Palo Alto County IA Archives History - Books .....The Period Of Development - 1873-1910
1910
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Book Title: History Of Palo Alto County Iowa
CHAPTER XIII
The Period of Development1873-1910
The year 1873 was one long to be remembered. It ushered in the years of
adversity, that tried the stoutest heart. The hard times, the grasshoppers and
the wet seasons, together made a combination that threatened bankruptcy for even
the most industrious. These years of toil and sorrow are a sad but necessary
part of the county's history.
The grasshoppers of the Rocky Mountain region paid a visit to Iowa and
adjacent states in 1873-4 and again in 1876-7. It is difficult to describe the
ravages of these insects and hard to realize the extent of the suffering that
their devastation caused the pioneers. These insects are a species of locust or
grasshopper that breeds abundantly every year, by boring holes in the ground and
filling these holes with eggs during August, and these eggs hatch out the
following spring. Hundreds of these eggs are laid by a single insect and the
rate of propagation is enormous. When hatched out the young feed on the tender
vegetation near by and when they have eaten everything in sight they migrate in
great swarms, devouring grain, garden vegetables, growing crops, young grass,
and everything of a like nature. These pests traveled in dense swarms, often
several miles wide, obscuring the sun and making a roaring noise like the sound
of a waterfall. They traveled mostly in the warm portion of the day, and in the
early mornings and cool evenings would gather in loose grass or protected places
for shelter and warmth. This fact was made use of by the farmers to destroy the
pests, which were often shoveled up in great quantities from sheltered places,
and loose straw and hay were scattered around and then burned when covered with
the "hoppers." These grasshoppers often covered twenty miles a day in their
flight, leaving in their path a region devastated as though swept by a prairie
fire. The old settlers remember vividly the events of these visitations, that
were like the "plague of locusts" that visited the Egyptians in the days of
Pharoah.[1]
[1] "For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was
darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all of the fruit of the
trees which the hail had left; and there remained not any green thing in the
trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt."Exodus x:15.
The climatic conditions were such, however, that the grasshoppers could not
survive after the second year. In 1876, when they appeared in this county for
the second time, a determined fight was made to destroy them as soon as hatched,
and protect the growing crops. The county was organized in the spring, the
county buying large sheets of tin and barrels of tar, which were distributed
throughout the county, and from these "hopper dozers" were constructed. The
long
sheets of tin were fastened together and bent up at the bottom side and filled
with tar. These tins were then put on wheels or carried through the fields,
knocking the grasshoppers off the grain and into the tar, from which they were
taken in large quantities and burned. [2] The following year the grasshoppers
departed unwept and unmourned and have never since appeared in this part of the
country.
[2] Palo Alto Reporter, June 9, 1877. See also March 3, 1877, June 2, 1877.
These repeated ravages of the grasshopper pests were a serious hardship on
the early settlers striving to make a living on the Iowa prairie. With crops
destroyed, gardens ruined, their incomes thus cut off, real privation and
starvation stared them in the face. Many had to seek other means of employment
in order to live and it was only the courageous and determined persistence and
hope of the pioneers that brought them through this crisis in our history.
The grasshoppers had so completely devastated the prairies that food and
provisions were very scarce. This scarcity was intensified by the terrible money
panic of 1873, inaugurated by the disastrous "Black Friday" on Wall Street,
which spread its ominous results throughout the country. Money was almost
unknown and the settlers had to subsist as best they could on game and what few
provisions they could procure. Many of the settlers were in desperate
circumstances.
The condition of the people became very deplorable in 1874, especially during
the winter months. The extremely wet weather and the ravages of the grasshoppers
had left them without crops, and many of them in such destitute circumstances as
to be "unable to procure food, clothing, or seed to sow for the coming season."
