Nodaway County, Missouri - Chapter 36: Miscellaneous Events of Interest, 1910

Chapter 36: Miscellaneous Events of Interest

In this chapter will appear the record of numerous items which of them¬ selves are hardly sufficient in importance to form separate chapters, but will be found to be interesting parts of Nodaway county's history :

Destructive Tornadoes

But few localities in the United States, especially east of the Rocky Mountain range, are free from the terrible ravages of the tornado. How¬ ever, Nodaway county, owing to its peculiar topographical position, - its alti¬ tude and numerous natural timber land tracts, - has so far been very fortunate in respect to these "twisters," cyclones and tornadoes. But it will be the province of this article to portray a few of the worst wind storms that have ever swept over the county, in the memory of white men at least. We are in¬ debted to the files of the Nodaway Democrat for the following account of the storm that swept through the northern portion of the county on Mav 29, 1879, the same having been originally reported by the St. Joseph Herald :

"The cloud was first noticed at about four o'clock, and resembled a dense volume of smoke arising from a burning building, and such it was at the time thought to be. It did not appear to be over two or three rods in width, having the shape of a funnel, spreading out to larger dimensions at the top. Afterwards, it seemed to spread out until it finallv covered a strip of territory half a mile wide.

"Upon arriving at the point where the tornado did its first damage the team was halted and a survey of the land taken. The first damage done was at the farm of Dudley Messick, about nine miles northeast of Fillmore, in Andrew county, where it destroyed an orchard of bearing apple trees and blew down the fences over which it passed.

"From there the whirlwind went to the farm of David Maginnis, about three-quarters of a mile farther on. where it literallv tore a lumber wagon to pieces, but not injuring any of the buildings. The next farm in the track of the storm was that of James Wade, whose fences were completely wrecked, the pieces being scattered far and wide over the farm. From there the storm passed to the farm of Mr. Lemaster. Here it unroofed his cow-sheds, scattering the splinters in every direction, but, strange to say, leaving the stock unhurt in their stalls. From here the tornado seemed to increase in its fury, its velocity becoming greater, and the whirling motion growing more and more powerful. Sweeping at the rate of nearly sixty miles an hour, it passed a short distance north of the house of Charles Schmidt, on the farm of George R. Montgomeiy, when it turned suddenly to the southwest and struck Mr. Schmidt's house. This was a small frame building, and it was totally destroyed. The frame work seemed to have been mashed down by some heavy weight, and the roof rested on the top of this pile of ruins. The weatherboarding and shingles were scattered in every direction for several hundred yards. Mr. Schmidt was not in the house at the time the storm struck it, but his wife was, and when her husband made search for her in the ruins, he found her in a perilous position, in a sitting posture with a part of the roof bearing heavily upon her back and neck, hold¬ ing her to the ground. The fallen timbers surrounded her in such a manner that she could not extricate herself, and it was some little time before her husband could extricate or relieve her. She was then taken to the house of a Mr. Davis, where she was cared for by Dr. B P. Williamson as soon as he could be called and arrive. She was seriously bruised in various parts of the body, and perhaps injured internally.

"A team on the farm, being attached to a plow a few rods from the house, was unhitched by the driver when the storm was seen approaching. They were picked up bodily and carried a distance of three-quarters of a mile, and set down on 'the ground, uninjured! They soon returned unattended to the farm where they belonged.

"From the Schmidt farm, the storm swept on a little further to the southwest, and then turned to the northwest again, circling around the barn of Thomas E. Smith, of Bolckow, occupied by H. Wilson, striking the house and demolishing it. Air. Wilson saw the storm approaching and nailed the door shut, but when the house was struck the nails were broken like little splinters and the door blown open and the room filled with the surging ele¬ ment. One of Mr. Wilson's little boys started to leave the house when the door was forced open, and he was blown aganc-i the fence, to which he caught and held onto bravely until the storm was over. In a few seconds the building, a story and a half house, was turned over on its side without breaking it, and then torn to splinters and the splinters strewn in every direction. Mr. Wilson had caught hold of a door casing and was thus car¬ ried a distance of a hundred feet to the north, where he was landed, re¬ ceiving painful injuries about the head and shoulders. Mrs. Wilson and the children were found in the ruins, the lady being bruised somewhat about the head and arms. A little girl aged eight years was severely burned by the fire from the stove and scalded by the hot water. A small boy was hurt about the face and head.

"From that point the storm seemed to lift itself up and pass two miles and a half before doing any further damage. Then it dipped to the earth again, swooping down with terrific force upon the old Sixteen-Mile House, on the Savannah and Maryville road. The building was owned by Al. Hear¬ ing, of Barnard, and was occupied by John W. Phelps. It was also com¬ pletely demolished. It was completely blotted out of existence. On every side might have been seen timbers, boards, stone and other materials, cover¬ ing fully forty acres of territory. There was not a whole piece of furniture left. Stoves were broken, a sewing machine was torn to pieces, chairs, bed¬ steads, plates and cups, all shared the same fate. The stable was struck alongsides and turned over, leaving three horses standing completely un¬ covered, while a mule tied to the running gears of a wagon was blown two hundred feet over a board fence and set down unharmed. The wagon box belonging to these running gears was carried off in a northwesterly direction over a quarter of a mile. The orchard, one of the finest in all Nodaway county, was totally destroyed, trees a foot in diameter being twisted off at the ground and literally torn to pieces.

