CHAPTER XX
Deepwater announced that, during the year, 3,194 cars of produce had been shipped from that busy little city.
The year 1891 had a bunch of calamities in store for Henry County in its early months. Messick barn, on South Washington street, in Clinton, burned February 6th and a number of neighboring buildings were consumed. On the 13th, the boiler of Churchill & Owsley's mill at Windsor exploded, killing Charles Sturdivant, Walter Beaman, Hugh L. Smith, and Thomas Tillery. Henry Brownsberger of Montrose was drowned April 28th, A. H. Crandall of Clinton machine shops was killed in a railroad accident near Osceola June 21st, and a disastrous storm visited Blairstown and vicinity July 1st.
Weber Brothers of Kansas City bought five acres of land in the northeastern part of Clinton for the site of a rolling mill, which was built and operated for some years.
The lot for Jefferson Park school in Clinton was bought in August and the erection of that building was begun soon thereafter. Henry County, in October, 1891, voted $50,000 bonds for the building of a court house. The measure carried after numerous failures. The contract for the building was let to D. J. Hayde & Company for $47,221, in February, 1892, and was to be completed May 4, 1893. The first meeting held in it was that of the Missouri State Press Association in June, 1893. James Kirby of West Plains was president and John A. Knott of Hannibal, his successor. The association went in a body from Clinton to the Columbian Exposition at Chicago.
Silos were being built throughout the country, Mr. Goodrich of near Calhoun being among the first to have one. Sets of double harness are advertised at $12 to $24.
The deaths for the year included R. F. Gaines, Mrs. W. H. McLane, R. Z. Fewel, H. L. Cheatham, John Loyd, Col. Joshua Ladue, Mrs. Dr. Jones and Casper Altringer and wife of Bear Creek township, within a few hours of each other, on December 21st.
A few of the weddings were: W. L. Pinkston and Miss Mattie G. Fentress, S. R. Mohler and Miss Anna Belle Patton, Judge J. B. Gantt and Mrs. M. W. Lee, F. P. Kitchen and Miss Jessie Cock.
Blairstown claimed to have spent $75,000 in building during the year, Clinton made a great ado because one firm had paid out $25,000 during the year, for poultry and poultry products.
Clinton had built its City Hall and the Council held its first session in it January 4, 1892. It was more in the nature of an oyster stew than a business session. Capt. W. F. Carter was mayor, and Col. W. H. McLane was an alderman from the Fourth ward. While commodities were selling at low prices, the spirit of improvement was abroad. Cattle brought $1.75 to $3.95; hogs, $4.10 to $4.37; corn, 32 cents; wheat, 84 cents; best flour, $3.35 per hundred; sugar was quoted at 3 cents per pound.
Withal, the year 1892 was ushered in with a grand masque ball. The agitation of the establishment of a Keeley Institute was on. The burning of the main building of the University at Columbia was the call to start an excitement that lasted months.
Public meetings were held which resulted in raising a pledge of $100,000 to be given, conditioned on the locating of the University at Clinton. At the special session of the General Assembly, the battle was a hard-fought one, and might have resulted in the gratification of the ambitions of Clinton, but at first, the sentiment for removal was so strong, that Sedalia, Independence and other towns put in their claims, dividing the removal sentiment. The construction gang of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad pitched the tents across the river in sight of the Capitol, the building of a line into Columbia was guaranteed, a big bonus was raised in Columbia, the preparatory department was dropped from the University and it was re-established at Columbia, where it is receiving loyal support from all sections of the State, but none more enthusiastic than that accorded it by Henry County people, many of whom would rejoice to see the University more liberally dealt with by the state at large, and extend its usefulness to the foremost position of educational centers.
At the beginning of the agitation for removal, the University boasted an attendance of 600, about one-third of whom were of high-school grade, mostly from Columbia, which at that time, had a very indifferent high school. Clinton Academy, under Prof. E. P. Lamkin, and with no help of any kind, had an attendance of about two hundred, housed in an abandoned church building.
Getting back to business, the Mound farm of 320 acres, four miles northeast of Clinton, sold for $10,000.
Good roads talk was plentiful. A citizen of the county traveling in Indiana, stated that roads were being built at $2,000 to $2,400 per mile. Round-trip tickets to Memphis, Tennessee, were advertised at $8. In a drive near Alvin Ross's farm, eight grown wolves were caught. Several fires occurred in Windsor, under conditions pointing to incendiarism.
The corn crop of the county for the season of 1891, was estimated at 935,000 bushels, and the oats at 524,000 bushels.
There was much ado about building the St. Louis, Kansas City and Colorado railroad through the country. Horse stealing was common around Montrose.
The streams of the county were unusually high. A news item clipped from a New England paper, stated that all hope of raising a crop was abandoned, but the year brought forth bountifully.
A fire visited Deepwater, destroying the Gulf House and a number of other buildings. The name of Coalsberg was changed to Coal, and is today a fine inland village.
The first half of 1892 also was noted chiefly for the calamities that visited Henry County, among them being the fires already mentioned, hail and wind storms, floods, storms, and minor casualties. But they only caused greater effort to be put forth and the general average of prosperity was maintained.
The State Dental Association met in Clinton July 5th. This was a national political campaign year and flambeau clubs were organized by both Democrats and Republicans. H. P. Faris, Prohibitionist, challenged both parties to discuss the issues of the day. Frank Phelps won a medal as the most expert mail clerk in the United States.
