An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota, Part 11

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Luverne, Minn. : Northern History Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 924

USA > Minnesota > Rock County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 11
USA > Minnesota > Pipestone County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 11

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

occupied for county offices for a short time. In October, 1873, the rear half of the J. F. Howard store building was rented and occu- pied nine months. Then for a year the front twenty feet of a building owned by S. J. In Jenkins was rented for $120 per year.

May. 1875, a committee consisting of J. H. Ferguson. E. D. Hadley and F. Howard was ap- pointed by the county commissioners to pre- pare plans for a court house and submit the same to the commissioners. As a result of this action the huilding was purchased, as de- scribed in the text. In August, 1879, a brick vault was huilt on the court house square at a enst of $575, and the court house was moved to the new location. In the spring of 1880 the county authorities took steps to beautify the grounds by setting out trees.

HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

Worthington or the point where the rail- road crossed the lowa state line. 17

The communication from President Drake was not satisfactory to the progres- sive people of Sioux Falls, for it promised no immediate action. They continued the agitation, determined to construct a road themselves if necessary, and an associa- tion was formed, composed mostly of peu- ple of Minnehaha county, Dakota territory. President Drake had given a hint as to the proper place from which to build, and late in December. 1825, the Dakota boom- ers mel and designated Worthington as the eastern terminus of the proposed road. They made a preliminary survey from Sioux Falls to the Rock county line near Valley Springs and reported having locat- ed a favorable route. The Sioux Falls railroad committee urged the people of Rock and Nobles counties to unite with it in furthering the work.18

During the month of January, 1876, the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad com- 17"St. Paul. October 28, 1875. "Sir: Your favor of the twenty-first duly re- ceived. Absence has prevented an earlier reply. It seems to me your proper line of road is from Worthington, or a point on our road at the state line. The great product of your country is to be wheat, and our route to Lake Superior is always to be the best route for it. Had the west eseaped grasshoppers we would have long since taken up this projeet, but our stockholders have sunk in operating our road about as much as would be required to build to Sioux Falls. Foreign aid eannot be had un- til the state of Iowa, by some act of her legis- ature, can assure investors that they will be free from unfriendly legislation. ] think, as matters now stand. our preference will be to build from some point in Minnesota. While we are not ready to begin to build, and would desire (in case we do) the co-operation of Sioux Falls, still we are not losing sight of the im- portance of the proposed route and will give it every encouragement in our power. 1 am of the opinion that the road can only be built by local aid. liberally voted. It will not be in my power to be with you at your meeting, but whatever may be its result. and whatever route you may determine on, I shall wish you success. Your people are entitled to a road out in some direction, and when you develop your plans and determine what you wish to do. I shall be glad to have further correspondence.

"Yours. "E. F. DRAKE. President."

"'In a private letter, dated Valley Springs. December 27, 1875. M. S. Wood, chairman of the Sioux Falls committee, wrote: "Of course. it is idle for this [Minnehaha] county to at- tempt the enterprise unless the Nobles and Rock county people will unite with it. By solicitation of the committee appointed to for-

pany decided to build the road. This ac- tion was taken because of the evident in- tention of the Southern Minnesota rail- road to invade the territory.19 The deci- sion was reached. ostensibly, through the efforts of the Minnehaha county commit- te, who visited the officers of the railroad company and secured from them the promise to build the road.2º The railroad company asked that the three counties through which the road was to run vote bonds as a bonus.

The company was incorporated in March as the St. Paul & Dakota Railroad company? by President E. F. Drake and his associates of the Sioux City & St. Paul. The capital stock was $600,000, there being 6000 shares of $100 each. As told in the incorporation act, the company proposed to build a branch road "from some point on the line of the Sioux City & St. Paul railroad, in Nobles county, state of Minnesota, to the west line of the stale of Minnesota, in Rock county."

ward the project, I write to ascertain if we may expect prompt action on the part of your people. . I am confident that if Nobles and Rock counties will aet with as mueh effect as our own people, and as promptly, we ean be- fore the next harvest show a line three-fourths of the entire distance graded and ready for the ties. Of course this can only he done by the most active work in organization and in subsequent prosecution of the work."

19The Southern Minnesota, a part of the Mil- wauker system, which later built by way of Pipestone, was at this time preparing to ex- tend its line westward from Winnebago City, through Nobles and Rock counties, and was asking honuses from the various counties through which it was to pass.

""Editor Advance: Permit me through the medium of your very excellent paper to state to your people that as a result of a visit of the Minnehaha railroad committee we have the pleasure to state that our interview with the president and several of the directors of the Sioux City & St. Paul railroad was of a highly satisfactory character.

