Jasper County, Missouri - Chapter 28: County at Large, 1912

County Politics - Exciting Campaign ov 1896 - ^BuiLDma op the County Court Houses - Corner Stone Laid op Joplin Court House - The Court House at Carthage - Dedication op the Court House - ^At the South West Missouri Teachers' Association op 1890 - The Teachers' Normal - ^At the World's Pair, Chicago (1893) - The Inter State Chautauqua Assembly - ^Building op THE Inter Urban Street Railway System - ^Annual Banquet op THE Jasper County Electric Club - The Good Roads Movement - Jasper-Newton County Old Settlers' Association - The Grippe IN Jasper County.

A comparison of the census of 1890 and 1900 shows that Jasper county made rapid strides in point of population during the nineties, the county having gained 33,518 inhabitants during the decade.

The business of the county likewise increased in volume, especially the mining industry which at the close of the decade showed triple the value in output over the amount turned in during the year 1890.

We find it much harder in this chapter to classify the history into divisions than we did in the seventies and eighties, so much that properly was local in its character yet had a county-wide influence, was found, that in the narrative of this decade much of the history of Carthage, Joplin, Webb City and Carterville will be found in our county-at-large chapter and we shall, however, as much as possible, confine our stories to the divisions in which they belong.

1890, being an oflf year, no great rallies were had, but both parties made a vigorous speech-making campaign, with the result that a mixed ticket was elected. The following were the successful contestants : Presiding judge county court, H. A. Atherton; associate justices (Eastern district) Clay Leeming and (Western district) James A. Daugherty; prosecuting attorney, James A. Dryden; recorder, John C. Barley; county clerk, Annie W. Baxter; collector, H. W. Crane; circuit clerk, Frank Ney; treasurer, Thomas Garland; assessor, W. S. Cohenour; coroner, Dr. E. C. H. Squire; state senator, W. B. Hendrickson; representatives, (Eastern district) W. E. Schooler and (Western district) H. B. Eraser; sheriff, James Purcell.

The presidential election of 1892 was an exciting one, the tariff question being the paramount issue. The vote on president was : Harrison, Republican, 5,360 ; Cleveland, Democrat, 4,801 ; Streeter, Populist, 1,818.

The county officers elected at this election were: Representatives, (Eastern district), R. T. Stickney and (Western district), H. L. Isherwood ; sheriff, Jas. Purcell ; collector, R. H. Crane ; prosecuting attorney, J. T. James; judges (Eastern district), R. L. McMeecham and (Westem district), Jas. A. Daugherty ; treasurer, I. F. Russum; coroner, E. C. H. Squire ; assessor, W. S. Taylor ; surveyor, George H. Bradford ; public administrator, John T. Willoughby.

The campaign of 1896 was by far the most exciting of the nineties and also the most hotly contested of any election since the famous Hayes and Tilden campaign of 1876. The money question was the paramount issue ; and over this question there was an almost complete new line-up for the great political battle that was on.

When the Republican party declared against the free coinage of silver, many members who favored bi-metalism left the party with which they had aflSliated and formed the Free Silver Republican party which, as the campaign grew hot, afiSliated with the Democrats. In the same way great numbers of Democrats who favored the single standard met and organized the sound money Democratic party and many of these, as the election drew on, voted with the Republicans. The Populist party also afiSliated with the Democrats, and the alliance was sometimes spoken of as the Three Ringed Circus.

The excitement was intense and on almost every street comer and country store little groups of men could be seen discussing the aUabsorbing question of the day.

Republicans wore yellow hats and yellow flowers, significant of the gold standard and the Democrats wore white hats and white flowers, significant of the white metal. Both parties held great rallies and torch light processions and at the four large cities these demonstrations brought together thousands of people.

James A. Daugherty; judge (Eastern district), W. R. Schooler, and judge (Western district), Albert B. Osbom; prosecuting attorney, Charles H. Montgomery ; collector, S. A. Emery ; sheriflf, W. H. Warren ; assessor, 0. B. Morris ; surveyor, Charles Clark, treasurer, J. M. Weeks ; public administrator, James Day; coroner, Dr. William Whitley.