"The orchard of Mrs. Jackson, opposite, together with her house, was somewhat damaged. John Richardsoh, her son-in-law, was living in the house with his wife and two children, and Miss Inez Jackson. When they saw the storm coming they ran into the Sixteen-Mile House and Mr. Phelps hurried them off down the road with his own family and hid them under a large hedge, and thus saved them from annihilation.

"The next farm in the track was that of A. J. Turner, upon which was situated a newr frame house, a story and a half high; this was picked up and carried to the east a distance of about fifty feet, where it was let down and literally torn to slivers. Not a whole piece of furniture was left in the house. The storm was seen approaching and the family escaped to an old one-story house, formerly used for a dwelling, and were not injured.

"Here the destructive monster reached its greater fury, sweeping on from the Turner farm to that of Henry M. Harmon, sixty rods to the northeast. The destruction at this place simply beggars description. Mr. Harmon's barn, a large structure, was first struck and shivered to atoms. The whole place was covered with boards and shingles and timbers. One large sill was carried a distance of half a mile and driven a distance of eleven feet into the ground. The residence, a story and a half building, was also wiped out of existence. Pieces of the house and barn were strewn along the path of the tornado for three miles. Harmon's orchard was destroyed, together with all of his fences. One wagon was carried high into the air across the One Hundred and Two river, over three miles, landing a total wreck. The family retreated into the old part of the house and escaped with their lives. Two of the boys were in the new barn, and one in the barn lot. but managed to escape with but slight injuries.

"At Harmon's farm the width of the track of the storm was about fifty yards, but spread out to the width of about half a mile, and next vented its fury on the farm of Mrs. Goforth, tearing its way through the timber and orchard, and from there a mile east the timber, trees and saplings were blown in every conceivable shape.

"The next farm visited was that of Uncle Frank Conlin. A large story and a half house, worth one thousand dollars, was wrecked, although not blown entirely down. Its walls were left standing at an angle of forty-five degrees. None of the family was injured. The corn crib and outbuildings generally were all demolished. The orchard and timber were badly dam¬ aged. A few rods from there a tenement house, occupied by William Bow¬ man, was unroofed and Mrs. Bowman was said to have lost her reason through the fright she received at the time.

"The next scene of disaster was at C. C. Robinson's house, occupied by Guilford Richards. This was a story and a half structure, and it was com¬ pletely destroyed, nothing being left within twenty yards of the foundation. The family were absent at the time, at a wool-picking. The carpet was left hanging in a tree eighty rods from the site of the house, and fully forty feet from the ground. Five hogs were killed, one being torn in two behind the shoulders. Mr. Richards dog was picked up by the storm and carried over the tops of trees for nearly a mile, where he was let gently down, without material injury.

"From here the storm swept on through the timber, for a distance of two miles, where the damage stopped and the cloud disappeared, having spent its force. This was within about two miles of the town of Guilford."

Past And Present The Hopkins Tornado

Twenty-nine years ago last June (12th day of June, 1881) occurred the never-to-be-forgotten tornado of Hopkins, Nodaway county. The author of this history is indebted to the Nodazvay Democrat files for the following description of this storm :

"Last Sunday, June 12, 1881, will long be remembered by many on ac¬ count of the terrible wind-storm which occurred. The day throughout all this part of the country was very warm, the atmosphere being somewhat sultry and oppressive. In fact, it was just such a day as tornadoes might be expected. Along in the afternoon, clouds began to darken the horizon in different directions, the deep mutterings of thunder were distinctly heard, and vivid lightning flashed back and forth from cloud to cloud in such a manner as to portend a much more than usual disturbed condition of the elements.

"At about three or four o'clock in the afternoon, at Maryville, after quite a severe gale of wind, the rain began to fall and we were favored with quite a heavy shower. About the same time, however, in different localities, and not many miles on either side of us, were being enacted quite different scenes. The winds gathered together, and with tremendous power passed through strips of country in regular tornado fashion, carrying death and destruction in their pathway.

"From reporters who visited the course of the storm in the north part of the county on the day subsequent to its occurring, we are enabled to lay before our readers the following sad intelligence of the fearful havoc made bv the storm king.

"The tornado occurred between four and five o'clock in the afternoon. It had its origin or starting point near the Lone Elm school house, in Atchi¬ son township, some six miles due west of Hopkins. Those living in the vicinity, who witnessed the storm, are of the opinion that there were near this point four different branches or wings of the tornado, each acting wdthin a scope of its own and doing some damage before all of them united, being drawn to one immense funnel-shaped current, after which everything within its course wras moved with such violence and force as is seldom exhibited, even in these great storms. These currents seemed to unite near the Jeffrey farm, some half mile east of the Lone Elm school house. One of the strands, however, before the union, struck down on the school house, entirely demol¬ ishing it. Another strand started out south wTest of the place where they united. This strand passed just to the north of A. C. Miller's house, the edge just reaching to the house, tearing down the flues and his outbuildings and some of his fencing.

