Jasper County, Missouri - Chapter 19: Joplin in the Middle 'seventies, 1912

Saloons in 1875 - Schiffebdicker's Garden in 1876 - The Lupton Riot - ^Blowing up op Hannibal Lead and Zinc CJompany's Plant - City Election op October, 1874 - ^Patrick Murphy - ^Township Elections in 1874 - ^Destructive Fire in November^ 1874 - ^The JopuN Hotel - Court of Common Pleas - Land Owners' Association - Joplin's First Circus - First Theatre - Fourth op July, 1875 - ^Hugh Dyer & Company, Boiler Works - ^Hack Lines TO Carthage and Neosho - ^Board op Trade - ^Fire Department- City Election, 1875 - East Joplin Pubuc Library - Bruce Younger - Joplin at the Centennial - Cmr Election, Centennial - ^F. E. Williams - Presidential Election, in 1876 - Society Mask-ball December 28, 1876 - The Riseling Building - ^Thb East Joplin School - The West Joplin Schools - Lone Elm School - Thf Christian Church - ^Cathouc Church - ^The Baptists - ^Building op the Tabernacle - ^First Church Wedding - The Fraternities - JopUN Turnverein Germania.

The years from 1874 to 1876, inclusive, form a distinct period, for during that time there was a steady and continuous growth, and these three years may properly be styled the *' palmy days" of Joplin 's pioneer period.

Although the organization of the city government had brought the Reign of Terror to a close, Joplin was still about the liveliest place between the Mississippi river and the Rocky mountains and, while the city was comparatively free from murders and robberies, about everything else was permitted.

We note in an issue of the Joplin Mining N'ews, published during the summer of 1875, that the city had seventy-five saloons open both day and night and in most of them a full orchestra giving free concerts every evening, with matinees Wednesday and Sunday afternoons. The following are the names of some of the popular bars: Healthwood bar, Board of Trade, and the Steam Boat saloons, the Golden Gate, Miners' Drift, Bullock & Boucher's, the Bon Ton, the Palace, and the Brick Hotel bar.

new and exciting was always being pulled oflE. In November, 1876, Mr. Blackwell arranged for the entertainment of his patrons, a fight between a Cinnamon bear which was brought up from the hills of Arkansas and six blooded bull-dogs. One thousand two hundred people witnessed the fight which was won by the bear.

On March 7, 1876, Schiflferdicker's Garden, a popular picnic ground and pleasure resort was opened with a large attendance. The garden was located on Turkey creek about a quarter of a mile east of Castle Rock and was a most attractive natural wild. Joplin celebrated the Fourth there in 1876.

The population of Joplin, based on the census of the three school districts taken in June, 1876, was. 10,375, and it is probable that during

Excepting in East Joplin and West Joplin from First to Sixth streets, where the houses were built with some regularity, the majority of the houses were built in the Creek valley and around the mining activities at Lone Elm, Swindle hill and what is now North Heights, and all during the period mentioned houses were going up at the rate of fifty a week.

The author remembers walking over Lone Elm one Sunday in the early part of August, 1876, and noting the activities of the day. Returning to that portion of the town, the following Sunday, he counted with his father one hundred new houses that had been built during the week. It must be kept in mind that the small box-house of that day did not require as much time to erect as the cottage and bungalow of today.

The Joplin Daily News of August 1, 1876, says that ''there are now one thousand mines in the JopUn District being operated, and houses are being built at the rate of fifty a day. The weekly pay-roll for miners, smelters, teamsters, mechanics, etc., aggregates forty thousand dollars per week."

During the month of May, 1874, Police Judge Jacob Hogle filed a charge with the city council, accusing the city marshal, J. W. Lupton, with malfeasance in office, setting up in his complaint that the marshal had arrested certain people who had not been brought before the judge for trial, and had collected from them money in the way of costs which had not been accounted for. The people referred to were gamblers and women of ill-repute. Mr. Lupton denied the charge. The council, sitting as a court, removed him from office and appointed W. B. McCracken as marshal in his stead. Mr. Lupton denied the right of the council to try the case and refused to vacate the office.

Mr. McCracken, who had been appointed by the council to act as marshal, with a view of taking possession of the city jail, went to the holdover and began trying to pick the lock. Mr. Lupton, who happened along about that time, asked him what he doing and Mr. McCracken replied that he had been appointed marshal and was there trying to open the jail door. Mr. Lupton said that he need not go to that trouble, that he would open the door for him; thereupon he took from his pocket a large brass key which opened the outside door to the calaboose. Opening the door, he shoved Mr. McCracken inside and locked the door again, with the newly appointed marshal as a prisoner. After being in jail for a few hours, Mr. McCracken told Mr. Lupton if he would let him out that he would resign; and after being let out of the jail tendered his resignation to the mayor, who accepted it. The city council in special session appointed W. S. Norton as marshal.

Mr. Norton was a determined man and equally as muscular and athletic as Lupton and immediately proceeded to take possession of the jail. Taking two deputies with him to the jail, he proceeded to remove the hinges from the door and, leaving the two officers there to guard the building, he took the door to a blacksmith shop in East Joplin and had new hinges and hasps made. While he was away Mr. Lupton, with two friends, swooped down on the officers left in charge and overi)Owered them. Upon returning from the blacksmith shop and perceiving what had been done, Mr. Norton drew his revolver, a '45 Navy, and started toward Lupton. Mr. Lupton quickly drew his pistol and started to meet Norton. At this juncture, Judge Davis, of the common pleas court, rushed between the combatants and ** commanded peace in the name of the state" and bloodshed was averted.

Then the council through the city attorney, instituted ouster proceedings against Mr. Lupton in the Jasper county court of common pleas at Carthage, and R. A. Cameron, acting as special judge, decided

That night a large body of Mr. Lupton's friends gathered in front of the city jail and were about to take possession. The crowd was in an ugly mood and it looked for a time as if there was going to be a battle between the ex-marshal's numerous friends and the law-and-order posse which was assembled at the city hall.

