Jackson County, Missouri - Chapter 11: A Great Era in Kansas City, 1881

Chapter 11: A Great Era in Kansas City

The Close of the War - The Resumption of Railroad Construction - Seven Roads and the Bridge Completed Before iS^o - Other Railroad Enterprises not Finished - Rapid Growth - Schools and Street Improvements - Population -Grown from 3,500 to 30,000.

With the beginning of 1865 the country adjacent to this city was in comparative peace. Many of the bush-whackers who had infested the country, had gone south with Price, in his great raid of 1864, and others were in winter quarters. Sherman and Grant were closing in on the rebellion, and there appeared to be good reason to believe that, so far as this part of the country was concerned, there would be no more war. The people began, therefore, to cast about them, and collect the fragments of fortunes and business, and prepare for the future. At this time the population of our city had fallen off to between three and four thousand, her streets were out of repair, her houses dilapidated, and her trade practically gone. Leavenworth, having been her most formidable rival before the war, had, during the struggle, been the headquarters of array operations, and had prospered while this city suffered. She had grown to be a city of about eighteen thousand, had secured control of the Southern Kansas trade, and a part of the trade of New Mexico and Colorado. This city seemed to be well nigh out of the race for commercial supremacy, and would have been so regarded had it not been for her well demonstrated natural advantages, and the fact that the main line of the Union Pacific Railway started at this city, and was already in operation to Lawrence ; and the fact that the Missouri Pacific was nearly completed. These gave heart to her citizens to renew the struggle, and an era of unprecedented activity followed.

Leavenworth, meantime, confident of ultimately securing a road to a connection with the Union Pacific, and also one from Cameron, thought to secure the Missouri Pacific also, and to that end voted four hundred thousand dollars in January, to build a road to a connection with it at this city.

The Spring Of 1865

In February, the localities in interest obtained from the Missouri Legislature a charter for a road from Kansas City to Iowa State line, in the direction of Council Bluffs, by the way of St Joseph, and embracing what had been built of the Kansas City & St. Joseph Railroad from St. Joseph to Weston.

About the same time, the interest in the road to Fort Scott was renewed, and the Kansas Legislature was induced to memorialize Congress for a grant of land for it.

In the month of February, track laying was resumed on the Missouri Pacific, and it was progressing finely when March came, and with it the forests began to put out leaves, affording shelter for bush-whackers, when the bushes began to swarm with them. They cut off trade with adjacent parts of Missouri, and frequently visited the line of the Missouri Pacific, and robbed and stopped its hands. General Pope was appealed to for aid in suppressing them, but to no effect. He informed Governor Fletcher that the civil authorities must deal with them by civil process, and thus left this part of the State at their mercy. In May, a large force of them assembled near Lexington - three hundred and fifty was the estimate - and threatened to burn and sack the town. They seemed here to receive the first information they would credit of the collapse of the rebelhon, and a large

The southern Kansas trade began to come back to Kansas City, the people of that part of the State finding, as before the war, that they could reach Kansas City much better than Leavenworth. Steamers again began to ply on the Missouri; the trade of New Mexico and Colorado were resumed, with all their old proportions, and improvements began to be made in the city. The revival of trade in the city was so rapid when military embargoes had been raised, and the natural laws of commerce were allowed full operation, that by the close of May, according to the Journal reports, twenty-eight million tons of freight had been discharged by steamers at ihe levee here. ,

In May, Colonel Van Horn and Mr. Hallowell bought th?: Journal of Commerce kom T. D. Thacher, who had purchased it of Mr. Abeel in May, 1863. It immediately took up the old strain of i860, about railroads and improvements, and rallied the people about the old enterprises in which the city had been engaged before the war. It urged the reorganization of the Chamber of Commerce, which had been so prolific and fostering a parent of enterprises before the war, and of which it had been the organ and advocate. It urged upon the people in every way possible the importance of unity and action - prompt and decisive. It did more at this particular procedure to arouse the people, than all other agencies combmed, and remarshaled them to the struggle for commercial development as potently as ever trumpet or drum-beat marshaled soldiers to the fray. One of its editorials, taken from its files of August 3, 1865, is here appended, as a sample of the terse and inspiriting articles, with which its columns, at this period, were filled :

" There is a tide in the affairs of men - and the same is true of cities. We are now approaching the flood. If taken advantage of, we shall be carried on to fortune. If we do not act at the tide of our opportunities, our future history will be a record of failure and humiliation.

" The present is bright ; we can, if we wish to be, the architects of our own fortune. To be so, we must be earnest, industrious and enterprising. Visions of the future show half a dozen railroads converging at this point ; it shows the river port for the plains ; a point of transshipment for the minerals, the wool and other products of the south, southwest and west, as also the articles from the east and foreign countries. It shows us the great central mart for the distribution of the wealth of half a continent - rich, powerful and magnificent. Providence never assisted a lazy man - fortune never smiled on an indolent community. The price paid for prosperity is labor, energy, enterprise. With a live policy - by throwing old fogy notions to the winds - by placing our mark high and viforking up to it, we shall become in two or three years all that we have described.

