Newton, the seat of justice for Jasper County, now has a population (according to the latest census) of 4,616 people, has a fine public library, ten churches, a $200,223 court house, paved streets, four excellent banking institutions, three railways, twenty-five busy factories, employing upwards of five hundred persons constantly, the best municipal electric lighting plant in any town in Iowa of its size, a fine water plant and a water supply showing ninety-eight per cent purity, with nine miles and more of water mains, seven or eight miles of sewer, and coal mines in three directions from the city. Its population has increased more than twenty-five per cent in the last decade.

BEGINNING OF THE CITY

Newton was located as the county seat by the locating commissioners named in the act of the Legislature creating the county, and these men were sworn before Justice of the Peace Ballinger Aydellotte, May 11, 1846, to "take into account the future as well as the present population of the county." The report of this commission will be found in the general chapters of this work.

It may not be without some interest to know what town lots sold for in Newton in 1846; hence the subjoined account of same will be given. This is from a record of lots sold in the newly platted town of "Newton City." as Newton was at first called: John R. Sparks, lot 1, block 20, $37; John Wilson, lot 3, block 20, $20; Joab Bennett, lot 4, block 21, $20; John N. Kinsman, lot 2, block 21, $14; C. N. Hamlin, lot 4, block 15, $20; William Hanshaw, lot 3, block 15, $27; T. J. Adamson, lot 4, block 22, $10.50; T. J. Adamson, lot 5, block 14, $7; Nathan Williams, lot 5, block 9, $31; William Edmundson, lot 5, block 9, $32; Manly Gifford, lot 1, block 16, $31; Alvin Adkins, lot 7, block 16, $31; Joab Bennett, lot 8 in block 9, $26: James Pearson, lot 7, block 16, $13.62; William Hanshaw, lot 6, in block 15, $20; J. N. Kinsman, lot 1, block 21, $8: Joab Bennett, lot 8, block 16, $25; T. J. Adamson, out-lots 1, 14, 21, 23, 25, at, respectively, $5, $10, $31, $7 and $7.25.

It will be an interesting problem for some realty man of this day to go through this list of lots and compute their present value.

The records of Jasper County show that at a meeting of the county commissioners in June 1846, it was ordered that the town plat of the new county seat, "Newton City," be surveyed into lots. The record of July 7th, that year, shows that orders were allowed out of "the town money," to Richard Fisher, Thomas Henderson, Joab Bennett, J. N. Kinsman, Samuel Metz, James Edgar, Moses Lacy, T. C. Underwood and William Campbell, in all amounting to eighty-one dollars, all of the persons named having taken some part in the survey of the new town and county seat.

The survey of the original plat was executed by Silas Sawyer, who, the books show, was allowed sixty-seven dollars and fifty cents for such services and that his work was performed about June 25, 1846. There were twenty-nine blocks, of eight lots each, and twenty-nine out-lots. The streets from north to south were South, Marion, Main, McDonald, Washington and North and those from west to east were Farmer, Mechanic, Olive, Spring, Market, Vine and Race. The location was described as being the "northwest of section 34, township 80, range 19."

The first building erected on the plat was early in the autumn of 1846, by John N. Kinsman on lots 1 and 2, block 21. It was a log structure.

The second building was that built by Joab Bennett. This was a hewed log building and its owner intended to rent it to the commissioners for a county building (court house), but he was disappointed in this. A little later, a small store was opened by a Mr. Van Horn.

An old historic item runs thus: "A son of William Edmundson relates that in the spring of 1847, being then six years old, he accompanied his father on a considerable drive across the prairie. Several miles away he saw a flag floating in the air above a building, which, according to his recollection, stood solitary and alone. Boy-like, he set his question-mill going and soon found from his father that the people had laid out a town called Newton City the year before for a county seat, and that the building he saw was a small store."

