CHAPTER XL

_The Bridges Across the Cedar at Cedar Rapids and Early Steamboating on the Cedar River_

One of the most enterprising men who devoted all his time to the upbuilding of Kingston, which later became part of Cedar Rapids, was David W. King, who arrived a short time after Robert Ellis. Mr. King and the settlers on the west side of the river early devised schemes by which to get in touch with the east side and the county seat. True, it was all right when the river was frozen over and in summer when the river was down so that it was safe to ford the stream, but there were times when it was impossible to ford the river on account of high water.

D. W. King obtained a license to operate a ferry across the river, which he continued to run up to the time of his death in 1854. This ferry was operated till about 1857 when the bridges were opened. Even for some time after the first bridge was put in operation did the ferry do much business, as the first bridge soon after it had been completed went out with the flood in the spring of '57, and the second bridge, finished that fall, also went out by an ice gorge in January the next year. Then for a time the ferry was used from and to May's Island as the bridge from the east side to May's Island had been properly erected so as to stand the floods.

The establishment of a ferry at this point brought trade to Cedar Rapids and accomplished much in making Cedar Rapids a business center, to which place travelers and others came. It was not till many years later that free bridges could be offered to the citizens of the town. But in this respect the city was ahead of other cities of the state.

It was David W. King who early began a toll bridge, and it is said that "when the boulder in the river near the Watrous mill was visible the early pioneer could with safety drive across the river." If it was not they had to pay for crossing on the toll bridge. David King's ferry was the first step in the direction of progress in Cedar Rapids. By virtue of a law which went into effect December 22, 1848, Mr. King was authorized to establish and keep a ferry across Cedar river at a point in Linn county opposite Cedar Rapids for a term of ten years with exclusive privilege for the space of one mile on either side. Here King for a number of years did a thriving business, and Cedar Rapids received the benefits of the trade which extended west into Benton county.

THE FIRST BRIDGE

In an old paper, being part of the records of the house passed January 23, 1853, the following may be found: "An Act to create a Board of Commissioners with authority to erect a free bridge across the Cedar River at Cedar Rapids in Linn County.

"SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa that John M. May, Frederick A. Williams and Gabriel Carpenter be and are hereby appointed and constituted a Board of Commissioners to receive voluntary subscriptions in trust for the erection of a free bridge across the Cedar river at Cedar Rapids in Rapids Township, Linn County, with a draw of not less than forty feet in said bridge for the free passage of boats and other craft navigating said river.

"SEC. 2. Provided, that the Board should furnish Bonds in the sum of $20,000.00 to be approved by the County Judge of Linn County.

"Sec. 4. Providing, that the construction of the bridge should be begun within ninety days from the time of the beginning to collect subscriptions and that the bridge should be completed within two years from the time that

## active work was begun."

This bridge was begun in the fall of 1856 and completed during the winter of 1856 and 1857. It was located below May's Island at the foot of Daniels street, now Seventh avenue. This bridge was really gotten up to spring a real estate boom in property owned by Carpenter, Major May and others on the west side of the river. It is said Major May himself subscribed $1,000. However, the location of the bridge was ideal. It was needed and was something the people of the town took a great pride in; in the early day toll bridges were the rule and not the exception. During the early spring of 1857 this bridge in a high flood was carried away and two sisters by the name of Black, living on the west side and who were crossing the bridge at the time, lost their lives.

During the following summer there was much agitation for a bridge, especially by the people having real estate and residing on the west side of the river and farmers who had located in the western part of the county as well as in southeast Benton county. During the summer a floating bridge was built across the river at what is known now as First avenue. This was also a short lived bridge, having been carried away by the ice gorge in the spring of 1858.

During the same summer materials were secured and some was saved from the old bridge and a temporary bridge was erected across May's Island, between May's Island and east Cedar Rapids, while on the west side a ferry boat was used. In February, 1855, the county court granted a license for twenty-five years to H. G. Angle for the erection and maintenance of a toll bridge at First avenue. It provided that no other toll bridge should be erected on the river for two years within two miles on either side of this contemplated toll bridge. In the decree of the court it was also mentioned that in case a free bridge was constructed within two miles a reasonable sum of money should be paid to the person or company owning the toll bridge. This toll privilege was transferred in the following year to George Greene, John Weare, William Greene, P. W. Earle, A. F. Steadman, H. E. Higley, N. B. Brown, Lowell and Lawson Daniels, E. H. Dobbs, J. J. Child, and J. P. Rogers. This bridge, however, was not opened for traffic until the winter of 1859-60. The stockholders were made up of Cedar Rapids people, and at one time the stock was above par. The prices charged were as follows: 25 cents for a double team and wagon; for driving cattle 5 cents a head: for driving sheep 3 cents a head; and for pedestrians 1 cent each. Some time later reduction was made by the management for round trip ticket holders. Many squabbles were had over these tickets. It is said that an Irishman came to T. J. Dudley, Jr., wanting to start suit for preventing him returning, he having lost his round trip ticket, and offering him $10.00. Mr. Dudley quietly went down to the office of the company and told the man to cross. He was permitted to do so and willingly parted with his $10.00 to Dudley, the latter paying the customary price to the gatekeeper. This story of Dudley's wit, showing how a lawyer got the best of it, was repeated in many families in Cedar Rapids, and as a consequence a number of young men took up the study of law for a profession.

For a number of years citizens residing in west Cedar Rapids and in the eastern part of the county made various attempts for a free bridge across the river. Much of the grain and produce came from Benton county and the western part of Linn county. A number of grain merchants and others were located on that side of the river and had their grain in storage at that place and were asking the railroad authorities for permission to erect freight houses on that side of the river. A number of citizens of Cedar Rapids who were interested in Kingston real estate also attempted this enterprise, believing that the time was not far distant before Kingston would become the more important town of the two. A petition was circulated for a free bridge across the Cedar river and presented to the board of supervisors to take the matter under consideration. At the January term, 1871, the board appropriated $14,000 for the purpose, providing that the city or citizens of Cedar Rapids, or both, should guarantee to furnish the balance of such sum as should be necessary to pay for a first-class iron bridge across the Cedar. It was further provided that no part of the county funds should be expended until the whole sum necessary had been raised by subscription or otherwise. The citizens of Cedar Rapids, and others interested in the city, at once circulated petitions for funds and also authorized the mayor of Cedar Rapids to call an election and vote on the question of issuing bonds to aid in the construction of said bridge. This petition was signed by S. C. Bever, one of the early bankers, and by more than fifty citizens wanting a bridge located at what is now First avenue, asking that the city vote bonds to the extent of $6,000, promising that the citizens would guarantee the balance for the erection of a bridge.