" The converse of this picture is easily realized. Our advantages are sought by others. Our natural advantages alone will never overcome the efforts of rival enterprise. If we rely upon them we shall become neutral ground - a passway of value to railroad corporations, but of no intrinsic power of our own. Prosperity must come from within; it must spring from the city - from the people. Let us all make sacrifices in order to start the impulse in the proper direction - let us all put our strength to the work. Large property owners can give sites for" mills, factories, etc. ; citizens can subscribe stock to work them ; mechanics can build tenement houses for operatives If they produce ten per cent on the. outlay, dop't raise the rent to twenty per cent. If houses are scarce, raising the price of rent will not increase the number. Let our people think and act promptly."

The many articles of this character published by the Journal about this time were designed, not so much to arouse the people to action, as to give direction to their efforts, and to unify them upon common enterprises and for common pur-

It was in May that the Journal called the attention of the people to the fact that the base of business in this city would soon be changed from the levee, where it had always been, to "West Kansas," the " French Bottom" - as it was still called - and urged upon the city authorities the importance of opening the cross streets leading to it. Third, Fourth, Fifth and Ottawa (now Twelfth), were the streets recommended to be opened. In July, the city council negotiated a loan of $60,000 for the purpose, and appropriated it to the opening of those streets. This change of base brought about by the prospect that the business of the city would soon be done by railroad as much as by river, and the Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific both terminating at the State line, would, of necessity, have to make their depots in the bottom.

Revival Of Railroad Enterprise

In July the Chamber of Commerce, which had a sort of ephemeral and spasmodic life during the war, was re-organized, and became, as it had been before the war, the heart of the city - the focus into which was concentrated her wisdom and wealth, and from whence radiated her energies and efforts - and it became again, as it had been before the war, a most potent promoter of railroad enterprises. One of the first interests with which it concerned itself was the road to Fort Scott. The old Kansas Valley & Neosho company was revived and reorganized, with Col. Kersey Coates as president, and active efforts were at once begun to secure its construction. The city was urged tovote $200,000 aid to it, and a proposition was submitted to the people on the 19th of September. While this proposition was pending, on the 14th of September Capt. Chas. Keeler commenced work on the road. About the same time the interest in the Kansas City & St. Joseph Railroad was revived, and Kansas City was asked to vote it $25,000 to aid in its completion from Weston to Kansas City. This proposition was submitted to the people at the same time as the proposition for the road to Ft. Scott, and both were voted by the people by large majorities. In November following, Johnson and Miami counties, Kansas, each voted the Fort Scott road $ioo,ooo, which was regarded as having secured its construction.

This road, as projected in 1856, was designed to run to Galveston, but of course could not get through the Indian Territory without first securing the rightof-way by a treaty between the Indians and the Government. This idea was taken up with the revival of the project, and the opportunity for such treaty was waited and watched for, and was soon presented.

During the war the Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Seminoles, Shawnees, Kiowas, Wichitaws, Osages, Commanches, Senecas, Quapaws, and Cherokees, in whole or in part, had joined the Rebellion, which was held by the Government to have worked an abrogation of all treaties existing between them and the United States, and it was proposed, now that the war was over, to negotiate new treaties with them. To this end Judge D. N. Cooly, commissioner of Indian affairs, Hon. Elijah Sells, superintendent of the southern superintendency. Col. Parker, of General Grant's staff, Gen. Harney, of St. Louis, Thos. Nixon of Philadelphia, and others were appointed commissioners on the part of the United States to negotiate such treaties, and the Indians were notified to meet them at Fort Smith on the 5th of September for that purpose. The parties interested in this road saw, in this conference, the opportunity they desired to ob|;ain the right for their road through the Indian Territory, and a delegation was made up for the purpose of attending the conference. The Kansas City delegation was appointed'by the Chamber of Commerce and consisted of Col: R. T. Van Horn, Col. E. M. McGee, Col. M. J. Payne, and Matthew Mudeater, the latter being a Wyandotte Indian. Silas Armstrong, of Wyandotte, Col. Wilson, Maj. Rey- nolds and Gen. C. W. Blair, of Fort Scott, Gen. R. B. Mitchell, of Paola, and Col. Haines and Gen. Blunt, from other places, constituted the balance of the delegation. In the treaties that were made, these gentlemen were successful in securing the right of way for a railroad through the territory between Kansas and Texas, and, at the instance of St. Louis parties, a like right-of-way was secured across the Territory from east to west, which has since been secured by what is now known as the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad.

The interest in the Kansas City & Cameron Railroad, which at this time was known as the Kansas City, Galveston & Lake Superior Railroad, was revived early in the year. As heretofore stated, this road was partly built before the war in pursuance of a contract between this company and the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad Company by Mr. Quealy. The annual election for directors was held April 29th, at which Maj. W. C. Ransom was chosen president. The new directors became very active, now that peace had been restored, and at once opened negotiations with Mr. Quealy for settlement for the work done by him prior to the war, and for a new arrangment for the completion of the work. It also engaged John A. J. Chapman to make a survey of the river for a bridge, which work was completed in September, and a very favorable report made. The company also opened negotiations with J. T. R. Hayward, who had been superintendent of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad before the war and with whom all ante bellum negotiations had been had, for a revival of the old contract between this company and the Hanibal & St. Joseph company, for the completion of the work. No satisfactory arrangement was ever made with Hayward, or with the company, until the latter part of 1866; but arrangements were made with Mr. Quealy, and work on the road resumed about the close of 1865. In this settlement with Mr. Quealy the company had to pay him more for the work yet to be done than the original contract price for the whole work, because of the advance, owing to the war, of material and labor, and therefore more aid had to be asked for by the company. But it was not until the following year 1866, that anything definite was done in this matter.

