BUSINESS TRANSACTED.

The following extracts are taken from the Journal's last annual review of the city's business acchievements [achievements];

"During the year 1881, Sioux City merchants and dealers sold goods to the value of $6,427,626, giving employment to 412 persons, who received for salaries $197,425. These figures can be accepted as being as nearly correct as it is possible to give them, and if they err at all, it is in being too small, and that they are too small is clearly indicated by the amount of exchange sold by our three banks during the past year, as per figures furnished the Board of Trade, which was $10,256,127.02.

"It may also be stated that several dealers refused to state the amount of their business, and as no estimated figures are given, it must be evident to all that the total of $6,427,626 falls far short of naming the full volume of business. It would probably not be an exaggeration to place Sioux City's merchandise sales in 1881 at fully $8,000,000.

MANUFACTURING.

"This branch of industry is yet in its infancy in Sioux City, and yet, a very flattering showing is made, the value of manufactured articles in 1881 reaching a value of $1,189,050, in the production of which 555 persons found employment, and who received for wages $237,410. In these figures are not included the business of the St. Paul machine shops, which give employment to hundreds of men, and pay out many thousands of dollars for wages. Nor do they include the immense transactions at the new pork-house, which, during the two months it has been in operation, has killed 37,000 hogs, bought at a colst of $580,000, and which, during the

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time, has also paid out $36,000 for packing material, which includes cooperage, etc., and $14,000 for wages. This establishment has 188 men now on its pay-roll. Several new manufacturing enterprises have been started here this fall, others are projected with a certainty of their being put in operation, and another year Sioux City can make a much larger showing in this direction.

THE BUILDING RECORD

"The opening of a late spring found Sioux City almost destitute of building material. The wrecking of the railroads by spring floods delayed its arrival, so that it was nearly the middle of May before much progress was made in building. When this material did arrive, our contractors took hold of the work with a will.

"Our building record this year, in its sum total, very largely exceeds that of any previous year since the present writer has made his compilations. The amount expended is nearly $400,000 greater than in 1879, and $300,000 greater than in 1880. The number of buildings built is 308 greater than in 1879, and 265 greater than in 1880.

"In the erection of buildings for manufacturing purposes, the showing is still more gratifying, as the increase is over six fold. Our great pork-packing establishment, the butter and egg house, and the button factory, are valuable additions, not only in themselves, but from the fact that they give employment permanently to a great many men, and necessitate the building of many new homes, and very largely increase our population.

"Our tables again show, that Sioux City workingmen are building their own homes, and the vast majority of them are neat, warm and comfortable.

"The increased cost of building has not been as great as expected, and will not average over 15 per cent. above the amounts paid for similar work in the two previous years. This increase is not greater than the increase in the earnings, and profits of almost any business in the city, and ought not to deter anyone from building.

"We ought not to lose sight of the fact, that all of these new houses are full of people, and the smaller the house, the more people it seems to hold, and that our tables show the completion of nine large hotels and boarding-houses, all of which have all of the rooms that they can spare from transient guests let to permanent boarders. There can be no reason to doubt that the population of the school district of Sioux City, which takes in all of the town, is now fully 11,000 people.

CITY GOVERNMENT

Mayor, W.R. Smith; Treasurer, G.R. Gilbert; City Solicitor, J.M. Cleland; Clerk, F. Barth; Marshal, J.R. Thompson; Deputy Marshal, John Colvin; Street Commissioner, James Scollard; Night Police, Thomas Budworth and Mike Ahern; Engineer,

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G.W. Oberholtzer; Engineer of Steamer, H.A. Lyon; Chief of Fire Department, Jas. P. Wall; Health Officer, Dr. J.W. Frazey; Weighmaster, James Shanley; Librarian, Miss Helen Smith.

