USA > Minnesota > Jackson County > An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota > Part 32
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The matter of incorporation again be- came a live issue during the winter of 1880-81. \ mass meeting was held on the last day of the year 1880. of which M. A. Strong was chairman and J. W. Hunter secretary. There was more n- animity of opinion than there had been two years before. and it was the sense of the meeting that immediate steps should be taken to incorporate. George C. Cham- berlin. T. J. Knox and J. T. Bowditch wore appointed a committee to draft a charter, and J. W. Hunter. J. W. Cowing. Il. S. Bailey. W. S. Kimball, B. W. Ash- ley. Joseph Thomas and H. 11. Hughes, a committee to decide on the boundaries.
A charter was prepared, and, in order to obtain the views of the citizens an in- formal election was held at the postoffice on January 12, at which time 55 votes were registered in favor of incorporation under the charter, while ton voted against it. The charter was introduced as an act in the legislature. It passed both houses,
'Population of other towns in the vicinity was
Windom. 413: Fairmont, 541; St.
A4 follows: 131: Madelia. 189: Heron Lake, 226; Worthington, 636: Luverne. 697; Pipestone. 22
1. B. Lindsay. house
600
575 550 500 500 500 500 500 600
Thomas O'Neill, improvements on hotel
229
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
and then. in some unaccountable man- ner, disappeared from the office of the secretary of state and was never seen again. It is possible that it was burned in the capitol fire, which occurred about that time.
The disappearance of the bill put mat- ters back to where they had been before the legislature took action, but the people of Jackson were determined to incorpor- ate as a municipality and took other meas- ures. Messrs. Hunter, Strong, Fiddes and Cowing, of the commissioners named in the act of 1879. posted notices for an elec- tion to be held April 12, 1881, to decide the question as to whether or not Jackson should be incorporated under the provis- ions of the general law provided for in- corporating villages. There was no elec- tioneering either for or against the ques- tion, and of the 80 votes cast, 68 were in favor and 12 against incorporating.
The first village election was held on April 19, when a set of village officers was chosen. Those who were chosen at this initial election and at each succeed- ing election were as follows :
18812- President, J. W. Cowing: trustees, J. W. Hunter, Ole E. Olson, C. A. Campbell; re- corder, M. A. Strong: treasurer, John K. Brown: justice, H. S. Bailey; constable, Ira G. Walden.
1882-President, M. A. Strong; trustees, G. C. Chamberlin, Paul H. Berge, J. W. Hunter ; recorder, C. L. Campbell; treasurer, John Paul- son: justice, M. A. Strong; constable, R. P. Matteson.
18833-President, M. A. Strong: trustees, J.
"Eighty votes were polled at the first election. There were contests for only two offiees: C. A. Camphell defeated M. A. Strong for trustee by a vote of 42 to 35; M. A. Strong defeated A. C. Whitman for recorder hy a vote of 44 to 35.
3Before the incorporation of the village the matter of licensing saloons had been in the hands of the county commissioners. Some years they had granted license for the opera- tion of saloons in Jackson; some years they had refused license. After incorporating, up to 1883, the matter had been left in the hands of the village council, which had granted license during 1881 and 1882. In 1883 the question was submitted to the voters for the first time. Thereafter up to the present time. it has been voted on nearly every year. The following shows the results of these elections, a vote not having been taken in the years not given, but license having been granted during those years:
W. Cowing. Alexander Fiddes, John Paulson;' recorder, C. A. Campbell; treasurer, John K. Brown.ยช
1884 -President, Alexander Fiddes; trustees, A. C. Whitman, Ole Rognas, C. A. Campbell ; recorder. E. P. Skinner: treasurer. John Fid- des; justices, II. W. Peck, J. A. Goodrich; con- stable, F. Quentin.
1885 President, J. W. Hunter; trustees, H. HI. Hughes, A. C. Whitman," S. Swenson: re- vorder, Ole Rognas; treasurer, John Fiddes; justice, HI. S. Bailey.
1886- President, Paul II. Berge; trustees, S. Swenson, F. Quentin. Il. H. Hughes; recorder, Burt W. Day; treasurer, J. W. Hunter; jus- tice, II. W. Peck; constable, M. L. Ashley.
1887- President, Alexander Fiddes; trustees, Ole E. Olson, J. W. Cowing, George C. Cham- berlin;8 recorder, E. J. Orr; treasurer, J. W. Hunter; justice, J. A. Goodrich; constable, R. J. Henderson.