The Missouri Pacific, which had been progressing finely all summer, was finished September 21st, and opened for business with great rejoicing on the part of the people of this city.

The North Missouri, having obtained control of the charter of the Missouri Valley Railroad, as heretofore noticed, resumed operations also as soon as the country was free from bush-whackers, and began to push a western branch up the Missouri valley.

In October, D. R. Garrison, prominently connected with the Missouri Pacific, contracted with the Kansas City & Leavenworth Company, now known as the Missouri River Railroad Company, to build that road, and before the close of the month had commenced operations.

Jealousies And Rivalries Again

It was now manifest that, as between Kaftsas City and Leaven A-orth, the natural laws of commerce were all in favor of Kansas City, and there was no better feeling among a certain class of Kansas politicians toward Kansas City than had existed before the war. Senator James H. Lane, of Lawrence, took up the fight, favoring Kansas trade for Kansas towns. He projected an extensive railroad scheme for his State, embracing a road from Pleasant Hill to Lawrence, and one from Leavenworth, by way of Lawrence, to the southern State line in the direction of Fort Gibson. The scheme was to secure to Lawrence the terminus of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, and also the railroad which Kansas City had been so long laboring to have built to the Gulf of Mexico. Even at this early day St. Louis began to see the danger to her trade of building up Kansas City, and readily fell into and supported this scheme of Senator Lane, although the effect of it would have been to connect the Kansas railroads with the Hannibal & St. Joe as to divert the trades of Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas to Chicago.

In pursuance of this scheme, and to get his Gulf railroad into the field first. Senator Lane caused work to be commenced on that road at Lawrence, June 26th, and in October Major B. S. Henning took up his residence in that city and became superintendent of the road. In November Col. Vliet made a survey of a branch to Emporia, authorized by the charter. That same month the Pleasant Hill & Lawrence road was surveyed. The first rail was laid on the Atchison & Pike's Peak - the central branch of the Union Pacific - and Major O. B. Gunn commenced the survey of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe from Atchison.

The Events Of 1 866

At the session of the Kansas Legislature early in 1866, a bill was passed dividing five hundred thousand acres of land given the State for internal improvements, between the Northern Kansas Railroad, now the St. Joe & Denver ; the Kansas & Neosho Valley Railroad, now the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf; the Union Pacific Railway, Southern Branch, from Fort Riley along the Neosho Valley, now the Junction City Branch of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad, and to the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Fort Gibson Railroad, now the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Kansas. By this act the Fort Scott & Gulf got twenty-five'thousand acres.

In February Col. Van Horn, who had been elected to Congress in the election in 1864, introduced into the House of Representatives a bill granting certain lands in Kansas to the Kansas & Neosho Railroad Company. Also a bill to charter a bridge across the river at Kansas City, and to make Kansas City a port of entry. All these objects were afterward attained in some shape. The bill granting lands to the Fort Scott Railroad became a law in July, and gave that road about 800,000 acres. In the bill giving these lands to the Kansas & Neosho Valley Railroad, it was also given the franchise through the Indian Territory with a grant of land six miles on either side of the track. The bill was fought bitterly by Senator Lane.

In February Messrs. Barnard and Mastin started a bank in Kansas City, which was succeeded by the Mastin bank; and the First National was started not far from the same time, with Maj. G. W. Branham at its head. Early in the spring Messrs. Marsh, Hilliker & Co. began the construction of a much-needed bridge across the Kaw River between Kansas City and Wyandotte, and it was finished and opened in December, with great rejoicings.

At the same session of the Kansas Legislature above referred to, the name of the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Fort Gibson Railroad was changed to Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston, and not long afterward the Kansas & Neosho Valley Railroad changed its name, by an action in court, to Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf.

On the 15th of May the first train was run, from Leavenworth to Lawrence, that branch of the Union Pacific Railroad having been commenced June 26, 1865, and pushed rapidly through in order to secure a land grant.

In July Congress chartered the Southern Branch of the Union Pacific Railway, with the right to run from Fort Riley down the Neosho River to Fort Smith. This has since become the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad. And that same month the Senate confirmed the treaty with the Delaware Indians, by which their reservation in Kansas was sold for the benefit of the Missouri River Railroad Company, which had just been completed between Kansas City and Leavenworth.

Before the close of the session of Congress in July, a bill introduced by Hon. Sidney Clarke, of Kansas, became a law, allowing the Union Pacific Railroad to construct its Hne up the Smoky Hill Valley instead of up the Repubhcan Valley. The original bill required the main line from Kansas City and the branch from Omaha, to connect at the looth meridian, between the Platte and Republican rivers, in Nebraska. But this bill allowed each to adopt its own line and locate the point of junction at any place they might select within one hundred miles west of Denver. The main line from this city had then reached Fort Riley, and during the year 1866 the western freighting went from that place instead of Kansas City, and the mails were also received of the railroad at that point.

The Cameron Railroad

At the annual election of officers in May, Col. Charles E. Kearney became president of the Kansas City, Lake Superior & Galveston Railroad Company. Although work had been commenced on that line January ist but little had been done because of the deficiency of means. But no sooner did Col. Kearney become president than he threw into it that force and energy for which he is so characteristic, and like all other enterprises with which he ever became connected, it was put immediately on the way to success. He laid the situation before the people of Kansas City at a meeting held at the court house on the 8th of May, and secured on the spot a subscription of $23,000. Committees were appointed to seek further subscriptions of aid, and at a meeting held on the 12th, $52,000 was reported, every dollar of which was promptly paid. This was within $25,000 of enough to complete the road, and a proposition for the balance was submitted to the people of the county, August 7th, and defeated by the rebel element in the country precincts, although Kansas City voted almost solidly for it. Work was begun immediately, and was pushed rapidly.

