Chapter XXXVI: Cedar Rapids (2)

"At this time Martin L. Barber was mayor of the village. It
was before the present city organization. Barber was an
eccentric character, a millwright by trade. He was nearly as
wise as Solomon, with courage to match. A 'bad man' came to
the town. He hung about the saloon. It was said he drew a
knife and threatened to kill a citizen. The majesty of the
law was invoked. It was night. The offender took refuge in
the saloon and barricaded the door. The mayor called out the
'posse commitatus' numbering two or three dozen young
fellows like myself. He pounded on the door, demanding
admittance in the name of the law. No response. We got a
piece of timber and battered down the door. The mayor
collared the 'bad man' who offered no resistance. He was
hurried towards the Coffman house, where the mayor proposed
to deal out justice. As we neared the hotel he tore loose
from the mayor and made for the river. We in full cry in
pursuit. He plunged in just below the mill. We paused at the
brink. Gradually he disappeared, and was never seen
afterwards. It was the first and last exhibition of the
mayor's power.

"In 1850 Miss Mary S. Legare, sister of the Hon. Hugh S.
Legare of South Carolina, came to Cedar Rapids. She was a
woman of the highest culture, who had moved much in the
official circles of Washington, and had considerable wealth.
With her came numerous relatives named Bryan, Storey, and
McIntosh, the latter a well known lawyer of the early days.
She made investments in the town and took up large tracts of
land. In the spring of that year we had a very spirited
election. The people were divided into two factions, the
'codfish' and the 'catfish.' For mayor the former nominated
N. B. Brown, the latter Jacob Bressler. I cannot recall the
issues, but only remember that we almost came to blows
during the canvass. Less than one hundred votes were cast
and Brown was elected. Brown was one of the original owners
of the town site, and built the first mills. He was one of
the prominent characters in the early history of the town, a
modest, quiet, but genial man, with many friends.

"This year, on the 6th of July, I did one of the few wise
acts of my life. I married Sarah Weare, the daughter of John
Weare, Sr. We went to housekeeping in a small one-story
house, near where the old passenger depot stood. It was then
the only house east of the present railroad. The next year,
1851, was a very active one for the town. Judge Greene, who
had lived in Dubuque, moved to the town. The same year came
S. C. Bever, who had driven in a two-horse buggy from Holmes
county, Ohio, to Cedar Rapids. By this time I considered
myself an old citizen, thoroughly identified with the county
and town, and devoted all my leisure time to meeting
strangers and exploiting the town and county. I met Mr.
Bever soon after his arrival and spent several days with him
riding about the country. He made large investments both in
country and town. One was 160 acres about a mile from the
ferry, at $5.00 per acre. I made the sale for Mr. Addison
Daniels of Marion, who was so pleased with my effort that he
presented me with a four-bladed penknife. Both Mr. Daniels
and myself were satisfied and I have never heard that Mr.
Bever regretted the purchase. That same year my father, Mr.
Gabriel Carpenter, came out to see the country. After great
effort on my part and many misgivings on his, he purchased
of Mr. Levi Lewis 300 acres of land adjoining the town plat
on the south, for which he paid $2,500. The land embraced
the present cemetery. By this time Judge Greene had
completed his three-story building, into which the Greene
Bros. placed a large stock of goods. The most of their stock
was brought up the river in a keel boat of forty or fifty
tons capacity. It was rigged with a large square sail, but
the principal power was men with poles, who shoved it
against the current. They had loaded it with pork and sent
it down the river in the spring.

"In 1851 occurred the great flood. Most of the lower parts
of the town were under water. The grand lodge met that year
at Ft. Madison, and at the time the river was at its highest
point. We were cut off from all the neighboring country by
the swollen streams, but the lodge thought it must be
represented and I was chosen as the delegate. N. B. Brown
suggested that I should go down the river in a skiff to a
point opposite Muscatine, then by land to that place, which
is only ten or twelve miles distant, then by steamer to Ft.
Madison. The lodge furnished the skiff. I found a companion.
We embarked in the morning and so swift was the current that
we reached our destination by nightfall, and I was on time
for the meeting. At the meeting I renewed my acquaintance
with the grand master and the grand secretary, and met many
brethren who became lifelong friends.

"In the spring of 1852 a steamboat came to Cedar Rapids. It
was a great event, and brought in people from near and far.
She brought a full cargo of freight, among which was the
household effects of Mr. Bever and my father, both of whom
from that time forward became citizens of the town. This
year also came Mr. Daniel O. Finch with a printing press and
forthwith started the _Progressive Era_, the first paper in
the Cedar valley. Ezra Van Metre, a talented young lawyer
from Cincinnati, Ohio, also came that year. Every one was
rejoiced that we had an organ and the editor was overwhelmed
with original matter. There were at least a dozen young
fellows in the town, myself among the rest, who thought they
'knew it all,' and anxiously rushed into print. The paper
changed hands in a year or two, and became the _Cedar Valley
Times_ and continued until a few years ago.

