Cedar Rapids, Iowa

“ Cedar Rapids sent a delegation as follows: George Greene, N. B. Brown, Daniel Lothian, I. N. Whittam, Donald McIntosh, Ezra Van Metre, and myself. Marion also sent a large delegation and the counties along the line were well represented. A company was organized to build a line from Savanna on the Mississippi river to a point on the Missouri river not named. A corps of surveyors was put in the field and for two or three years it was the favorite project of Cedar Rapids. ”

“ True, it has not been flourishing for centuries, like the old European cities, with histories which reach back several centuries, but as cities and towns in the middle west are spoken of, it has a lengthy history and one of more or less interest. Young as it is, Cedar Rapids has no definite chronicle as to who was the first actual settler. Dyer Usher claimed that he and a companion gazed upon the beauty of its banks and admired the river at the upper falls as early as 1836. Osgood Shepherd maintained that he was the first actual settler, and that he opened a tavern here in 1837 or 1838. ”

“ Ames of Boston, Crocker, Bertram and others came back with the Cedar Rapids delegation, and were taken in conveyance through central Iowa. While the men were working the eastern capitalists for a railroad the women all got busy and prepared for a reception and dance at the home of S. C. Bever. Some baked cakes, others prepared meats, others the bread and others the ice cream. The whole town was invited, so when the eastern men returned, they were won completely over and the project of the first railroad into Cedar Rapids was laid then and there. ”

“ The rapids in the Cedar river are the first met with after leaving the Mississippi, and no more occur of any considerable amount for many miles above. These afford one of the best water powers in the west, and with proper dams would afford power sufficient to run all machinery that will ever be required on either side of the river, even though our population should reach fifty thousand. Surrounding the town for miles is one of the richest agricultural districts in the Union, forming a part of the Cedar valley country which Professor Owen has taken as his type of perfection in fertility. ”

“ W. Jones, before mentioned. The first Episcopal clergyman was Rev. James Keeler, who found an occasional opening for service in the school house, but soon came to using Miss Calder's school room for regular Sunday service.
WHEN LAND WAS DIRT CHEAP IN CEDAR RAPIDS
Real estate investments have always been successful and profitable in Cedar Rapids, and probably will always continue to be so. As shown in other articles, the land upon which Cedar Rapids is built was originally owned by five men, Judge Greene, Nicholas Brown, Addison Daniels, Wm. Sanford, and Alexander Ely. ”

“ The social, moral and religious elements blend here in sweet harmony, and much of the refinement and culture witnessed in eastern cities and in eastern society is equally exhibited here; hence to those wishing to settle in a place combining the advantages of church, schools and refined society, as well as a place of good business facilities will find Cedar Rapids a desirable city in which to locate. ”

“ 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. ”

“ The city of Cedar Rapids has had a number of commercial organizations, formed to advance the business interests of the community, in the sixty years of its existence, but all the earlier associations were of a more or less informal character, and while they did good work as long as the enthusiasm lasted, the time came when each and every one passed into history. ”

“ Twenty per cent of the population then resided in Cedar Rapids. Today we claim nearly thirty-five thousand and over fifty per cent of the entire population of the county. At that time the area of the city was very much less than at present. Franklin street, now Eleventh street east, was as far as was platted. Beyond was heavily wooded and used in summers for picnic parties; to the south Carpenter's first addition had already been laid and but very few of the lots had been improved, the lower end, where the packing plant of T. M. Sinclair & Co. ”

“ It contains no towns of any size but most of its traffic is now conducted by the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City electric line running from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City. Much of the cream, milk and other products of the farm are shipped daily over this line to Cedar Rapids; since the construction of this line land in College township has gone up in price and the beautiful farm houses, magnificent and well tilled fields speak well for the population of this part of the county. ”

“ By June, 1868, the two roads were united under one name, the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern, Greene becoming president, and D. W. C. Rowley secretary. By January 1, 1871, trains were running between Cedar Rapids and Burlington, and early the following year they reached to St. Paul, thus making one of the first great north and south roads in Iowa. For many years C. J. Ives was president of the road till it was absorbed by the Rock Island system, when the headquarters were transferred to Chicago, the Cedar Rapids office becoming merely a division point. ”

“ The river with its excellent boating facilities, gives a charm to Ellis Park that is denied the other breathing places of the city. The city of Cedar Rapids is spending more than twenty thousand dollars each year on its park system, and it is money well spent. There are about two hundred acres in the park system, and a conservative value of the park grounds and improvements is well over $300,000.
The Free Public Library is a most valuable asset to the city and aside from the unmeasurable good done in the dissemination of knowledge, represents a money investment of well toward $150,000. ”

“ Here, also, are buried many of the first settlers who lived on the west side of the river.
A little to the north of Cedar Rapids near the Illinois Central track the relic hunter can find some ruins of what is known as "McCloud's Run." Only a few crumbling ruins remain of what used to be an old mill known to all the old settlers in the county. Through this picturesque valley runs a winding brook known as "Cold Stream," a beautiful rivulet whose clear transparent water plays sonorous music as it runs swiftly over the pebbles as if hastening to join its forces with the Cedar. ”

“ It has been demonstrated that industries can be established and operated successfully here and that goods made in Cedar Rapids will find a ready and stable sale in all parts of the world. In fact, Cedar Rapids is but just beginning her epoch of industrial prosperity and growth and she extends to all the invitation to come, see how those here are prospering, and join in the march of events which [Pg 341] will in the years to come make Cedar Rapids one of the best known manufacturing communities in the whole United States. ”

