Chapter XLVI: Section 1: Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the (2)

"The present city charter was adopted in the summer of 1856,
and Isaac Whittam, Esq., was elected mayor. A free bridge
across the Cedar was commenced in 1855, and is now ready for
crossing by teams. The chief credit of this structure is due
to a few, though many stood manfully by the free bridge and
aided liberally in its erection. A charter for a toll bridge
was obtained about the time that the free bridge charter
was procured, which gave rise to a warm controversy in which
much interest was manifest. The free bridge finally
triumphed, and its noble arches now span the Cedar with
every appearance of remaining for many years a proud
monument to the energy and liberality of those who aided in
placing it there. We have already intimated that Cedar
Rapids is the center of a very large and increasing trade,
and though not destined to become a city of the first
magnitude, is destined to rank as one of the principal
interior cities of Iowa. Its railroad connections--immense
water power--the fertility of the surrounding country and
the energy of its people will give it rank and importance as
a manufacturing city, worthy of note.

"Nor is this imaginary, as the following statistics will
show. Cedar Rapids now contains: 4 flouring mills, 2 door,
sash and blind, and planing mills, 1 cooper and barrel
factory, 5 wagon and carriage factories, 1 iron factory, 2
cabinet furniture and chair factories, 3 plow factories, 3
boot and shoe factories, 2 saddle and harness manufactories,
4 tin, copper and sheet iron establishments, 1 woolen
factory, 5 brick yards, 2 agricultural implement
manufactories, 3 merchant tailor establishments, 2 wood
turning establishments, 3 newspapers and magazines, 1 brick
machine factory, 8 grocery and provision stores, 5 clothing
stores, 5 dry-goods stores, 1 millinery and fancy goods
store, 6 liquor and cigar shops, 4 drug stores, 2
silversmith, clock and jewelry stores, 4 hardware stores, 3
book stores, 1 book bindery, 5 public and private halls, 5
hotels, 4 churches, 4 lumber yards, 3 banking houses, 1
public reading room, 1 shaving and hair dressing
establishment.

"A paper mill is in contemplation, and there is room and
excellent openings for other branches of business.

"A hat and cap manufactory--pork packing establishment--in
fact nearly every branch of manufactory not included in the
above would do well. There are two nurseries contiguous to
town, where nearly every kind of fruit and a large variety
of ornamental trees can be procured. The Mound nursery is
one of the oldest and most extensive in the country, and the
proprietor furnishes orders on very liberal terms."

The following letter to A. T. Hall, as to a gavel, at the meeting of carpenters of America at Des Moines, 1910, gives some interesting facts as to early days in Cedar Rapids:

"Dear Sir: In reply to your request for such information as
I have concerning the small mallet or gavel which you had
made from a piece of the red cedar shaft, I can only say
that there is but little to its history. My father, the late
Nicholas Brodhead Brown, came to what is now the city of
Cedar Rapids in 1839, but did not remain here at that time.
He went as far north as Cedar Falls looking for a mill site,
and returned to this location in 1840. After building the
first manufacturing plant in Linn county for the Doty
brothers, a saw mill in Bertram township, located near the
mouth of Indian creek, he began in 1841 to improve the
waterfall in the Cedar river at this place. He first built a
temporary dam then built a saw mill, the second to be built
in the county, for himself. He then began the building of
the first flour mill in the county. This mill was completed
and in operation either in 1843 or 1844, and from this mill
came the cedar shaft from which the little mallet or gavel
was made. There is no doubt in my mind about the cedar tree
from which the mallet was made was cut very close to, and
perhaps within the present limits of Cedar Rapids. Nicholas
Brodhead Brown was in all probability the first mechanic who
used edged tools, to locate in Cedar Rapids. Nor is there
any doubt in my mind about his making the shaft above spoken
of. It was the real shaft in the old bolting chest in the
mill known as Brown's Mill. Mr. Brown by occupation was a
millwright and through force of circumstances worked at that
trade for some twelve or fifteen years after his arrival
here. He especially did all of the millwrighting that he
could do himself on this mill, working twelve and fourteen
hours a day for the purpose of getting it into operation as
soon as possible, as not only he himself needed its income
but the country all about this locality needed a mill.

"Another of the early mechanics to come to Cedar Rapids was
Samuel Sherwood, also a millwright. He worked for a time on
Brown's flour mill, and on the Alexander Ely flour mill, now
known as the Anchor mill. This was the second mill to begin
operation in Cedar Rapids. The Ely mill began operating the
same year as the Brown's, but later on in the year. Another
of the old-time mechanics, a user of edged tools, was Joseph
Love. He was the first cabinet-maker to locate in Cedar
Rapids. Another was John Vardy; he was the second
cabinet-maker to locate in Cedar Rapids, and was the builder
of the first house in Cedar Rapids to be constructed of
sawed lumber. The house still stands--is in use and owned by
the Stary family. John F. Boyce, the father of William and
Frank Boyce of this city, was another early mechanic. He
also was a cabinet-maker. John Patterson, an uncle of Chas.
A. Calder of this city, was another. He also was a
cabinet-maker. All of these men worked to a greater or less
extent at the carpenter's trade. In those days there were no
trade unions and consequently no limitations on the kind of
work a mechanic should do. To my mind these men could be
classed as carpenters as well as millwrights and
cabinet-makers. I should have said that Samuel Sherwood went
to Independence from this city and became the founder of the
milling industry at that thriving little place. I have
diverged largely from the gavel, but believe it will be
interesting to yourself and your fraternity to know who the
first users of edged tools were in this part of Iowa.

