Jackson County, Missouri - Chapter 8: The Growth of Kansas City Prior to the War, 1881

Chapter 8: The Growth of Kansas City Prior to the War

Improvements of Streets and Roads - Trade and Steamboats - Rival Cities - Rapid Growth of Kansas City - Stages and Mails - The Commerce of the Prairies - The First Banks, Jobbing Houses and Telegraph - The First Commercial Organization - The Panic of iSjY - ^^^ ^^' largement of the City.

Notwithstanding the troubles in Kansas, and the hatred thereby engendered, on the part of free-state people toward all Missourians and Missouri towns, Kansas City gained considerable advantage from the settlement of the Territory while these troubles were pending, and after their close, in 1857, experienced an era of remarkable development and growth.

County Roads And Street Improvements

A matter of profound interest to Kansas City, during these years, and until 1 86 1, was wagon roads to the country, and it was much discussed. This being the only means of reaching the trade of the rapidly settling new territory, Leavenworth, Atchison, Lawrence, St. Joseph, Independence, Westport, and even Boonville, attempted to gain a share or a monopoly of it, by improving roads. Kansas City dared not be behind. But in this contest, Leavenworth and Lawrence were the principal competitors, St. Joseph and Boonville being too far away, while Independence and Westport were so near that her superior landing placed them at a disadvantage. Kansas City had the advantage of a bottom road up the Kaw Valley, and a divide road to southern Kansas, hence her work was mostly to be done near home. The Shawnee road and bridge across Turkey Creek were opened in 1858. A better road to Westport, through which all freight, mails and emigrants went from Kansas City, began to be agitated in February, 1856. The road was improved somewhat, but in July, 1857, a company was formed to macadamize it. The work commenced in September, but was so much delayed that it was not finally completed before the war.

The importance of street improvements began to be agitated in the winter of 1856-7. Colonel M. J. Payne had been elected mayor in the spring of 1855, which position he held until the spring of i860. In 1855, under his administration, the edge of the bluff was cut away, and the levee widened and paved for about a quarter of a mile, and during the two or three succeeding years, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth streets were graded, and also Broadway, Wyandotte, Delaware, Main and Market streets (Grand avenue), from the river back to Fifth. In the fall of 1859, an ordinance was passed for macadamizing Main street. The Court House on the square was built in 1856, by J. W. Ammons, contractor, the commencement being made October 30th ; but the market house, which was intended to accompany it, was not built until i860.

Trade Of 1856-7 The Steamboat Business

The Journal of Commerce, at a later period, estimated that the trade of Kansas City during these two years did not exceed two million of dollars, but with the close of the struggle, in 1857, the country filled up speedily, the trade was enlarged, and the city grew rapidly. The Santa Fe trade prospered, and the plains trade resumed more than its former proportions, while the trade developed by the settlement of southern Kansas all came to Kansas City, and with that and the outfitting of immigrants, her business became very great, so much so that a correspondent of the St. Louis Intelligencer noticed that she had the largest trade of any city of her size in the world, and was the point at which all freight and immigrants for Kansas disembarked. Tht Journal of Commerce, at onetime during these years, described the appearance of the levee as that of a great fair, it was so piled up with all kinds of merchandise.

This was the great steamboat era on the Missouri River, and everything that entered the upper country then came by boat. In the year 1857 there were a hundred and twenty-five boats at the Kansas City levee, and they discharged over seventy-five million pounds of merchandise. There were then a fleet of sixty through boats from St. Louis, and a daily railroad packet leaving the terminus of the Missouri Pacific at Jefferson City. Kansas City was then said by boatmen to be receiving more freight than any other five points on the river. In May, 1857, the boats were employed to carry the mails, which they continued to do until superseded by railroads.

In August, 1857, the packet company made this their terminal point, and all freight for ports higher up the river was transferred here to another line of boats, and tickets were sold by the stage lines through Kansas accordingly. After the completion of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad to St. Joe, which occurred March 1, 1859, a line of boats were put on the river between St. Joseph and Kansas City, as an extension of the shipping facilities of that line to the natural point of distribution.

