Des Moines, Iowa, USA
1895 - Des Moines
Des Moines, a city, the capital of Iowa, and seat of justice of Polk co., is situated on both sides of the Des Moines River (at the mouth of the Raccoon River), which affords abundant water-power and is crossed by 13 bridges. Lat. 41° 37' N.; lon. 93° 37' 30" W. The site is elevated. By railroad, Des Moines is 358 miles W. of Chicago, 360 miles N.W. of St. Louis, and 137 miles E. by N. from Omaha. The city has 6 public parks. The principal public buildings are a fine state-house which cost nearly £ and a marble edifice built by the United States for the post-office and court-house at a cost of $222,566. There are in the city 76 church organizations occupying their own houses of worship, the following denominations being represented: Methodist Episcopal (including Ger man, Scandinavian, and African), Presbyterian, Baptist (including African), Lutheran (English, German, and Swedish), Evangelical, Roman Catholic (including Ger man), United Brethren, Hebrew, Friends, Congregational, Protestant Episcopal, Christian (Disciple), Unitarian, United Presbyterian, Second Advent, and Latter-Day Saints. The city also has a large and prosperous branch of the Young Men's Christian Association. The organization is now finishing a $75,000 building, the same being equipped with parlors, reading-rooms, library, gymnasium, baths, music-hall, &c. The buildings will be free from mortgage. The schools of the city proper occupy 39 substantial buildings, including a new structure for high and industrial departments. The total number of teachers employed is 331, their salaries ranging from $45 to $145 per month. The superintendent's salary is $2000 per year. Several new school buildings are now in process of erection. Excellent parochial schools are maintained by the Roman Catholics and Hebrews. There are also private schools, and a young ladies' seminary (Catholic) of a high order. It has also 3 opera-houses, 2 high schools, the state library of about 20,000 volumes, 5 national banks, 7 other banks, and printing-offices which issue 4 daily and 30 weekly news papers and several monthly periodicals. There are also in the city 4 prosperous universities...
Des Moines is the converging point for 17 railroad lines, affording as many distinct outlets by rail, and giving quick and direct communication with the 99 counties of Iowa and the country at large. The city enjoys complete service with Chicago, St. Paul, St. Louis, Kansas City, and the country of the far west. It is a distributing point, with time-tables so arranged as to afford close connection with all trunk lines running in various directions. Ninety-six passenger trains now arrive and leave daily. The seat of state government was established here in 1855. Pop. in 1870, 12,035; in 1880, 22,408; in 1890, 50,093; in 1893, about 72,000.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott
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