Respectfully yours,

"N. E. BROWN."

HOW THE FIRST RAILROAD CAME TO CEDAR RAPIDS

T. DEVENDORF IN THE SUNDAY REPUBLICAN OF JUNE 10, 1906

The population of the city in 1856 was not to exceed 1,200 to 1,500 people. There was little wealth in the community. No manufacturing enterprises had as yet located here. The principal dependence of the people was in the farming community and the bountiful harvests that Iowa never fails to produce.

The one great desire and ambition of the people was for a railroad to the east on which they could transport their surplus product to an eastern market. Railroad building had not been very extensive in the west, the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska had its track built as far west as the Mississippi river and was formulating plans to bridge the river and extend the road across the fertile prairies of Iowa. Some of our pioneer citizens with shrewd business instincts and confidence in the rapid settlement and development of the state, on the completion of the railroad, became interested in this new project and advocated the granting of a loan to them provided the road should be built to or through our growing city. The subject of giving aid to this new proposed railroad was discussed largely among the people, and on the 1st day of September, 1856, the city council passed a resolution instructing the mayor to call an election of the qualified voters of Cedar Rapids to vote on the question, shall the city in its corporate capacity subscribe sixty thousand dollars to the capital stock of the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska railroad and pay for same in bonds issued by the city. Said bonds were to bear interest at the rate of ten per cent per annum, and were to mature 20 years after date at the option of the city. The election was called by Mayor Isaac Whittam and held September 22, 1856, and resulted in the very decisive vote of 111 for the proposition and only 2 against it.

These bonds were to be issued in series as the work on the new road progressed, fifteen thousand dollars worth when the contract was let for building the road from De Witt to Cedar Rapids; the second series of fifteen thousand dollars worth when the first five miles of grading were completed in Linn county; and the balance of thirty thousand dollars worth when the grading was finished into the city of Cedar Rapids and the road in operation and cars running as far west as Mt. Vernon.

On the 20th of February, 1857, Mayor Whittam in a report to the city council made a statement that he, as representative of the city, had attended the meeting of the stockholders of the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska, held on the 25th day of January, 1857, at Clinton and at that time had passed over to the railroad company the fifteen bonds of one thousand dollars each, to which they were entitled, they giving the required stock certificates for same as per agreement. The railroad company also entered into a contract with the city in which they agreed to pay interest on said bonds and all others to be issued to the railroad until such time as the road should be finished and the cars running into the city of Cedar Rapids.

The mayor also complimented the men in charge of the affairs of the road as men of means, honor, and energy, and finished his report by predicting that when the road was completed it would be of great benefit and advantage to our young but growing city. But notwithstanding the financial aid and the general encouragement given by the people the road advanced westward slowly and while the grading had been nearly completed there were many other things necessary to build a railroad and which could only be had by having the ready money with which to buy such supplies. In June, 1857, another petition was presented to the city council asking that the mayor call an election of the legal voters of the city to vote on the question, shall the city issue its bonds to the amount of forty thousand dollars to aid in purchasing the iron rails to complete the road to Cedar Rapids, the city to be a subscriber to the capital stock of the road to that amount. On July 10, 1857, the mayor called the election to vote on the proposition, shall the city in its corporate capacity issue its bonds for forty thousand dollars, the money to be used to procure iron rails and for no other purpose. The election was held on July 20, 1857, and resulted as follows: For the proposition, 104 votes; against 25 votes.

These bonds were to be issued in series and were to be paid one-quarter in 13 years, one-quarter in 14 years, one-quarter in 15 years, and the balance in 16 years from date.

Some time after these bonds were issued and turned over to the railroad company some legal point was raised touching their validity, and this together with the fact that the financial standing of the railroad company in the east among the iron manufacturers was not first class, made it necessary that some other plan should be adopted to procure the iron rails to build the road to Cedar Rapids. Heretofore they had found it practicable to survey and locate and grade a road and pay for the same in farm products, dry goods and groceries, etc. But when it came to buying iron from the manufacturers it required the cash or a suitable collateral. But our people were ready to meet this unforeseen emergency. Six of our early and more wealthy citizens made notes of $8,000.00 each, each note being signed by each of the other gentlemen, making a joint note of each one and together amounting to the $48,000.00. These notes were to be used as collateral and to strengthen up their credit, so that the iron rails could be bought and the road completed to this city. This was purely accommodation paper and the road contracted that the interest and principal of these notes should be paid by the railroad company from the first net earnings of the company, but in the early years of the road there were no net earnings. It was only by the most economical management that the operating expenses could be met, and several years elapsed before these notes given to aid the railroad were fully paid. The gentlemen aiding in the early construction of the first railroad to Cedar Rapids were Gabriel Carpenter, George Greene, Sampson C. Bever, J. J. Snouffer, and two others whose names are not remembered.

