Jackson County, Missouri - Chapter 16: The Events of 1880 and 1881, 1881

Chapter 16: The Events of 1880 and 1881

The Establishment of the Smelting Works - The Barge Company Organized - The Missouri River Improvement Convention - The Missouri River Improvement Association Formed - Street Improvements - CoL Van Horn's Election to Congress - Railway Construction and Railway Changes - The Great Flood of 188 1 - The Growth of the City - Statistical Exhiiit of the City's History.

One of the earliest events in 1 880 was the opening of the American Union and Atlantic and Pacific telegraph oflfices in Kansas City, which occurred on the 5th of January. The Atlantic arid Pacific had, at one time before, had an office in Kansas City, but several years previous this company had been bought out by the Western Union, and was under the control of that company. When this sale took place the office in Kansas City was abolished. The American Union was a new company, organized about two years before by Mr. Jay Gould, and having now completed an extensive system of lines, was put int<S operation, and the Atlantic & Pacific was again put into operation to fight it.

Besides some cutting in rates httle occurred to affect the interests of Kansas City until February 27th, when the Union Pacific Railroad Company, with which the Kansas Pacific had been consolidated in January, and which was now controlled by Mr. Gould, took possession of the Western Union Wires along the old Kansas Pacific road. This was done by force, and on the ground that, the railroad needed them for its own business, but the real object doubtless was to unite them with the American Union system. This led to litigation which resulted in the restoration of the wires to the Western Union Company, by order of the United States Courts, on the 15th of April. All three of these companies continued to operate in Kansas City until January, 188 1, when they were consolidated and all offices abolished except the old Western Union.

The Smelting Works

The project of smelting and refining works for the smelting of the ores of Colorado and New Mexico, had been discussed for several years in Kansas City. T. F. Oakes, Esq. , was probably the first man to propose it, and that was while he was general freight agent of the Kansas Pacific Railway. Early in the year 1879 the Committee of Commerce of the Board of Trade took up the subject, and tried to organize such an enterprise, but as there was no man available who understood the practical part of the business, little was done with it until December, when Col. W. N. Ewing, who had had charge of the Copper Hill Works, in Colorado, came to Kansas City and took an interest in it. During the four months following stock was placed to the amount of fifty thousand dollars, and the company was organized May 12, 1880, with Col. C. F. Morse as President, John Doggett, Vice-President; W. H. Miller, Secretary; and J. M. Coburn, Treasurer. Col. Ewing was engaged as Superintendent, and immediately set about the construction of the works, which were completed and ready for operations by the middle of November. Col. Ewing then went to Colorado to buy ores, where he met with Messrs. Aug. R. Meyers and N. Wetherill, of Leadville, proprietors of two large smelters there. They wanted some place for a refinery where that part of the work could be done more advantageously than it could be in Leadville, and, after a conference with Col. Ewing, they came to Kansas City and submitted a proposition to the company to take an interest in it, and increase the capacity of the works to double that originally designed. This proposition was accepted, the stock increased to $160,000, and the works have since been doubled in capacity.

The Indian Territory Movement

During the year 1879, there had been much discussion throughout the west of a proposition to forcibly invade the Indian Territory, and take possession of a large body of land there, to which the Indian title had been extinguished. This discussion caused the enforcement of the Indians tax upon the numerous herds of cattle held in or driven through the Territory, and caused some herds to be driven out of it. This was quite an injury to cattle men. Early in 1880 this agitation was resumed; a company for the purpose of effecting such invasion and settlement had been organized in Wyandotte, December 24, 1879. A meeting called for the purpose of giving this movement a good send off, was held at the Board of Trade Hall, March 4th, though its real object was not publicly disclosed. The meeting was largely attended, and was addressed by Hon. B. J. Franklin, Colonel E. C. Budinot, a Cherokee, and other prominent men, and adopted a memorial to Congress, strongly urging the opening of the Indian Territory. It gave little countenance, however, to the proposed illegal invasion. The agitation continued, however, and before the close of the year a large number of people joined it, and under the lead of a man named Payne, got as far as Caldwell, Kansas, in the direction of the promised land.

New Pavements

Early in March, Mr. B. F. Camp, patentee of the Camp pavement, came to Kansas City, with a proposition to pave the streets with that pavement. The City Council, after much discussion of the matter, made a contract with him to pave Fifth street, between Bluff street and Broadway, as a test. The work was begun late in the year, and is yet unfinished, but the people are so well pleased with the pavement that it is to be laid on Wyandotte street, between Fifth and Ninth, and probably some others. This is the first permanent pavement laid in Kansas City, though there are many miles of macadam, made of common limestone.