"From Miller's, the next place was that of Scott Bland. Mr. Bland, himself, was away from home in Kansas, and the sole occupants of the house were his aged mother and sister, who reside with him. His sister saw the storm coming and told her mother that they had better get into a cave just by the house. The old lady rather objected, but in a moment yielded to the persuasions of her daughter, and they were no sooner in the cave than the house was carried away, twisted up and jammed to pieces. Everything in its sweep, orchard, fences, outbuildings, here as elsewhere, was entirely swept away.

"Continuing on in a southeastern direction, it next struck the place of Zach Davidson. His house shared the fate of others mentioned, but before the general falling to pieces it was blown some ten rods across a ravine. He and his wife and two boys and a hired man were in the house. Mr. David¬ son told our reporter that about the only impression he remembers having while the house was being carried away, was that he thought he was still alive. As soon as that part of the house in which the members of the fam¬ ily were came down, Mr. Davidson remembers looking about to see if all were there, and the feelings of all on learning that not one of their number was missing or seriously hurt can be imagined better than described. It was almost a miracle, and probably could not occur again in one case out of a thousand. His stable was all blown to pieces and two fine horses were lifted up and carried by the storm nearly a quarter of a mile, one of them being blown through a wire fence, still remaining attached to the halter and that to a log of the stable to which he had been tied while the stable was intact. Strange to relate, the horses received but little injury. Mrs. Davidson was quite painfuly bruised.

"The tornado next passed over a part of the farm of Frank Morehouse, removing fences and doing other damage, as in the instances above men¬ tioned.

"Its course from here was due east a half mile, down a lane. The north fence of the lane was entirely destroyed, not a rail or post being left. The south fence - wire and rail fence - was badly scattered, the rails nearly all being carried away and the wire twisted into ugly snarls. Half a mile down the lane from the point last named, to the north side, stands a tenement house belonging to Sam Wood, around which there is a large orchard, to the west and north of which is a beautiful willow fence, which the storm did not hurt. A strange feature of the storm to be seen here is that while the willow fence remained intact, the orchard and house which it enclosed on the west and north were ruined. Fine looking, noble trees in the orchard and some shade trees were torn out by the roots, limbs and branches twisted off, the house demolished, and the fence to the south blown away, and yet the willow fence was left apparently uninjured.

"Its course from here was southeast, down a hollow or draw for about half a mile. It took a stable and barn of Sam Wood in its sweep and made a fearful pathway through about thirty-five acres of beautiful timber. His house was just without the edge of the storm and the principal injury it sus¬ tained was the blowing down of the flues.

"Less than half a mile east from here was the farm and residence of John Grabill. The house was destroyed, as were the orchard, fencing and everything within the scope of the all-powerful whirling wind. At this point a stone which would have made a good lift for three men was carried a dis¬ tance of some thirty feet. Mr. Graybill's family were badly injured, as will De seen in the list of injured.

"From here the tornado rather bore to the southeast. While the por¬ trayal so far is sad and gloomy, yet we now come to the point where death was wrought. James Young and wife, a couple somewhat aged, together with their family, lived probably half a mile from Graybill's. The family were absent except this aged pair. Here the tornado struck in all its force and fury, seemingly determined to even outdo all it had previously done. The house was demolished, the old gentleman and lady being blown away some distance. Mr. Young was found some fifty yards from the house in a patch of brush. The wind snatched from the poor old body every shred of clothing, except a piece of one pants leg. Both legs were broken, both arms broken, a gash cut across his forehead, and something struck him so that his entrails protruded. In the sudden fury and unrelenting violence of the storm, while his mortal frame was being thus badly mutilated, his spirit, let us trust, passed tranquilly into the presence of its Maker, where storms never come. What a sight it must have been to those who first discovered his body. Mrs. Young was blown in a somewhat different direction, and was severely injured, probably fatally.

"The next work of destruction, so far as buildings were concerned, was the McMackin mill, on the One Hundred and Two river. This was former¬ ly known as the Jones mill. It was made an entire wreck. Three young men were in the upper story at the time. How they escaped is a mystery to themselves as well as others.

"Crossing the river, its course was still southeast, and while it did great damage to timber, fences, etc., it seems not to have struck any houses.

"As showing the tremendous power of the wind, it is only necessary to allude to the fact that on its course it was noticed in several places that posts were twisted right out of the ground and carried aw:ay. Iron beam plows were seen twisted terribly. Fearful and terrible indeed are such storms, not only because of the destruction of property, but on account of the loss of human life. All who saw the course of this one agreed on the fact that its width was not uniform, but that it spread out at some points in its course much wider than at others. The edges were well defined, and the indica¬ tions point to the greatest severity in the center. Its track was from one hundred yards to a quarter of a mile in width, and its length from west of the One Hundred and Two rivers some three or four miles. East of that stream it also continued two or three miles, but with less force and, from the situation and surface of the country, with much less damage, according to all reports which we have been able to gain.

"One feature noticeable along the track of the wind was that almost everything that was left was bedaubed with mud. It doubtless gathered up the mud off of the ground and hurled it through the air, thus sending it against evervthing in its way.

"This is probably the severest storm which ever passed over any part of our county, as it is thought to surpass the one in the south part a year ago, and we hope it will never devolve on us again to chronicle another so dreadful and destructive in its consequences.