Among those who were in the law-and-order party were P. Murphy, B. D. Porter, C. J. Workizer and others, armed for the fray and there to stand by the mayor and preservation of the city hall.

At the suggestion of City Attorney McAntire, the riot act was read to the angered mob and after a speech from the city attorney, in which he informed the people of the finding of the court, they disbursed, but not until D. P. Ballard, the attorney for Lupton, had corroborated the statement of Mr. McAntire.

The crisis came the next day, June 4th. In the meantime Mr. Lupton returned from Carthage, where he had filed his appeal bond, and announced to his friends that the case was not disposed of and a mass meeting of his friends was called for 5 o'clock in the afternoon to pass resolutions condemning the city council and also to retake the city jail. The people stood around on the streets and discussed the matter and it looked as if trouble could not be averted.

Mr. McAntire, the city attorney, told the people that the appeal of Mr. Lupton did not alter the matter ; that the finding of the court would stand until reversed by the higher court and urged them to go to their homes and abide by the law. Mr. Lupton 's friends insisted that the court had not issued the writ of ouster, but that it was held in abeyance pending the trial in the higher court. Mr. McAntire then asked the leaders if they would desist, if he brought them the records of the decree from Carthage, and they said, **Yes." It was then past one o'clock and a trip to Carthage and return must be made in less than four hours.

Daniel Collins, the liveryman, said he had a team that could make the trip, and Wm. Byers, H. Gildmacher, P. Murphy and others volunteered to pay for the team should the hard drive on that day (the thermometer stood at 90°) kill the horses.

Mr. McAntire made the trip to Carthage in one hour and ten minutes and, after securing a certified copy of the decree, started for Joplin, making the return-trip in one hour and twenty minutes, but in time to save the day, for the meeting had just organized. Driving up to the city hall and throwing the lines to a friend in the crowd, which was gathered in front of the city building, he rushed up-stairs to the meeting. When he entered the door someone called *'Have you got the papers!" Pulling the legal document from his pocket, he walked up to the speaker's stand and said **Here they are," and, realizing that they had lost, one of the Lupton men moved an adjournment and the deposed marshal agreed to await the result of the appeal. Thus ended

As mentioned before in our zinc story in the early mining operations, no attention was paid to jack. When it began to have a value, a difficulty arose as to just how the zinc ore should be sold ; also to whom the zinc in the dump piles belonged.

The early contracts made between the land owners and miners made no mention of zinc. The method of ascertaining the value of lead was as follows: When lead spelter on the St. Louis market sold for seven cents the raw material in Joplin was worth twenty-five dollars a thousand. In this way the price to be paid for lead at any time was fixed and it was a very easy matter to figure the royalty and the price according to this fixed rule ; but with the zinc included it had a different base. The several buyers paid for each lot what it seemed to be worth, taking into consideration the market and grade of mineral and so there was no fixed rule to determine its value. The price paid at different mines also varied.

The miners contended that the zinc should be neutral and sold by the miner in the open market and to the best advantage, the miner being the judge of the time and place to sell. The land owners held that selling indiscriminately jeopardized the royalty for the reason that a correct record of the sales could not be kept unless the sales were handled from the general office. This difference between the miners and the land owners resulted in a riot which lasted for three days, during which time the men crowded the streets and held numerous little meetings to discuss the proposition and ended in the destruction of the Furnace of the Hannibal Lead and Zinc Company in the Picher field on July 20, 1874.

About two o'clock in the morning of that day a party of forty or fifty masked men made their appearance at the furnace and ordered the men to gether up their personal effects. After escorting the working force to a place of safety, a mile or so away, a large quantity of i)Owder was placed in the building and an attached fuse lighted, when the maskers fied. About half past two the charge exploded, blowing the building and machinery to atoms and setting the debris on fire. The explosion awakened the people and the hook and ladder truck hurried to the scene, but no good could be accomplished, as the furnace was a mass of ruins. Some twenty odd citizens were arrested for complicity in the act, but no convictions were ever made, the evidence against the accused parties being insufficient.

The city election following the Lupton trouble was an exciting one, great interest centering in the marshal contest. The officers elected to

*Mr. Lupton won In the higher court and received from the city the fees which the marahal'i office had earned during the time he was deprived of the office, and at the city election In October following he was again elected to the position by a large niajorlty.

gerve Joplin for the next year were: Mayor, Patrick Murphy; councilmen, P. E. Williams, Monroe Clark, P. L. Swartz, John Lewis, T. W. Cunningham, and J. A. Taylor; marshal, J. W. Lupton; city attorney, John C. Trigg; treasurer, A. E'. Blackwell.

The following were the appointed officers* : City clerk, J. A. Reed ; assessor and collector, T. A. McClelland; fire warden, J. W. McClehour; street commissioner, J. C. Gaston.

Patrick Murphy, the fourth mayor of Joplin, was a native of Ireland and at the time of his election was thirty-five years of age, having been bom January 6, 1839.

Mr. Murphy came to America at the age of ten and was brought up on a farm in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. In 1859 he crossed the plains and in August, 1860, struck a fine gold prospect in Colorado. After the war he engaged in the freight business and operated a large overland traffic. During his experience as a freighter he crossed the plains thirty-one times. Quitting the frontier in 1866, he came to Jasper county, settling at Carthage where he engaged in merchandising in partnership with W. P. Davis. Mr. Murphy was married at Carthage, November 19, 1868, to Miss Belle Workizer. His coming to Joplin and his early connections with the history of Joplin have already been mentioned.

Mr. Murphy was an exceptional man and perhaps did more for West Joplin than any other one man, and his liberal policy of disposing of town lots, his public spirit and large confidence in Joplin made him a fitting executive, so that his administration was marked by innumerable acts of civic progression. The late Judge Gaston, shortly before his death, in speaking of him to the author, thus describes Patrick Murphy : **He was a prince of good fellows and generous to a fault.'*

It would hardly be justice to the part Mr. Murphy played in Joplin 's history to pass his name with a mere formal notice, and in order to show the character of the man and his great influence in the community, we will relate here the following stories which show him as he was in private life.

