Acres of Flax..........................................................................................................

289

Acres of Sorghum..................................................................................................

56¼

Acres Tame Hay....................................................................................................

112

Acres planted to timber.........................................................................................

711

Trees in bearing.....................................................................................................

1,448

Fruit trees in bearing............................................................................................

8,702

Horses....................................................................................................................

2,808

Mules.....................................................................................................................

192

Milch Cows............................................................................................................

1,975

Oxen.......................................................................................................................

117

All other cattle.......................................................................................................

3,604

Hogs.......................................................................................................................

10,638

Dogs........................................................................................................................

1,034
   

Value of products of farm......................................................................................

$451,365

Garden....................................................................................................................

1,266

Orchard..................................................................................................................

570

Herd........................................................................................................................

74,170

Forest.....................................................................................................................

   12,483

Total value of products....................................

$552,008

 


theodore roosevelt at carroll

 

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