USA > Iowa > Allamakee County > History of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, Iowa > Part 24
USA > Iowa > Winneshiek County > History of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, Iowa > Part 24
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On the 9th of July 1876, a fatal shooting encounter took place at the residence of Simeon Oleson. They had some supplies left over from the 4th of July and concluded to have a bowery dance on Sunday evening; Andrew Throndson, who was not invited, attended; but it was a fatal visit to him. It seems that one or both of the parties to the affray had been drinking. As Thrond- son, who, with some others, were shooting in a grove not far off, approached the house of Simeon Oleson, who with some others, went out to meet him, it was charged that both parties shot at each- other. Throndson fell in the field where he stood, but the others thought that he meant to decoy them, or at least they did not go out there until the next morning, where the dead body of Throndson was found. Oleson was bound over for trial. At the first trial the jury disagreed, and at the second he was acquitted.
The next murder case or affray resulting in death, occurred on the 21st of December, 1876. Four brothers, named Torfin, living not far from Locust Lane postoffice, which is near the northeast cor-
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
ner of Pleasant Township, were going home from Decorah in a sleigh, several other sleighs following along behind them. Some of the sleighis passed them, and in some way the parties got into a quar- rel. Peace was apparently soon restored, however, and they contin- ued on their way until the sleighs that were ahead of the Torfin brothers, reached a cross road where they halted; some of the men jumped out, and when the Torfins came up, wanted to "settle this thing right here." Some of the Torfins jumped from their sleigh, and while walking about, Ed. Torfin was felled to the earth with a club. It was found that Helge Nelson struck the blow: Torfin sprang up and ran and got into his sleigh, drove home, and came down to his breakfast the next morning. The affray occurred on Thursday evening. Sunday morning he died. Nelson was arrested, tried, and sentenced to six months in the penitentiary.
The last murder was committed on Sunday, June 4, 1882, and the trial has not yet taken place. We take the following particu- lars from the Decorah Journal, June 7.
Peter Peterson Krogsund, a well-to-do farmer near the Peter Olson stone mill, in Glenwood township, will have no more trouble about his cattle trespassing; and Hans Hansen Skjerdahl, who rents a farm near there, will probably have a life time to re- pent the killing of his neighbor, whether that life is suddenly brought up at the end of a rope or spent in prison walls-or pos- sibly ended in some other way-who can tell.
To state the case briefly, and not to try to prejudge it, or give evidence on either side that might prejudice it, as that will more properly came before a jury, it is as follows:
Some years ago the deceased, Peter Peterson Krogsund, bought a farm, on which he lived up to the time of his death. After his purchase he was ordered to move back his fence, which was built before he owned it, and which it seems trespassed a little on the road. He thereupon removed his fence entirely, leaving his neigh- bors to look after their stock, as the stock law did not compel him to keep a fence. That seems to have been the beginning of ill- feeling.
The recent trouble between the deceased and Hansen, the man who shot him, first commenced last fall, but has not been renewed again, particularly, it appears, until recently, though Hansen pur- chased a revolver about a month ago.
Two days before the shooting there was a little trouble about the deceased's stock getting on to Hansen's premises. Last Sun- day afternoon Krogsund's cattle came on to Hansen's place, when the latter shut them up and sent word by a girl to the owner. It does not appear that the cattle had done much damage.
The deceased, who had the reputation of being quarrelsome, came to the field about sun down, and began to throw the bars down to get his cattle. Hansen was lying just a little behind the point of the bluff near the bars, and rose up and told K. not to
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
touch the bars. The latter replied that he was going to have his cattle. He again ordered him not to touch the bars, and mean- while Hansen approached with his hands raised, in one of which he held a revolver. The deceased, it appears, then also approached Hansen, holding in his hands a light stick, which he raised as if to strike Hansen, who fired his revolver at close range, the bullet piercing the forehead of Krogsund, just above the left eye, caus- ing him to fall unconscious. He did not move afterward, except some slight twitchings, and he died about midnight.