"Upon a virgin prairie, forest decked,
A pole was set in seeming pride erect,
Upon its point the stars and stripes unfurled
Proclaimed its due importance to the world;
And, where that starry emblem kissed the breeze,
A town was platted,- Newton, if you please."
-RINEHART

The residents in Newton in 1850 were made up of about the following persons, possibly a half dozen others whose names have escaped the notice of the earliest historian of the county: W. M. Springer and family, hotel; John H. Franklin and family, cabinetmaker and justice of the peace; Ezekiel Shipley and family, carpenter; Willis Green and family, farmers; P. M. Wood and family, plasterer; Jesse Rickman and family, postmaster and clerk of the county board of commissioners; James Edgar and family, blacksmith: Caleb Lamb and family, carpenter; L. L. D. Kennedy and Jesse R. Kennedy, carpenters; Joseph Morgan and family, blacksmith; Job Springer, clerk: James Fry and family, farmers; Rev. Strange Brooks and family, circuit preacher of the Methodist Episcopal denomination; John Meredith and family, blacksmith; Zadock M. Allen, blacksmith; Dr. D. R. Rodgers; Mrs. Good and Mrs. Peter Miller and daughter; E. Hammer, teacher.

It would appear that blacksmiths were in great demand at that day, for it will be observed that out of the first colony which located on the new town site, three were knights of the forge.

The first drugs were sold in way of patent medicines kept by John H. Franklin in his furniture and undertaking establishment. It was he who had for "free distribution" a lot of Dr. Jayne's Almanacs, on the back cover of which was printed the advertisement of "John H. Franklin, corner of Farmer and South streets, Newton, Iowa, cabinetmaker and undertaker and dealer in patent medicines."

The first school was taught by Elisha Hammer, in the old courthouse, and spelling schools were frequent and interesting.

The early hotel was the Ault House and later, after additions had been made thereto, it was styled the Tammany House. Many a good story is told of this pioneer stopping place. Some are doubtless true and many another one untrue, hence none will find place in this connection. Jo Thomas was one of the funny oddities who bore the title of landlord at this hotel and he it was who had a suit in court and when the judge (McFarland) was entering his decision on the record, just as Thomas entered the court room, the judge looked up and remarked, "Jo Thomas, by G__, I am beatin' you. You don't set up enough corn at your table. I enter judgment against you for $__ and costs." Thomas conducted this house many years. It was a stage station and many a weary traveler was sheltered beneath its roughly made walls. It was burned in 1857 and was known at that day as the Ohio House.

Of all the various industries and enterprises of which Newton may justly he proud today none are more lacking than that of hotels, there being only one hotel in the city, and there is certainly room for at least two more, of reasonable rates and acceptable fare.

But to resume the story of early matters in Newton, let it be said that at the close of the Civil War period (1866) the business of the city was in the hands of the following persons, chiefly:

Newspapers - Jasper Free Press, Republican, by Frank T. Campbell; Newton Banner, Democratic, by John A. Wilson
Grocers, Wholesale and Retail - John Meyer, R. Dixon, Anderson & Pardoe, Vernon Skiff, John Dixon, I. E. Webster, Bradway & Belt, Joseph Rodgers, the last named a refreshment saloon
General Merchants - J. B. O'Neal & Brother, George Wright, Sawyer & Company, G. G. Lindley & Company, J. M. Blanchard, McCalmont & Brothers, S. E. Zinn, Loomis & Company, Miller & Little
Druggists - Dr. J. Green. Hammer & Company, Evans & Company
Jewelers - C. J. Housel, Chapman & Dawson
Hardware - Rhodes Lee, Thrift & Clippinger, William Vaughan
Furniture - David Vangeison, W. H. Silsby
Dentists - C. J. Housel, W. F. Roseman
Harness - Milton Anderson, A. J. Osborn, R. McDowell, P. Alesworth
Attorneys - O. C. Howe, G. R. Shays, Winslow & Lindley, S. G. Smith, R. A.
Sankey, J. W. Wilson, J. W. Sennett, D. L. Clark
Physicians - Drs. J. R. Gorrell, H. E. Hunter, E. H. Mershon, H. J. Walker, A. Patton, B. M. Failor, Jabez Green, A. T. Ault
Hotels - Phelps House, Union Hotel, City Hotel
Miscellaneous Dealers, etc. - Livery, Sampey & Company; marble shop; photographer, S. D. Leveridge; bookseller, Charles Gillman; Clothing, Garrett & Company; patent medicines, A. T. Ault, manufacturer; meat market, James Lester; lumber sealer, William Durose, Hough & Atwater; boots and shoes. R. McDowell, Milton Anderson, William Manning, John Lloyd.

