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a gallery running around the entire auditoriu, which will accommodate 400 more. The stage is twenty-five feet deep, and thirty-five feet wide. There are four private boxes which will each accommodate six persons. Beneath the stage are large dressing rooms for ladies and gentlemen. The hall has a front and a back entrance, and is on the second floor of the building. On the second floor, in front of each side of the entrance stairway is a spacious office. On the ground floor are two store rooms, each thirty-five foot front, and 141 feet deep. The entire building is lighted by gas, aud has windows in the rear and on both sides of the building. The ceilings are beutifully frescoed and the drop curtain is one of the finest pieces of painting in Central Missouri. The building cost originally $25,000, and in 1881, improvements and changes were made upon it, which cost $2,500. The Opera House is the property of Mrs. Cotton and Mrs. Smith, daughters, of Gen. Smith.

THE FREE READING ROOM.

This institution is now located in White's building, on Ohio street. It is the out-growth of the old library association, which was organized in the middle of March, 1871, by Dr. Shattuck, Col. Jaynes, S. L. Highleyman. Chas. G. Taylor, Jno. Montgomery, Jr., Prof. G. W. Ready, Judge Jno. S. Cochrane, and other. This old association languished in a short time, after having done an immense amount of good, and started the most important of all city projects, the building of the water works. After lying inactive for about five years the association was re-organized in 1679 by twenty-five ladies, and continued by them until 1880. In 1880 thirtyeight prominent citizens of the city made a written agreement to give a certain fixed annual subscription. This made it solid.

In 1880 there were three hundred volumes in the library, besides many periodicals and newspapers.

In 1881 there were six hundred volumes, an increase of three hundred. and a large addition likewise to periodicals and newspapers. Expenses in 1880....

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.$ 305

$ 300

350

470

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190

The readers are increasing as the value and size of the library augments This will grow to something larger. Thanks to the liberality of a few public spirited citizens who are intelligent enough to know what a powerfùl means for good such an institution is, and to the untiring, unselfish, and unflagging labor of a few earnest and influential women, it is a fixed fact, prosperous and growing.

The ladies who have taken the most active part in the support and management of the institution are Mrs. John G. Allen, Mrs. J. H. Mertz, Mrs. F. A. Sampson, Mrs. L. A. Ross, Mrs. C. Demuth, Mrs. M. E. Smith, and Mrs. Joseph G. White.

CHAPTER VII.-COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS ENTER

PRISES.

History of the Railroads and the Machine Shops-Statistical Facts as to Number of Employes and Amount of Money Expended-The Postoffice-History and BusinessBanks-Hotels-County Buildings-Flouring and Other Mills-Elevators-Manufactories-Telegraph Office-Brewery-Building Associations-Insurance OfficesLumber and Coal Yards-Histories of all Above Institutions, together with Valuable Figures Concerning the Value of Buildings and the Amount of Business Done, and Reliable Digest of Figures Concerning Specific Lines of Business. From the time that Sedalia was founded nature and circumstances seem to have united to confer favors upon her. In the first place the founder of the city was a wise, hard-headed, far-seeing man. He chose a garden spot in almost the centre of a great continent as the site of his town; then the war came on, and hundreds of men from north and south, east and west, saw the spot and learned that it would be a good place "to cast in their lot;" then, when the war was over, the new people of energy and intelligence flocked in to help those who were already here; then the people built railroads, and all these advantages combined have made Sedalia a great business center within fifteen years.

The city had four hundred inhabitants and twenty business houses six months after the arrival of the railroad.

As early as 1863 the wholesale trade of the few houses furnished supplies to the south and southwest, amounting to half a million dollars.

In 1865 the population of the town had increased to one thousand, and the business of the town had increased four fold; the town contained two newspapers, one hotel, that alone did a business of nearly $48,000 per annum, and at least four times as many business houses as in 1861.

In 1866 there was at least $250,000 expended on new buildings; there was an increase of five hundred in population. Our first National Bank with a capital of $100,000 was established; churches were built; additions were made to the city, and the town was recognized as the business center of Central Missouri.

From the close of the war until the present time, the town has rapidly advanced in all respects. To-day the city has a population of fifteen thousand, personal and real property assessed at $2,681,310, but in reality worth at commercial estimates six or seven million dollars; eighteen Church buildings, and nineteen congregations; school property, public and

private, worth $100,000; three thousand and six hundred and sixty-seven school children. Now, in the year 1882, the city is growing with as great rapidity and with as much solidity as it ever has since its founding.

Nothing is more convincing to the practical people of the present day then facts and figures. A digest of facts and figures will be given before entering upon a detailed account of the business institutions.

The following table of figures was prepared by the writer of this history under the direction of the "citizens committee,”—Col. A. D. Jaynes, J. R. Barrett and O. A. Crandall-which was chosen to visit Washington and lay before a committee of Congress Sedalia's claims for an appropriation to build a postoffice edifice.

STATISTICS OF THE CITY OF SEDALIA, MO.

Prepared in May, 1882, by the proper authorities, and showing the extent of her various business interests, population, value of assessable property, etc.

SEDALIA POST OFFICE.

(Compiled from Official Statements.)

Gross receipts of office from the sale of stamps, postal cards, wraps, etc., and from money orders issued: 1878, $86,628; 1879, $95,628; $1880: $108,805.

