Iowa Falls Citizen Hardin County Times from Iowa Falls, Iowa • Page 6

RAfttHN 10WATALUt IOWA EARLY RIVER FORDS REPLACED BY 9 BRIDGES The of Iowa Falls, like its is tied closely indeed to the course o) the Iowa River as it winds its way through the rock diflf.s in the neifl'tVDrhood of what is now known as the Scenic City. But a river must be bridged and the history of the numerous bridges that now cross the Iowa River in the Scenic City as well as their numerous predecessors would make a far longer story than can told completely in the centennial edition of any Iowa Falls was settled by neo- ple coming from the south. Naturally they had to cross the river to reach the oresent site of Iowa Falls. To do that they forded the river at three different places in this seneral vicinitv. One of the fords was a few rods east of the present river street bridge and cam? out on the north bank of the river iust below the present bridpe.

Another ford was down the river just the east side bridge in the neighborhood of i the rendering plant. A third ford was UD the river just to the west of Foster Park. Ira Nichols reports that this ford was still in use when he FIRST ILLINOIS CENTRAL BRIDGE Forty to Fifty Medical Doctor! Nave Practiced In Iowa Falls This is the Illinois Central bridge, buiH in 1868 when the railroad went on west. It burned in a spectacular fire in-1894. ll i came to Iowa Falls in 1895.

The ford at the River street crossing enue bridge was built in 1934 after what Ira Nichols reports was 'one of the longest and bitterest fights in the history of Iowa Falls. It had to do with the location of highway No. 20 and whether it should come on through Williams and Alden over its pres- i ent route or whether it should go was used bv the Marshalltown- lowa Falls stase line. It must be remembered that the river at that particular point and below there looked considerably different be- fore the dam was added. River Street Bridge on directly east from a point one mile south of Williams and come into No.

65 at the correction line north of the Iowa Falls air- The Swinging Bridge visors. The storv of that first i bridge, its cost, its building and the politicking that went on be' ent Baptist Assembly bridge built 1909 and rebuilt as a part of made- tween 'Eldora, Iowa Falls and work project of the early New Iowa River Dea Jt ha tbeen closed for TM last two years now the Baptist Assembly group the Cl ha jf. haggled over of the Iowa Falls Sentinel. wh os responsibility it was to maintain the bridge i The Easi Br'd other towns on the occupies much space in Ira Nich- I ols' first book and took up no lit- tie amount of suace in the earlv ssues -i Addison Wells, one of the city for the bridge. It was oten to traffic around Dec.

1, 1867. The River street" bridge was rebuilt i in 1878. Again in 1888. The pres- I ent cement structure was built.I in 1922. This last bridge cost $17,750.

Great arguments ensued between' the county supervisors and city over who was responsible for providing the approaches to the bridge once it was completed. Oak Street Bridge The first Oak Street bridge, according to Ira Nichols' manuscripts, was built in 1898. It cost the county $3.213.24. A part of the cost of the bridge was paid by Byron Bliss. The firm of Ells-1 worth and Jones also paid $500 toward the cost of the bridge.

The opening of this bridge led to the development of the Bliss River- I side Park and Oak Park additions to Iowa Falls and the way to the i golf course and what was then 1 known as the Ellsworth Zoologi- cal Park was opened by this bridge. Four houses were built in the Bliss Addition in thi fall of 1898. One of those was built by Ira Nichqls, who still that in 1881 The The Arch Bridae stone arch bridge over Rainsbargers Responsible for Hardin County's First Murder 'the bresent Oak Street bridge was built alone in the late 1920's there was much haggling over tin route that highway No. 65 was to take through Iowa Falls. There was talk of cutting across the golf grounds to the east.

There was other talk of crospinf river onto Fremont street. The Oak Street brid.ee was not strong nough for heavy highway trafic. Eventually a der-ision was made for the portent route Iowa Falls and in June. 1927, the contract to build a new bridge 01 Oak street was let to the Welder Construction Comnanv for $57,120. The i Club contributed $1.000.

At 2 time it was built the bridge was credited i the longest sinsle- nrch in the state. It 235 ft. long. Washington Avenue Bridge In a a 1911, ocrurr3d the i orgarrzed, effort to put a bridge over the riv on Washington avenue. A a i it was necessary, of course, to gain the support of the board of supervisors and there apparently the usm'l jockeying and bat-king a i i Th a Frank Fostr-r owned rif land wcs' of the '-iver wlrch would be onened up bv new thus Mr.

