a flat failure. The Index championed the movement and gave a glowing description of its numbers, enthusiasm, and bitterly denounced the ring of politicians who opposed the move and were present to create a disturbance or capture the nominations if any were made. The Freeman was called "the ring organ." The Index was called the "Sutton-Doane Ring Managers" and politics became absolutely torrid. Abuse and vituperation seemed to be the principal stock in trade of the campaign, so far, at least, as it was reported in the newspapers. The members of the new party called "Anti-Monops," "Modox," "Hayseeds" and so on, while epithets equally opprobrious were hurled at the opposition. It would be very racy reading to copy some of the articles printed at that time, pro and con, but to do so would exceed the limit of our space, and while amusing, would not be very instructive. Therefore, we shall speak of them only in a general way.

THE ANTI-MONOPOLY CAMPAIGN

The new movement convention met at Webster City, called themselves antimonopolists, and nominated the following ticket: For treasurer, W. M. Taylor; auditor, R. O. Cutler; sheriff, L. Bickford; superintendent of schools, H. M. Lucas; supervisor, Joseph Bone; drainage commissioner, Henry Henryson; coroner, T. J. Ament; surveyor, Bradley.

The republicans held a primary election and presented the following ticket: For treasurer, John Eckstein; sheriff, Fred A. Harris; auditor, Charles Wickware; superintendent of schools, C. A. Howd; drainage commissioner, John Hunt; supervisor, H. Corbin; surveyor, M. L. Tracy; coroner, F. J. McConnell.

For representative: Anti-monoply, C. N. Overbaugh. Republican, J. W. Parmalee.

For senator: Anti-monopoly, J. A. Snodgrass. Republican, Elias Jessup. Until this election, at least since 1860, the republicans had carried everything by an almost unanimious vote, and by majorities of from five to eight hundred, but the result of this election showed that the new movement, though only three months old, almost carried with it a majority of the people. Leander Bickford was elected sheriff, Taylor was beaten by Eckstein by only 70 votes, while Snodgrass came within 71 votes of being elected senator in the Hamilton-Hardin district. The general majorities for the republicans on the balance of the ticket averaged near 100. It was at this election that the anti-monopolists elected onehalf of the legislature of the state. Had they been organized a month earlier in this county, they would most probably have elected a senator and representative both. It was the closest election, all around, ever held in the county since the war.

A STARTLING ACCIDENT

On the 26th day of June, 1873, little Eddie Snow, a child about twenty months of age, strayed away from his parents' dooryard which was near the Illinois Central Railroad, about three and a half miles west of Webster City, and got upon the railroad track just as the afternoon passenger train was going west. The train was late and running at a higher rate of speed than usual, and the train men. did not see the little fellow in time to stop the train before it reached and ran over

him. He was, of course, too young to know that there was any danger and made no move to leave the track. The engine and three or four cars passed over the little chap before the train was stopped and he was taken out from under it fearfully mutilated. His mother who had just missed the child stepped out to look for him, saw him on the track at the time the train struck him. The conductor took the child and his mother upon the train and returned to Webster City, where both arms of the injured child were amputated, the right arm just below the elbow, the left near the shoulder. Notwithstanding his terrible injuries and the amputation of both his arms, the little fellow survived and is now a strong and hearty young man. A suit was brought against the railroad company for damages, but the first jury on the trial disagreed and before a second trial the case was settled by the railroad company paying to the child's guardian, for his use and benefit. $1,500 and paying the costs already made.

When young Mr. Snow grew to manhood, he became a school teacher. In this he was very successful and in 1910 he was elected county superintendent of Hamilton county. His success in life is a glowing example of what grit and pluck will accomplish in spite of overwhelming disadvantages.

THE UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY ORGANIZED

In January, 1874, Rev. B. F. Snook, a Universalist minister, arrived at Webster City and delivered a series of lectures. They were so well received that a society was organized and he continued to return and hold services at intervals until the following year. In 1875, the society selected grounds and proceeded to erect a new church edifice. The first grounds selected were at the present site of the Methodist church and some materials were placed there and the work of excavating for the foundation commenced, but some difficulty in securing the grounds occurred and a change was made to the northwest corner of Bank street and Willson avenue, where the building was erected. The dedicatory services were held on the 14th of November, 1875. Rev. J. W. Hanson, an eminent and eloquent divine from Chicago, preached the sermon and had charge of the services. Elder Snook was employed as the pastor and remained five or six years.

THE FREEMAN CHANGES HANDS

In June, 1874, J. D. Hunter sold the Freeman printing office to T. E. McCracken, of Marshalltown, who took possession and began its publication the first week in July. He held editorial charge of that paper for one year when Mr. Hunter purchased it again and has since continued its publication.

THE ARGUS ESTABLISHED

About the 10th of July, 1874, the Webster City Argus issued its first number, it being the third paper to start in the county. The Argus was started by C. D. Auyer and E. T. Edwards, both practical printers, and run politically in the interest of the anti-monopoly party at first, and afterward while in the control of Mr. Edwards, was democratic in politics.