"In the winter of 1852 I had a serious time in a
professional way. A young man living at Quasqueton, Buchanan
county, was riding across the prairie near that place and
met a bear. The bear fled and he pursued. In crossing a
strip of ice the horse fell. He was thrown and his foot
stuck in the stirrup and he was dragged four miles over the
snow, which was about six inches deep. In the mad flight the
horse kicked and broke his right leg below the knee in two
places. Finally the saddle turned, his foot was released and
he was dropped on the lone prairie. The horse found his way
home with saddle under his belly. This was on the evening of
the 17th of December. A search was organized, but he was not
found till the 21st, four days after the accident.
Fortunately the weather was not as cold as it sometimes
gets, but his hands and feet were badly frozen. Cedar
Rapids, about thirty-five miles distant, was the nearest
point where doctors could be found. I was sent for and went
by the way of Marion, and took with me Dr. Thomas Bardwell,
who was then a student in Dr. Ristine's office. There was a
road to Center Point. There we struck across the prairie to
Quasqueton, eighteen miles distant, without a house. We
reached there the evening of the 23d, nearly frozen
ourselves, for the weather was bitterly cold. They had got
the young man thawed out, but in a most miserable condition.
Mortification had set in, and there was no chance for the
broken leg. Immediate amputation was the only hope, but I
had no instrument but a small pocket case, and delay would
be fatal. Necessity is the mother of invention. A butcher
had just come to the place and had his tools. He sharpened
his knives and filed his saw. A strong handkerchief was
twisted, a knot made in the middle, which was placed over
the main artery. It was tied tightly and a strong stick
thrust under it and twisted till the circulation was shut
off. Then with the butcher's tool I amputated the thigh four
inches above the knee. Dr. Bardwell administered chloroform,
which fortunately we had taken with us, and he encouraged me
by word and deed. The young fellow, who was about 21, had
never been sick a day in his life, rallied well and improved
for about a week, but the other leg, which we hoped to save,
began to mortify and there was nothing left but to amputate
it. In the meantime we heard of a doctor about thirty miles
away, in the direction of Dubuque, who had a case of
instruments. I sent to borrow them. He refused to lend them
but came back with the messenger and insisted, as he owned
the instruments, he should perform the operation. That was
not professional, but as I thought the patient had not more
than one chance in ten to recover, I was not unwilling to
divide the responsibility; so he amputated the other leg
below the knee. During that winter I made eight trips
between Cedar Rapids and Quasqueton on horseback, and the
fellow recovered. He was the son of a well-to-do farmer in
Harrison county, Ohio. His father came out in the spring,
stole his son away without paying the doctors or the man in
whose house he had been during recovery, and to carry
ingratitude still further he procured a Methodist preacher
to write his life, in which I was depicted as an ignorant
butcher. This book he peddled about Ohio in person. I
confess that when I heard he had been sent to the
penitentiary for committing an aggravated rape I was not
very sorry. This experience rather disgusted me with the
practice of medicine in a new country. I was, however, in a
way compensated, for I sent a history of the case to the New
York _Tribune_, and its publication gave me quite a
reputation as a fearless surgeon and thereafter I was called
when surgery was required. As I have said before, I was in
the habit of showing strangers about the country who wanted
to buy land. In that way I became familiar with choice lots
of vacant land. Greene and Weare dealt in land warrants,
which they sold on a credit at three per cent per month
interest. I knew of a section of land in the Iowa river
bottom that I thought I should be able to sell. I borrowed
the land warrants, entered the section and in less than two
months had sold it for $3 per acre cash. That settled the
matter. By one transaction I had made more than I had done
in any year's practice. I sold out my medicines to Dr.
Koontz and thenceforth till the war had nothing to do with
medicine.

"About 1853-4 we began to lose confidence in the 'Ram's
Horn' railroad project. Congress had made grants of land to
aid railroad projects and public opinion seemed to favor
east and west rather than north and south lines. Roads from
Chicago were approaching the Mississippi river, and a line
from Rock Island to Council Bluffs was projected. The people
in the tier of counties north of the projected line became
stirred up and a railroad convention was called to meet in
Maquoketa, Jackson county, to organize a company to build a
line in their interest. Cedar Rapids sent a delegation as
follows: George Greene, N. B. Brown, Daniel Lothian, I. N.
Whittam, Donald McIntosh, Ezra Van Metre, and myself. Marion
also sent a large delegation and the counties along the line
were well represented. A company was organized to build a
line from Savanna on the Mississippi river to a point on the
Missouri river not named. A corps of surveyors was put in
the field and for two or three years it was the favorite
project of Cedar Rapids. The settlements both in town and
country were increasing rapidly and we suffered greatly for
lack of transportation. Judge Greene, with his usual energy
and public spirit, organized a steamboat company in which
the prominent citizens became stockholders. This was in the
winter. The judge went to Pittsburg, contracted for a boat
suitable for our river, which by spring was completed and at
the opening of navigation made her first trip, well
freighted with all kinds of goods for our own merchants, and
those of the surrounding towns. She was kept in commission
for two or three years and was a great benefit to the
community. The company hired a captain and various
stockholders were at different times supercargo. While H. G.
Angle was acting in that capacity she collided with and sunk
another boat on the Mississippi, which led to a law suit in
which our company had to pay large damages, which swept away
all our profits. She made her last trip under my charge, and
under direction of the company I sold her to parties in St.
Louis. By this time a great rivalry had grown up between our
town and Marion. Cedar Rapids claimed that she was to be the
commercial metropolis and therefore ought to be the
political center. The question was brought to an issue by
the county commissioners ordering a new court house at
Marion, subject to the approval of the voters of the county.
Cedar Rapids opposed the measure, believing that the
building would insure the permanent location of the county
seat. Then ensued a most bitter canvass. The voters were
deluged with oratory. Marion put on the stump Judge Isbell,
I. M. Preston, Col. Wm. Smythe, N. M. Hubbard, W. G.
Thompson, and R. D. Stephens, against whom Cedar Rapids
opposed Jas. J. Child, Ezra Van Metre, Donald McIntosh, A.
S. Belt, E. N. Bates, I. N. Whittam, and others. Every
school district was canvassed and much bitter feeling
engendered. The Marion people were more adroit politicians
and carried the election, but the result did not discourage
our citizens, who asserted that no election could affect
'manifest destiny.'