1888-President, Alexander Fiddes; trustees, H. H. Berge, Jr., A. II. Strong, G. A. Albertus; recorder, F. Quentin; treasurer, J. W. Hunter; justice, II. W. Peck; constable, Henry Olson.
1889- President, Alexander Fiddes; trustees, W. A. Conrad. H. H. Berge, G. A. Albertus; re- corder. E. J. Orr; treasurer, J. W. Ilunter; jus- tices, Joseph Bushnell, J. A. Goodrich; eon- stables, R. J. Henderson, Rasmus Hanson.
1890-President, J. W. Cowing; trustees, H. G. Anderson, B. W. Ashley, George R. Moore; recorder. M. B. Hutchinson: treasurer. J. W. Hunter; assessor, W. K. Ellsworth; justice, A. C. Sernm.
1891 -President, Alexander Fiddes; trustees, H. G. Anderson, J. K. Brown, Henry Hoovel; recorder. M. B. Hutchinson; treasurer, J. W. Hunter; assessor, W. R. Ellsworth; justices, J. A. Goodrich. V. B. Crane; constables, R. Han- son. I. S. Barrett.
1892-President, M. B. Hutchinson; trustees, A. E. Olson, Il. H. Berge, W. R. Ellsworth; recorder, Henrik Strom: treasurer, J. K. Brown.
1883-For, 46; against, 64.
1884-For, 65; against, 67.
1885-For, 59; against, 53.
1886-For, 86; against, 48.
1887-For, 62; against, 56.
1888-License by 4 majority.
1889-License by 5 majority.
1890-For, 73; against, 110.
1891-For, 81; against, 94.
1892-License by big majority.
1894-For, 164; against, 64.
1896-For, 200; against, 115.
1897-For. 132; against, 103.
1899-For. 208: against, 87.
1901-For, 242; against. 63.
1902-For, 202; against. 104.
1903-For. 243; against, 94. 1909-For, 192; against, 171.
4Resigned June 5. 1883. No successor seleeted. "Did not qualify. John Fiddes appointed June, 1883.
"Removed from county. C. B. Tuttle appoint- ed December 15, 1885.
"Resigned January 10. 1887, and E. J. Orr appointed.
8Resigned June 7, 1887, and O. A. Sathe ap- pointed.
230
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
1893 President, W. C. Portmann; trustees, 11. C. Anderson. W. H. Jarvis, O. A. Sathe; recorder, Henrik Strom; treasurer, J. W. Hun- ter: assessor, C. 11. Sandon.
1894-President, H. G. Anderson: trustees, 1. W. Priest, George Burnham. W. B. Sketch; recorder. Alexander Fiddes; treasurer. J. K. Brown: assessor, Neil- Ludvigsen; justice. . ]. 1. Wallace: constable, A. J. Patterson.
1895 President. W. B. Sketch: trustees, Oli- ver Brown, H. H. Berge, Jr., F. W. Lind-ley; recorder. Alexander Fiddes: treasurer. J. K. Brown; assessor, A. II. Strong: justices, James Burnham, J. A. Goodrich: constables. J. W. Mnir. Ole Anderson.
1896-President. W. B. Sketch: trustees, oli- ver Brown. F. W. Lindsley, Il. H. Berge, Jr .: recorder. Mexander Fiddes; treasurer, J. K. Brown: assessor. C. H. Sandon.
1897 President, John L. Dann: trustees, Frank Phillips. James Lowe. A. II. Strong: re- vorder. F. B. Faber: treasurer. JJ. K. Brown; assessor. C. H. Sandon; justices, J. A. Good. rich. Mark D. Ashley: constables, J. W. Mnir. Joseph Trea.
1898 - President, John L. Dann: trustees, A. 11. Strong. James Lowe, Charles Washburn; re- corder. F. B. Faber; treasurer, J. K. Brown.
1899- President, John L. Dann: trustees, G. 11. Sawyer. F. F. Harlow, John Voda ; recorder. F. B. Faber: treasurer. J. K. Brown: assessor, William V. King: justices. J. A. Goodrich, Mark D. Ashley :' constables, Benjamin Harri- son. J. W. Muir.
1900-President. M. B. Hutchinson: trustees. F. F. Harlow. JJohn Voda, T. H. Stall; record- er. Mark D. Ashley: treasurer. J. K. Brown: assessor, William V. King: constables, Joseph Trea. M. L. Frost.