During his mining career Mr. Murphy took a lease on the Gordon land and was developing those diggings. One day Mr. Murphy came to the shaft where two men were working and calling to them said: **Well, bojrs, how is the ground looking?'* "All right, Mr. Murphy, we think we shall strike good dirt soon, but if it is all the same to you we want to lay oflf for a couple of weeks and make a little grub stake, our money has given out."

Taking two ten dollar bills from his pocket, he dropped them down in the mine and said: *'If that will help out, I'd like to have you work on a little longer." They did, and the next week struck it big, making

-Under the old city charter the police Judgre held fop two years and Judge Hogle held over. Before hie term of ofBce was ended he died, and "D. J. M. Lioop was appointed to flll oat the unexpired term.

In the Leadville Hollow items, published in the Daily Netvs in August, 1874, there was the following little comment about Mr. Murphy: **Pat Murphy favored the Shakerage Mine with a visit today and all of the miners feel encouraged by his words of comfort and cheer.

**We appreciate advice from him because it comes from a man who had made his way up in the world. But the best thing about Pat Murphy is he acts the same as his words.

*'A few kind words followed by a little assistance has put many a miner on his feet, and if Joplin had more Pat Murphys this place would not only have the best miners in the state, but the happiest and most contented set of people in the whole land."

The township elections held in Joplin and Galana townships in April, 1874, to elect township oflScers under the new township organization act resulted as follows.

The vote of the First Ward School District was as follows : Commissioner - McPherson, 57 ; Webster, 52 ; Ormsby, 4. For director, Thomas and Ballard were elected.

On the morning of November 4, 1874, at about 2 o'clock, a most destructive fire broke out in East Joplin in a small shed in the rear of a bakery on East Main street. The alarm was given and the citizens of both towns rushed to the scene of the conflagration and the fire company, with the new Babcock engine and the hook and ladder truck, hurried to the scene, but with all its heroic work it was unable to check the fire, as it had gained too great a headway and in less than two hours the entire block between John and Galena avenues was swept away, the loss being estimated at $75,000 and no insurance. The block was at once rebuilt.*

*In Justice to the fire department. It must be mentioned that all of the flre flffhtlnff apparatus was drawn by members of the volunteer companies and citizens who came to their assistance, and It will readily be seen that by the time a company could be assembled the Hre was well under headway; and pulling the big* chemical engine and hook and ladder truck up the east town hill was no small task.

During the fall of 1874 J. H. McCoy interested a number of the leading citizens in a project to build an up-to-date hotel, and the Joplin Hotel Company was organized. Work on the foundation was begun in November, 1874, and the building, a three-story brick was ready for occupancy the middle of April, 1875.

J. M. Maderie, Sr., was the first manager of the hostelry and it was formally opened to the public with a grand reception and ball. On Sunday, April 24th, the first Sabbtth after the opening there were one hundred and thirty-five guests for dinner.

The old Joplin Hotel was a historic building and until 1906, when it was torn down to make way for the Connor, it was the rallying place of all the old-timers.

The building of this hotel made Fourth and Main streets the center of the business activities of the early day. The old-time Joplinites always spoke of the Joplin House as the ** Brick Hotel." In the city elections of the 'seventies and 'eighties the ** Brick Hotel Ring" was a political bugaboo.

The other popular hotels of the middle 'seventies were the Occidental, Broadway and Galena ; the Southwestern, the Bateman, the Mc- Pall (later the St. James), the American House, both First and Main; and the Pacific House, Second and Virginia. The Pacific was a fortyroom house and was the second hotel in size.

By act of the legislature passed February 5, 1874, a court of common pleas was established in the city of Joplin. This court had the following jurisdiction within the limits of Joplin and Galena townships:

First, original and concurrent jurisdiction in all cases, both law and equity, with the circuit court of Jasper county, Missouri (except where the title to real estate was involved), and concurrent jurisdiction with justices of the peace, except where they have exclusive jurisdiction; second, power to issue injunctions, above named exceptions applying, and to hear and determine matters of habeas corpus the same as circuit courts; also exclusive appellate jurisdiction from Joplin police court, and in case of abpeals from justices of Joplin and Galena township. At this time there were four terms of the Jasper county common pleas court held at Carthage, and three extra terms for the transaction of probate business. Galen Spencer was elected judge of the court and served until January 26, 1875, when the legislature passed an act abolishing the court and providing that three terms a year of the common pleas court which was called at Carthage should be held at Joplin, and three terms of said court at Carthage, making six terms a year in the county. This act, abolishing the Joplin court, also ordered the clerk (the judge of this court was by the act xireating the court made, the judge, ex-officio clerk his court) of the Joplin court to transfer to the clerk of the Jasper county common pleas court the records of the Joplin court. Both the Joplin court and the Jasper county courts of common pleas were courts of record.

In 1877 the legislature passed an act establishing a circuit court at Joplin each year, in June and December, and two at Carthage, in September and March. The circuit clerk has since kept a deputy at Joplin and keeps an office there.

March 20, 1875, the smelters and land owners of Joplin formed an association for their mutual protection and mutual interests. The following were the officers: John B. Sergeant, president; John H. Taylor, secretary; W. P. Davis, treasurer.

The formation of this association was misunderstood by the miners, many of them believing that it was formed in the nature of a trust and with a view of crushing the labor interests, although such was not the case. But the agitation continued and did not abate until the McCorcle Smelter in East Joplin was burned, supposedly because of the formation of the Land Owners' Association.

In June, 1875, Dan Rice's circus showed in Baxter Springs. A number of Joplin people went over to see the performance, among them Daniel Collins, the Broadway liveryman. The show was on Saturday and at the close of the afternoon performances Mr. Collins presented to the management a proposition to take the aggregation of animals and all to Joplin for a performance the next day, Sunday afternoon. The proposition did not look good to the showman. The performances could not be advertised and it was necessary to take the tents, horses and animal cages overland to Joplin, fording two streams, Spring river and Shoal creek, and then return in time to load the show on the cars and make the next town in time for a show Monday ; but he said in a joking way to Mr. Collins, if he would like to undertake the venture, that he would rent him the show for a day.