"About 1852 Major J. M. May came to Cedar Rapids from
Janesville, Wisconsin. The major was a stirring man with a
head full of schemes. He said that Cedar Rapids was a place
of immense possibilities and only wanted enterprise to make
it the great town of Iowa. He bought land at the lower part
of town adjoining that owned by my father, and land on the
west side adjoining the river and below that owned by Dr.
King. He platted out town lots on both sides of the river,
and induced my father and King to do the same, which were
the first additions made to the original town. He also
surveyed the island, sent a plat to the general government
and took possession of it, much to the chagrin and surprise
of the old settlers. Then he began to agitate the question
of a free bridge. Every one wanted a free bridge but were
undecided as to the location. The major induced my father to
subscribe $1,500, and he gave $1,000, which with sums
contributed by others in the lower end of the town, secured
the location below the island at the narrowest place in the
river. The bridge was completed and thrown open to the
public, I think, in the late fall of 1852, and proved a
great convenience. The construction was defective and when
the ice broke up in the spring, the heavy cakes knocked down
two of the piers, and destroyed the greater part of the
bridge. All the people of the town were collected on the
bank of the river watching the event, and two young women
who were crossing went down with the structure and were
drowned. This was the first bridge built at Cedar Rapids.
The next was a bridge of boats at the foot of Iowa avenue
which I believe was also swept away by ice. About this time
the Rev. Williston Jones, who officiated in the 'Muddy,' and
was a very good as well as energetic man, went east on some
missionary effort. While there he met a gentleman named Coe,
who made a donation of land adjoining the town plat for
educational purposes providing the people would also
contribute. A meeting was called and the terms complied with
and thus Coe college was founded. I was quite honored when
with others I was named as a trustee. Not long after this
time the Reverend Starr became rector of the Episcopal
church, and under the lead of Judge Greene and Mr. Bever,
they began the erection of the first Episcopal church, and
about the same time the Methodists built a brick church, so
you see Cedar Rapids began to get on 'praying grounds and
interceding terms.' In the winter of 1856-7 we were
surprised and flattered by receiving a communication from a
party of railroad men connected with the North-Western
railroad, then completed to Fulton, Illinois, asking us to
join them and organize a railroad company from Clinton on
the west side of the Mississippi river to our town. This was
a new proposition, and we had never heard of Clinton, which
in point of fact was only a cornfield staked out in town
lots, besides we were committed to the line that was to run
west from Savanna. We consulted with the Marion people, but
they would have nothing to do with it, arguing that we had
already applied for the land grant for the Savanna route.
After serious deliberation and with considerable misgivings,
we decided to send a delegation to spy out the land and be
governed by circumstances. John Weare and H. G. Angle were
chosen as our representatives. It took them three days to
drive to Lyons which was the nearest town to Clinton, the
proposed starting point. That was the first time any of our
citizens had come in contact with real capitalists, men who
built railroads. There they met a party of men from Boston,
from Maine, from New York, and Chicago, among whom was
Charles Walker of Chicago, then president of the
North-Western. Our deputations were swept from their old
moorings and immediately joined hands with these men and
formed a company, the 'Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska,' to build
west from Clinton, by the way of Cedar Rapids to the
Missouri river. Cedar Rapids was given first directors as
follows: Geo. Greene, John Weare, H. G. Angle, S. C. Bever,
and S. D. Carpenter, which positions we held till the road
was built to Cedar Rapids. This new departure on the part of
Cedar Rapids intensified the feeling of rivalry between her
and Marion; a direct line between Clinton and Cedar Rapids
would leave Marion off the route, besides the natural
obstacles were less from Mount Vernon to the river and
thence to Cedar Rapids. The Marionites denounced us as
traitors to the original scheme, with a malignant intent to
leave them out in the cold. We denied the 'allegation and
defied the alligators.'

"We said there was nothing behind the old project, but that
ours was a live scheme, with experienced men with bags of
money to put it through. Our deputies had pledged $200,000
from Cedar Rapids, which we proceeded to raise, $100,000 by
private subscription and $100,000 by city bonds. Greene &
Weare, then bankers, subscribed $10,000; George Greene,
$5,000; John Weare, $5,000; N. B. Brown, $5,000; S. C.
Bever, $5,000; Gabriel Carpenter, $5,000, and numerous
others smaller sums to make up the amount. Then a city
election was had and the $100,000 voted by an overwhelming
majority. Surveys of the route were begun at once and from
Mount Vernon and Cedar Rapids, two lines were seen; one by
the way of Marion, and the other by the river. It was
ascertained that the latter route would be shorter and
cheaper by $100,000 than the former, but the company
proposed to adopt the Marion route if she would subscribe
$100,000, which she declined to do, and the river line was
chosen. Work progressed slowly and the first year found the
rails no further west than De Witt, Clinton county. Nothing
had been done on the Savanna line.