"'I'he following physicians were in attendance on Monday, and did all in their power to alleviate the sufferings : Drs. Heckeclorn and E. T. Moore, of Maryville; Drs. Gerard Hughes and Sergeant, of Hopkins, and Dr. Wallis, of Pickering."

The general meteorological disturbance of June t 2. 1881, resulted in several other tornadoes, one at Rosendale. Andrew county, and three in Gen¬ try county and De Kalb counties.

Soon after this terrible storm, the following appeared in print and was from an eye witness of many such storms, and will be well for the reader to remember in case such a storm ever overtakes them :

"Now, if tornadoes move east bv about twenty degrees north, one can escape when they approach by running north or south, as the case may be. Some persons, not knowing this fact, have run directly into the tornado and been killed. It is well also to remember tornadoes occur late in the after¬ noon, when the atmosphere is sultry, and in this latitude on the last few days of May, or the first days of June, being drawn backward or forward, as the season is early or late, and that they are increased in intensity proportionately as the season is dry. Tornado caves are a safeguard in prairie countries. The only effectual remedy for tornadoes is found in planting forests, which drive these terrible storms into the open air. Tornadoes seldom do much damage in forest states.''

Circus Tent Calamity

On September 18, 1905, a terrible windstorm passed through Maryville, at a time when the great Ringling Brothers circus tents were pitched just to the east of the city limits, and during the show when thousands of people were within the tent. The result was the collapsing of the tent and breaking down of seats and poles, which accident maimed more than one hundred per¬ sons and killed two outright, including one of the showmen. Many damage suits were brought against the company and, as usual, the great show corpora¬ tion secured able attorneys to defend on the plea that the storm was in the nature of a cyclone or tornado, and the test case was brought this spring at the federal court at St. Joseph, where the showmen were entirely exoner¬ ated, but it is believed that the case will be taken to the supreme court.

Early Marriage Record

In the settlement of every new country there is always more or less of interest connected with the first marriage records, hence in this connection will be given a few of the pioneer marriages, with some of the facts con¬ nected therewith :

"This is to certify that I, William Davis, an acting justice of the peace of White Cloud township, Nodaway county, state of Missouri, on April 3d A. D. 1845, lawfully married Archibald Prather to Rebecca Atkinson.

One of the last marriages during the year 1845 - the first year of the organized county's history - was recorded in the following language :

"This is to certify, that I, Caleb Kauble, an acting justice of the peace of Dallas township, did on the 27th day of November, 1845, solemnize the bands of matrimony betwixt William Wilson and Miss Sarah Jane Gui 11, this 13th day of December, 1843.

During the year 1845 there were recorded eighteen marriages, in 1880 there were two hundred and ninety-two and in 1909 only two hundred and thirty-nine marriages. Whether marriage has become more unpopular or whether this was an off year, the record sayeth not.

Hunting In Northwest Nodaway

W hat was styled many years ago "Hunter's Paradise, '' was the vicinity in which Lincoln township is now defined. At an early day - in the forties fifties and even sixties - there were deer, elk, bear, wild turkeys, coons, wild¬ cats, catamounts, mountain wolves, a large wolf of two varieties, black and gray, small prairie wolves, of a yellowish brown, beaver, otters, minks, musk¬ rats and other small game. The roaming Indians killed three elk within a half mile of pioneer Hutson's cabin. One of these animals was of such im¬ mense size that when his horns were reversed and set up on the ground, an ordinary man could easily pass under them. Buffalo were seen about ten miles to the north of Hutson's place and on the east side of the Missouri river. The droves on the west side of the river were large, so numerous that frequently one might have counted as many as five hundred in one drove. Turkeys were thicker than prairie chickens were twenty years later. I11 winter time the forest trees about the first settlers' houses were literally black with countless numbers of fat wild turkeys.

An early settler cut ten bee trees in one day and procured a large quan¬ tity of excellent wild honey. Other recorded statements of that reliable frontiersman, Mr. Hutson, states that he killed sixtv-two deer one autumn time; a son of his killed one hundred and thirty-three. When the ice had formed over the river and lakes, one fall and winter, just sufficient to bear a man's weight, hunters would chase the muskrats out of their houses and where the water was shallow, the fur-bearing animals would run under the ice, when the hunters would pursue and spear them through the ice, which was thin, yet clear and strong enough to hold their weight. One man cap¬ tured a hundred muskrats in one day's hunting expedition.

In the early forties there were many Indians yet hanging around the timber in this part of Nodaway county (northwest portion) and eleven hun¬ dred were encamped in the bottoms of the Nodaway river one mile distant from Mr. Hutson's place. Three hundred more camped a half mile to the north of his cabin. These Indians were here for the purpose of hunting and to bid a long farewell to their old hunting grounds, as by treaty they had relinquished this territory a few years prior to this.

Population By Precincts

According to the United States census of 1900. the enumeration of Nodaway county, in the various townships, cities and villages was as follows:

Population Of Cities And Villages

The coming (1910) census will show great increase, especially in the villages and cities of the county. The city of Maryville now has a population of 6,100.

