Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-07-01
FIRST ELEVATOR
IN THE COUNTY
Erected by B. F. Miller and Jay
sternberg in Webster City
in the Spring Of 1870. Y
MANY OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
Erection Of the Wilson Block and
Opera House The New su-
pervisor System.
MANY OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.

From the History OF Hamilton
County by F. @. and J. W. Lee:
In the spring Of 1870 was COM
menced the erection of the first
grain elevator in the county by B.
F. Miller and Jay sternberg which
was completed and in use, receiving
grain the following fall. It was To-
Gated on land leased Of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company on the
south side of the road and across the
street west from the depot. 1t was
an important factor in the business
enterprises Of the county, as it pro-
vjded a convenient means for hand
ling the grain raised hereabout, and
its Importance will be the more APP
parent when it is remembered that
grain was then brought from all
portions Of the south and southeast
parts Of the county as well as from
q distance of at least thirty miles
north. The elevator was used by Mil
Ter & Sternberg for couple of
years, when Sternberg sold out to
J. w. Mattice and the business was
carried on under the firm name of
Miller & Mattice. They subsequent
" sold the building to J. w. Alling-
ton who made many improvements
in it and it continued to be one Of
the leading elevators of the county
until it burned down during the lat
ter part of January, 1890. 0
NEW BUILDINGS.
In 1870 the Wilson's built a brick
block and opera house, and about
the first of September, Captain
Crazy moved his hardware store in
to it and in it carried on business
alone or in company with Mr.. ]. w.
Evans to the day of his death. The
corner room was taken possession OF
~ the Hamilton County Bank. The
came room Is now occupied by the
webster City Savings Bank.
Work was also commenced on q
new brick block on Second street OPP
posite the opera house block.
The second church parsonage in
the county was erected this year al
%. The Methodist Episcopal parson-
age was located on Bank street
north OF the public school buildings.
It's first occupant was Rev. J. r.
Berry.
The fourth church erected in the
county was at Homer, the Methodist
Episcopal church, which was built
during the season of 1870 and was
formally dedicated on Sunday, the
18th OF December, Rev. ]. w. Todd
assisted by Rev. r. r. Berry Of Web
ster City, officiating.
Union block on Bank street was
finished this year and the hall was
used by the Baptist society fol
church services and the circuit and
district court was held therein un.
til the building Of the new court
house. A large number of other
buildings of less importance and es
timated with those already mention
ed to cost 100000 went up in Web
ster City, while a glance over the
surrounding country shows that i'm
provements there were equally rap
i'd.
THE NEW SUPERVISOR SYSTEM
Under law passed at the jan
uary, 1870, session OF the legisla
ture, the old system of township SUI
pervisors was repealed and instead
of it there was a new law for coun
ty supervisors enacted, Under IL
provisions three supervisors wer,
elected at the general election II
1870 and there We're two tickets Ii
the field. The republicans nominal
ed Julius NJ. Jones, of Boone; Jane
A. Snodgrass, OF Webster; and Johl
A. Cooper, of Ellsworth. The demo
Gratis nominated L. Bickford, 0
Cass; Joseph Dale, of Webster: AM
Henry staleS of Scott. The repub
lican ticket was elected by major
ity OF $40 votes and j. NJ. Jones, j
A. snodgrass and ]. A. Cooper hay
the honor of being the first board o
county supervisors under the preseu
law. ]. NJ. Jones was the first chair
man.
A law mad also passed the legisla
ture on the temperance question.
local option law providing tina
counties might vote whether al,
beer and native wine could be sol
within the county outside of corpol
ated towns. This question was sui
mitted to the voters OF Hamilto
county at the general election i
1870 and polled but light vot,