"Meantime the legislature for 1857-8 assembled, and we were
astounded to learn that they had passed a bill giving a land
grant to that company. I do not remember why we had not
looked after our interests, but only know that we were taken
by surprise. We thought our enterprise in great jeopardy,
and resolved to compromise, if possible, with Marion. I
think that Judge Isbell was then president of the Savanna
company. Major May, who had favored the Marion line, for
what reason I now forget, and myself from a warm personal
friendship with Judge Isbell, were chosen ambassadors. We
met the judge and the Marion directors of the rival line.
They were courteous, but obdurate. They said we had deserted
them and run after strange gods, and now that the tables
were turned, they proposed to build the road straight west,
crossing the river eight miles north of Cedar Rapids, and
instead of their building a branch to Cedar Rapids, we if we
chose might build the branch from Cedar Rapids, and thus we
left them, sad and discouraged. 'Whom the gods would destroy
they first make mad,' and thus it turned out with the
Savanna route. The company was composed entirely of Iowa
men, directors from the various county seats and towns along
the line. Very soon after obtaining the grant, they got
together and voted each other $25,000 apiece for services
rendered in obtaining the land grant. As there were about
twenty of them, the scheme was loaded by about $500,000.
Then they tried to exploit the enterprise among eastern
capitalists. But the hard times of 1857-8 were upon us and
money was scarce both east and west. No one would take hold.
In the meantime our road was slowly creeping on, and was
within thirty miles of Cedar Rapids. The grading contract
was let to John G. Wolf, an experienced railroad builder
from the east. Most of the money to pay him had to be raised
among ourselves and pay day was a most serious time. I
remember upon one occasion, the cash entirely failed, but
the merchants of the town agreed to honor orders for goods,
Mr. Bever among the others. Mr. Bever had been a merchant in
Holmes county, Ohio, and brought his stock of goods from
there to Cedar Rapids. Among other things he had two or
three cases of bell crowned silk hats of a very ancient
date. On pay day our citizens were greatly amused to see our
streets crowded with Irishmen, all wearing bell crowned
hats, and as 'fire water' was plenty, before night a great
many of the hats were caved in. Our Marion friends hearing
of it said our company was 'busted,' our only assets
consisting of bell crowned hats. But we persevered and bided
our time. We called a mass meeting in the city preparatory
to forming a new company to build the road west from Cedar
Rapids to the Missouri river, and appointed a committee to
issue a prospectus to all the counties west of us on the
proposed line to meet in delegate convention at Cedar
Rapids. I had the honor of being chairman of that convention
and as such prepared the paper, and if you will examine the
file of newspapers of that day you will find a 'Spread
Eagle' document that I supposed would move the souls of our
frontier friends. They responded nobly and came on the time
designated, and we organized the 'Cedar Rapids & Missouri
Railroad Company,' at least I believe that was the name. L.
B. Crocker, of New York, was made president, with several
eastern and western directors, myself among the number. Then
as the company to whom the legislature had given the grant
of land, had not turned a spadeful of earth, we organized a
lobby embracing all our directors on the line west of us; L.
B. Crocker, the president, Major Bodfish, a Maine man, and
several of our Cedar Rapids directors, myself among the
others. When the legislature assembled in 1859-60 we invaded
the capital, and established our headquarters in an old
hotel near the river, whose name I have forgotten. Major
Bodfish was the commissary of the body. We had no money to
expend, but determined to be hospitable. The major laid in a
barrel of old rye whiskey; as it was before the war, whiskey
was cheap, also several boxes of cigars. One of our
strongest henchmen was J. M. Woodbury, a leading man from
Marshalltown, and with him Peter Hepburn, now an honored
congressman, then a very stripling, but showing evident
signs of what was in him. John J. Kasson was then a young
lawyer in Des Moines, and we secured him as our attorney.
Our opponents were not asleep, but were on hand from Marion,
east to the Mississippi river, with Platt Smith, a
distinguished member of the bar at Dubuque, as their lawyer.
Then the fight began, in and out of the state house.
Speeches were made by our adherents in both branches, and we
buttonholed and dragged to our headquarters all thirsty
souls, as well as those who indulged in the milder
stimulant. Our strong argument was, that our opponents had
done nothing after having the grant for two years, while we
had about completed eighty miles of road without help; that
we only asked for the grant to apply to the line west of
Cedar Rapids, while they would use it for the line from the
Mississippi, and that we would be able to accommodate the
people with a finished road at least two years before they
could. The law makers were not in a hurry, but towards the
last of the session they passed our bill, and you may be
sure there was great rejoicing in Cedar Rapids. On our
return the citizens gave us a grand banquet in Greene's
hotel, and we felt that we had at last secured a substantial
victory for our city, as in fact it was, for thenceforward
Marion could no longer be our rival. The cars came to Cedar
Rapids in the summer of 1859, just ten years after we had
held our first railroad meeting, and we felt at last that
hope had ended in fruition. An immense concourse greeted
their arrival from all parts of the surrounding country.
General D. N. Sprague, then mayor, welcomed the guests, and
the citizens threw open hospitable doors to all comers."

From 1840 to 1846 much work was going on in the thriving little town. Glass had already a small grist mill on McCloud's Run and a saw mill had been started on Indian creek which furnished lumber till the saw mill on the Cedar river was completed. The labor on the dam was a big undertaking and took much time as the enterprising adventurers were not well prepared to cope with so large an undertaking.

Many settlers were coming constantly, all of them full of courage and pleased with the location, which all proclaimed could not be improved upon. There were Alexander Ely, Joseph Greene, Homer Bishop, P. W. Earle, John Vardy, D. Fiddlar, A. Eddy, George Westlake, William Dwyer, James Gunning, Charles Mulford, Isaac Cook, John Shearer, James Lewis, Dr. S. M. Brice, and many others.

Churches were also organized, such as the Methodist, in 1841, by Rev. Hodges, and the Baptist the same year by Rev. G. E. Eberhart. The United Presbyterian church was organized by John Cunningham ten years later. New settlers came and other church organizations were completed and small church buildings were erected by the members.

The following chatty reminiscences of pioneer times is from the _Republican_ of recent date:

"'If two of us wanted to lunch together,' he said, 'we went
to a saloon and sat down over some black bread and a little
beer. Now you must stand up to drink your beer, and you may
eat nothing.'

"In the old days the city and the county politicians met
here and talked over the political situation. The
professional men met on equal grounds. Now it is all
changed.

"There were some interesting places in Cedar Rapids in those
old days. In the location where Mr. Armstrong is now about
to erect a fine business block there was an old German named
Moritz Hoffbeck. It was a sand hill then, but there was a
good cellar where Hoffbeck sold beer, gave away good lunches
and entertained the crowd. His good wife also served the
guests with good things to eat, cooked after her own
fashion. Here congregated the best business men of the town
after the day's business was over. They went home in the
best of spirits, but often it was rather late when they
went.

"Some of the city's poets of that day composed a little poem
about Moritz which ran as follows:

"Moritz Hoffbeck is my name,
Bavaria is my nation.
Cedar Rapids I dearly love,
For here I get my ration.