Hansen says he shot in self-defense, and that he was struck a blow with the stick before he shot. The wounded man's brother says that no blow was struck, though the stick was raised. Two men on the bluff, about 15 rods distant, saw the stick raised and also saw Hansen approach with hands raised, but saw no blow struck.
Hansen immediately gave himself up, waived examination, and is in jail for trial for murder, without bail. He is 23 years old and leaves a wife and child. Peterson, or Krogsund, was about 36 years old and also leaves a wife and child.
A coroner's inquest was held on Monday, and a verdict rendered that the deceased came to his death by a bullet from a pistol in the hands of Hansen. We are informed that the revolver con- tained only the one charge. The scene of the tragedy was not far from the stone mill above referred to, and very near the famous cave in Glenwood township, about nine miles from Decorah.
RAILROAD HISTORY.
For many years after the first settlement of the county, the pro- ducts of the country had to be transported to the river and goods brought back by team, McGregor being generally the trading point for several years before the railroad was extended in this di- rection. But the enterprising people demanded better transporta- tion. Speaking of these first things in railroad enterprise, Sparks' History says:
In 1856 everything was booming. The abundant resources of a new country had reached a high state of development, money was plenty, and the prospects for the future bright. One thing alone seemed lacking to make the people perfectly satisfied with their condition-better facilities for transportation. The time had passed when the products of the county could be transported sixty miles to market by ox-teams without suffering much incon- venience and loss. The time had come when a railroad was a necessity. The railroad fever was raging throughout the West, and far-seeing ones realized the immense value that would sweep in on iron rails, drawn by the iron horse. After a due amount of talk and agitation, the Northwestern Railroad Company was formed. Decorah was its headquarters, but they took in promi- nent citizens of Clinton. John Thompson, of Clermont, became
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
President; O. C. Lee, a banker at McGregor, Secretary; W. F. Kimball, of Decorah, Treasurer; Eb. Baldwin, Chief Engineer, and E. E. Cooley, Attorney. With a mighty faith in the future, business men put down their names for stock by the thousand dollars' worth, and $80,000 of the capital was actually subscribed. Whether it all could have been paid for is another matter. With such a start as this, the company felt it could appeal to the public spirit of the people, and the county was asked to bond itself to the amount of $100,000. Strange as it may seem to later comers, who worked and toiled to gather together the few thou- sands which the railroad actually cost when it did come, the peo- ple enthusiastically came forward and voted aye. The bonds were printed after some delay, and were all ready to be formally signed, sealed and delivered, when the Supreme Court stamped the law under which the bonds were being put out, with the word "unconstitutional." The scheme collapsed, and the county was saved a burden of debt, which might have retarded its progress for all the years past, as well as scores to come. It is worthy of note that when the railroad did come to us it followed the line marked out by those pioneers, and proved that their plans were wise and far-sighted, if they were a dozen years ahead of the times.
Several attempts were made before a railroad was finally built. The company to succeed was the McGregor Western. This com- pany was organized January 19, 1863. The commencement of the road was at North McGregor. Work was commenced in March, 1863, and in one year the road was in running order to Monona, fourteen and one-half miles. The work was completed to Postville in September, 1864, to Castalia in October, 1864, and to Conover in August, 1865.
Decorah, at this date, had become a thriving inland city, well supported with newly started manufactories. Her citizens looked upon the road that was to pass them by with a covetous eye. Railroad connection, with river and lake transportation, was necessary to the future prosperity of the place. This was readily comprehended, and every effort was put forth by an energetic peo- ple to secure better transportation facilities. As a result, proposals were made to the managers of the McGregor Western Railway to build a branch line from Conover to Decorah, nine miles. The citizens of Decorah pledged themselves to furnish $40,000, as a bonus, provided the Company would build the nine miles of road, which the managers agreed to do. Nearly $18,000 was paid in by the people of Decorah, and, on the other hand, the road was graded and bridged, ready for the superstructure. But the main line having been leased to the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Com- pany, work on the branch was suspended in September, 1865.
