An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota, Part 36

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Worthington, Minn. : Northern History
Number of Pages: 738

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One day after the birth of the Kin- brae Herald there came into existence at Worthington the Worthington Herald, founded by T. G. Nicholson. It was a six column quarto, four pages "patent," which form it always retained, and was democratic. Mr. Nicholson was a spicy writer, and the flerald at once leaped into favor. On Nov. 1, 1895, E. K. Smith, formerly editor of the Globe. bought a half interest in the Herald, and the publishers became Nicholson &

Smith. The former was business man- ager and the latter editor, and the poli- tics became independent republican. Mr. Smith purchased his partner's interest on July 17, 1896, and thereafter ran the llerald as a straight republican pa- per. For nine years he published the Herald and made it one of the leading county papers from a business and polit- ical standpoint. After his election to the office of county treasurer in the fall of 1904, he sold the plant to Nicholas Wienandt, formerly of the Brewster Tribune, who continued it as a republi- can paper. Nov. 1, 1905, Harvey G. Beckley bought a half interest and was interested in its publication until Octo- ber 1, 1906, when Mr. Weinandt again became sole publisher. The latter made a financial failure of the venture, and on June 1, 1908, Charles Hamstreet, for- merly owner of the Rushmore Enter- prise, bought the plant. He conducted the Herald a little over a month and then consolidated it with the Advance, as stated earlier in this chapter.

Very soon after the suspension of the Rushmore Gazette a newspaper man by the name of Brandon brought in a plant from Fulda. erected a building, and com- meneed the publication of the Rushmore Times, the first number being issued during the closing days of April, 1895. Mr. Brandon did not make his home in Rushmore, but had a local manager named Ralph Tiedens. After a life of about three months the paper was sus- pended and the plant removed.

The next Nobles county newspaper to come into existence was the Minnesota Signal, which was established at Rige- low in February, 1896, by C. M. Davis. That gentleman was the publisher until December, 1900, when E. F. Clower, formerly of Ireton, towa, purchased the plant. Ile published the Signal until

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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

Jul, 1902, when he disposed of the plant, and Bigelow was without a new -- peper for the first time in over eleven

Round Lake's first newspaper was launched in April, 1892. This was the Round Lake Wave and was founded by Shepard & Acheson. Harry Acheson Heures full control soon after, but the paper was compelled to suspend be- cause of lack of support. It was pub- lished a few months only.

For the third time in its history Rushmore had a new-paper in the fall of 1899. It was the Rushmore Magnet. and was published by A. B. Vines, who brought the jdant from Beaver Creek, where for some time he had published the Beaver Creek Magnet. This third Rushmore paper was discontinued in July. 1898, and the plant was moved to an lowa town, where Mr. Vines is still it a short time and then turned the publishing a Magnet.

The only Nobles county newspaper which is now being conducted by the man who founded it is the Round Lake Graphic, which was issued for the first time July 2, 1898, by J. L. Flint. At the time of founding. it was a six col- umin folio, but in 1900 was made a quarto, with two pages printed at home, and that has been its form since. The Graphic is an independent republican paper. That Mr. Flint has given saitis- faction to the people of Round Lake is attested by his long newspaper residence there.

For several years the village of Dun- the had a newspaper. This was the Dundee Advocate, started in 1898 by G. B. Miller, who put in a new plant and is-ned the paper as a seven column folio. He sold to B. F. Drake, and in September, 1901, the paper became the property of Chas, Hamstreet. Mr. Ham- street was the publisher until April,

1905, when he discontinued publication and moved the plant to Rushmore and added it to the equipment of the Enter- priv.

The fourth attempt at publishing a piper in Rushmore proved successful. and during the last nine years the little village has had a regularly issued news- paper .. The Rushmore Enterprise was started March 21. 1899. by W. Il. Chris- tensen and Dr. F. A. Carroll. They had no plant from which to print the paper. and the work was done in Sioux Falls. It was a seven column folio. two pages being "patent." The people of Rush- mete have always loyally supported their newspapers, and as the Enterprise was issued for many years more from loy- alty to the town than because of any profit. the Enterprise has always been a good paper. Christensen & Carrell ran management over to E. S. Wemple, who was its manager until November, 1901. Under his administration the mechanical work was done, first in the office of the Nobles County Democrat, and later in the office of the Worthington Advance.