Besides this being a year of disaster, though a bumper crop was raised, it was a year of great mortality among the older people. The following were among those gathered to their fathers: Cornelius East, age 73; W. M. Mullin, Nicholas Long and his wife, Elizabeth Long, within ten days of each other; Col. Joshua La Due; Rev. J. M. Kelly, age 78; Isaac Dunnaway, 92, who came to Missouri before statehood; Henry Cole, 83; Phineas Johnson, 78; James Colson, 80; William Davis of La Due, who came to Henry County in 1856. Mrs. Linn, age 87, drowned; Mrs. Nancy Lindsay, Robert McAllister, accidentally shot; R. H. Walker; Grandma Wiley, 85; Patrick Wallace, killed by falling from a second-story window in Brownington; Judge F. E. Savage, accidentally killed August 25, by the discharge of his own gun at the end of a bird hunt on the Blakemore farm. He was one of the best citizens of the county. Curtis Givens, a young but prominent business man of Clinton; and about December 15, Postmaster Kaiser, who while handing out mail, was shot by Levi Hartley.
There were very many weddings during the year, among them, that of C. S. Morrow and Miss Bessie Bronough and E. J. Boyer and Miss Lillie Bronough at one ceremony in Calhoun. On May 25, Arthur Cock and Miss Lilia Lewis; H. G. Avery and Miss Margaret Lee Smithson in the Auditorium of Washington-Lee University of Virginia; George Holland and Miss Kate Adamson, H. J. Arnold and Miss Clara B. Avery, and others, making the number two hundred and fifty, that many licenses being issued during the year.
Urich claimed to have shipped live stock, $288,740; corn, $171,050; wheat and flour, $27,840; flax, $47,000; oats. $27,840; products not classified, $284,942. Rather satisfactory for a year that threatened a total failure. Other shipping points did proportionately well.
The cornerstone laying of the court house, June 24, 1894, was a big Masonic affair, attended by thousands.
Eighteen hundred ninety-three was ushered in with a charity concert at the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in Clinton. The proceeds of the evening amounted to $115.
Rev. Frank Williams conducted a revival at Mt. Gilead, reporting thirty conversions.
The Keeley graduates numbering nearly three hundred formed an organization in Clinton.
There was an epidemic of an "imported disease" called lagrippe.
Two hundred and forty acres of smooth land one-quarter mile south of Maurine sold "high" at $5,600.
Dickey bought the Deepwater Clay Works for $6,200.
A. A. Kellogg of Clinton built an airship but just before the initial flight the machine was destroyed by fire. Capital was not in sight for another one and aeronautics for Henry County adjourned for Wright Brothers of Ohio.
A meeting was held in Doyle's Hall to urge a rigid enforcement of the law governing the licensing of saloons, and the sale of intoxicants.
M. V. Thralls assumed editorial ownership of the Urich Herald.
A few days afterward a third of Urich burned.
A five-year franchise was granted the Missouri-Kansas Telephone Company by the Clinton City Council.
On February 1, 1893, W. F. Covington, a prominent farmer and stock man of Henry County, was killed at Plato, Missouri. Mr. Covington was in that section of the State to buy cattle. A controversy arose among some men in the country store at that place. A shot was fired with fatal results. The deceased was widely known and universally respected. His sons are among the country's prosperous citizens.
At the school election in April, Prof. R. D. Moore was named as county school commissioner. Early in his incumbency, he died, much lamented. The governor appointed Mr. E. M. Hall as his successor. Mr. Hall was elected to succeed himself, served with honor and distinction. He taught some of the best schools of the county.
He was tendered a very desirable position in the schools of Jackson County, Missouri, which he accepted and a few years later died in active service.
A signal honor came to Mrs. H. T. Baird, of Baird College. She was appointed a member of the advisory council of the Women's World Congress Auxiliary Council on Education. The impress of this vigorous, good woman was indelibly left on the lives of hundreds of young women who came to her as pupils. Only the final records will reveal the extent of her influence for good. She died at the home of her son in Colorado about 1910.
One of the big commercial transactions of the year was the sale of the Keith & Perry Coal Company to the Central Coal & Coke Company, its holdings in Henry County, the consideration being $1,780,000. Twenty-eight cars of cattle and four cars of hogs, constituted one shipment from Blairstown to Chicago.
On June 20, the County Court held a special session to examine the court house, which Contractor Hayde wished to turn over as completed according to the contract.
The building was found up to the specifications and was formally accepted. Thus ended a long struggle for a suitable temple of justice in Henry County. The offices were ordered to be moved in July 1st, which was done.
Miss Anna Barcafer, who had already won high distinction at the Chicago Conservatory of Music, was awarded a diamond medal in the post-graduate course. The previous year, she had won a diamond medal. Among the distinguished foreigners who visited Henry County this summer, were Hans Moss and Albert Scherer, of Luzon, Switzerland.
They were sent by their government to examine the farming methods and agricultural resources of America. They made a close inspection in Henry County and were gratified at what they saw.
The Winkler elevator at La Due burned. The principal topic of discussion at the teacher's institute during the summer was the use of tobacco. The pedagogues put themselves on record as opposing the use of the weed.
Much interest was shown in the Strip in Oklahoma. Very many people from the county made trips of investigation. Most of them returned with a final decision that Henry County was the peer of any section of country.
The Clinton telephone system was opened for service October 19th with thirty-nine subscribers.
On the same day, C. H. Whitaker and son took charge of the Henry County Democrat and the Clinton Democrat.
Dr. John H. Britts, whose side line was geology, was reappointed as a member of the State Bureau of Mines and Geology. He made many collections of fossil specimens, and furnished samples to many of the most prominent cabinets in the United States. He supplied a fine exhibit for the Columbian Exposition.
Among the deaths chronicled during the year, were: Dr. P. S. Jennings, Mrs. P. H. Trone, Mrs. Capt. John Curtis, Mrs. C. W. Drake, John Hart, Henry S. Marvin.