Rival Cities

By reason of the excitement about Kansas, and the consequent large immigration, Leavenworth, Lawrence and Atchison got about an even start with Kansas City, so far as population was concerned, and at once entered the lists as competitors for the local trade of Kansas and the trade of the plains and New Mexico. The natural asperities of this rivalry were much intensified by the Kansas troubles. The Missouri border having been the base of operations of the border ruffians, was held in great detestation by the free-state men of Kansas, and when that party finally triumphed in the Territory it gave great advantage to Kansas towns. The feeling was very bitter toward Kansas City, for she being the center of trade on the border and their only formidable rival, she was made the object of all their antagonisms. Prompted by State pride, commercial jealousy, and political hatred of border ruffians, every effort was made that could be to divert this trade from her. Roads were laid out and made ; their own advantages were industriously and extensively advertised throughout the north and east, and attempts made to create a public impression that Kansas City was an unsafe place to ship merchandise to, or for free-state people to stop at. During the border troubles of 1855-6, armed bands met wagons and teams on the prairies and forbade their coming to Kansas City, and agents were sent down the river to represent to people coming up on the boats that Kansas City was unsafe for themselves or their freight. To such an extent was this carried that at one time, in 1856, a party, claimed to be these agents, broke up a piano box on our levee, and the fact was widely published as an evidence that merchandise or freight consigned to Kansas City was not safe.

Rapid Growth And Trade Of Kansas City

Notwithstanding these facts, Kansas City grew rapidly. There was a great demand for mechanics to build houses. Houses were scarce at all times, and at times rented for more per annum than their original cost. Many additions were added to the city, among them McGee's addition ; and Col. McGee advertised it so extensively and sold lots on such favorable terms to those who would build, that it improved rapidly and soon became a considerable town in itself. It then got the name of "The Addition," by which that part of town was known as separate from the city proper, and it retains that distinction yet. In 1858 (Oct. 20) there was a great sale of lots, the result of a combination of property owners, after extensive advertising.

The details of the improvement of this period cannot be given, but it was a time of great commercial excitement and prosperity. In August, 1857, The Journal made the following statement of progress from May ist. It was about a sample of the five years :

Houses Built Value Of Real Estate

During the same time there were 13,440 wagons loaded for the plains, employing 20, 160 men and 36,960 animals, and carrying 40,976,000 pounds of freight. There were also received from the plains 27,000 buffalo robes, 131,000 pounds of hides, 19,000 pounds of pelts, 40,000 pounds of wool, and furs to the value of $19,000. The mercantile business of the city for that time was, city proper, $1,075,000; addition, $50,00 .

The progress of the trade during the years 1857 to i860 cannot be better illustrated than in the following synopsis of the Journal's Annual Review. The mercantile trade of 1856 is stated at $1,150,000, but more detailed statements were made for the following years : 1857.

*Owing to the absence of the editor no Annual Review was compiled by the Journal for 1859, but one was compiled by the Metropolitan^ and published by the Journal^ with the criticism that it was erroneous in many particulars. These statements, however, were but the closest approximates that could be made, and though that one may not fully represent the business of the year, it seems to show that it was progressing.

Stages And Mails

During these years, 1857-60, stage lines were established from Kansas City to Fort Scott, Lawrence and Topeka, Leavenworth and Atchison, and to St. Joseph, with perhaps some others. Westport was for a long time mail headquarters for all the West and South, and stages in these directions had to go by way of Westport until the mail facilities at that place were extended to Kansas City. A mail line already extended to Santa Fe. In the summer of 1858 Col. Jacob Hall, of Jackson county, effected a contract with the Government for carrying the mail, from Kansas City to Stockton, Cahfornia, and the line with stages was opened October ist, by Porter, Irwin & Co.

Commerce Of The Plains

The trade with Mexico became much larger after the close of the Kansas troubles, and in 1857 wool was added to the other articles - gold and silver, previously imported from there. The first considerable consignment of this article was to Chas. E. Kearney, who, in 1857, had removed from Westport to Kansas City. The Chicks and others soon followed, and the trade became quite an item in Kansas City's commerce. There was at this time a large increase in the mountain trade, and the amount of furs, peltries, etc. , brought in by the mountaineers was largely augmented. Kansas City was, from 1821, the headquarters of this class of men. They always came here to settle up old engagements, make new contracts, market their furs, and look up old friends. In 1858 gold was discovered in Colorado, and immediately there set in a large immigration to that country. It was then a part of Kansas Territory. By this time it had become evident that though the cities in Kansas had had about an even start with Kansas City, and some of them, Leavenworth particularly, had outgrown her in population, that the Santa Fe trade and the mountain trade could not be diverted from her, and that had been about given up.