The road is now operated under the management of the Chica- go, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company, by which name it is
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
known. The branch was completed to Decorah in September, 1869, in accordance with the agreement made by the company with the citizens of Decorah. The event was one of great im- portance to the capital city of the county. A day of celebration and rejoicing was given in honor of the event. Large crowds of people thronged to the city, and many availed themselves of the opportunity offered and made excursion trips to Conover and back. Hon. E. E. Cooley delivered an address, in which he ably set forth the great value the new railroad would be to Decorah and the surounding country.
Several attempts have been made within the past few years to secure additional railroad facilities, the principal object being to se- cure competing lines, so as to obtain lower freights.
On the 8th of August, 1879, the township of Decorah voted a four per cent. tax, to induce the river road from Clinton and Dubuque to LaCrosse, which was leased to and connected with the Chicago & Northwestern Railway-to extend its Waukon narrow guage branch to Decorah. The townships of Frankville and Glenwood refused to vote the tax. But 'the railroad was graded to Decorah, and the laying of iron out of Waukon was commenced, when the river road was bought out by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul company, and the enterprise stopped. There are indications that the latter company is about to widen the gauge of the Waukon branch to the regular standard, and per- haps extend it to Decorah, to give an easier grade to the river and accommodate the immense trade of its branches that meet at Cal- mar. As the road was not built as stipulated, Decorah escaped the payment of the tax, which had been voted.
The above project for a connection with the North western, having failed, another was attempted. On the 9th of November, 1881, the township of Decorah voted a five per cent. tax on con- dition that a railroad be built to the Mississippi river, at or about Lansing, Iowa. But a hoped for connection not having been se- cured, the upper Iowa and Mississippi railway company-as the above company was called-had the proposed tax cancelled to give a choice for the enterprise mentioned below.
This last enterprise was the proposed building of a railroad to connect with the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway, at or near West Union or Clermont, This giving another south- ern and eastern connection by way of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific road (the backers of the B. C. R. & N). On the 4th day of April, 1882, Decorah Township voted a five per cent. tax for the continuation of this road, on condition that it be built by Sept., 1883, assurances being made that there was ample capital to con- struct the road. It cannot be told at the time of this writing whether the road will be built or not, as it could be done if nec- essary, if not actively commenced till the spring of 1883. A tax for this road was voted down in Military Township.
14
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
Meanwhile there are prospects of a road being built across the northern part of the county. This proposed road is called the Minnesota, Iowa & Southwestern, and is intended to run from La Crosse, Wis., via Charles City, to Western Iowa. Taxes were voted for the proposed road in the fall of 1881, by Hesper, Burr Oak and Bluffton Townships, and the right-of-way is now being pur- chased (in the fall of 1882) over some portions of the line in this county. It was alleged that there was a technicality in the man- ner of ordering the vote in Bluffton Township which made it illegal, and a new election was ordered early in 1882. in which the project met with defeat. The tax has been ordered by the County Supervisors in accordance with the old vote in Bluffton; it may be left to the courts to decide whether it shall be collected.
Decoralı will probably have another railroad connection before long, but just how soon is not yet determined.
The continuation of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail- way from Conover, north to Ridgway and St. Paul, when Conover lost the "boom which had made it a busy, bustling little city; the continuation of the Iowa & Dakota division from Calmar west- ward to Fort Atkinson and beyond in 1869, and the recent com- pletion of the line between Calmar and Davenport, are matters to be referred to elsewhere, more especially in the sketches of the towns named.
OUR PRODUCTS.
Since the county became settled, until the last five years, wheat has been the principal product, and though the larger portion of the wheat has been shipped in bulk, there are now in this county six mills devoted wholly or in part to the manufacture of flour for eastern markets, while sixteen more are devoted to custom work. The fine water powers with which the county abounds, give ample facilities for these and other manufactories.
· Within the past two or three years more attention has been given to dairying and stock raising, and this county promises to become, as it is well adapted to be, one of the finest in the coun- try for this purpose. Already its stock farms and its creameries have become famous.
Of these and various other industries, the woolen mill, scale factory, paper mill, extensive stone quarries, etc., further mention will be found in our sketch of Decorah and other townships in the county.
EDUCATIONAL AND LITERARY .