At the beginning of the Christmas holidays, Clinton and Henry County were pained by the announcement that Prof. E. P. Lamkin was prostrate with a stroke of apoplexy. Life left his body with the closing of the year, and on New Year's day, 1894, his remains were laid to rest in Englewood.
He had been active and prominent among Missouri's educators for many years. He came to Clinton to the position of superintendent of the public schools, which position he held for a number of years. Retiring from the public schools he established Clinton Academy.
This institution he conducted with much success for more than ten years. Many of the leading citizens of the county, and some of national fame were his pupils. He served as school commissioner of the county two terms.
A few of the weddings chronicled during 1893 were: S. P. Francisco and Miss Addie Doyle, W. B. Kane and Miss Mary Ruddy of Joplin, C. A. Noll and Miss Louisa M. Smith, a double wedding at the home of George M. Casey; Ferd D. Kingsbury of Ft. Benton, Montana, and Miss Lula Casey; and Edgar B. Hughes of Warrensburg to Miss Minnie Leah Casey; Walter E. Owen and Miss Eugenia Britts.
Hundreds of people from Henry County visited the Columbian Exposition during the year.
In all, it was a good year, and brought its manifold blessings to the people, who, appreciative of the blessings of the Creator, renewed their allegiance to Him in many ways and set themselves to newer and nobler efforts along the paths of duty.
The year 1898 will always be known in American history as one of the war periods, but at the beginning of the year, as far as Henry County was concerned, there was no indication of anything of an unusual character and no one believed that the peace that had so long existed would be broken and that the United States would soon be engaged in a foreign war. There had been some agitation in regard to the Cuban question, but it was never seriously considered that any serious results would follow. The nearest approach to anything of a martial nature in the county at this time, was a lecture delivered by Confederate General John B. Gordon, who visited Clinton early in that year and was enthusiastically received by the old veterans who had worn the gray and by the sons and daughters of the Southern sympathizers.
The people were more interested in men from Clinton, Windsor, Blairstown and other parts of the county, who had gone with the gold seekers to the Klondike country and were writing back to their relatives in the county, telling them of their wonderful exploits and of opportunities that existed in that region for the collecting of wealth. One or two of them returned from Alaska early in the year and by their glowing accounts succeeded in taking other gold seekers back with them. However, by midsummer the enthusiasm for the Klondike region seems to have abated and most of the argonauts from this county had returned poorer in purse, but richer in experience.
Materially, the business interests were considering the advantages that would come to the county from the extension of the Blair line from Osceola to Bolivar, which would give Clinton two direct and competing lines to Springfield and the great southwest. It was believed that all that was needed to insure prosperity of Clinton and Henry County was to have the two lines so that the people would be insured of competition in the matter of rates and also be better provided with train service, and when, in January of this year, a contract was let to build the last link of the Blair line, there was general rejoicing. The road had been built from Kansas City to Osceola and then, from Springfield to Bolivar and a stretch of some twenty-five or thirty miles between Bolivar and Osceola would complete the line, and contract for this work was let early in January.
The Democratic primary was ordered to be held in June and under the call, most liberal rules were laid down as to the qualifications of voters, practically permitting a man to vote at any polling place in the county, no matter where his residence. The figures show that when the primary was actually held, on June 4th of that year, probably fifteen percent of all the votes cast were in a different precinct than that in which the voter resided. This was a new departure and was a forerunner of the absentee ballot provision of the State-wide primary law which later on was made a part of the organic law of the State. The call for the primary was signed by Thomas M. Casey, chairman of the Democratic county committee at that time. About the same time, the Peoples party issued its call. The result of the Democratic primary showed selection of the following candidates as the nominees of that party, all of whom were subsequently elected at the regular election in November except Charles W. Gaines, who resigned before the primary, the Democrats naming Theodore J. Bolton in his stead: Representative, Charles W. Gaines; probate judge, James D. Lindsay; prosecuting attorney, H. F. Poague; collector, J. E. Finks; circuit clerk, J. J. Chastain; county clerk, Joshua C. Davis; recorder, William M. Duncan; sheriff, Jerry G. Galloway; treasurer, William Lee Pinkston; coroner. Dr. W. H. Gibbins; presiding judge, Joseph F. Boyd.
The peaceful days which marked the opening of the year 1898, were rudely ended when the news was flashed over the country in March, of the sinking of the United States battleship Maine, in the Havana harbor. Instantly, all the people began to demand war with Spain to avenge the insult to our national honor, and the papers were unanimous in demanding war. A former resident of Henry County, Harry Williams, of Clinton, son of Dr. C. C. Williams, and a member of one of the best known and most prominent families in the county, had for a number of years been in the United States Navy and at this time, was serving onboard the Cruiser Montgomery. Of course, his letters linked the people of the county very closely with the actions of the navy and the subsequent enrollment of the members of the local company of State guard brought to every household some personal feeling and intimate touch with the army.
The need for relief to be extended to the starving Cuban refugees and sufferers which had hitherto been of a more or less academic nature now became very strong and a committee for Cuban relief was organized in Clinton, of which H. P. Faris was chairman; Ben Adler, secretary, and William F. Carter, W. H. Cock, L. C. Lepscom, W. F. Crome, F. A. Eisner, Robert E. Harman and one member from each of the Clinton churches, served as members of the committee. Donations of money from residents of the towns and of provisions from farmers of the country were solicited and forwarded through proper channels to the sufferers.