Another petition was signed by John F. Ely and about one hundred other citizens all interested in locating the bridge at the foot of Park avenue, now Third avenue. These gentlemen asked for the issuance of $12,000 worth of city bonds, and were willing to guarantee any additional sum necessary over and above the amount appropriated by the county and city, which they were to raise by private subscription. Thus, there were two factions within the city, one working against the other in the matter of the location of the bridge. These factions were composed, of course, of people who were interested in the location at a point that would be most advantageous to their private interests.

During the winter of 1870-71 it was very cold and severe until in March when it became suddenly warm. Heavy rains followed and the river on or about the first of March was very high and the ice commenced to move out. Large quantities of ice came rolling and surging down the stream and carried everything down the river. In a few days the toll bridge at First avenue went down, struck by one of the ice floes which made it collapse. The Bourne saw mill also became a total wreck, and more or less damage was done to all the mills along the river. On account of the disaster to the toll bridge all communication with Kingston was cut off and it became necessary to do something at once.

The city council was called together and the mayor called for an election. In this council sat J. J. Snouffer, Dr. Mansfield, Stephens, C. C. Cook, David Denlinger, E. S. Hill, James Bell, and E. Robbins, with Mayor Thomas Z. Cook. The city voted bonds to the extent of $12,000 by a majority vote of 483 for and 83 against the bond proposition. All this time E. Robbins, one of the aldermen, operated a small boat called the "Aurora," which had previously been used between this point and Vinton, as a ferry boat above the dam. It was so arranged that eight teams could cross at the same time.

About the same time Keech & Co. established a ferry boat that was operated by horse power attached to a cable stretched across the river.

[Illustration: JUDGE N. M. HUBBARD]

The two men having the most to do with the building of this bridge were William Ure, a member of the board of supervisors, from Scotch Grove, and William Richmond, a part of the city council, who had charge of the entire work. These men devoted a great deal of their time in helping along the speedy construction of the bridge. The contract for the superstructure was let in April to Messrs. O'Hanlan and O'Hara at a cost of $22,000.00. The contract provided that the work should be done within ninety days from April 15th. The bridge proper was erected by the Canton Bridge Company, of Canton, Ohio, and cost about $20,000 for the abutment and piers. The other necessary masonry work made a total cost of $42,000. The bridge fund consisted of the following amounts: The county expended $15,000; city bonds, $12,000; subscriptions paid, about $16,000.

For many years this bridge was considered as a county bridge and all moneys used for repairs were paid from the county bridge fund; later it was looked upon as a city bridge, and repairs, etc., were paid for out of the city treasury. This bridge was completed August 15th and a celebration was had. It is still used and the bonds have long since been paid.

During the year 1874 the board of supervisors appropriated $8,000 for the B avenue bridge and the citizens subscribed $22,000, of which sum N. B. Brown subscribed $5,000, George Greene $4,000, William Greene $4,000, Higley estate $2,000. A contract was let for the bridge in September, 1874, in the amount of $28,500; other additions were made, making the bridge cost about $32,000.

Fourteenth avenue bridge, known as the James street bridge, was begun in August, 1875, and completed in December of the same year at a total cost of $27,000. The county appropriated for this bridge $11,500, the city $6,000, and the property owners paid $9,500, T. M. Sinclair paying the largest amount.

The First avenue bridge was constructed in 1884 at a cost of about $25,000, the bridge being opened for traffic in November, 1884.

The Second avenue bridge, being a cement bridge with railings, cost about $110,000, and was opened for traffic in December, 1905.

The new Fourteenth avenue, or James street, bridge was commenced by the Union Construction Company in 1909, and completed in the spring of 1910 at a cost of about $80,000.

EARLY STEAMBOATING ON THE CEDAR

The following account of some early steamboating adventures on the Cedar river is from the pen of B. L. Wick, and is taken from the first volume of the _Proceedings_ of the Historical Society of Linn county. It is of interest.

The subject matter of steamboating on the Cedar will scarcely attract any attention today and means only a pleasure jaunt with more or less inconvenience among sandbars on the upper river. However, historically speaking, steamboating on this river was an epoch-making period for this section of the country, and the prosperity of our city was due in a large measure, to our dam, our grist, saw and woolen mills; and to our steamboat traffic. These industries made Cedar Rapids.

It has been said that the history of a town is frequently the history of a great river. This is true of nearly all the great European cities and is equally true of the great marts of commerce in this country. The great Father of Waters has, however, played an important part in the development of the middle west, of which great body of water the Red Cedar is one of its many tributaries. It has been stated that this great river system has 16,000 miles of navigable waters, and it is further the river along whose banks at least three of the European powers have contested for the extension of territory. I shall leave this discussion out of the question, and confine myself to one of its many branches--the Red Cedar.

It was not till August 7, 1807, that Robert Fulton propelled the Clermont up the Hudson by means of steam navigation at the rate of five miles an hour, and solved forever, the great question of water navigation. It was not long till the inventor and his friend, Livingston, extended their operations to the great west, and began building steamboats at Pittsburg, and on December 6, 1812, the "Orleans" of 400 tons burden, was the first steamer which made the trip to New Orleans, and thus opened up the newly acquired possessions. This boat was commanded by W. I. Roosevelt, a sturdy ancestor of a worthy descendant.

Prior to this time the products of the great West had been transported by means of rafts and flat boats, both slow and dangerous. Now river trade could be carried on up as well as down the river, and in what was then considered very quick time.

