All the country bounded on the north by a line indefinite, and a line run ning due west from the house of Thomas Mitchell, due west to the Des Moines river, on the east by the Des Moines river and a line running due north from the house of William Lower to the line running west from the house of Thomas Mitchell, on the south by a line running due west from the house of the said Lower, and on the west by the west line of Polk county was made to constitute Fort Des Moines precinct. The town of Fort Des Moines was designated as the place for holding elections. Clay precinct consisted of all the country bounded on the north by a line indefinite, on the east by Four Mile Creek and a line running due north from the source of said creek, on the south by a line running due west from the house of Thomas Mitchell, and west by the Des Moines river. The house of John Saylor was designated as the place for holding elections. William S. Wallace, Creth Renfro and J. W. Deacon were appointed judges of election in Democrat precinct. Matthew Spurlock, James McRoberts and D. K. Harris were appointed judges of election in the Three Rivers precinct. Mr. Stump, Thomas Corbell and Samuel Miller were appointed judges of election in Dallas precinct. Henry Birge, Mr. Jennings and Eli Trulinger were appointed judges in Skunk precinct. On the 7th of October the Board allowed Thomas Mitchell fifty dollars for services as Sheriff. Thomas Baker was allowed two hundred dollars for services as Prosecuting Attorney during the year 1846, and Perry L. Crossman was allowed fifty dollars for organizing Polk county; a settlement was also made with William F. Ayers, County Treasurer. When William McKay turned over the office of Commissioner's Clerk to Lewis Whitten, the latter also succeeded the former as the county's real estate agent for the sale of town lots. In order to show what were the duties and qualifications of this officer, we copy the order of his appoint ment. "TERRITORY OF IOWA, } "Be it known that Lewis Whitten of said county, is hereby appointed an agent to sell and dispose of real estate belonging to said county, in such manner as may be ordered by the Board of County Commissioners of said county, and also to rent the public buildings at Fort Des Moines or any part of them, and to collect all rents arising from said public buildings for the use and benefit of said county, in such manner as may be ordered by said Board of County Commissioners, provided that he the said Whitten shall take the oath required by the second section of an act entitled, an act to authorize Boards of County Commissioners to appoint agents to dispose of real estate. Approved Feb. 17, 1842. And shall give bond with approved security payable to said Board of Commissioners in the penal sum of two thousand dollars, conditioned for the faithful performance of his several duties as such agent. October 31, 1846." The condition of the county's real estate at this time appears from the following memorandum of settlement: "The Board of County Commissioners having this day settled with William McKay, agent for the lot fund in Fort Des Moines, the said agent has delivered to Lewis Whitten, the successor of William McKay as said agent, notes for town lots to the amount of two thousand two hundred and thirtythree dollars and fifty-nine cents, and there appearing to be in the hands of the said William McKay, the sum of forty-two dollars and forty-seven cents, it is therefore Ordered, That William McKay pay the said amount of money to the said Lewis Whitten, and the said McKay shall have a receipt for the amount of money aforesaid, as soon as said money is paid to said Whitten, which receipt will show between the said McKay and the Board of Commissioners of Polk County a full and final settlement up to date. October 31, 1846. The question of maintaining or disposing of the helpless poor was one early presented to the county authorities for disposal. The first reference to paupers is found in the county records of October 31, 1846 as follows: Ordered, That a certain pauper child in the town of Fort Des Moines, of supposed Swedish parents, who have recently died in said town, be delivered to Samuel Kellogg of Polk county, Iowa. FERRIES. Whoever will take the trouble of examining a map of Polk county will readily see that the country is traversed by a number of large streams, which even at this day cannot be crossed during a greater portion of the year without the medium of bridges or some other appliance. The difficulty in crossing streams was even greater in early days than now, as it is a fact that there were at that time more freshets and a higher stage of water in the streams than now. It has already been seen that while the garrison was quartered at Fort Des Moines, and before many settlers had located in the county, there was much trouble experienced in crossing these streams. To obviate this difficulty, it has already been stated that various persons, in consideration of erecting temporary bridges, were permitted to take claims and locate in the then forbidden country. A river is an essential condition for the prospective site of a city. So universally is this admitted, that there are few, if any, towns or cities of any importance in the world which are not located on the banks or near some stream of water. As a rule, all large cities are located near some large body of water. The site of Fort Des Moines was selected on account of its contiguity to two noble streams, and the capital city owes much of its prosperity to this fact. The