On November 2. 1903, the Enterprise Publishing Co. was formed for the pur- pose of continuing the paper. Among those who comprised the company and who agreed to assist in the work of pre- paring "copy" were Burr Ludlow, S. B. Bedford. W. IL. Christensen, Dr. F. A. Carrell and others. Burr Ludlow took the active management and did the bulk of the work. I'nder this management the Enterprise was printed in the office of the Advance and was a seven column folio. In the summer of 1903 Chas. Hamstreet, who had been in the newspa- por business at Kinbrae and Dundee for many years, came to Rushmore with a plant, bought the subscription list and good will of the paper. and continued ils

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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

publication. He got out his first number June 4. Hle conducted it as a republi- can paper, and at first it retained the old form of seven columns. On the first of October following he changed the form to a five column quarto, and print- ed four pages at home. Early in 1906 he discarded the "patent" features and printed all at home. August 1, 1907. the form was again changed to a six column quarto, with four pages printed at home. A new press was added. and the office was otherwise greatly improv- ed. Mr. Hamstreet built up an excellent business and had one of the best paying newspaper offices of the county. Having bought the Worthington Herald, he leas- ed the Enterprise, on June 1. 1908. to M. A. Mattison, and a few weeks later that gentleman bought the paper.

Wilmont Initiator, which at the time of its founding was the thirteenth paper in Nobles county. It was started March 2, 1900, by L. C. Long & Son, who brought the plant from Magnolia, where it had been in use many years in the publica- tion of the Magnolia Initiator. While L. C. Long was interested in the new paper financially, the management of it was vested in Sidney L. Long, the son, who conducted it until January. 1903. At the start it was an eight column folio: in January, 1902, it was made a six column quarto; in June of the same voar a cylinder press was added, and the paper was made a five column quarto.

Mr. Long presided over the destinies of the paper until January. 1903, when W. H. Sievert purchased the plant and installed F. H. Densmore as editor. Mr. Brewster has been the home of a newspaper since the summer of 1899. Densmore ran it for the owner till June, then leased the plant and conducted it In June of that year Allen Flint, of Sib- ' for himself until March 1. 1904. F. B. ley, took a plant to the Nobles county town and launched the Brewster Beacon. He ran the paper only a short time when the plant was bought by E. L. Kelly. who changed the name to the Brewster Tribune and ran it until the summer of 1900. On July 12 of that year Nich- olas Weinandt. Jater of the Worthington Herald, purchased the paper. He ran it until December. 1902. when JJ. S. Randolph became the publisher. Mr. Randolph changed the form of the sheet from a six column quarto with two pages of home matter to a five column quarto with four pages at home. lle in- stalled a Prouty press and a new job- ber, and added lots of other material. Mr. Randolph sold the paper October 5, 1908, to Jesse Hamstreet, who is now its editor. The Tribune is independent republican in politics. Duster then had charge of the paper for Mr. Sievert until Nov. 1. 1904. He was succeeded by Chas. Sundberg, who ran it only until Jan. 1. 1905. The Initia- tor was then purchased by J. D. Eass- well, who ran it ten months, and then announced that he had sold the subserip- tion list and that the paper would sus- pend. It did not, however, and Mr. Sievert regained control by foreclosing a mortgage against the plant. That gen- tleman then edited the paper until Dec. 8. 1905. Mead & Geisel then took. pos- session on a lease and conducted the pa- per until May 4, 1906. F. Il. Densmore returned and took the lease from Mead & Geisel, operating the paper from May 4. 1906. till Aug. 11, of the same year. On the last named date the plant was purchased by J. L. and M. R. Berk- himer, who changed the name to Wil- Among the first business enterprises of the new town of Wilmont was the mont Tribune, and were its publishers until October, 1906. J. L. Berkhimer

HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

then moved to Worthington to take con- trol of the Globe, and since then M. R. Birkh mer has been the publisher.

A -meand paper was started in Ells- werth by Ham Clay in June. 1901. This was the Ekworth Herald. It was brought into existence at the instance of -veral Ellsworth people who were not in accord with the views of Mr. Levins, of the News. The field was not large enough to support two papers, and the weaker one went to the wall. The last issue of the Herald was published in October, 1903. and the subscription list was sold to the Adrian Guardian.

For a few months in 1901 a second paper, known as the Kinbrae Chinook. was conducted at Kinbrace. It failed. was revived in October by Guy N. Phil- lips. of Sions Falls, but had only a short life.