After the railroad was completed and in operation to this place little was said in regard to these city bonds. In the proceedings of the city council June 13, 1860, a resolution was passed authorizing E. H. Steadman, the mayor of the city, to represent the city at the annual meeting of the stockholders of the C., I. & N. Ry., which was to be held in Clinton at a later date.

On January 25, 1861, a committee was appointed consisting of the mayor, I. N. Whittam, and Alderman G. Livensbarger who were to examine into the legal condition of the city in relation to the $100,000.00 worth of city bonds already issued for railroad purposes. What this investigating committee did, and what their conclusions were, are not matters of record. Nothing more is said in any of the proceedings of the city council in regard to this matter until May 8, 1863, when it appears from the preamble of a resolution introduced that the railroad company was calling upon the city authorities to comply with the terms of the contract entered into when the bonds were issued, which was that the city should pay the interest on such bonds after the completion of the road to this place.

The road had been finished and in operation some two years and still no interest had been paid and the city made no efforts to collect any sum for such purpose. At the meeting of the council May 8, 1863, a resolution was introduced asking that a committee be appointed to investigate and report on the recorded facts bearing upon this matter of railroad bonds from its inception to this date. Aldermen McClelland, Denlinger and Slonaker were desirous of having light on the subject and voted for an investigation, but Aldermen Bever, Carroll and Stibbs voted in the negative, and this being a tie vote it was decided by the mayor, who also voted in the negative.

At the council meeting held June 11, 1864, another committee to investigate was appointed who was authorized to procure legal advice in regard to the liability of the city and also meet and confer with the officers of the railroad company, and this committee consisting of Aldermen McClelland and E. H. Steadman reported back to the council that they had procured legal advice in the matter and from all data and facts collected their attorney was of the opinion that the railroad company had no legal claims against the city and that the bonds were illegal and void.

In October of 1864 the same subject came up in the city council and a committee of three consisting of S. C. Bever, H. C. Angle and John Weare were appointed to confer with the railroad company and get the best terms of settlement they could, either by taking reissued stock in payment or a certain amount of money yearly in full settlement. This committee were prompt in their investigations and reported back to the council November 4, 1864. Their report was that they had a conference with the railroad company and the best compromise they could obtain was this:

First. That the city surrender to the company all its claims to stock in said road.

Second. The railroad company would then return to the city $90,000.00 worth of the city bonds already issued together with all coupons on the balance, leaving in the hands of the company $10,000.00 worth with all coupons cut off to date. This surrendering of bonds to in no way affect the legality of the bonds retained, the legal points to be settled later.

At the meeting of the council Alderman Bever introduced a resolution covering all the points made in the report of the committee that the city surrender the stock and that the railroad company return the $90,000.00 worth of bonds, leaving outstanding and in the hands of the railroad company $10,000.00 worth of city bonds.

On the yeas and nays being called the following aldermen voted yea: Bever, Denlinger, Holland and Slonaker, and in the negative, Alderman McClelland, and the resolution was declared adopted.

Alderman McClelland then at once offered his resignation as alderman from the Third ward and his resignation was as promptly accepted and Wm. Richmond elected as his successor.

Nothing more appears in the records of the city council bearing on this question of railroad bonds until June 29, 1866, when Alderman Adams of the Third ward introduced a resolution that a committee of one consisting of Alderman Snouffer be appointed to confer and negotiate with Horace Williams, agent of the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska railroad, for the surrender of the outstanding bonds, and he was authorized to release and exonerate the railroad company from performing certain acts they had previously agreed to do. One was the grading of Jefferson street and another was the grading of the North city park and the building a fence of oak posts around said park, both of which they had failed to do. These agreements of the railroad company the city would relinquish, provided the railroad company would return the balance of the city bonds in their hands, amounting to $10,000.00.

It is presumed that Alderman Snouffer failed to make these negotiations with Horace Williams as instructed by the city council, at least there is nothing in the records to show that this committee of one ever made any report on this subject to the city council.

At the meeting of the city council held May 15, 1868, another committee was appointed to investigate and try to induce the railroad company to relinquish and return these outstanding city bonds and it is fair to presume that the committee accomplished something in that direction as at a subsequent meeting held June 26, 1868, Alderman Leach moved that the city treasurer be authorized to receive the city bonds now in the possession of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad and receipt for same. This is the last record to be found in the proceedings of the city council bearing on this subject of city bonds.

Going back to the time the railroad was built into Cedar Rapids it will be remembered that little value was placed on the stock. People subscribed for the stock and paid their subscriptions as called for more to encourage the building of the road than for an investment. Nearly every citizen had some few shares of the stock. They had all done their share in getting the road here according to each one's means and financial ability, and held their stock in the road. It was then that men of means with confidence in the rapid growth and advancement of this great state of Iowa began in a private way gathering up this stock of the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska R. R., buying up from the small holders their stock at prices from 25 to 35 cents on the dollar of the par value and in a few years the small holders had parted with their holdings and in 1865 there was little or no stock of the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska R. R. to be had and in the latter part of that year the road was merged into the Chicago & Northwestern system. At what price per share the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska went into the Northwestern is not positively known, but it is generally supposed that one share of the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska R. R. was good for about three shares of the new consolidated Chicago & Northwestern.