Mr. Collins knew a good thing when he saw it and accepted the proposition, agreeing .to deliver the show in Baxter by 3 o'clock A. M. Monday and to pay all the performers the extra salary for the trip to Joplin. After the night performance, the tents were torn down and the entire aggregation started overland for Joplin, arriving in the mining metropolis about nine o'clock in the morning. It was not necessary to advertise the show, for in those days business houses were all open until noon on Sunday and some of them all day, and the streets were crowded with the miners and their families doing their week's trading. So when the red wagons began rolling down West Main street and heading for a vacant place between the two towns, half the population which thronged the street followed the circus to the show grounds and watched with interest the putting up of the big tent.

Everything was in readiness by 1 o'clock and the ticket wagon opened. The circus, which, by the way, was a good one showed to an audience which taxed the capacity of the tent, and Mr. Collins reaped a rich reward for his show venture. After the performance the tents were again struck and the aggregation returned to Baxter in time to load and make the next town on schedule time. The big house at this performance established Joplin 's reputation as a show town, and each season since some one or more of the great traveling shows has visited * * the city that Jack built. "

During 1875 a company was organized which erected the Joplin Theater building, on Main street between Fourth and Fifth where now stands the Bartlett building. The theater was a one-story structure forty by one hundred feet, and built out of oak lumber according to the prevailing style of architecture of that day, a plain box-house arrangement. The stage, however, was arranged with four different settings.

1875-7 were the palmy days of this theater. Most play houses have a general fixed kind of amusement and have a reputation for the presentation of some kind of play, such as tragedy, comedy, melodrama, vaudeville, etc., but the Joplin was confined to no one class of amusements. Some very good attractions were presented, but the amusements for the most i*art were designed to please the floating population which made life in Joplin one constant round of excitement.

**Way back in the 'seventies," says J. J. Lodge, of the Midland Theatre, **I was traveling through the southwest with Zera Seeman and Kit Clark. I had him out, and we were giving a gift show. Seeman did the sleight-of-hand and magic business, and we gave away every night gold watches, furniture, etc. During our trip we made a week's stand at Joplin. I lost a great opportunity to make a fortune prospecting, or rather digging a test shaft. The capital of the prospectors had given out and they wanted me to grub-stake them. I didn't think there was anything in it, but before we left town they had struck rich mineral and both made a fortune.

**Well, that's neither here nor there. The strange thing about our Joplin engagement was the kind of admission fees we took at the door. The miners would come up wheeling a little barrow of ore, and ask if that would let them in. We had been told before what to expect, and had a man there to examine the dirt. If he said it was all right the barrow load would be taken around to the back of the building and dumped and the fellow who brought it got an admission check. When we got ready to come away we sold the pile that had accumulated, and it brought us a good deal more than the admission at regular prices would. That is one of the experiences managers in this day don't often have."

The Fourth of July, 1875, was again celebrated by Joplin at the Grand Falls and the celebration was unique in its character. The games and amusements were fashioned after a tournament of the day **when knighthood was in flower.'*

A number of young men organized for the occasion a company of knights and they, as in the day of Richard Coeur-de-Lion, contested for the honors of the day.

The gallant knights carried lances and to determine their superiority rode at full pace past a certain spot where a ring was suspended and threw the lance which was carried through the ring; that is, they threw the lance at the ring and the knight who won the most joints in this contest was voted the champion and was privileged to name the Queen of Festivities, while the six next best named the Maids of Honor to the Queen.

T. J. Maupin was the winner and placed the laurel crown on the head of Miss Julia Quick, now Mrs. William Fallis, while Daniel GuUey, E. D. Porter and F. E. Williams were among the knights-errant who chose the maids of honor.

Besides this sport, other games and contests were had during the afternoon and at night the merry picnickers came home with as much pomp as Robin Hood and his archers returning from the tournament of Prince John.

In May, 1875, Hugh Dyer established at Joplin the Hugh Dyer & Company Boiler Works, the first plant of its kind to be established in the mining district. The founding of this machine works was of vast importance to the district, as it materially reduced the cQst of mining machinery.

In 1875 Messrs Thomas Connor and W. Kilgore established two hack lines, one making daily trips to the county seat and the other to Neosho. Both lines did a good business, but the Carthage line of course was the most used. During 1875-6 the fare to Carthage on the Connor-Kil-

The first business-men 's organization of Joplin was organized during 1875 and called the Board of Trade. Club rooms were fitted up in the basement of the Heath wood building and here the meetings were had. There were seventy-five members of the organization.

After the fire in East Joplin in 1872, steps were taken to secure better fire protection and two hook and ladder trucks were bought early in 1873 which were manned by volunteer companies. The records of these two companies have been lost and we are unable to give the personnel of the two organizations other than to say that they were composed of the best citizens of both towns.

The appointed officers were: City clerk, I. W. Davis; assessor and collector, J. W. Reed ; fire warden, George Merwin, street commissioner, E. F. Scudder.

The winter of 74-5 was a severe one and there was much suffering among the poor. To relieve the situation the charitably-inclined ladies of the city formed an aid society and gave a series of entertainments for the purpose of raising money. The last of these entertainments consisted of a series of spelling matches during the latter part of May. The first one of these was held May 22nd and was well attended. Miss S. S. Mc- Cracken, a teacher in the West Joplin schools, and Attorney 0. H. Tousley, of the east side, were the captains, and chose up. The winner in the contest was W. H. Calfee, Mrs. William Simpson taking second honors.

At the next match, one week later, there was much interest manifested and quite a number of the old-time champions brushed up for the occasion.

At eleven o'clock, the room had been spelled down save three, W. H. Calfee, the champion of the first match, U. B. Webster, and Thomas Sutton.