The year of 1875 was one of the most noted for building operations in Newton, up to that date, two hundred thousand dollars worth of building being effected. Among the structures may be remembered the Masonic Block, J. B. Eyerly's building, J. W. Wilson's, Caleb Lamb's, Burns & Condit, Henry Sampey, on the west side of the public square. West from northwest from the square was the W. H. L. King and Henry Sampey's buildings; at the southeast corner of the square were the buildings of Mershon and the hotel, a three-story building, sixty-three by one hundred thirty-two feet in size. At the same corner was the Joseph McCalmont iron front building. The better, larger class of residences included those of Dr. Gorrell, William Vaughn, Gen. James Wilson, Mr. Ainsworth, August Wendt and W. D. Weineke. These and twenty other buildings were all completed in 1875 in Newton.

In the eighties, nineties, and again in the first years of the twentieth century, Newton had rapid growth, but never was known as a boomtown, always being steady and conservative in its actions and advancement. Perhaps within the last twelve or fifteen years has there been more of a genuine spirit of enterprise than in any other years in the history of the city. In this period the city has come to be known for its many fine paying manufacturing plants, which have given the place much advertising abroad. This is the well-known home of the patented articles made by the famous One Minute Manufacturing Company, the self-feeding threshing machine and band-cutting machinery, named elsewhere in this chapter, etc. Today the hum of machinery in twenty-five plants can be daily heard, while the five hundred persons engaged swell a payroll amounting to about forty thousand dollars per month.

All the various retail businesses of a first class city of its population are here well represented, the naming of which is useless in this connection. The great activities of Newton are certainly centered in its many factories, the whole being in working harmony with the well developed farming community surrounding the city. The following include the manufacturing enterprises of Newton in 1911:

The Maytag Company make the Parsons feeder, swinging elevator feeder, Ruth feeder, corn husker and shredder, shock hoist, shock loader, hay press, grain grader, Pastime washer, hog waterer, belt guide, cylinder wrench, automobile parts.

The G. W. Parsons Company makes trenching and excavating machinery and do a crucible steel and iron foundry business.

One Minute Manufacturing Company makes the One Minute washer, gasoline power washer, electric power washer, gasoline engines, ironing boards, rinse tubs, combination farm tools.

Newton Balance Valve Company makes balance valves.

M & E. Manufacturing Company manufacture acetylene gas lighting plants.

Automatic Electric Washer Company manufacture an automatic electric washer and wringer and gasoline power washers.

Cherry Blossoms Manufacturing Company make flavoring extracts.

American Construction Company put in municipal gas plants.

The Bergman Manufacturing Company make grain graders.

Hummel Manufacturing Company manufacture road graders.

Newton Ice & Cold Storage Company makes artificial ice.

Newton Milling Company make flour and patent pancake flour.

Ogburn Manufacturing Company make the detachable manure spreader.

Western Stock Remedy Company make stock remedies.

Henry Held makes cigars.

John O'Leary makes cigars.

Non-Leak Balance Valve Company make balance valves.

Scheurman Brothers make ladies' garments.

Ever-Ready Manufacturing Company make ironing boards.

Newton Manufacturing Company make advertising novelties.

Clipless Paper Fastener Company make the clipless paper fasteners.

Skow Brothers make road graders, disc sharpeners, gray iron castings, bank and office fixtures, show cases, stair cases, exterior and interior finishes, manure spreaders.

Newton Disc Plow Company make disc garden plows, and Newdisco electric and power washers.