The contest for Kansas trade was still raging, with the balance turning more and more each year in favor of Kansas City, because of her superior commercial facilities at that time. But with the discovery of gold at the foot of Pike's Peak, there was a new contest opened. Leavenworth, Atchison, St. Joseph, Nebraska City and Omaha, all entered the list of competition, each hoping to attract it to herself, and upon its stimulus gain the ascendancy. Each had its own route. Those of Nebraska City and Omaha united at Fort Kearney and proceeded up the Platte Valley. Atchison and St. Joseph finally adopted the same route, which gave Nebraska City the advantage of all of them. Leavenworth undertook to open a route by the Smoky Hill valley, but in i860 it had to be abandoned, and she opened a road to the Kaw River, a few miles west of Kansas City, where a bridge was built to enable her to get across to the old Santa Fe trail, via Council Grove and the Valley of the Arkansas, which was Kansas City's route. The contest waged long and bitterly, but the superiority of Kansas City's river landing, the boating arrangements of the Missouri, and the superiority of the Arkansas Valley route, with the earlier and later season, gave Kansas City advantages that secured her the larger part of the trade. In i860 the New York Herald sent a correspondent to the west to write up the great plains' commerce, which was then so' great an attraction to the whole country* He made a careful examination into the whole subject, noted the fact that Kansas City held the lead, that-people from all parts of the west - even to Central Iowa - came here to make their start upon the great plains. He also collected and tabulated the trade of that year, and as nothing can better exhibit the then relative standing of the Missouri Valley cities, we subjoin it :

The first banking establishment in Kansas City was established in 1856 by Messrs. Coates and Hood, in connection with their real estate business. It continued in operation for several years. In 1857 Messrs. Northrup & Co., afterward Northrup & Chick, established a banking house which continued until 1864, when it was transferred to J. Q. Watkihs & Co., and Messrs. Northrup & Chick went to New York. The next was a branch of the Mechanics' Bank of St. Louis. It was organized May i, 1859, and opened for business in June. The directors were J. P. Wheeler, Kersey Coates, Dr. J. Lykins, Jos. C. Ranson, F. Conant, Wm. Gillis, J. C. McCoy, J. Riddlesbirger and W. J. Jarboe. Dr. Lykins was president. Col. E. C. McCarty cashier and Lewis Ramage attorney.

The second bank was a branch of the Union bank, which was organized in July, 1859, and opened for business in August. The directors were H. M. Northrup, C. E. Kearney, Thos. A. Smart, W. H. Chick, Thos. Johnson, N. T. Wheatley, Joab Bernard, Alex. Street and Edward T. Perry. H. M. Northrup was president and John S. Harris cashier.

The first jobbing dry goods house was opened by J. Wise and Co., in July, 1857. The first city loan for local improvements was made in 1855, and amounted to $10,000, and was all taken at home. This money was expended by Mayor Payne mostly on the levee. In 1858 another loan of $100,000 was made for street improvements, but there was so much delay in placing it that little good resulted from it until 1859.

In 1858 Charles M. Stebbins, president of the Missouri River Telegraph Company, whose line was then in operation to Boonville, sent the people a proposition to extend it to Kansas City. The aid asked was $2,500, which he proposed to repay in telegraphing. The aid was promptly given, and the line extended, reaching Kansas City, Dec. 20th.

In June, 1858, the Metropolitan newspaper was established by Bates & Gilson. In January, 1859, the Missouri Post, the first German paper made its appearance, with Mr. Pienner editor, and A. Wuerz proprietor, and in i860 the daily Enquirer was established.

The first attempt at commercial organization was in 1856, when the merchants established what they called the Board of Trade. It was manifestly too early to attempt anything like a daily exchange, so the Board of Trade took the form of a voluntary association, with little, if any organization, and the only object of its meetings was to exchange views about things generally, and in some sense maintain uniformity of prices among merchants.