fact is so general as to warrant being laid down as a fundamental principle, that no great advantage of any kind is without its accompaniment of a corresponding disadvantage. This is especially true of such advantages as are termed natural advantages. Such is true of the natural advantages afforded by all large streams of water, and the people of Polk county early learned that the principle applied to the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. The work of bridging these streams, accomplished in later years, has to a certain extent obviated the difficulty; but the toll-gatherer still remains, as a gentle though persis tent reminder of the fact that the channels of these rivers are deep, that the current is swift, and one is compelled to recognize, even at this late day, the fact that all great advantages have their accompanying disadvantages. These elegant and convenient bridges, however, did not exist in early times, nor could exist until the county became well populated and the people had acquired sufficient wealth to have credit with the money-loaners of the nation. While the county was settling up and the people were accumulating wealth, the passage of these streams had to be made by means of other and cheaper appliances than bridges. The first bridge across the Des Moines river in Polk county was not constructed till 1856; it was at the junction with the river of Sycamore street, and was simply a pontoon bridge. In 1857 a trestle bridge was erected across the river at the junction of Market street; this washed away in 1859. It was reconstructed in 1861, and was again carried away. The elegant and durable structures which are now in use are of comparatively modern origin, they having not been erected till subsequent to 1860. What bridges there were across the Des Moines prior to that time were frail and unsafe structures, and could not be depended on. The same was true of the bridges across Raccoon river. A gentleman from Winterset related to the writer recently an incident which occurred in early times, which illustrates the the unreliable character of the 'Coon river bridges. The gentleman was visiting Des Moines, on some professional business, during a period of high water. Having completed his business, he got into the stage preparatory to making the return trip. The stage was full, inside and outside, and just before driving upon the old 'Coon river bridge, which spans the stream on the Winterset road, some one of the passengers called out that he had forgotten something of great importance, and upon his earnest solicitation the driver turned around and drove back to the hotel, and after the passenger in question had procured the missing package, the stage again started on its journey. When it arrived near the bridge, at the identical spot where it had but a few moments before turned about, there was a tremendous crash and the broken and disconnected timbers of the bridge floated away on the angry waters of the turbulent 'Coon. It is not our intention at this place to relate remarkable incidents or hairbreadth escapes, wherein the passengers of an over-crowded stage coach were miraculously saved from a watery grave, and whose safety seemed to be due to a special interposition of Providence; neither is it our intention to write a history of Polk county bridges, but what has been related is simply prefatory to the giving of a brief account of another means of transit exclusively used in early days. We refer to ferries. These ferries were under the direct control of the County Commissioners, who, in consideration of an annual fee, licensed certain persons to operate them. The County Commissioners, moreover, upon issuing said license, prescribed the rate of toll to be charged, and in other respects looked after the details of their management. Public policy dictated that the supervision of the ferries should be rigid, for by their mismanagement commerce and travel would be materially interfered with, and in some cases entirely interrupted. The first person regularly licensed as a ferryman was John B. Scott, who, on February 1st, was authorized to maintain a ferry across the Des Moines river, and also across the Raccoon river, at Fort Des Moines. The record is as follows: Ordered, That John B. Scott be allowed to keep a ferry across Des Moines and Raccoon, rivers at the junction of Raccoon and Des Moines rivers, one year, at Fort Des Moines, upon the following conditions, to-wit: The said Scott shall pay into the county treasury the sum of five dollars, and shall be allowed ferriage upon the following rates: For crossing a footman over either river... 5 cents. .1212 .50 5 For crossing wagon and one span of horses, for each river...37% Hogs and sheep per head.... During the following April Edward Martin was licensed to keep a ferry. The following was the order of the Commissioners: Ordered, That Edward Martin be allowed to keep a ferry across the Des Moines river at his residence, upon the following conditions, to-wit: The said Martin shall pay into the county treasury the sum of two dollars, and shall be allowed ferriage upon the following rates: Numerous other ferries were licensed and operated in various parts of the county, which were of great service to the settlers of the county and emigrants passing through, and at the same time they were a source of some little revenue to the county and repaid the owners of them liberal rewards for the labor of operating them and the capital invested. The most valuable franchise belonged to Mr. Scott, who, as has already