"Another German, Sam Leunch, kept a place at Third avenue
and First street, which was for many years a meeting place
for farmers as well as city men. It also had a reputation
for its fine lunches.

"Sych's place was on the present location of the Y. M. C. A.
This also was German and German dishes were one of its great
attractions.

"Frank Simon had a restaurant where Stark's hotel is now
located. It was an eating house; also a drinking house. It
was noted in five counties for being the place to get the
best oysters in any style. The German fries have never been
excelled. When Simon died, Ben Springer married his widow.
He retired many years ago and sold the business to the
Starks.

"Frank Mark was a Swede who kept a saloon where Denecke's
store is located, fronting on Second avenue. It was a small
place but it was always full for he served eatables and kept
private rooms for his city patrons who wished a quiet place
in which to talk things over.

"Pollack's where Severa's store is now located, was the
Bohemian restaurant much sought for its good things to eat
and for the imported drinks which he kept for his best
friends.

"Count Boshon kept a saloon down into prohibition times and
ran many saloons in various places. He was known as the King
of Bohemia and acted as though he might have been a count.
He imported the Philip Best beer from Milwaukee and stored a
car or two at a time in ice, and for this he obtained a
great reputation. Count Boshon was a chancellor and knew how
to secure the good will of prominent persons of the city and
of the county officials. He seemed to stand in with all. It
is said in his favor that while he may have violated the law
in some instance he tried to keep a decent place.

"The young business men would take a Saturday off and go up
fishing or hunting or hire Elias Doty and his boat, the
'Climax,' and take a sail on the murky waters on the Red
Cedar, sometimes up, and now and then when the water was
high, down stream. Now all has changed.

"In the olden times there were dances at the neighbors or
other old gatherings. All were common. No dress suits were
seen and there was no delay on account of lack of any
introduction.

"Doctors would get together and tell stories, lawyers would
joke over their trials in court and in every way people were
on an equality and truly happy.

"Then people did not devote all their time to making money.
They did not spend all the time in business. Young and old
had a better time of it, for they worked and played as well.
They were really content with the surroundings and with
their condition in life.

"In winter time people got together and had a good time,
going skating or sleighing--on Christmas there were not so
many gifts as now, but what was given was with the best of
feeling. Another thing we have lost, and that is, the New
Year's day calls. Old and young, married and single, made
calls on this day every year.

"It was a fine custom and it ought not to have been dropped.
Now people are too busy to call on their neighbors and they
seem to fear that society would not approve of it. In the
olden days no questions were asked about one's grandfather."

The old founders of Cedar Rapids were strong men in many ways. They were real live wires, and frequently spent money and devoted much of their time to exploit new industries. Such men as Geo. Greene, N. B. Brown, David King, S. D. Carpenter, W. B. Mack, R. C. Rock, P. W. Earle, H. G. Angle, J. E. Sanford, the Daniels family, the Ely family, the Weare family, the Bever family, and many others were men of rare intelligence, aggressive, enterprising, and wide awake, who came here to make a city at all hazards. They were true as steel to their convictions, enthusiastic in booming their town, and the "balance wheels" in time of need which kept things going. Even when some of these men lost heavily in the unfortunate steamboat ventures, in railroad exploitations, in bridges, dams, factory properties, and in other ways, they never complained, although at times it made them "men of sorrow and acquainted with grief." They never lost courage, and expected things to turn, even when they looked the darkest, and won in the end. The early pioneers were men keen to see an opportunity. They were able to look ahead, and for this reason they perhaps hung on when times were hard and when enterprises failed to materialize. It was due to the enthusiastic spirit of those leading citizens that caused the Legare and Bryan families to invest $80,000 in gold in Linn county property. It was no doubt due to the up-to-date, progressive spirit of those citizens that led S. C. Bever to bring $30,000 in gold, which was invested mostly in city property in Cedar Rapids in the early '50s. It was no doubt due to the keenness of mind of the late Judge Greene, that John T. Waterhouse in an early day came to Cedar Rapids and invested much money in choice corner lots on which he erected, for that time, modern business blocks. But outside of a few men, most of the early pioneers came to the county without any means. These acquired in the course of a few years, large holdings which have since doubled in value several times. Few, if any, who invested in real estate in Cedar Rapids and Linn county in an early day and who had foresight enough to hold on to it, ever lost anything on such investments. Values have gradually increased until corner lots which sold for $10 in the early '40s in Cedar Rapids, have now a value of from $2,000 to $10,000, and lands in and around the city which were disposed of at $5 to $10 an acre, have sold at from $250 to $500 an acre, and even higher.

The settlement in Linn county was an event of more or less importance, for it was the last stand of the "free booters," and the last rush for cheap land in the Mississippi valley. The citizens came at an opportune time and took up the cheap lands, which soon rose in value. While during the panic of 1857, many of the farmers were unable to pay taxes on their farms and the value of farm produce was very low, yet they managed to get through. The panic of 1873 was not so disastrous on the farmers of Iowa, because by that time they had acquired more property and could afford to hold their stuff longer than in the panic of 1857. The land values stood still for awhile, but soon they began to move again and the farmer who had paid for an eighty-acre strip of land generally purchased another eighty or two, as he had plenty of help and the banks were willing to loan him the money. This land has more than doubled in the past twenty years, but the value of a season's crop now, as compared to forty years ago, has also more than doubled.

Elias Doty, the son of an old pioneer, contributes the following items regarding Westport:

"The first squatter town in Linn county was Westport,
situated on the east bank of the Cedar river, near a spring
three-fourths of a mile below the mouth of Indian creek. In
1845 its buildings consisted of one double log cabin, one
frame dwelling, one frame storehouse, and one frame grain
elevator. My father occupied the storehouse as a pottery,
where he made earthenware. The elevator was owned by Robert
Holmes and occupied by H. G. Higley and Lawson Daniels, who
bought wheat and built flatboats to float it to the St.
Louis market. Our family were the only dwellers at the town
at that time. Higley and Daniels boarded with us. They built
their boats bottom up and when completed turned them over.