The Barge Line

The year 1880 saw the long discussed project of barge navigation of the Missouri River put upon a sure footing. The agitation of this subject, which had annually presented itself for discussion since 1872, was brought about by a combination between the Missouri Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads, which went into effect April 14th, and by which freight from the line of the latter road was taken through to St. Louis at much less cost than the rate from the same places to Kansas City, and thence to St. Louis. This hurt the live stock and grain markets badly for a few days, until other roads leading east from Kansas City were informed of it, and cut rates from Kansas City east. This awakened the people to the nature of the power into whose hands the railroads had fallen, and warned them of the danger. Protection was sought in the utilizing of the river. In the latter part of April a meeting of the Committee of Commerce of the Board of Trade was held, at which this plan was decided upon. The secretary was instructed to prepare a memorial to the people of the city on the subject, which was done May 2d, and a subscription to stock in a barge company, to have a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, was at once put into circulation. On the 8th of May a meeting was held at the Board of Trade Hall, for the purpose of fostering the movement; and at this meeting it was decided to call a river improvement convention, to consist of representatives from all prominent places along the river.

and for all the section of country to be affected by the improvement of the river. Colonel K. Coates, chairman of the Committee of Commerce, was made chairman of a sub-committee to place the stock of the barge company, and he did a large part of the work personally. Several meetings of the committee were held during the summer, but it was not until December that the matter was finally consummated. On the 6th and 7th of that month, meetings of the subscribers to the stock were held, and at the latter a proposition was presented from Capt. Thomas Poe, of St. Louis, who had commended the Babbage fleets in 1878, to put in the boat Peerless, which he owned, as stock in the Kansas City Company. At this time $65,000 had been subscribed in Kansas City. Messrs. Colonel Coates, Witten McDonald and H. J. Latshaw were appointed a committee to visit and negotiate with Captain Poe in St. Louis, and they left at once for that city. Within a few days the remainder of the stock was subscribed, and the company was organized, with Colonel Coates as president, Witten McDonald as secretary, and Jos. S. Chick treasurer. Captain Poe was engaged as commander and general manager. Five barges have since been bought, and early in the spring of 1881, the fleet made its first trip between St. Louis and New Orleans, while waiting for the Missouri River to open.

The River Convention

As was mentioned above, at one of the meetings in the interest of the barge enterprise, it was proposed to hold a convention at Kansas City to memorialize Congress on the improvement of the Missouri River. This was the first effort ever made for an improvement of that stream on an extended scale. The Committee of Commerce of the Board of Trade caused a memorial on the subject to be prepared, and issued it with a call for the convention for September 21st. The objects sought by this movement cannot be better explained than by the memorial sent to the country, which was as follows :

The undersigned, the committee of commerce of the Board of Trade of Kansas City, address you at this time for the purpose of inviting your attention to the importance of improving the Missouri River, and if possible of securing your co-operation in measures looking to that end. The object had in view is to secure congressional appropriations adequate to pay for such improvements of the river as will make it an adequate channel for the commerce of the Missouri Valley country, and the immediate expenditure of such appropriations in the actual work of improvement.

It is true that in the present state of information concerning the Missouri river no estimate can be made of the extent of improvement that will be necessary, nor of the aggregate cost of such work when completed, but accurate surveys of the river by competent engineers will soon develop both facts. Such surveys we propose as the first thing to be done, and- we feel assured by the general knowledge of the stream and by the expressed opinions of eminent engineers that the improvement needed and outlays required will be found far within the reasonable capacity of the Government and not exceeding the improvement and outlays bestowed upon other American waters of like or less importance.