It might be added as an item of interest that Mr. Calfee 's daughter, now Mrs. W. A. Nickell, inherited her father's faculty for correct spelling and during her school days seldom misspelled or mispronounced a word, graduating as the valedictorian of her class in 1887. Her daughter, Miss Maude Nickell, graduated from the Joplin High School in 1911 and, like her mother, was valedictorian of her class.

On the 22d of February, 1876, at a meeting of the literary and bookloving people of East Joplin, a Library Association was formed with the following officers : President, U. B. Webster ; vice president, Thomas Suttx)n; secretary, 0. H. Tousley; treasurer, John Rousch.

purchase of newspapers, magazines and periodicals, and a reading room was maintained by the society until 1877. During that year there was a decline in the lead market and the temporary shutting down of a number of the mines brought on for a short time a financial unrest which caused the organization to close the rooms.

On the evening of August 1st of that year a band of masked men rushed into a saloon where the young man was standing, and, seizing him, hurried to the street where the entire party mounted horses and rode rapidly out of town, almost before the lookers-on realized what was going on. On learning that the young man who had been kidnapped was a brother of one of the members of the James gang, it was thought that that body of marauders was in the neighborhood and had spirited Bruce away lest his identity become known.

At the Centennial exposition at Philadelphia, in 1876, Joplin had a creditable display of minerals. The expense of maintaining the exhibit was defrayed by a fund contributed by the large mining companies and by the ladies of Joplin, who gave a series of entertainments and socials for the purpose.

The city election in October, 1876, occurred during the midst of the presidential campaign and, although the party lines were not drawn, it was hotly contested. The two opposing candidates for mayor were F. E. Williams, druggist in East Joplin, and E. D. Porter, of the firm of Porter & Roberts, West Joplin. Both men were exceedingly i>opular, being held in the highest esteem by their fellow townsmen. During the campaign the old prejudice and jealousy between the two towns was renewed and feeling ran high. East Joplin, as in 1873, voted almost solidly for her candidate. Porter carried West Joplin and Lone Elm, but the tremendous majority for Williams in East Joplin. elected him by 111.

Much interest was also manifested in the contest for marshal. J. W. Lupton and W. S. Norton, who had figured so prominently in the riot in 1874, were both candidates and the feeling between their friends ran high. It was feared that the election of either one would cause trouble and L. C. (Cass) Hamilton, who was deputy under Mr. Bair, was induced to shy his castor into the ring. The result was : Hamilton, 1,119 ;

Lupton, 365; Norton, 226, Mr. Hamilton was for ten successive tenns reelected marshal of Joplin, closing his political career in 1887. He was elected police judge in 1885 and served two years.

The election for councilmen was also close in East Joplin. C. P. Taylor defeated William Quick by four votes. William Watkins in West Joplin defeated M. Clark by eight votes. I. W. Gilbert, of Lone Elm came into the aldermanic body as the representative of that thriving burg.

Prank K Williams was a native of Michigan, being bom December 6, 1849. After graduating from the Ann Arbor High School in June, 1866, he following the advice of Horace Greely, came **west to grow up with the country," and first settled at Lawrence, Kansas, clerking in a general store for three and a half years.

The later part of 1869 Mr. Williams went to Granby, Newton county, where he opened a general store and was shortly after appointed postmaster of that place. He came to Joplin in August, 1873, and opened a drug store in East Joplin in connection with his brother, Henry, who was a graduate of the pharmaceutical department of the University of Michigan.

Mr. Williams at once became prominently identified with the public enterprise of the city and was elected a member of the city council from East Joplin in October, 1874. During his membership in that body he urged the building of sidewalks and a uniform system of grading the streets. He saw to it that East Joplin got all that was coming to it and it was this loyalty to the east side that gained for him the almost unanimous support of the Pirst ward at the election of 1876. During his occupancy of the mayor's chair, however, he was fair and impartial and worked for the good of the whole town, carrying into vigorous execution his policies of civic improvement.

Personally, Mr. Williams was a most i)opular man, having scarcely an enemy. His polite and polished manner and his many little deeds of kindness gained for him the title of '*Lord Chesterfield of Joplin."

Mr. Williams was president of the Board of Education in 1889 and took a prominent part also in military affairs, being major of the Second Missouri Regiment, United States Volunteers, during the Spanish- American war. During his second year as mayor he moved his drug business to West Joplin and was closely identified with the business interests of the city, being a director in the Miners' Bank and South Joplin Land Company. A mention of the reception given in honor of his wedding ^vill be made in our notes of '* Joplin During the 'Eighties." Major Williams died in 1901.

Very naturally the presidential campaign of 1876 caused much excitement in Joplin. Both the Democratic and Republican committees maintained club rooms and, in addition to having a number of speeches and ward meetings, had torch-light processions. A mention of the two monster torch-light processions and the Democratic barbecue has already been made in the chapter on "County Politics During the 'Seventies.*'

The successful candidates on the Galena township ticket were : Trustees - W. B. McCracken, Geo. Orear and J. P. Newell; assessor, P. L. Swartz; collector. J. J. Breazeale; constables - L. A. Short and John T. Hodshier.

The following were among the jolly throng of dancers : Miss Fannie Davis, as Catharine Howard ; Miss Addie Stoddard, as Lady Jane Grey ; Miss Nellie Coyle, as Anne Boleyn ; Miss P. C. Bums, as Mary Queen of Scots; Miss Jo. Roberts, as Queen Elizabeth; little Lillie Henderson, as Daughter of the Regiment ; Miss Agnes Conway, as Anne of Austria ; Miss Beach, as Juliet; Mrs. Cronk, as Topsy; Jas. Wise, as Prince of 'Frisco; W. G. Baker, as Duke of Essex; E. D. Porter, as Cassius; J. D. Rainwatter, as officer in Confederate Army; C. A. Powell, as Thomas Jefferson; Mayor P. C. Williams, as Hamlet; Mr. Coyle, as Brother Jonathan; G. B. Young, as George Washington; P. H. Head, as Royal Guardsman; M. W. Stafford, as Oxford Student; Jas. M. Leonard, as Charles II ; W. E. Maynard, as King Henry VIII ; A. D. Coon, as Sir Peter Teazle ; W. H. Picher, as Sitting Bull ; Mose Weiler and Joe Franklin, as Crusaders.

