A CENTURY DRAWS TO A CLOSE

On Sunday evening November 17, 1897 the jail in Steamboat Rock was destroyed by fire. The jail was used for little more than a holding tank for drunkards and a place to lock up the tramps that came into town on freight trains. 

The town constable at the time was Kurt Cable. He happened to be out of town for a week business on the Sunday that the jail burned. 

It was the constables duty to go to the depot each evening an round up the tramps and lock them up for the night. 

Returning from his business in the middle of the week on a late train Constable Cable thought he may as well round up the tramps and take them back uptown with him. 

He proceeded to do so and upon arriving on Market Street found that there was no longer a jail to confine his prisoners in. 

Mr. Cable proceeded to do the next best thing. He locked his captives in the mayor’s office and enlisted Gus Kluger to watch them for the night. 

Evidently the mayor’s office became a regular holding tank after that night and until a new jail was built. In February 1898, an article in the Echo stated, “Monday evening there were five tramps in the mayors office and Gust Kluger was engaged to watch them.” 

There must have been a need for a new jail, because by July 1898, a new one had been built. 

In two separate articles the new Steamboat Rock jail was discussed. The first described a visit to the jail and gave a slam to the people of Wellsburg. “Sol Tyrell, the barber and Boylan of The 157 Herald, were permitted to inspect the new jail under guidance of Marshall Upson. They were released instanter though when they promised to keep away from Wellsburg.” 

The second was obviously in response to an article that had been printed about the jail or the people of Steamboat in the Eldora Herald. “The Echo resents the insult in the South Hardin would-be newspaper. Steamboat Rock has a new jail, but it was not necessary to dedicate it on the 4th of July with a single inmate. Steamboat Rock citizens are not only patriotic, but sober and industrious. There was not one of her citizens, or several thousand visitors, that disgraced the town by getting into jail on our glorious national day.” 

The Jail was evidently ready for the Fourth of July. The celebration held that year on the fourth was obviously a big one, A news article indicated that the town was proud of the fact that the jail was not needed during the event.