At the time Col, Kearney became president of this company, the board of directors, through their president, Maj. W. C. Ransom, was still endeavoring to revive the old contract with the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, under which the work done before the war had been done. This contract had been made originally though Mr. J. T. K. Hayward, who was at the time superintendent of the Hannibal & St. Joseph road. At this time he had ceased to be superintendent, but represented himself to be a director in the company. Besides Mr. Hayward, Mr. Brooks, who at this time was in Europe, was the only man connected with the Hannibal & St. Joseph road who knew of the old contract, and Mr. Hayward was now assuring the Kansas City company that he was laboring to get it revived. He was actually deceiving them, and had already made an agreement with the Leavenworth people to procure a contract between them and the Hannibal & St. Joseph company, to build a road from Cameron to Leavenworth. Leavenworth had previously, during the war, procured a charter, as stated in the last chapter. Col. Kearney was not long in detecting Mr. Hayward's treachery, and was just as prompt to institute measures for his defeat.

The board of directors of the company was called together on the 1st of June, and Gen. John W. Reid and Col. T. S. Case were appointed agents to visit Boston and make a contract with the Hannibal company, and Col. Kearney immediately telegraphed Col. Coates, who at the time was in Washington, urging the passing of the bill granting lands and right of way through the Indian Territory to the Kansas & Neosho Valley Railroad, to go to Boston and if possible stop the Leavenworth contract until they could get there. Col. Coates got to Boston on Saturday and found that the contract with Leavenworth had already been agreed upon, and was to be executed Monday. On the claim of a prior contract he got a stay of proceedings until Col. Case and Gen. Reid arrived. When they got there the first men they met were the Leavenworth delegation, in the ante-room of the railroad office. They met Col. Coates, succeeded in resur- reeling the old contract, and when the company saw it they referred the matter to James F. Joy, their general western manager. Col. Coates had to go back to Washington and Gen. Reid to Baltimore, but Col. Case went and saw Mr. Joy and got him into an agreement that this old contract should be revived, provided Kansas City would procure congressional authority for a bridge across the river at this point. Col. Case returned and reported the contract to Col. Kearney, who immediately telegraphed Col. Van Horn in Washington. The next Monday a bill was to be reported by the committee on post-offices and post-roads, providing for the construction of bridges at Quincy, Clinton and other places. Col. Van Horn went immediately to the chairman of that committee and after some difficulty, and full explanations, got him to agree to admit an amendment providing for the bridge at Kansas City. Next morning as soon as the house opened, the reading of the minutes were dispensed with and the bill called up. Col. Van Horn offered his amendment, it was accepted, and the chairman then moved the previous question. While this was being done Hon. Sidney Clarke, of Kansas, came in and in the greatest haste drew up an amendment for a bridge at Leavenworth ; but he was too late. The previous question had been seconded and his amendment could not be attached. The bill passed, and thus in twenty-four hours from the time the agreement with Mr. Joy, was reported in Kansas City, all its conditions were complied with on the part of Kansas City, and she had a double triumph secured over her rival.

This was a critical time for Kansas City, and the events just stated probably turned the scales in her favor ; for had Leavenworth secured the contract with the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, Kansas City would have been left without help in the construction of her road. Levenworth would then have got the first bridge. She was already the terminus of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and had a branch of the Union Pacific, hence, the securing of the Hannibal & St. Joseph would have made her the railroad center of the Missouri valley. To Col. Kearney, Kansas City owes a debt of gratitude for his sagacity and promptness, as it does also to the other gentlemen connected with its affairs, for their efficiency.

On the 19th of August a party of engineers, under Col. O. Chanute, commenced a new survey of the river for the bridgd. On the loth of November Col. Kearney began to advertise for materials for the bridge, and on the ist of December he let contracts for its construction to Messrs. Vipont & Walker.

The securing a charter for a bridge, and the activity in organizing for its construction, caused the North Missouri Railroad Company to determine in August to terminate its western branch at Kansas City instead of Leavenworth, as it had proposed, and in October it let the contract for the immediate construction of the road to J. Condit Smith.

Meantime, August 2 2d, the favorable situation in which the Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad had been placed by the land grant and charter through the Indian Territory, it was enabled to contract for the building of the road, and Col. A. H. Waterman & Co. were engaged to build the first hundred miles.

St. Louis Opens The Fight On Kansas City

With the concentration of railroads at Kansas City, the town began to grow rapidly. The immigration to Kansas at the close of the war was immense, and its trade demands were in proportion 'to its magnitude. More wholesale houses began to be opened, street improvements became active and rapid, and the development of the city began to be something unparalleled in American annals. It is stated by the Journal of Commerce, that during the years 1865 and 1866, not less than six hundred new houses were built.

