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MANUFACTURING The record of manufacturing in Winneshiek county has not been one of marked successes. Yet here and there may be cited instances that give evidence that success can be won. If the reader follows the course of the Upper Iowa river as it winds through the county he will be impressed with the opportunity it affords for natural and cheap power. It must have so impressed the early settler, for from Kendallville down to the east line of Glenwood township, where it says good-bye to Winneshiek and hurries on its way through the northern part of Allamakee county to empty into the Mississippi, there are evidences in many places of dams that were built to supply power for some primitive grist or saw mill. Down in the southern part of the county where the Turkey river flows we find the same thing. Nor is that all; the smaller streams were made to do duty in a similar, though less forceful, way. The march of civilization may be blamed for the failure of some of these projects. Of the early day mills on the Upper Iowa, but two remain--the Kendallville mill and the old stone mill in Decorah. To them may be added the Ice Cave mill built by James Hunter and John Greer in 1873 and the Tavener grist mill. Over on the Turkey we find the mills at Fort Atkinson and Spillville. The Bernatz family-once owners of Evergreen mill at Fort Atkinson (they sold' it to the present owner, George Weist, I believe), are the leaders in milling today. A. Bernatz & Sons own the two Decorah mills, which have become very successful properties under their management, and John Bernatz owns the Spillville mill. In the early days of Decorah there grew up the plant of Ammon, Scott & Co., manufacturers of wagons, plows, etc. One of the adjuncts of the business was the old stone mill, where a grade of flour was made that commanded a ready sale. Their wagons and plows enjoyed prestige also because they were made on honor, but one morning the firm awoke to the fact that they were facing a financial crisis. For some cause their flour was being refused by dealers who had handled it steadily, stocks had piled up, sales were few, and every effort to unload proved unavailing. A run of poor wheat-unsuspected and unknown until efforts to use the flour made from it proved futile-had 165 PAST AND PRESENT OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY 166 so spoiled the reputation of the mill's output as to jeopardize the whole manufacturing enterprise, and the institution; closed its doors. We might go on down the line, citing such cases as the Decorah and Trout river woolen mills, the Freeport paper mill, the Decorah Manufacturing Company, the scale works, the windmill factory, and others, but why dwell upon an unpleasant subject? The various causes that contributed to their failure or removal would extend the pages of this chapter beyond the patience of the reader. They may be summed up in a few words-superior competitive equipment, lack of knowledge of the business undertaken, mismanagement, faulty sales management, to say nothing of inadequate transportation facilities. But; let us look at the other side of the picture. In Decorah there have grown up five establishments in one line whose combined pay rolls are probably the largest of any single manufacturing business in the county. We refer to the printing industry. Few people look upon a printing office as a manufacturing plant, but it is essentially of that class. Every piece of work produced is a separate and distinct article--a special order, that is seldom duplicated in every detail. Whether it be the issuing of a newspaper or the printing of a wedding invitation, or any other piece of printing, there may be a general outline or pattern to follow, but each time the details and results are different. Decorah has successful machine shops, marble works, bottling works, valve works, sheet metal shops and an ice cream factory that sends its products all over northeastern Iowa. A notable success had been attained in the production of electricity for commercial use. Twice within the past five years the Upper Iowa river has been harnessed, and its dams and power plants in Glenwood township are models of engineering. From them power and light is radiated to Decorah, Waukon, Cresco, Postville and Lansing. At Ossian, Bullard Brothers have just established an electric plant to serve the town. The Decorah Gas Company's plant and the municipal gas plant at Calmar are rightly classed among the manufactories that are successes. Calmar presents two cases of going enterprises in the Henry Miller wagon works and the Calmar Manufacturing Co. The product of both these institutions is known throughout a wide territory and alone constitute a refutation of the claim that manufacturing does not pay in Winneshiek county. The successful creameries of the county emphasize this refutation. The time will come when the resources that surround this community will be recognized, and they will be put to work. No magic need be used--all that is required is accurate knowledge and ability to apply it. For years opportunity has been calling for some one to establish rock crushing plants within our county lines and to develop the building stone industry. The pioneer burned his lime from the rock that crops out in a thousand places about the county, yet today we ship in our lime and send our money away to keep the industry prosperous elsewhere. Of mining there is none, nor is there any evidence of mineral