Foster stood to i us result of the bridge. r'onsfquo'it'v it was aerfpd that. Footer nav for half of the bridg nl-o build the two sidewalk- Work sta on bridge tober. 1311 and the was SI0.750. Tho Washington Av- Hardin county never had any Indians to speak of.

But it had the Rainsbargers, five brothers who spread terror through the heavily-wooded areas of the county from Hardin City to Steamboat Rock to Eldora in the 1880's. Iowa Falls was outsids their orbit of operations. But their activities were such as to gain statewide attention and many in this community followed their deeds and misdeeds with close attention. They were a completely lawless gang which stole, committed all sorts of mischev- ious offenses--and murder. They were also involved in a counterfeiting ring and in attempts to collect on life insurance under dubious circumstances.

-so in the Steamboat that vigilantes took matters into their own hands. One hundred mounted and masked men stormed the county jail in Eldora where two of the Rainsbarger? under lock and key. Both of those boys ware killed that night by the mob. One was Finley. who cem- mited the first murder in Hardin county.

Two more of the boys served long terms in th penitentiary on a murder charge. As late as the early 1920's two bro'hers were pardoned and came back to live in Ackley. To chonicle the saga of the in Hardin county would a who'e section of i pnpT. This has the brie est i of sumrmrv. There story from the Hardin Sentinel.o Ifl66-- 'he i murder in Hardin and the first chapter in the historv; "The quiet village of Steamboat Rock was convoked last evening bv the shockins of one of its citizens.

The was committed with such reckless the blow struck The medical profession has of course played an important part in the first 100 years of Iowa Falls historv. A man qualified to carry the title of doctor arrived in Iowa Falls as early as 1852 or i 1853. Continuously since that Itime there have been dical doctors in tha community at all times. As a matter of fact in the verv early days, when there were at most only a few hundred in this entire area, there is reference in an early issue of the Sentinel to six different medical doctors, apparently practicing here. Naturally, the training and standards which at that time were a far cry from those which are the hallmarks of the profession today.

Nevertheless there were these half-dozen men in the early days of the community practicing healing arts. Some of Iowa Falls' most famous doctors spent almost an entire lifetime practicing here in 6ui community; a great many other members of the profession have crossed the scene and left but little imprint. Records are incomplete but it seems likely that as many as 40 or 50 different medical doctors have practiced in Iowa Falls since Dr. J. Simonds came here-in 1852 or 1853.

The fact remains, however, that the medical history of Iowa Falls' first century is written largely around a few outstanding men. Dr. J. F. Simonds Dr.

Simonds was the first physician to locate in Iowa Falls. There is but little evidence of his professional imprint upon the community although he was active in numerous early-day affairs. As a. matter of fact he did little practicing in the early days although he opened an office over drug store where the Iowa Falls State Bank is now located. About 1870 he moved to Arkansas.

Dr. J. H. Foster Dr. J.

H. Foster came to Iowa' Falls in 1855 and for the 40 years epitomized the principals of the old buggy, country-style family phy- s'ician and at the same time became one of the community's out-- standUg citizens. Ira Nichols describes him as "the most remarkable and most widely known of early day residents in Iowa Falls." On Ja''h: 31, 1872, 'the Ackley Independent said: "Dr. Foster was in town day last week vaccinating a num- with such appalling force that'ber of persons. Ths Dr.

seems to neither voice or arm could.be in- be the property of this whole re- terposed to supplicate or save the victim and the -unfortunate Rock Run leading from; Washington avenue to Johes Park arid the. swimming was built at the- cfihstructiori of the swimming; the early thirties. IfV was built by Weldens. Mock Run Viaduct: As early as 1864 Hardin towri- ship has petitioned the for a bridge Rock Run. By January lSS.5' an arched -stone bridge had beerr completed across.

Rock Run. At various times flood waters rushing down Rock Run have severely damaged the bridg- The first swinging bridge across es which hava existed there. In 1872 a bridge was using some 80... cords of -stone. This bridge is still in Railroad Bridgm The original Illinois Centra railway bridge in Iowa built in 1868.

This was a heavy wooden structure and the framework was boxed. It made an imposing sight. The buring of that bridge in 1894 was reported in the Sentinel to bfe "universally conceded as the most magnificent spectacle ever witnessied in Iowa Falls." I For a short time while the present bridge was being erected, the Illinois routed Bridge. Central trains were re- over the Bock Island man was sent into the presence of his God. In Dr.