"Briefiv. let me say that as a result we bring with us a written proposition bearing the signature of President Drake, which we regard as highly reasonable, and, we may say, liberal, which, by promnt acceptance and ac- tion on the part of Nobles. Rock and Minne- haha counties. promises to give us a railroad to Luverne in time to move the crops of this year. and final completion to Sioux Falls he- fore the elose of the year 1877 .- M. S. Wood. Chairman."

"The name was changed to the Worthington & Sioux Falls Railroad company in July. 1876. and a few years later the road became a part of the Omaha system.

OLD ROCK COUNTY COURT HOUSE

The people shown in the picture from left to right are (bottom row): P. O. Skyberg, County Treasurer; Robert Cobban, County Commissioner; Wil- liam Maynes, County Commissioner; Stewart Young, Auditor; Goodman Anderson, County Commissioner; John Kelley, Register of Deeds; (top row), Martin Webber, County Commissioner; J. O. Helgeson, Clerk of Court; Hattie Shoemaker, Clerk in Register's Office; Mary Gillam, Clerk in Auditor's Office; C. A. Reynolds, County Commissioner.

HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

So soon as the Sionx City & St. Paul railroad interests decided to build the road they made known their wants. Rock coun- ty was asked to issue bonds to an amount of $50,000 and the other counties to be traversed a proportionate amount. Gen- erally, the people of Rock county were enthusiastically in favor of issuing the bonds, despite the fact that they were in the midst of the grasshopper scourge. On March 21, 1826, they presented a peti- tion to the board of county commission- ers, asking that body to call an election to vote on the proposition. The county board, consisting of C. A. Reynolds, P. J. Kniss and Niels Jacobson, took the re- quested action on that day and issued a vall for a special election to be held April 11. At the election bonds were carried by a vote of 333 to 153, the result by pre- cinets being as follows :

TOWNSHIPS

For Bonds

Against Bonds

Luverne

Clinton

Gregory

Martin

Beaver Creek

Springwater

Vienna

Magnolia

Kanaranzi

TOTAL.

333

153

Bonds to the amount of $42,750 were delivered to the railroad company, in ac- vordance with the expressed wish of the voters and an agreement entered into be-

22A state law at the time prohibited counties from issuing bonds to a greater amount than ten per cent of assessed valuation. The Rock county valuation in 1876 was only $321.159. On the twenty-ninth day of April, 1876, the board of county commissioners entered into an agree- ment with the railroad company to issue bonds (when the work had reached a certain stage) in a sum equal to ten per cent of the assessed valuation for 1877, which amount, however. should not be more than $50,000. The valuation that year was $427,503, and bonds to the amount of $42,750-three dollars less than the terms of the agreement called for-were is- sued. The first issue of $24,400 was made July 1, 1876, and the second of $18,350 on Jan- uary 1, 1878.

tween the county board and the railroad officials in April, 1826.22

The work of constructing the new line was rapid. The preliminary survey was started west from Worthington March 31 and the permanent survey was made a few weeks later. Grading was begun in May and track-laying was commenced June 20.23 The grade was completed to Rock river in August, and the track was com- pleted to the same point late in Septem- ber, the work having been delayed by heavy and continued rains. The first reg- nlar train was run over the line to Lu- verne October 2," and a few days later the first shipment of goods was made over the new line. Luverne was the terminus of the road until late in the year 1877, when it was extended to Beaver Creek ; the following spring the line was extend- ed to Sioux Falls.

Despite the forebodings of disaster from another grasshopper visitation, the people of Rock county were in good spir- its in the spring of 1876. Many obtained work with the construction erews on the railroad, and money was more plentiful than it had been for a number of years. In those portions of the eonnty where eggs had been deposited the year before the hoppers hatched and late in May were up to their old tricks. They were, ap- parently, not so voracious as formerly, and very little damage was reported up to July 22. Then was repeated the experi- ence of former years.

Vast clouds of the pests came out of

23"The trackinen commenced laying the iron rails from the junction near Worthington last Monday. Several miles have been completed and the work is being pushed along with the same degree of energy that has characterized the undertaking from its inception."-Rock County Herald, June 24, 1876.

44The train consisted of one coach and a ca- boose and carried a party of visiting railroad officials. Peter Becker was conduetor; Frank Swandollar. engineer; Matt Dulan, fireman, John McMillan was roadmaster in charge of the branch line when it began operations.

HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

the northwest on the twenty-second and attacked the growing fields with their old- time vigor. The country was invaded again ! The grasshoppers extended from Martin county, Minnesota, to Yankton, Dakota territory, and from Sibley. Iowa, to an indefinite distance to the north. They remained in Rock county in great numbers until the last of July, and it was August before all had disappeared. During this period they feasted continu- ally and deposited their eggs. Oats, bar- ley. corn. vegetables, and all crops except wheat were badly damaged :23 wheat, by some strange turn of fate, was only a par- tial loss. That ultra-conservative chron- icler of the grasshopper scourge, the Rock County Herald, on July 29, 1826. told of the damage :

We've had 'em, it is true, in large num- bers, and considerable damage has been inflicted upon the crops in various locali- ties, yet if we escape further injury, Rock county will produce a surplus of small grain in excess of that of 1875.

Gardens and young trees have suffered severely by the visitation of our old enemy and corn fields in some localities have been stripped, while in others an abundant yield is promised. Oats are damaged on an av- erage, perhaps, to an extent of one-third of the crop, while the wheat crop, which is the main reliance of our people, has so far escaped with comparatively little damage. From the most reliable reports from all parts of the county, and from the state- ments of competent judges, we should say that if wheat escapes further injury it will not fall below three-fourths of a full crop.

If the reports of various newspapers can be relied upon, we may congratulate our- selves on having escaped with so little dam- age. If no further accident befalls the crop, which is nearly ready for the harvest, Rock county will have "bread and to spare." Our people, with very few exceptions, arc hopeful of the future and confident of their ability to cope successfully with their wing- ed adversaries. They are not yet disposed to abandon pleasant homes to the piratical insects.

Again on August 5 the same journal said :

SA Jarverne citizen, on July 25, 1876. wrote: "There never was a better prospect for an abundant crop than there was here unfil a few days ago, . . . but our brilliant pros-

The crops of this county will average with those of the state at large. It is true, the hoppers were here in countless numbers and worked injury to a considerable portion of the crops, but it is the opinion of com- petent judges throughout the county that we will harvest a two-thirds crop and have a greater surplus of small grain than ever before.

There was no disguising the fact that Rock county had met another damaging setback. Many who had fought the scourge so long gave up and quit trying to raise crops ; some left the county. The pros- pects were. indeed, discouraging. The grasshoppers had again deposited their eggs, and there seemed little prospect that the country would ever be free from them. Many did not give up, however, but deter- mined to fight to a successful end or meet utter failure in the attempt. The result of the invasion of 1876 was a change in tactics. Instead of staking all on grain farming. many now turned to stockrais- ing. To discuss means of contending with the common enemy, delegates from all the devastated counties of southwest- ern Minnesota met in convention at Wor- thington on September 20, 1876. Meth- ods of fighting the pests were discussed and plans made for reducing the ravages. Relief from the United States govern- ment was asked.

The legislature of 1877 took measures to relieve suffering in the devastated coun- ties. One hundred thousand dollars was appropriated to be used in bounties to pay for the destruction of grasshoppers and their eggs. $15,000 to furnish sord grain, and another sum for a common ro- lief fund. Early in April Rock county's share of the seed grain was distributed. As proof that something besides grasshop- pers had been raised in Rock county in 1826. all the grain granted to Rock coun- iy applicants was purchased within the

poets are blighted, our hopes are gone. 1 never saw so sudden a change from cheerful pros- perity to sad adversity."

HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

county, the prices paid being $1.25 per bushel for wheat and fifty-three cents for barley.

Nothing else having been availed to rid the state of the locusts, Governor John S. Pillsbury named a day for fast- ing and prayer, and by proclamation re- quested every citizen to observe Thursday, April 26, 1877, as a day on which to hold religious meetings and ask for deliverance from the scourge.

The annual dread of grasshopper visi- tation was again felt in the spring and summer of 1877-and this time the set- tlers were agreeably disappointed. The season was admirably adapted to two ends: the best possible development of small grain, and the worst possible devel- opment of the locusts. The cool, rainy weather of the spring and early summer seemed to have been sent on purpose to give wheat and other small grain a rapid and healthy growth, and at the same time give the grasshoppers a slow and feeble development. After the young grasshop- pers hatched, here and there a field was somewhat damaged by them, but the peo- ple knew that unless raided again by the invading hordes there could not be uni- versal destruetion. And the invaders did not come.

Contributing largely to the unexpected good fortune was a little red parasite.

26"While here last week. Captain Blakeley made a most searching examination of his vast area of breaking to discover the presence of grasshopper eggs. The result convinced the gentleman that very few sound cocoons remain, and he considers the prospects of a good erop next season as favorable, barring invasion by flying hordes of the pestiferous insects."-Rock County Herald, October 21, 1876.