FIRE DEPARTMENT

The fire department of the city is a volunteer organization, composed of ninety members, fifty-five of whom are active, and thirty-five exempt. The organization was first effected in 1874, with E.R. Kirk, Chief of the Department. The fire apparatus belonging to the city consists of one steamer, three hose carts, 2,500 feet of hose, and a hook and ladder truck, fully equipped. The engine house is a substantial two-story building, located in the central part of the city. The members of the company, with the exception of the Chief and Engineer, render their services gratuitously. James P. Wall is the present Chief, and the department is an able and efficient one.

THE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE

The Sioux City Telephone Exchange was incorporated August 7th, 1880, and the construction of lines was soon after commenced. December 10th, of the same year, the first telephone connection was made, but only a few instruments were put in. The practicability of this new and novel means of communication was soon demonstrated, and the telephone rapidly grew in public favor, the success of the Exchange being thereby assured. Lines were soon extended all over the city, and communication established between nearly every business house, as well as with many private residences. Over one hundred telephones are now in use in the city, and new ones are constantly being put in. In December, 1881, a line was extended to Sergeant's Bluffs, eight miles distant, and as it is found to be entirely practicable, it more than probable that a few years will see Sioux City connected by telephone with all the towns within a radius of twenty-five miles, thus bringing them all into closer commercial relations with Sioux City as the head center.

THE POSTOFFICE

The first postoffice was located in an unostentatious log building, the private residence of the Postmaster, Dr. John K. Cook, who, received his commission from President Pierce, by the first mail that arrived in the place, July 20th, 1855. The arrival of the first mail sack was an occasion of no small consequence to the little sturdy band of settlers who had cast their fortunes in the great unknown West, as the contents brought them tidings of their Eastern friends, and seemed to link them once more with the civilization from which they had bee so long cut off. Though

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the revenue derived, by the Postmaster from the office, was but a small sum, it is related that the Doctor discharged his onorous duties with such scrupulous care and fidelity, that he remained in his position, undisturbed by place-hunting politicians, until relieved at his own request. The mail service, thus early established, in 1855, though then only arriving weekly, via Council Bluffs, has continued uninterrupted. As the place grew in size and commercial importance, semi-weekly, then tri-weekly, and finally, in 1866, daily mails were established, and the postoffice was removed to more commodious quarters in the "corner grocery." Previous to the removal of the office, Dr. Cook was succeeded as Postmaster by Charles K. Smith, who retained the position until the close of James Buchanan's administration. On Lincoln's accession to the Presidency, A.R. Appleton, was appointed Postmaster, who in turn, was succeeded by J.C.C. Hoskins, who was continued in office until March, 1878, when E.R. Kirk, the present incumbent, was appointed. Until the appointment of Mr. Kirk, the office was located according to the fancy of the official in charge, which not frequently resulted in great inconvenience to the public.

The growth of the city to a place of several thousand inhabitants, with a dozen mails arriving and departing daily, rendered more commodious quarters necessary, and in 1879, the office was removed to its present central location,w here a building had been specially erected for it. It is conveniently arranged, both for the benefit of the public and the rapid handling of the mails. The business of the office at present requires the services of five clerks, and is rapidly increasing.

However uninteresting statistics may be to the general reader, they are very significant to those who wish to trace the progress, determine the results, or estimate the future of a growing city, and as nothing affords a better index of the business of a place than the value of the business done at its postoffice, we append the following detailed exhibit of the Sioux City post office during the year 1881:

GENERAL ACCOUNT.
Receipts

Expenses

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MONEY ORDER BUSINESS.
Receipts

SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS.

Masonic.—Landmark Lodge No. 103. A.F. & A.M., was chartered June 2d, 1857. It in a flourishing condition, and has a membership, at present, of about 140. Meetings are held the second Monday of each month.

Sioux City Chapter, R.A.M., No. 26, was organized April 9th, 1860, and has a membership of ninety-five. Meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month.

Columbia Commandery No. 18, K.T., holds stated conclaves on the first and third Fridays of each month. The present membership is forty-three.