Pioneer Gatherings

W hile it is to be deeply regretted that the sturdy pioneer band and later comers to this county have never taken advantage of the great benefits de¬ rived from a regularly organized "Old Settlers' Reunion Society," however.

it may be recorded that at various times in the history of the county, holiday occasions have been made the time for holding reunions of the early settlers and their families. To old and young, these green spots on life's rugged way are still fresh in the memory of many who participated in them. In 1880, thirty years ago. the thoughtful citizens of Burlington Junction bethought themselves of the pioneers of the Platte Purchase, and determined to offer prizes or tokens of their regard. These awards were to be made on the Fourth of July, as a part of the Independence Day features. First, a silver tea set to the oldest couple of the pioneer settlers of the Platte Purchase who should be present on the grounds; second, a silver table castor to the oldest female settler; third, a silver-headed cane to the oldest male settler. These articles were handsomely presented with appropriate remarks to the gravhaired veterans of pioneer days in Nodaway county and the "Purchase" in general. The spokesman was Prof. B. A. Dunn. Mr. and Mrs. Joel Al¬ bright, of Nodaway county, received the tea set. They came to the country in 1837, forty-three years before this reunion took place. Silver castors were awarded to two ladies, both of whom came in 1837, Mrs. Samuel T. Kennedy and Mrs. Mary Jackson. Two silver-headed canes were presented to the men coming to the Purchase in 1835, Benjamin R. Holt, of Andrew county, and John Grooms, of Nodaway county.

Again, at the county fair in 1881 similar prizes or tokens were awarded on the second day of the annual exhibit of farm products. These consisted of a silver-headed cane to the pioneer who had lived the longest within a radius of fifty miles of Maryville, and a china set to the lady who had re¬ sided within the same radius of the city. A Mr. Irwin, of Andrew county, carried off the cane, while Mrs. John Riggin took honors with the china set. The former had lived forty-nine years in one place in Andrew county, while the latter had resided in the same county for forty-three years. On this in¬ teresting occasion the presentation addresses were made in a splendid man¬ ner by Hon. Lafayette Dawson, who, among other things, said :

"Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : The task before me, assigned by the association, is to present this beautiful set of chinaware to the lady whom the committee selected for that purpose decided should be entitled to receive it. This committee has reported that Mrs. Riggin, of Andrew county, has resided within a radius of this place for a period of forty-three years and longer than any other lady. This is a long time, and many, very many before me had not been born at the time Mrs. Riggin took upon herself the duties of a housewife. The Platte Purchase was, at that date, a howling wilder- ness. Very few traces of civilization could then be found. Mrs. Riggin tells me that forty-three years ago everything around her early home assumed a radiance and splendor that she had never seen before. She says when springtime came the scenery was simply indescribable. Flowers as full and perfect as if they had the attention of the skilled botanist and florist, with all their sweet and captivating odors, and with all the variagated charms of color that nature could produce, were here in the la]) of elegance and beauty decorating the smiling groves. The sweet songsters of the forest appeared to feel the influence of the genial clime, and in more soft and modulated tones warbled their tender notes in unison with love and nature. * * * * *

"Standing by her side is Mr. Riggin, who has journeyed with her all these long (still short) years. Flis team then consisted of a blind ox and a muley cow, which, together with a rickety old lynch-pin wagon and a wooden mould-board plow, made up his farming outfit. This outfit he valued at five thousand dollars and his wife at twenty thousand dollars - she who to¬ day is to receive this beautiful china set. They have reared a large and inter¬ esting family and prospered beyond measure and have preserved their char¬ acters unsullied. Mrs. Riggin, you will now receive this token of friendship on the part of our people, and as an evidence of the gratitude we bear those who battled with the obstacles of nature forty years ago and converted a wilderness into a garden."

Tt is a pity that with the rush and pell-mell of business and greed, that these reunions of old settlers could not have been kept alive, but this was about the last of them. Long since, the Platte Purchase pioneers have been chambered in the silent halls of death.

Mareets By Periods

Without a complete file of weekly or daily papers from which to draw the facts concerning market quotations in Nodaway county, it is no easy task to handle this subject as the author would like to. FTowever. by diligent re¬ search the following quotations will be read with some interest and curiosity, showing how fickle have been the prices prevailing in this section. The earlier newspaper files having long since been destroyed, we necessarily cpiote from those published in later years, adding what old settlers recall of current prices.

Before the Civil war the prices paid for produce were extremely low as a rule, while all that had to be purchased from stores was very high. Ma¬ chinery had not then been invented to the extent of later decades, hence prices of manufactured articles were high. Then, being far from market points and factory centers, this had a tendency to make high-priced products and low-priced farm produce.

During the Civil war period prices generally went skywards - both mer¬ chandise and farm products, as is usually the case in war times. Sheeting (factory cloth) was sold as high as fifty cents per yard for several years; calico from eighteen to forty cents; bed ticking, fifty to ninety cents; seam¬ less "A" grain sacks were worth one dollar a piece, cotton being at that date one dollar per pound. Boots and shoes were correspondingly high-priced and many went barefooted in weather quite severe. Tea sold at two dollars and a half for the best grades of Gunpowder, and the cheapest Japan sold at one dollar and a quarter. But little was used. Coffee sold at fifty cents for two years in war times and many substitutes were invented and used, including chickery, rye. or parched corn, and tons of the well-remembered "Thomp¬ son's Coffee Extract" was sold at twenty-five cents a box. The weekly news¬ paper sold the country over up to the close of the war at from two dollars to three dollars per year in advance. Nails were twelve cents a pound.