During the year 1819, Capt. Nelson was the first to propel a steamer, "The Independence," up the Mississippi river from St. Louis. It was not till 1825, according to an old pioneer, Dr. Isaac Galland, that Capt. James White, commanding the steamer "Mandan," passed the rapids at Keokuk.

In 1831, Col. George Davenport, the founder of the town which bears his name, explored the Red Cedar as far as Rock creek, and at this place established a trading post with the Indians, which continued for four years. This is the first navigation of this river by the whites on record. The first steamboat on the Des Moines river, of which we have any knowledge, was in 1837, which arrived as far as Keosauqua. The first keel boat was owned by Capt. Cash, and came up in the following year.

It seems that the settlers of the territory early began to encourage steamboat traffic with the world. On the 12th of January, 1839, the legislature of Iowa Territory empowered a company to incorporate in the amount of $200,000, in order to build a slack water canal from the Cedar river to the Mississippi by way of Rock creek. An act was also passed for the inspection of steamboats, boilers, etc., at this session. Congress on November 6, 1846, for the purposes of improving the river traffic, granted certain lands to the Territory of Iowa, to aid in the improving of the Des Moines river for the purpose of navigation. Even the other day a large appropriation was granted for the erection of locks and a canal at the Keokuk rapids on the Mississippi.

The Red Cedar river is about 248 miles long and is comparatively free from any rapids as far as this city, and hence, was early looked upon as one of the most favored rivers for steamboat navigation. The Iowa, into which the Cedar empties, is about 240 miles in length, and not so favorable for navigation.

It is well known that Linn county was created by an act of the legislature of Wisconsin territory, and approved December 21, 1837; and the spot which our city now covers, was settled the following spring, by Osgood Shepherd and William Stone, soon followed by Robert Ellis, Philip Hull, the Listebargers, Thos. Gainer and David King.

[Illustration: VIEWS ALONG THE CEDAR RIVER]

One cannot speak of steamboating without mentioning Robert Ellis, our respected pioneer who landed on the present confines of our city May 8, 1838, and found only one shanty inhabited, which was on the present location of the T. M. Sinclair packing house, and was owned by Philip Hull; the other hut was built near the Cooper mills and was then vacant as the owner, Osgood Shepherd, had gone east for his family. Mr. Ellis located on his present farm that summer and obtained a patent for it from President Polk, and he is no doubt one of the very few in this county who hold title direct from the government of this date. Mr. Ellis in the winter of 1846, had three flat boats built at Palo, each boat being sixty feet long, sixteen feet wide and drawing three feet of water when loaded. On these boats he loaded four thousand bushels of wheat which he consigned to Noble and McCutchins, of Burlington, millers of that place. On each boat he had three men and these were provided with side oars to be used when they got into bends of the river. They started with their cargo the latter part of March and arrived after some trouble at Burlington; when arriving at Burlington the firm were in financial trouble and it looked as though the men could not get their pay, but it was finally arranged if Mr. Ellis could take flour to New Orleans, they could then realize some money and he would be paid. They remained here for some little time, and started out the three flat boats again, loaded down with flour. They were a long time in getting down the stream but kept on paddling when they got fast in the stumps and otherwise floated down the river. By the latter part of June they arrived at New Orleans in safety and disposed of the flour, but again were unable to realize on the flour as it had been consigned to certain brokers and the payments were tied up. They took in the slave markets and otherwise looked around the great city which was now the great emporium of the west and the southwest, and then took steamer for Burlington. Arriving at Burlington Mr. Ellis stood no show of getting his money, but trusted to luck and bought a horse, riding horseback from Burlington to Cedar Rapids. Not till that fall did he realize anything on this wheat deal, and finally was paid after much trouble by the parties, who were not dishonest, but whose property interests had been tied up so they were unable to realize on their goods sufficiently to pay creditors.

The new waterway of Robert Ellis became the subject of conversation for some time afterwards, and it inspired others to greater activity. The people realized that they must have an outlet, for their produce and cheapen transportation, if possible. It became the subject of serious consideration by the settlers. If this question could be solved, the greatness and importance of the city as a commercial center would be assured. By 1839, keel boats had reached Ivanhoe, and quite a trade was carried on at certain seasons of the year, mostly in the spring, and much grain and farm products were taken away in trade for provisions.

Thus Squire Holmes, the Higley Bros., Daniels & Co., and several others, from Marion and Cedar Rapids, in the early forties built flat boats at Westport and Ivanhoe and traded groceries and other articles the farmers needed for wheat, pork, and other produce. This stuff was shipped in the early spring on flat boats. Sheds were also erected so as to store the grain until such time as the boats could be loaded. Old Henry Rogers also erected a saw mill and shipped a little lumber down the river. It was dangerous and not practical to get the lumber down stream, and the scheme was abandoned.

The first large Mississippi steamer, which came as far as our city limits, was in the month of August, 1844, called the "Maid of Iowa," when a number of settlers and also a part of Mormons came as landseekers.

"The first stream boat at Cedar Rapids was the 'Maid of Iowa' commanded by Capt. Chas. Ross. She landed and cabled to the saw-mill on the 3rd of August, 1844, just as the sun was setting."--Extract from Account Book kept by N. B. Brown.

On this boat was Rev. Isaac Searles, born in 1812, who located in Johnson county in 1842. He gave the first sermon in true Methodist fashion from the deck of the steamer, and talked to a large concourse of people who had assembled from the surrounding country. Each passenger was offered a lot by the enterprising people of the city. As a result of this steamboat venture, a Methodist church was organized at the home of one of the Listebargers. During the next ten years, many large and small Mississippi steamers made the Cedar river points as far as Cedar Rapids, and quite a trade had been established between St. Louis, Keokuk, Burlington and this part of the state.

The last of the large Mississippi steamers, which made Cedar Rapids, was the "Uncle Tobey," of two hundred tons burden, which made her way up here among the brush and overhanging willows in the spring of 1853, and remained at the Third avenue landing for several days, at what is now the Warfield-Pratt-Howell building. When departing, after taking on a large cargo of grain and produce, she steamed up the river and turned down the channel on the west side of May's island. A number of people are still living who remember this steamer and the shouts and waving of handkerchiefs as the steamer glided smoothly down the river and out of sight.