Engle Coffee Mill Company make power coffee grinders.

M. G. Rogers makes cement blocks.

M. Brown makes brick and tile.

F. Henning makes brick and tile.

C. Schaumberg makes brick and tile.

Advertising Novelty Manufacturing Company make advertising novelties.

Arthur H. Joy & Company make dental soldering machines.

M. L. Lewis & Son make bottled goods.

E. C. Smith makes breakfast foods.

The George W. Newton Company, advertising novelties.

FLOURING MILLS

One of the most important and useful industries Newton possessed as early as 1858 was its steam flour mill, which plant made upon an average of two hundred barrels per day of an excellent grade of flour.

The present milling business is conducted by the Newton Milling Company, H. C. McCardell, proprietor. These mills are not extensive, but do excellent work. They are located on the corner of Spring and South streets.

Other mills of Jasper County are situated at Baxter, Monroe, Prairie City, Kellogg and Lynnville.

Ten years ago (1900) the industries of Newton were summed up as follows: The Parsons Band Cutter and Self-Feeder Company was organized in 1892, has a capital of $75,000, covers two and one-half acres with a splendid plant, turns out 3,500 machines per annum, worth $600,000, employs ninety artisans and twenty-five traveling men, pays out $80,000 a year in wages and sells its product in all the grain growing states of the Union.

The Hawkeye Feeder Works was incorporated in May 1898, by Parsons, Rich & Company, composed of George W. Parsons and F. S. Rich. The plant represents a value of $30,000, turns out 1,200 machines worth $240,000, sells in all small grain districts. The plant covers half a block, employs 46 artisans, six in office, and ten traveling men, and pays out in wages $25,000 per year.

The Taylor-Newell Company, manufacturers of pants, operate with a capital stock of $20,000, employs 65 people in the factory and five traveling men, turn out $100,000 worth of goods and sell in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Illinois. The pay roll is $15,000 per year. The stockholders are F. M. Taylor, Will G. Newell, Charles Seeberger, C. F. Morgan, Ralph Parmenter, Ralph Robinson, A. C. Gates, E. J. Schuneman, A. J. Anderson. The former is president of the company.

A. C. Randolph & Company, manufacturers of the Randolph pneumatic stacker, established in 1899, employs 20 men in factory, six traveling men, turns out 500 stackers worth $125,000 and sells wherever threshing is done. A. C. Randolph is manager.

The Hawkeye Incubator Company is composed of W. C. and F. H. Bergman, was organized in 1898, turns out incubators and the "Ratchet Slat" washing machine, puts out 2,500 incubators and brooders and 1,000 washers, value $30,000 and employs 25 men.

In addition to the above the Skow Bros. manufacture a disc sharpener and a sand shoveler at their foundry and machine shop.

POSTOFFICE HISTORY

A post office was established in Newton in the summer of 1847 and T. J. Adamson was appointed postmaster. The mail was carried on horseback from Iowa City, then the state capital. A. B. Meacham was the mail carrier. Later he became famous in the Modoc Indian warfare. Mail was thus carried until 1850, when stages were put in operation. It is known, however, that in the winter of 1850-51 the town had only about fifty people within its borders and that mail was received but once a week. It was brought in by Val. Adamson and the post office was kept in the old court house, where all hands would congregate to hear the latest news, get a paper, possibly two or three weeks old, printed in some one of the states to the east of our own. In the winter of 1850-51 the postmaster was Jesse Rickman, who was also clerk of the county board of commissioners, and he held his combined office in the county building, near where now stands the magnificent courthouse. In 1861 A. W. McDonald was postmaster; he succeeded Perry Crossman, who was appointed under President James Buchanan. The records are lost from the date of Mr. McDonald to 1868, when followed these: G. B. Hunter, David Flowers, T. M. Rodgers, Samuel Sherman, L. S. Kennington, M. A. McCord, George Clark, Jr., the present postmaster.