Officers elected in 1898 : State senator, Ben. F. Thomas ; representative (Eastern district), M. P. Jenkens; representative (Western district) , A. 6. Carter ; presiding judge county court, James M. Hickman ; associate justices county court (Eastern district), William R. Schooler and (Western district), M. C. Terry; sheriff, W. H. Warren; county clerk, S. A. Stuckey ; circuit clerk, F. B. Norton ; county collector, C. A. Emery; county treasurer, John M. Weeks; judge probate court, Marion Brown ; coroner, Wm. Whitley ; public administrator, Edwin 0 'Donnold ; prosecuting attorney, H. L. Shannon; assessor, 0. B. Morris and recorder, F. B. Steadly. The vote at this election was as follows : Democratic ticket, 5,567; Republican ticket, 5,466.

On the . face of the returns John Malang, Republican, and F. B. Steadly, Democrat, tied for recorder. Both sides prepared for a contest, but after several months of legal manoeuvres the contestants settled the controversy amicably, Mr. Steadly taking the office.

After having twice defeated a proposition to build a court house the county, at a special election held July 15, 1891, by a vote of 6,816 to 3,106 decided to build two court houses - one at Carthage, to cost approximately $100,000 and one at Joplin to cost $20,000. The city of Carthage paid $50,000 of the cost of the Carthage house. The election had been bitterly fought, the citizens of Webb City opposing the proposition.

On July 22nd, a jollification was had in Carthage which was attended by 20,000 people - 10,000 taking part in the parade. A special train of nine cars, packed to the guard, came to Carthage from Joplin, and the revelry continued far into the night.

The election was contested by the citizens of Webb City and fought through the courts to the Supreme court, that body declaring the election void because the voters had not used the Australian system, which had been made a part of the laws of 1891 and had taken effect a few days prior to the election.

The matter was resubmitted to the people on May 9, 1893, and after a hotly contested campaign the tax was again voted, the ballot being as follows: For the court house tax, 8,174; against, 3,281; majority above the required two-thirds, 1,612.

The comer stone of the Jasper county court house at Joplin was laid with appropriate ceremonies May 8, 1894, and was a gala day for that city. Although the morning portended rain, fully 15,000 people took part in the exercises, which were slightly marred by the storm which came on before the ceremonies were concluded. The Board of Education dismissed the schools for the day and the 3,300 pupils witnessed the demonstration.

(2) Military division. Major F. E. Williams commanding: Joplin Drum Corps, Carthage Light Guards^ Joplin Rifles and Scarrett Ouards of Neosho.

(3) School division, consisting of three marching organizations representing the Macedonian Phalanx, the Crusaders and the Continental Minute Men of 1775.

These three organizations had participated (ih costume) in a school entertainment, February 22nd, and had made such a hit that they were especially invited to participate in the comer stone pari^le. The Macedonian Phalanx appeared in the costume of the time of Alexander the Great, the boys carrying spears. The Crusaders, in the habiliments of the legions of Richard Coeur de Lion, carried swords. The Minute Men appeared in the uniform of the Continental patriots and drew after them a small cannon which had been cast at Freeman's foundry and which had done service as an enthusiasm raiser, in the campaign of 1892, also the court house, campaign.

(4) Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Ancient Order of United Workmen division, Capt. R. A. Spear, commanding: Twin City band; Joplin and Carthage cantons ; Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodges of the county and Ancient Order of United Workmen lodge - ^twelve organizations in line.

(5) Knights of Pythias division, Capt. Q. K. Davidson, commanding : Joplin Cadet band ; Uniformed Ranks Knights of Pythias, divisions from Carthage, Webb City and Joplin and subordinate lodges of Jasper county.

(6) Miners' division, Marsh Hinton, commanding: Marching club of miners in working clothes, carrying dinner pails, etc., followed by floats on which were seated two miners and carrying out the idea that the spade hands are the real kings in whose keeping are the destinies of the mining district.

(7) Masonic division, Maj. Clark Cray croft, commanding: Carthage Light Guard band ; Knights Templar, Carthage and Joplin, Grand Lodge of Emergency; Masons of Jasper county; county officials and invited guests.

new paid fire department, with their new fire wagon and celebrated span of horses, Major and Dan; volunteer departments of Carthage, Carterville and Neosho.