Wright's drug store occurred the tragic affair. The shades of evening had settled upon the the lamps were burning 'brightly. Charles Voils and Finley 'Rains- barger, the actors-'in this'dread- ful drama, had atte'hJed a petty law suit. The sentiments 'they entertained had not been very friendly ill.feeling may hsve dsred in the at last. Voils was slightly, 'intoxicated; perhaps quarrelspinertbut hafhjlessV Jn maudlin 'm'atliier of-'a irrwfiriebri- atad, he dared -Rainsbarger to fight and shook his f-sts" ingly in his face.

At last when he made a slight stumbling movement. Rainsbarger seized the opportunity to inflict with.the rapidly of a stab in the le breast of the unhappy man. The weapon used a butcher's knife impelled with surh strength as to p2netrate the heart of the deceased, causing instantaneous death. Surgeons Cusack and Underwood made a post mortem discovered another sevefe stab beneath the left ear. Rainsbarger was tak- into custody bv -the citizens handed over to Sheriff Thompson.

"Finley is- v-pqrs of as There is no particu- mark visible about his features except a white, restless rolling of the eyes and the tawn'- a i that covers head and face. "This is the first murder committed in our county and wa hoop for- of peace, piety and ord'-r we shall not aeain be required to record the commission of a f-riif gion and we venture the assertion that he is more widely known and relied upon than any other man in his profession in the three counties of Franklin, Hardin and Butler." Needless to say many columns of this paper could be devoted to the contributions of Dr. Foster alone. In Nichols' book, "Pioneer Days of Iowa Falls," the practice of Dr. Foster was covered in or four pages.

For further reference to Dr. Foster and the entire Foster family and its remarkable contributions to our copimuhity see Page 4, action 10 centennial edition. Dr. F. J.

Evans Dr. Evans located in Iowa Falls in 1874 or 1875 and practiced here well up into the present cen- O. H. Pagelsen remembers him wjll when he lived and practiced down on the site of the present Farmers Exchange. Ira Nichols refers to him and the period when both of them were serving on the school board togethsr.

He died in Washington in 1917. Dr. W. M. Morion Dr.

Morton began the practice of msdicine in Iowa Falls in 1881 an dcontinued in business here for more than 30 years when he retired and went to California. HJ was a graduate of the State of Iowa and became a leading doctor and surgeon. He had two sons who became doctors. One of the L. B.

Morton, married Carollnte Ellsworth, daughter of ft. S. Ellsworth. Nearly all of the family went to either Arizona or California. Dr.

M. W. Mill Dr. Hill came to Iowa Falls in 1882 and bought tha small frame building just one door etit of the present offices of Drs. Sdvenson and Burgess.

This was a Wisner building, at the time. Dr. Hill oracticed here for many years building up a very large practice and becoming quit? well-to-do. He eventually moved to Cornell, Iowa. Dr.

Dr. O. H. Pagelsen came to Iowa Falls in and ytA. into part- nershio with- Dr.

Hill, he ter bought Dr. Pa.ste.lsen withJ Hill Hill went: to Dr. Wray cflm to 4jwa Falls. in 1913 from he had practicedi years! Prior practiced in Wisconsin, Illinois Iowa. He When he bought out Dr.

PageVe'hv vtflib in turn went- to 5 rand -Vienna, Austria, fcfr additional medical study. When Dr. Pagelsen returned from Europe he located in Fort shortly came back and bought tialf in the Wray 'practice. Wray and For the next of Wray and associated with a large and prbspert ous medical- practice an this cdrii- munity. In 1945 TJr.Eagelsen sold out to Dr.

Wray arid within a.fiW months, Dr. Wray Sold "out to the firm -now -known-: --as-- Johnson; Johnson and Parker. Dr. Pagelsen since his retirement has spent most of. his tinie in is interested in the citrus business at Pharr, Texas, where he ittakes his He returns frequently to iff- visit friends in toWia arid a daughter in Dr.

Wray arid wif cohtinue to make their homt loyira although they -'theuj 1 in Florida. They to be active in many community affairs and remftifis a aml'e foi '6n 'iJiSL. men not more than' Dr. J. A.rW.

Dr. Burgess. low.a "Falls in 1901. He hadi been, practicing in Radcliffe prior td.tHit.time arid his wife was the daughter oi'an for Alden physician. the office his- Arthiir.

now practices with' Dr: M. fed- venson. pf. and waSf.ictiye 'irt the doirimuHity up to day" of his" death in He arid-' his: 'son were in surgery" the- before the elder. -i6.

go to Chicago where he laier-in the day. A. -iff. Burgess. joined his father in 1933 and has tinued with the joined by ih 1954.