This rapid growth, the concentration of railroads and business, alarmed St. Louis as early as 1865, and was the cause of her falling so readily into Senator Lane's railroad schemes. In 1866 she became much more frightened, and did all she could to foster the Pleasant Hill and Lawrence Railroad scheme, as a means of cutting off trade from this city. Her people owned the controlling interest in the Missouri Pacific Railroad, and at once began to use that line, which the people of Kansas City had labored so long and so earnestly in securing, into a means of oppression. In the summer of 1866 an arrangement was effected, based ostensibly on wash-outs on the road between Kansas City and Lawrence, whereby all freights for points west of Lawrence were taken by way of Leavenworth instead of being transferred here, and at the same time more favorable rates were given Leavenworth than to Kansas City. Passenger fares were but fifty cents more between Leavenworth and St. Louis than between Kansas City and St. Louis. Kansas City was astonished to find that she had no sooner distanced the rivalry of Leavenworth, than she found St. Louis, her old friend, assuming the role the latter had been compelled to abandon. This fight has never ceased, but Kansas City has steadily gained, and the issue will be manifestly the same as in the case with all others. It is but a question of time.

Trade And Progress

At the beginning of the year 1867, the city council appointed a committee to compile a statement of the trade and progress of the city for 1866. This committee soon afterward reported as follows :

There were at that time in the city fourteen churches, two colleges, two academies, twelve primary schools, twenty-one dry goods houses, eighty grocery houses, thirteen clothing, eight liquor, fifteen boots and shoes, eight hotels, two daily papers and three weeklies, seven miles macadamized streets, and there were three railroads in operation, all terminating here - the Missouri Pacific, the Union Pacific, Eastern division, and the Missouri River. This latter road connected Kansas City and Leavenworth, and has since become a part of the Missouri Pacific. n

On the 1 2th of March the Legislature, in amending the charter, defined the wards. The first was all east of Delaware street and north of Ninth, the second all east of Main street and south of Ninth, and the third all west of Main and Delaware streets.

The Cameron Railroad In 1 86 7

On the 1 2th of March, 1864, the name of the Kansas City, Lake Superior & Galveston Railroad was changed to Kansas City & Cameron. The beginning of the year 1867 saw the company still lacking the means to complete the line. Col. Kearney and others went to Chicago to market $100,000 of Kansas City bonds, when they and Kansas City were violently attacked by the St. Louis press. In February they procured authority from the Missouri Legislature to mortgage the road, and succeeded in mortgaging it to the Hannibal & St. Joseph and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy companies. This, however, did not release the company from the necessity of raising the thirty thousand dollars which the people of Jackson county outside of Kansas City had once voted down, so the company got the proposition before them again March 19th, and it was again defeated. Mr. Joy then came forward with a proposition to take the road off of their hands release the people from the $60,000 they had subscribed, and complete the road by November 31st, on condition th^t the city and Clay county would release to him the stock it held in the company. The city attempted to overcome the difficulty by an appropriation of $60,000, which was made in May, but it seemed not to meet the case, and in July it transferred its stock as Mr. Joy had proposed. From this time forward the work went on rapidly. The corner

Stone of the bridge was laid August 21st, and on the 2 2d of November the last rail of the road was laid, Col. Kearney, president of the company, and Mr. Gillis, the oldest citizen of Kansas City, driving the last spike. This was an occasion of great rejoicing. Col. Kearney sent congratulatory messages to the Board of Trade, Chicago, and the Chamber of Commerce, St. Louis. The former sent a warm response, but the latter did not respond at all. On the 21st of February, 1870, this road was consolidated with the Hannibal & St. Joseph, and soon afterward became the main line of that road.

Other Roads

In the early part of 1867 Leavenworth attempted to get some legislation through the Missouri Legislature that would make the terminus of both the Platte county and North Missouri roads at that place, and to get an appropriation of half a million dollars through the Kansas Legislature for a bridge there. But this was promptly defeated in both places. In March the several roads known as the Atchison & Weston and Atchison & St. Joseph and St. Joseph & Savannah were consolidated by act of the Missouri Legislature under the name of the Platte Country Railroad, and authorized to build a railroad from Kansas City by St. Joseph to the Iowa line in the direction of Council Bluffs, and to build a branch from St. Joseph by Savannah to the Iowa line in the direction of Des- Moines.

Other Interests

The city grew rapidly during 1867, but there was no reliable report of its progress published. In February of that year the First National bank was re-organized, with Howard M. Holden as cashier, and immediately entered upon that career of usefulness and prosperity for which it was so well known, and which raised its capital - then $100,000 - to $500,000, Mr. Holden showed himself to be a courteous gentleman and a sagacious banker, and gained the confidence of all with whom he came in contact usually at the first meeting, and he soon became closely identified with the business movements and operations of the city. In its subsequent development he exerted a potent influence, as the sequel will show.

In April Messrs. Foster & Wilder became proprietors of the Journal of Commerce, and that same month Mr. Thomas Pratt, of St. Louis, came to the city and purchased the franchise and charter of a gas company that had been formed, and went immediately to work to build the works. In July the people voted an appropriation for lighting the streets, and the works were put into operation in October.

By act of March 12th, 1867 the city limits were again changed, the west line being the State line from the river south to 2 2d street, the south line 2 2d street from the State line east to Troost avenue, the east line Troost avenue, north to 1 2th street, thence east to Lydia avenue, thence north to Independence avenue, and thence by the Quarter Section line to the river, which constituted the northern boundary. At the same time the city was divided into four wards. The first embraced that part of the city east of Main street between the river and loth street. The second embraced that part east of Main street and south of loth street. The third embraced all south of loth and west of Main street, and the fourth all west of Main street and north of loth street.