The papers were full of complaints as to the administration of the War Department. There was said to be a shortage of powder; that there were no guns and no cannon; that equipment of every sort was lacking and the people and press loudly denounced the Government for what was thought to be almost criminal negligence in not having made proper provision for war and leaving the country defenseless in the time of need.
Evidences of patriotism on the part of citizens of the county were everywhere displayed. One of the most unique of these was that of Monte Bozarth, the locally prominent balloonist, who, under date of March 28, 1898, wired Washington as follows: "His Excellency, William McKinley, President of the United States: I hereby tender my services as a professional aeronaut and expert in the manufacture and management of balloons in the event of war with Spain. I am ready to serve my country in any work to which you may see fit to assign me." To this, the chief signal officer of the army immediately wired a reply, gratefully accepting the offer of this patriotic citizen. Bozarth was one of the first men in the country and certainly the first one noted in Missouri to offer his services to the government for flying in the air, a branch of the service then hardly considered more than a freak, but most important in these latter days.
About the time that Bozarth was wiring his offer to serve in the air, a brother of Captain Sigsby, commissioner of the lost battleship Maine, was in Clinton and was interviewed by many of the leading citizens of the town and county. Mr. Sigsby gave, as his opinion, that the fortifications of Havana were very poor and would easily fall before the attack of the American ships. On April 14th, events had proceeded so rapidly that Capt. A. C. Landon of Clinton, commanding Company F of the 2nd Missouri Regiment, asked for recruits to bring his company up to war standard. At that time, the roster included commissioned officers and sixty-seven enlisted men. The campaign for recruits proceeded and was greatly accelerated by the declaration of war with Spain so that on May 5th, the company had been recruited to war strength and consisted of the following: A. C. Landon, captain; Dr. C. H. Steams, first lieutenant and assistant surgeon; James W. Avery, second lieutenant; Wilbur C. Dixon, first sergeant; Frank S. Douglas, sergeant; Winnie C. Arnold, corporal; Harvey J. Stone, corporal; J. C. Dean, corporal; W. A. Cock, corporal; E. E. Seifried, musician.
Cliff Allen, Berry Anderson, H. J. Bumgardner, G. N. Brandenburg, Ed Couse, Joe W. Canada, C. C. Canan, Harry Daum, Joe T. Doyle, O. C. Davis, R. W. Edmonson, W. T. Earhart, William E. Greer, Louis Horst, George Huey, Will L. Haynie, T. L. Hamilton, George Herrmann, John H. Johnson, J. H. Knight, J. E. Lawson, J. B. Cowell, J. A. McAfee, J. W. Parks, C. F. Pomeroy, E. G. Bedford, H. L. Selby, W. H. Senion, C. E. Shreeve, R. L. Sav___hout, Allen Sheldon, Lee Violette, C. D. Wallace, Roy Woods, George Wells, A. J. Turner, G. W. Parks, John Henry, John T. Angelo, George Armstrong, Charles Blewett, H. A. Brollire, F. R. Carpenter, Frank B. Clark, G. H. Dempsey, Charles A. Duerr, John P. Evans, Charles Howe, G. Howe, W. H. Harrison, P. C. Keyes, Fred McFadden, J. H. Ragland, L. W. Stickrod, A. C. Smith, R. Z. Taylor, J. W. Westerman, A. A. Wilson, Fred Simpson, J. W. Damron, George East, Henry Goodnow, G. W. Hamell, G. E. Herndon, D. W. Keyes, E. C. Morgan, Charles Parks, H. F. Rimer, S. A. Selecman, E. H. Seevers, Charles L. Wilson, Frank Wiley, D. G. Hoard.
All of the members of the company and the new recruits were care fully examined by Doctor Stearns, who had been promoted to assistant surgeon of the regiment and so carefully and well did he perform this duty that when the company reached mobilization point at Jefferson Barracks only five were rejected and sent home. The company left Clinton in the midst of a rain, but in spite of the disagreeable weather probably 3,000 people were at the depot when the Henry County soldiers entrained. Clinton had been lavishly decorated with the American flags and here and there a Cuban banner was suspended, keeping before the eyes of the people the immediate cause of the war. There was a concert given the departing soldiers by what was left of the 2nd Regiment Band and volunteers kept firing anvils and shooting guns on the court house square during most of the day. A local paper described the going away of the men in the following words:
"At the depot was a scene indeed. Three thousand people, at the least, lined the platform and the tracks and there was a half hour of cheering. The girls, soon to be left behind, were there in force. The small boys climbed to the tops of freight cars and adjacent buildings to look down upon the surging sea of humanity. Each soldier boy wore a handsome bouquet presented by florist Barnhart and was the center of attraction for several friends, usually female, who eyed his brass buttons covetously.
When at last the train came slowly in, it swept slowly between solid walls of humanity. Marshal Welsh and Fire Chief Hart, going ahead to part the crowd. Two day coaches were attached to rear for the use of the company and they quickly took possession of the cars. A few moments more of good-byes from the windows and the train steamed out. There were cheers and fluttering of handkerchiefs; the Union cheer and the Rebel yell were mingled, the musicians played 'America' and the mill whistles shrieked a shrill good-bye until the train was outside of the city limits."
Referring further to incidents of the day of entertainment, the local paper describes the procession and notes that among others accompanying the troops to the station, were four well-known men: "In a carriage drawn by four spirited black horses and bearing a standard aloft from which floated American and Cuban flags rode Church Buck, Ben Foote, Eamie Campbell and Charlie Snyder, they singing patriotic songs while Charles Pearson guided the steeds that drew their gaily decorated chariot." At the time of leaving, the people raised a ration fund of $65 for the boys in camp to provide for temporary necessities and a few luxuries. The company took with them Gus Barker, a well-known negro who had been cook for Company F at its annual encampments in the past years and expected to have his services during the war. Besides the bouquets and the ration fund a number of other gifts were made, in the way of cigars, cakes and other appreciated items. Lack of some organization like the American Red Cross was most apparent. The company left under the most exciting of circumstances, because the battle of Manila Bay had occurred only a few days before and the nation was in a fever heat of excitement.