(10) Mounted division, T. W. Cunningham, commanding: Galena Firemen's band and one hundred men on horseback, riding four abreast and making a magnificent appearance. Each of the horsemen wore a small United States flag in his hat and in each of the horses' bridles was a pretty boutonniere of red white and blue.

The following composed the Grand Lodge of Emergency who laid the comer stone : Most Worshipful Master, P. L. Crossman ; Right Worshipful Master, Al Reynolds; S. W., E. C. H. Squire; J. W., E. F. Martin; Treasurer, W. S. Carson; Secretary, Harmon Cline; Chaplain, Rev. J. J. Martin; S. D., W. A. Skelton; J. D., Jno. H. Tutt; Grand Pursuviant, J. C. Faulkender, Tyler, T. J. Patterson ; Grand Stewards, C. H. Hand, W. H. Miles, W. M. Thompson and A, S. Abbott; Bearer of the Bible Square and Compass, John S. Reynolds; Bearer of the Constitution, John S. McDonald.

At the conclusion of the ceremonies a number of addresses were made, among them those of S. A. Stuckey, Carl Junction, Jacob Friek, Jasper, and the mayors of Carthage and Carterville. The coming on of the rain shortened the program.

One of the most delightful features of the day was the entertainment provided by the Joplin Club : Capt, E. 0. Bartlett as chairman of the entertainment committee, dispensed for the club at the Keystone Hotel, light refreshments before and after the exercises and every out-of-town visitor was invited to partake of the hospitality.

The Joplin court house was dedicated in April, 1895, and used until June 13, 1911, when it was destroyed by fire. At this writing it has not been rebuilt.

The comer stone of the Jasper county court house was laid August 23, 1894, and was an event long to be remembered. The ceremonies were conducted by Masons, assisted by various fraternal and military societies acting as escort in the grand parade which preceded the exercises.

(8) Battalion of Uniformed Ranks Knights- of Pythias, consisting of divisions from Carthage, Webb City and Joplin, commanded by Col. Carl Gray.

The comer stone was placed in position by Honorable John D. Vincil of St. Louis, past grand master Missouri Grand Lodge of Masons. The following articles were deposited in the receptacle : The Holy Bible and photograph of workmen throwing first shovel of dirt; copy of High School Star; advertisements and posters of court house meetings ; certified order of court announcing result of election; World's Fair coins; Rosters G. A. R. posts of Jasper county ; literary societies of Carthage and Masonic bodies participating in the ceremonies; a $10 Confederate bill ; copies of all newspapers in the county ; miscellaneous articles.

The Carthage court house was formally dedicated October 9, 1895, with appropriate ceremonies. The exercises opened with a parade which was participated in by the military and civic societies and the school children of Carthage. The latter feature was an imposing spectacle, every one of the pupils wearing a badge and carrying a United States fiag. John W. Halliburton was the marshal of the day.

Two speakers' stands were erected one at the northeast and one at the southeast comers of the court house and addresses were made by Congressman Burton E. C. Devore, of Carterville, T. B. Houghawout and Major H. H. Harding.

In the evening, at the Harrington Hotel, the Jasper Courts Bar Association held a meeting and concluded with a banquet, Hon. Galen Spencer of Joplin presiding as toast master. Among the toasts and responses were the following: **Our Courts," Major H. H. Harding; **The Lawyer, '* J. W. McAntire; **Our Clients,'' Thomas Hackney; '*The Jury," L. P. Cunningham; ** Oratory in Court," John H. Flannigan.

In the oratorical contest in which sixteen of the twenty-seven counties in the association sent a contestant, Miss D. Lorane Buchanan, of Joplin, won the first prize. Miss Buchanan later became an actress of great ability. In the prize essay contest W. M. Wharton, principal of the Medoc school, and later county superintendent, won the first honor and in the general display of school work the Webb City schools captured the blue ribbon.