As stated above, the object of such improvement is to make the stream an adequate channel for the commerce of the whole Missouri Valley country. It is a well known fact that water transportation of equal perfection with the best other methods costs but a small fraction of the best and cheapest of other meth- ods. Among the methods now in use it is found that the railroad is the only competitor of water routes, and it is found also that with its greater speed and all other advantages it possesses it is still unequal to water routes, except where the latter are so unimproved as not to admit of the use of the most expeditions and economical craft. The capacities of the Missouri River, in this respect, have been tested, and even in its present wholly unimproved state it has been found far superior to railroads, although the dangers of its navigation are such as to make men hesitate to put their money into the necessary craft. In 1878 four tows of barges loaded with grain were taken from this city to St. Louis. The transportation of this grain, including insurance, cost the shippers five and a half cents per bushel, when the railroads were at that time, charging thirteen cents on wheat and eight cents on other grain. There was a saving therefore of seven and a half cents on the wheat and two and a half on the corn to the shipper; but the most significant fact in connection with these shipments was that it cost the carriers but two and a half cents per bushel including insurance, which enabled them to make a little over one hundred per cent, while saving the shippers the amount above stated. With this experience before them, the carriers estimated that, with improvement of the river, grain can be carried at a handsome profit to carriers from Kansas City to New Orleans for seven cents per bushel. Now from New Orleans to the European markets it costs but three cents per bushel more than from our Atlantic ports. The rates from Missouri River points to the Atlantic ports are usually about thirty-six cents per bushel on wheat and thirty-three on other grain. Thus it is found that the difference in favor of the river route is, to the seaboard twenty-nine cents per bushel on wheat and twentysix cents on other grain. Deduct from these the three cents excess which it costs from New Orleans to European markets and we find that the river route will save twenty-six cents per bushel on wheat and twenty-three on other grain. These figures represent the additions that will be made to the present profits of producers, for the price of grain at every railway station in the Missouri Valley are the prices in European markets less carriage, arid the reduction in cost of carriage does not affect European prices. A reduction in that item makes a corresponding addition to the profits of the American producer. Nor is this all; the proposed improvement will bring the farm lands of the Missouri Valley as near market, so far as regards cost of carriage, as the farm lands of New York and Pennsylvania, and it will make them worth more than the lands of those States, in proportion to their great fertility, instead of one-tenth the value as they are now. With such a change in the situation the increased prosperity of the Missouri Valley country is something that cannot be estimated in advance.

We use here the rate from Kansas City only because that rate has been tolerably defined by experience, not because we suppose that, with proper improvement of the river, the business would be monopolized by Kansas City ; for in that event every point on the river would have its share ; and the ascertainment of what the difference would be from Kansas City but illustrates what it would be proportionally from all other points on the river. It must be borne in mind also, that grain is not the only product we export, and, therefore, the saving in that itpm but serves to illustrate what it would be proportionally on other products, such as pork, bacon, lard, mess beef, dairy and barnyard products and field products other than grain. Nor is this all ; a like saving would be found in the cost of imported articles, which constitute the staple of our merchandise and the freight charges for which constitute the bulk of present cost. These are too numerous to be enumerated here. With such double saving of such extent, the increased prosperity of the country is not a thing to be estimated. It is something of far more than local importance, for so considerable a portion of our common country could not be thus benefited without all parts feeling its beneficial effects. Thus, in what we propose to ask of the General Government, we appear not in the attitude of supplicants for- a local favor, like the improvement of a harbor, the building of a court house or light station, but we seek an improvement that will be felt in the remotest parts of the country and that will benefit the whole people.

We feel, however, that the people of the Missouri Valley have a right to such improvement of their river without reference to other considerations than local benefit. The revenues of the Government are derived from internal taxation and from custom duties. Of the former, we pay in proportion to the amount of the business taxed that we have among us. The latter, while paid immediately by the importers, is added to the price of imported articles, and is paid ultimately by the consumers. Thus it happens that we pay our share of this part of the revenues also. Among other expenditures the Government annually pays large sums for improvements of the same class as the one we claim, and as the money thus expended is drawn from the revenues contributed by the whole people we have heretofore paid our proportion of such as have been made. Our river being the only considerable stream in the United States that has heretofore received no attention, we feel, in view of the benefit to be derived from its improvement that we have a right to claim that it shall now be done at public expense, the same as like improvements have been made elsewhere.

We are induced to present this matter at this time for two reasons. The first is that, with the settlement of political disturbances in the States about the mouth of the Mississippi River and the jetty improvements made thereat the trade of the Mississippi Valley country is rapidly falHhg into its old river channel. Two years ago one line of barges on the Mississippi river from St. Louis south was found adequate, while now two are required. These are over taxed with business and have usually contracts for months ahead, notwithstanding they have so increased their capacity as to have enlarged the tows beyond all precedent accompanied, of course, with an equally unprecedented increase in the amount of property conveyed. Such being the present tendency of commerce the Missouri Valley should be prompt to avail itself of it, and take such measures as will secure its share of the benefits. The second reason is that, the peo^ le of Kansas City have subscribed nearly all the money required to put a line of barges on the Missouri River and will soon organize a company for that purpose. This line of barges is proposed simply as a pioneer line, and if we can secure the improvement requisite to make it a successful venture the way will be open for similar enterprises from all points, which will fill the entire navigable river and make its advantages equal to all alike.