"twiild- ing Drv. 'father. built shortly after the of the century. The- "house '4usJ to' -tKb west of the is known the family home is 'one of oldest houses -in -Iowa ref erred tb as the Lane house in 7 early Dr. Edvenson -inteTiied.

in D-B- troit. and spent ihree years in surgical training Chicago. Besides his practice he is serving as a -the Alden community. Dr. Burgess in: 'tVdrid War II and incurred; a which causes him -to' 'carry on 'a somewhat restricted practice the present i.

F. Dr. Cole is the oldest practic- This photograph Falls a of geneiratiohs a'feo. i Jake Richtsrrieier, Ida been a Wingert boyi In the second row Rose 'Wilkinson Si showt Phillips (teacher); another identified the fear are Robert Wilson; John'Wilkinson, Simpson, Mae Klopp Hoskins and Thoifaas- school southeast of Iowa 0 Libbie Harris TieleftBlwlh.UJiMentifled: youngster, who may baVe Jpsie and Byron Wilson. impson.

Jarries Klopp, Ella Klppjp. ing physician among those 'doctors now seWing Iowa Falls. He formerly taught in the medical college at the State University of Iowa before establishing his here in July, 1932. Dr. Gole has been ac'tive in, the community, serving as a member of the library board, as of the City Planning Commission and from 1944-47 he served as member of the Iowa -Falls school board.

The Cole family lives at 604 Main street in one of the oldest houses in Iowa Falls, built in 1859 by J. R. Larkin, one of the founders of Iowa Falls. The Coles have three daughters. Dr.

E. J. SlMnxo'd Dr. E. J.

Steenrod began his practice of general surgery in To-. wa Falls in 1 939. Before coming fowa Falls, Dr. Steenrod was associated with 'the Mayo Clinic. Dr.

Steenrod has specialized in surgery" but continued to carry' on a general practice as well; For one year, 1948, Dr. William Gladstone, was associated with Dr. Steenrod. Dr. and Mrs.

Steenrod and their two. children live on Foster Boo. 1 leyard. Johnson, Johnson 8t ParkM The. Johnsons, Dr.

R. J. (Bob) and W. A. are sons of the Itite-pr.

Jonathan Johnson of Alden who served that community fpr many, many years. Following their from the State tlfiiyersi'ty, Dr. Bill begari prec-r tice in Alden 'in 1935- and 'Dr. Bob began practice in Iowa Fall? In '1936. In 1942 both were calle'd to the ssrvice.

After the war the Johnson Bros, became partners in taking over Wray arid Pagei- sen 'practice which had been' carried on by Dr: Wray following Three Frdnklin Townships Are bwaFalls Here is a.yety the three townships. ih whibh closely i 1 1 join Iowa 1 Lee afid; siinv rnary of the early history; ot these three townships is book entitled, a i liri pub'lisb 1948, the jpined by Dr. Loran F. Parker; They presently practice in the office building which Wray and Pagelsen built about 1922-23 and which they have recently rather xtensively remodelled and enlarged. Dr.

and Mrs. W. A. Johnson (Dr. Bill) live at 210 Glen Drive.

Their son, Dallas, is a student at the State University of Iowa. and Mrs. R. J. Johnson (Dr: Bob) live in a newjiome west of Iowa Falls on the river.

They haye two- sons in the Iowa' Falls school Dr. and Mrs. Parker live at 4l'I Jason with their three young children. GOING AHEAD The commissioners are at work on street improvements and I Washington Avenue is prepared nearly for itk, plank gutters. Jowa i Falls is graduallv putting on city airs and we will have the street cars rolls steadily from the River Street to and from the normal school edifice, which we hope will ertcted within a short 1 space of time after the legislature Sentinel, August 16, 187V 1900 It, A Royal warMmMI for NEWELL AND OATBB CASH HAItDWARC i A GOOD NEWS-WORK BEGUN I It is with much satisfaction that we are to announce that the railroad from here to Fort Dodge is now under and will be with the utmost vigor until the scream their entree into that town.

The contract for grading haf let to I Douglas, Brown Co utitfar which their are im- I mediately will be shyels, arrive today. "How' many handfs en the line with 1867. THIS WAS IN THE FALL FESTIVAL PARADE IN THE EARLY TWENTIES cagb firm Jn the'Vypfei foloWing are OAKLAND Oakland township ed 1 haying fepieii ite iii that frbrti Morwil, The at the home 6f Jpfft t. Pdipejby in 185(5. This," however, before Oakland was separkted tiofh Mbrgaii was established, whet therp not more than a ianiilSis in ih ill a' blacksmith' shop in '185S aM about.thfe same time J.

