USA > Minnesota > Jackson County > An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota > Part 25
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The tornado struck the earth at the farne of Jerry Sullivan, on the southeast quarter of section 15. LaCrosse township. three and one-half miles northeast of Her- on Lake. There the only damage was the destruction of a windmill and a hen house. Jerry Sullivan and Martin Laf- son, who were in the barn at the time. stated that the air was as hot as a blast from a furnace. From the Sullivan farm the storm traveled northeast to John Beichner's place, where it demolished the barn, granary, engine house, three bug-
17-
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
gies and farm machinery and did consid- erable damage to the house. The family wore in the house but escaped injury. The home of Chris Krieger, on the Powlit- check farm, was struck, but the damage there was not great. The hog house was torn to pieces and the barn moved off its foundation. The family sought shelter in an out-door cellar.
The tornado had gained great force when it reached the farm home of John Mathias, and nothing but splinters of min were left of the barns. granaries and other outbuildings, while the large resi- dence was almost a total wreck, although it was left on the foundation. A num- ber of hogy were killed. With one ex- ception all the members of the family were in the house during the storm and escaped injury. Joseph Mathias, twenty Years of age, was in the Geld when the storm came up and was killed when on his way to the house by being struck by flying timbers. The Hlager school house. nearby, was entirely destroyed and its ruins scattered over a large arca. At Henry Meyers home all sought shelter in the cellar. The house was not injured. but all the other building> were destroyed. Cottonwood trees, 12 to 15 inches in diam- eter, were twisted off and hurled in all directions.
Three human lives were lost at Joseph Fritscher's home on the Louis Hager farm. where the storm next appeared. Here the house. barns and sheds were blown to fieres and all the machinery on the place piled in one heap, while many of the trees in the grove were wisted off. The Fritscher family saw the storm approaching and were preparing to seek safety in the cel- tar. but the storm struck the house be- fore they get down. Mrs. Fritscher was killed instantly. her head being nearly severed from her body. Her little baby girl was also killed, its skull having been
crushed. Aurelia Fritscher, another child. had her back broken and died soon after found. Mr. Fritscher's father, who was in the barn at the time of the storm. had hi- jaw broken and was badly injured. The children of the family. excepting the two killed, were not badly Imirt. Mr. Fritscher was rendered unconscious by in- juries received, and when he came to his senses found himself lying in a grove.
From the Frischer home the storm crossed the township Ime into Weimer and struck Bernard Miranowski's home, blow- ing down the barn and corneribs and tear- ing some of the shingles of the house. Mr. Miranowski received a slight gash in the head and was the only one on the place injured. When he saw the storm approach he sought safety by lying flat on the ground in a driveway between the corneribs. At Mrs. Chopa's place the house and all the other buildings were en- timely destroyed and some stock was kill- ed. Mrs .. Chopa and a daughter sought shelter in the grove, where they ching to a tree. Miss Chepa was struck by a ily- ing board, which tore off a piece of her scalp and a braid of hair. The braid was later found a half mile away.
After leaving the Chepa place the storm broadened its course. It destroyed a barn and hog house at Frank Stenzel's and broke most of the windows out of the resi- dence. About a half mile from there. at Clement Stenzel's. the barn was destroy- ed. At E. E. Strentor's farm a new barn and granary were destroyed and several cattle killed, some of them being carried to the Little Des Moines river. a half mile away. The bridge over the Des Moines east of Streator's was destroyed.
About a mile east of the bridge the storm struck the home of Dr. Westerman and demolished everything on the place excepting a threshing machine engine. This was an exceptionally fine farm home,
THE CYCLONE OF 1903
BERNARD, MIRANOWSKIS
THE JOSEPH FRITSCHER HOME
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
179
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
and the losses amounted to over $20,000. Eight buildings were entirely demolished, much machinery and several vehicles were destroyed, several head of stock were kill- ed. and the fields were stripped as clean as though they had been plowed. The twelve people who were on the place es- caped injury by crouching in the cellar.
The next place to feel the hand of the destroyer was the home of Daniel Galla- gher. on the south bank of String lake, and here the three inhabitants on the place were killed. The house was blown into the lake and the other buildings torn to pieces. MIr. Gallagher and his daugh- ter. Ellen. were blown into the lake and drowned. Nettie Gallagher, another daughter. was found on the bank of the lake, a mutilated corpse. Wilder, a mile south of the scene of this disaster, was unharmed. From the Gallagher place the storm continued eastward toward Win- dom. but soon lost its force.
