D. M. McIntosh erected a one-story brick building near the present library in 1850 or 1851, which building is still standing. About the same time the father of James Snyder erected a brick dwelling which stood on South Third street near where the Vardy cottage is located. Greene's Hotel on First street was a brick structure erected between 1854 and 1855; it had an eighty feet front and ran back toward the river about eighty feet. The picture of this building shows that it was a four-story structure, although many claim that it was only a three-story building. This buildup was erected by J. J. Snouffer; for many years it was the largest and best equipped hotel in this part of the west.
Part of the residence of Dr. Skinner was erected by George Berg and was one of the most complete brick structures in this city. Elihu Baker also erected a brick residence on the property now occupied by Dr. H. W. Bender about the early '50s. Sampson C. Bever erected a brick building on the premises where the Rock Island offices now stand, being a two story structure similar to the Spangler residence which was erected later across the street. In this structure Mr. Bever installed the first hot air furnace used in Cedar Rapids, and a great many of the early settlers came to inspect the house, and especially to examine the hot air furnace which was a new thing in those days.
J. S. Cook in the early days erected a brick structure on the corner of A avenue and Fifth street, which was one of the fine homes for many years in this city. S. A. Shattuck built in the early '50s a brick structure on Sixth avenue and Fifth street. John Newell, during the years 1855 and 1856, erected a double brick structure at the corner of Fifth street and Seventh avenue. The old Seabury house on Eighth avenue was erected prior to 1860 and for many years was a landmark in that end of town. The Barthel house which stood where the Majestic Theatre now stands was one of the early brick veneer houses in the city and was occupied by many of the prominent families from time to time.
R. C. Rock, one of the early merchants, erected a brick house in the early days on the premises where George Williams has since erected a magnificent mansion. Dr. Wilman, Dr. J. L. Enos and Dr. S. D. Carpenter erected brick houses in the early days which were landmarks along Second avenue up toward Tenth street. The Lawson Daniels brick residence was on First avenue between Second and Third streets adjoining the Thomas Building, and adjoining this was the dwelling of Dr. Thomas, a friend of J. J. Snouffer and a native of Maryland; Dr. Thomas returned to his native state in the '50s. Adjoining these brick dwellings was also another brick building erected by the old pioneer H. G. Angle and occupied by him as a residence for many years.
Another substantial brick dwelling was erected by John Graves on B avenue and Fourth street, being a two-story brick building with an upper and lower porch. The old Gillette house was on the east side of Fifth street where William S. Bye now resides; it was known as the Gillette house. Mr. Gillette being the brother-in-law of the late W. D. Watrous.
Another large and commodious brick dwelling house was a two-story structure erected on Fifth street between B and C avenues and near what is known now as Whittam Park. Adjoining this was the Koontz house, occupied by Dr. Koontz and his family for many years. The Tryon house was also a brick structure erected near the corner of Third avenue and Second street; Mr. Tryon was a surveyor and well known in the early days.
Nearly all the brick used in the early days was made by a Mr. Geeslan who operated a brick yard near what is now known as the "Lame Johnny" place. Brick was cheap, labor was low and the cost of erecting these dwellings in that day was much lower than later. It is said that Sam Stambaugh in the early days worked as a brick mason and walked home to Bertram every night, the wages paid being about $1.00 a day, which was considered high. It is also said that during the '50s Cedar Rapids had more commodious homes than any other town of its size in Iowa. It was made up largely of a brainy, wide-awake, enterprising lot of men, such as N. B. Brown, H. G. Angle, the Greenes, Earles, Elys, Daniels, Macks, Weares, Bevers, and many others who had drifted into the town and who soon built up an enterprising little town, engaging in various ventures, not always successful, but they had Cedar Rapids before the world so that they finally landed the railroad which henceforth made the town. It is said by the late Charles Weare that "when they first started a newspaper there were no settlers in the town, but they had to use a newspaper to boom the town with."
SOME STRENUOUS DAYS IN THE OLDEN TIMES
FROM THE CEDAR RAPIDS REPUBLICAN, SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 1906
An ordinance creating a fire department was introduced in the council in January, 1869, and it was passed February 12, 1869. This ordinance was lengthy. It stipulated what officers should be appointed, what their duties were, how many fire companies to each engine, how many men to each company and many other details. One of the provisions of this first and original ordinance was that the fire chief should be appointed by the council.