Increase in above items of gross receipts from Jan. 1, 1878, to Jan. 1, 1881, $22,786.

Total amounts of money handled in office, by sale of stamps, postal cards, envelopes, wraps, foreign and domestic money orders, etc., etc., 1878, $152,862; 1879, $175,825; 1880, 196,377; 1881, $192,904.74.

Increase in amounts handled from Jan. 1, 1878, to Jan. 1, 1881, $44,515. Increase from Jan. 1, 1878, to Jan. 1, 1882, $40,042.74.

Total number of pieces of mail originating in the Sedalia office based on the official count made-seven days in Dec., 1880, $1,329,000.

Excess over 1880, very large.

Total number of registered letters handled: 1878, 11,281; 1879, 13,752; 1880, 17,030.

Increase in number from Jan. 1, 1878, to Jan. 1, 1881, 5,759.

Net proceeds to the Post Office Department from the Sedalia office, in 1880, $13,907.

Increase in money order business in first quarter of 1882, over first quarter in 1881, $964.91.

BUILDINGS, ADDITIONS, IMPROVEMENTS.

(The data for the following statements were gathered by an expert, who made a careful personal canvass of the entire city and subject.)

Money spent by citizens of Sedalia for the erection of new buildings,

additions, repairs, and general improvements, including the money subscribed to build the Sedalia, Warsaw & Southern Railroad in 1880, $500,000.

For buildings, additions and general improvements alone, including improvements by R. R. Co. in 1881, $615,000.

For same from Jan. 1, 1882, to May 1, 1882, $80,000.
Grand total for two years and four months, $1,195,000.

RAILROADS.

(Copied from official figures furnished by Heads of Departments in Sedalia.)

Total value of railroad property in Sedalia, including real estate, Missouri Pacific Railroad shops, K. & T. Division shops, General Hospital, Superintendent's and Dispatcher's offices, Union Stock Yards and miscellaneous buildings, $250,000.

Number of men employed in Sedalia by Railroad Companies: 1880, 362; 1881, 562; increase, 200.

ITEMIZED STATEMENT OF VALUE OF VARIOUS RAILROAD PROPERTY.

New brick shops in course of erection, $20,000; Missouri Pacific Shops and machinery, $75,000; K. & T. Division Shops and machinery, $50,000; General Superintendent's Office, $20,000; General Hospital, $30,000; other buildings, $15,000. Total, $210,000.

APPROXIMATION.

Cash receipts for freight received at this station in 1881, $240,000; cash receipts for freight shipped from city in 1881, $140,000. Total receipts in Sedalia for freights, 1881, $380,000.

GRAND AGGREGATE, 1881.

Total amount spent for material in all departments, $230,000; total expended for labor in Sedalia, in all departments, 1881, $496,000; Amount spent for new buildings, yards, etc, 1881, $40,000. Grand total for 1881, $766,000.

Tickets sold at Sedalia Depot in 1880, $83,717.45; in 1881, $111,126.10. Increase in sale of tickets in one year, $27,408.65.

BANKS.

Cash capital, $300,100; cash deposits, as per statements made Jan. 1, 1882, $834,545.37.

BUILDING ASSOCIATIONS.

In 1882, assessed value of capital, $182,554.

MUNICIPAL STATISTICS.

(From Official Reports of City Officers.)

Population in 1882, according to the number of school children listed by the agent of the School Board, 15,584; number of school children, 3,667; expended on grading, etc., of streets and alleys in 1881, $35,079.95; on new water mains, $5,700; by Sewer Companies, $4,000; for new Water Works Dam, $10,000; assessed value of real and personal property in 1881, $2,373,124; same in 1882, $2,681,310; increase in assessed value of real and personal property in one year, $308,186; Paid in to City Treasurer for special licenses alone, 1881, $10,304.39.

CITY AND COUNTY ASSESSMENTS AND COMMERCIAL VALUE.

(From Official Statements.)

Assessed value of real and personal property in the County in 1881, $7,139,774; assessed value of real and personal property in the County in 1882, $8,102,011; increase in 1882, $962,230; assessed value of real and personal property in City in 1881, $2,681,310; increase in one year, $308,

186.

Commercial values of personal and real property in this City and County are double the assessed values.

Commercial value City property in 1882, $5,362,620; commercial value of same in County in 1882, $16,204,022.

MISCELLANEOUS.

(Compiled from Data gathered by an Expert by a careful Personal

Canvass.)

Wholesale trade of Sedalia in 1881, $2,500,000; live stock shipped from Sedalia by local and county dealers, $2,000,000; trade of mills and grain, $372,000; retail grocery trade, $500,000; hides, wool and furs, $130,000; saloon business, $200,000; Expenditures by the Street Railway Company, $15,000; Expended by the Sedalia Gas Light Company, for new buildings, apparatus, reservoirs, mains, furnaces, etc., in 1880-81, $48,000; by Sicher Bros., on the Driving Park, Park Hotel, etc., $25,000.

The sources from which the above figures were gathered are reliable. They have also been compiled by an expert and reliable party. To the best of my knowledge and belief they are correct and fair estimates. C. E. MESSERLY, Mayor of Sedalia, Mo.

THE RAILROADS.

Sedalia has been greatly assisted in her growth and prosperity by her railroads. She does not depend on them altogether, for there is enough in the country itself to make the place prosperous, still it is now a great railroad center. The enormous machine shops, which employ such a large

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