wealth to cause one to spend valuable time in investigation. _________ PARKS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS DECORAH CITY PARK The people of Winneshiek county have never realized the necessity for parks. A kind Providence caused the glacial flow to turn this corner of Iowa into a series of the most beautiful hills and valleys that can be found in any land, and then he studded them with nature's choicest gifts-trees of many kinds, flowers and ferns and shrubs of countless variety--and scattered through the valleys streams of crystal water that wend their way toward the Father of Waters that forms one of the boundaries of the state. With such an environment, need one think of a park? It is only within the past three years that a systematic effort to establish and maintain a park has been made at any point in the county. Three years ago Mr. Sivert Larsen secured an option from Mr. Milton Updegraff upon a tract of ground on the heights overlooking the Fifth ward and the valley northwest of Decorah. It held admirable possibilities that were not realized by the majority of the citizens, but when the project was placed before the Decorah Commercial Club, that body took steps at once to secure the property. While it is yet in the formative period much has been done in the way of improvement, and its fame is spreading to surrounding counties and states. It is first of all a natural park, and an endeavor has been made to retain all of its native beauty. Here during the summer months scarcely a day passes that does not see little gatherings of people bent upon wholesome pleasure. Mr. Larsen, Mr. L. B. Whitney and Mr. N. L. Bailey are the park commissioners. PUBLIC BUILDINGS The first public building in Winneshiek county was that little stone schoolhouse, built in 1852 at the four township corners southeast of the city of Decorah, wherein the first public school was taught. It is not the writer's purpose, however. to go into the details of this structure, or to refer particularly to the schoolhouses as public buildings further than to point to them as evidences of the belief of the residents of the county in schools. By some it might be considered 167 PAST AND PRESENT OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY 168 proper to include a number of buildings such as hotels, in this chapter, but importance could attach to but few of these. A notable exception would probably be the old Winneshiek hotel, built by William Day in 1854-55. Its predecessor was the Day log cabin home, which was a family abode as well as a place of shelter for the traveler until the hotel was built. THE COURTHOUSE We must begin in 1857, when, after a loan of $6,000 had been voted, to be collected with the taxes of 1857 and 1858, the construction of the Winneshiek County Courthouse was commenced. Alexander's History tells of the building of the courthouse and jail in the following paragraphs: "The courthouse was completed in 1857, a tax having been voted in 1856. The courts previous to that time were sometimes held in rented rooms-though for a while at first in the log house of William Day, and afterwards in Newell's Hall. The cost of the courthouse buildings, including the jail in the basement, was about $18,000. The land for the grounds was donated by William Day and William Painter, and occupies one square, being bounded on the north by Main street, on the east by Winnebago street, on the south by Broadway, and on the west by Court street. The courthouse building has a basement of stone in which were originally the jail and sheriff's residence, and above this two stories of brick; the courtroom occupying the upper floor and the county offices the remainder of the building. After the erection of the new jail the basement was given up to the Recorder's office with a large fireproof vault, the Clerk's office with also a fireproof vault, and the office of the County Surveyor. The offices of the County Treasurer, Auditor, Sheriff, and County Superintendent are now on the floor above. The courtroom is on the upper floor as originally constructed. In the fall of 1876 a county tax of $12,000, to be divided between 1877 and 1878, was voted for the erection of a new jail. The jail was commenced and completed in 1878. The cost of buildings, with cells, etc., was $11,114.25. The courthouse was, for that time, a magnificent building, and is still respectable looking, though a little ancient. Its position is commanding, overlooking the city and surrounding valley, and will some of these days, no doubt, be the site of an imposing edifice." Alexander little realized how faithfully the prediction in the
foregoing paragraph would be carried out. It became evident along
in the '90's, to those who were best informed, that every office
in the courthouse was cramped for room. Many of the most valuable
records and documents were without any protection from fire save
what might be accorded by the Decorah Fire Department, but it
was difficult to bring home to the people the gravity of the situation.
