Davenport started to outgrow its
previous city hall, which had been built on Brady Street from 1857 to 1858. The role of city government expanded during the mayoral administration of
Henry Vollmer (1893-1896). Among his major achievements were several public works projects. Streets were paved in the older sections of the city and developers laid out new subdivisions around the perimeter. In 1895, in the midst of a deep national economic depression, Davenport built an ornate new City Hall. The cost was about $90,000 — an astronomical sum at that time — and the City constructed the new building without issuing any municipal bonds. Local legend has long suggested that the city retired the debt so quickly by taxing the city's brothels, but the fines levied against the brothels accounted for only between $7,000-$9,000 per year, just a portion of the financial windfall the city reaped in the mid-1890s. The bulk of the funds came from a new state law (the "mulct tax") which applied to the city's 150 illegal saloons and amounted to around $50,000 per year. This tax allowed for construction not only of City Hall, but also paved streets and a new sewer system, and from 1902–08, the city eliminated its property taxes altogether. Davenport's German community had become a political force by the early 20th century and they had become disenchanted with the
Democratic Party's war stance that lead the country into
World War I and the anti-German sentiments that resulted. They were also opposed to the
Republican Party's support for national
prohibition of alcohol so they threw their support behind the
Socialist Party of America. Two years prior to Barewald's election as mayor two Socialists were elected as
aldermen and they were reelected in 1920. During his term as mayor, Barewald began several public works projects that put people to work and enhanced city improvements. The municipal
natatorium was built, new streets were opened and a major sewer was completed. Barewald and the other two Socialists were overwhelmingly voted out of office in 1922 because of the debts these projects and others incurred. The prohibition of alcohol was a major issue in the city of Davenport from the 1840s until national prohibition became official in 1919. The activities of the local
temperance movement thrived in the 1880s and were renewed during the
Progressive Era, especially between 1906 and 1916. Local ordinances were passed that exempted the city of Davenport from state prohibition laws and mayors, especially Ernst Claussen, stated that the citizen's personal liberties would not be violated. Debates were held in the
city council and among other civic groups until Iowa's prohibition amendment was passed in 1916. It was reinforced by the passage of the
Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1919. However, the illegal production and consumption of alcohol continued in the city. ==Architecture==