From the _Annals of Iowa_, Vol. 5, page 401, I quote the following showing the rainfall in this state from 1848 to 1855: "In 1848, 26 inches; 1849, 49 inches; 1850, 49 inches; 1851, 74-1/2, inches; 1852, 49 inches; 1853, 45 inches; 1854, 23 inches and in 1855, 28 inches." Up to 1858, the rainfall was below the average, while during the years from '58 to '59, it was above the average. From the newspapers of that time, it seems that there were a great many floods during the summer months, so that steamboating was common on all the rivers during the entire year until frost came.

The question has frequently arisen, whether or not the rain fall was greater fifty years ago than now, and on the whole, from the old settlers, and from reports, as kept, it would seem to be about the same. All agree, however, that there was more water in the rivers, and they give their reasons as follows: "That the channel of the river was more narrow, and that the rivers were deeper, and free from the mud and the sand, which have now accumulated due to the tilling of the soil. Then the river banks were lined with trees, which protected the water from the rays of the sun, and the sloughs were filled with water all summer on account of the high grass, and all these sloughs, creeks, bayous, supplied the river with water during all seasons of the year, which is now not the case." All the water which fell in those days found its way into the river, which is not true after the ground became cultivated to any extent, so that it has been figured out that only about a fourth of the water finds its way into the river. This, of course, may be one of the reasons why steamboating was possible fifty years ago and is not now.

Of the many enterprising settlers, who came west to make this city their home, there were a number of enterprising, wide-awake and industrious men, who had courage and besides possessed more than ordinary ability along commercial lines. Among these settlers, George Greene, who was a prime mover in every new enterprise, succeeded in organizing a company for the building of a steamboat, to be called the "Cedar Rapids," and to be especially built for navigation upon the Red Cedar river. In this company were, besides Mr. Greene, W. H. Merritt, the Daniels family, Dr. J. F. Ely, Dr. S. D. Carpenter and later, W. B. Mack. A contract was entered into with parties at Pittsburg for the building of a modern steamboat, to be of white oak 155 feet long, single deck, stern wheel, clinker built, to be arranged for freight and passenger traffic, and to draw the least possible amount of water. The contract price for this steamer was $20,000, and it was launched in June, 1858, about three months after the contract was let. It was built at Freedom, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, not far from Pittsburg.

As to the subsequent history of this steamer, I shall confine myself to press notices from the _Cedar Valley Times_, which will give you an idea of the people and how much interest they took in this vessel, which was to connect them with the outside world. From the issue of July 8th, I find the following: "News has arrived that the 'Cedar Rapids' left Pittsburg July 1st, with 100 tons of freight." From the issue of July 22nd: "The 'Cedar Rapids' arrived from Pittsburg in three weeks, and is around at the dock at Market St. Roman candles were sent up from her decks when she arrived, and the crowd upon the shores saluted her with renewed cheers and with a firing of cannons; below is her Log: 'Left Pittsburg July 1st, at dark. At Cincinnati the 5th; at Louisville the 8th; arrived at St. Louis the 12th; left the 15th; arrived at the mouth of the Iowa river at 11 o'clock, and took in tow, 60,000 feet of lumber; five feet of water in the channel up to the mouth of the Cedar river. Arrived at Moscow Friday evening. Consignees, William Greene, W. B. Mack, H. C. Camp, groceries; L. Daniels, R. C. Rock, Greene and Hay, hardware; W. W. Smith, O. O. Stanchfield, lumber." The article further goes on describing the steamer as follows: "She is 155 feet long, 26 feet wide, and three feet in the hold. She is a stern wheel, 14 feet in diameter, 18 feet long, buckets being 15 inches wide. She is provided with a decker or smaller engine for supplying the boiler with water, also with a smaller engine for hoisting freight out of the hold. All four engines are separate machines. She is also supplied with appliances, such as water gauge, two Evans safety guides, one on each engine, life preservers, fire hose and force pump, in short, everything to make her a first-class passenger boat. The captain is J. M. Andrews, a gentleman who has had much experience with river navigation; the pilot is Albert Wemper; mate, T. Risley; engineers, J. P. Fulton and W. M. Hunter; clerks, J. C. Graves, A. W. Lamb. She had on 300 tons of freight, and drew only three feet of water, and when light, draws eleven inches. She had on board eighty-four passengers."

The above description will give you an idea of the first passenger boat of any note built for traffic in Iowa, and was no doubt at that time, one of the best equipped steamers for passenger and freight traffic owned exclusively by Iowa men and operated upon Iowa rivers.

On this steamer, which made its first trip in 1858, was W. B. Mack, a person well known to Cedar Rapids people, and who for half a century, up to the time of his death a few years ago, had been one of the most

## active business men of our city, and in an early day did much in the

east in securing funds from the rich in various investments in this city. Mr. Mack had come to this city in March of this year, at the solicitation of Greene and Merritt, and he entered into a partnership relation with said men in the banking business. He early saw the opportunity for Cedar Rapids as a wholesale center, and purchased stock in the steam ship company, went east in June, purchased a stock of groceries in New York City, had them transported by rail to Pittsburg, and personally saw that they were properly stored on the "Cedar Rapids." On the route he made a purchase of a considerable cargo of Kenawha salt. All of which were shipped to Cedar Rapids, and was the first exclusive wholesale stock of groceries in this city. This had an effect of reducing the price of salt from $5 per barrel, to one-half, and it had the further effect of reducing the price of nearly every commodity, so that Cedar Rapids, on account of its transportation facilities, became known as a cheap trading center, and I believe has retained that reputation up to the present time.

On this first trip of the "Cedar Rapids," came as a passenger from Pittsburg, Susan H. Greene, better known to you, as Mrs. A. S. Belt. If we could only have the impression of what this seventeen-year-old young lady saw on this trip from Pittsburg to Cedar Rapids, in the '50s, along this historic waterway, we should undoubtedly have at least a chapter of the history of the country and of the life of the people as she observed it, and it would no doubt make a valuable addition to the history of this county.