While the whole season of 1903 was rainy, it was not until September that the deluge came. Beginning with Friday, September 11, and continuing several days, came an awful downpour of water, the greatest in the history of the county, and thousands of dollars worth of dam- age was done. The Des Moines river and the many creeks rose to great heights, carrying away bridges in all parts of the county. Heron lake was reported to be rising at the rate of eight inches an hour on Sunday, the 13th-something entirely without precedent. Two thousand feet of Milwaukee track were washed out between Okabena and Miloma, and the grade at the bridge at Okabena was washed down from three to eight feet. Whole sections of the county were under water, the north part of Alba township and the south part of LaCrosse township being a vast lake. Grain and hay stacks in many parts of the county were under water, and in
places the water was so high the staeks floated away. Heavy winds accompanied the rains in some townships, and many wrecked buildings resulted. The losses from all causes were enormous and had a disastrous effect on the county's prosperity.
The first official step toward the erec- tion of Jackson county's new court house was taken July 23. 1903, when the board of county commissioners in special ses- -ion resolved to raise the sum of $50,000 for the purpose of erecting and furnish- ing the building and provided for hold- ing a special election to vote on the ques- tion of bonding for that amount. The division of the voters on the question was about the same as it had been on the county seat removal question. The west side of the county and the country tribu- tary to Lakefield voted almost solidly against the bonds, while the people fav- orable to Jackson retaining the county seat voted as solidly for the bonds. The bonding proposition was defeated by a vote of 1,551 to 1,316. By precincts the vote was as follows:
PRECINCT
For Bonds
Against Bonds
Alba
3
87
Belmont.
72
43
Christiania
46
32
Delafield
1
105
Des Moines
122
6
Enterprise
104
9
Ewington. .
8
74
Heron Lake Township
1
138
Hunter
19
90
Kimball
54
7
LaCrosse
13
47
Middletown.
100
5
Minneota
22
58
Petersburg
113
7
Rost ....
119
Round Lake
1
46
Sioux Valley.
17
70
Weimer
2
94
West Heron Lake.
5
85
Wisconsin
93
5
Jackson
453
5
Lakefield
6
237
Heron Lake Village.
27
143
Wilder
30
Alpha.
34
9
Total
1316
1551
10
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
Although the bond proposition was de- again early in 100G there was available frated. the majority of the county board, $23,000. sustained by the sentiment of the people During the period of stagnation called In the unfavorable crop conditions dur- ing the few years of the last decade. the census of 1905-the last before the publication of this volume -was taken. The population was then 11,83s, a gain of only 15 in five years the only five year period in the country's history when a substantial gain was not recorded? off the total population. E.all were males and 6,994 females. By townships the di- vision was as follows: of Jackson and southeastern Jackson county, decided to go on with prepara- tions for seuring the county building. The people of Lakefield (who had not given up the idea of trying again for conny seat honors, by any means) and of other portions of the county naturally did everything in their power to block the moves made by the county board, and a lively contest ensued. In July, 1903, the commissioners had voted a tax of $16,000 for court house purposes, but when Coun- ty Auditor P. D. M. Kellar extended the Alpha 441 taxes on the tax books he did not include 211 Belmont this court house tax. The commission- Christiania 101 ers on January 5, 1901. look action to Des Mlomes compel him to do so, asking a writ of Enterprise mandamus from the district court. On Heron Lake Township Ewington March & Judge Quinn denied the motion Heron Lake Village Hunter for mandamus, holding that it was prop- Jackson er thal the county auditor should not ex- Kimball tend the $16,000 upon the tax books. Jakefield
In consequence of this decision, the county was without court house funds, and the matter was of necessity dropped temporarily. In July. 1901, The commis- sioner- passed a resolution declaring the old court house unsuitable and inadequate for the purposes for which it was used. and providing for the erection of a new building to cost not over $5,000 and for the procuring of plans and specifications for such a building." Keeping within the amount provided by law, the commission- or- in 1901 levied a lax of $9,000 for court house purposes and the next year levied $11,000 for the same purpose. so that when the matter was brought up
rCommissioners Hoort G Anderson. Henry George Erles in the negative This was the Thielveldt and I M. Olson voted in the affirm- ative, Commissioners David Crawford vote always fernfiled In court house matters while this board was in office.
"The population of Jackson county in consus Vrar's since the dite if settlement has been as follows: 1860, 141: 1865 234; ISTO. 1.625. 1873. 3 500. ISSO. 1.500; 1985. 6.110; 1401. 4.924: 1495. 12.321: 1900, 11,793: 1903, 11,538.
916
Middletown
550
Minneota
Peter-burg
750
Post
Round lake
551
Sioux Valley
Weimer
West Heron Lake
391
Wilder.
