The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-01-09

dII "oruibS
bank. This gave the city excellent natural
advantages for 4 river town, but the bank
or bluff was 30 high and steep that a great
deal of work had to be done in leveling
down, so that drays could reach the river
from the town.
THE FIRST BONDS.
For this purpose bonds we're Issued dur
ing Mayor Murphy's administration-she
first debt incurred BY the city-and the
work of grading was commenced at once.
A large force was put at the work. and by
the close of navigation in 1856 the new
city of Leavenworth had graded and paw.
ed levee, better than any other civ on the
river could bosst Of. At this time, progress
was the order Of the day en- every hand
buildings were put up in such great num-
berr, and public Improvements pushed
ahead with such rapidly that the town
seemed to
GROW AS IF BY MAGIC,
and in less than five years from the day the
| first stake was driven to mark the town
site, Leavenworth was not only the largest
city in theState, but the best commercial city
on the Missouri rivera supremacy which,
through all her varying fortues, she hiss
ever since held. During The spring aGd
| summer of 1858, s...
DELAWARE AND CHEROKEE
then the two principal business streets,
were macadamized from the levee to Fifth
street. In 1859, the gas company was or
ganized, the building of the works wac i'm,
Dedistely oomnepeed, and before the clo-s
Of that year, everything VIM in readiness,
the pipes were laid and the greater portion
of the town was lighted with gas 10
1853, ~
| THE OLD MARKET HOUSE
was completed, and at thst time was con.
sidered a fine improvement The rooms
on the second floor were then occu-
pind q council chambe, and offices for the
various members Of the city government
Some Of these rooms we're also used BY the
county for Offices and court purposes, un-
til the completion of the new court house
about the beginning Of the vera 1877.
Main street: Shawnee street. and the
| several cross streets in the business
portion Of the city, were macadamiaed
during a
MAYOR ANTHoNY's ADMINISTRATION,
in 1868, and at the same time fine stone
bridges were built across Three-mile creek
at Broadway, at Fifth street and at Second
This was a year Of considerable public
work the city furnished employment to all
the laboren Who came to US; work was
plenty, wages high, money abundant, and
everybody fourishing. At this time, and
during Mayor McDovell's second admins
tration, the work of building up that por-
ton Of the city now known - Hr
SOUTH LEAvENwoRrH
was carried forward most vigorously. Adj
drtions to the city proper were laid off BY
Judge Latta, Day i Fackler, Clark & Rees,
and then commenced the work of building
mp what has since been considered the most
desirable portion of the city for residences.
No city in the country can furnish more
beautiful and charming sites for residences
that Leavenworth, and the beauty of the
place in this respect is feature that never
| 8, 81 81 he
During the early years of Leavenworth's
history, when the work of developing and
building up her material advantages was
being pushed ahead with 80 much vigor on
all hasds, the intellectual, moral and re-
ligious wants of her people were not forgot
ten.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The "school master" was here among the
first, and as soon as dozen children could
be gathered together a school was organiz-
ed.
THE FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE
in the city was q small frame building
which was built near the levee and used for
a time as shop; it was purchased for "edu-
cational purposes" and ]. B. McAfee, no~
of the Kansas Manufacturing Company, Of
this city, moved it on to lot At the corner
of Shawnee and Fifth, which belonged to
George Russell, who was then, as now,
keeping stove and tinware store. McAfee
taught school here for sometime, and final
ly tore away the small building and put up
two story frame, for church. This was
used awhile for church purposes and pur.
chased BY the city for . school-being the
first public school building in Leavenvorth.
II. D. McCarty, since State Superintendent
Of Instruction, was employed to take charge
of it, and taught the first public school in
the city. The second story Of this building
was used for . school till one evening, dur
an exhibition at the close Of term, when
the room was crowded With people, the floor
gave way, and precipitated everybody into
the room below. A GOOD many persons
were more or less injured. though ,sse Sc
riously, bat the school never recovered. In
. short time the house was torn down, a,d
the brick building which At preent occu-
pies tn site, was pat up.
Oshsr schools were organized - there
vas demsnd for them, but temporary or
rented bsildiags were used for some yeas.
In time public school system, nodelled |
after the bsst modern schools, wss deviesd
and insuguratei, the work Of putting up
good and permanent school buildings COM
mssced, and our educatiooal facilities have
been steadily growing md Improving ever
since, until We have nov, in the opinion Of
educators, IS good system Of
public instruction rs ia to b found in sny
city in the United States. l.1s z
PREsENr SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
The bsisiisss 81 Pssssas used BY the city
for school koases are:, the Morris, one Of
the finest school suildiDgs in the vest, erec-
ted At = cost Of about seventy five thousand
dollars; the Oak street. or high school
building, erected At cost Of thirty tbou-
.and dollars This, though costing much !
less than the Morris, is the finest school
building in the city, and one of the fsest
in the vest; the Third Avenue, costing,
With its additions about eighteen thousand
The Usage street building, twelve Thousand,
md the North Leavenworth colored school |
Twelve thousand. These were all ssected
BY the city, for school purposea and ere all !
good, commodious and substantial brick