Council Bluffs, Iowa

“ FRANKS, HOWARD L., Pvt., 1502 14th Ave., Council Bluffs, Iowa. GAINES, WILLIAM, Pvt., 39 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo. GASCOIGNE, ELI, Pvt., 1701 5th Ave., Council Bluffs, Iowa. GAYLORD, CLIFFORD, Corp., 533 6th St., Ft. Madison, Iowa. GEISE, ERNEST, Corp., So. 8th St., Council Bluffs, Iowa. GIBBONS, JEROME G., Pvt., 801 Main St., Sioux City, Iowa. GIBSON, GEORGE, Pvt., 23 No. 3d St., Keokuk, Iowa. GILBERT, LAWRENCE, Pvt., Council Bluffs, Iowa. GOETSCH, MARTIN W., Corp., Sioux City, Iowa. GREENE, HARRY M., Sup. Sgt., Avoca, Iowa. GRESS, ROBERT A., Pvt., R.F.D. No. 5, Council Bluffs, Iowa. ”

“ In 1853 a United States Land Office was established at Council Bluffs.
Most of the Mormon settlers who founded Kanesville and were among the pioneers in that part of the State eventually joined their brethren in Utah and were among the founders of Salt Lake City.
The Methodists of Kanesville organized a society in 1850 of which Rev. William Simpson was the first pastor. In 1853 they built the first church in Council Bluffs. The Rock Island Railroad was completed to Council Bluffs in May, 1869. ”

“ Many of the railroads helped the army on its long journey by giving the men free transportation. It finally reached Omaha and as it was about to enter Iowa, Governor Jackson went to Council Bluffs for the purpose of turning it back. The appearance of a peaceful body of men proposing to travel across the State disarmed suspicion, however, and no authority was found for legal interference on the part of the Governor. ”

“ Several stores were built and opened, and the population was soon largely increased by people who were not Mormons and had no sympathy with them. The new settlers being greatly in the majority, virtually drove out the [440] "Saints," who finally left in a body to join their people at Salt Lake City.
Council Bluffs is now the most populous and flourishing city of Western Iowa. At the time of my visit, the inhabitants numbered only about 8,000, but it was then growing rapidly and bid fair to become one of the big cities of America. There is a large trade here employing an immense capital. ”

“ JOHN N. BALDWIN is a native of Council Bluffs, and the son of Judge Caleb Baldwin. He was born July 9, 1857, and received a thorough education in the public schools of his native city. He entered the Law Department of the State University and graduated with high honors at the age of twenty, in the class of 1877. Mr. Baldwin began the practice of his profession in Council Bluffs and has become one of the most successful corporation attorneys west of Chicago. In 1894 Mr. Baldwin was President of the Republican State Convention and delivered an able and eloquent address. ”

“ Mrs. Bloomer began to advocate the dress reform in her paper and the public obtained the impression that she was the originator of the new costume and it became known as the “Bloomer dress.” The notoriety of the “Bloomer Costume” brought to her paper thousands of new subscribers and greatly enlarged her constituency to whom she urged the reforms in which she was deeply interested and she soon acquired national fame. In 1855 Mr. and Mrs. Bloomer removed to Iowa, settling at Council Bluffs, where Mrs. Bloomer continued to advocate woman suffrage and prohibition as a lecturer. ”

“ At the election, we have the choice of one of two men for mayor, and the choice of four out of eight candidates for councilmen." A most important provision of this Iowa charter for cities has to do with the civil service. "At the first meeting of the city council, after the election of these five commissioners or five councilmen--they are not commissioners—they appoint a civil service board composed of three members, and this civil service board, in whose charge is placed the work of preparing a civil service examination, is appointed for a period of six years. ”

“ Pursuant to this call of the people of the county of Des Moines for an Iowa District convention, delegates from seven organized counties west of the Mississippi met at the Capitol in Burlington on Monday, November 6, 1837, and organized themselves into a "Territorial Convention." As such they continued in session for three successive days. On the second day a resolution was adopted inviting the Governor, members of the Legislative Council, Judges, and members of the bar of Burlington "to take seats within the bar." ”

“ The Democrats had a large majority in each branch of the Legislature but partisan considerations were ignored in the election of presiding officers, both being members of the Whig Party. The members were largely young men, fourteen of the twenty-six in the House were under thirty-five years of age and ten of the fourteen members of the Council were under forty. Among the youthful members of this First Territorial Legislature of Iowa were several of marked ability, who attained high positions in the State and Nation. ”

“ The platform contained no new declarations of policy. At the election the plurality for Shaw was 29,876.
Upon the organization of his Cabinet President McKinley selected James Wilson of Iowa to be Secretary of Agriculture.
The assessment of the Iowa railroads for 1897 was fixed by the Executive Council at $44,405,196; sleeping cars were assessed at $150,607.
The Twenty-seventh General Assembly convened at Des Moines on the 10th of January, 1898, Lieutenant-Governor Milliman presiding over the Senate. J. H. Funk was elected Speaker of the House. Leslie M. Shaw was inaugurated Governor. ”

“ In his message of September 1, 1834, addressed to the Legislative Council, Governor Mason referred to the inhabitants as "an intelligent, industrious and enterprising people," who, being "without the limits of any regularly organized government, depend alone upon their own virtue, intelligence and good sense as a guaranty of their mutual and individual rights and interests." He suggested and urged "the immediate organization for them of one or two counties with one or more townships in each county." ”

“ In the winter, when food is scarce, these animals will attack man, but if a bold resistance is offered, they speedily decamp.
Hastening forward on his journey through various small and more or less enterprising cities of the prairie, our traveler reached Council Bluffs at eight o'clock in the evening of October twentieth. This promising city is located three miles east from the Missouri River, and contains an enterprising population of some 20,000; its history dating from 1804. The locality is surrounded by high bluffs, and hence the name given to the city. ”