B. D. Shannon and S. A. Underwood, of Joplin, were elected president and secretary of the association and J. M. Stevenson, county school commissioner of Jasper county, treasurer, while Joplin was chosen as the place for holding the next session. At the Joplin meeting in December, 1891, a pleasing incident occurred. Treasurer J. M. Stevenson and Secretary S. A. Underwood were both present at the meeting in Carthage when the association was formed in 1878, and each had attended every session of the association from its formation. These gentlemen, with other teachers who were prominent in the educational affairs of South West Missouri presented to the association a gavel made of twenty-seven pieces of wood - one piece obtained in each of the twentyseven counties. The gavel was a splendid souvenir and was also a beautiful piece of mechanical work. The gavel had in it ten different kinds of wood grown in South West Missouri. In presenting it to the president Professor Stevenson told a number of interesting reminiscences of the Jasper schools. A feature of the Joplin meeting was a class of sixteen boys and girls from the Longfellow school in Kansas City, who came to the meeting accompanied by the physical director of the Kansas City Schools and gave an interesting exhibition of calisthenic exercises. The director also read a very instructive paper on how to teach physical culture in the public schools.

All during the nineties the Teachers' Normal continued to be a great factor in educational circles. Three hundred teachers and applicants for teachers' certificates attended the 1890 Normal and all who were in attendance felt that a profitable and pleasant school month had been spent. The faculty this year consisted of County Commissioner J. M. Stevenson, conductor; Prof. Howe, of the Warrensberg State Normal; Prof. Dodd, of the Carthage High School ; Lyda Clark and V. L. Vawter.

Spelling was a feature of this year's course of study and at the close of the Normal a spelling contest was had in which 225 teachers participated. The following were among the teachers who scored 100: Agnes McCarty, A. B. Callison, Euphema Potts, W. M. Wharton, Alice Corley, Stella Hodshier, Sakie Gray and Ella Lawton.

In the final examination H. Church, of Carthage, received honorable mention for having turned in the neatest set of papers of the entire teaching body.

At the school election in 1893 W. M. Wharton was elected county commissioner and was twice reelected. In 1899 Prof. E. B. Denision, of Joplin, was elected superintendent.

All during the nineties the Normal was a great summer school, always having had a mofsA: excellent corps of teachers, and each year showed some advancement over the year previous. We will not attempt to set out in detail the accomplishments of each of the normals, other than to say that during the nineties it was held every three years at Carthage, Webb City and Joplin.

In the selection of the Missouri Board of World's Fair Commissioners, Governor Francis honored Jasper county with the selection of Col. H. H. Gregg, of Joplin, as one of the five to look after the proper advertisement and showing of Missouri's great industries and resources, and to him was especially assigned the collection of mining exhibits.

In the Missouri building at the fair Jasper county was assigned one room, and this was filled up by the county under the direction of a board of lady managers selected from the diflferent cities of the county. Mrs. J. W. Harper, of Carthage, was the president of the board of lady managers for the Jasper county room and this association met at stated intervals at diflferent points over the county to devise ways and means for decorating the room and collecting the exhibits. In Joplin, Carthage and Webb City entertainments and balls were given by the ladies and a neat sum raised, to which the mine operators added $3,300 for the distribution of advertising matter at the fair. The room was tastefully decorated and attracted much attention. Among the exhibits in the Jasper County room which excited favorable comment were samples of the various forms of lead in its native state and the manufactured product by the Picher Lead Company of Joplin. A huge pyramid of zinc was exhibited, made from specimens sent in from the diflferent camps. Among the single pieces of zinc was a mass from the Blendville mines weighing 6,500 pounds and one from Webb City weighing 2,600.

In 1897 there was organized the Inter State Chautauqua Assembly and the first of a number of interesting and instructive meetings held at Carthage June 21st to July 9th of that year.

It was originally intended to be a Jasper-Cherokee county aflfair and the first board of directors were chosen from the several cities of Jasper county and Galena, Kansas.

The oflScers for 1897 were: President, Dr. D. J. Stewart, of Carthage; vice president, Rev. J. B. Welty, of Joplin. Among the Jasper county citizens on the board were: Jno. H. Taylor, Rev. Paul Brown and G. B. Young, of Joplin ; Dr. Cook, president of Webb City College, and A. A. Hulett, of Webb City; J. W. Petty, of Carterville, and Dr. Goucher of Carthage.