In 1886 this office was made a second-class office. About 1900 the rural free delivery went into force at Newton office and now there are rural carriers. The office was made a free city delivery office in 1899, with three carriers, which has been increased to four. The office has been in its present place about seven years, and just previous to the present quarters the post office was kept on the west side of the public square. The amount of business transacted, outside of the money order business, in 1910 was twenty-five thousand dollars. There are now twelve mails each way daily, and the total number of persons employed, including the rural carriers, is eighteen.

During the administration of T. M. Rodgers as postmaster, on the eve of St. Valentine's Day, 1893, the office was burglarized of three hundred dollars of government money and about the same amount belonging to the postmaster. No clue as to the thief was ever had, but, aside from positive proof, it was really known who took the money.

MUNCIPAL HISTORY

Newton was incorporated under a special charter, being one of the few cities in Iowa thus incorporated. The legislative act incorporating the place was approved and dated January 26, 1857. Section 19 of the articles of incorporation reads as follows: "The county judge of the county of Jasper is hereby authorized to issue an order for an election, to be held in the said town of Newton, on the first Monday of April next, for the adoption or rejection of this act of incorporation, and the election board of the township of Newton, in the said county, shall on said day open a separate poll for the purpose of such votes; said election to be held in accordance with the laws governing county elections. Those in favor of the adoption of this act shall write on their tickets for incorporation; those opposed to the adoption of this act shall write on their tickets against incorporation. Only the resident voters of said town shall be eligible to vote at said election."

At the above election there were one hundred and twenty-one votes cast for incorporation and thirty-four against the proposition. The first corporation election was held May 4, 1857, but the records of Newton have not been preserved and hence the list of the first few set of officials cannot now be arrived at. An old history states that the first mayor was Hugh Newell.

It should be said in connection with the legislative act by which Newton became an incorporated town, in 1857, that through a clerical blunder, the act defined the location as being "in township 81," which would bring it six miles north of where the town does in fact lie, and was intended by the petitioners to be located. This error caused much annoyance for a number of years, especially in attempting to enforce any criminal law. This, however, was later remedied by the Legislature.

The records show that the following served as officers of the town of Newton in 1868: D. D. Piper, mayor; John C. Wilson, recorder; W. H. Hough, F. T. Campbell, James McGregor, C. E. Ford, J. M. Hiatt and George T. Anderson, councilmen.

During the summer of 1868 there was a large amount of wooden sidewalk put down on the streets of Newton, as a result of the town being incorporated.

In September 1869, one hundred and fourteen citizens and four "not eligible" petitioned the council to repeal the ordinance prohibiting the sale of "ale, wine and beer," but it was tabled and not long before the remonstrance of one hundred and thirty voters and ninety-six ladies was presented to the same body. Newton has never had legalized saloons. The ladies have to be given much credit along this line, be it recorded to their honor.

In September 1869, the council granted the right to F. H. Griggs to construct a horse car line through the alley running north and south between Race and Vine Streets, from the Rock Island Depot to the south line of Newton, and thence west on the street along the south side of the incorporation, to connect with the public road leading to the fair grounds. But it appears that the franchise was never taken advantage of, for there was never any street railroad constructed in Newton.

On February 28, 1870, through the petition of eighty-seven citizens, with no remonstrance against it, the special charter of Newton's first incorporation was abandoned, and the place was then organized under the laws of the state as seen in chapter 51, 1860. An election was held in April of that year and the question was voted upon and resulted in a vote of eighty-seven for and none against, thus reorganizing the town incorporation. The first officers under the new town government were as follows: J. A. Hammer, mayor; L. B. Westbrook, recorder; J. A. Garrett, M. A. Blanchard, J. A. Wilson, C. Connelly, J. J. Vaughan, councilmen; A. J. Osborn, treasurer; W. H. Hough, assessor.

On May 5, 1870, the council divided the city into five wards and about the same date instituted a "pound" and purchased land on which to place the same.

On January 30, 1871, the limits of the place were extended to the extent of eighty acres, in section 27; two hundred acres in section 33; two hundred and forty acres in section 34.