W. M. Ballard, a very prominent citizen of the county, then living in Clinton, was envied of all the people because of the fact that he had a son who was on the Baltimore of Dewey's squadron and had participated in the great naval victory that gave to the United States the Philippine Islands and swept the Spaniards off the eastern seas. The threatening attitude of the Gennan admiral was causing some anxiety, but the determined stand of the English fleet, showing in convincing way their eternal friendship for the American people and the American navy, made it possible for us to avoid any further foreign complications. However, at this time, there was no such assurances and it was feared that the squadron under Dewey's command would soon engage the German ships in Manila Bay.
Harry Williams, previously named as being in the navy, at this time, was in the fight at San Juan Bay and wrote back a very vivid account of his experiences at that time.
Events moved very swiftly and Company F after proceeding to Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, and being incorporated with the other units of the 2nd Missouri Regiment, finally was sent to Camp George H. Thomas at Chickamauga Park, where the troops arrived the late afternoon on the 20th of May. The Regiment was furnished with a complete new equipment on the 24th consisting of underwear, uniforms, shoes and hats, and it is worth while to remark that in the supplies issued at that time, was a fatigue uniform of brown denim for Cuban service. This is probably the first time that American soldiers were regularly issued a brown or khaki colored uniform. Prior to this time, of course, the United States troops were dressed in the army blue, but the Southern climate made the wearing of wool uniforms a practical impossibility, and these brown denim fatigue suits were the forerunners of the time when the whole army would be dressed in that inconspicuous color.
The local papers carried letters from the boys in the camps which announced that they had become so accustomed to sleeping on the ground that no longer was any straw issued to them for bedding, but they slept on the ground without any protection between them and the earth.
About this time, Dr. C. H. Stearns, who had been acting as major and chief surgeon of the 2nd Regiment, became assistant surgeon again, owing to the fact that Dr. S. K. Crawford, former surgeon of the regiment, who had been dismissed from the service owing to the age limit, was reinstated.
The country was filled with anxiety lest the Spanish fleet under Cevera should escape our warships and attack the exposed unprotected cities on our coast, or, failing in that, that he should waylay and destroy our first-class battleship, Oregon, which was badly needed by the Atlantic Fleet and was racing from San Francisco harbor to the West Indies by the way of Cape Horn. The Oregon, however, safely reached its rendezvous the latter part of May, and on the 25th of that month, a Kansas City dispatch was printed in the Clinton Democrat glaringly announcing that Cevera was blocked at Santiago with Admiral Schley on the outside. On the same day, President McKinley called for 75,000 additional troops, the men to serve for two years unless sooner discharged and to be apportioned among the States.
It is very interesting to know the influence of the press and people in these days, in regard to the attitude of other nations at the time of the war with Spain. Denunciations of France were most vigorous and persistent and demands were frequently made that all American girls must come home from French schools; that American women must cease to buy clothes in French shops. That American men must not attend the Paris Exposition, which was about to be held. At the same time, a former popular candidate for governor of the State of Missouri, while making a speech at Columbia, attempted to tear down a British flag and his action was resented by the people. The blockade around Cuba became more stringent and the Henry County boys on the fleet situated off Matanzas were waiting for Cevera to appear. The whole nation was anxiously expecting details of a naval battle the results of which were not at all certain as the Spanish ships were supposed to be nearly, if not quite, equal to our ships.
It is interesting to know some of the things said about the United States by the Spanish newspapers of this time. For instance, El Progressio, a newspaper of Havana, under date of May 23rd, says: "The Americans have tried to starve us, but on the contrary, they are starving themselves, for bread and meat are higher in New York than they are in Havana. We have plenty to eat, while the Yankees have been compelled to open free soup houses in all the big cities to feed their hungry, and the people die from starvation. Already, our gallant fleet has bombarded their city of Boston and driven the inhabitants of that place into the interior, compelling them to flee for their lives. Next, we will move on to New York and no Yankee ship dare attack us, knowing their inability to cope with the formidable Spanish navy. There is turmoil and insurrection among the Yankees because of the failure of their armies and the people are blaming President McKinley. A military guard of 1,000 soldiers surrounds his palace to prevent an assassin from reaching him. He never goes out and it is expected daily that news will be sent of his death."
Early in June, the 2nd Regiment sent a recruiting detail from Chickamauga Park to fill the regiment to war strength. The detail consisted of three officers, one from each battalion of the regiment, three sergeants and nine privates. Will L. Haynie of Clinton, because of his soldierly conduct, being asked to enlist twenty-eight men for Company F to bring it to full war strength. In two days, fifteen men applied, but only six passed the examination. They were as follows: Clarence L. McBride, Clinton; John T. Lee,Clinton; Charles W. Harp, La Due; Charles W. White, La Due; Alfred M. Childs, Deepwater; Wiley D. Grant, Deepwater. These recruits were forwarded to the regiment.
The American Christian Commission, a branch of the Young Men's Christian Association, had established headquarters in a large tent near the 2nd Regiment in Chickamauga Park and was supplying the soldiers with all the comforts possible to men in the field.
On July 3rd, the Spanish fleet, which had been trapped at Santiago, emerged and gave battle to the American fleet under Admiral Schley and was entirely defeated and destroyed. This virtually ended the war, although interest continued until the demobilization of the Henry County troops.