“ No one would take hold. In the meantime our road was slowly creeping on, and was within thirty miles of Cedar Rapids. The grading contract was let to John G. Wolf, an experienced railroad builder from the east. Most of the money to pay him had to be raised among ourselves and pay day was a most serious time. I remember upon one occasion, the cash entirely failed, but the merchants of the town agreed to honor orders for goods, Mr. Bever among the others. Mr. Bever had been a merchant in Holmes county, Ohio, and brought his stock of goods from there to Cedar Rapids. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Bever's hospitality many times won financial success for Cedar Rapids. They entertained strangers who came to spy out the land. One occasion of this kind was in '55, when Judge Greene, Dr. Ely, John Weare, Lowell Daniels, W. W. Walker, S. D. Carpenter and S. C. Bever all went to Chicago to attend a national republican convention. All being business men, ever ready to build up Cedar Rapids, at this convention they made it their business to meet men from New York and Boston and to talk up the advantages of Iowa and what a railroad could do, until Mr. ”

“ Joel Leverich sold his claim in 1843 to Judge Greene. He resided near the McCloud Run for a short time and then moved to town, dying in the '40s.
One of the most unique characters in Cedar Rapids, and a person we know the least about, was Osgood Shepherd, who was a hunter and trapper and who is said to have erected the first log cabin on the banks of the Cedar river where the Y. M. C. A. building now stands, unless Wilbert Stone's claim is correct that he was first. When Robert Ellis came to the Shepherd tavern in April or May, 1838, Shepherd had lived here for some time. ”

“ TRAVIS, EARL H., Corp., 608 8th Ave. W., Cedar Rapids, Iowa. TRAVONI, PAUL, Pvt., Ft. Des Moines, Iowa. TRIPLETT, LUELLAN L., Pvt., R.F.D. No. 1, Mendota, Missouri. TRUSSELL, WILLIAM P., Corp., Albia, Iowa. TURNER, RAY, Pvt., Rochester, Minnesota. UFFORD, FOREST C., Pvt., 614 Gillette St., Des Moines, Iowa. ULCH, VENCIL, Pvt., 632 S. 3rd W., Cedar Rapids, Iowa. VAN ANTWERP, HARRY V., Pvt., R. R. No. 4, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. VARIS, GUST K., Pvt., 1790, Spokane, Washington. VESTRY, WENCIL, Pvt., 213 11th Ave. E., Cedar Rapids, Iowa. VOMACKA, JOHN, Pvt., R. R. No. 4, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. ”

“ With the coming of the railways, opening up markets for the manufactured products and affording means of collecting and bringing in the raw material, the manufacturing side of Cedar Rapids' activities has grown apace, until today Cedar Rapids, although not the largest of Iowa cities, leads them all in the amount of manufactured goods produced. ”

“ He stood luminous among all the bright men who first settled in Linn county, or the territory either. The people of Linn county, and of Cedar Rapids especially, should ever remember his labors and efforts in those early days which brought them prominence and prosperity. All now acknowledge Linn county to be without a peer and Cedar Rapids is the best interior city in the state, except Des Moines with its immense coal beds. ”

“ The first white settler was Paul Somaneux, a French trader who, in the summer of 1837, ascended the Cedar River to the rapids where Cedar Falls stands, there built a cabin and opened a profitable trade with the Indians in furs and skins. Robert Stuart, another trader, reached the rapids the same season and engaged in traffic with the Indians. In 1844 William Chambers of Louisa County came to the rapids, built a cabin and also opened trade with Indians, but none of these earliest settlers engaged in farming. ”

“ The cable used in operating the ferry was of wire, which was brought from Dubuque on horseback. The town of Kingston he platted in 1850. Mr. King was a real promoter, who early comprehended the future of Cedar Rapids. In order to induce people to locate on the west side of the river he was liberal and public-spirited, giving away many lots for factory sites and other enterprises. ”

“ It is a standing wonder that even now an Iowa farmer is much more likely to provide an up-to-date fine building for his cattle than a beautiful, well-ordered school-house for the education of his children. A little has been done, but by far too little.
"Early Cedar Rapids was a little village surrounded by groves of oaks, crab-apple, plum, and everywhere the climbing wild grape. Between these groves were the sand hills on which grew vast quantities of sand-burs. Where the Methodist church now stands was a hill which sloped toward the railroad. ”

“ It is needless to add that the early city directories have been largely used with reference to the business men of Cedar Rapids in the early days.
References to persons have been confined to mere statements of facts and have been free from undue flattery on the one hand and from anything derogatory on the other. The members of the legal and medical professions have been referred to at some length for the reason that the lawyers and doctors were important factors in pioneer days, both in the organization of the county and in the promotion of the various enterprises in our towns. ”

“ From Cedar Rapids long iron ways, like the spokes of a wheel, reach in all directions to the limits of the state and beyond, and bring every portion of the commonwealth and the adjacent parts of our neighboring states within a few hours ride of Cornell college. It is located also in east Central Iowa, an area of the state the first to be settled and developed, an area surpassed by none in the fertility of its soils, and the wealth which has been produced from them. ”

“ It was no doubt due to the keenness of mind of the late Judge Greene, that John T. Waterhouse in an early day came to Cedar Rapids and invested much money in choice corner lots on which he erected, for that time, modern business blocks. But outside of a few men, most of the early pioneers came to the county without any means. ”

“ This high grade school fills a long felt want in Cedar Rapids and Linn county. There is no more suitable location for a young ladies' academy than Cedar Rapids, and for its site there is not perhaps in the west a place more suited than where the Sacred Heart Academy stands. Situated on the highest elevation, perhaps, in the county, it is by nature and the skill and taste admirably fitted to generate both sound minds and healthy bodies. ”