The "Cedar Rapids" made in all, twelve trips during the season, to St. Louis, stopping at every point along the way to pick up cargo or passengers. In this respect, the captain was much like President Stickney, of the Great Western, who replied to the manager of an electric road the other day, wanting certain traffic relations established, that he would stop for a farm wagon, providing there was anything in it. Of the Cedar Rapids business men, who, during this time received large shipments of goods from time to time, I note the following: A. C. Keyes, J. S. Cook, A. H. Atwell, H. C. Camp, H. G. Angle, W. W. Smith Bros., Stanchfield, Taylor, Greene, and W. B. Mack.

From the issue of July 29th, I find the following: "The 'Cedar Rapids' left for St. Louis yesterday, and had in tow, a barge loaded with 1,138 sacks of oats, 736 sacks of wheat, some corn and 938 barrels of flour. At Rochester it will take on 200 barrels of flour. It had besides twenty passengers. It was frequently difficult to get under the bridge at Moscow, so a quantity of sand was taken on board at Cedar Rapids to weigh the steamer down sufficiently to get under the bridge, when the weight of the cargo was not sufficient." On October 14th, the newspaper again mentioned the steamer having arrived from St. Louis with a good cargo, the bulk of which was 45,000 feet of lumber, consigned to O. O. Stanchfield and Gordon & Enos, the captain further reports low water and numerous sand-bars.

The steamer seems to have run until about the middle of November, when she was laid up at St. Louis, and was expected to have gone into winter trade on the Red river. Dr. S. D. Carpenter and G. W. Hollet having gone to New Orleans to make the arrangements. The newspaper for December speaks of the parties having returned unable to book the steamer for the winter trade on the Red river, as she was not constructed properly for Southern trade.

Early in March of the following year the whistle of the "Cedar Rapids" again greeted the denizens of this city, bringing a large cargo of freight, leaving again on the 14th with 4,300 bushels of grain and sixteen passengers. On this trip was one of our honored townsmen, George Haman, who had come from Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, two years previously, and who now was on his way to St. Louis to buy his first stock of drugs. He returned in about ten days with a well selected stock, and has been in active business in the same location ever since. The officers this year were captain, B. Tay; clerk, G. W. Hollet, mate, T. G. Isherwood, and pilot, Merrit. Mr. Haman speaks in glowing terms of the fine treatment received while on board, of the luxurious staterooms and of the magnificent table which was fit for a king. On one of these trips certain machinery was broken at Rochester, and it was thought that they had to go afoot to Muscatine to make the repairs before the steamer could proceed further. A village blacksmith by the name of Jim Grant, a cousin of the general, after looking over the broken piston rods, said in his laconic way, "I'd rather pound away here all summer, than have a man walk to Muscatine and back," and he was as good as his word, for in the morning he had the damage repaired and received a good day's wages and three cheers from the crew and the passengers.

In the issue of May 5th, the paper mentioned the steamer "Cedar Rapids" as departing from this city for Burlington with 9,000 bushels of grain with A. W. Lamb as captain. This was the last trip the "Cedar Rapids" made on Cedar river water, as by the issue of May 19th the paper speaks of the "Cedar Rapids" sinking another steamer near Burlington. Mr. Isherwood tells me, that the steamer which was sunk was called the "Canton" and owned by John Roads of Savannah, Ill. The accident was due to a mistake of signals. The injured parties held the "Cedar Rapids" and a long litigation ensued, which was a severe blow to the stockholders, who lost their steamer. The sound of the whistle of the "Cedar Rapids" was never heard again, and it closes the chapter as far as steam boating below the dam is concerned.

The day of steamboating was about over. A new method of transportation was devised, and millions of dollars which had been spent by the state and by the nation was now of but little account, and the grants of land which had been made in order to improve the navigation of our river, was now changed, and given in the extension of railroads. June 15, 1859, is the great gala day of Cedar Rapids, for it is on this day that the last rail was laid which connected us with Chicago, and the far East, and the celebration of this occasion is the most noted that we have ever had up to the present time. There were orators from the East, from the South and from the North, and the news of this celebration was spread broadcast over the land and it seemed to have been of such a flowery kind that it caused the waters of the Cedar to flow backwards, and only Elias Doty has ever since that time succeeded in piloting a steamboat on the murky waters of the Cedar, as far as Rochester.

As I have stated before, the dam across the Cedar was erected in 1842, although Mrs. John F. Ely says the dam was never completed, and her husband constantly spent large sums of money to keep it up, and it was not long till quite a traffic was going on above the dam as far as Cedar Falls. Early in 1858, T. G. Isherwood came from Brownsville, Pennsylvania, the son of a boat builder, and he set to work to build the first boat of any size for river traffic. It was built for Freeman Smith & Co., and nearly all the lumber was sawed by Snouffer & Watrous and came out of Bever Park. It made its trial trip on September 30, 1858. It was a stern wheeler, single deck, 125 feet long, 125 tons burden, called the "Export." From the paper of October 7, I quote the following: "The new steamer 'Export' made her trial trip up the river last Friday, having on board some 70 or 80 of our citizens. She performed well, and all on board were delighted with the trip. We are happy to know that the whole community unite in awarding the owners, Freeman Smith &. Co., much praise. The list of officers are as follows: Master, Freeman Smith, Jr.; clerk, S. D. McCaulley; engineer, Tom Stanley; mate, Tom G. Isherwood." The paper for the next few weeks speaks in glowing terms of the "Export" and what a trade the merchants of this city have worked up with the towns along the river. That the boat makes the distance by river from Waterloo in fourteen hours and from Vinton, in five hours. The Waverly _Republican_, then edited by our townsman, J. O. Stewart, asks the people of Waverly and the surrounding country to obtain their goods by way of Cedar Rapids, as the cheapest and quickest method by which to get goods into that region of the country.