The Lismore Leader was founded Nov. 49, 1901. C. N. Sawyer was the pro- prietor, and he made the Leader inde- pendent in politics, a policy it has ever

since retained. It was started as a five column quarto, with four pages of home news and four pages of "patent" matter. It was run in that form till Feb. 13, 1903, when it was enlarged to a six col- un quarto. Mr. Sawyer sold the plant Inne 12. 1901. to W. V. Olin, who con- ducted it until Nov. 3. 1905. Then E. J. Conrad leased the plant and was the publisher of the Leader till April 6, 1906, reducing it to a tive column paper. C. N. Sawyer & Co. then became the publishers, Mrs. C. L. Wynia being the local manager until Feb. 8. 1907. Charles Orsamus Sawyer, son of the founder, then look charge of the Leader, enlarged it to a six column paper, and ran it until Sepl. 6. 1907. It was then decided by the owners to suspend pub- lication and remove the plant, but sev- eral of the business men of Lismore, de- sirons of having the paper continued. formed the Leader Publishing Co., pur- chased the plant, and have since edited the paper.

CHAPTER XXIII.

DESCRIPTIVE.

Nobles county is situated in the south- ern tier of Minnesota counties and close to the western boundary line of the state. only one county intervening be- tween it and the South Dakota line. . On the north is Murray county; on the east Jackson: on the south are the counties of Osceola and Lyon, Iowa; and on the west is Rock county. Nobles county has twenty townships and its dimensions are 24 hy 30 miles. Its exact area is 721.66 square miles, or 165,204.16 aeres. Of this area 454,812.12 acres are land; 10.822.04 acres are water.

A glance at the map of Minnesota and at the political division in the southwest corner designated as Nobles county will furnish the information above given. But there will be found nothing to dis- tinguish Nobles from the other divisions in the vicinity, except that it may be noticed that it is covered with a network of railroads, indicating that it has su- perior transportation facilities, and that there are also many lakes and water courses, indicating possibilities for drain- age. The lithographed piece of paper does not convey much idea of the coun- try. A personal inspection is required to learn what it is and what it may become.

The greater part of the county's sur- face is undulating or rolling prairie. The soil is made up of a drift deposit,

a rich dark colored loam, almost en- tirely free from sand and gravel, except in Grand Prairie township, and wonder- fully uniform throughout the county. The depth of the soil is from two to eight feet, and this is underlaid with a subsoil of porous clay, mixed slightly with gravel. No soil is better calculaled to withstand drouth or excessive rainfall, and it is very friable and easily subdued. There are no rock outerops. The ex- ception to this general description of the soil is the gravelly plain of Grand Prai- rie township, in the southwest corner, which, geologists tell us, was formed by abundant waters flowing from the mo- raine at the time of the earFor ice sheet, spreading the coarser materials of the drift over the lower lands. The ad- joining area of till rises from forty to seventy-five feet above this plain. The gravelly deposit is now covered by a fertile soil.

Geologist N. H. Winchell has written of the formation of the soil of Nobles and Murray counties as follows :1

The western morainie belt, constituting the crest of the principal Coteau des Prai- ries. rises. in the highest part, in Buffalo ridge, in Murray county, to 1.950 feet above the sea, and it sustains an altitude of 1.800 to 1,900 feet through most of Cameron and Chanarambie townships. Further south, through Nobles county, it has an average maximum altitude of about 1.700 feet. The lowest land in Murray county is in the

Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota, 1901.

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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

norther gut of Holly. 1.250 10 1300 feet above the wer the extreme in this county bring separated, therefore, about 700 fort. The lowest land in Nobles county is at the point where Jack euch or it's eastern beibliry, abon! 1.120 fert above the sea, and three hundred feet below the crest- in the morninic helt.

The eroded valleys are from 30 10 15 feet deep, and generally a half to three-quarters of a mile wie.

The terminal morais which cross these mutlu Jerote the far he-t limit of the ice of The last glacial opoch, there having been a period of rest, and perhaps of re- advance, a. the pare where the cistern, or later. poraine lies. The drift which lies farther west and southwest. occupying Ve- braska. Kan-as and Missouri, was the pro- duet of the earlier glacial epoch. It can be inferrel that the till to the east of the Coteau des Prairies was of later date than that to the west from the fact that nearly ill drainage courses flowing westward take their rise along the eastern margin of the clean and maintain deep channels through the coteau: while not one that flows east- ward rises in the western margin of the This gave the westward flowing strcam- an carher date than the eastward. The latter could not begin until after the withdrawal of the ice, which probably built all the country toward the east and rose several hundred fort above the coteau. While the ice continued and brought for- ward it- morainie materials, the water that resulted from its dissolution was drained off southwesterly. and the valleys then form "I have existed until the present.