"Jacob Leabo lived a half mile below us, and Hiram Deem a
half mile above us. I. W. Carroll and C. C. Cook lived at
Dairy Dale, where they had started a brick kiln, which was
the first in the county so far as I know. The first lime
kiln was at Westport, where John Henry burned lime to
plaster the houses of the town. The saw mill of the county
at that time was near Bertram. It was started by my uncle,
Elias Doty, who was killed at its raising in 1841. It was
finished by James Briney."

EARLY HOTELS IN CEDAR RAPIDS

While the Shepherd Tavern was the first place where strangers could be entertained in Cedar Rapids, it was not long till several hotels were started. "It has always been a hotel town," said an old settler, "for the reason that when people came here they liked it so well that they did not care to move and they stayed at the tavern as long as money and credit held out."

John Young, who held a claim near Shepherd, erected a small house on Fourth avenue close to the river, which became known as the "Astor House." This was a double log house, 18×26, and one story high, according to the testimony of Robert Ellis, George R. Carroll, and others. This building had several additions built to it during the next five years. A Mr. Verbeck, a native of Vermont, was one of the early landlords. This house was occupied by J. L. Shearer, John Weare, James Hamilton, and several other well known pioneer families. The Listebargers kept a sort of hotel near the Sinclair ice houses in 1839-40, and here Robert Ellis and several other unmarried men boarded. The Listebargers did not keep strangers, only regular boarders.

Wm. Dwyer erected a real up-to-date hotel in 1847, as it was said there was a demand for such a building. It received the name of the Union House, with Jas. Gunning as the first landlord. It was located on Third avenue and Third street, near the present site of the Montrose Hotel. It was well spoken of and much patronized. The building was destroyed by fire in 1865. The American House and Greene's Hotel, both on First street, were well known places, sought by the traveling public. Greene's Hotel was for years one of the leading hotels in Iowa, a four-story building on the corner of First avenue and First street where political rallies were held and banquets were served, and where balls occurred during the winter seasons.

The old Southern or Brown's Hotel was for many years one of the leading hotels. It is still operated under the name of Gorman's Hotel. The old Empire House was another hotel which in the early fifties was a place much frequented by the commercial traveler. It stood on the corner of Third avenue and Second street. Johnson's Hotel, on the west side, formerly Kingston Hotel, was also a well known place of entertainment. On the site of what is now the Cedar Rapids House there was operated for many years a popular little hotel which was always full to overflowing. One of the old clerks here used to reply to the fellow who asked if they were full, "The clerk is, but the house never, come in." Many of the pioneer travelers, who wanted to cross Dave King's ferry, came to stay over night at this place. The river traffic increased hotel trade, so did the gold craze in California, but in 1859, when the railroads reached Cedar Rapids, every other home was turned into a rooming house to accommodate the traveling public.

The Grand, the Clifton, Palace Hotel, the Pullman, were for years busy places, till the Delevan, the Allison, and the Montrose were built.

A city is largely known by its hotels, as the word is generally passed along by the traveling men. Cedar Rapids stands well in the state as a hotel center.

In the Wolfe Directory for 1868 the following hotels are given Cedar Rapids: American House, G. E. Cheny; Chicago House, Nick Pitting; Dubuque House, Anton Christle; Eagle Hotel, R. E. Baldwin; Empire House, J. L. Peak; Valley City House, Harvey & Sherund; Kingston Hotel, William Friis; Dubuque House; National Hotel, Humphrey & Bean.

BUSINESS IN 1856

From 1850 to 1860 Cedar Rapids had a marvelous growth, despite the panic of 1857 which wiped out some of the fortunes of those who had invested heavily in wild lands and who had engaged in banking. The _Voice of Iowa_, a local newspaper, has the following to say of the wealth of the city's business enterprises:

Flouring mills, four; planing mills, sash, doors and blinds,
two; cooper, one; wagon and carriage factories, five; iron
foundry, one; cabinet and chair factories, two; plow
factories, three; boot and shoe factories, three; saddle and
harness factories, three; tin, copper and sheet iron
workers, four; woolen factory, one; brick yards, five; farm
implement factories, two; merchant tailors, two;
woodworking, two; newspapers, three; brick machine factory,
one; grocery and provision stores, eight; dry goods,
fifteen; clothing, five; drug stores, four; jewelers, two;
hardware, four; book stores, two; book bindery, one; liquor
and cigars, six; public halls, five; hotels, five; churches,
four; lumber yards, four; bakery, one; banks, three; barber,
one; public reading room, one. The same issue of the paper
cites that the town should have a pork packing plant as well
as a paper mill. It took a long time before the T. M.
Sinclair Company's plant became an assured reality, which
has become in time such a factor in the upbuilding of Cedar
Rapids and Linn county.

The following list of business firms in Cedar Rapids in 1856 is of interest:

Dry Goods Stores--Shattuck & Dewey, Commercial street; L.
Daniels & Co., Commercial street; C. E. Livingston,
Carpenter's block, Commercial street; Partridge & Cook,
Commercial street; Leach & Wood, corner of Washington and
Eagle streets; Elder & McClelland, corner Iowa avenue and
Commercial street.

Grocery Stores--C. W. Stebbins, corner Front street and Iowa
avenue, Kingston; A. C. Keyes, Carpenter's block, Commercial
street; Bever & Rowley, Commercial street; J. H. Atwell,
Commercial street.

Clothing Stores--David Kahn, Commercial street; Bangs &
Bixby, Commercial street.

Hardware Stores--Rock & Camp, Commercial street; C. P.
Spaethe, Commercial street; A. H. Brown & Co., Commercial
street.

Drug Stores--J. P. Conkey, No. 3, Commercial block; James L.
Enos, No. 4, Iowa avenue.