SOME OF THE EARLY BRICK HOUSES IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Charles Weare used to say that there was a brick building on the Y. M. C. A. corner which was torn down many years ago, and which was supposed to be one of the first brick buildings in Cedar Rapids; it was occupied by Ingham Wood as a store building. Porter Earle erected one of the first, if not the first, brick building at the corner of First avenue and Second street where the Union Block is now standing, which was one of the most commodious buildings of its kind in the city for many years. The Michael Bryan family erected one of the first dwelling houses of brick about where N. E. Brown's home now stands in 1849 or 1850, and for many years it was one of the best equipped houses in the city and the west. This house had an open fire place in every room, and consisted of eight rooms. The house was built according to the southern style of architecture. Another member of the Bryan family erected a stone and cement house about the same time at the corner of Third avenue and Second street, which building was later occupied by the family of William Greene.

D. M. McIntosh erected a one-story brick building near the present library in 1850 or 1851, which building is still standing. About the same time the father of James Snyder erected a brick dwelling which stood on South Third street near where the Vardy cottage is located. Greene's Hotel on First street was a brick structure erected between 1854 and 1855; it had an eighty feet front and ran back toward the river about eighty feet. The picture of this building shows that it was a four-story structure, although many claim that it was only a three-story building. This buildup was erected by J. J. Snouffer; for many years it was the largest and best equipped hotel in this part of the west.

Part of the residence of Dr. Skinner was erected by George Berg and was one of the most complete brick structures in this city. Elihu Baker also erected a brick residence on the property now occupied by Dr. H. W. Bender about the early '50s. Sampson C. Bever erected a brick building on the premises where the Rock Island offices now stand, being a two story structure similar to the Spangler residence which was erected later across the street. In this structure Mr. Bever installed the first hot air furnace used in Cedar Rapids, and a great many of the early settlers came to inspect the house, and especially to examine the hot air furnace which was a new thing in those days.

J. S. Cook in the early days erected a brick structure on the corner of A avenue and Fifth street, which was one of the fine homes for many years in this city. S. A. Shattuck built in the early '50s a brick structure on Sixth avenue and Fifth street. John Newell, during the years 1855 and 1856, erected a double brick structure at the corner of Fifth street and Seventh avenue. The old Seabury house on Eighth avenue was erected prior to 1860 and for many years was a landmark in that end of town. The Barthel house which stood where the Majestic Theatre now stands was one of the early brick veneer houses in the city and was occupied by many of the prominent families from time to time.

R. C. Rock, one of the early merchants, erected a brick house in the early days on the premises where George Williams has since erected a magnificent mansion. Dr. Wilman, Dr. J. L. Enos and Dr. S. D. Carpenter erected brick houses in the early days which were landmarks along Second avenue up toward Tenth street. The Lawson Daniels brick residence was on First avenue between Second and Third streets adjoining the Thomas Building, and adjoining this was the dwelling of Dr. Thomas, a friend of J. J. Snouffer and a native of Maryland; Dr. Thomas returned to his native state in the '50s. Adjoining these brick dwellings was also another brick building erected by the old pioneer H. G. Angle and occupied by him as a residence for many years.

Another substantial brick dwelling was erected by John Graves on B avenue and Fourth street, being a two-story brick building with an upper and lower porch. The old Gillette house was on the east side of Fifth street where William S. Bye now resides; it was known as the Gillette house. Mr. Gillette being the brother-in-law of the late W. D. Watrous.

Another large and commodious brick dwelling house was a two-story structure erected on Fifth street between B and C avenues and near what is known now as Whittam Park. Adjoining this was the Koontz house, occupied by Dr. Koontz and his family for many years. The Tryon house was also a brick structure erected near the corner of Third avenue and Second street; Mr. Tryon was a surveyor and well known in the early days.

Nearly all the brick used in the early days was made by a Mr. Geeslan who operated a brick yard near what is now known as the "Lame Johnny" place. Brick was cheap, labor was low and the cost of erecting these dwellings in that day was much lower than later. It is said that Sam Stambaugh in the early days worked as a brick mason and walked home to Bertram every night, the wages paid being about $1.00 a day, which was considered high. It is also said that during the '50s Cedar Rapids had more commodious homes than any other town of its size in Iowa. It was made up largely of a brainy, wide-awake, enterprising lot of men, such as N. B. Brown, H. G. Angle, the Greenes, Earles, Elys, Daniels, Macks, Weares, Bevers, and many others who had drifted into the town and who soon built up an enterprising little town, engaging in various ventures, not always successful, but they had Cedar Rapids before the world so that they finally landed the railroad which henceforth made the town. It is said by the late Charles Weare that "when they first started a newspaper there were no settlers in the town, but they had to use a newspaper to boom the town with."