121
Wisconsin
Total
11.5.39
In the matter of length of residence in the state the ern-n- showed Jackson conn- Is to be well represented with pioneers. There were tos persons who had resided in Minnesota since before it was admit- ted as a state in Isse a period of our 12 years. There were 1.519 who had been continuons residents of Minnesota for be-
550
1.770
181
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
tween 25 and 42 years, 8,415 for between five and 25 years, and 3,569 who came less than five years before.
The places of birth of the residents of Jackson county enumerated in the 1905 census are shown in the following table :
PRECINCT
Native Born
Minn. Born
Germany
Sweden
Norway
Canada
Ireland
Denmark
England
Bohemia
Russia
Scotland
Austria
Countries
Total
Foreign Born
Alba
191
142
2
13
]
6
3
10.5
Alpha
75
124
22
3
42
Belmont
113
30%
21
5
196
Christiania
295
8
4
125
158
Delafield
98
263
30
23
62
1
3
5
130
Des Moines
156
32%
25
3
54
1
5
Enterprise.
166
240
30
5
38
1
26
24
200)
155
69
1
5
1
11
1
Heron Lake Twp.
148
305
113
11
59
1
1
3
2
195
Heron Lake Vil.
176
504
19
12
10
125
21
2
36
55
3
0
366
Kimball
100
287
3
163
La Crosse
95
281
106
Lakefield
316
437
1
3
5
3
10
163
Middletown
210
245
61
1
1
Minneota
191
162
15
1
85
134
Rost
171
218
132
3
1
1
Round Lake
2391
156
212
178
1
10
1
1
9
200
Weimer
96
218
41
12
31
1
4
2
4
18
115
West Heron Lake
124
50
6
1
4
1
]
3
93
Wilder
38
69
3
7
1
1
14
Wisconsin
177
223
42
12
g
1
23
1
33
3
126
Total
4345
6717
1317
212
1071
225
58
269
362
3776
The building of the court house again became a live issue at the beginning of the year 1906. The commissioners then had $23,000 in the court house fund and decided to begin the work. At the first meeting of the board that year-on Jan- uary 4-it was resolved that a court house should be built at once which should cost. including furnishings, not over $100,000. The resolution was carried by the affirm- ative votes of Commissioners Anderson, Thielvolt and Olson, Commissioners Mc- Nabs and Crawford voting no. Arrange- ments were made to secure plans and specifications. and on February ? the board accepted the plans of Buechner & Orth, who estimated the cost of the pro- posed building at not over $80,000, not including vault fixtures, electric light fix- tures or decorations.
The action of the county board in de- claring for immediate construction of the building precipitated another county seat removal contest.º which proved to be one of the most bitter and hardest fought con- tests for county seat honors ever waged in Minnesota. Over five years had elapsed since the question had been voted upon and there was no legal barrier to bring- ing another contest.19 The people of the west end of the county had been success- ful in delaying the commencement of work on a new court house until such
""This movement is the logical result of the action of the majority of the members of the board of county commissioners at their annual meeting a month ago, when they passed a resolution for the erection of a new court house at Jackson to cost $100,000. It is very appar- ent that the taxpayers of the county do not approve the action of the board; and as We said three weeks ago, the only way to prevent them from carrying out their plans is to move the county seat to Lakefield."-Lakefield Stand- ard, February 1, 1906.
10The Minnesota law governing county seat removals provides that five years must elapse after a vote has been taken on the question he- fore it can again be brought to a vote.
'Duncan McNab had succeeded George Erbes as commissioner.
C.
1.
1
218
Hunter
194
219
40
4
48
1
31
1
157
Jackson.
553
67
45
1
1
3
9.
Petersburg
237
204
76
6
1
31
1
24
219
143
159
Sioux Valley
1×4
20
53
5
9
1
3
13
1×1
125
Ewington
105
* :
21
17
All Other
11
182
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
time as they were free to try again for in the early part of the contest was to removal to Lakefield.
Immediately after the commissioners resolved to proceed with the building the contest was started. On January 23 the following notice was served on the county board :
To the Board of County Commissioner- of the County of Jackson. State of Minnesota :
We, the undersigned. legal voters of the county of Jackson, state of Minnesota. pray that the county seat thereof be changed to the village of Lakefield. in said Jackson county.
NOTICE.
To all whom it may concern:
Notice is hereby given by the undersigned legal voters of Jackson county, Minnesota, that the foregoing petition will be cirenlated. begin. ning not earlier than February 13, 1906, not later than February 15. 1906, in said Jackson county. Minnesota. for signatures of the legal voters of said county for a change of the county seat thereof to the village of Lakefield. Jackson county, Minnesota.