Appeals were made from time to time for contributions from patriotic people so that the chaplain or other authorized officer could expend the same for worthy work and the purchase of lemonade, ginger ale and other delicacies that soldiers needed.
On July 7th, Admiral Dewey engaged and captured the forts adjacent to Manila and, at the same time, General Shafter had extended a truce to the Spaniards at Santiago preliminary to the surrender of that city, which followed soon.
The Henry County boys in camp had changed in the way of officers and non-commissioned officers. Wilbur C. Dixon, formerly first sergeant, was made second lieutenant, and the following was the non-commissioned standing the middle of July: First sergeant, F. S. Douglas; quartermaster sergeant, A. A. Wilson; sergeants, W. C. Arnold, G. N. Brandenburg, C. C. Canan and F. L. Paxton; corporals, Clifford Allen, Berry Anderson, Henry Bumgardner, W. A. Cock, Claud Dean, William L. Haynie, D. G. Hoard, D. W. Keyes, E. H. Seevers, Lee A. Violette, C. D. Wallace and C. L. Wilson.
The men were anxious to see active service by being sent to Porto Rico, but the close of the war prevented them realizing their ambition. The impression made by Company F and the regiment to which they belonged was most favorable whenever the troops were in service. The Lexington, Kentucky, Leader remarked: "Were it not for the fact that frequent comment was favorable upon the conduct of the 2nd Missouri Regiment, located at Camp Hamilton, few would know of their being here, so quiet and well behaved are the men composing this regiment. The 2nd Missouri is composed of a splendid set of men. This body of men was organized from the southwestern part of Missouri and the membership was made up of a fine-looking set of men. At Chickamauga Park, there was much sickness among the men and the effect of the fever has not yet worn off of some of them.
"The 2nd Missouri is well drilled and several companies could compete favorably with any in the regular army. They feel proud of the fact that the Provost Marshal, in selecting men to do guard duty in the city, selected thirty-three of the members of this regiment. People of Lexington and Fayette County have extended a warm welcome to the Missouri boys, as there is a tie of friendship as well as relationship existing between many of this regiment and the people of Kentucky." After remaining at Camp Hamilton for a period of time, the Missouri boys were mustered out.
During the year, there was considerable activity in the way of improvements throughout the county, but particularly in Clinton, where the sewer system was inaugurated on a large and comprehensive scale and was put into operation. During the year, the Tebo Mills were sold to Henry G. Sherman of Kansas City, and a carrier service for the delivery of mail was established in Clinton for the first time. Postmaster at the time was H. H. Mitchell and pursuant to orders from the United States Government, after civil service examination, Eugene Brandenburg, Frank P. Daum and Carter Canan were selected as carriers and George Ferguson as substitute carrier.
The most notable death in the county during the year was that of Col. William H. McLane, who was one of the oldest settlers of the county, a Missourian by birth and 83 years of age at the time of his death.
There was no one in the county that was more widely known than he and his wide acquaintanceship, his services in the Missouri Legislature and in the army gave him a certain statewide prominence. Another notable death of a man well known to all the people of the county, was that of Sam Kahn, a prominent merchant of Clinton.
The railroads between Kansas City and Springfield seemed to be justifying the expectations of the founders. On one night over the Frisco line, there was so much business, going south through Henry County, that the fast freight had to be run south in five sections and the north bound freight, in two sections. The one telegraph wire of the Blair line was found totally insufficient to handle the business, and it took two gangs of men some time to string additional wires enough to accommodate the traffic. Responsible very largely for the increased business on these railroads was the establishment and development of the new sewer pipe tile works and brick manufacture of the Dickey Company at Deepwater. The Dickey plant at that time was claimed to be one of the largest establishments of the kind in the United States and had just completed the erection and fitting up of extensive brick buildings and had filled them with the necessary machinery of the latest kind for the production of the various kind of wares. In order to show Kansas City capitalists and others who were interested, the extent of the new works of the company, Mr. Dickey and the Memphis railroad people brought a large number of excursionists to Deepwater, where a complete inspection of the plant was had. This was the largest single industry in the county at that time, and has continued to increase in importance.
C. C. Dickinson was endorsed at the Democratic county convention for State senator, but was defeated at the senatorial convention. About the same time, Judge W. W. Graves received the nomination for circuit judge, defeating Hon. W. E. Owen of Clinton. This was the first step that led Judge Graves ultimately to the supreme bench of Missouri.
Prominent in the Henry County bar for a great many years was Robert E. Lewis, one-time candidate for governor on the Republican ticket and intimately associated with the people of Henry County as a former prosecuting attorney, and as a long-time citizen, who late in the year, decided to go to Colorado and an elaborate farewell meeting was held by the attorneys and representative citizens before his departure.
It will be interesting to note that, during the Christmas season of 1898, the local poultry firms at Clinton advertised that they would pay seven and a half cents a pound for turkeys and farmers brought their birds for twenty miles to get this enormous price. One of the poultry men is quoted to have stated that he bought over 8,000 turkeys, which cost about $7,000 and the turkeys were brought from Benton County farmers who got notices of the sale one day and drove all night for fear they would not get to Clinton before these fabulous prices ceased to be paid. At the same time, reports in regard to wheat show that D. Yount, near Maurine, had fifty acres which yielded eighteen and a half bushels to the acre, grading No. 2, and he received sixty-five cents a bushel for it. This was a very high price evidently, as Mr. Yount was very much congratulated. At the close of the year, hogs were worth $3.60 per hundred. Best steers, $5.40 a hundred, and sheep $4 a hundred.