The Schools

The school system of Missouri had been completely destroyed by the war, and the rankling passions engendered by that struggle, made the people slow to re-organize it, when the Legislature in 1865 adopted laws for that purpose. On the 15th and i8th of March 1866 the Legislature had enacted other laws providing for the establishment of schools in cities, towns rnd villages, with special privileges, but it was not until the ist of August 1867, that the Kansas City Board of Education was organized under the authority of these acts. The first Board was composed of W. E. Sheffield, President; H. C. Kumpf, Secretary; J. A. Bachman, Treasurer; E. H. Allen, T. B. Lester and E. H. Spalding; J. B. Bradley, Superintendent and Teacher in Central School.

Immediately after the organization of the Board, Mr. Kumpf retired, and Mr. A. A. Bainbridge was chosen to fill the vacancy. There were at this time 2,150 children of school age, living within the limits of the school district. There was not a public school building in the city. Disorganization reigned supreme. The city was utterly destitute of all school accommodations, and there was not a dollar available for school expenses. The buildings that could be rented for school purposes were old deserted dwellings, unoccupied store rooms and damp, gloomy basements in some of the churches. But the Board was in earnest, and every effort was made to put the schools in operation. In October, 1867, the schools were formally opened in rented rooms, which had been hastily and scantily furnished. Into these unattractive abodes the children were huddled together to receive instruction. A superintendent and sixteen teachers were employed during the year, but as no statistics of the school work are found in the records, it is impossible to give a satisfactory account of what was done. If the work in the schools was unsatisfactory, the energy of the Board was unabated. Preparations for a grand work continued. Sites were purchased, bonds issued and school-houses erected. The rapid and marvelous growth of the city, while it brought a large influx to the school population, did not produce a corresponding increase in the valuation of the taxable property of the district.

The next two or three years were years of great activity with the School Board. During 1868 it built the Washington, Humboldt and Franklin Schools; in 1869 it added the Central and Lincoln; in 1870 the Lathrop and Benton; and in 187 1 the Woodland. These have since been enlarged and others added as the increase of school population has required.

The Louisiana Railroad

About the middle of January, 1868, information was received in this city, that a company had procured a charter for a railroad from Louisiana, Mo., to Kansas City, and in March, 1868, parties arrived in the city to ask the people to take an interest in it, and in June the people voted it $250,000 aid Toward the close of the year, the company got the Chicago & Alton Railroad, of Illinois, interested in the project, and the line was speedily constructed from Louisiana to Mexico, where it connected with the North Missouri Railroad. Owing to some difficulty about the issue of bonds in some of the counties, the balance of the road was not built at that time. The Chicago & Alton built a fine bridge across the Mississippi, at Louisiana, and operated through from Kansas City to Chicago over the track of the North Missouri until 1878 when it was built through to Kansas City.

Kansas City And Santa Fe

At the session of the Kansas Legislature in 1868, a charter was procured for a railroad from Kansas City to Santa Fe, and in March the company was organized at Olathe, with Col. J. E. Hays president, and Gen. W. H. Morgan, of Kansas City, secretary and treasurer, and books were opened for subscription of stock at the First National Bank on the 5th of June. In July the company was re-organized. P. P. Elder, president; Gen. W. H. Morgan, secretary, and Col. J. E Hays, treasurer.

The Ft. Scott And Gulf

When the Cherokee neutral lands were obtained by treaty, and ordered sold for the benefit of the Fort Scott and Gulf Railroad, James F. Joy became interested in the road and bought the land. In the spring of 1868 the American Immigrant company of Connecticut set up a claim to the lands, under a previous sale made by Secretary Harlan, but the difficulty was soon harmonized by assignment of their claims to Mr. Joy and the negotiation of a new treaty, which was approved by the senate in June, 1868. On the isth of June, 1868, the city council of Kansas City relinquished to Mr. Joy its interest in the road, and on the 1 2th of December, that year, it was finished to Olathe; and to Fort Scott in December, 1869.

The L., L. & G. R. R.

This road had been finished to Ottawa by the first of January, 1868. In May it received, by treaty with the Osage Indians, 8,000,000 acres of land, upon which there was already much settlement. This was the origin of the Osage ceded land difficulty, which was not settled until 1876 when the United States Supreme Court decided it in favor of the people.

In November, 1868, the Neosho Valley Railroad Company put one hundred and seventy-five miles of their line under contract from Junction City.

The North Missouri Railroad

This line of road had been pushed quietly but rapidly through the year 1868, and on the ist day of December the last rail was laid at the connection with the track of the Kansas City & Cameron Railroad, thus adding to our city a fifth road. The Kansas City & Cameron road soon became merged with the Hannibal & St. Joseph, and took that name; so that at the close of the year 1868, there were completed, the Missouri Pacific, the Hannibal & St. Joseph, and the North Missouri (now Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific), from the east ; the Missouri River to the west was completed, terminating at Leavenworth; the Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf Road was in operation to Olathe, and the Union Pacific Eastern Division was operating to Sheridan, four hundred and five miles west of Kansas City, and but two hundred and twenty miles from Denver.

At the close of the year, the population was estimated at 28,000, and there had been 2,600 houses built that year, which shows it to have been one of great activity and progress.