Dated at Lakefield. Minnesota, thi- 23rd day of January, 1906.11
The people of Jackson on February 1 gave legal notice of their intention to con- test the removal of the county seat.12 and the bitter contest was on. In two of the former contests the question had been brought to a vote without much effort on the part of Jackson to prevent it. In this conflict tactics were changed. Jack- son determining to fight the petition and prevent. if possible. the question from be- ing submitted to the voters, by securing withdrawals of signatures from the origi- nal petition and by attacking the validity of the petition. 13 Jackson's line of action
"This notice was signed by la F. Lammers G. C. Buckeye, Jerry Sullivan. G. E. Morrison, John Besser, S Dahl. August Scheppman. J @ Ruthenbeck, F. C. Ahrens, Ferdinand Mlbrath. (. F. Rossow. G. B. MeMurtry. S R. Dulwetz. Fred W. Eder. John Frederickson, Joseph F. Golitko. Henry Hohenstein. Charles Winzer. William A. Bieter. E. J Grimes, F . Stenzel. (. R. J. Kellam. J. F. Liepold and F. A. Cooley.
12The notice was signed by W C. Portmann. Henry Cook. I G. Anderson, Louis Iverson. John 1 .. Dann. W D. Hunter, I. H. Berge, M D. Ashley. O. M Ashley, Dan MeNamara, Jos- eph Smykal, Iron Davis, Harry Sandon, Charles 1. Colby. John 1 .. King. W. E. Manchester. P. C. Nelson. A. C Serum, C. W. Withers, Ray- mond Bartosch. F. J. Hruby, J S. Fiddes and A. II. Strong.
under the law, sixty per cent of the num- ber who voted at the last general election must
prevent people favorable to Jackson from signing the Lakefield petition. "Refuse to sign the petition." was the slogan. "If you refuse to sign. there will be no vote." An agreement, of no legal standing, how- ever, was drawn up and circulated for the signatures of those who would agree not to sign the Lakefield petition. and many so bound themselves."
The workers for each town declared their intentions of conducting an honor- adde campaign, but cach seemed to think the other side was not going to. Early in the campaign-on January 30-the people of Lakefield offered a reward of three hundred dollars for evidence that would lead to the conviction of any par- ties for bribery or corrupt practice in the election. the offer being signed by many of the leading men of Lakefield. The people of Jackson countered by propo-ing that the people of each town deposit five hundred dollars in a Windom bank, to be paid on the order of the district judge after the conviction of anyone for bribery or corruption in connection with the call- test. There were no convictions.
Again Lakefield offered its city hall for court house uses if the removal should be accomplished. This was done by resolu- tion of the village council February 3. The building was offered for a term of ten years at an annual rental of one dol-
sign the petition in order to bring the question to a vote. At the general election in 1904 there had been cast 3.035 votes; therefore it was ner- essary for 1.821 legal voters to sign the petl- tion before the commissioners were authorized to call an election and submit the question
"The agreement was as follows.
"In view of the fact that Jackson county hus already had three contests for the removal of the county seat to Lakefield, and that such con- tests are a cause of heavy expense to the tax- payers of the county and stir up strife, en- gender bitter feelings and tend to demoralize the people, we, the undersigned, legal voters of Jackson county. Minnesota, hereby state that we are not in fact of another county sont contest, and for that reason we hereby ppom- ist and agree with each other that we will not sign a petition for the change of the county seat, notice of the intention to circulato which is now being published.
"Dated January 29. 1906."
183
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
lar, with privilege of renewal for another ten year period at the same price. Pri- vate parties also agreed that "if the vaults in the above mentioned building are not sufficient to contain all the records of said Jackson county, we will build onto the above mentioned building additional vaults, fire-proof and water-proof. neces- sary for the use of the officers of Jack- son county. Minnesota, without any cost to Jackson county."15 This offer was char- acterized as bribery by the opposing work- ers. and authorities were cited to show that such an offer constituted bribery of the voters.