In educational progress this county has kept well in the front. Besides the excellent public schools, there are private ones, promi- nent among which is the Decorah Institute, under the excellent management of Prof. Breckenridge, attracting a large attendance of pupils from abroad. This, as well as the Norwegian Lutheran
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
College, located at Decorah, with its fine, large building costing $100,000, its nine professors, and its regular attendance of nearly two hundred students, are more particularly described in a follow- ing chapter giving the history of Decorah.
The first newspaper in the county has already been mentioned. Decorah has had fully a score of them, and now has several Eng- glish and one Norwegian newspaper, besides the religious and literary periodicals issued by the Norwegian College publishing house. Calmar and Ossian have had successive ones which have failed, but they now have one each. These newspaper ventures will be mentioned more particularly in the sketches of the several towns.
GRATIFYING SHOWING.
The following from the Decorah Republican gives a compre- hensive view of the growth and prosperity of the county, finan- cially, educationally and otherwise:
The growth of Winneshiek County in wealth and evidences of material prosperity, has been steady and rapid.
In 1852, the assessment of the county only represented an actual value in both real and personal property of $81,000, while our present assessments represents an actual value in round numbers of $15,500,000. In this are included 18,270 cattle over six months old, representing a cash value of $310,000; 11,188 horses, representing a cash value of $884,000; and 23,567 swine, representing an actual value of $20,000.
The total tax levied for the year 1880, for all purposes includ- ing State, County, School and Municipal, was $104,745.95 of which $36,456.28 was for the support of schools alone. The last annual report of the County Superintendent of Public Schools showed that there was in the hands of different district treasurers in the county, school money to defray current expenses aggregat- ing nearly $30,000
The financial management of the county has always been con- servative. Such a thing as a bonded debt has never been per- mitted, and at no time in the history of the county has the float- ing debt been so large but that it was easily paid by ordinary financiering. There is now no debt whatever against the county, and settlers are not sought as a financial relief. On the contrary, we invite them to a home where all the early wants have been met and supplied.
With no debt existing, the county possesses such requisities in the shape of public buildings and property as these: A substantial Court House, ample for the needs of the next twenty years; a good Poor House and farm for the support of its needy; and a jail-one of the best and safest in the state-for the restraint of the crimi- nal class. For the education of its children, there are already built 92 frame, 30 brick, and 14 stone school houses, ranging in
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
value from a few hundred dollars up to $20,000. By an appraise- ment made last year. the total worth of these houses was esti- mated at $117,150. Of the original log structures, erected by the pioneers, but two remain.
The streams of the county are spanned by bridges of all kinds, representing an actual outlay of nearly a quarter million dollars. Thirty-eight of these are iron bridges, fourteen are stone-arch, four of combined iron and wood, and the remainder are substan- tial wooden superstructures upon solid stone abutments.
Of private buildings for public use an even better record can be made. The church buildings number nearly two score, or one to every 650 of population. Those of the Methodist denomination are most numerous, being a round dozen in number; but those of the Norwegian Lutherans (eight in number) are the largest and most costly. The Catholics have six structures, all large and fine buildings. The remainder are divided among the different sects, representing the Congregationalists, Friends, Episcopalians, Ad- ventists and Universalists. In a few cases, and only a few, a church debt exists, but of a trivial amount.
This is the work of but little more than a quarter of a century. It is no longer a pioneer region. The foundations are all laid- and well laid-for a broad and intelligent civilization, and the full enjoyments of all the comforts and few of the deprivations of life in a land which, if not "flowing with milk and honey," is rich in all the elements of agricultural wealth.
POPULATION.
This review is fittingly supplemented with the following from the United States Census of Winneshiek county, for 1880:
Bloomfield Township, including village of Castalia. 1,010
*Castalia village ... 108
Bluffton township, including village of Bluffton *Bluffton village. 102
807
Burr Oak Township, including village of Burr Oak 826
* Burr Oak village. 199
Calmar Township, including the following places 2,043
*Conover village
168
Calmar town. 617
*Spillville village 340
Canoe Township. 991
Decorah Township, including the following places
4,559
Decorah City, including West Decorah. 3,524
Frankville Township, including village of Frankville. 970
*Frankville village. 158
692
Fremont Township, including village of Kendallville. *Kendallville village
1,190
Hesper Township, including village of Hesper
1,000
*Hesper village ..