1901-President. John M. Voda : trustees, F. F. Harlow," H. 1. Berge, Chris Ludvigsen; recorder, Mark D. Ashley; treasurer. J. K. Brown: assessor. William V. King: justices, J. A. Goodrich, C. J. Wethe: constable. Ben Mat-
1902 President. W. B. Sketch: trustees, 11. 11. Berge. 11. M. Burnham. F. 1. Phillips:" recorder, W. D. Miller; treasurer. J. K. Brown: assessor, William V. King; constable, MI. L. Frost.
1903 President, E. E. Stubbs; trustees. M. 1 .. Frost. 11. M. Burnham, John Peterson, Jr .; recorder. W. II. Miller: treasurer. J. K. Brown; Assessor, William V. King: justices, .1. A. Goodrich. C. J. Wethe: constables, Ben Matio- son. V. W. Avery.
1904-President. I. M. Burnham: trustees, 11. B. Gillespie, John Peterson, Jr., M. L. Frost ; recorder. W. 11. Miller: treasurer. J. K. Brown: assessor. William V. King; justice, W. P. King.
"Resigned March 14. 1900. to accept office of recorder. C. J Wethe appointed March 27. 1900.
1Resigned, and on May 31. 1901. F. H. Phil- lips appointed.
"Resigned June 20, 1902, and Andrew Nelson appointed June 24. 1902. Mr. Neison resigned January 5. 1903, and John Peterson, Jr., was appointed.
1905 - President, C. L. Mickey; trustees, H. B. Gillespie. C. A. Anten.2 F. B. Faber; re- vorder. John Burnham: treasurer, J. K. Brown; assessor, R. A. Gruhlke: justice, Joseph Smy- kal: constalde, Ben Matteson.
1906 President. C. L. Mickey: trustees, H. B. Gillespie. F. B. Faber. A. S. King; recorder, John Burnham ; treasurer. J. K. Brown; asses- sur, R. A. Gmbike; justice -. W. P. King, Jo- seph Smykal.
1907 President, E. T. Smith: trustees, John MeMartin, Clarence Greenwood, George Kel- sey: recorder, John Burnham;" treasurer. W. 1. Hunter; assessor, John Baldwin;" justice, Joseph Smykal: constables. M. B. Duun, Frank Gillespie.
1908-President, 11. M. Burnham; trustees, John MeMartin. C. W. Greenwood. Frank Phil- lips: recorder, J. G. Robertson; treasurer, W. D. Hunter: justice, W. B. King: assessor, Wil- liam V. King.
1909- President, Chris Ludvigsen: trustees, John MeMartin, C. W. Greenwood, W. H. An. ni -; recorder, J. G. Robertson; treasurer. W. D. Hunter: assessor, J. V. Beyer: justice. F. E. Bailey: constables. M. B. Dunn. O. C. Lee.
The Jackson village government was begun at nine o'clock in the morning of Friday. April 22, 1881, when the council met for the first time. The first official act, after taking the oaths of office, was to appoint F. T. Brayton, street commis- sioner. A committee was appointed to notify the saloon keepers that they must rease selling intoxicating liquors until li- vensed by the village council. At a sec- und meeting of the council. held on the evening of the same day, ordinance No. 1, fixing liquor licenses at $200 per annum, was passed.
The first village financial statement shows the receipts and expenditures from the date of organization, April 22, 1881, 10 December 30. 1881. and is as follows: RECEIPTS.
Ferry fees $242.90
Sale of boat 30.00
Liquor license 2.13.25
Peddler license
6.00
Butcher license
20.00
Dog license 30.00
Auctioneer license 2.00
$589.15
EDled in June, 1905, and on June 6 A. S. King appointed.
"Resigned and Gordon Robertson appointed September 3, 1907.
"Resigned In April, 1907, and R. A. Gruhlke appointed.
231
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
EXPENDITURES.
Books and blanks 3.51
Ferry boat
50.00
Ely & Brooks, improvements on mill 2.000
Berge Bros., store. 1,800
(. W. Stone, residence 1,000
R. M. Ward. residence
900
Erick Olson, cottage. 225
R. J. Henderson, blacksmith shop. 200
I. W. Lindsley, barn. 200
W. F. Turner, barn
500
School District, improvements
250
R. P. Matteson, addition 200
B. W. Ashley, improvements 450
O'Connell & Joyce, saloon 500
W. A. Pepper, residence 300
O. A. Sathe. addition. 150
Levi Davis, improvements 60
M. S. Clough, residence 400
Total $17,535
A business and professional directory of Jackson, prepared in the spring of 1884. was as follows:
GENERAL MERCHANDISE.