The Progress Of 1 869

In January, 1869, Colonel Coates laid the foundations of Coates Opera House, and the City Council chartered the Jackson County and Broadway Horse Railroad Companies. In February a Board of Trade was organized, with T. K. Hanna, Esq., as president, D. M. Keen, secretary, and H. M. Holden; treasurer. This organization was rendered necessary, by the old Chamber of Commerce having ceased to exist ; and during the year it was a most valuable organization. In March, the Paola & Fall River Railroad Company was organized. It had a spasmodic existence for several years, and graded part of the road between Paola and Garnett. This line was built from Paola to Leroy in 1880, as a branch of the Missouri Pacific, at which time the Holden and Paola Branch of that road was extended from Paola to Ottawa.

The Missouri Valley Railroad (now Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs) was completed February 27, and opened March ist, making Kansas City's seventh railroad.

In March, the Missouri Pacific Railroad took an interest in the Pleasant Hill & Lawrence Railroad, and in June it was under contract. In March the city council submitted to the people an ordinance to aid the Kansas City & Santa Fe

Railroad to the extent of $100,000 between Kansas City and Ottawa, but it was voted down, because the people understood that Mr. Joy was interested in it, and intended to build it anyhow. This was found to be a mistake. In April contracts were let for building the Leavenworth & Atchison Railroad, and for the Atchison & Nebraska Railroad. On the 3d of that month, Kansas City, Kansas, was laid out, and on the 6th, the last stone on the Missouri River bridge was laid. Between that time and the 3d of July, the superstructure was put on, and the bridge was opened on the 3d with a celebration ; the first bridge on the Missouri River. In May, the Missouri Pacific Railroad began the agitation of a St. Louis and Santa Fe Railroad, to start from Holden, on their line, and run through Paola. Toward the latter part of the month, it was taken hold of by Colonel R. S. Stevens, and called the Missouri, Kansas & Albuquerque. It has since been built from Holden to Ottawa, and is operated as one of the Missouri Pacific cutoffs.

On the 31st of May, the Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad was completed to Paola. In June Mr. Joy became identified with the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston Railroad, and the company was re-organized, after which it was pushed forward rapidly. The Missouri Pacific Railroad was originally built on what is known as the broad gauge, and on the i8th of July, it was changed the entire length of its line to the standard gauge. On the 7th of August the council again submitted to the people a proposition to vote $100,000 to the Kansas City & Santa Fe Railroad, of which $25,000 was to be expended in building a switch to the southern part of the city, and the balance on the line, between Olathe and Ottawa. This proposition was carried, and in October the line was surveyed. The foundations of the Nelson House, on the corner of Second and Main streets, were laid in the spring of 1869. Work was stopped on it in the fall, and it was sold the next year to the County Court, and was finished up in 1870 and 1871 as a County Court House.

During the year 1869 the growth of the city was rapid, and great improvement was made on the streets. There was also much discussion of the water works question, and a company was formed to build the works.

Kansas City & Memphis Railroad

Early in the year there began to be a great deal of discussion relative to the building of a railroad to Memphis, and on the 26th of August a large convention was held at Springfield for the purpose of setting the enterprise in motion. Only a temporary organization was here effected, but afterward, Oct. 1 9, another meeting was held at Kansas City, at which all the parties interested, including the counties in Missouri through which the road would run, Arkansas, and the city of Memphis, were represented. At this meeting an organization was effected, under the provisions of the charter of the Kansas City, Galveston & Lake Superior Railroad, procured by Col. Van Horn in 1857. It was under the same charter that the Kansas City & Cameron Railroad was built. The directors elected at this meeting were A. H. Humphreys, E. D. Harper, W. P. Cox, W. L. Strong, W. B. Nichols, G. W. Jones, J. M. Richardson, S. S. Burdett, W. P. Johnson, Col. A. A. Tomlinson, Col. C. E. Kearney, Col. R. T. Van Horn, C. M. Ferree and Col. J. D. Williamson.

In September, 1869, several companies in Missouri and Iowa were consolidated under the name of the Chicago & Southwestern Railroad Company, the object of which was to build a railroad from Davenport, Iowa, to the Missouri River. The line has since been built by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Company, and has one branch terminating at Atchison, and another at Leavenworth, while it makes connections to Kansas City over the Hannibal & St. Joseph from Cameron.

was founded and incorporated ; and in December the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad was surveyed from Atchison to Topeka. This same month the Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad reached Fort Scott, beyond which its progress was retarded by a league among the settlers on the Cherokee Neutral lands opposed to its progress, and by which the laborers were driven off. The Neosho Valley Railroad, now part of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas, was finished between Junction City and Emporia that month also.

The Union Pacific, eastern division, by which name the Pacific Railroad from Kansas City had been called, had its name changed in March, 1869, to Kansas Pacific. Its bond subsidy extended only to Sheridan, and for nearly a year it stopped at that place, but in 1869 it effected arrangements for the construction of the line to Denver, and grading was resumed in the latter part of 1869.

At The Close Of The Year

The year 1869 was one of the most prosperous in the history of Kansas City. Her business was rapidly extended with the extension of her railroad lines, and the extent to which building was done, was scarcely less than in 1868. Her population had increased to thirty thousand, and she had that year made four and a half miles of street. She had seven railroads in operation, three of which were yet unfinished, but progressing rapidly. These were the Missouri Pacific, the North Missouri, the Platte Country, the Missouri River, completed. The Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf, to Fort Scott, the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston, nearly to Garnett, and the Kansas Pacific to Sheridan. At this time she was so much in the lead that the rivalry between her and other Missouri valley cities was rapidly ceasing.