“ Thousands were reduced from prosperous farmers, merchants and mechanics to poverty and destitution. Such was the financial situation when the Seventh General Assembly met at Des Moines, the new Capital, on the 11th of January, 1858. This was the first session under the new Constitution and in many respects was the most important legislative body that ever convened in Iowa. For the first time the Senate was presided over by a Lieutenant-Governor, chosen by the electors of the State, Oran Faville. ”

“ In 1843 his father removed with his family to Iowa Territory, making his home near Burlington, where John W. was reared on a farm. In 1860 he removed to Nebraska and was soon after elected a member of the Territorial Council where he won distinction as a fluent speaker and acquired wide influence in that body. ”

“ The most important acts of the General Assembly were the ratification of the amendments to the Constitution of the United States and ratifying and confirming the amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa, heretofore mentioned. Acts were passed providing for the establishment of a State Reform School, creating the office of county auditor, providing for an Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb and for an additional institution for the insane; resuming the grants of lands to the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad Company ”

“ George G. Rice, of this city, as among the liberal-minded men of early days. On my coming to Council Bluffs, he very soon called upon me and invited me to give a temperance lecture in his church; and later, at his request, I spoke on the education of girls from his pulpit, and also the church was freely given me for woman’s-rights lectures.
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“Council Bluffs has always been a hard field for temperance work. Originally a frontier town, it was for many years almost completely in the hands of the gambling and liquor-drinking classes of the community. ”

“ On the other hand, there was a powerful and influential party urging the adoption of the Constitution with boundaries fixed by Congress which would secure the immediate admission of Iowa. It was urged that such action would at once by the election of Senators and Representatives in Congress and with the various Federal officers apportioned to it, greatly promote its influence in national affairs. The Governor and all State officials would be chosen by the people, all of which would enlarge the rights and privileges of its citizens and lead to greater prosperity. ”

“ It has been stated that the first election in the county was held at Westport in 1838 when thirty-two votes were cast in the county. This is said to have been the most quiet election on record. Gradually the people located claims, as more lands were thrown open to settlement, and politics began to cut a figure at an early date. While many of the settlers came from the south, a majority, however, came from Ohio, from the middle states, and from New England. Thus it would appear that the population of Iowa was a part of the free state movement which had peopled the central states. ”

“ He was at this time past middle age, and is described as a plain, unostentatious man, cordial in manner, who made a favorable impression on the pioneer population. The last Legislature had, by joint resolution, decided that the next session should be held at Iowa City, provided the citizens would furnish a suitable building in which its sessions could be held. Walter Butler, a public-spirited man, erected a building at his own expense for the use of the Legislature, upon a pledge of the citizens that they would aid in reimbursing him for the expenditure. ”

“ Floating down the Wisconsin, they finally saw before them the broad waters of the Mississippi. It was on the 17th day of June, 1673, that Marquette and Joliet looked out on the bold bluffs of the western shore a few miles below where McGregor now stands. They were the first white men who ever saw Iowa. Pushing out into the current they beheld a wild, beautiful landscape. On the Wisconsin side was a level prairie shore stretching northward for many miles, covered with tall grass waving in the June breeze. ”

“ In September Governor Clarke issued a proclamation for the election of State officers and members of the Legislature. The Democratic State Convention was held at Iowa City on the 24th of September, at which Ansel Briggs was nominated for Governor; Elisha Cutler, Secretary of State; J. T. Fales, Auditor; and Morgan Reno, Treasurer. Shepherd Leffler, of Des Moines County, and S. C. Hastings, of Muscatine, were nominated for Representatives in Congress, for since no apportionment had yet been made of Congressional Districts, the Representatives were to be elected by the State at large. ”

“ It was found also that Politics had worked some changes in the government of the Territory. John Chambers, who upon the completion of his first term as Governor had been promptly reappointed in 1844 by President Tyler, was as cheerfully removed by President Polk in 1845. And the Democracy of Iowa rejoiced over this manifestation of Jacksonianism. They believed that they would now have a Governor after their own heart--a Democrat who would have confidence in the people and respect the acts of their representatives. ”

“ The census of 1860 showed the population of Iowa to be sufficient to entitle the State to an increase of Representatives in Congress from two to six, and the Ninth General Assembly therefore apportioned the State into six Congressional Districts. The first election under this act was in October, 1862. ”

“ At 1 o'clock of April 4, 1849, the citizens of Cedar Rapids met at the school house, in accordance with the requirements of the law, and proceeded to elect town officers under a charter issued by the legislature and approved January 15, 1849 (for text of this document see Laws of Iowa, 1849, p. 116) . The first election was in the nature of a mass meeting. William P. Harman was made chairman and Arven Kennedy, John H. Brooks, and John G. Cole selected as judges of election. Eber L. Mansfield was clerk of election. These judges certified to choice of votes as follows:
Mayor, Martin L. Barber. ”

“ In 1847 he was elected school fund commissioner with custody of the school money. In 1848 he was nominated by the Democrats for State Senator in an immense district embracing the counties of Polk, Dallas, Jasper, Marion and all of the unorganized region north and west to the Missouri River. He was elected and took his seat in the Second General Assembly. In looking over the map of the State he observed that nearly one-half of its territory was unnamed. He at once determined to prepare a bill providing for its divisions into counties. ”

“ He recommended the Legislature to request Congress to pass an act providing for the admission of Iowa as a state at an early day. He advised the passage of an act providing for calling a convention to form a state constitution. He recommended an act providing for the election by the people of all territorial and county officers not prohibited by the organic act. He urged the Legislature to memorialize Congress to make a grant of public lands for the support of schools equal in amount to the grant made to Wisconsin. ”