On May 30, 1870, the right of way through the city limits was refused to the Jasper County Coal & Railroad Company and to the Iowa, Minnesota & Northern Pacific Company; but on the 2nd of August, that year, the application of the latter company was granted and an ordinance issued there for. Newton became a city of the second class in May.

FIRE DEPARTMENT BEGINS

The beginning of the present fire department in Newton was effected in 1874, when about twenty members, which soon increased to forty-five, organized themselves into a hook and ladder company; S. J. Moyer was its president; J. H. Tait, foreman; Alex Work, first assistant; Frank Clark, second assistant; Alanson Clark, secretary; H. K. Stahl, treasurer. The present company consists of about thirty-five men. They are in charge of the hook and ladders and three hose carts, by which they have been very successful in fighting fires.

A city hall was erected in about 1886 and is still in use. The mayor has his private office and the city clerk and water superintendent have offices in the electric lighting plant.

ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT, WATER WORKS, ETC

This plant was originally built by the Thompson-Houston Company in 1883 and was of a private ownership type, but in 1889 the present city plant was installed and has furnished light and power to the city since then. It furnished light at cheaper rates than were had in almost any other city in Iowa. Last year (1910) it made a profit of twelve thousand dollars; hence, after making a cheap rate to patrons, it is far more than self-sustaining.

The city is this year (1911) installing a gas plant for power and heating purposes, by bonding the city to the amount of forty thousand dollars. They expect to furnish gas as cheaply as possible, but at first it will necessarily be about one dollar and fifty cents per thousand feet.

In addition to the above concerning the establishment of the light plant in Newton, it should be said that the Thompson-Houston Company, one of the largest corporations in lighting and electric plants in America at that date, held a perpetual franchise in Newton, but by reason of the high rates charged the people, a home concern went into business for the city and its municipal benefit. A small plant was installed and little by little they managed to draw away the patrons of the old private company of Thompson-Houston. That corporation got into litigation with the City of Newton over the franchise rights of the city streets; thousands of dollars were expended in the courts, both higher and lower. Then came cutting of rates by both companies, until finally it proved unprofitable to both and the Thompson-Houston people sold their entire plant for a little more than four thousand dollars to the City of Newton. The next Legislature passed a law that no city should grant franchise for a longer term than twenty-five years.

Newton's first water works system was of private ownership, and was granted its franchise by the city in 1903. It was owned by Messrs. B. W. Skiff, Charles Seaberger and M. L. Maytag, who operated it until 1907, when the city purchased the plant for forty thousand dollars. Bonds were issued and floated for the payment of this needed city improvement. It has come to be almost self-sustaining. The supply of water is had by a large number of forty-five-foot wells sunk to the gravel beds of the flats lying six miles to the west of the city, near the village of Metz. The water is of the best and purest in the country. It is pumped by steam power through cast iron pipes and forced to elevated tanks in the heart of the city. The original tank holds eighty-five thousand gallons of water, but the one being constructed at the present time is to be one hundred and twenty-eight feet high and constructed of steel. This will hold one hundred thousand gallons more. Both will be used, one as a reserve tank in case of emergency.

A NEW DEPARTURE

In 1897 the citizens awoke to the fact that they were behind the times in which they were living and some advocated the paving of streets and making other needed city improvements, another class bitterly opposing these improvements on account of the necessary expenses, but when the spring election for city officers came around that was one, if not the principal, feature in nominating men for the office of mayor and members of the council. As it turned out the right man was selected and won out at the polls. This was George Early, who served one term and was friendly toward the putting down of the first brick paving Newton had ever had. So well were the property owners pleased that extensions were made from year to year until now the city has many miles of paving.

It was under the administration of Mayor Early, too, that the legal battle over the electric light franchise and original plant was carried forward and finally won by the city purchasing the old private plant. Newton now gets water and lights (under municipal ownership plan) at the cost of production.