The first assembly was a success in every particular excepting that the finances ran short on account of a severe storm during the middle of the meeting which kept down the attendance. Days were set apart for various organizations and a number of speakers of national reputation were in attendance, among them, William Jennings Bryan, Senator Dolliver of Iowa; Gen. S. B. Prentis, the hero of Shiloh; T. DeWitt Talmage ; Sam Jones and many others.

Bryan day, June 24th, 20,000 people were on the grounds and on the Sound Money day, when Senator Dolliver was the orator, almost as many were in attendance.

It was regrettable that the severe rain, which came on in the midst of the assemble, marred the financial success of the meet, because it had brought together, in a delightful summer school, the literary and music loving people of the county. Among the musical celebrities from abroad none outshone Jasper county's own Miss Emma Johns, of Carthage, now Mrs. De Armond, whose piano performances thrilled the vast assemblage who heard her play. The first Jasper County Chautauqua went down in history as a most delightful literary and social success.

As in the seventies, the building of the three lines of railroad transformed Jasper county from an unimportant country community to a great wideawake business center, so during the nineties, three electric street railways were built and they wrought wonderful changes, both in a business and social way. The three electric roads built and operated were the Joplin Electric Street Railway Company, the South West Missouri Electric Railway Company and the Jasper County Electric Railroad.

The Joplin Electric Railway is mentioned in the history of Joplin and we will therefore speak here only of the South West Missouri Electric and the Jasper County Electric, all three of which are now consolidated and under the management of the South West Missouri Railroad Company.

In 1889 A. H. Rogers of Springfield built a mule street car line from Webb City to Carterville and operated it until 1893, when he organized the South West Missouri Electric Railway Company, took over the rolling stock, car bam, etc., of the Webb City-Carterville Street Railway Company and built an electric railway from Joplin to Prosperity via Webb City and Carterville. A considerable difficulty was experienced in securing the franchise in Webb City, there being quite a sentiment against an interurban line, many of the merchants feeling that a line to Joplin would have a tendency to take business away from the local merchant. By a great stroke of policy, Mayor Manker, of Webb City, secured the insertion of a clause in the franchise providing that the principal offices, power house, car bams, etc., should be located in Webb City ; and thus the second city in the county became the center of all the business activities of the now great interurban system. The importance of this coup d'etat will be more readily seen when it is called to mind that the road now has over 250 employees, fully one half of whom live in Webb City.

The South West Missouri Electric railroad was completed in the summer of 1893, the first car making the run from Webb City to Joplin on July 4th of that year. In 1896 the road purchased the Jasper County Electric Railway, running from Carthage to Carterville, the Joplin Electric & Galena Electric railways. This consolidation gave to Jasper county a splendid interurban service. In 1903 the company extended its lines to Duenweg and also to Smelter Hill and Chitwood in Joplin.

In 1906 the South West Missouri Railroad Company was organized and took over the South West Missouri Electric with its several holdings and the Webb City Northern Electric Railway Company - an extension which had been built north to Oronogo, Purcell and Alba. In 1908 the road extended its line from Joplin to Duenweg, thus making a complete belt of the mining district. The same year the Villa Heights extension in Joplin was also made.

It will be noted from the above that the system is a most important part of Jasper county and with this quick transportation makes all sections of Jasper county neighbors. The line now has a total of over seventy-five miles.

It is a matter of pride to the county that there has never been a labor disturbance of any kind on the road. The employees are from the best families of the county.

In 1910 the Railway Company and A. H. Rogers built for the Electric Railway Club (an organization composed of the employees of the road) a beautiful club home. The building was furnished by the club and here a number of social functions for the members and their families have occurred.

The Jasper County Electric Railway Company, composed mostly of Carthage capital, was organized in 1892 for the purpose of building an electric railway from Carthage to Carterville and Webb City. After securing franchises in Carthage and Carterville, during which time many obstacles were overcome, work on the line was commenced in 1894 and the road completed in July, 1895. The road, which is now a part of the South West Missouri Railway Company System, at first entered Carterville from the south, running through the northern portion of Johnstown.