SOME STRENUOUS DAYS IN THE OLDEN TIMES

FROM THE CEDAR RAPIDS REPUBLICAN, SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 1906

An ordinance creating a fire department was introduced in the council in January, 1869, and it was passed February 12, 1869. This ordinance was lengthy. It stipulated what officers should be appointed, what their duties were, how many fire companies to each engine, how many men to each company and many other details. One of the provisions of this first and original ordinance was that the fire chief should be appointed by the council.

On March 12, 1869, the fire company which had already been organized but not officially recognized by the city council, presented a petition to the council, asking that P. C. Lusk be appointed as fire chief. At a subsequent meeting a vote was taken on the election of a fire chief with the following result:

P. C. Lusk, who was the choice of the fire department, received four votes and J. J. Snouffer one vote. Lusk having received a majority of the votes cast was declared elected chief of the fire department. At the meeting held April 9, 1869, the chief of the fire department presented the names of the members of the first company which was styled "The Steam Fire Engine Co., No. 1." It was organized under Ordinance No. 78. Mr. Lusk reported the names of sixty members, including officers, and asked the council to confirm them, which was done.

The officers of this company were as follows:

Foreman--Geo. A. Lincoln.
Assistant Foreman--M. T. Bell.
Secretary--E. W. S. Otto.
Treasurer--W. B. Stewart.
Hose Captain--D. A. Dingman.
Assistant Hose Captain--N. H. Martin.
Engineer--W. Berkley.
Stoker--H. S. Gilmore.

Some of the "high privates" in this first organized fire company of Cedar Rapids were as follows: Al Jacobs, Richard Cornish, C. E. Calder, Lyman Ayers, Geo. Rhodes, Ed. Buttolph, John H. Smith, H. S. Bever, H. E. Witwer, H. Hale, Geo. Hasse, John Bryan, Walter L. Clark, L. L. Cone, Chas. L. Morehead, A. S. Mershon, Ely E. Weare, James Snyder, John Shearer, Baxter McQuinn, W. J. Wood, Richard Moorhead, Don Harris, Lowell Bressler, N. Rudolph, Ira Taft, and twenty-seven others.

Early in April a hook and ladder company was organized and on April 16, 1869, was confirmed by the council as a part of the fire department of Cedar Rapids. The officers of the company were as follows:

Foreman--S. D. Fleck.
First Assistant--J. S. Dickinson.
Secretary--Geo. A. Gault.
Recorder and Treasurer--J. G. Krebs.

Samuel A. Lilly. H. C. Morehead, James Fowler, P. C. Garrett, J. C. Adams, Samuel Spalding, J. A. Hart, Joseph Lilly, J. M. Chambers, T. Snook, J. J. Calder, G. M. Howlett, C. D. Pettibone and six others constituted the active membership of this organization.

The official life of Chief Engineer Lusk was very brief and was marked by continued strife and dissension among the members of the department. He became _persona non grata_ to the council and charges were preferred against him. July 13, 1869, Alderman Hill introduced a resolution reciting that while the chief engineer could not be declared guilty of intentional fraud he was indiscreet in many things and his influence for good in the department had been so impaired that his resignation was demanded. This did the business, and on July 23 he resigned. W. B. Leach was appointed chief engineer for the remainder of the term, and peace and good feeling prevailed in the department.

In March, 1870, after the inauguration of the new council of which W. B. Leach was mayor, a petition of the fire department was presented in which they asked the council to appoint Geo. A. Lincoln as chief engineer of the department. Another petition was also presented, signed by many citizens, asking that W. D. Watrous be appointed chief engineer of the department. On the 25th of March, a ballot being ordered, Geo. A. Lincoln received three votes and W. D. Watrous three votes, whereupon the mayor voted for Lincoln and declared him elected to the position of chief engineer, and on the 26th day of March he was duly qualified and took the oath of office.

Shortly after Mr. Lincoln assumed the authority vested in the office of chief engineer of the fire department, an element of discord arose in the council and an effort was made to secure by legislation and diplomacy what they had failed to accomplish when the vote was taken in March.

It was thought the original ordinance passed in January, 1869, was faulty and should be amended and the ordinance committee was directed to make such amendments as were necessary or to prepare an entirely new ordinance.

During the summer of 1870 the committee had prepared an ordinance which was practically the same as the old one. The only radical change was in the manner of electing a chief engineer. The new ordinance placed the election of the officer with the electors after the year 1870 and a new section was added which read as follows:

"No person shall be eligible to the office of chief engineer unless he be a resident of said city at least one year and shall have attained the age of twenty-five years."