CITY OFFICIALS

The following is a list of mayors for Newton, commencing with 1868, the records having been lost for the period before that: 1868, D. D. Piper; 1870, J. A. Hammer; 1873, C. Howard; 1874, M. A. Blanchard; 1875, D. D. Piper; 1877, John A. Wilson, whose term was completed by D. Edmundson and M. A. Blanchard; 1878, M. A. Blanchard; 1879, D. Edmundson; 1880, N. Townsend; 1887, J. B. Eyerly; 1889, Joseph Stevens; 1893, A. Lufkin; 1898, George Early; 1899, Frank Long; 1907, Ed. Cook; 1909 to present date, O. C. Meredith.

The officers for the city at this date are: Mayor, O. C. Meredith; solicitor, J. E. Cross; clerk, E. C. Finch; deputy clerk, Roy Fisk; treasurer, D. L. Clark; health officer, Dr. E. F. Besser; street commissioner, Art Reynolds; marshal, J. H. Robbins; deputy marshal, W. F. Wade; superintendent light, water and gas, Connie O'Leary; councilmen, Frank P. Baldwin, George H. Warner (at-large), Oscar Coon, first ward; John H. Harvey, second ward; R. B. Jackson, third ward; Fred H. Bergmen, fourth ward. The chief of the fire department is Bruce E. Sattele; city assessor, E. E. Effnor; overseer of the poor, Ed. Cook.

FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY

As has been well said by the efficient librarian of the splendid new public library of Newton, "Researches in the ancient history of Newton reveals the fact that the first inception of the library idea was due to a Young Men's Christian Association at a very early date. * The history is not easily traced.

[*Note - This must be in error as an old record discloses the fact that the Newton Library Association was organized in 1859, prior to any Young Men's Christian Association work in Iowa. The first invoice of books numbered one hundred and thirty-two volumes. A. K. Campbell was librarian and the books were kept at the old courthouse.]

The fact remains, however, that Newton counted the furnishing of good literature an important factor in the growth of a good town. Later the work was undertaken by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and was pushed with the public spirit and energy that characterizes that organization. It passed through many vicissitudes, and only those of us who have given years of effort to initial points of service, who have tasted the bitterness of seeming failure, relieved by transient gleams of success, can appreciate the patient labors of those days.

"The next step was the foundation of the Social Union, an enterprise in which many took an active part, indeed these faithful toilers builded better than they knew.

"In 1897 the city took charge of the library. In October of that year the present librarian was employed and the matter assumes the character of personal history."

Again, in 1910, Miss Belle E. Smith writes a short history of the institution in which she says:

"Newton's free public library of four thousand thirteen volumes and sixty periodicals is the outgrowth of a library instituted by the ladies of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, in June 1878. For seventeen years a handful of self-sacrificing women conducted a public library and reading room, supported by individual contributions of money and books and a few periodicals.

"In 1895 the Newton Social Union succeeded to the management of the library and was very influential in causing the citizens to vote in March 1896, for the establishment of a public library, as authorized by law and for a levy of a tax for its maintenance. For three years the society labored to increase the number of books and when they last met, in October 1898, the library contained one thousand eight hundred fourteen volumes. The organization of the new free public library, under the state laws, was completed in July 1896, by the appointment of nine trustees who were confirmed. In July 1902, in response to a request from the trustees, Andrew Carnegie donated ten thousand dollars for a building, under the usual conditions imposed by him. A large, attractive site was purchased and donated by public-spirited citizens, December 1902, saw the library in its own building, the first time in its existence when it had no rent to pay.

This edifice is a two-story brick building, forty-seven by sixty-five feet, has a heating plant and is lighted nicely by electricity. The first floor is taken up by the library proper and five rooms, children's reading room, general reading room, reference library and toilet room. The second floor is used by the Woman's Club, library trustees, school board and other organizations.

The number of visitors to the reading rooms are reported not long since as two thousand five hundred monthly. Already two townsmen have donated one thousand one hundred dollars toward the book-purchasing fund. The library and reading room are open nine hours through the entire school year of the public schools of Newton, and six hours in summer time. The expenses are reduced some by having the magazines hand-bound by one of the women of the place."