A few years ago there was a funny story that went the rounds about the Bingville school board. The story briefly told was as follows : The district had outgrown the schoolhouse and it was voted to build a new one and in order to economize, it was decided to use the bricks in the old school with which to build the new temple of learning, and to the end that no time be lost, it was further agreed to use the old schoolhouse until the new building was completed. Joplin, during the first boom days, had a parallel to the above and, although a larger and substantial house was not built from an old one, a new and larger store was actually built around an old structure while an extensive and profitable business was being carried on, without the loss of a single day's occupancy of the store.

During the summer of 1876, Levi Riseling built at the comer of Third and Main street a two-story brick store room, fifty by one hundred feet, in and around a two-story frame building which he was using as a general hardware and furniture store.

The shelving was first moved in from the north and south side of the room and a temporary wooden water-shed built. After placing props under the roof the side walls were torn down, the foundation dug and the massive walls of the brick store put up. The new building extended further back than the old house and the rear wall was built at the same time as the side walls. On the completion of these three walls, temporary center-pieces were put in and the roof built over the old House.

The old frame was then torn down and as much of the lumber as was available was used in the new structure ; in fact, almost every particle of timber in the old building, excepting the shingles and siding, were put to some use. All the time that this work was going on, a large business was being carried on, some five or six clerks being employed in the store, besides a couple of delivery wagons which were in use all the time. Of course, during this time the stock of goods was shifted a great many times to accommodate the daily changing conditions. All of the men employed in building were paid oflf each night at the close of the day's work and out of the sales of the day's business.

Mr. Ormsby was succeeded as principal of the East Joplin school by S. A. Underwood. Mr. Underwood was a good organizer and brought the schools up to a high standard, retiring in 1877, when he was elected county superintendent of schools. For notes on his administration as county commissioner the reader is referred to the chapter on "Educational Matters. "

The teaching force in East Joplin during the Centennial year comprised the following, with the number enrolled by each on the first day of the term : S. A. Underwood, principal, 40 ; U. B. Webster, 60 ; Josie Culpepper, 70; Anna Whitwell, 80; total, 250. With two hundred and fifty pupils in the four rooms the first day, one can readily imagine the ingenuity it required to plan for the school when all the pupils are enrolled. Mr. Underwood devised a system of hearing recitation under these trying circumstances.

Mr. Arnold continued in charge of the West Joplin Schools during 1874-6, under the same conditions as at the organization, with one assistant in the brick building at 4th and Pennsylvania, and two assistants at the Methodist church, Fourth and Kentucky.

During the fall of 76 a new school for the west side was built at the comer of Fourth and Byers, the present site of the high school. The new building was a three-room frame. The building was completed during the winter and was opened for the spring term March 20, 1877. G. P. Garland was the first principal of the school and Messrs. Miles and Comwell his assistants. These three new rooms gave to the west side schools nine teachers for the term 1876-7.

In 1875 the people of Lone Elm, now grown to a camp of approximately a thousand people, clamored for a separate school organization and steps were taken to detach a portion of the territory belonging to District No. 4 and unite it with a portion of the old Peace Church school district. In 1876 the organization was affected and Joseph Hostilter, P. Quinn and J. L. Harvey were elected the first board of directors.

The territorial limits of the Lone Elm district included that portion of Joplin, west of Joplin creek north of what is now **E" street, and extending north of Turkey creek to a quarter of a mile south of old Tuckahoe. R. T. Guinn was the first teacher of the district and he, with the directors, bent every effort toward building a school. In 1877, $1,000 was raised by popular subscription and a neat two-roomed frame school erected.

The two rooms of the school were built so that they could be thrown into one room by opening the folding doors. On Sunday the building was used for church purposes and during the winter evenings for the meeting of literary societies. During the political campaigns it also served as a town hall.

We are indebted to Charles Miles for the following information concerning the early history of the First Christian church of Joplin, which was read at the time of the dedication of its new building, December 29, 1901.

The First Christian Church of Joplin was formally organized in 1874, but a word as to the conditions existing prior to that time and leading to the organization may be instructive and interesting. As a river frequently has its origin in several places, so this church was made up from several different sources.

In the fall of 1867 Mr. Israel Patton, lately deceased, led an emigrant train from Indiana to this county, finally settling just southwest of this city. He was an ardent member of the Christian church and he, with others, were soon holding religious services in the ** Grove," which was God's first temple. The first building occupied was a log schoolhouse, which had stood the ravages of the Civil war. Messrs. Wells, Field and Starks were the names of the early preachers to this flock. The local elders were Mr. Patton and Mr. Carey. The deacons were Mr. Adams and Mr. Schumacher. The latter is still living in Blendeville.

They next occupied a building especially erected for church purposes. It was a double room log house. The hewn logs and also pine lumber for ceiling and flooring, together with six windows and casing, were furnished by J. A. Miles, late of No. 224 N. Wall street. This building stood just north of what is now Central City and was known as Short Creek Christian church.

There were also congregations at Carthage, Diamond Grove and Five Mile, all surrounding points. Services were also held at various schoolhouses nearby, by Mr. M. Lane and Mr. Wells. In 1870 ore was discovered and in a year the town of Joplin had grown to a population of four hundred souls. Among the people who came from a distance were members of the Christian church. Members of the churches above mentioned were drawn to the rapidly growing city, especially from the Short Creek church, so that by 1873 there were some thirty or forty persons who found themselves of similar religious faith but without a church home. About this time Mr. M. Jenkins began to visit Joplin and preach as opportunity offered.