The need of a more vigorous organization of this kind - one that should exercise a general care over the commercial interests of the city - soon became apparent, and hence an association was formed under the name of the Chamber of Commerce, which was chartered by the Legislature Nov. 9th, 1857. Dr. Johnston Lykins, W. A. Hopkins, John Johnson, M. J. Payne, Thos. H. Swope, S. W. Bouton, Kersey Coates, Jos. C. Ranson, E. C. McCarty, H. M. Northrup, H. H. King, J. M. Ashburn, Wm. Gillis, Dr. Benoist Troost, John Campbell and R. G. Stephens were the corporators. Others afterward became connected with it, among whom were R. T. Van Horn, T. S. Case, Dr. D. Y. Chalfant and Ermine Case, and perhaps some others. This organization continued until the rebellion broke it up, and though its records are not now available, if, in fact, they are in existence, it is well remembered by many citizens of that time as one of the most potent elements in the development of Kansas City. It was the center of thought and opinion, and had the effect of largely uniting the people in commercial efforts. It became the source of public enterprise and public movements in a most marked degree. Under its potent influence the people all worked together for common ends, and whatever public movement or enterprise it decided upon, received the support of all, and the strength and energy and intelligence of all were united in giving it shape and carrying it forward. It thus inaugurated a system of railroads for Kansas City, and prepared a map showing the various proposed lines. It organized the companies and procured the charters, and in some instances, as in that of the Kansas City & Cameron, and the Hannibal & St. Joseph and the Kansas City, Ft. Scott & Gulf it pushed the work forward to such a point that other parties took them up and completed them. It thus projected nearly every line of railroad now coming to Kansas City, and proposed for them substantially the routes now occupied. It gave tone and strength to a spirit of public improvement which prevailed during the years intervening prior to the war of the rebeUion, and thus promoted the improvement of streets, roads and bridges adjacent to the city. Its revenues were contributed by its members, one of the provisions of its rules being that each member should pay into the treasury annually, for the purpose of public enterprise, the same amount paid into the city treasury as municipal taxes. This provided it with abundant moneys.

Kansas City was but little affected by the panic of 1857. She had a number of railroad enterprises before her then that were stopped, but her trade was httle affected. The large immigration to Kansas helped her over, besides which the C9mmerce of the prairies, which was her main dependence, and which had always employed hard money, was not hurt. There was another favoring circumstance in the large amount of government money then expended on the frontier, of which she eventually, through her trade, became the principal recipient. In November 1857, \ht Journal contained an article on the situation which so admirably explains why this great panic did not hurt the city as it did all her rivals, that it is copied here :

"Border Money - During the week w,e have obtained from reliable sources a correct estimate of what may most appropriately be called border money - that is gold and silver coin that comes directly from the mint, or from New Mexico, and is first put into circulation upon the Missouri border. This is the fund that in our last issue we said constituted the major part of our commercial basis, and which could not be withdrawn Irom the commercial operations of the border, no matter how disastrous the panic in the east may be. It is this fund, together with the general agricultural and industrial prosperiety, that is to sustain the credit of the border, and save her from the general wreck and overthrow of the nation's finances. The whole amount of this border money is $5,100,000. Of this, about $2,800,000 comes directly from the United States Mint, and consequently comes here annually by virtue of statue law to that effect. The balance is from New Mexico and immigration. Here are the various funds :

" The annuity money is annually paid to the various tribes of Indians on our border - and by them is forthwith expended with our border merchants - not a dollar of it is hid in the earth, or stowed away iv old stockings. The money ' received, the Indian is on his pony and off to trade, and when the last dollar is expended he is satisfied, unless he can obtain credit (which many of them can) till the next pay day. In this way, border commerce gets annuity money.

" The army money is paid out to privates, for stocks and forage, and to officers. And if any of it is withheld from circulation for any length of time after it passes out of the Quartermaster's Department - then there is more husbandry in our army than it has credit for.

"The mail money is paid direcdy to the contractors, for the transportation of the mail over the plains, and by contractors expended on the border for service, feed and stores.