The tax for library maintenance at the beginning of 1909 was two and one-fourth mills on the dollar, but in August that year was increased to three mills.

The present (1911) trustees of the library are: W. O. McElroy, president; Mrs. O. C. Meredith, secretary; O. N. Wagley, Mrs. C. M. Campbell, E. J. H. Beard, Mrs. F. L. Maytag, E. C. Ogg, C. P. Hunter, Mrs. F. P. Gardner. Charlotte V. Bryant is the librarian and her assistant is Helen M. Taylor.

THE UNION CEMETERY

The attention paid to the resting place of the departed dead in any given community speaks volumes for or against the character of the people of such section of the country. Indeed the mark between civilized and uncivilized life is found in this one feature. The city cemetery in Newton has been frequently visited by many from other parts of Iowa, with the view of getting ideas as to caring for their own burial places.

With the first settlement of Newton the burying ground was on the lots where now stands the new high school building. There the first pioneers of the place were laid away to rest. There they remained until Civil War days and a little later, when the association, which had charge, turned it over to the incorporated town of Newton. Many of the interments were moved to the new grounds. The deed record shows that the land where the present cemetery is situated, and which is known as the Union Cemetery, was originally owned by Jacob R. Guthrie, who deeded it to D. E. Longfellow, in February 1860, for the consideration of $337. This tract contained eleven and one-quarter acres. Mr. Longfellow deeded the same to the incorporation of Newton, August 23, 1866, for the consideration of ten dollars, the record reads. This cemetery is located to the northwest of the city and is a part of section 28, township 80, range 19. To this has been added two other small tracts, making the present size of the cemetery about twenty acres. There are numerous beautiful native trees growing here and there throughout the cemetery. In the nineties the sexton, Mr. Kuhn, found it necessary to have the ground re-platted, so a better account could be kept of the lots. At the northeast corner of the grounds is situated the four lots known as Memorial, or Soldiers' Square, where with the return of each Decoration day the Grand Army and Relief Corps representatives, with other citizens, meet and have their own special ceremonies in honor of the fallen heroes, many of whom are sleeping their last sleep within this sacred enclosure. Another feature of the cemetery is the chapel, erected in 1900 at a cost of seven hundred and eighty dollars.

In 1910 a local company erected a large mausoleum having two hundred crypts for the burial of the dead above ground in sealed vaults. This structure was made of cement block material and adds much to the beauty of the grounds. Only eight bodies are now resting in this place. After the building was completed it was turned over to the city authorities with provisions that the city should maintain it and keep it intact perpetually. Since early in 1911 the city has cared for it.

THE BUSINESS MEN'S ASSOCIATION

Being alive to every interest of a growing western city, the above association was organized in 1897 and now enjoys a membership of two hundred and four. Its first officers were H. M. Vaughan, president; A. E. Hindorff, secretary. The present officers are W. F. Johnson, president; E. E. Lambert, secretary. The association has been instrumental in inducing many industries to locate in Newton and are still reaching out over the country by means of literature and correspondence, through the various channels of commerce, to make Newton well known abroad. From its circular issued in 1910 and freely distributed at the Iowa state fair that season, we quote the following:

"Newton is situated right in the center of the greatest consuming region in the world. Iowa is known the country over as being the best market in the west for goods of all kinds and being right in the center of the state, we are equally distant from four great states, which bound Iowa on either side.

"Newton has one of the largest iron foundries in Iowa, and the only crucible steel foundry of any size west of Milwaukee. This is a great convenience to small manufacturers who need castings in small quantities.

"For factories Newton offers a twenty-four-hour electric current for motors with as cheap rates as any city in Iowa, large or small. Our factories are now using several hundred horsepower daily from this plant, which is owned and operated by the city itself.

"Newton now employs between five and six hundred persons in her factories and has never had a labor trouble of any note in all the years of her factory history."