Dodd opened a store. i V- GRANT Grarif township was originally aipart of Reeve and Osceola town- shjps ahd later of- Oakland. In i'STt) oh petition of Wesley Bro- gari and others, Grant was erect- efl separated from Oakland township. first election was Held at a schpolhoUse on section 18 on 16th day of October, at which time there 30 votes cast for the following officers: Long Saley, clerk; F. Moats, assessor; B.

F. Cogswell, John GHggs, H. Talhelm, trustees. -The first persons to make in Grant township were Anios Roberts, James Sayre, OTid'two men named Macey arid Stoddard. Stoddard and Sayre 5, in 1860.

i parly settlers were Leyi Talhfelm, John Griggs, William B'ullis, Nelson Saley, Frederick Joseph Studer, Wily, who came to Grant township from Hardin county, -jiifohnson, who was the first carrier from Maysville A to C34dar! Falls, Moses A. Webber, jieiririch Meyer, E. B. Keeling, Fessler, Newton Permy; atniri Havens, John W. gfev Plartner and Edward to tak? place township was that of and Anna Cogswell 'fhe; birth was T11 Charles son of T.

and Eliza largest and fihiest irj incirtherri i IpWa, wJtJcjh'-cbsf-h old m. sion-' only, fire Editor's be.came; pr6minerit fairs; He couniy land G-' A 6 from" Illinois 'in 1855 atia Ibca'ted was 'ft-orrj Reeve i.ri 1870. T.h'e-'ffirs riairtsf applied to it was ''township but this was soon chang- 'ed to Lee, upon petition of 'parly- Tsettlers in- order to honoc the one of the first set- iJers'. William H. Lee.

An election Oct. 1870, by which "organization of the Wa's The judges -were ifcj.W.^SlocunV J. Bolitho and j. jfornian; B. R.

Fitch, clerk. Of were: Trustees, J. Bolitho and W. P. Smith; Jtlerk, -Fitch; constables, j.

R. and P. Smith. The first porson known to pre- on the south side of tHe river ther was illiam where he until the spring of Taylor, who had located near Iowa Falls in Hardin countv. in the fall of 1854 with his family, consisting of wife and seven 'i children.

In the winter of 1856, Mr. Taylor preempted 160 acrjes of land in Lee township on which he intended to settle the' next but before being able to do so. died upon the very day he had fixed for moving. In 1863 George Wright sjettled ori section 1 in Lee township. Jeremiah Lane came in 1865, The nnxt settlers in the townships 'v rc the Slocums foncs.

Fit-h and J. I Fof one of the Fall Festival parl Ro en Iowa FaHs wM ji a machmtst at the roundhouse, artd 1883. Levi Bigelow, a native of New HampBire. moved to Oakland in 1856. E.

Smith was a son-in-law of Ley! Bigelow. He. came to Oakland in 1857. Another of the early settlers in Oakland township was Iver Iv- the father A F. Iverson who now lives in Iowa Falls, Iver Iverson with his brother Erik came from Norway to America, in 1868, and both settled in Oakland township, i The firtft birth Oaklart? township was that of Mitchell, son 6f Sanfbrd Mitchell in 1855.

The boy 6nly a sh6irt time, however, and his death in 1856 is worded as first death in the township. The first schooT In Oakland township was conducted the bv PonejoV S.nd T. R. Dodd in 18(17. was taught by Tabitht Wyrtt-who probably th? yaurimvt school teacher ever to undertake the education of group of puptfa.

At the opoftinff of School was on- up by pwrwmwl who WM foremaa nhoog son Brown, ty 12 of I Mf WytM H. I I 9 vvW supported. Sanford Mitchell whom can)? ebout 1869. p. G.

Mott and J. N. Montgomery set- in the township in 18Bd. J. Fraser in 1870.

Georee H. Wilson camp in 1870 H. $. Ed- (tv located hi wction 26 in, 1871. f-nm in ISTSf, Mr.

Mrs. Frank Tailor the ftrst rouo'" to br married in the and the first religious werp hplH at the school in District No. 1 by C. R. Miller in ths summer of 1878.

The ftnt school in Lee tpwn- wit kept in Ion ftouMt on Mn. A MhotftHmiM bull section 35, in 1868. ViEWSPAPERl.