212
Highland Township
782
Jackson Township 797
Lincoln Township
992
Glen wood Township. 75
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY,
Madison Township.
781
Military Township, including town of Ossian
1,521
Ossian town. .
444
Orleans Township
636
Pleasant Township
929
Springfield Township
1,037
Sumner Township.
863
Washington Township, including the following villages. 1,509
*Festina village.
127
*Fort Atkinson village.
435
Total
23,937
* Unincorporated villages.
CHAPTER VII.
The War for the Union; Prompt Response to Calls; the First Company and its Glorious Record; Battle of Shiloh; Surren- der of Vicksburg; Battle of Atlanta; Our Heroic Dead and Wounded; Other Companies from Winneshiek County; the March to the Sea; Gallant Deeds to the Final Battle of the War; the Wounded Living and the Martyred Dead.
Winneshiek County may well remember with pride the patriot- ism of her devoted sons in the war for the Union. Immediately on the report of the attack of the rebels on Fort Sumter, men stood ready to respond to the call of the Government for troops, and within a week steps were taken, at a public meeting held at the Court House, to organize and offer a military company to the Government. That the people as well as officials of the county were prompt to encourage those who should step forward for their country's service, and care for the families they left behind, is shown by the following resolutions which were passed at the time by the County Board of Supervisors, and which were fully carried out:
"Resolved, That under the present aspect of national affairs it is the duty of every community to do its share toward the de- fense of our common country.
"Resolved, That it is the duty of the county to drill and cause to be equipped at least one company of men; that in order to do so an appropriation by the county, enabling every person to aid in his due proportion in the common defense, is most just and equitable; that the men who risk their lives and spend their time should be provided with the means to be of service as soldiers, and that an appropriation made in pursuance hereof should have pre- cedence of all other claims; therefore,
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
"Resolved, That the county funds now in the hands of the treas- urer of Winneshiek County, be and the same are hereby appropri- ated, not exceeding the sum of $2,000 for the purpose of equipping the military company known as the 'Decorah Guard', and that the Clerk of the District Court be and he is hereby authorized to issue county warrants to Levi Bullis, D. H. Hughes and C. C. Tupper, who shall constitute a committee for the negotiation of said county warrants, and the purchase of said equipments, the said committee first giving bonds to said county, conditioned that the said appropriation be used for the purpose designed, faithfully and truly.
"Resolved, that the families of each member of the 'Decorah Guard' receive the following weekly allowance during their term of service, viz: Three dollars per week for the wife, and one dol- lar per week for each child, to the extent of three."
Many of the actors in those stirring scenes are men from among us, while several who remained at home contributed these resolu- tions to Spark's History, and to it we shall be indebted for most of the remainder of this chapter.
On the 20th of April, 1861, just six days after the booming of cannon, heard at Sumpter, had sounded the alarm of civil war, a meeting of the patriotic citizens of Winneshiek County, and Decorah in particular, was held in the Court House. It was held for the purpose of giving expression to the outraged feelings of a liberty-loving people at the atrocious stroke made against human freedom and American liberty, and to declare their adhesion to the old flag that waved from the Court House dome above them.
The brave who died in the mountains of Arkansas, the marshes of Louisiana, the rocky fastnesses of Georgia, and the swamps of Carolina, are remembered less vividly by their old comrades as year by year passes away, and when this generation has gone there will be few to recall the names of the youthful heroes of Winneshiek County who faced fatigue and sickness, steel and ball, and died in the fierce front of battle, facing the foe, or fell victims to malarious diseases. But while their individual memo- ries will have perished, the cause for which they died, the cause for which they perished, the cause of liberty and humanity will remain, and future generations will derive fresh courage to struggle for the right from the glorious example of the citizen- soldiers who crushed the "Great Rebellion."
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