"The immigration money is brought hereby immigrants to the Territory, to our own State, and to New Mexico, Utah and Cahfornia. We can find no reliable data from which to estimate the amount of this money brought to our border, but have made up our figures from the information of our business men. This money is expended immediately on the border, and what little the emigrants retain after the purchase of supplies and outfit, he keeps in his pocket - for what! Why, to come down and trade again ! Thus the immigrant pocket money nourishes our border commerce.

" The New Mexico money, amounting annually to $1,500,000 is expended directly with our border merchants and producers, for stock, freight, supplies, and outfits. This money is brought direct from Mexico, and is composed of dubloons and Mexican dollars. On the border the boxes are opened and the money meets a general circulation. Every workshop, mechanic, merchant and farmers on this border, gets some of the money. Such is the intercourse existing between the border and the New Mexico trains, that this money obtains a general circulation with great rapidity. When a train arrives, the camp formed, and everything nicely " corralled," the money is in town, the employees paid off, feed purchased, stock increased or renewed, paid for, and everything connected with the business of the trains transacted with the greatest rapidity - and that makes business - a border panic - and the only panic we ever expect to see on the frontier, while its commerce is based upon border money."

Live-Stock Business

The immense freighting across the plains made Kansas City a good market for mules and oxen from 1854. In 1857, about 9,000 heid of caitle and horses were driven from Texas and sold here. The total receipts of live-stock for that year were estimated at $200,000. In June, 1858, about 20,000 head of stockcattle were driven here from Texas, but Kansas City was not then a market for that kind of stock, aud having no railroads could not be. Hence they were driven on in the direction of Chicago, crossing the river at Randolph ferry. At that time there were more coming, both from Texas and the Indian Territory, and the whole number for the season was estimated, from what was deemed reliable data, at 65,000. At the same time cattle were going the other way, and in June 3,800 head crossed the river at Randolph from Iowa, going to California.

Enlargement Of The City

The commercial growth of the city during this period, its increased population and the large number of new buildings constructed, required more ground than was embraced in the original surveys, or in fact in the original charter. Hence a large number of additions were platted. In this place is given the date of the filing of plats of these additions and of re-surveys, including also the date of filing of the plat of the old town company in 1839, and 1846 and 1847.

To extend the municipal authority and'protection over the rapidly extending town, an amendment to the charter was procured, January 29, 1857, which extended the limits west to the State line, south to Twelfth street, and made the eastern boundary the half section line which runs along the alley between McGee and Oak streets. This greatly enlarged the corporate limits to the west and

On the 1 2th day of February, 1858, the Legislature again enlarged the corporate Umits, extending the city southward by the State line to Twenty-second street, eastward along that street to Troost avenue, northward along Troost avenue to Twelfth street, eastward with Twelfth street to Lydia avenue, northward with Lydia avenue to Independence avenue, thence to the quarter section line a little west of Lydia avenue, which the corporation line followed to the river. This act divided the city legislature into two branches - a board of aldermen and a city council, a provision which was repealed in December following. It also directed the city council to divide the city into three wards, and to this end an ordinance was adopted March 5th, making all that part of the city east of Grand avenue the first ward, and between Grand avenue and Delaware street, and Main street south of the Junction, the second ward, and all west of Delaware, and of Main street south of the Junction, the third ward.

The War Of The Rebellion

The events thus chronicled brings this history down to the outbreak of the War of the Rebellion, which was exceeding depressing to Kansas City, checking her progress and causing her to retrograde as will hereafter be shown.

During the excited political contest of i860 public attention was so much absorbed with politics that there appears to have been but Uttle effort to inaugurate new enterprises. Old ones, especially railroad projects, were carried forward, but none^. to completion, until the war cloud arose in the winter of 1860-1. Kansas City had then become a place of 4,000 population. She had triumphed over all her competitors for the commerce of the prairies, and had absorbed the trade of "southern Kansas. Nearly all the railroads she has now were projected, and the Missouri Pacific and the Cameron Branch of the Hannibal & St. Joseph were soon to be completed. But the darkness of the cloud that covered her hid all her glory. All enterprises, and nearly all business as well, was stopped. The J our v a of Commerce suspended, the other newspapers stopped, and past triumphs, present advantages, progressing enterprises and future hopes, were all forgotten in the frenzied throes of the national agony.