In the month of May, 1874, he preached a sermon in the brick Presbyterian church, northeast corner of Fourth and Pennsylvania avenue, at the close of which an organization was effected. Among the charter members were the following: Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Faulkender, Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Gillette, Mrs. Elizabeth Huffman, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Miles, Mr. W. L. Shumacher, Mr. and Mrs. Israel Patton, Mr. Eugene Poor. Mr. and Mrs. Harlan, Mr. and Mrs. Havill, Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland, Mrs. Moore, J. Groves and wife, Mrs. Pruitt, Mr. L. Kay ; Mr. and Mrs. Lampkin (now in Mexico), Dr. T. W. Miles (of Denver), Mr. and Mrs. Whitwell (of Diamond, this county), Mrs. Underwood (of Kansas City), Mrs. Lampkin (of Joplin), Mr. Lampkin (deceased), and possibly a few names may be overlooked.

Mr. Jenkins was continued for some time as the regular preacher, making a visit monthly. For six months the congregation met in the Cumberland Presbyterian church, above mentioned. Then for six months they met in the old city hall on Broadway, near the site of the old gas works. Next, they met in a Baptist church at the comer of John and Hill streets, which was subsequently sold and removed to the country. Amos Buchanan then became pastor of the church.

The next abiding place, but not for long was Howell Hall on Broadway near Gillette and Lichliter's store. Prom here they went to Porbe's Hall, comer of Broadway and John street. This was sold for a medical institute and the church then found itself like many a wanderer upon the earth.

Por awhile meetings were held from house to house. The members then resolved that they would build a home of their own. Mr. Miles and Dr. Wells led in this movement. A lot was purchased at the southeast corner of Pourth and Pennsylvania avenue for fifty dollars. It recently sold for a consideration of three thousand dollars. On this lot was erected a modest building costing probably two thousand dollars. L. Z. Burr, now of Kansas City, was pastor while the house was being built and with the assistance of Mr. Lane dedicated it to the service of Qod. Mr. Burr was a teacher, as well as a preacher. At that time, as many times since, the city was short of school rooms and the church was used the first year as a school building. A curtain was hung from the ceiling, making two rooms. Thus the children were taught during the week and the people heard the gospel on the Lord's day. Mr. Burr was pastor five years.

In November, 1877, the Rev. Cunningham assisted Rev. Burr in a successful revival, during which time sixty-eight conversions were made. Most of the converts were baptized in Joplin creek, just south of where the Broadway bridge is located and it was an impressive sight each afternoon to witness the ceremonies of immersion. (Joplin creek at that time was much deeper than it is now and, although much used for washing purposes, the water was still comparatively clear.) One evening, just as the ceremonies were about to conclude, a miner returning from his work stopped to witness the ceremony and becoming converted asked to be baptised. Wading out into the middle of the creek, he was immersed by the Rev. Cunningham in the clothes he wore at the mines that day.

Pollowing Mr. Burr came W. B. Cochran and R. A. Thomson as pastors. During the ministry of Mr. Thomson, a front vestibule was put in, a new flue built, the ceiling lowered to improve the acoustics, chairs revarnished and the house overhauled in general. Then came T. E. Shepherd, J. T. Boone, W. W. Blalock, W. W. Carter and J. M. Rudy. Mr. Rudy was unusually successful in his work and to accommodate the people the house was enlarged, a baptistry put in, two dressing rooms added, house carpeted, papered and partially seated with opera chairs. Then came Melancthon Moore, C. H. White and J. W. Glarrell as pastors. Besides these men the following evangelists have held meetings here : J. Cunningham, H. C. Patterson, A. D. Moore, and J. R. Speck.

various rented places until 1877, when they were for a time discontinued on account of financial difficulties, the membership of the church being small.

In 1875 Rev. Father 0 'Riley came to Joplin and took the pastorate of the Catholic church, holding his first meetings in Howell's Hall, East Joplin. Services were continued there until 1877, when the parish moved to the church building which had been completed at the comer of Eighth and Wall streets.

Father 0 'Riley was a zealous worker and labored faithfully for his church. The author remembers him well and recalls with pleasure the splendid advice he gave him and other school boys who were playing one day near the church.

On November 26, 1876, Rev. F. A. Bowman of the Spring River Association, preached at Howell's Hall, East Joplin, and at the close of the sermon invited all who would assist in forming a Baptist church to come forward. The following were the original members of the First Baptist church: Amanda E. Fike, T. A. McClelland, Richard Walsh, Caleb Brooks, Cynthia Brooks, Wm. B. Beasley, Caroline Beasley, Spencer Forshua, Martha Forshua, Sarah Martin, Robert G. Hyde, Elizabeth Hyde, May S. Pickett, Kate N. Tousley, and Andrew J. Martin.

After the church was formally organized, Rev. Bowman was called as pastor and preached for the congregation one Sunday in each month. No church was built during the 'seventies, the services being held in a rented hall.

During the fall of 1876 Rev. J. C. Plumb came to Joplin for the purpose of reorganizing, or more properly speaking, of gathering together the few members of the Congregationalist society in the city and establishing a church of their denomination. The congregation gathered by the Rev. Gutton had never formally organized a church.

Beginning October 2nd, Rev. Plumb began a series of meetings in the Joplin Theater, continuing for eleven weeks. These meetings were successful and a large congregation was built up. Rev. Plumb now saw that this was the opportune time to erect a church home, and accordingly a committee, consisting of John B. Sergeant, A. M. Haswell and W. L. Carver, was appointed to raise funds for a building. The congregation which attended Rev. Plumb's meeting was largely gathered from all denominations and it was decided to organize a nonnsectarian society under the name of the Tabernacle Church of Joplin, $2,900 was raised. $600 was spent for a lot, corner of Fourth and Virginia, the site of the Landreth Machine Company, and $2,300 was used for building and furniture, a part of which was borrowed. The structure, a large one-room box frame building was sixty-six by forty feet, set off with a vestibule and a bell loft in front, which gave it a church-like appearance.

The room was not at first finished on the inside. It was used for the first time Sunday, December 31, 1876, the Rev. Robert West of St. Louis preaching the dedicatory sermon. The following were among the members of the Tabernacle church : J. C. Plumb and wife ; John B. Sergeant and wife ; A. M. Haswell and wife ; C. F. Jennings ; Sarah Robinson ; Geo. W. McCoy and W. R. Probish.