The South West Missouri Electric Railway acquired this property in 1896 and have since greatly improved the roadbed, service, etc. The opening of the Jasper County Electric brought into popularity beauti-

Beginning with 1904 the members of the Jasper County Electric Railway Club have held an annual banquet at which as many of the members as possible, with their wives and sweethearts, meet and spend a social hour. We copy here from the Joplin Daily Glohe its account of the 7th annual banquet held at Webb City, December 14, 1911, as it will give an idea of the importance of these gatherings and the universal good feeling which exists among the employees of the road.

**The seventh annual dinner of the Electric Railway Club,*' says the Olobe, **was held at the club house at Webb City last night. The banquet was served in the auditorium of the club house, which was handsomely decorated with chrysanthemums, white carnations and roses. The pillars were festooned with pampas grass wreathed with holly. Sprays of mistletoe were hung on the chandeliers. In nooks and comers were palms and potted plants.

** Shortly after 8 o'clock the great crowd, numbering 150, filed into the banquet hall. The wives and dau^ters of the street railroad men served the dinner. It was after 10 o'clock before the menu, whic^ began with an oyster cocktail, followed by turkey and cranberry sauce, to the accompaniment of Pacific punch, then hot mince pie and coffee, was concluded. The smoke of a hundred cigars or more hung in contented clouds when Allen McReynolds, attorney for the Southwest Missouri Railroad Company, assumed his duties as toastmaster.

**Mr. McReynolds presided happily and gracefully. There was a fine balance of wit and dignity, a rare blende of seriousness and levity in his observations, while his introductions were models of consciseness and aptness.

** *A year ago tonight,' said Mr. McReynolds, *we dedicated this club house. It might not be amiss, then, to consider this occasion as the ' ' feast of the passover. ' ' This club house, as most of us here know, is the property of the employes of the Southwest Missouri Railroad Company. I say employes, and I use the word advisedly, for we are all employes of this company from the president down to the trackman. Each of us has his work to do. Each of us is doing it, not merely in a routine way, not as a burdensome thing ; but each of us is doing his part cheerfully and with enthusiasm. It can truthfully be said of the men of this company that the end of the day finds ever>' man with a record back of him of work well done.'

* * A number of newspapers were represented among the guests. Harry Moody of the Carterville Record, Arthur Rozelle of the Webb City Register, Hal Wise of the Webb City Sentinel, P. E. Burton of the JopUn Xetvs Herald and E. H. James of The Joplin Globe, responded to the call of the chair.

** *Once upon a time/ said the toastmaster, after the representatives of the press had testified to the pleasure of the occasion and to the importance of the gresi transportation (system in the industrial development of the county - *once upon a time there was a president of the United States who coined the expression ''innocuous desuetude,'' a condition into which he subsided shortly after the utterance. We have here tonight a namesake of that president, who, it should be said, has not reached that deplorable situation.'

**The Rev. W. M. Cleaveland, of the First Presbyterian church of Joplin, frankly acknowledged that he didn't know what 'innocuous desuetude' meant, but, without pausing to lament that fact, he declared it to be his intention of joining the Electric Railway Club if he could possibly qualify as a member.

**Mr. Cleaveland dwelt in an eflfective way upon the value of such meetings as this. * The courtesy of the trainmen of the Southwest Missouri Railroad Company,' said Mr. Cleaveland, *is not only a matter of local comment; it is known afar. It has given the road and the company a reputation. This courtesy is not a mere superficial attribute. It is based upon a substantial foundation, the mutual confidence between the employer and the employed. This spirit of confidence finds sound expression in just such gatherings as this. These are great things. They make for fellowship. They make for trust. They are an advanced way of meeting one of the great issues before the people of today, the relationship between capital and labor. It is widely known, and here at home it is a matter of intense pride, that in the conduct of this transportation company the strife and bitterness that are too often found are not found here. You are about five years ahead of the procession. This situation is necessarily the result of effort and purpose, both on the part of the company and on the part of the men in the company's employ.'