These facts were set out in a resolution adopted by the board of supervisors
February 4, 1874, and forwarded to Hon. E. J. Hartshorn, then a member of the
general assembly of Iowa, and asking for relief in their time of need. [1]
Nothing, however, came of this appeal and the people of the county were
compelled to work out their own salvation, which they did with persevering
courage and hopefulness.
[1] Minutes, Supervisors' Record, no. 1, p. 347. A copy of the said resolution
will be found in full in Appendix C to this history.
But these reverses and troubles soon came to an end. After a year or two
their effects had been overcome. The splendid courage and determination of the
settlers surmounted all obstacles, and the tremendous fertility of the soil soon
yielded an abundance that brought a return of prosperity. Adversity was after
all short-lived and the final period of development was at last ushered in and
the county grew in population and prosperity with a steady and healthful
advance. Space allows mention of only a few incidents in this long and eventful
period.
The prosperity of the county continued to increase. An article in the Palo
Alto Reporter October 7, 1876, says: "Lands range from $2 to $10 per acre, wild,
and from $8 to $20 improved. . . Dairying and stock-raising are becoming
favorite industries of the county. In 1874 the county exported $30,000 worth of
butter and $80,000 worth of cattle. In 1875 $50,000 in butter and $100,000 in
fat cattle."
The schools of the county were increasing in number and efficiency. A. L.
Day, who was elected county superintendent of schools in 1873, was a man of
culture and scholarly attainments. Mr. Day started a private school at
Emmetsburg in 1874 and Miss Maria Blair [1] acted as deputy superintendent until
the Old Town was moved up to the present site. J. C. Bennett was elected
superintendent the following year and served one term.
[1] Maria Blair and George B. McCarty were married December 14, 1875.
One of the first Normal Institutes of which there is a record in the
newspapers was held in October, 1876. Miss Bassett and J. L. Martin were the
instructors. About fifty teachers were enrolled and an instructive program was
carried out successfully.
The county schools were indeed becoming an important factor in the
development of the county. No one man perhaps exerted more influence upon the
schools of the county in an early day than J. L. Martin, who was not only a
pioneer settler but a pioneer in school work. He was elected county
superintendent in 1869 and as a teacher and instructor for many years thereafter
took an active and influential part in perfecting the school system of the county.
Along in 1871 some difficulties had arisen over the swamp lands which had
been conveyed to Wm. E. Clark in 1860. The board of supervisors finally
appointed a committee, consisting of Geo. B. McCarty, Robt. Shea and Wm. E.
Cullen, to investigate these swamp titles and they reported that the finances of
the county were not in a condition to bear the expense of quieting these titles,
but that the board make the best possible terms with the intending purchasers of
the interest of the county and that the purchasers quiet the title in their own
name and at their own expense, and suggesting that the board call a special
election to ascertain the wishes of the people thereon, although this was not
absolutely imperative. [1] Again in 1874 a committee composed of W. H. Shea and
T. W. Harrison was authorized to investigate the unpatented swamp lands of the
county and procure patenting of such lands as soon as possible. And as these
tracts were not listed for taxation, being unsettled and their ownership
uncertain, in the words of the recordi l the county was losing large sums
annually/' and in order to remedy this the board agreed to quit claim all the
swamp and overflowed lands, that were duly patented to the county, and not
included in the description in the county's deed to Mr. Stockdale. These
transactions as to the disposal of the swamp and overflowed lands show how
little value was attached to this land at that time. Vast tracts of land were
thus practically given away which are now being drained and reclaimed and made
the most fertile farming land in the country.
[1] Minutes and Supervisors' Record, Palo Alto County, vol. i, p. 212.
A memorable convention was held at Le Mars in 1874 to nominate a candidate
for district attorney for the northwest district of Iowa. That was before the
days of the county attorneys, when the prosecuting attorney traveled around the
circuit with the judges. Geo. B. McCarty from Palo Alto County, E. B. Soper of
Estherville, Lewis, from Cherokee, Evans from Harrison County, Judge Robinson of
Buena Vista, and Judge Ford of Sioux City, were the candidates before the
convention. Emmetsburg sent a delegation of politicians, T. W. Harrison, Capt.