Tebo Mills, which had been sold a few months before, was advertised to be sold under deed of trust on account of the fact that the insurance on the property was not properly kept up. This mill, which was of a great deal of importance to every citizen of the county, had recently been in various hands and suitable ownership was greatly to be desired. This long standing hope on the part of the people and customers of this mill was fulfilled when Markus Bernheimer, of St. Louis, bought the property early in March from J. W. Harrelson of Kansas City. He associated with him in the management and operation of the property J. H. Kracke, formerly of St. Louis, who was well-known to the people of the county and was at that time manager of a large cornmeal mill and elevator in Clinton. Plans were made for the immediate remodeling and enlarging of the mills and to put in them the most modern milling machinery and increase the capacity to 700 barrels of flour per day. The elevators were also to be enlarged so that they would have a capacity of 60,000 bushels of grain. The county was to be congratulated on having Mr. Bernheimer enlist a part of his fortune in Henry County.
The mills were rechristened "The Banner Mills." The winter of 1899 was one of the coldest ever known in this county. Not only was it severe, but it was of unusual length. Ordinarily the extreme cold weather in this county only remains one or two days, but this year the reading showed that beginning on Wednesday, February 8th, until the following Tuesday, February 14th, the thermometer never rose above 10 degrees below zero and more than half of the time it was below 20 below zero, reaching 32 degrees below on Sunday, February 12. This broke the record for thirty years in Henry County.
The Bank of Montrose, the oldest bank in that town, closed its doors in March, 1899, owing to the fact that considerable past due paper was carried.
The Tebo and Neosho Railroad Company troubles which had agitated St. Clair County for many years continued to be of interest to the people of Henry County. The county judges constantly refused to levy a tax to pay a judgment against the county laid on it by the United States Court. The tax was to satisfy interest and principal of bonds issued for the building of the above-named railroad and as said road was never constructed the members of the court were always pledged before their election to vote against any such levy. They were regularly arrested after qualifying as judge and a good deal of the time, they served the most of their term of office in the Henry County jail at Clinton. Early in this year, two of the judges, Nevitt and Walker, hid in the brush to avoid the United States officer who was sent to arrest them for contempt of court and take them to the Clinton jail for safe keeping. It is related that the officer drove to Nevitt's farm in a buggy about 3 o'clock in the morning and hid in the barn and served papers on the judge when, clad in overalls and cap, he appeared to feed his stock about 7 o'clock. The judges continued to be kept in the Henry County jail from time to time for a number of years.
A meeting of representatives of the St. Clair County people with representatives of the holders of the Tebo and Neosho railroad bonds was held in Clinton, May 13, 1899, and a vain effort was made to reach some sort of a compromise. The week previous, a compromise convention was held in Osceola and by a narrow margin a resolution was voted favoring paying the face value of the bonds amounting to $231,000, and a committee of one from each township was selected to present this proposition to the bond holders at Clinton. The fact that even this proposition should have carried signified that the compromise sentiment was growing stronger and that sooner or later, the unfortunate complication would be settled for the best interests of all concerned. Probably none of the men who attended this meeting realized that it would be twenty years before the two conflicting interests would reach a final agreement and relieve the neighboring county from its burden of debt. In fact, the controversy continued until the latter part of 1918, before it was finally adjusted. The committee had a long session at Hotel Livingston (now Hotel Cozart) and for two hours sat behind closed doors while General John B. Henderson, John H. Overall and Thomas K. Skinker of St. Louis sat in the office below and awaited the pleasure of the St. Clair County representatives, and finally the two groups of men met; there was a long and spirited debate, but without any personal rancor. At times, both sides would appear conciliatory and the representatives of St. Clair County would appear to be drifting toward a half-way point so as to make a settlement when someone would remind them of the wrong committed against the county and instantly all harmony would disappear. After an all-day session, they adjourned without reaching any conclusion. The federal marshals continued in their effort to arrest the county judges after this fruitless meeting at Clinton and the judges continued to outwit the deputy marshals. The public print briefly related how two United States marshals guarded the court house in Osceola continuously from 12 o'clock, midnight Sunday, to midnight Wednesday. The deputies knew that the court was to meet and select depositories for county funds, but their vigil was in vain. No judges appeared upon the scene. However, on Monday night following, the judges came in and held a session of the county court between 9 and 10 o'clock at night. The judges continued in this manner to elude the officers of the Federal Court until a final settlement of the debt.
The building of a Catholic Church in Clinton was assured during this year and the congregation which had hitherto been very unsatisfactorily housed were now assured of an adequate place of worship.
The Clinton ice plant burned on May 16, 1899. Ordinarily, its capacity amounted to ten tons daily, but it was really much less than that, because the water from the private artesian well was so impregnated with sulfur that the plant had to be idle one day a week in order to clean the boilers.
Early in 1896, F. A. Eisner, the proprietor, determined to rebuild his factory and enlarge it to the capacity of fifty tons daily and in June of that year, the new plant was finished. It was a model in every detail.
Two private artesian wells furnished the water. The machinery was the best procurable. A cold storage department was added and the city and county were justifiably proud of what was unquestionably one of the finest ice plants in the state of Missouri. The property was estimated to have been worth $80,000 and the origin of the fire was a mystery.
The city school board of Clinton elected Fred B. Owen as superintendent of the schools in May. Mr. Owen was a son of Judge Lee Owen, one of the oldest and most prominent men of Henry County. He succeeded Superintendent Holliday, who was not an applicant for the election. Beginning at this time, the Clinton schools started on a period of steady progress.
The State Bank of Clinton went into voluntary liquidation on Wednesday, June 28, 1899, papers on that day, having been drawn up transferring the assets of the bank to the banking house of Salmon & Salmon, who immediately upon beginning of business on the following day, were prepared to pay all depositors.