"In October, 1855 when we first took charge of this paper, there was a population of 478, all told, within the city. The levee consisted of a "chute" dug in the bank in front of the warehouses of W. H. Chick & Co. and McCarty & Buckley. The Eldridge House (now old Gillis House) ground entrance was in the present second story, and the only street in the "city" was a common country road, which wound round the bluff into the ravine below Market street (Grand avenue), and followed the windings until it struck the divide south of McNees' mill. The principal products of the city were dog fennel and Jamestown weed.

"The business consisted solely of the Santa Fe shipping trade and the like business for the annual trains of the mountain men and Indian traders. The local trade was carried on principally with the Wyandotte Indians, and the people living in the classic shades of " Gooseneck."

" The city authorities consisted of a mayor, our present active officer, assisted by a board of city fathers, who had the delectable task of disposing of the contents of an em ty treasury at the rate of $0 00 per day. The august assemblage was waited upon in the real Kentucky style of doing the dignified, by ex-Marshal Howe, who carried the financial budget of the city in his hat.

" It was thus we entered the campaign of 1856. At this date, Michael Smith, street contractor, had straightened the river end of the road into Market street, and under one of the cornfield engineers, of whom we have had such bright examples, had commenced excavating at the bottom of the ravine on Main street - but still there was no street.

"In 1856 a brief season of activity set in which was soon stopped by the frosts of the Kansas troubles, which paralyzed all business and enterprise and stagnated every branch of trade. This state of affairs continued until the close of the season, and when the spring of 1857 opened, there had been but little if any real advances made in the city.

"The bluffs still towered over the landing ; no streets were cut through; no cross streets were contemplated.' Under all these depressing circumstances, with no foreign capital to assist us, with active competition above, below and behind us, with an empty exchequer and no resources from which to replenish it to any extent, our citizens boldly entered upon a system of improvements of a magnitude never equaled by any city built in the world. It is now twenty-four months since the work begun, eight of which were closed to operations by the frosts of winter and twelve of them under the financial pressure occasioned by the crisis of 1857, and what is the result?

" A city of eight thousand inhabitants; a list of mercantile houses surpassiiig that of any Missouri River town, with a trade larger than any city of her size in the world; with four streets cut through the buffs, cross streets opened, and opening for eight squares from the river; a whole town built up outside of her original limits (McGee's addition), containing the longest continuous block of buildings west of St. Louis; an entire new business locality excavated out of the bluff, and built up with solid and substantial buildings in the center of the city; the crest of our "seven hills" covered with private residences; roads constructed into the interior, and the best levee on the Missour River. AH this has been done since the first day of May 1857, without a dollar of outside capital to assist us, and with the money made by the business of the city itself.

" We will have in operation in a short time a bank with a capital of $250,000, and before August a second with a like capital. Insurance oflSces that do a larger business than any institution of the kind in the upper country; a city treasury able by the present assessment to pay every dollar held against it ; private bankers that have their drafts honored in any city of the Union or Europe, and a solid and substantial mercantile credit from Boston to New Orleans."

At the close of the period of which we now write, Kansas City had made considerable further progress in the same general direction. The banks above referred to were put into successful operation ; large numbers of people had been added to the population ; many new houses had been built ; new stores and shops opened, and the trade generally enlarged. The street improvements progressing at the time of the Journal's article above quoted had been much advanced ; country roads had been further improved, and the railroad schemes, in which Kansas City was then interested, had made much progress.

In other respects the city had made much advancement in social aspects, which, up to this time, we have not noticed. The formation of societies, and the organization of churches and lodges, are the incident of commercial development, and had attended, so far, the development of Kansas City. At the close of the year i860 there were in Kansas City three lodges of Masons, two of Odd Fellows, one of Good Templars, a Turnverien, Shamrock Benevolent Society, Orpheus Singing Society, a Chess Club and a Bible Society. There were the Kansas City Female Seminary, a Rectory School, a young gentlemen's seminary and a German school. The churches were : two Methodist, one Baptist, two Presbyterian, one Episcopal, one Catholic and one Christian.

which had grown directly out of the development of trade There were three banks, one Eance company, one daily and two weekly English newspapers, r.np rVrman weekly and a bi-monthly medical journal. .