On the other hand, corn sold at from sixty cents to one dollar and a half ; wheat from one dollar to two dollars; flour as high as fifteen dollars per bar¬ rel. Sorghum molasses sold at seventy-five cents to one dollar and sugar (dark brown stuff) at four pounds to the dollar. Harvest hands required from three dollars to three dollars and a half per day.

Coming down to later years, the files disclose these prices: In 1877 the Democrat quoted wheat at one dollar and a half ; corn, twenty to twentyeight cents; oats, eighteen to twenty cents; hogs, four dollars and a half; cattle, four dollars and a quarter to four dollars and a half.

Iu 1889-90 the same paper quoted as follows: Cattle, three dollars and seventy-five cents: hogs, four dollars and a half: wheat, seventy cents; oats, twenty cents; corn, twenty-six cents.

In 1901, prints (calico) sold in Maryville at from four and a half to six cents per yard, unbleached muslin at six cents, grain bags at twenty-three cents.

At this date (spring of 1910) for some reason unknown either to the people or political party workers, prices are unusually high on many articles. Especially is it true of livestock, hogs selling as high in the packing districts as ten dollars and seventy cents per hundred weight, more than Civil war-day prices; cattle from seven dollars to eight dollars and thirty cents; bacon from twentv-four to thirtv-three cents, while corn is onlv about sixtv cents in the ear, and wheat about the dollar mark. Groceries, as a rule, are not propor¬ tionately high, however. Labor is in good demand and farmers are hunting men to work at twenty-five dollars and unable to secure them. The subject of high-priced provisions has come to be so serious that Congress has taken it up and ordered an investigating committee to try and determine if it has been occasioned by trusts and combines. Strange to say, just at this time neither political party tries to convince the "dear people" that it is occasioned by reason of the "robber tariff," or, on the other hand, by some free-trade articles. All seem at sea as to the problem. The farmer is best pleased of all, for he is, and has been for years, reaping wealth from his fields, whereas a few years ago the prices paid him were ruinous to him. Yet he objects when merchants ask high prices for articles he has to purchase, notwithstand¬ ing the great prices he obtains for his produce.

Another class (and it seems with much logic) contends that these prices are the inevitable result of an increased population, which in all countries means high-priced lands. Only so many people can subsist off of an acre of land, and the days of cheap farm lands and, very likely, cheap meats is a thing of the past in the United States.

Iow A- Missouri State Line Dispute

What is sometimes known as the "State Line war," between Iowa and Missouri, involved the question of the correct geographical boundary line between the two states. It occurred in 1838 while both were yet territories and came about by reason of a misunderstanding of one clause in the act de¬ scribing the line. The immediate cause of the trouble was in the collection of taxes. It came near causing a civil war. The militia was called out and volunteers, the combined forces amounting to two thousand five hundred men, five hundred of whom actuallv were armed and encamped in Van Buren county, Iowa, ready to defend the territory. Missouri officers attempted to collect taxes in Iowa (mistaking the line), and were arrested and placed in jail by the sheriffs of Iowa, after which the respective governors called out the troops, preparing for bloodshed. As understood by the people of Iowa, the territorial constitution intended that the boundary line should be on a direct line running due west from the rapids in the Des Moines river, above Keokuk, to a point on the Missouri river, but just where the line touched certain counties was not understood by the citizens of Missouri, who in many cases had settled on what proved to be Iowa soil. There they had made im- provements and built for themselves homes. It made a difference of a strip of land from about eight to ten miles in width across the entire state. Slaves were in some instances held on this strip and Iowa was an abolition state from the earliest territorial days.

But before blood was shed over this question, three prominent men were sent from Iowa to Missouri as envoys plenipotentiary, to effect, if possible, an adjustment. Upon their arrival in Missouri, they found the commissioners of Clarke county, Missouri, had already rescinded their order for the collec¬ tion of taxes and that the governor had dispatched a messenger to the gover¬ nor of Iowa, preparing to submit a test case to the United States supreme court. This offer was at first declined, but later a petition by both territories was submitted and finally resulted in a victory for Iowa. The court ordered commissioners to survey the boundary line as it is now known and a series of iron mile posts were set the entire width of the state line. Thus, even that long ago, arbitration was more preferable than war and bloodshed.

As a bit of pleasantry growing out of this incident, Hon. C. C. Nourse, of Des Moines, many years later, wrote in the "Annals of Iowa," an histori¬ cal publication, as follows :

"If Missourians did not know where the rapids in the Des Moines river were located, that was not sufficient reason for killing them off with powder and lead; and .if we did know a little more about history and geography than they did, we ought not be shot for our much learning."

Cleveland - Platted May 16, 1879, by John H. Ware and James H. Herriff, situated in Nodaway township and is now a part of Burlington Junc¬ tion - that lying to the west of the main town.

Conception - Platted in 1856 and replatted regularly in 1879, is situated on section 24, township 63 range 34. It was originally platted by Father J. D. Powers of the Catholic church, a representative of the land association of this church, as the founder. They came from Reading, Pennsylvania, with a colony.