I.O.O.F.—The Independent Order of Odd Fellows has a hall in Hedges' Block, corner of Fourth and Douglas streets.

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Sioux City Lodge No. 164 was organized October 22d, 1868. Meetings are held regularly Monday night of each week. The membership is ninety-five.

Western Star Lodge No. 282 meets every Tuesday night. It was organized October 22d, 1874, and has a present membership of fifty-four.

Sioux City Encampment No. 44 meets regularly the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. It was organized October 20th, 1869, and has how [now] fifty-five members.

Knights of Pythias.—Columbia Lodge No. 13 was organized July 10th, 1872, and has a membership of sixty-five. This society has no hall of its own, and meetings are held every Wednesday night in Odd Fellows' hall.

Endowment Section No. 302 also meets every Wednesday night.

Ancient Order of United Workmen: membership 100; meeting place Odd Fellows' hall. Officers: T.R. Galbraith, M.W.; Jas. Hutchins,F.; J.T. Orr, O.; Maris Pierce, S.; M.L. Sloan, F.; A.F. Nash, R.; H.A. Lyon, P.M.W., and delgate to State Lodge.

The Sioux City Medical Society was organized November 4th, 1872, and has for its object the mutual improvement of members. Meetings are held quarterly.

The Womans' Christian Temperance Union was organized in 1875, and has a membership of sixty-five. This is a most active organization, and has for its object the suppression of intemperance. The club has inviting and pleasant rooms in Hedges' Block, and meetings are held every Tuesday afternoon.

The Woman's Christian Association, was organized in 1875, by the christian ladies of the city. It has a large and increasing membership, and regular meetings are held quarterly.

The Maennerchor is a social and musical organization with forty-five members. Meetings are held the first Sunday in each month, in the society's hall on Fourth street.

Society of United Irishmen—This society was organized September 1st, 1880, and has forty members. Meetings are held every Sunday afternoon.

Q.E.D. Club—This is a gentleman's social club, organized November 20th, 1878. The membership is limited to twenty-one.

B. Neque D. Club—A gentleman's social club, with rooms in Hedges' Block. It was organized September 1st, 1880, with a limited membership of twenty-five.

There are in addition several musical, literary and social organizations holding meetings.

THE ST. PAUL SHOPS.

The year following the completion of the Sioux City & St. Paul road, the city voted a tax of $20,000 to secure the location of the company's repair shops at this city, and work was immediately begun

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on the extensive buildings now occupied by the company's machine shops. These shops have been enlarged from time to time, and during the summer of 1881, had been increased to a capacity of 200 men, whose monthly pay-roll amounted to more than $10,000. In these shops a specialty is made of repair work. All the most improved machinery has been put in for this line. Besides the repair work, a great number of new freight cars have been built. But the point in which the shops excel, is the rebuilding of passenger cars, and the best trains now run by the company are of cars that have been practically rebuilt in the shops at Sioux City. The increased mileage of the road has, and will, make necessary further enlargements of the shops, and this will keep the St. Paul Railroad Machine Shops, what they have ever been, one of the leading industrial establishments in the West.

SIOUX CITY WATER COMPANY

The need of an adequate supply of water for the city for fire, domestic and manufacturing purposes has long been apparent, and various organizations have been started to give the city a water supply; but it was not until the Spring of 1881 that anything tangible was done. Then the Sioux City Water Company was organized, with David Magee as President. The plan of the company was to secure a supply of water from an artesian well. Work on this well was begun in October following, and by New Year's a depth of 1,290 feet was reached, where the drill entered a rotten sand-rock that promise, when it is curbed, to give a sufficient supply of water. The company, soon after the formation, secured a fair franchise from the city for furnishing water for fire purposes. Lots have been bought on Prospect Hill, a bluff rising 183 feet above the level of the principal street, on which to build a reservoir, and the purpose of the company is to pump water from the Missouri River, which flows at the foot of this bluff, to supply the reservoir in case the artesian well should fail to give a sufficient supply.

The Courts

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