The Lakefield workers covered all parts of the county in their campaign for sig- natures. The newspapers waged a mud- slinging campaign, full of personalities. and charged rank corruption and irregu- larity on the part of the opposing forces. 16 On March 20 the Laketield workers com- pleted their campaign and filed the peti- tion with the county anditor. It con-
"The offer was signed by J. M. Putman, S. R. Dubetz. Thomas Crawford. C. B. Edwards, H. M. Clark, Fred W. Eder. R. Artman. G. R. Van Dike. A. Jackson. 11. A. Rhodes, George Mil- burn. A. Bettin. E. Schumacher. A. J. Sparks. Gilbert Rue, M. MeGlin, Hans J. Hauge. J. G. Hellen, August Blankenburg. Sr., R. D. Pietz. J. W. Daubney, E. Erickson. Emil Zarling. Hen- ry Albers, Albert Armstrong, E. E. Collins, C. M. Gage, L. J. Britsch, George J. Britsch. C .. M. Tradewell, Ross W. Daubney. Joseph Kolash. E. Lewis, James D'Arcy, J. A. Anderson. L. R. Anderson, John G. Gage. George Payne, Martin Dahl, Lars J. Johnson, William Lockner, Jos- eph J. Jones, William Frees, J. W. Crisman, Andrew J. Johnson. F. R. Hansen. Lo Fader. John Frederickson, Edward Kolander. A. L. Bachus. D. Crawford, J. A. Mansfield. H. L. Bond. B. Weppler. B. W. Payne. M. B. Hofstad. J. G. Christle, John G. Miller, J. C. Caldwell. H. P. Thompson, Joseph F. Golitko. A. A. Fos- ness. William Hecht. Claus Wiese, August Lockner. G. B. McMurtry. Henry Comnick, Au- gust Blankenburg, Charles Blankenburg. F. F. Riley. William Rost. A. M. St. John. O. Thore- SON. E. P. Maldaner. Ed. Arnold, J. A. Leven- ick. S. Searles. John McGlin. E. A. Gage, George Winzenburg, George A. Wesner. Z. M. Turner. John Grein. D. L. Riley. A. S. Foslie. Herman Schultz, James Rost. F. B. White, H. P. Stone, C. A. Bell. Henry Tank and G. H. Wood.
16Said the Jackson County Pilot on February 22: "Well founded reports of men known not to be voters being urged and in many instances induced to sign the petition for removal are common. In several instances men have de- liberately been made intoxicated and while in that condition induced to sign. Bulldozing seems to be a favorite method and has become so common as to almost cease to excite com- ment."
tained the names of 2,060 persons-239 more than the sixty per cent required by law to bring the matter to a vote. April 9 was the date set for the consideration of the petition by the county board.
With the filing of the petition came the campaign of the Jackson workers to se- eure withdrawals from the petition.17 They also went to all parts of the county in their efforts to secure enough with- drawals to beat the petition. These work- ers were openly charged with bribery by the press favorable to Lakefield.18
When the board of county commission- ers met on April 9 to act on the petition intense excitement prevailed : the nerves of everyone were at high tension. George W. Somerville appeard before the board for the petitioners and T. J. Knox and H. H. Dunn for the contestants. The
17The withdrawal is a legal document provid- ed for in the county seat removal law. It is acknowledged before a notary public, justice of the peace or other public official, and when pre- sented to the county board at the consideration of the original petition removes the name of the signer from the petition. After the with- drawal is presented it may be revoked by the proper legal procedure. Following was the form used by Jackson in this contest:
"Having heretofore signed the petition pray- ing that the county seat of Jackson county, Minnesota, he changed to the village of Lake- field in said county, the circulation of which petition was begun on or about February 13. 1906. I desire to and do withdraw my name from said petition and request the county board of said county to strike my name therefrom. and 1 hereby authorize ... .. to appear for me before the county board of commission- ers of said county and in my name and stead and as my attorney but without expense to me, to withdraw and strike my name from said petition and to act in and about said matter as fully to all intents and purposes as I could do if personally present, hereby ratifying and con- firming all that my said attorney shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
.1906. "Witness my hand this .day of. "Witnessed by
1sSaid the Lakefield Standard: "The Jackson workers are out through the country using the most dishonest tactics to get the voters to withdraw their names from the petition. If you know of anyone who has been induced by Jack- son's dishonest tactics to sign a withdrawal, bring him to Lakefield AT ONCE, or let us know who it is, so he can have a chance to sign a paper putting his name back on the petition. Out in Round Lake township the Jackson canvassers have tried to make the signers of the Lakefield petition believe that it is against the law to pay more than five dol- lars for withdrawals. We have consulted the revised statutes, but can find no such provis- ion."
-
151
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
attorney- for the people of Jack- tract for the new court house. On the son offered to prove frand and bribery im 9th of May a resolution was passed by the hard to advertise for bids for the . re tion of the building in accordance with the plans selected, the bids to be opened June 11. Or that date, there be- ing no satisfactory bids, the board read- vertised for bids, to be opened July 9. Be- fore the new bid- were opened the courts again took a hand m the proceeding.
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