Accompanying this will be found a call for a convention at Kansas City in September, the purposes of which convention is to bring together people from all parts of the Missouri Valley to discuss the matter, to define and organize public sentiment concerning it, and to provide the means and measures for enforcing that sentiment upon congressional attention.

St. Joseph Board of Trade - John D. Clue, Hanson Gregg, H. R. W. Heartwig, W. A. P. McDonald, J. M. Frazier, E. D. Marsh, J. A. Owens, F. S. Somraers, A. N. Schuster, Isaac Weil.

Besides the prominent gentlemen embraced in this list of attending delegates, there were a number of letters from others. Among these were Geo. L. Wright and Capt. E. W. Gould, of St. Louis, Senators Saunders, of Nebraska, Cockrell, of Missouri, and Allison of Iowa.

Gov. Stanard, of St. Louis, presided at the convention and W. H. Miller, of Kansas City, was secretary. It continued its session for two days, and adopted the following resolutions :

Whereas, The Missouri Valley country, including two-thirds of Missouri, one-third of Iowa, and all of Kansas and Nebraska, but not Dakota and part of Montana, which might be properly added, embraces an area of over 215,000 square miles, contains a population of 4,000,000 people and a taxable wealth of $700,000,000, produces annually nearly 500,000,000 bushels of grain, and is increasing in population, wealth and productiveness at a rate not less than five per cent per annum. And

Whereas, Water transportation is the cheapest known to commerce, and can be supplied to the commerce of this vast area of country by the Missouri River, which is naturally one of the most easily navigated rivers in the world, for ten months in the year, and was prior to the creation of artificial obstructions, a great highway of commerce, and which with the removal of artificial and accidental obstructions can be made available for economical craft, adequate to the wants of the country, whereby the cost of transportation will be reduced fully one-half, and landed property enhanced in value more than fifty per cent.

Whereas, The banks of this river are composed of a rich alluvial soil, inadequate to withstand the force of its current, whereby thousands of acres of valuable lands are annually swept away ; and

Whereas, It has always been the policy of the General Government to appropriate money for the improvement of rivers and harbors, and to prevent the property of citizens from destruction by the incursive action of great streams ; having thus expended $200,000,000, of which but $657,500 have been expended on the Missouri River ; therefore.

Resolved, That this convention, representing Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, most respectfully, but most earnestly, demand that Congress bestow upon the Missouri River a consideration commensurate with the magnitude of the interests to be served by its improvement, and immediately provide for a thorough remedy for all artificial obstructions it has permitted to be created by railway bridges, for the thorough removal of all accidental obstructions, such as snags and drifts of floating timber, and for a thorough survey of the river by competent engineers, with a view to determining the speediest and most economical plan of deepening its channel, and protecting the property of the citizens along its banks.

Resolved, That we also demand that when such surveys shall have been made and such plans approved, that Congress shall make such appropriations and take such other action as will secure the speediest, permanent and adequate improvement of said river.

Resolved, That in view of the magnitude of the interests to be served by such improvement, the additions thereby to result to the profits of industry and the value of landed property in the Missouri Valley, it is the judgment of this convention that devotion to such improvement should be a test of qualification for the offices of senator and representatives in Congress, Governor and members of State Legislatures. And, therefore, we would recommend to all political parties that they refuse to nominate for these offices men not known to be so devoted to this interest, and to the people that they refuse to support at the polls candidates

Resolved, That for the purpose of inculcating this last resolution, to see that existing laws relating to bridges be observed, to collect and compile statistical and other information relating to the subject, and to impress upon representatives and senators in Congress the importance of the improvement desired, the convention proceed now to organize a permanent Missouri River Improvement Association, which shall continue' to keep alive this interest until the ends sought shall have been obtained.

Resolved, That the president of this convention appoint a committee of three to prepare a memorial to Congress embodying the action of this convention and the policy demanded, to be forwarded when prepared to the ofificers of the respective Houses of Congress, and to the senators and representatives from the States here represented.

