Part 65 (1/2)

John Young, who held a claim near Shepherd, erected a small house on Fourth avenue close to the river, which became known as the ”Astor House.” This was a double log house, 1826, and one story high, according to the testimony of Robert Ellis, George R. Carroll, and others. This building had several additions built to it during the next five years. A Mr. Verbeck, a native of Vermont, was one of the early landlords. This house was occupied by J. L. Shearer, John Weare, James Hamilton, and several other well known pioneer families. The Listebargers kept a sort of hotel near the Sinclair ice houses in 1839-40, and here Robert Ellis and several other unmarried men boarded.

The Listebargers did not keep strangers, only regular boarders.

Wm. Dwyer erected a real up-to-date hotel in 1847, as it was said there was a demand for such a building. It received the name of the Union House, with Jas. Gunning as the first landlord. It was located on Third avenue and Third street, near the present site of the Montrose Hotel.

It was well spoken of and much patronized. The building was destroyed by fire in 1865. The American House and Greene's Hotel, both on First street, were well known places, sought by the traveling public.

Greene's Hotel was for years one of the leading hotels in Iowa, a four-story building on the corner of First avenue and First street where political rallies were held and banquets were served, and where b.a.l.l.s occurred during the winter seasons.

The old Southern or Brown's Hotel was for many years one of the leading hotels. It is still operated under the name of Gorman's Hotel. The old Empire House was another hotel which in the early fifties was a place much frequented by the commercial traveler. It stood on the corner of Third avenue and Second street. Johnson's Hotel, on the west side, formerly Kingston Hotel, was also a well known place of entertainment.

On the site of what is now the Cedar Rapids House there was operated for many years a popular little hotel which was always full to overflowing. One of the old clerks here used to reply to the fellow who asked if they were full, ”The clerk is, but the house never, come in.”

Many of the pioneer travelers, who wanted to cross Dave King's ferry, came to stay over night at this place. The river traffic increased hotel trade, so did the gold craze in California, but in 1859, when the railroads reached Cedar Rapids, every other home was turned into a rooming house to accommodate the traveling public.

The Grand, the Clifton, Palace Hotel, the Pullman, were for years busy places, till the Delevan, the Allison, and the Montrose were built.

A city is largely known by its hotels, as the word is generally pa.s.sed along by the traveling men. Cedar Rapids stands well in the state as a hotel center.

In the Wolfe Directory for 1868 the following hotels are given Cedar Rapids: American House, G. E. Cheny; Chicago House, Nick Pitting; Dubuque House, Anton Christle; Eagle Hotel, R. E. Baldwin; Empire House, J. L. Peak; Valley City House, Harvey & Sherund; Kingston Hotel, William Friis; Dubuque House; National Hotel, Humphrey & Bean.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PART OF ZOO IN BEVER PARK, CEDAR RAPIDS]

[Ill.u.s.tration: A SCENE IN BEVER PARK, CEDAR RAPIDS]

BUSINESS IN 1856

From 1850 to 1860 Cedar Rapids had a marvelous growth, despite the panic of 1857 which wiped out some of the fortunes of those who had invested heavily in wild lands and who had engaged in banking. The _Voice of Iowa_, a local newspaper, has the following to say of the wealth of the city's business enterprises:

Flouring mills, four; planing mills, sash, doors and blinds, two; cooper, one; wagon and carriage factories, five; iron foundry, one; cabinet and chair factories, two; plow factories, three; boot and shoe factories, three; saddle and harness factories, three; tin, copper and sheet iron workers, four; woolen factory, one; brick yards, five; farm implement factories, two; merchant tailors, two; woodworking, two; newspapers, three; brick machine factory, one; grocery and provision stores, eight; dry goods, fifteen; clothing, five; drug stores, four; jewelers, two; hardware, four; book stores, two; book bindery, one; liquor and cigars, six; public halls, five; hotels, five; churches, four; lumber yards, four; bakery, one; banks, three; barber, one; public reading room, one. The same issue of the paper cites that the town should have a pork packing plant as well as a paper mill. It took a long time before the T. M.

Sinclair Company's plant became an a.s.sured reality, which has become in time such a factor in the upbuilding of Cedar Rapids and Linn county.

The following list of business firms in Cedar Rapids in 1856 is of interest:

Dry Goods Stores--Shattuck & Dewey, Commercial street; L.

Daniels & Co., Commercial street; C. E. Livingston, Carpenter's block, Commercial street; Partridge & Cook, Commercial street; Leach & Wood, corner of Was.h.i.+ngton and Eagle streets; Elder & McClelland, corner Iowa avenue and Commercial street.

Grocery Stores--C. W. Stebbins, corner Front street and Iowa avenue, Kingston; A. C. Keyes, Carpenter's block, Commercial street; Bever & Rowley, Commercial street; J. H. Atwell, Commercial street.

Clothing Stores--David Kahn, Commercial street; Bangs & Bixby, Commercial street.

Hardware Stores--Rock & Camp, Commercial street; C. P.

Spaethe, Commercial street; A. H. Brown & Co., Commercial street.

Drug Stores--J. P. Conkey, No. 3, Commercial block; James L.

Enos, No. 4, Iowa avenue.

Jewelry Stores--J. T. Walker, Commercial street; L. H.

Keyes, Commercial street.

Book Stores--James L. Enos, No. 4, Iowa avenue.

Banking Houses--Greene & Weare, Commercial street; Ward, Bryan & Co., Commercial street; W. A. Dodge, Carr & Co., Commercial street.

Land and General Agency Offices--Whittam & Belt, Commercial street; Bates & Tousley, Commercial street; Carpenter, Lehman & Co., Commercial street; H. Mount & Co., Was.h.i.+ngton street.