Mr. Isherwood speaks of the boat doing a big business, both in freight and passenger traffic, and that on the whole he did a paying business for the short time it was in service. On this first trip, was enrolled as a member of the crew, George Horridge, a young tinner, who had recently come from the east, and who is now well and favorably known as a banker and capitalist at Vinton. Marion Evans, now mayor of said town, tells me of running a mile and a half to the river to see this first steamer, and when he saw the smoke from the smoke-stack he hid behind the hazelbrush thinking of the eruption of Vesuvius. The paper of October 21st speaks of a picnic party having chartered the boat and gone up the river, and among the names of those well and favorably known to most of you, at least by name, I shall mention a few: George Greene, Dr. S. D. Carpenter, Dr. Lyon, J. F. Ely, J. S. Cook, Rev. Durley and ladies. During the winter the "Export" was sold to J. J. Snouffer and W. D. Watrous. It was remodeled, called the "Blackhawk," and on March 16th made its first trip to Waterloo, with J. J. Snouffer as captain and George A. Ohler as chief carpenter. Arriving at Vinton, they were unable to get under the bridge, and threatened to destroy it. A council of war was held and it was finally decided to elevate one span of the bridge about four feet, and Ohler superintended the work. Mr. Snouffer tells me that the biggest business the steamer did was on June 15th, when he carried 107 passengers at $5.00 a head for round trip for the Cedar Rapids celebration, including board and lodging. He made in all, twenty-nine trips, and during this season, free of all expenses, netted the owners $2,000. The "Blackhawk" as remodeled, was 110 feet long by 19 feet wide, and had two rows of berths on each side, and accommodated 24 passengers, besides a crew of seven people. It took four cords of wood per trip. The table of distances by river compiled by the pilot on the "Blackhawk" is as follows: Palo, 14-1/2 miles; Benton City, 42 miles; Vinton, 50 miles; La Porte, 82 miles, and Waterloo, 113 miles. It was sold to Burley & Durlin, and the owners accepted one-half of the purchase price in land. The cash was never paid, and attachment was gotten out for labor claims and the boat was sold for $19.00. It was sold to a preacher, at Western, who threw up the deal, and again the boat was sold to N. B. Brown and John Curliss, the entire purchase price being paid in woolen goods. On account of dry season, the boat was sent south and was sold by the owners to the government for $6,000 during the war, and was used for carrying provisions for the soldiers on the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. At one time some of the Linn county soldier boys saw the little steamer make its way up one of the rivers, and a yell went up for the old "Blackhawk." The sight of the steamer brought them nearer home.

On one of the trips Mr. Snouffer made that summer, the wife of the fireman, who was acting as maid, was taken ill and the captain sent two doctors who were passengers to examine her. After a hurried examination both came up very much excited, stating that the patient was suffering from spotted fever and for him to stop the boat that they wanted to get off at all hazards. Mr. Snouffer thought perhaps of damages and financial loss so he was in no hurry to comply, but took the husband and went into the small cabin up next to the smoke-stack to investigate for himself. There was the woman in great stress of mind and much worried. He took hold of her hand and tried to rub the spots out and sure enough it was found that during the night the coloring in the cotton goods had colored her arms and the headache was no doubt due to the stuffy room and extremely warm quarters. It is needless to say that for the rest of the trip the doctors were made the butt of ridicule by the passengers.

The "Surprise" freighted between this city and Vinton in '63 and the next steamer was known as the "Nettie Munn," being a stern wheeler 70 feet long and 12 feet wide, and was brought here from Wisconsin by Mr. Passmore in 1866, and was blown up at Kelsey's landing the following year. Another steamer was built by E. Robins and used as a ferry boat, and in the wool and lime trade, but was never fully equipped, and was sunk many years ago. The "Carrie Wallace" was built by W. G. Brock in about 1870; was 16×40, a stern wheeler without state rooms, and was used mostly to tow barges, excursion steamers, etc., and was blown up about 1879-80. The "Kitty Clyde" was run awhile and abandoned. John Kozlovsky built the "Rose" in the early days, and after a steamboat venture on the river, was minus several thousand dollars, but had gained a heap of experience in the meantime. The boiler of the "Rose" was shipped to Solon to be placed in the grist mill, and the engine was sent to Spirit Lake, while Captain Elias Doty bought the hull for a mere song in 1884. In this "Rose" hull, Capt. Doty installed the boilers of an abandoned steamer, the "Carrie Wallace," and into it he also installed the engine of an old freighter, called "General Weaver." This combination, Doty called the "Climax." A stock company was organized with the amount of $1,000 and is the only stock known on record which never at any time went below par. Doty put in $600, and his Cedar Rapids friends the balance. He says that he was not out any interest as he had the money in the bank when he started. He was out only his time, but he didn't count that much, as he had all the time there was, and a whole lot of fun in the bargain. It is true, he lost the principal, but then the captain consoles himself with the fact that he might have lost that anyway. The "Climax" was not the only boat the "Governor" ran, for a number of years he had a side wheeler called the "Khedive" and another boat named after his patron saint of greenback days and called the "General Weaver." After his exploits upon the river the captain, like the snail, carried his house with him, and for a number of years, one of the hulls of one of his stranded boats is said to have served him as a photograph gallery.

There had been more or less trouble growing out of the fact that this river and the Iowa, which seems to have been known as one stream, were navigable, as the people preferred bridges and dams to open river fronts. In an Act of Congress passed May 6, 1870, the following appears: "That so much of the same river as lies north of the town of Wapello be and the same is hereby declared not a navigable stream." Another act was passed on the 18th day of August, 1894, to the effect that "so much of the same river as lies between the town of Toolsborough and Wapello in Louisa county, Iowa, shall not be deemed a navigable stream, but dams and bridges may be constructed across it." Thus it would seem that the Iowa and Red Cedar rivers for nearly the entire distance in Iowa are not navigable so far as Congress has the right and power to enact such laws, which of course merely refer to whether or not such streams may be used for other purposes than navigation.