Resolved, That the survey of the Missouri River, now in progress and nearly completed from its mouth to Sioux City, should, in the opinion of this convention, be continued up to Fort Benton, Montana.

Before closing its session the convention organized a permanent association, to be known as the Missouri River Improvement Association, and elected the folio wing list of officers :

Executive Committee

It also appointed as a committee to prepare a memorial to Congress on the subject of the improvement of the river, Messrs. Col. R. T. Van Horn and W. H. Miller, of Kansas City; Dr. John Stringfellow, of St. Joseph; Hon. T. Dwight Thacher, of Lawrence, and George L. Wright, of St. Louis.

The Reception Of Gen. Grant

In May it was ascertained that Gen. Grant would, in July make a long promised visit to Kansas City, and the people began to prepare for an appropriate reception for the distinguished soldier and ex-President. Meetings were held and a committee appointed. This committee, which was very large, appointed sub-committees on reception, banquet, finance, decoration, procession, transportation, invitations and music, each of which entered at once on the discharge of its duties. Gen. Grant came on the morning of July 2d, and was met some distance from the city on the Chicago & Alton Railroad by the reception committee, consisting of Mayor C. A. Chace, Gen. John W. Raid, Col. R. T. Van Horn, J. M. Nave, Esq., President of the Board of Trade, Geo. H. Nettleton, L. R. Moore, J. D. S. Cook, Rev. Dr. Bell, Dr. D. P. Bigger, Col. J. PI. Dayton, Rev. Thos. Haggarty, Rev. B. F. Watson and Col. H. Wood, of Kansas City. J. T. Crowder, superintendent of Meriam Park; Maj. A.Pickering, of Olathe; W. S. Chick, of Shawnee; S. N. Simpson, of Riverview; D. B. Hadley, of Wyandotte; J. B. Albert, of Desota; J. B. Bruner, of Gardiner; Alexander Davis, of Spring Hill, and Rev. D. P. Mitchell, of Hutchins, Kansas. On the arrival of the party at the Union Depot, they were met by Gov. J. S. Phelps, of Missouri ; Gov. J. P. St. John, of Kansas ; Mayor Stockton, and Dr. J. P. Root, of Wyandotte; and other distinguished gentlemen from Kansas. The distinguished party, attended by many citizens of Kansas and Kansas City went to Meriam Park, a few miles from Kansas City, on the Fort Scott road, for the afternoon, and on this occasion that park was formally opened to the public. Returning to the city the banquet was attended in the evening, and the next day there was a military and civic parade, which was reviewed by Gen. Grant from a stand erected for that purpose at the junction of Main and Delaware streets. The parade was an extensive and imposing affair. It was led by mounted police, followed by the band of the 19th U. S. infantry. Following this came the carriage drawn by four horses, containing Gen. Grant, Col. Van Horn, of Kansas City, and Gen. C. W. Blair, of Fort Scott, attended by a compainy of Union veterans. The military companies followed, and there were in the procession, the Craig Rifles, of Kansas City; the Drought Rifles, of Wyandotte; Paola Rifles, of Paola; Saxton Rifles, of St. Joseph; Carthage (Mo.) Light Guards; Company K, Kansas Volunteers, from Council Grove; Capital Guards, from Topeka; Ottawa Cadets, a finely drilled company of boys; the Ottawa Rifles, Metropolitan Guards, of Leavenworth; Missouri Guards, of Kansas City; St. John Battery, and Winfield Rifles, of Winfield, Kansas; the St. John Guards (colored), of Lawrence, Kansas. The fire departments of Kansas City and Wyandotte and a long line of civic exhibitors, beside numerous bands of music, among which was the Dolby Female Band, of Independence, Kansas. The stands along the line of march were elaborately decorated with flags and flowers.

For two days the people of Kansas City, and the numerous visitors from Kansas and Missouri, gave themselves up to the enjoyment of the occasion, and made it it one of the most notable affairs in the history of the city.