Jewelry Stores--J. T. Walker, Commercial street; L. H.
Keyes, Commercial street.

Book Stores--James L. Enos, No. 4, Iowa avenue.

Banking Houses--Greene & Weare, Commercial street; Ward,
Bryan & Co., Commercial street; W. A. Dodge, Carr & Co.,
Commercial street.

Land and General Agency Offices--Whittam & Belt, Commercial
street; Bates & Tousley, Commercial street; Carpenter,
Lehman & Co., Commercial street; H. Mount & Co., Washington
street.

Furniture Ware Rooms--John Boyce, Iowa avenue; J. Alloway,
Commercial street.

Builders, Joiners, Etc.--W. D. Watrous, designer and
builder, Carpenter's block; Smith & Williams, S on Madison,
W on Washington street; Elihu Robbins, residence Washington
street; Hyatt & Moore, shop on Commercial street.

Blacksmith Shop and Plow Factory--Stephen L. Pollock, Linn
street.

Lumber Yard--Charles & Carroll, Commercial street.

Carriage Manufacturers--Roswell Tibbetts, Benton street,
West side; J. M. Chambers, Linn street.

Hotels--Empire House, W. M. McMahon, corner Washington and
Market streets; Greene's Hotel, Coffman & Smith, Commercial
street; Rapids Hotel.

Insurance Agents--S. C. Bever, Franklin and Marine; E. N.
Bates, Hartford Fire; J. L. Enos, Iowa Insurance Co.,
Oskaloosa.

Bakery and Restaurant--Alexander Clinton, Commercial street;
Walter D. Thompson, No. 6 South Commercial street.

Millinery--Mrs. E. A. Emery, Brown's block, Kingston; Miss
Mary E. Stewart, Rapids Hotel.

Physicians--S. C. Koontz, office Carpenter's block; J. H.
Camburn, residence Washington street; W. D. Barclay,
residence Iowa avenue; J. W. Edes, residence Washington
street; Smith & Larrabee, office Commercial street; R. R.
Taylor, office Carpenter's block; H. Mount, oculist,
Washington street; McCauley & Pulsifer, dentists, Commercial
street.

Attorneys and Counsellors--James J. Child, Commercial
street; Bates & Tousley, Commercial street; Henry Lehman,
Commercial street; D. M. McIntosh, Commercial street.

Nurseries--Central Iowa Nursery, J. B. Gate, proprietor, on
west side, near city. Was established 1853. Mound Nursery,
George Greene, proprietor, two miles north of the city.

Planing Mill--Alexander Hager, shop 45×50 feet, two engines,
one of nine and the other of twenty-four horsepower. Capital
invested in plant and machinery, $10,000.

Lumber Mills--Greene & Graves, located at upper end of city.
Mill 40×50 feet, two stories high; engine house, 24×60 feet,
one story high. Had capacity of 5,000 feet of lumber per
day, with lath, shingles, etc., in proportion. This
establishment also included a machine shop 35×70 feet, three
stories high; foundry of brick, 30×60 feet, and a brick
blacksmith and plow shop 25×35 feet. Capital invested,
$25,000. J. J. Snouffer, one saw, cutting 200,000 feet of
lumber during three months, ending June 30, 1856. A circular
saw for plow beams, wagon felloes, etc.

Saw Mill and Chair Factory--Dobbs & Dewey, capacity 10,000
feet of lumber a week. During year had turned out 8,000
chairs, 1,000 bedsteads and other articles. Fifteen hands
employed. Capital, $12,000.

Churches--Presbyterian (Old School), Rev. R. H. Morrow,
pastor. Worships in Daniels' Hall. Subscription of $2,700
secured for a building, which with site is expected to cost
$3,500. Membership, 46. Episcopal, Rev. S. Starr, rector.
Church a fine structure and furnished in the neatest manner.
Methodist Episcopal, destitute of pastor temporarily. More
than one hundred members; largest congregation in city, more
than 150 in attendance at Sabbath school. Baptist, West
Side, Rev. J. Woodward, pastor. Temporary edifice to be
erected present season. Membership between thirty and forty.
Presbyterian (New School), Rev. L. F. Dudley, pastor. Church
building small; was first to be erected in the city. Affairs
in a flourishing condition. Presbyterians (Seceders), Rev.
J. H. Sturgeon, pastor. Church edifice just erected and pews
sold.

Secret Societies--Cedar Rapids Lodge No. 25, A. F. & A. M.
(organized 1850), Hiram Deem, W. M.; Isaac N. Whittam,
secretary. Meets first Monday after new moon. Hope Lodge No.
201, I. O. O. F., organized 1851. Hiram Deem, N. G.; Joseph
G. Davenport, secretary. Meets every Tuesday evening.

Select Schools--Misses Farnham, in rooms under the Episcopal
church; Miss H. Latshaw, on Washington street.

Buildings Erected in Year--William Stewart, brick store, one
story; R. C. Rock, brick store, three stories; J. F. Ely,
two brick stores, three stories; A. Hager, machine shop,
brick, three stories; Gabriel Carpenter, three stores,
brick, four stories; S. C. Bever, store, brick, three
stories; H. G. Angle, store, brick front, two stories; Bates
& Tousley, banking house, brick, three stories; Shattuck &
Dewey, two stores, three stories; P. W. Earle, store, three
stories above basement; S. L. Pollock, addition to plow
factory; Greene & Graves, stone machine shop, three stories;
Greene & Graves, blacksmith shop and foundry; public school
building, brick, three stories.

Brick Dwellings--F. A. Lee, William Greene, James Bates, B.
E. Baker, W. & S. Johnson, Elihu Robbins (two), M. Ohler,
Ezra Havens, H. G. Angle, Watrous & Gillett, A. Whitensack.