THE CAMPAIGN OF '74

We have heretofore spoken of the great anti-monopoly political revolution of 1873. Though this movement evened up the contesting parties, it made no change in county officers that year except in the election of sheriff. The contest was again opened in 1874 and after a spirited contest, resulted in the loss of one more officer to the republicans. For the office of recorder, H. C. Johnson, the regular nominee of the republican party being defeated by J. V. Kearns, the nominee of the antimonopoly party, while the vote on supervisor between J. W. Lee, republican, and J. D. Maxwell, anti-monopoly, was quite close but in favor of Lee. This was followed the next fall (1875) by a contest for the office of sheriff that was decidedly warm and amusing and is well remembered by all.

ELECTING A SHERIFF

F. A. Harris was made the republican nominee. The democrats nominated J. A. Snodgrass. The anti-monopoly party seems to have died and in place of its nominee Nels Olmstead and J. VanBramer each ran independent. All of these candidates were reputable citizens and good men, but if the stories that were put into circulation during the campaign were to be half believed, the people had stumbled upon the four boss villains of the county and were running them for sheriff. If we remember rightly each candidate was sure of his election and the friends of each were willing to bet odds on the success of their man. The vote was something of a surprise to everybody as it resulted as follows: Harris, 432; VanBramer, 294; Olmstead, 281, Snodgrass, 185.

RAISING FUNDS FOR A NEW COURTHOUSE

By the middle of the year 1874 it became clear that two railroad projects mentioned in our last chapter were dead past all hope of resurrection and the county still had the swamp land upon its hands. For some years now there had been more or less agitation of the question of building a courthouse. The old courthouse was now too small to accommodate the public. The county had no safe jail and was compelled to send its prisoners to Waterloo so there were no two opinions about the needs of the county so far as a new court house and jail were concerned. But there was a great deal of disagreement about how costly a house should be built, and where the money was to come from to pay for it. Times were then very hard, and growing worse, and the idea of adding to the burden, a tax large enough to build such a house as was desired, was not a pleasant one. So the swamp lands that had been voted away so often and still remained, were again made the subject of a conflict of ballots. The board of supervisors submitted to the people a proposition to appropriate of the swamp land fund $50,000 with which to build a court house and jail and the proposition was carried by about two hundred majority. The election took place in the fall of 1874. During all of the year of 1875 efforts were made to secure a contractor who would take the lands and build such a house as was demanded. Plans and specifications were on file, but no bidders could be found unless some cash could be secured. The lands were on the market

and some of them were sold when it was finally agreed to reduce the price from five dollars per acre to four dollars and citizens were asked to come in and take one or more forties to help raise cash enough to secure a bidder. The project of putting up a $50,000 house was given up and the plans modified so as to reduce the cost to $35,000. After this, enough lands were disposed of to secure the letting of the contract.

THE NEW COURTHOUSE

On the high ground near the center of Webster City stands one of the substantial county court houses in the state. Its proportions are ample and imposing. Its tower rising high above the city is visible for miles around and from its top is presented one of the most beautiful scenes the eye ever dwells upon. To the north and south the woodland stretches, while looking down upon it the waters of the Boone can be seen all along, winding their way through farm and field and forest, a thread of sparkling silver in the sunshine. To the east and west, the broad prairie spreads away, covered now with well tilled fields and dotted thickly with white farm houses and big red barns presenting a perfect panorama of beauty, that on a clear bright day can be plainly seen with the naked eye from the timber of the Skunk river on the east to the wild and rugged Des Moines on the west. What citizen of Hamilton county who has taken the trouble to mount to this eminence but has been delighted with the picture spread before him, and what citizen of the county is not justly proud of the magnificent building in which the business of the county and the courts is transacted and within which is safely stored the records of his title to the acres that he tills. Few can ever fully realize how much they owe to the clear heads, sound judgment and business tact of the men who managed the affairs of the county at the time of the erection of this building. Guarding the public interests with unexampled fidelity, and amid objections and obstacles thought to be almost insurmountable, they erected this splendid building without a tax, and without even the suspicion of a "job" anywhere, from beginning to end. As stated, formerly the swamp lands and swamp land funds had been voted by the people to the purpose of building a courthouse and jail. The lands as then listed comprised about 7,000 acres within the county and about $11,000 in money and notes taken on sale of lands, or for the funds loaned. It was objected on all hands that these resources were insufficient to build such a house as the needs of the county demanded and many counseled the levy of a tax in addition to this fund. But it was doubtful if the people, then in the midst of financial embarrassment resulting from the panic of 1873, would vote a tax, while it was the opinion of the board of supervisors that the fund, if properly and ju diciously managed would build an ample building and they determined to build the house with that fund or not build at all. Architects, anxious to sell designs for buildings, filed several plans with the board with statements of the probable cost of each, and the board in 1875 entered in earnest into the work of securing a plan, and preparing to go forward with the project. The board then consisted of H. Corbin, John A. Cooper, and J. W. Lee. Corbin was made chairman of the board. The first business done in relation to the matter was to appoint a committee consisting of John Hill, John Eckstein and N. B. Everts to examine the designs, plans and specifications and determine definitely the cost of building