E. J. Hartshorn, M. L. Brown, and Charlie Ketchen. After an exciting convention
the Emmetsburg candidate succeeded in getting the nomination. The trip home was
nearly as exciting as the convention, as the delegates vividly remember hauling
their horses out of swamps and deep water and many acts of heroism and daring in
getting across the swollen streams that several times threatened to engulf the
whole party.
In the fall election Geo. B. McCarty was elected district attorney for the
western district of Iowa. The next year he removed to Sioux City, in order to be
nearer his work, and remained there until September, 1878, when he resigned the
office, returned to Emmetsburg, and permanently resumed the practice of law at
the county seat of Palo Alto County.
An agricultural society was organized in Palo Alto County in December, 1876,
and January, 1877.[1] After several preliminary conferences the following
officers were elected at a meeting at the office of T. W. Harrison, January, 1877:
PresidentJ. C. Baker.
Vice PresidentJas. Scott.
SecretaryC. A. Hoffman.
TreasurerT. W. Harrison.
And one director from each township. [2]
[1] Reporter, Dec. 16, 1876, vol. ii, no. 27, and Dec. 30, 1876, vol. ii, no.
29, and Jan. 20, 1877, vol. ii, no. 32.
[2] Reporter, Jan. 20, 1877, vol. ii, no. 32.
This was the beginning of the society that held annual fairs for so many
years and that still owns the grounds south of Emmetsburg.
The railroad was so slow in coming that the enterprising citizens of
Emmetsburg decided to build a road of their own. "The Des Moines Rver R R." was
organized with E. S. Ormsby as president and A. W. Utter as secretary, for the
purpose of building a road south from Emmetsburg through the county. At a
directors' meeting January, 1877, steps were taken to vote a tax and other
arrangements made. The newspaper report optimistically concluded as follows:
"The meeting was well attended and a commendable amount of enthusiasm and
unanimity of feeling manifested." [1] Taxes were voted in one or two townships
and voted down in others, and this reverse effectually crippled the enterprise.
The building of the Milwaukee the following year and the Burlington a few years
later put a damper on home roads, and though this branch was periodically
agitated, it never was consummated.
[1] Palo Alto Reporter, Jan. 20, 1877, vol. ii, no. 32.
The failure of the railroad to build through to Emmetsburg as expected was a
great disappointment to the people. With the terminus of the road only
twenty-five miles distant at Algona, it was expected that the new town would
soon have railroad facilities. But year after year passed and the railroad
company became involved in litigation over "overlapping" grants with other
roads
and did not comply with the requirement of their grant from the state, that the
road be built through to Sheldon by December 1, 1877. The question of forfeiture
of the grant became the issue in the Legislature in 1878. Capt. E. J. Hartshorn
of Emmetsburg was state senator from this district and was a member of the
Committee on Railroads in the Senate. In writing of the situation, he says: "We
had a big fight over the old McGregor and Missouri River R. R. land grant. They
had only built to Algona and their time was more than up for building through to
Sheldon. The B., C. R. & N.'s terminus was then in Grundy County, and wanted to
build up to Algona, take this grant and build on west from there. They made a
tremendous effort in the Legislature, backed by powerful state interests, but
generally along the line of the incompleted portion of the McGregor road the
people wanted the grant taken from the old construction company and given to the
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul road. After an exciting struggle we won out and
the road was built from Algona to Patter-sonville (now Hull I think) in O'Brien
County that season (1878)." [1] It was with great rejoicing that the first train
was welcomed at Emmetsburg in 1878 and the town began at once to grow and expand
commensurate with its importance as the county-seat of the prosperous county of
Palo Alto.
[1] Letter of Capt. E. J. Hartshorn, Washington, D. C. See also the files of the
Reporter during this time.