After all, the story of steamboating is a history of a struggle, which began under auspicious circumstances, and ended in financial failure, but for all that, it made a new Cedar Rapids, and we perhaps today, are profiting by the failures of half a century ago, for it shows what energy and public spirit its first citizens had, which left an impression upon the community and upon the state. We must bear in mind, that Cedar Rapids had only 2,000 people and the county less than 18,000, when these enterprising men of energy, perseverance and thrift put $20,000 into a hazardous undertaking, and even presented passengers and crew with corner lots on arrival.

Well might the first passenger have said, when he stepped off the steamboat landing, at Third avenue, much like Moore said of Washington a hundred years ago,

"An embryo capital where fancy sees, Squares in morasses and obelisks in trees,"

but the observing traveler, amid these crude surroundings, must have been alive to new impressions, for Cedar Rapids was a thrifty place, even then, where the new man was a pilot on a boat today, and a banker tomorrow, and although the waters of the Cedar henceforth ran quietly by, unhindered by paddle or screw, railroad building claimed the attention of its people, and they became equally at home on land, as they had been on water. Just the other day I asked one of your old settlers why they could keep up several newspapers in that day, really before they had a postoffice. The venerable ex-postmaster replied with fire in his eye, "Why, heavens sakes my man, it took three newspapers to keep up the town."

I have attempted to give you an idea of steamboating on the Red Cedar. I have omitted much, and can only say in the words of the old miller, that he sees not all the water that goes by his mill. Neither have I mentioned all the steamboat ventures on the beautiful Cedar.

In this connection it is of interest to note a report made by B. L. Wick to Lew W. Anderson, chairman of the River Front Improvement Commission of Cedar Rapids, under date of May 8, 1909, which report was later submitted to the authorities at Washington, and an appropriation made for a survey of the Cedar. The survey was made in 1909, and report submitted that it was not feasible without a large expenditure of money to make the river navigable except for a short distance from its mouth.

Dear Sir:

I have been requested to state my views on the practicability and the importance of the navigability of the Cedar river, and will say that for the past ten years I have devoted more or less study to this subject from a historic standpoint, and will herewith give you my views. I believe that what you want more than anything else is whether or not the Cedar river has been navigated formerly, whether or not the rainfall is the same as it used to be, and whether or not there is at present a demand for the opening of this river as a water way for transportation purposes.

Historically speaking, traffic on the Cedar river was an epoch making period of this section of the country in the early pioneer days, and the prosperity of Cedar Rapids and other cities was due in a large measure to the river traffic which in those days made, at least, this city what it later became.

The first notice we have of a white man exploring what is known as the "Red Cedar River" was by Col. George Davenport as early as 1831 when he established a trading post, at Rock Creek. The first steamboating on the Des Moines river was about in 1837, and from this time on the Des Moines, the Iowa and Red Cedar became the inland water ways by which grain was exported and freight was brought up from the cities on the Mississippi river. As early as 1839 the legislature of Iowa territory empowered a company to incorporate in the amount of $200,000.00 to build a slack water canal from the Cedar river to the Mississippi river by way of what is known as "Rock Creek," and while this project did not come to anything, it shows that the people of this early day believed in a public water way in order to come in contact with the towns along the river further up.

The Red Cedar river is about 248 miles long and is comparatively free from any rapids as far as Cedar Rapids, and hence was early looked upon as one of the most favored rivers for steam boat navigation. The Iowa river, into which the Cedar river empties, is about 240 miles in length and is not so favorable for navigation. One of the early settlers who first saw the use of this inland water way was Robert Ellis, who came to these parts in 1838 and who is still living, and who, as early as 1846, caused three flat boats to be built, each boat being about sixty feet in length, sixteen feet in width and only drew three feet of water when loaded. On these boats he loaded 4,000 bushels of wheat consigned to certain millers at Burlington; at Burlington he unloaded the wheat and loaded the same boats with a cargo of flour which was duly taken to New Orleans. From this time on much wheat, corn, bacon, and other articles were shipped from Cedar Rapids to Burlington, Keokuk, St. Louis, and other places on the Mississippi.

It is also true that Mr. Haman, one of the oldest druggists of this city, went to St. Louis for his first stock of drugs and these were brought back by water.

W. B. Mack, one of the early settlers, and one of the first wholesale grocers, secured a cargo of salt in Ohio, which was duly freighted to Cedar Rapids and caused a decline in the price of this commodity in the amount of $5.00 a barrel.

It is known that as early as 1839 keel boats had reached Ivanhoe, and quite a trade was carried on at certain seasons of the year. The first Mississippi steamer which came as far as our city limits was in the month of June, 1846, called "The Maid of Iowa," when a number of settlers came this way as land seekers and at a time when each passenger was offered a lot by the enterprising people of this city. During the next ten years many large and many small steamers made the Cedar river towns as far as Cedar Rapids, and quite a trade had been established between St. Louis, Keokuk, Burlington, and other cities. One of the large Mississippi steamers of 200 tons burden was "The Uncle Tobey," which made her way up here among the brush and hanging willows in the spring of 1853, having on board a large cargo of freight.

To show how much importance the river was to the early settlers it might be well to state that in the fifties--in about 1857--a contract was entered into for the building of a steamer about 155 feet long, single deck, stern wheel, clinker built, to be arranged for freight and passenger traffic and to draw the least possible amount of water. The contract price of this steamer was $20,000.00, and it was launched in June, 1858, and was put into service, arriving at Cedar Rapids July 22, having arrived from Pittsburg in three weeks, stopping at all the cities along the way; this boat had on board about three hundred tons of freight, drew only three feet of water, and had on board nearly one hundred passengers. This was, undoubtedly, the best built passenger and freight boat put on Iowa rivers at that time; during that season this boat made in all twelve trips. On the first trip down stream on July 29, of that year, the papers show that she was loaded down and had in tow a barge loaded with 1,138 sacks of oats, 736 sacks of wheat, some corn, and nearly 1,000 barrels of flour. On one of the trips in October up stream this boat had on board 45,000 feet of lumber; in the following summer this boat got into a collision with another steamer on the Mississippi, and on account of a lawsuit the boat was tied up by litigation.