been seen, was licensed to keep a ferry across the Des Moines and 'Coon rivers early in 1847, at the town of Fort Des Moines. This ferry was much patronized by the people of the county, and as Fort Des Moines was on the most popular through route from the old settled regions to the Far West, there was an immense emigration through here, and Mr. Scott was called, upon to carry them across the rivers. During the California gold excitement especially was there an immense business. According to some facts already given, there were in a single day as many as two hundred and fifty teams, consisting of over six hundred and fifty horses and cattle, and as many persons, crossed the ferry at Fort Des Moines. As foreign travel was always charged full rate, it appears that Mr. Scott must have made considerable money in operating the ferry. At a later period, probably early in the year 1852, the people of Fort Des Moines, led probably by some of the more enterprising merchants, agitated the question of buying of Mr. Scott his franchises, boats, and fixtures, and operating at the expense of the town the ferry, free for all the people of Polk and surrounding counties, who came here for the purpose of trading. The question was finally submitted to the Town Council, which body viewed it favorably, and decided to buy out Mr. Scott. The following paragraph, which appeared in the Des Moines Gazette early in the year 1852, speaks of the consummation of this measure. "The Town Council has finally concluded a bargain with Mr. Scott for his boats, rights, and privileges in the ferries across the Des Moines and 'Coon rivers at this place. It is proposed, we understand, to run these ferries free of charge to the citizens of this and adjoining counties who visit this place on business, and tax all foreign travel a small sum, say about one-half of the usual rates, to defray the expense of keeping boats, tackle, etc., in repair. It is contemplated to build a ferry house on this side of the river, that whosoever may be employed to attend the ferry shall have a comfortable place to protect him from the inclernent weather, and hence be deprived of any excuse for leaving his post. This is a good idea, and will remove the cause of general complaint heretofore that persons had to 'holler' and wait a long while in the wet and cold for the ferryman, who had gone where he could be shielded from both. We hope to see the plan carried out." Aside from the many ferries which were maintained across the larger streams where the principal roads intersected, there were many skiff ferries, operated by persons who resided near by, under an authority of the County Commissioners. There were also many accommodating and public spirited individuals residing in the vicinity of these streams who kept boats for their own private use, and frequently carried the sojourner across to the other side free of expense. As the county became more generally settled and the treasury would permit it, bridges begun to take the place of ferries. All the bridges in the vicinity of Des Moines, however, we believe were erected by corporation capital and are toll-bridges. A project is now discussed in which it is proposed for the county to purchase the bridges and make them free; this will doubtless be done at a time not far distant. ROADS. The first roads of which we have any knowledge were the Territorial roads. These roads were established by the enactment of the Territorial Legislature independent of the authority of the countries through which they passed, and in some instances these roads were located through certain regions of country before the said country was organized into counties. Roads of this character, leading to Fort Des Moines, were projected by the Territorial Legislature before Polk county was organized. When the country through which these roads extended was organized into counties these counties usually adopted such parts of the territorial roads as lay within their bounds, and made of them county roads. Among other Territorial roads in which the people of Polk county were interested was one leading from Clarksville, in Monroe county, by the way of Knoxville, to Fort Des Moines. The first action taken in reference to roads by the authorities of Polk county had to do with this aforesaid Territorial road. The action was taken in 1848, at the July term of the Board of County Commissioners, and was as follows: Ordered, that the survey of a Territorial road leading from Clarksville, Monroe county, by way of the seat of justice of Marion county, to Raccoon Fork, Fort Des Moines, Polk county, so far as said road runs in this county, be and the same is hereby adopted and received by this Board. That George Leslie be and hereby is appointed Supervisor on said road, from the place where the same commences, at the east line of Polk county, to the place where it, the said road, crosses what is commonly known as the Upper or North river, thence, across said river, to a place where said road crosses the north line of township 77 north, of range 23 west. That Thomas McLaughlin be and is appointed Supervisor on said road, from the place where the same crosses the north line of township 77 north, of range 23 west, to the place of its termination, at Fort Des Moines. Ordered, that the road district of the said George Leslie, shall be included in the following boundaries, to wit: Commencing at the southeast corner of Polk county, thence, north along the east line of said county, to where said line strikes the Des Moines river, thence up said |