The long heralded railroad from the south finally became a reality in 1881,
when the B., C. B. & N. B. B. commenced building their tracks through this
county north to Estherville, Spirit Lake, etc. When the Chicago, Milwaukee & St.
Paul found that the B., C. B. & N. was about to build from Emmetsburg to
Estherville, they became alarmed lest the new road should take a part of the
territory which they had intended to occupy and cut them out from a line which
they had projected from Emmetsburg northwest via Estherville, Jackson and
Crookston, Minnesota, and then north to Winnipeg. This was a pet scheme of S. S.
Merrill, the general manager of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway. The
Burlington, as the old B., C. B. & N. road was called, had no sooner made their
survey and begun grading than the Milwaukee rushed contractors, laborers and
material to Emmetsburg and began to push the construction of a branch road
north. This unusual activity stirred the Burlington and they redoubled their
efforts and there began across the northern part of Palo Alto County a race in
construction of railroads that is one of the most memorable in the history of
the west. Neck and neck the two roads struggled as far as Osgood, six miles
north of Emmetsburg, where the Burlington being slightly in the lead, drew in
close to the low line of bluffs north of Osgood, which would have crowded the
Milwaukee, which was building parallel with them on the west side, into the foot
hills, and thus the Milwaukee suddenly changed their survey and crossed at
Osgood to the east, going by way of the town of High Lake (now abandoned), then
on to Estherville. Another strategic position was the narrow isthmus between
Spirit and East Okoboji Lakes, which is only wide enough for one right of way.
Here again the Burlington stole a march by sending A. A. Wells, who lived near
Osgood, up there to secure the right of way and when he had contracted for the
right of way it effectually shut out the Milwaukee from that route, and they
built no further than Estherville, while the Burlington continued on through.
The rivalry between the two roads was very keen and as the trains started from
Emmetsburg at the same time, and as the roads ran parallel to each other for
four or five miles, there was a daily race between the two trains to reach the
crossing. The train crews soon imbibed the spirit of bitter rivalry and it was a
daily event for the crews to hurl anathemas at each other and fight for the
right of way at the crossing. The Milwaukee road ran one of their engines
squarely across the crossing and held it there, refusing to let the other road
cross their trains until finally the engine was removed by a court injunction.
But though the Burlington seemed to get the best of these stirring days of
rivalry, this new road was barely able to keep going. One of their engines was
attached in Minnesota for a coal bill. Times were hard and business poor.
Several of the old settlers remember distinctly that for several years,
especially during the summer time, the Burlington carried very little freight
and it was a common sight for days in succession to see the engine and a caboose
go by without a single freight car attached. [1] Trains would wait for
passengers and freight and even on the Milwaukee they have been known to leave
cars of lumber, household goods, etc., on their main track between stations for
the convenience of the consignee in unloading. But although the Milwaukee
temporarily had the advantage of the freight and passenger traffic on account of
their main line running east and west through Emmetsburg, for which the branch
line made a good feeder, yet after the death of Mr. Merrill and when other
parties came into control, the branch was neglected, the road bed grew up to
weeds, the track poor, the trains more irregular, and often in the winter the
trains would be stuck in the snowdrifts for days, or would not run at all for
weeks at a time on account of the snow and severe weather. Finally a compromise
was effected with the Burlington and the Milwaukee tracks were taken up, the
branch abandoned in 1889 or 1890, and nothing now remains except the abandoned
grade which may still be seen paralleling the present Rock Island track north to
Osgood, the historic evidence of a great struggle in railroad building.
[1] Statements of J. A. Spies, Z. F. Dickinson, C. H. Giddings, and others.
There are many other events that are well worthy of being chronicled, but the
limits of this volume prevent their narration at this time. The files of the
county papers, which have been preserved, give a regular history from week to
week of these later years of development.
Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
History of Palo Alto County Iowa
BY
DWIGHT G. MCCARTY
THE TORCH PRESS
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA
1910
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