J. W. Cowing.
O. E. Olson.
Berge Brothers.
J. W. Hunter.
II. W. Peck.
GROCERIES.
A. C. Whitman.
A. E. Olson.
William Smith.
DRUG STORES.
A. C. Whitman.
J. W. Cowing. Berge Brothers.
IIARDWARE.
Alexander Fiddes.
E. P. Skinner.
BLACKSMITH SHOPS.
Swenson & Sathe.
R. J. Henderson.
John Jungbaner.
HOTELS.
Ashley Douse, William Lamont. American House. Jacob Hoesli. LUMBER YARDS. Colman Lumber Company, H. II. Hughes, Agent. Panl Lumber Company, C. A. Campbell, Agent. IMPLEMENT DEALERS.
F. W. Lindsley. Alexander Fiddes. E. P. Skinner.
A. Il. Strong. REAL ESTATE DEALERS.
George R. Moore.
Fredericksen & Company.
W. T. Hansen.
Horton, Gillerup & Horton.
Willis Drummond. ATTORNEYS.
T. J. Knox.
D. M. DeVore.
There was not such great activity in building operations during 1881 as there had been for a few years preceding, and the town settled down to a normal basis. Good times came upon the country, and Jackson developed into an excellent trad- ing point in consequence. An indication of the town's business is shown by a state- ment of the imports and exports by rail. During the year 1881 there were imported 1,892.912 pounds of freight. This in- eluded 42 cars of coal and 169 cars of lumber. The exports reached a total of 3,302,444 pounds, including 40 cars of wheat. 32 of oats, S of barley, 5 of fax, 31 of hogs, 27 of cattle and 3 of butter. The following table shows the exports by pounds :
Wheat
842,830
Barley
171,340
Oats
672,040
Grass seed
2,800
Flax seed
106,370
Flour
11,350
Egys
13,260
Butter
61.237
Tallow
1,530
Wool
10,045
Hides
32,226
llorses
3,500
Cattle
546,000
logs
632.000
Sheep
119,844
Total
3,302,774
Over $12,000 worth of building im- provements were made in 1882, as follows :
John K. Brown, five cottages $ 4.500
J. Gould, millinery store 1,000
S. Swenson, residence 1,000
Ole Anderson, residence 1,000
Jackson mill, addition .. 700
Running ferry boat. 110.50
Rebuilding bridge
250.00
Saving old bridge.
3.50
Planks for bridges
47.09
Lumber and nails for crossings
71.39
Work on streets and crossings
44.50
Attorney's fee-
5.00
Doctor's fees
5.00
Recording
7.50
Cash overpaid by Ileuter.
12.00
$610.59
32.000
Other items
232
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
MISCELLANEOUS.
John K. Brown, Bank of Jackson.
E. P. Gould. physician.
Brooks & Ealy. Honring moll.
Fonthil Creamery Company, creamery.
Miss E. Il. Gould, millinery.
Ole Rognas, furniture. Swenson & Fathe, wagon factory.
G. W. Arentson, shoe shop.
George A. Stark, cooper shop.
Levi Davis, tailor shop.
J. G. Walden, meat market.
6. A. Albertus, harness shop.
11. White. dray line.
F. L. Brayton, livery and bus line.
1. Evenson, paint shop. Fred Quentin. carpenter.
Burt W. Day, newspaper.
Henry Hoeshi, barber shop.
During the middle and later eighties Jackson continued to grow slowly, and prosperous times were enjoyed. The im- provements for the year 188t amounted to a little over $15,000. The population in 1885 was 608.
Early in i88 Jackson became a divis- ion point of the Chicago. Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad. and thereby added to its importance. This event was brought about largely through the efforts of Jack- son citizens, particularly, J. K. Brown, Alexander Fiddes. P. 11. Berge. T. J. Knox and J. W. Cowing. Over $100,000 worth of railroad buildings were erected, including an eight-stall round house. The scenring of the division point was not accomplished without a concession on the part of the village. This was the permis- sion given the railway company to move the passenger and freight depots from the original location to a point farther from the business part of town.