"Mr. A. H. Waite, president of the Joplin National bank, declared it to be his belief that 'the courtesy of the men on this road has been one of the vital factors in its signal and distinguished success.' 'As a matter of fact,' continued Mr. Waite, 'courtesy is a mighty important factor in the success of any business or any individual today. It is an accomplishment that any man, whatever his business, may well cultivate. For courtesy is no solitary virtue. It is found associated with the other qualities upon which success is built - steadfastness, energy, purpose. The success of this company testifies that all those qualities exist within its code and make up its character. And for the success it is and the qualities back of that success you and we are to be congratulated.'

"Mr. J. Silas Gravelle, secretary of the Joplin Y. M. C. A., and whose work as a juvenile court oflScer is well known, was presented as the Ben Lindsay of Jasper county. Mr. Gravelle said that half his time was spent in trying to get men to play. He insisted that play was an important part in life, and if men would play, and play hard while they played, they would work just as hard when they worked. 'Socialability,' said Mr. Gravelle, 'is needed. This club house is a practical embodiment of my theory. Here you can get together. It brings you a relation- Digitized by ship and a kinship which otherwise would not be possible. As I see it, it pays men to be good. It pays to be decent. I believe that socialability are great agencies in promoting decency; in making men good in a strong, virile, achieving sense. '

** *The lawyer,' said Toastmaster McReynolds, *has a hard time of it. His is a trying life. They say harsh things about the lawyer. His veracity is often questioned. I shall not discuss the subject. But I want to introduce a lawyer who, whether on the right side or the wrong side of a case, has never found it necessary to lie; a lawyer whose life and principles and position have been my inspiration - gentlemen, my father.'

**Mr. Samuel McReynolds, senior member of the firm of general attorneys for the Southwest Missouri Railroad Company^ spoke feelingly of his long connection ¥ath the company, of its growth to its present vast dimensions, and of the many times he had attended these banquets. Mr. McReynolds said he had always undertaken to give advice and would not depart from his custom now. With a happy illustration he impressed upon the trainmen the necessity for observation.

**W. G. Peterson of the Electric Railway Club; Edward Wise, representing the conductors, and M. Y. Campbell, spokesman for the motormen, were called upon and in a happy vein outlined some of the difficulties that were encountered in their departments. The service the club was doing was well brought out by Mr. Peterson. Mr. Wise, veteran conductor, explained that if there was a vital diflference between the conductors of this road and those of other roads the cause was this: 'On many roads a conductor is simply a cog in the machinery. On this road he is a man and is treated as such.'

''Mr. Campbell, speaking for the motormen, made it evident that he had profited by Mr. Samuel McReynolds' remarks on observation, because after recounting in a humorous way the shock he had experienced when told he was to make a speech, he said : * I have seen that old fellow here many times before (pointing to the elder McReynolds) and I want to say he looks good to me.'

"Mr. A. H. Rogers, in response to the toastmaster 's introduction, said he was glad to be with the Southwest Missouri Railroad Company. 'I like the job,' said Mr. Rogers, 'and I'm glad also that so many of yon who are not connected with the company were able to be here tonight. You've seen us right at home. You probably have a different impression now of a street railway company than you're accustomed to get from many of the magazine articles. It is a significant fact that many of our men who are here tonight have been with the company for a great many years. It is also a fact of significance that this road is today owned by the men who built it. In that respect it is unusual. Prom all those facts it may fairly be concluded that most of us here are pretty well satisfied with our jobs.'

A Qood Roads convention was held in Carthage September 22, 1898, for the discussion of road making and plans for the rapid construction of good roads all over Jasper county. Among the speakers were W. H. Moore, president of the Missouri Good Roads Association. Mr. Moore referred to the fact that there were 1,500 miles of public road in Jasper county, some of them well built and in a good state of repair. He said that the average cost of making a mile of good road was $2,000 and that the plan for covering Jasper county with 1,500 miles of good roads meant a three million dollar proposition.

