The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1901-04-25
HISTORICAL.
A Fact or Two Concerning The
sold Loring Corner.


date front, has caused some of the
old Oskaloosa residents to think back
to the days when the building was
erected. In an early day it was the
best building in the city and was
considered monster and a wonder.
1t was back in, the days of 1856 that
the building was started. The Odd
Fellows were very strong and enthu-
siastic in the little city at that time
and the plan originated with them
to have hall. They planned for
three story building. The first floor
was to be for business locations, on
the second floor was to be large
city hall or opera house and the
third floor was to be devoted to lodge
rooms and the home of the Odd Fell
lows themselves, Elan Stafford had
a drug store on that corner in a lit
tie frame shack that will be remem-
bered by few of the Oskaloosa old
residents of today. This property
and the adjoining lot were purchased
and the great proposition was fairly
started. The Odd Fellows were
backed in the enterprise by A. F.
Seeberger, who is now resident OF
Chicago, member of the hardware
firm of Seeberger, Brakey & Co.,
and brother of the late J. d. See
berger of Des Moines, recently de-
ceased. The contract for the cree
ton of the building was taken by
John M. Byers, now deceased, and
the father of s. H. M. Byers, now of
Des Moines. The work was started
by this gentleman, but for some
cause he threw up the contract and
left the building unfinished. John
Adams, who afterwards went 10 OF
tumwa, was resident of the city at
that time and was engaged upon the
erection, of the Ben Roop mansion
on Highsavenue west now known as
the Central House. and the building
of Oskaloosa College. Mr.. Adams
took the contract for the completion
of the work that had been commenc-
ed by Mr.. Byers and he completed
the building during the season of
1857.
Mr.. Seeberger and John Larimer
who were in some way connected
with,the business end of the deal dis
posed of their interests to d. w. Lor-
ing andlDan Ogelvie and the place
was for long time known as the
Loringsand Ogelvie building. s. j.
Dutton purchased the interests of Mr..
Ogelvie and the corner today retains
the old name association and is called
the Loring and Dutton building.
There are but few of the workmen
who were employed in the erection
of the building now living. The brick
work was done by R. R. Harbour,
superintendent, and other parts of
the work were completed by Charles
Munroe, Horace King, "Hink"
Wiley, Richard Dumont and David
Evans. Of these latter Chas. Munroe,
who is the father of Chas. Monroe of
city clerk tame, is the sole survivor.
1t is thought that Mr.. Adams the con-
tractor, who went to Ottumwa is also
deceased.
Mr.. Munroe was given the task of
making Sand placing the window
frames for the entire and hanging
the windows. By his own hand and
unasisted Mr.. Munroe made every
frame that went into the building
and put them in place. He had the
building enclosed before there was
any of the flooring laid and having
completed the part of the labor that
had been assigned him he was given
the work of laying the floors and
under his direction this part of the
building was completed. That was
all back in the days when material
for building was material and had to
be brought considerable distance.
The removal of portion of the old
wall this week to accommodate the
new window on the west discloses
the fact those early builders knew
their work and practiced every pos
sible economy as regards material.
Very little part of the building
material was permitted to go to
waste.
OF the old time builders it is re-
called that after the building of the
Odd Fellow hall, Chas Munroe and
"Hink" Wiley formed partnership
and worked at their trade for several
years. Davis Evans and Tobias
Leighton went into business together
and were also successful for a
number of years.
The old building is today, after
half century Of continuous service,
doing it's duty and is likely to stand
for years and years to come. The
city hall part of the enterprise was
realized and prior to the building of
the Masonic opera house by the
Masons the hall was the best place in
the city for the holding of entertain
ments. and it was so used even after
the opera house was erected for a
term of years. Often times there
were entertainments going on in
both places on the same evening.
The hall finally ceased to be a pay
ing feature of the building and it was