By the terms of an agreement made in 1829. incorporated in a legislative act, the railroad company had agreed to forever maintain its depot on the spur track where it had been originally located, but when the proposition of establishing a division point at Jackson arose, the company do- manded the right to move the depot to the main line. A mass meeting of the citi-
zone of Jackson decided to permit this, and on August :. Isst. the village coun- vil passed an ordinance granting the de- mand of the railroad company, provided the town be made division headquarters and an eight-stall round house built and maintained. The next spring the Minne- soin legislature legalized the municipal act. and the depot was moved.
Among the improvements of the early nineties was the water works system. which was put in during 1892. The year before the legislature had authorized the village to vote on the question of issning bonds for the purpose, and at the election on November 3, 1891. by a vote of 81 to 19, the electors authorized the council to issue $10,000 bonds. The bonds were sold in the fall of 1892 at a premium of $359, and the system was installed.
Prosperous times came upon the village in 1892. and great strides forward wore made. More building improvements were made that year than in the five years pro- coding and were of a total value of $93 .- 125. A few of the principal items were as follows: Water works system. $12.000; Ashley house. $10,000; Harlow house, $9,000; Boston block. $6,500; P. 11. Berge. residence, $1,000 ; (. 1. Colby, resi- dence. $3,500: G. B. Paddock. residence. $3.000; Catholic church. $3,000; C. 1. Portmann. residence, $2,200; I. V. Ma- kovicka saloon building $2.100: Presby- dorian parsonage, $1,600: William V. King. residence. $1,500; Sakolik & Co., store building, $1,500; P. P. Haverberg. residence. $1.400: Henry Hoovel, resi- dence. $1.200.
In 1893 the improvements amounted to $11.200, and among the principal items were the State Bank of Jackson building at $15,000 and the J. W. Hunter brick block at $:,000. In the summer of 1893 (me the memorable panie and the result- ant hard times period. and the village
233
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
was at a standstill for a few years. Busi- ness was paralyzed ; the town was without life. The setback proved only temporary, and within a few years, owing to the raising of magnificent crops and the big rise in real estate values, Jackson was again on the forward march.
The town had reached a population of 1,356 when the census of 1895 was taken. Despite the fact that complete recovery from the hard times period had not been reached and that times were considered dull, the record of improvements for 1895 was flattering. An estimate made by the Pilot placed the total at $81.230. This included $31,000 for two new school buildings, $11,000 for the Jackson Queen mill. $7.400 for the Livengood & Co. mill and $3,500 for city improvements. Busi- ness depression and commercial stagnation continued during 1896. The improvements for the year were valued at $35,800. By 1898 times had become much better. That year were erected the Anderson & Lindsley block at a cost of $14,000 and the M. B. Hutchinson block at a cost of $11,000. Other improvements brought the total to $58,275.
The years 1899 to 1902, inclusive, con- stituted a most prosperous era in Jackson, as well as in the county and the whole northwest country. Land values soared and hundreds of new settlers came to Jackson county. The effect on Jackson was a healthy growth in all lines of busi- ness. New enterprises came into existence and prosperity abounded. The first year of this era was the most prosperous one in the history of the village and almost took the nature of a boom. Many brick blocks were erected and the main street was in a state of confusion all summer as a result of building operations. In addi- tion to other enterprises, a municipal elec- tric lighting system was installed, a tele- phone system was put in, and a system of
sewerage begun. The improvements for the year amounted to $103,065., Among those who contributed to this amount were:
Jackson Village, light plant .$15,000
Louis Kiesel 10,000
Oliver Brown 8,000
Ilieleman Brewing Company 7,000
Ben Matteson
6,000
Raymond Bartosch
6,000
Alexander Fiddles
5,000
R. S. Robertson.
4,000
Joseph Berry
3,500
Berge Brothers
3,000
Herm Miller 2,500
Jackson Village, city sewer 2,000
Ross Livengood 2.000
Mrs. Hamlon 2,000
The first steps toward installing the electrie lighting system were taken on March 16, 1899, when, at a special elec- tion, by a vote of 194 to 38, it was de- cided to issue $10,000 bonds for the pur- pose. The contraet for the construction of the plant was let September 8, 1899, to the Northwestern Electric Light com- pany of St. Paul. and to the Ideal En- gine company of the same city. The plant was completed within a few months, and Jackson was lighted by electricity for the first time in January. 1900.
Building operations were not prosecu- ted so vigorously in 1900. The principal buildings put up that year were the M. J. Olsen block, $9,000; the II. G. Ander- son block, $3,000 ; the Oliver Brown block. $2,000 ; and several fine residences. The population in 1900, according to the fed- eral census, was 1,756.