To understand the force of this last clause in the ordinance it will be necessary to remark that at this time Mr. Lincoln was only twenty-three years old. This ordinance, the records say, was passed July 29, 1870, but it was found necessary to amend it and it was not until ordinance No. 98 was passed on September 30, 1870, that the council felt safe in electing a new chief engineer to take the place of the one so skilfully legislated out of office. On the 15th of October, 1870, A. R. West became the chief engineer of the fire department by the vote of the council. After the election of Mr. Lincoln during the spring and summer of 1870 it was uncertain whether the city of Cedar Rapids had a fire department or not, and it was also a question as to the authority possessed by the chief. There was much discord and bitterness among some of the members of the fire organizations. The city council was far from being harmonious and rarely acted in unison in legislating for the well being of the fire department. The citizens who had labored long and earnestly in this work of procuring fire apparatus felt that they had a right to demand that this bickering and personal contention between the organized fire department and the duly elected city council should be ended, but the strife continued. Early in the administration of Mr. Lincoln as chief of the department a communication was presented to the city council in which the petitioners, after recounting their many grievances, made the claim that the election of Mr. Lincoln was unparliamentary, unfair and contrary to the wishes of the department and to a great majority of the property holders, and that while the petitioners were willing to obey all ordinances of the city and the ruling of any legally appointed officer as chief of the fire department, they did not consider themselves lawfully bound to give any heed or attention to the said Geo. A. Lincoln. That they as members of the fire department would pay no attention to the said unlawfully elected chief engineer nor to any order coming from him. This petition was signed by Sam Neidig, C. W. Eaton, G. M. Howlett, Sam Lilly, Chas. Hubbard, J. C. Adams, Thos. Snook, and fifteen others.

Some time later the chief engineer made a report to the city council as the ordinance directed he should do, giving the necessary information in regard to the efficiency of the department and its probable needs for the future, but the council refused to accept it as the report of the chief engineer, making the broad claim that there was no fire department or a legally elected chief engineer and this was backed up by the opinion of the city attorney. Mr. Lincoln, not to be thwarted by the city council in refusing to listen to his report, was obliged to have it published in the city papers and some extracts are made here, showing the friendly feeling existing between him and some members of the city council. He reported that the steam engine was in good shape excepting that the grate had burned out and the committee on the fire department had refused to get it repaired. The hose was poor and not in condition to stand the pressure necessary in case of a large fire. This was owing to the committee on fire refusing to have the tower on the city hall arranged so the hose could be hung up to dry after having been used. Many small bills for supplies used by the department, and which were necessary for the running of the steamer, were hung up and not allowed, and in speaking of the cistern which the city had built he reports that one of the aldermen had the keys of the same and refused to turn them over to him and as to the amount of water in same he could make no report.

After the election of Mr. A. R. West to the position of chief engineer, the old original No. 1 Fire Engine Company, or a large proportion of its members, at one of its meetings passed the following resolution:

"Whereas, The city council has seen proper to persecute and
finally to declare us not an organized fire company, and

"Whereas, We who compose the Fire Engine Company No. 1 have
since organization labored faithfully to make the department
as efficient as possible and have in all cases discharged
our duties as firemen, therefore

"Resolved, That we turn over to the city council all the
fire apparatus in our possession. That we refuse to offer
our services as firemen so long as any member of the city
council who has been persistent in our persecution shall
remain in said council.

"Resolved, That we condemn the city council in thus
deliberately and intentionally using their power to cripple
and destroy the efficiency of the fire department.

"Resolved, That we preserve our company organization and
that each and every one refuse to touch, use or handle any
of the fire apparatus belonging to the city of Cedar
Rapids."

This old, original company, No. 1, was then a fire company to all intents and purposes, acting under the original organization, with most of the original members belonging, but they had no apparatus, no engines, nothing to use in case of fire. But this did not long remain. A subscription was started among the members of the company, and they with the aid of their friends and citizens soon had subscribed a sum sufficient to buy a substantial hand engine of a late pattern, together with 5,000 feet of new hose, a new hose cart, and also to put up a comfortable and neat engine house in which to hold their meetings and to shelter their engine and the other necessary equipment.

This engine was purchased of Josiah Gates & Son, Lowell, Mass., and cost the sum of $800, which amount was paid in cash from the proceeds of the many subscriptions. It was called the E. S. Hill Independent Fire Company, in honor of E. S. Hill who was the patron saint in all their contentions with the city council, being an alderman from the First ward, and also one of the most liberal subscribers to the fund to procure the engine, he having led the subscription list with $200.00.

The hose cart was procured from Quincy, Ill., where it had been previously used by that city, and cost $300.00 all complete. The hose to the amount of 500 feet cost the sum of $500.00. The material for the building of the engine house was obtained free from the local dealers and the construction was almost all done by the members of the company.

After this company had procured their apparatus and were domiciled in their new building they developed into a very aggressive company of fire fighters, and it was the boast of some of its members that they could get out to a fire, extinguish the flames and be ready to return home before the steam engine company could get to the fire and be ready to work.

A. R. West, who had been duly elected chief engineer of the fire department, together with John T. Hamilton, who was appointed assistant fire engineer, succeeded after much labor in bringing order out of the chaos that had so long existed in the affairs of the fire department.

The steam engine, together with the hook and ladder equipment, was put into the hands of a newly organized company, most of the members of which had not been identified with any of the previous unpleasantness between the council and the fire department.

For the next five years Cedar Rapids had two fire departments, the one belonging to the city and under municipal control, and the other denominated the "Independent," owning their own equipment and subject to no official orders from the city.

This continued until the advent of the Cedar Rapids Water Co., who put in their system of waterworks and established hydrants in all parts of the city.