The Congressional Campaign

So far in this history it has not been deemed necessary to refer to the conflicts or triumphs of political parties, except in a general way to the conflict about slavery in Kansas, and that of i860 leading to the great war of the rebellion. The contest for member of Congress from this, the Eighth district of Missouri, during the fall of 1880 had more than ordinary significance, and may properly enter into this history. The district contains about 23,000 voters, of which nearly two-thirds are Democrats. From 1870 to 1878 that party had uniformally elected the member of Congress by large majorities. In 1878, however, a division had arisen in the party, which resulted in a revolt against the regular nominee. Col. John T. Crisp, and the presenting of Judge Samuel L. Sawyer, of Independence, as an independent Democratic candidate. He was more accepable to the Re- publicans than Co]. Crisp, and as the choice lay between them, the Republicans voted for Judge Sawyer, and he was elected. In 1880 a division again arose, and Col. Crisp, of Independence, and Hon. D. C. Allen, of Liberty, were both presented by the Democratic party under such circumstances that one seemed to be about as much the regular candidate of the party as the other. This situation gave the Republicans hope, and on the 7th of October they nominated Col. R. T. Van Horn, believing that his long and faithful devotion to the commercial interests of Kansas City and the Missouri Valley, would give him greater strength with the people than any other candidate they might nominate. His canvass was made as a business man's canvass against mere politicians, and his election was ujiged specially on account of his services to this section when in Congress from 1866 to 1870, and on account of his well-known devotion to the improvement of the Missouri River. The result was his election by a plurality of seven hundred and thirty-nine, and it has always been construed as the verdict of the business men of Kansas City and the district in favor of a business representative rather than merely a political one. It was the first fruit of the third resolution of the River Improvement Convention in September.

The Provident Association

The idea of a provident association, for the relief of worthy poor, presented itself again in the fall of 1880, and on the 22d of November such an association was organized, with Col. T. S. Case, President ; George H. Nettleton, Vice-President; C. S. Wheeler, Secretary; W. P. Allcut, Treasurer, and F. M. Furgason, Superintendent. During the winter it collected and distributed several thousand dollars and relieved much distress.

The Railroads

Movements in railroad matters affecting Kansas City were very active during the year 1880, as they had been during 1879. The new roads built were the Lexington & Southern, from Pleasant Hill, on the Missouri Pacific, to Nevada, on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas. It has . since been consolidated with the Missouri Pacific, and trains are now run from Kansas City by that route over the M., K. & T. to Texas. The Manhattan, Alma & Burlingame road was built in Kansas from Burlingame, on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, to Manhattan, on the Union Pacific. The Fort Scott road built a branch from Prescott, Kansas, to Rich Hill, Missouri, to reach the coal fields of Bates county, Missouri. This road also built the long-desired switch from the main line near Turkey Creek into the southern part of the city. The Wabash road built a line into Chicago in July, thus adding a fourth through line between Kansas City and Chicago ; and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe extended its main line west, reaching El Paso, New Mexico, soon after the close of the year. In March, 1881, this road connected with the Southern Pacific, of California, making a second transcontinental line by way of Kansas City, but it has not, at this writing, been opened for trans continental business. The Fort Scott road also built part of the line between Fort Scott and Springfield, and decided to extend this line to Memphis, Tennessee. There were also some other extensions, but nothing very important.

There were many changes in lines already existing. The Central Branch Union Pacific west from Atchison became a division of the Missouri Pacific, in January, and was afterward, in March, consolidated with the Union Pacific. Later in the year the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs road was sold to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe. And in May the Missouri, Kansas & Texas was leased for ninety -nine years by the Missouri Pacific, and virtually consolidated with it. In February the general offices of the Union Pacific were con-

A number of new enterprises were also inaugurated. The first of these was the revival of the old Memphis road. The Kansas City party by whom this interest had been bought, sold it in December, 1879, to Messrs. Lyman and Cross, of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad, but they failed to execute the contract. It was again contracted in January to Mr. J. I. Brooks and friends, by whom it was re-organized as the Kansas City & Southern, in June. This company was composed of Theodore Welderbald, W. P. Campbell, John E. Young, and John Sidle, of Illinois, Lloyd B. Fuller, of Emporia, Kansas, and E. L. Martin, of Kansas City. Besides a few surveys, nothing was done during the year, but early in 1881 the company was re-organized, a new contract was made for the property, the capital stock of the company increased, and its early continuation provided for. In January, 1880, the Wyandotte, Oskaloosa & Western Narrow Gauge Company was organized in Wyandotte, but it did nothing and soon became quiescent. In March the Union Transit Company was organized in Kansas City for the purpose of taking charge of and facilitating switching among the various companies operating here. A large amount of land was purchased west of the Kaw River for yards, but they have not yet been put into operation. The Directors of this company were Geo. H. Nettleton, Col. C. F. Morse, J. S. Ford, T. F. Oaks, and Wallace Pratt. In April the Des Moines & Kansas City Railroad Company was organized in Des Moines, Iowa, for the purpose of building a line to Kansas City, and it is now at work making its survey. In December the Kansas City Railway Company was organized in Kansas City, with T. B. BuUene, President, and J. N. Finley, Secretary. This company proposes to build a road from Kansas City by way of Baldwin City, Osage City, and Council Grove to Salina, Kansas About the same time the Kansas City, Nebraska, and Northwestern Railroad Company was organized in Kansas City with Col. K. Coates, President, W. H. Miller, Secretary, S. B. Armour, Treasurer, and T. J. Lynde, general manager. It proposes to build a road from Kansas City, by way of Oskaloosa and Valley Falls, Kansas, to Falls City, Nebraska.