Clearmont - On section 25, township 66, range 37, and section 30, township 66, range 36, was platted by Stephen Call and F. McCauley, ?n the spring of 1857.

Lamar Station - On the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of section 27, township 66, range 37, was platted January, 1871, by John M. Lamar.

Maryville - "Second survey," so called, was platted by order of the county court. November 2, 1869, embracing all that portion east of Vine street, on the one side, and all north of Sixth street on the other. (See "City of Maryville" for original plattings.)

New Conception - (Now known as Conception Junction) was platted as a railroad town, by Claude N. Comstock, in August, 1895, on section T4, township 63, range 34.

City, Town And Village Incorporations

At this date the incorporated places of Nodaway county are as follows: Maryville, fourth-class city; Hopkins, fourth-class city; Burlington Junction, fourth-class city; Skidmore, fourth-class city; Barnard, town; Clearmont, town; Clyde, town; Elmo, town; Graham, town; Guilford, town; Pickering, town ; Parnell City, town ; Quitman, town ; Ravenwood, town ; Arkoe, village ; New Conception, village.

Upon the discovery of gold in California, in 1848, the news spread to all parts of the United States with great rapidity, considering the slow means of transmitting mails in those days. The following year (1849) thousands of men from the "States" might have been seen wending their way to the golden strand of the Pactific coast in search of the precious metal. Excite¬ ment ran high. It became so universal that it was termed "the gold fever" and it was soon spreading its way to the faraway Atlantic, becoming a real fad or mania and carrying thousands off their feet. Newspapers were filled u ith glowing and much exaggerated statements. Men left home and farm and shop and firesides, to brave the dangers and difficulties of a western trip hi high hopes that the time of their lives had come when gold could be picked up in nuggets, if perchance they could, in some way, get over the Rocky moun¬ tains or around the Cape by ship and finally land in California.

As an example of the high estimate placed on the gold find at Sutter's Mills in California, in 1848, and which was in reality the commencing of gold mining in this country, the St. Joseph Gazette of October, that year, had this to say :

"An immense bed of gold, one hundred miles in extent, has been dis¬ covered in California, on American fork and Feather rivers, tributary of the Sacramento and Monterey. Mr. Colton, the alcalde of Monterey, states that the gold is found in the sands in grains resembling squirrel shot flattened out. Some grains weigh one ounce each. It is got by washing out the sand in any vessel, from a tea saucer to a warming pan. A single person can gather an ounce or two a day; some even a hundred dollars worth. Two thousand whites and as many Indians are on the grounds. All the American settle¬ ments are deserted and farming is nearly suspended. The women only re¬ main in the settlements. Sailors and captains desert their ships, to go to the gold region, and laborers refuse ten dollars a day to work on the farms. Mr. Colton says : 'One man, who resides next door to me, gathered five hundred dollars worth in six days. He has one lump which weighs over one ounce. A trough, such as you feed pigs in, will bring in the gold region fifty dollars. Put a piece of sheet iron, punched full of holes on it and it will bring a hun¬ dred dollars. My friend, J. R., paid sixteen dollars for a little basket, and his companion gave twenty dollars for a teapot, all to wash gold out in.' More than twenty-eight thousand dollars worth had been collected. Governor Ma¬ son and his aide had gone to the district, which is five days journey from Monterey.

"The sailors had gone for gold from the ships, and the soldiers from their camps, for the same purpose. The last vessel that left the coast was obliged to ship an entire new crew, and pay each fifty dollars per month. No one can be hired to dig gold for less than from sixteen to twenty dollars per day. Every man prefers to work on his own hook; he may make less than the wages offered, but he has a chance of making much more. There flour is worth thirty-two dollars per barrel; fifteen pounds of Boston crackers in tin boxes, ten dollars a box; a cotton shirt, ten dollars; boards, five hundred dol¬ lars per thousand feet. A carpenter can get one hundred dollars per day. Mr. L. paid for a cradle trough, twelve feet by three wide, to wash gold earth in, one hundred and fifty dollars; less than a day's work to make it."

Instead of this fever dying out, it kept increasing. It was too late to cross the plains, but thousands of people from Missouri began their prepara¬ tions for starting the following spring, and among the number were many from Nodaway county. The chief topic of discussion about the pioneers'' cabin homes in this county, the following winter, was "California gold diggins." At one time a majority of the able-bodied men of the county were seriously considering the project of starting in the spring for California. So great seemed the chances for success that but few could withstand the tempta¬ tion.

When spring had come, the scenes here and all along the Missouri river were such as will never be witnessed again. Some of the wagons which made up the overland trains were drawn by cows ; other gold hunters went on foot and hauled their earthly effects in "hand carts." As a rule morals were left behind and disorder reined supreme all along the trail over the plains. There was one continual stream of wagons from east to west, as far as the eye could reach, moving steadily westward toward the setting sun and the land of gold. In this immense caravan might have been seen many men from Nod¬ away county. As they left, sadder farewells were never said. Many went west on'y to meet with hardship, disappointment and finally death in a wild, uncivilized land, far from home and family, once so dear to their hearts.