MRS. ROCK'S REMINISCENCES

Mrs. R. C. Rock, one of the earliest of the pioneers, is still living in a serene and vigorous old age. She is a relative of Judge Greene, and came west to Dubuque in 1849 at his request to assist him in getting out his first volume of Iowa Reports, which was printed in New York. She later came to Cedar Rapids with the judge and assisted materially in getting ready for the press and in proof reading the matter for the other volumes of his Reports. The members of the supreme court would frequently gather in Cedar Rapids in chambers to prepare their opinions and to O. K. them for publication. Mrs. Rock did much of the law copying for these judges. Their decisions were turned over to her to record and to edit for publication. She says Judge Williams was flowery in his language and it became necessary to do a good deal of trimming of his decisions so as to condense them properly before publication, as attorneys were not so much interested in the language of the court as they were in getting quickly at the meat of the decisions. Mrs. Rock did not hesitate to do a great amount of pruning, with the result that Judge Greene received many compliments over the improvements noted in his second volume as compared with the matter that appeared in the first publication.

For a time Mrs. Rock did editorial work on the _Progressive Era_, which was published from the Greene Bros. building. J. O. Stewart was then "devil" in the office, and many a time brought to her the proofs of her contributions. The files of this early Linn county newspaper were burned in a fire which destroyed the publication office, so that now there are in existence but a few scattered issues. An early one was given a few years ago to the Masonic Library by Mrs. Rock who found it by accident among some of her effects.

Mrs. Rock came west by boat from Buffalo to Milwaukee, and then by stage to Dubuque in 1849. The next year she removed to Cedar Rapids, coming here by stage over the Old State Road laid out from Iowa City to Dubuque by Engineer Barney of Washington, D. C. This road was a very crooked one. His son, W. J. Barney, on being twitted about its many windings replied that he believed his father was entirely sober when he staked out the route, and that its numerous windings were necessary to avoid the sloughs and swamps.

Mrs. Rock well remembers some of the trips she made on the old stage from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids. It was customary to make 25 miles of the journey the first day. On one trip on arriving at the usual stopping place it was found impossible to obtain any hay for the weary horses. After a further drive of five miles a stop was made at a farm cabin, it being customary for the settlers at any place to provide entertainment for travellers. Here they found feed for the horses, but they were told there was no bread or flour in the house, the man not having returned from the distant mill with his grist. There was some milk, and at last a little flour or meal was discovered. The two were mixed and put in a pan on the stove to cook. Unfortunately it was so badly burned that it could not be eaten, and the travelers were compelled to go to bed supperless. During the night the man returned with his grist, and Mrs. Rock and party had a fairly good breakfast of saleratus biscuits and pork.

One day while living in Cedar Rapids Mrs. Rock learned of the Spirit Lake massacre. She states the people here for a time had a genuine Indian scare, but nothing came of it.

Mrs. Rock has distinct recollections of prairie fires here. She says they were beautiful but terrible to behold. They were especially prevalent every fall on the west side, and many a time has she seen the bright flames cover the hills that are now incorporated in the city of Cedar Rapids. Judge Greene had early planted a large orchard at Mound Farm, and once after it had borne fruit for a number of years it was threatened with destruction from a prairie fire. All Cedar Rapids went out to help fight the flames. They saved the orchard at this time, but later the trees were killed by an unusually severe winter.

The ladies of Cedar Rapids were very patriotic during the war years. They made all the uniforms for the boys of Col. T. Z. Cook's company, and supplied them with generous quantities of bandages and lint. It happened that after the severe engagement at Wilson's Creek those bandages were the only ones available on the field. Mrs. Rock's brother, then 18 years old, enlisted under Colonel Cook. After the hundred days for which the company had entered the service he re-enlisted under Captain Stibbs, being wounded at Ft. Donelson. He then again entered the army under Captain Coulter, father of Ed. Coulter now living in Cedar Rapids, and was later killed in the south. Captain Coulter's company was known as the "Brindle Brigade," because it was made up of men from so many regiments that had disbanded.

There were some lawless people among the earliest settlers, says Mrs. Rock, and they occasionally appropriated a horse or two, necessitating some corrective action by the community. On one occasion N. B. Brown borrowed a horse from a man whose discipline was decreed and went to Westport to secure tar for the purpose. At dusk the horse was returned to the barn. C. C. Cook seized the individual, assisted by Gainor and others. His legs were tied and he was taken to the side hill on B avenue where his clothes were removed and he was treated to a coat of tar and feathers. The following day he appeared among his fellows, and my relator states there was "not even a smell of tar about him," but the treatment proved effectual.

One of the early settlers, Joe Leverich, had a fine library, was a great reader, a shrewd observer of human character, and his descendants are people of intelligence and high morality. Among those who came later were Dr. J. F. Ely and Dr. S. D. Carpenter in 1849, Judge Greene in 1850. They were men of education and attainment. Soon followed Miss Legare of Washington, D. C., the Bryans, and Stoneys from Charleston, S. C., A. S. Belt, a lawyer, son of Commodore Belt, of Maryland, the Taylors from Virginia, and many others whose character and culture gave moral and mental tone to the growing community. In religious intercourse a broad and kindly feeling characterized all, and now in 1910, the same feeling prevails. The Daniels brothers erected a store, three stories, where the Masonic Temple now stands. In 1849 the Green Brothers erected a three-story brick building diagonally across, the first floor being used for merchandizing, the second for Judge Greene's office and ware rooms. In one large room in this building Miss Calder, from New York, opened a school for girls in the fall of 1850. In a hall on the third floor, a Masonic lodge was organized the same year. Miss Calder [Mrs. Rock] drew designs for the emblems and attended to making the aprons.