While the county's surface is quite uniformly undulating, about one-sixth is more prominently rolling. The land that may be so closed forms a ridge extend- ing across the county northwest by south- Past. and includes a small part of Will mont town-hip. nearly one-half of Lar-

"The o vations above sea level of the vil- lages of the county, as taken by the various 1 ulroads, are as follows. Worthington, 1,593 fev1: Adrian. 1,555: Wilmont. 1,735; Brewster, 1.190, Round Lake, 1,559. Rushmore. 1.082. Rigelow, 1,726; Dundee, 1,150; Kinbrar, 1,171; Roccolink. 1.722.

The altitudes fapproximatelyi of points in the several towashis, as publishin in the Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota by Warren Ppham, are as follows; Gir: hum lakes, 1 150, 1 500, Seward, 1 550. Willnant. 1,700; Lenta, 1,500, 1,500, 1,400; Lis- more, 1,500, 1,550, 1,030; Larkin, 1,600, 1,650; Surmount Lake, 1,450, 1,700; ISlk. 1.550 1,600 Hersey. 1.500. 1,55; WorthIngton, 1 G&0, Dewald. 1.450; Westside. To Go, Grand Prairie, 1.450, 1,500; İlthe Rock, 1.300. 1,550, 1,400, KADSom. 1,500, 1 550. 1.400, Bigelow, 1,600 1,450; Indian Lake, 1,550.

kin, over one-half of Summit Lake, over one-half of Dewald, nearly one-half of Worthington, nearly all of Bigelow and about one-third of Indian Lake, The ridge is from one hundred to three hun- dred feet higher than the rest of the country and forms the watershed ho- tween the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The highest point of elevation on this ridge is something over 1.200 feet: the lowest elevation in the county is about 1.120 feet. in Graham Lakes township.2 Over ten thousand acres of Nobles county's surface is water, and there are forty to fifty lakes and ponds, great and small. Many of these are beautiful bod- irs of water. In Graham Lakes town- -bip. where the lirst settlement was made, are the beautiful East and West Graham lakes and Clear lake. At Worthington is lake Okabena, one of the finest bodies of water in southern Minnesota. In the early days another body of water, East Okabena lake, was here also, separated from the west lake by a narrow strip of land. Okabena is a Dakota Indian word, meaning "divided waters."* The largest body of water in the county is lake Ocheyda, located in Bigclow. Indian Lake and Lorain town- ships. The name is a Sioux word mean- ing Boy lake. In Indian Lake township is found the pretty little lake with the same name as the township. On it:

a"Editor Advance: A correspondent express- od a wish through your paper to learn the meaning of Okabena, the name of the two Jakes at Worthington. Okabena is a Dakotah word and means literally, divided waters.'

" Lu! on a narrow neck I stand Twixt two unbounded seas.'

"The above is from an old resident of the statte who is well posted in Indian names and knows whereof he speaks. The impression has always prevailed hore that "Okabena' had alenit the same meaning as Chicago, or that Okabena lake meant Skunk lake. We agree with our correspondent who says in a pri- vate note: 'We ought to get rid of the abominable meaning Skunk Jake, especially as it has no foundation whatever.'" Worthing- ton Advance, Aug. 18. 1881.

THE AI

فى العام الماضى

SWEDISH BAPTIST CHURCH OF INDIAN LAKE

CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ST. KILIAN

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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

banks some of the first settlers built their homes. Summit lake is a small body of water in the township of the same name.

Nobles county is well watered. The Kanaranzi and Champepadan creeks and Little Rock river form the main water courses for the western portion, flowing in a southwesterly direction and empty- ing into the Big Rock river, ultimately finding their way to the Missouri. The principal streams of the eastern portion of the county are Ocheyedan creek, which empties into the Little Sioux : and Jack, Elk and Okabena creeks, which are trib- utaries of the Des Moines river.

The Champepadan. rising in the south- western corner of Murray county, flows southwest through Leota township and leaves the county from the western part of Lismore township.

The Kanaranzi has its source in Will- mont township at an elevation of 1,670 feet. It flows southwest through Larkin, Olney and Westside townships and leaves the county from the northwest corner of Grand Prairie. At a distance of about eighteen miles from its source "as the crow flies," it has an elevation of 1,427 fcet, giving it a fall in that distance of 243 feet. It runs swiftly and has a good volume of water. Its water is clear and the bed of the stream is gravelly.