But a very small percentage of those who braved these dangers made a successful trip, and many lost all the property they had on earth. The per¬ sons who really made the most of this, America's first gold excitement, were those cooler headed men who remained at home and sold to the emigrants bound for the West, the provisions and produce which they raised on their fertile soil. This state of affairs continued unabated until in the summer of 1850, when a backset came, yet many trains were fitted out and crossed the "Great American desert." as the whole country from the waters of the Mis¬ souri to the Rocky mountains was called on the geographical maps of that period.

Gold-Seekers From Nodaway County

It may not be without interest in this connection to give a list of the men who chanced their fate and fortune from Nodaway county during the gold excitement of the years between 1848 and 1851. There may have been many more whose names are now forgotten : Thomas Boulware, Boliver Byers, C. L. Burns, Wright Bailey. Randolph Byers. William Blackman. Gillain Bailey, J. C. Blackelv, Thomas H. Brown, Mr. Barbour, William Curl, David Den¬ ning, Howard Davis, James W. Davis, Allen Groves, Dr. William Glaze, Thomas Groves, Squire Griffith, Joel Griffith, Hiram Groves, Isaac Groves, William Hanna, Gilford Henderson. Frank Hudson, Darius Hurlburt, Simeon Holland, Perry Holland. Isaac Hurlburt, William Jenkins, S. M. Jester, Hay¬ den Jackson, Jack Jenkins. Andrew Jenkins. Nicholas Kavanaugh, Harvey Kincade, Peter Love, Judge Charles Myers, Levi Martin, Henry Miller, James Pennington. Mr. Payne, Thomas Ray. James Ray, Henry Swearingen, Jr., John Saunders, Jr.. Henry Swearingen, Sr., James H. Saunders, Joel Stowe, E. S. Stephenson and Benjamin Simms.

Thousands of the overland emigrants in quest of gold crossed the Mis¬ souri at St. Joseph, White Cloud and other points, some even going as far as Nebraska City. They crossed in ferry boats, but after leaving the Missouri were compelled to ford and swim the many streams en route to the faroff coast. One of the largest companies that passed this way was the one called the California Emigration Company, composed of several hundred men from their homes to the distant gold fields. It often happened that the friends and neighbors would meet in great crowds to express regrets and good wishes as they set forth to an all unknown country.

The following is extracted from a famous speech made by Col. S. W. Black, of Pittsburg, upon the eve of the above named company leaving Pitts¬ burg, Pennsylvania :

"My Friends : - 1 have but a few words to say at parting. What I do say will come from the heart. I trust that whatever of good and truth I may de¬ liver, may reach your hearts. Before your return you will have seen no little of the world ; what you see will be so much learned beyond what you know now. All the world is a gold digger - rather a gold scratcher - and if often happens that, in scratching too greedily, we bring away the skin of one an¬ other's faces - betimes the flesh of one another's bones.

"The farmer in the fields, the mechanic in the shop, the merchant in the store, and the lawyer in the pursuit he has chosen, choose their daily business for gold. Even the preacher does not work unpaid. This is all right, and according to the purpose of creation. Our Father has planted gold in the earth for the benefit of His children. To make it by merit is noble and de¬ serving of praise. To accumulate it with proper motives is meritorious. To lose it is mean and condemned of God.

"You are starting out upon a long journey. Allow me, then, to make a few suggestions, which may not, in the end, be worthless. You leave with¬ out a flag. Make a banner for yourselves and cling to it. Inscribe upon its folds Fraternity and Friendship. Let the same devotion inspire you that act¬ uates the soldier for the standard of his country. In all things be one. Or¬ ganize yourselves into companies, elect your officers, men of intelligence and nerve.

"I know that your messes have ardent spirits among their stores. They may be useful or harmful to the judgment with which they are used. In the life in which you are acting you will find occasional necessity for the use of stimulants. They are serviceable only when the system is prostrated by disease and exposure.

"A kind-hearted friend has just requested me to say that if there are any of this expedition without Bibles, he will be happy now to furnish them. It does not become me, perhaps, to speak of a subject so grave and serious, yet I can say that this, the Book of Books, is the best companion you can take with you ; it is a never failing reliance. The general prayer, is, and will be, that no evil befall you. nor any plague come nigh thee. Come back enriched, and make your riches a blessing to the destitute at home. Let your friends have no other cause of grief, other than at parting. Your incoming will be a day of bright and thrilling joy. The tear that stands still in the eye, will be replaced with diamonds. The red autumn of present sadness will pass away and in due season the glorious summer will succeed in bringing its golden harvest."

To gain some idea of the vast number of men who went West during the gold excitement days in California, we simply give the number who crossed the river at St. Joseph and other places from April i to June 15, 1849 - two months and a half. The number of wagons crossing at that ferry port was one thousand five hundred and eight, and the number of men averaged four to the wagon, or about six thousand men. At Duncan's Ferry, four miles above St. Joseph, six hundred and eighty -five wagons crossed; at Bontown, Savannah and other nearby ferries as far up as Council Bluffs, there were two thousand wagons more, making a total of four thousand one hundred and ninety-three wagons. Ten thousand persons had crossed at Independence, making a grand total of twenty-seven thousand. There were about eight mules or oxen to each wagon, making the total number thirty-seven thou¬ sand five hundred and forty-four mules and oxen.