The church policy was liberal and the several members were permitted to think and freely express themselves on the several isms which divided the church relative to baptism, creed, dancing, etc.

The old Tabernacle church was not a pretentious looking building, nor was it handsomely furnished, but it was very near and dear to the hearts of the great mass of Joplin people. For the want of a town hall the church was largely used for public gatherings of all kinds and the people came to look upon the old Tabernacle as a part of the home life of the city.

In this old church the following came to life: The Francis Murphy movement in 1877 ; the first skating rink in June, 1878 ; the first school exhibition, June, 1878 ; the reorganization of the fire department, after the establishment of the water works, 1881 ; the organization of the first Y. P. S. C. E. in the city, 1886, and the preliminary meeting to organize the Y. M. C. A., 1887. We mention these few incidents to show how generally, the Tabernacle was used and for what a variety of purposes.

The old bell at the Tabernacle was the biggest and best in the city, being bought and paid for by public subscription. It now graces the city hall. When the Tabernacle burned, in 1893, the firemen worked hard to save the tower so that the old bell might not be injured.

The first church wedding in Joplin was that of Philip Arnold, principal of the West Joplin schools and Miss Henrietta Mercer. The wedding was celebrated in the South Methodist-Presbyterian church. East Joplin, in October, 1874, the Rev. Robert Wall performing the ceremony.

On the 10th day of August, 1873, a meeting of the Masons was held to take the preliminary steps toward forming a lodge of that order. The meeting was largely attended and a petition in due form was forwarded to the Grand Lodge of the state praying that a dispensation be granted for the organization of a lodge at Joplin. The grand master of the Ma- sonic fraternity at that time was Hon. R. E. Anderson, and he declined to grant the petition, saying in reply that he thought there were already enough Masonic lodges in the county. A little thing like the denial of the charter could not daunt the pioneer Masons of Joplin. It so happened that at the little town of Fidelity, then on the decline, there was a Masonic lodge (Fellowship Lodge, No. 345) which had been instituted January 22, 1870. Among the members of the lodge who had moved to Joplin were S. H. Caldwell, ex-sheriff, and James A. Bolen, later county recorder and now the coal merchant prince of Kansas City.

It was now proposed to move Fellowship Lodge to Joplin and a vote of the members taken resulted favorably. On February 19, 1874, the grand master approved the petition to move the lodge and it was accordingly transplanted to Joplin, the first meeting after the removal being held April 1st. The lodge room was the second floor of the building on the southwest comer of Second and Main streets.

The membership of Fellowship Lodge at the date of its removal to Joplin was nineteen. Twenty members were admitted by demit and six brothers were raised during the year.

Most of the above o£Scers lived in the county, in and around Fidelity, and at the election of o£Scers held the following June the following were inducted into the chairs: Reuben Whitwell, worshipful master; S. H. Caldwell, senior warden; M. W. Stafford, treasurer; W. E. Maynard, secretary; E. D. Tucker, senior deacon; E. M. Burch, junior deacon, and W. A. Greenlee, tyler.

In 1876 the lodge was moved to the second story of the brick building now occupied by the Ramsour bar, where it remained until 1877, when a two-story frame building was erected at No. 516 Main street, the lower portion being rented for a store room and the upstairs being used for a Masonic hall.

After Fellowship Lodge was moved to Joplin the Masonic craft grew and prospered for a time, but during the year 1875 the jealousy and rivalry between East and West Joplin crept into the lodge room and the East town brethren desired a lodge over on the East side. Accordingly, the major portion of the brethren who lived in East Joplin demitted and began casting about for the best method to pursue to secure a lodge on the east side of the creek.

Medoc Lodge, No. 335, which had been instituted at Medoc in the northwestern part of the county, June 18, 1869, like the lodge of Fidelity, had for some months been dormant and quite a number of its members had moved to Joplin, among them C. A. Underwood, who was the senior warden of the lodge. A proposition was made to move the lodge to East

The first meeting held after the move was February 17, 1876, the meeting being in a frame building at the comer of Qalena and Broadway. At the time of its removal to Joplin, Medoc Lodge had eighteen members in good standing and at this session (February 17th) some twenty Joplin citizens deposited their demits.

The third great fraternity to be organized in Joplin was the Knights of Pythias. On June 15, 1876, Joplin Lodge, No. 40, was instituted by the Hon. C. J. Lucas, grand chancellor of the order.

The charter list contained among the signers some of the best citizens, among them the mayor, F. E. Williams; city marshal, Cass Hamilton; P. Murphy, the father of Murphysburg; C. W. Glover, cashier of the Joplin 's Savings Bank; Peter Schmur, editor of the Joplin Daily News; Postmaster M. W. Stafford and men of that character. The Elhights of Pythias lodge was to Joplin during the early days what the Elk lodge is now, the social organization of the city.

Joplin contains among its citizens many splendid representatives of the German fatherland and their influence has been greatly felt in this city. The two pioneer **jack" buyers are Germans. It was a German who built the first bakery in the city and a German who interested in the organization of the first bank in Joplin. In many ways the sturdy sons of Germany have taken a great part in the building and developing of the city. The people of German descent have made most excellent citizens and, while they are loyal to the United States and take an active interest in our national government and local affairs, they still cherish, as they should, a kindly feeling for the home in the old world. For the purpose of keeping alive the tender memories of their native land, for the promotion of their mutual interests and for the education and general uplift of their fellow-countryman, the Germans have in every large city formed societies through which they mingle and spend a goodly portion of their social life.

December 22, 1876, with a charter membership of fifty, the first officers being: Henry Latz, president; S. Landauer, vice president; Henry Wolfe, secretary ; William Earbe, treasurer.

The purposes of the society are the cultivation of literary tastes and the social entertainment of its members, and its balls, picnics and entertainments have always been brilliant affairs, its singing society having a reputation which has gone beyond the limits of our ten-story county.