The first district school house was built several years previous on the lot on Second avenue and Fifth street. The Cedar Rapids Business College is now located on this site. This was used also for religious services on Sunday. Squire Abbe's daughter taught the first school, and Miss Louisa Roberts, daughter of the Congregational minister, the second. Squire Abbe was a member of the Territorial Legislature.

Miss Calder's school prospered; and two other teachers were secured; one from New York for the piano, and another, Miss Parkhurst, to assist in the English branches. She was a recent graduate from Miss Sill's seminary at Rockford, Illinois. Miss Calder herself continued with some of the English grades, also with French and Drawing. Pupils were attracted from neighboring towns, Marion, Vinton, Dubuque, Muscatine, Burlington, Fairfield, etc., but after a few years, failing health caused her to relinquish it to two young ladies from Ohio, and within two years it ceased to exist. The following year Miss Calder married R. C. Rock, a hardware merchant. About the same date the Rev. Williston Jones, Presbyterian minister, opened a school for boys in his private residence, and after a few months turned it over to Mr. Blakeley, when it was transferred to the "Little Muddy" church. Mr. Blakeley's public examination was the occasion of a lampoon by Dr. S. D. Carpenter, but he was a fine man and a good teacher. Geo. E. W. Leonard was financial agent for this school.

These efforts resulted in Rev. Mr. Jones securing from Daniel Coe, of Green county, New York, a gift of $1,000.00 with which was purchased eighty acres of land adjoining the town, a part of which is now occupied by Coe College and from which numerous lots were sold to aid in establishing this school. The first college building was erected by subscription of the citizens. The only surviving incorporator of the institution is Dr. Seymour D. Carpenter, now residing in Chicago, aged about eighty-four.

The first religious services were Methodist, held in the district school house, and their circuit riders came every two weeks. They organized a Sunday school and insisted on a union school. The Presbyterians, New School, effected the first organization in 1847 in Mr. Vardy's shop, corner Third street and Sixth avenue. They, too, worshiped in the school house. Dr. Ely read the sermons, but their first minister, Mr. Roberts, of Marion, was a Congregationalist. He was succeeded by Rev. W. Jones, before mentioned. The first Episcopal clergyman was Rev. James Keeler, who found an occasional opening for service in the school house, but soon came to using Miss Calder's school room for regular Sunday service.

WHEN LAND WAS DIRT CHEAP IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Real estate investments have always been successful and profitable in Cedar Rapids, and probably will always continue to be so. As shown in other articles, the land upon which Cedar Rapids is built was originally owned by five men, Judge Greene, Nicholas Brown, Addison Daniels, Wm. Sanford, and Alexander Ely. The division of the property was made in 1849 as is shown elsewhere, and it is from that time that most of the real estate transfers were made. All the gentlemen made fortunes from their speculations.

How these five gentlemen came to be possessed of all the land in the city of Cedar Rapids would make an interesting story, especially if the prices they paid for each lot could be secured. They doubtless bought up the claims for almost nothing. We get some inkling of how the lots came into their possession by a curious old document which was deposited by Mr. C. G. Greene with the curator of the museum for the semi-centennial week.

The property mentioned in it is the Grand Hotel corner, and this is a copy of it:

"Received, Cedar Rapids, Sept. 7, 1848, of John L. Shearer,
one yoke of oxen valued at thirty-five dollars, in full for
Lot 9 in block No. 23 in the town of Cedar Rapids.

"Geo. Greene."

But it appears that Judge Greene did not think he had a very great bargain, for only seven months later, in May of the following year, the county records show that this same lot upon which the Grand Hotel now stands, and forty feet additional, 120×150 feet in all, was sold by Judge Greene back to John L. Shearer for $75. Up to 1865 it passed through several hands, with slightly increased value, when it was sold by Henry McBride to Charles Weare for $1,100. Weare sold immediately to S. B. Fleek for $1,500, and Fleek sold it in 1871 to E. M. Greene for $9,000. In 1877 Greene sold 80×140 feet to John T. Waterhouse for $10,000, and this property which originally brought $75, could not now be purchased, if unimproved, for less than $100,000. It is now held by a syndicate.

William Stewart originally owned the ground where the Cook & Laurance store used to be located. He traded an Indian pony for it in the early days, and held it until 1873, when he sold it for $7,500.

The property upon which the Calder buildings now stand, 60×140 feet, was also originally owned by Judge Greene. He sold it to Alexander Ely, who sold it to Harvey Higley and Samuel Hook, and they in turn sold it, in 1850, to Frederick Miles for $82. Miles held it until 1875, when he sold it for $1,500. Mr. Calder's friends told him at the time that he was throwing his money away, but now it doesn't look that way, as the land unimproved would sell for many times that sum.