The Little Rock rises in Summit lake, 1.200 feet in elevation. Its course is southwest by south, and it flows through the townships of Summit Lake, Dewald, Ransom and Little Rock. At a distance of seventeen miles in a bee line from the outlet of the lake its elevation is 1,451 feet, showing a fall of 249 feet. It is a rapid stream, has a gravelly bed and the volume of water is constant throughout the year.

Ocheyedan creek rises in Ocheyda lake, flows south and leaves the county from

the southern part of Bigelow township.

Okabena creek rises in Worthington township, near the village, and flows east through Worthington and Lorain town- ships.

Elk creek has its source in the town- ship of the same name and flows out through Hersey township.

The main fork of Jack creek rises in the southwest corner of Bloom township and flows east, draining Bloom, Seward and Graham Lakes townships. The other fork rises in Murray county and flows southwest through Seward township and unites with the main fork on the line between Seward and Graham Lakes townships.

Nobles is an agricultural county. Ac- cording to the latest statistics obtain- able there are 1.751 farms of an aver- age size of 260 acres. The principal products are corn. barley, oats, wheat, rye, flax, hay, livestock, dairy products, poultry, fruit and vegetables. The aver- age yield per acre of the cercal erops. according to the last statistics, is as follows : Wheat, 11.68 bushels; oats, 31.58; corn, 29.16; barley, 28.16; rye, 10.18: fax. 10.6%. The hay crop aver- ages 1.63 tons per acre : potatoes, 105.84 bushels ; miscellaneous vegetables have an average value of $47.16 per acre. It is universally conceded that intelligent cul- tivation would result in a large increase of this average.

In the early days the settlers con- fined their energies almost exclusively to grain farming. Now diversified farming is the rule. Every farmer raises stock and many engage in dairying on a large scale. The live stock of the county in 190%, with the average value per head according to the assessor's figures, was as follows: Horses, 12,395, value $53.86; cattle, 41,386, value $17.73; sheep, 27,- 565, value, $2.60; swine, 36,804, value

HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

$1.10. In dairying. Nobles county is Dundee. Extending diagonally across rapidly coming to the front. In 1906 the county from southeast to northwest there were six creameries in the county, the output of which was 627.373 pounds of butter. Since that date several new preameric- have been started and the output has been greatly increased.

While agriculture is the principal pur- suit, manufacturing occupies an import- ant place among the county's industries. There are fifty manufacturing industries. representing an invested capital of $138 .-

With financial institutions, schools and churches the county is well represented. There are seventeen banks, the deposits of which are approximately a million and a half dollars. There are one hun- dred rural schools, eighteen graded schools and several high schools. Forty- eight churches represent the following denominations : Methodist. Presbyter- ian. German Presbyterian. Catholic, Ger- man Lutheran, German Evangelical, Swedish Lutheran, Swedish Mission, Swedish Baptist. Norwegian Lutheran. Congregational. Episcopal. Unitarian. Baptist. Brethren, Bethel Reformed and Christian Reformed.

With transportation facilities Nobles county is well supplied. Of the twenty townships only four do not have mail- roads passing through them. There is not a farm in Noble- county that is more than ten miles from market.

The main line of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha passes through the eastern part of the county, on which are the villages of Brewster, Worthington, Org and Bigelow. - branch of this road extends west from Worthington, on which are the villages of Ru-lumore and Adrian. Another branch of the same road passes through the extreme northeastern part of the county and on this line is the village of

is the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, on which are Round Lake, Worthington, Reading. Wilmont and Lismore. A branch of this system also passes through the southwestern corner of the county, on which is Ellsworth. From that vil- lage the Rock Island has also a branch extending southward. The Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul touches the county, passing through the northeastern corner. On its line is the village of Kinbrae.

Rural and long distance telephone lines form a complete network over the county and every community is reached. There are about twenty rural free de- livery mail routes, and there are few farms to which mail is not delivered daily.

The total assessed valuation of the county, according to the figures for 1907. is $8,669.142. of which $1.540.648 is personal property.

Land can be purchased at from $30 to $100 per acre, according to improve- ments and proximity to markets. and considering the richness of the soil, the excellent markets and the mincrous edu- cational and social advantages offered. it is not easy to understand why any home- seekers pass through this country to the bleak prairies of the Dakotas or Canada. Nobles county land, at the price at which it can now be obtained. is cheaper. all things considered, than the Dakota or Canada land at the present prices, for the settlers there will be compelled to expend more than the difference in price to bring those countries up to the con- dition of this.

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An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota, Part 36

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970 Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Worthington, Minn. : Northern History Number of Pages: 738

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Worthington, Minn. : Northern History
Number of Pages: 738