At the conclusion of his address the farmers and business men of the Eastern district organized a good roads club, with the following officers : President, C. 0. Herrington, Carthage; secretary, Henry Keim, Carthage ; vice presidents, Chas. Ballard, Sheridan township ; J. B. Wild, Sarcoxie township ; I. H. Givler, Union township ; Wnu B. McNew, Jackson township ; Alonzo Elling, Madison township ; David Potter, Marion township; T. H. Bell, Lincoln township; Geo. Brunnet, Preston township; Jas. Campbell, McDonald township. This organization accomplished much good and was the means of building many of the good roads in the eastern half of the county.

In 1890 the old settlers of Jasper and Newton counties organized an old settlers' association and annually since that date the pioneers have held either the latter part of Ausrust or the early part of September (as conditions from time to time indicated as best) a reunion and picnic at Moss Springs, seven and one-half miles southeast of Carthage. This celebrated picnic ground is admirably suited to a gathering of this kind for three reasons: (Ist) Being away from any of the large cities and at a spot which had been left as nature made it, the scenes presented are much as they were in the days before the war and as the county, for the most part, was in the reconstruction days after the unpleasantness of 1861-5.

(2nd) Being away from any of the lines of railroad, it is necessary for the old timers and their friends to go as they did before the advent of the iron hoi-se and the electric car.

(3rd) As the nearest boardincr house to the picnic grounds is several miles away, the people who attend have to take their lunches with them and, as every one knows, the eating of a picnic dinner, using the green irrass for a table and jrettiner the drinking water from the friendly spriner nearby, is one-half of the pleasure of one of these out-of-door gatherings.

Those of the citizens of this county who have never attended one of these great reunions have missed a rare treat ; for these gatherings have

Of Jate years the annual picnics have served a two-fold purpose ; tiiey have been both a reunion and also a county exposition, where exhibits of all kinds have been made, and the taking of a premium at one of these gatherings is counted a great honor.

One of the most notable differences between these reunions and similar gatherings held in the cities is the absence of small shows and other tented aggregations which detract from the exercises proper, and are conducted merely as a money-making scheme. At the reunions of this society there are morning and afternoon programs, held at the rustic pavillion constructed for the exercises, and from the platform the prominent speakers of the old school recount the joys and sorrows, the pleasures and the tribulations of pioneer life ; and those of our own day and generation enliven the scene by songs and literary exercises. During the noon-hour, of course, the most important part of the program is carried out - the picnic dinner - and as everyone brings a well-filled basket and enough not only for the family but half a dozen friends besides, every one goes away, as we used to say, ** filled to the neck.*'

We had thought to describe at length some one of the twenty-one reunions which this organization has had, but we are at a loss to know just which one was counted the most important or the most enjoyable, and will not particularize further than to say that at the reunions held the latter part of this decade the attendance has varied from 5,000 to 10,000, and the programs of exercises have been of such a character that every one has been **the best ever."

The writer well remembers the first of these events which he had the pleasure to attend - ^the reunion in 1906. As we approached the groimd, our party stopped at the Four Comers - six miles south of Carthage - and from the north, south and west, as far as the eye could reach, were seen a stream of buggies, wagons and horsemen coming to the great reunion. Arriving at the grounds, so dense was the line of vehicles that we were obliged to tie our horses half a mile from the speaker's stand and the sea of people who surged to and fro in the grand old forest bespoke the importance of the gathering as a social event.

Early in 1890 an epidemic of what is now commonly called the grippe spread over Jasper county and in an incredibly short time had a thousand people sick with the ailment.

When the grippe first made its appearance, it was called the Russian influenza, but the French name. La Grippe seemed more appropriate and the disease was so called by the people of America.

In Carthage it became necessary to dose the schools for a short time, six teachers and three hundred and fifty pupils being sick with the grippe during the third week in January. Usually an attack of the grippe did not last longer than three or four days, but those few days equalled two weeks of any ordinary sickness, as the patient for a time was all in with the influenza. One of the grippe victims illustrated the peculiar feeling of the afSiction as being like sea sickness, and illustrates it with the old story of the man who crossed the pond and experienced the sea sick feeling for the first time. He said : ' * The first day I thought that I was going to die; the second day, I was afraid that I wouldn't; and the third day, I was well."