Nineteen hundred one was a good year in the building line, the expenditures amounting to $84,400. Some of the prin- cipal items were as follows: Presbyterian church, $12.000; J. K. Brown, business block, $10,000; A. C. Serum, residence $5,500; W. E. Manchester, residence, $5,- 000 ; Lindsley & Anderson, business block, $4,500: H. II. Berge, residence, $4,000; V. W. Avery, residence, $3,500; Episcopal church, $3,000; F. B. Faber, residence.
14
234
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
$3,000; John Muir. residence, $3,000; John Vacek, shop and residence, $2,000; Ross Livengood. mill improvements, $2,- 000; T. I. Thompson, residence, $2,000; Frank Koffran, residence, $2,000.
In 1902 the money expended in Jackson on new buildings was $95,600, some of the larger items being: Jackson county, jail, $12.750; Jackson flour mill, $15,000; I. M. Burnham & Co., brick block, $12,000; T. J. Knox, residence. $10,000; Jackson Telephone company, $6,000 ; H. B. Gilles- pie. residence. $3.400.
The prosperous times which Jackson had been enjoying for a number of years terminated in 1903, and for a few years
thereafter the advancement was slower. Due to an abnormal rainfall, there were a few years of partial crop failures, and but little progress was made. The census of 1905 gave a population of 1276, a gain of only twenty in five years. This was a better showing than most towns of southwestern Minnesota made during those five years, many showing a loss.
Conditions returned to a normal basis in 1908, and in this year of our Lord 1910 Jackson is again in prosperous cir- cumstances. Among the events of re- cent years is to be recorded the completion of the Jackson county court house in 1909 at a cost of over $117.000.
CHAPTER XVIII.
JACKSON'S ENTERPRISES.
THE SCHOOLS.
O NE of the first institutions to be provided after the founding of a town is the public school. In Jackson the school came two years before the town. The first school conducted with- in the limits of the village was taught by Miss Anna Thomas, daughter of Joseph Thomas, in 1864. The term was a short one, just long enough to seenre the money of the state appropriation. The students who attended this initial school were Hal- vor Halverson, Lewis Halverson, Annie Halverson, John Halverson, Joseph Thom- as, Mary Thomas, Alice Tucker, Weda Woodard, Mary Woodard, Lucina Wood- ard and George Palmer.
During 1865 and 1866 quite a number of families located in the vicinity, and in the latter year the village of Jackson was founded. Although the platted town was on the west side of the river, for some time the Jackson school was conducted in district No. 1, on the east side.1 Mrs. B. HI. Johnson taught the school during the winter of 1866-67 at her home in the old stockade, south of the Thomas home. The
1The county commissioners created district No. 1. including several sections in Wisconsin township and in that part of Des Moines east of the river, on March 13, 1866. No 2. including all of Des Moines west of the river, was created September 4, 1866.
pupils attending were Ida Clough, Joe Clough, Joe Thomas, Johnnie Halverson, Leonard F. Ashley, Halvor Halverson, Lewis Halverson, George Palmer, Perry Eddy, Frank Bailey, Wallace Bailey, Rol- lin Johnson, John Charles Ashley, Lee Palmer, Mary Larned and Will Dayton. The next winter William V. King taught the school at his home on the east side of the river.
In the fall of 18GS a school house was built on the west side of the river, near the bayou at the foot of Third street. It was built of native lumber and its di- mensions were 16x18 feet, with eiglit foot posts.2 Major H. S. Bailey provided the money to build it, and he was later reim- bursed by the school district. School was taught in the building during the winter of 1868-69 and the summer of 1869 by Miss Mandy Mario, who received a salary of $15 per month. The winter term was of three months duration, and there were enrolled thirty-four pupils-nineteen boys and fifteen girls; the average daily at- lendance was twenty-five. There was also three months school during the summer, and the total enrollment was twenty-eight -nineteen boys and nine girls-with an
"This building still stands in the village and is now used as a chicken house.
235
236
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
average daily attendance of twenty.3 There were 113 children between the ages of tive and twenty-one years in the district at the close of the school year in Septem- ber. 1869, according to the report of the clerk. W. S. Kimball.' The financial state- ment for the first year of the school's his- tory, made by W. S. Kimball, clerk, Sep- lember 30, 1869, is an interesting doeu- ment. It is as follows :
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