The State Bank was organized and commenced business in July, 1890, with a capital stock of $100,000. Its officers at the time of liquidation, were: Dr. C. H. Watkins, president; and J. M. Weidemeyer, cashier. The bank did a splendid business for about seven years. In 1896, it reduced its capital to $50,000, at the same time, paying to all its stockholders one-half the amount of their holdings, or $50,000 in cash. It had already paid in dividends to stockholders the sum of $51,000. Since 1897, the business of the institution had not been profitable and the matter of voluntary liquidation had been discussed among the officers and stockholders but action had been deferred from time to time. The bank was said to be entirely solvent and the assets to be good, all of which, including cash and credits, were transferred to Salmon & Salmon, who were instructed to realize on them by paying all claims on demand except those of the stockholders and the residue of such assets distributed among the stockholders according to their holdings when the affairs of the bank were finally closed. No excitement was created by the news of the liquidation of this bank and when the notice was posted on the door announcing the liquidation through Salmon & Salmon's Bank, no depositor felt at all uneasy. Much sympathy was expressed for President Watkins and Cashier Weidemeyer, whose business careers in Clinton were so long and honorable. There was much interest taken in the action of the officers of the bank and general satisfaction was expressed that the step had been taken in such a wise and prudent manner that business confidence was in no way disturbed.
The State Reunion of the United Confederate Veterans met in Clinton, September 28 and 29, 1899. A committee appointed by Major General Robert McCulloch, commanding Missouri Division, had met in the Planters Hotel in St. Louis earlier in the year and had chosen Clinton as the meeting place after a brisk contest between Salisbury, Clinton and Warrensburg for the location. The citizens of the town and county united in demonstrations of appreciation and welcome for the veterans who had worn the gray and no men were more hospitable than the old Union soldiers. Every train brought gray-clad men who had followed the Stars and Bars and they were accompanied by fair maids of honor to typify the maids of the South and exemplify the endurance of that chivalric deference toward women which is the keynote of the Southern character.
The veterans were welcomed by their old comrades in arms and the ladies by Clinton's fairest daughters. They were taken into the hearts and homes of the people and made to feel the warmth of that Southern hospitality which has always been characteristic of Henry County. Major General McCulloch had as aides six handsome boys dressed in neat uniforms who were as follows: Hal Piper, Percy Allen, Steve Carter, Clem Dickinson, Young Spangler and Mark Finks. The parade was participated in by nearly 1,200 veterans who fought for the Confederacy, nearly 800 ex-Union soldiers, about 1,200 school children and Company F of the 2nd Missouri Infantry, recently back from Chickamauga. Among the prominent men of the State who were present, was Dave Ball of Pike County; Frank L. Pitts, State treasurer; State Senator C. H. Vandiver, Col. M. E. Benton of the Fifth Congressional District; Judge William L. Jarrott of Cass County; R. P. Williams of Fayette, afterwards State treasurer, and Hon. David A. DeArmond, representative of Henry County in the National Congress.
The Southwest Missouri Teachers' Association held annual meeting in Clinton, December, 1899. It was said to have been the most successful one so far ever held. A great many teachers of Statewide reputation were present, among whom were Supt. I. N. Evrard of Greenfield, now of Missouri Valley College at Marshall; Dr. Frank Thilly, at that time, professor of philosophy at the University of Missouri; Supt. E. E. Dodd of Springfield; Dr. J. C. Jones, dean of the University of Missouri; Hon. John R. Kirk, ex-State superintendent of schools; Supt. G. V. Buchanan, then of Sedalia; the then State superintendent of schools, W. T. Carrington, and other prominent educators.
Among the deaths of prominent and well-known citizens during the year, was that of W. W. Jackson, who had been a resident of Henry County since 1855 and in the undertaking business in Clinton since 1872; John W. Wilder, for fifteen years a resident of the town, and Alvin Haynie, one of the most prominent lawyers in the county and a leading member of the Presbyterian Church.
General Banton G. Boone, after an illness of but little more than twenty-four hours, passed away Sunday afternoon, February 11th, at his home in Clinton in the sixty-second year of his age. While his death was somewhat unexpected, yet his many friends in the county and State were not unprepared, for he had been feeble physically for some time and the nature of his malady was such that it was certain that the end was not far off. A native Missourian, born in Callaway County in 1838, he lived his whole life in Missouri. When but eighteen years of age, he removed to Clinton and lived continuously in Henry County until his death. Soon after his taking up his residence in Henry County, he was appointed deputy circuit clerk and held the position for four years and employing his leisure moments, both day and night during this period, in the study of the law, in 1859, he was admitted to the bar, but scarcely had he begun the practice of his profession when the terrible war between the States began and, true to his Southern blood. General Boone cast his fortunes with the Confederacy, enlisting in the Southern army and serving for the lost cause. After the war was ended, he returned to Clinton and resumed practice. In 1874, he was nominated by the Democrats of this county as a candidate for the Legislature and elected by a very large majority. On the convening of the Legislature, he was nominated and elected Speaker of the House, over such prominent Democrat rival candidates as General James Shields and M. V. L. McLeland. In 1880, he entered the race for Democratic nomination for attorney general and in the convention came within one-third of a vote of being nominated. In 1884, he again sought the honor and was successful, being elected at the general election the following fall. During his term of office as attorney general, he appeared as counsel for the State of Missouri in various important cases and after the conclusion of his term, he was appointed by various governors to positions of honor where he represented his county and his State with great credit. There was no resident of Henry County who was more widely known than he and in the death of Banton G. Boone, the county lost one of its most distinguished citizens.