Frame Dwellings--H. Riefensthall, W. W. Smith, John Graves,
Lowell Daniels, G. W. Westlake, H. L. Bryan, A. J. Reed, P.
W. Reeder, W. Harvey, Henry Ward, S. A. Shattuck, D. S.
Bryan, G. Dewey, Rev. Samuel Starr, Freeman Smith, ----
Jordan, J. Crabil, Mary Lucore, Mr. McDougal, Mary Clark,
Mr. Coon, Mr. Seabury.

As yet, however, the improvements were confined to but a small portion of the present city. Iowa (First) avenue had been used as a sand bank, at the convenience of builders, and being left in ridges and hollows was impassable to teams. Lot owners on Eagle street (Second avenue) were urged to cut out the underbrush in the street so that wagons might pass, and thus that section of the city become attractive for residences.

From _Wolfe's Business Directory for 1869_ we may note a few of the business houses and professional men.

Agricultural Implements--Averill & Hamilton, A. C. Churchill,
Fleck & Dorwart, Higley Bros., Patterson & Co., F. J. Upton.

Ammunition--J. A. Nye.

Architect--S. S. Spaulding.

Attorneys--Boyd & Smith, J. J. Child, Craft & Sosel, A. V.
Eastman, R. H. Gilmore, H. H. Gray, Hubbard & Belt, J. W.
Leslie, M. P. Mills, A. St. C. Smith, O. O. Stanchfield, I.
N. Whittam.

Baker--P. Seitz.

Banks--City National, First National.

Bankers--Carpenter, Stibbs & Co.

Barbers--Brown & Bolin, W. K. Harris, Lightenberg & Reiss.

Billiard Halls--F. Witousek, D. T. Williams.

Blank Book Makers--J. C. Stoddard, C. Barthel, S. B. Carl,
Cook & Funk, J. E. Davis, R. H. Dutton, C. Everlien, C. A.
Files, J. Hough, A. S. Mershon, J. M. Nell, Delia Rudolph, L.
Turner.

Book and Job Printers--Ayers Bros., W. A. Ballard.

Book Stores--E. R. Derby, J. G. Graves, F. G. Bennett.

Boot and Shoe Dealers--E. R. Bradford, J. Gates, McClelland
Bros., J. E. Morrison, P. Necomb, A. G. Plumb, O. Robinson,
C. Tomasek, T. S. Wilson, J. Wolfe.

Brewers--C. Magnus, owner of the Eagle Brewery, Will
Williams, Cedar Rapids Brewery, owned by Joe Schneider.

Carpenters--Boss & Gray, M. J. Bourne, M. Moore, Null &
DeCamp, W. Richmond, S. S. Spalding, J. M. Waldt.

Carpets--I. N. Isham, J. Bell & Co., P. Newcomb.

Clothing--Arnold & Loucheim, Arnold & Levi, Jackson &
Lincoln, Otto Co., R. B. Tomlinson, J. Wiener.

Commission Merchants--H. L. Bryan, Charles & Carroll, C. H.
Hall, R. L. Porter, J. J. Snouffer & Co.

Dentists--E. Ebi, A. K. Miner.

Drugs--G. C. Haman, J. C. May, L. Roth, A. H. Taylor, W. L.
Weller, Wetherby & Bowen.

Flour Mills--Aetna Mills, by J. J. Snouffer & Co., Cedar
Rapids Flouring Mills, W. B. Leach & Co., Union Mills, by W.
S. Cooper.

Grocers--O. B. Coe, Anderson & Pettinger, Al Jacobs, P. G.
Garret, Hildebrand & Lansing, A. C. Keyes, P. Keech, W.
Lench, C. L. Lutz, Sam Neidig, G. Parr, F. Plucshel, P.
Seitz, J. B. Spry, J. H. Stibbs, T. S. Wilson, J. J. Witwer,
Wood & Wolcott.

Six hotels on the east side, and several on the west side,
known as Kingston.

The doctors were--C. F. Bullen, J. H. Camburn, G. P.
Carpenter, J. P. Coulter, J. W. Edes, Mansfield & Smith, F.
McClelland, J. North, Israel Snyder, C. H. Thompson, W.
Bolinger.

The live real estate agents were--Carpenter, Stibbs & Co., R.
H. Gilmore, St. Clair Smith, O. O. Stanchfield, West &
Eastman.

There were about twenty saloons operated.

The wagon makers were--R. C. Hall, John Hesse, Jos. Hrbek,
John Mehan, Star Wagon Co., run by Upton, Chambers & Co.

Kingston also boasted of two blacksmith shops, one boarding house, three hotels, several grocers, wagon makers, lumber dealers, etc. The population of Kingston as given by this directory was 300.

LINN COUNTY STATISTICS FOR 1856

General Figures--Number of dwelling houses, 2,518; number of families, 2,612; number of males, 7,911; number of females, 6,791; colored, 6; married, 5,110; widowed, 307; native voters, 2,946; naturalized voters, 236; aliens, 215; militia, 2,795; deaf and dumb, none; blind, 1; insane, 1; idiotic, 14; owners of land, 1,824; paupers, 3; total population of county, 14,792.

Agricultural Statistics--Acres of land improved, 66,132; acres of land unimproved, 155,991; acres of meadow, 3,871; tons of hay, 8,551; bushels of grass seed, 306; acres spring wheat, 14,739; bushels harvested, 212,573; acres winter wheat, 249; bushels harvested, 1,532; acres oats, 5,854; bushels harvested, 180,674; acres corn, 24,251; bushels harvested, 1,025,375.

Live Stock Figures--Number hogs sold, 16,905; value of hogs sold, $127,942; number of cattle sold, 3,284; value of cattle sold, $79,273.

Farm Products--Pounds butter made, 153,646; pounds of wool sold, 14,143; pounds of cheese sold, 25,506; value of domestic manufactures, $7,269; value of general manufactures, $212,795.