For a number of years a profitable steamboat business was carried on in the spring of the year above the dam between Cedar Rapids, Vinton, Waterloo and other places. The early settlers all agree that navigation was possible in those days and profitable as well. It was just at this time when steamboating became certain and settled that the railroad entered Cedar Rapids in June, 1859, and from that time every enterprise which was started was in the line of railway extension as well as transportation.

[Illustration: PARK VIEWS IN CEDAR RAPIDS]

As to the rain fall, it seems that there has not been much difference between the rains of sixty years ago and now. I collected the following from the _Annals of Iowa_, Volume 5, page 401, being the rain fall from 1848 to 1855.

In 1848, 26 inches; 1849, 49 inches; 1850, 49 inches; 1851, 71 inches; 1852, 49 inches; 1853, 45 inches; 1854, 23 inches; 1855, 28 inches.

From this the average rain fall of Iowa, I believe, is estimated at about 33 inches. It would appear from 1858 the rain fall was below the average, while during the years up to 1858 the rain fall was above the average. From the newspapers that I have consulted in regard to the rain fall during these years it seemed that there were a good many floods during the summer months so that the steamboating was good until about November, when the boats were taken down south for winter traffic on the southern rivers. As to the rain fall, I have further investigated among the old settlers, and from reports which were kept, it seems that there is not very much difference in the rain fall now and fifty years ago; however, there is this difference, which all agree on, that the channel of the river was more narrow and that the river was deeper and free from mud and sand, which has now accumulated due to the tilling of the soil. The river banks were lined with trees which protected the water from the rays of the sun, and the sloughs were filled with water all summer on account of the high grass, and these grasses and sloughs supplied the river with water more so then than now, as more of it evaporated on account of the tilling of soil and on account of the cutting of the grass than formerly. All the water which fell in those days found its way into the river, which is not true after the ground became cultivated to any extent, and it may be true that only one-fourth of the water which falls now finds its way into the river.

Another question may arise "is it practical?" This is a question not easily answered. It is certain that it can not be done through private enterprise; if it shall succeed at all it must be through state or government aid in part, at least. There is no question but what it will be useful, but whether or not the expenses would be too great to undertake such an enterprise--that remains a debatable question. There is water enough in the river, especially by putting in a dam at Moscow and by straightening the channel a little, so that there will be enough water for the number of months during the year to haul much of our heavy freight, and, if necessary, these products could be stored further along the river until such a time as it was deemed advisable to sell and dispose of the same. Heavy freight requires slow transit and a cheap rate, and such can as well go by water as by rail. For this reason it would be possible to ship by water, grain, cereals, as well as cattle, and there would be a great saving to the farmers of this part of Iowa.

A conservative estimate of freight paid in Cedar Rapids during the past year is no less than $2,500,000.00, all of which is paid to five railroads which have connecting lines in this city. It is also estimated, and I have been told on good authority, that during October, 1908, the tonnage receipts in this city were as follows for the Rock Island railroad:

Live stock 4,638,800 pounds Coal 14,659,303 pounds Brick 383,900 pounds Stone 1,603,200 pounds

These are only a few of the larger items and there are a great many more of nearly equal importance with those cited above. There has also been shipped out in farm and dairy products for the year ending 1908 from

Linn county 1,980,218 pounds Cedar county 733,708 pounds Benton county 451,297 pounds Black Hawk county 1,032,444 pounds Buchanan county 1,980,218 pounds

These are a few of the items from the counties which are tributory to this river.

For the year 1907 I will mention the yield of a few cereals in counties adjoining the Cedar river, to-wit:

Buchanan county 1,942,750 bushels corn 1,011,000 bushels oats Benton county 3,686,100 bushels corn 1,842,800 bushels oats Linn county 3,851,500 bushels corn 1,166,160 bushels oats Johnson county 3,415,170 bushels corn 1,231,100 bushels oats Cedar county 3,211,230 bushels corn 804,500 bushels oats

Say nothing of hay, potatoes, barley, wheat, rye and other products.

Such a water course would also offer inducement to manufacturing concerns for the manufacture of cereals, etc., which are shipped out in carload lots daily, as well as grain which is cleaned here and sent out to other cities. This will give you somewhat of an idea, not only of the value and productiveness of Iowa soil, but to show the chances of such a water way by which freight products could be handled at a much lower rate than at present, as we have here the same freight rate as they have at Council Bluffs, and by this means we would get the Mississippi rate, which is much less. Such a water way would open up the heart of the corn and oats belt of Iowa and make it possible to get the water rate on large shipments of freight. If the government is now urging a water way enterprise, surely the Cedar river should not be overlooked, for it is a large body of water, with a rich adjoining territory, and by government promotion could be made the carrier of all our products which, as above set out, means millions in bushels annually.

It is not likely that the freight shipped into our city would come by water, as it is generally of a kind which is wanted quickly, but there is no question but that the products of our farmers, and all our mills and factories, would be sent by water, on account of cheaper rates to better markets than now.

It is only when I visited other countries and studied transportation from cities in England, Holland, Belgium, France and Germany that I realized the small rivers of those countries which have been used for centuries to such an advantage for the carriage of freight. For instance, a river of any size is dredged to a certain depth at government expense; there is a uniform depth of a little better than three feet of water on many of these rivers, and on these bodies of water barges of not less than 1,000 tons pass up and down loaded with freight. This means cheaper freight rates than we have and this in consequence makes products cheaper to the consumer and higher for the producer. Canada, during the past few years, has spent millions of dollars on its rivers and canals, and it is money wisely spent; while we have spent little or nothing in any effort to help the people in the promotion of water ways, which will be the real source of competition in freight rates in the future.

I fully believe that the survey of the Cedar should be made, and I believe that if such a survey is made that this stream will be declared navigable, and that the state or nation will step in in order to make definite plans for financing this great enterprise for the carrying on of freight steamers, carrying cargoes as far as the Mississippi, and I believe that enough tariff exists now to warrant such an enterprise. The Cedar river is an important factor now for the purpose of furnishing power, and should also become a factor in transportation as well. This would be the case provided the river would be improved as demanded, which would result in re-establishing heavy freight traffic by water instead of as now wholly by rail.

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