The proposition to issue bonds for a new building was discussed
for some time, and in 1898 the matter was put to vote with the
result that it was overwhelmingly defeated. In 1902 the Board
of Supervisors again ordered a vote taken, resulting in a handsome
majority for a bond issue of $75,000. In March, 1903, the old
building was abandoned and torn down, and work on the new structure
commenced. It became evident before the work had progressed far
that a larger sum would be required and the tax payers voted an
additional $50,000. Probably $25,000 to $35,000 was subsequently
spent, but the result is a building that will PAST AND PRESENT OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY 169 outlive many generations, both in its substantial beauty and its ample proportions. While there was some feeling at the time over the expenditure of such a large amount, today the wisdom of building for the future is not questioned. The building was occupied in the fall of 1905. The first floor or basement provides quarters for the Superintendent of Schools, the County Engineer, the janitor, and ample storage space. One room is also assigned to the Superintendent as an examination room. This room is also used by the Decorah Public Library. On the main floor are the offices of the Auditor, Treasurer, Clerk, Sheriff, Recorder and Board of Supervisors. The third floor contains two courtrooms, the County Attorney's office, private offices for the judges, consulting rooms, rooms for witnesses and jurors. All the offices are equipped with ample vault room, and the building is lighted by a private electric light plant installed in the boiler house. Gas is also piped into the building. THE COUNTY FARM AND HOME In 1866 the necessity for a county farm and home, to provide shelter for indigent people, became apparent, and a tract of sixty acres was purchased at Freeport. This has been enlarged by several subsequent purchases and now contains 220 acres. The buildings are all substantial and include a separate structure for incurable insane patients. Every comfort consistent with reasonable expenditure is afforded the inmates of the home, and precautions for their safety have been provided. The structures are steam-heated and electric-lighted. C. A. Funke is the steward at present. THE DECORAH POSTOFFICE This building, which was completed in March, 1912, occupies the southeast corner at the intersection of Main and Winnebago streets. It was constructed at a cost of about $65,000 and is generally conceded to be one 0;£ the handsomest of the federal buildings in Iowa. Its equipment is complete in every detail, the comfort of the employes being considered no less than the convenience of handling mail. The business of the Decorah postoffice for the past fiscal year was in round figures $28,000. Postmaster F. E. Biermann was one of President Wilson's first appointees in Iowa. Under him are Deputy Postmaster E. J. Powers and a corps of six clerks, four city carriers and eight rural carriers. The foregoing comprise the only buildings in the county that
come strictly under the head of public buildings. The Grand Opera
House of Decorah, the Auditorium at Ossian, and the town hall
at Castalia are also public buildings, but are owned by stock
companies, as is the Winneshiek Hotel of today, but these are
all more or less commercial enterprises. GEOLOGY Students of geology find in Winneshiek county some of the most interesting outcroppings and limestone formations of the middle states. Here one may find the lower sandstone, the lower beds of the Galina limestone or the lower Magnesian, but the Trenton limestone predominates and in it are imbedded fossils of odd and beautiful shape. At many points along the Upper Iowa river the banks rise in perpendicular bluffs faced with this rock for a height of one hundred feet or more. The glacial deposits have been clearly traced by geologists and their researches form an interesting volume. Here and there throughout the county may be found outcroppings of iron ore, but nothing to excite more than passing curiosity or warrant investigation. TOPOGRAPHY The late Samuel Calvin, state geologist, made a careful survey of this portion of Iowa. Its beauty was always an allurement to him and caused him to refer to it in a printed article as "The Switzerland of Iowa." The appellation is a most accurate one, for the topography of the counties of Allamakee, Clayton and Winneshiek is largely a succession of high hills, and, consequently, deep valleys. Winneshiek, while lacking nothing in the beauty that such topography suggests, is less objectionable from the standpoint of crop cultivation than her sister counties. The land is rolling, and along the rivers and small streams there is much of it that presents problems to the owners; still, as one gets back onto the highlands, broad prairies stretch out and present a most inviting scene. Whether it be valley, hillside or prairie, the soil is fertile. One of the reasons why the land in Winneshiek county has not advanced as rapidly in price as has some of the less rolling sections is because the prairie farmer does not appreciate the possibilities that here await him and is too timid to take a chance as a general rule. CLIMATOLOGY The climatic conditions of Northeastern Iowa (and that means Winneshiek county as well as others) are, in the main, admirable. There are seasons of 171 PAST AND PRESENT OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY 172 extreme cold, when the mercury seeks the bulb and registers from 20° to 30° below zero; and, by the law of average, it can be expected that the summer months will supply the other extreme. I can say most truthfully that our expectations are seldom disappointed, for we have days when 90° to 100°, and occasionally higher temperatures, are recorded. But between these seasons there are long periods of the most delightful temperatures, with growing rains, glorious sunshine and clear atmosphere. The conditions for profitable crop culture and good health are here combined to a degree that leaves little to be desired. |
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