This year was not destitute of the annual railway war. This was brought about by the opening of the new Wabash line into Chicago, in July, though hostilities did not break out until October i6th. The fight raged with great fierceness for a few days, when it was temporarily stopped only to break out again in a few weeks with increased violence. It soon involved the roads leading to St. Louis, and before the close of the year the roads east of Chicago and St. Louis, and became far more general than any previous war.

The Great Flood Of April, 1881

The chief event of interest since the close of 1880, except as already mentioned, was the flood of April, 1881, which was the greatest rise in the river at Kansas City since 1844, and at points above was reported greater than that celebrated flood. The winter preceding had been unusually long and cold, having begun at Kansas City about the 20th of November,, nearly one month earlier than usual. There was also an unusual snowfall throughout the Missouri Valley. In the latter part of March the weather became as warm as was due to the season in a few days' time, and the snows in Kansas and Nebraska were converted into water, flooding some parts of the latter State and doing much damage. Early in April the water from this source reached the Missouri River and caused it to rise to within a few inches of the highest point reached since 1844, when the water subsided for a few days. It began to rise again in the upper river abput the middle of April, flooding Omaha and other up-river places, and doing much damage. This rise soon reached Kansas City. On the 26th it broke over a levee that had been built to protect the bottom lands opposite the city, and the bottom became flooded. At this time nearly all the bottom lands from Sioux City to Kansas City were under water, the river in most places presenting the appearance of a great lake from four to ten miles wide. There were many fine farms inundated, and thousands of people left their homes in boats where such water had never been known before, since the settlement of the country. About the 2Sth of April it began to threaten the western part of Kansas City, and parties went to work at low places throwing up embankments to prevent its breaking over into the streets. This work was ineffectual, however, for on the 28th it flooded a large part of the "bottoms," .as it is called, surrounded the packing houses and disabled several elevators, among which were "A," Union, and State Line, in the west bottoms. At this time the river covered the entire bottom north of the city. Harlem was submerged, part of the houses washed away, and railroad operations on that side of the river suspended. Part of the embankment leading to the bridge was washed away, together with nearly three miles of the track of the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs Railroad, while the Hannibal and Wabash were much injured. The Hannibal and Rock Island roads, however, continued to operate to Randolph Bluffs, making the connection to Kansas City by steamboat, while the Wabash transferred its business to the Chicago & Alton. The Missouri Pacific was, for a time, unable to reach Kansas City with its trains, and the Union Pacific used the track of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe from Topeka, in consequence of the inundation of its track between Armstrong and the Kaw River. Armourdale, lying in the vicinity of this road on the west side of the Kaw River, was completely flooded. Still the water continued to rise and at its highest point, which it attained on the 30th of April, it stood twenty-seven feet above low water mark. The people from a large part of West Kansas, lying south of Ninth street and between Wood street, Kansas City, Kansas, and the bluff at the Advance Elevator, had to leave their homes, and for a time large numbers of them were quartered in the Exposition buildings. The destitution and suffering caused by this fact was very great, aside from the loss of property, and relief measures became necessary. About five thousand dollars were raised for this purpose. After the 30th of April the water subsided rapidly, and by the 3d of May had withdrawn from the lowest part of the city, and within ten days atterward the railroads were so far repaired that trains were resumed as usual. This flood has been suggestive of the necessity of preparing for the protection of the lower part of the city, which subject was soon afterward brought to the attention of the council by a message from the mayor.

The Growth Of The City

During 1880, and up to the present time in 1881, the growth of the city was as rapid as in 1878 and 1879. The United States census of i88o accredited Missouri Valley cities with populations as follows :