City Additions

The growth of Kansas City during the period covered by this chapter was never before equaled on the American continent, and notwithstanding the many "additions" to the city during the prosperous era from 1855 to r86i many more were required to afford the people room. During these years the following named additions to the city were made, and the plats filed on the dates here given :

The Board Of Trade

Reference has already been made to the organization of the Board of Trade in February, 1869, and to the fact that this organization was rendered necessary by the cessation of the Chamber of Commerce, organized in 1857.

The Chamber of Commerce after its revival after the war, soon revived and secured the various railroads and other enterprises which it had inaugurated prior to the war. In doing this, many of its leading and most active members became connected with the enterprise which it had inaugurted, and were thus individually employed to such an extent that they could not attend to the affairs of the organization. Beside the objects for which it was instituted were now secured and the era of prosperity which it sought to inaugurate was in fullest existence. The occasion for it having therefore ceased in 1866-7, the organization itself ceased about the same time. Its success, however, in the securing of railroads, and the era of growth and prosperity which it sought, raised a new class of interests and questions which needed the concerted action of the people, and it was. for this purpose that the Board of Trade was organized.

This organization came into existence on the 6th day of February, 1869, at which time rules and by-laws were adopted and an election for officers held. At this election T. K. Hanna, Esq. , senior member of the jobbing dry goods house of Tootle, Hanna & Co., waselected president; M. Diveley, first vice-president, and S. S. Mathews, second vice-president ; D. M. Keen, was elected secretary and H. M. Holden, treasurer.

The board had a membership of sixty-seven, among whom were many gentlemen still prominent among the business men of Kansas City. Among these men were such as H. J. Latshaw, M. Diveley, Adam Long, James M. Nave, B. A. Feineman, Thos. Green, H. M. Holden, T. B. Bullene, Col. A. A. Tomlinson, D. M. Jarboe, T. K. Hanna, Gen. Frank Askew, Matt Foster, E. H. Allen, L. Hammerslough, J. B. Wornall, E. W. Patterson, Francis Foster, J. W. Reid, C. M. Ferree, T. V. Bryant, Benj. McLean, Joseph Cahn, D. K. Abeel, J. E. Marsh, C. E. Kearney, J. A. McDonald, T. M. James, Dr. F. B. Nofsinger and T. J. Bigger, though these latter three did not become members until 1870.

This organization was very active during 1869, and held weekly meetings, at which were discussed questions of importance to the city at that time, and committees appointed to secure the changes and improvements it decided to be for the common welfare. One of the first questions to come before it, was a proposition to divide Jackson county, which it vigorously opposed. About the same time it took up the subject of uniform drayage charges, and uniforn freight rates on the roads already constructed to Kansas City. The first of these objects was speedily secured by city ordinance; and the latter, together with all discriminations against the city, was before it all the year, but it finally succeeded with all the roads in securing satisfactory rates and a discontinuance of all discriminations. The movement for paid fire department originated with it and it secured such an establishment. It also secured a license law for drummers selling goods by sample in the city. It endeavored at one time, without success, to have the Kansas Pacific Railroad deliver and receive freight at the Grand avenue depot of the Missouri Pacific Railroad on account of the distance to the State Line depot and the almost impassable condition of Fifth and Bluff streets.

Failing in this, it undertook next an extensive system of street improvements, including the grading and paving of Second, Fifth, Bluff" and Twelfth streets and Independence avenue. For this purpose it asked the City Council to submit a proposition to the people of the city to vote sixty thousand dpllars for these improvements. The subject was then referred to a committee consisting of H. M. Holden, A. A. Bainbridge, J. W. Reid, A. C. Dyas and J. B. Wornall, to secure the desired action by the Council. They were successful, and the proposition was submitted at an election held for that purpose August 8th.

About the same time the board took up this matter, it also took up the question of voting one hundred thousand dollars aid to the Kansas City & Santa Fe Railroad Company to aid in completing its road between Olathe and Ottawa. It procured the requisite action from the City Council, submitting such a proposition at the same election as that for money to improve the streets. The committee through whom this action was secured was composed of M. Diveley, S S. Matthews and D. M. Keen, who acted jointly with a like committee appointed by the secretary of the railroad company.

These two propositions being thus submitted to the people, Messrs. T. K. Hanna, J. W. Reid and D. M. Keen were appointed by the board a committee to prepare a memorial addressed to the people showing why it should be adopted. Messrs. A. L. Harris, Col. Frank Foster and Peter Soden, from the first ward ; E. M. McGee, L. Hammerslough and Henry Tobener, from the second ward ; Gen. J. W. Reid, A. A. Bainbridge and J. P. Green, from the third ward ; and J. R. Bailis, G. W. Branham and James E. Marsh, from the fourth ward, were appointed a committee to work for the propositions in their respective wards on the day of election, and were authorized to employ bands of music and carriages to convey voters to and from the polls. Both propositions were carried by their efforts, and thus the street improvements were secured and also the construction of this railroad, which was immediately proceeded with, and by means of which the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston Railroad was secured to Kansas City.

Later in the year, the Board sent a delegate to Springfield, Mo., in the interest of the Kansas City & Memphis Railroad, and agitated the question of water works for the city, but it undertook no further enterprises of any magnitude during that year.