27"In many localities throughout the district infested with grasshopper eggs, there is a small, red bug, whose special mission seems to be to destroy the larvae of the grasshopper. and most encouraging reports are current ro- specting the destructive habits of the strange insects. In certain localities in our own county where the ground was known 'to he thickly peppered with eggs, scarcely any have escaped the vigilant search of these industrious para- sites. A shovelful of earth is frequently found to contain as many as fifty insects. all running hither and thither and delving in the loose soil in search of what appears to be coveted tidbits. the eggs of the loeusts. We have been shown

which attacked and destroyed the grass- hopper eggs in their nests in the fall26 and early spring months. Later the par- asites attacked the young hoppers, load- ing down their frail wings and carcasses until it was almost impossible for then! to fly. Bushels of the pests died before they developed sufficiently to do dam- age. 27

Early in May a few grasshoppers hatch- ed on the sunny slopes, but in such small numbers that the parasites made away with them before any damage was done. Later in the month there was a more gen- cral hatch. On a few farms they were in sufficient numbers to do some damage, es- pecially in Magnolia township, but prac- tically the loss was nil. Cool weather continued until the middle of June, hav- ing the effect of keeping the hoppers quiet and off the fields. In some localities the pests were reported dying in considerable numbers. In the latter part of June the hoppers became more active and in a few localities went to work with something of their old-time vigor. During the latter part of July and the first part of August grasshoppers were constantly on the wing. driven about by brisk winds. Only occa- sionally did they settle long enough to attack the grain fields. While they contin- ued a menace during the entire season, the actual damage done was little.28

a quantity of earth taken from the farm of Commissioner Reynolds, in Springwater, which at the time of removal contained at least A score of the insects and a number of cocoons or sacks of grasshopper eggs. In two days from the date of digging. the red parasites re- mained, but not a single egg could he found. only a few dry particles which a day before had constituted the covering of our worst enemy. At the present rate of destruction, if the weather continues cool and wet. ten days will suffice to rid the earth of a host of em- bryo grasshoppers and insure a steady growth of grain where it was thought a waste of time and seed to sow. If it should prove that these tiny inseets are capable of exterminating an enemy whose ravages man has hitherto been powerless to stay. the little scarlet-coated fel- lows will be regarded with a feeling akin to reverence."-Rock County Herald, April 27. 1877.

2"Grasshoppers have been flying every day this week. sometimes in one direction, again taking the opposite course, according to the direction of the wind. Some have taken the

HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

Encouraged by the assistance given by the parasites, the farmers attacked the pests with all known modes of warfare. Under the supervision of a "superintend- ent of burning prairie grass" the prairies (the dead grass having been conserved until this time) of a large portion of the county were burned on Wednesday, May 16.29 Some did not apply the torch on the date set, preferring to wait until warm weather should bring forth more of the inserts, but many were destroyed in this manner. "flopperdozers" were put in general use in the spring, and a relent- less war was waged.

As the season advanced it became evi- dent that if the ravages of the grasshop- pers could be held in check. Rock county would produce an enormous crop. By the middle of August the harvest was completed, and the first crop in years had been saved.3" The yield of the three prin- cipal cereals in 1842 was as follows: Wheat, 259,597 bushels, average, 15.81 per acre; oats, 91,904 bushels, average. 36.97 per acre; corn, 41,366 bushels, av- erage. 16,17 per acre. It was a time of

trouble to alight for rest and refreshments, but so far we have not heard of any damage to crops worth mentioning. The fear of a visitation, however, will continue to harass the farmer until the harvest is over,"-Rock Coun- ty Herald, August 3. 1877.

2"All persons who own, occupy or oversee any lands in Rock county upon which any grass of last year's growth remains are hereby order- ed to burn the same on the sixteenth day of May. 1877, or, if on account of rain on that or the previous day the grass shall be wet, as soon thereafter as the same shall become sufficiently dry. Please set the grass on fire early in the morning, around the fields of grain before the young hoppers go from the grass to the grain to feed. In this way nearly all the pests will be destroyed and will. I trust, obviate the necessity of spending any more time during the season for that purpose."-Ira Crawford, Superintendent of Burning of Prairie Grass.

30€ 4 Now it has been demonstrated that excellent crops can he grown along with millions of grasshoppers, these pests will cease to be a constant terror, capital will flow in, our cheap lands will find occupants, our county will enter upon a new era of prosperity, and the past with its bitter lessons and unplea - sant memories will be forgotten in the new prosperous present." Rock County Herald, August 10. 1877.

31"These are the days when the wily granger, Inspired by a desire to get in first at the eleva- tor, cunningly gets up at 2:35 a. m. and

jubilee: Every resident seemed imbued with new life. When the golden grain came pouring in, business men began in- creasing their stocks; farmers began im- proving their farms and getting their lands in readiness for next year's crop.

Luverne, being the terminus of the rail- road, was the center of activity during the grain marketing period and the distrib- uting point for a mammoth territory. Grain was hauled from points only a few miles from Yankton, Dakota territory, and from long distances to the north and south. The grain haulers invariably took back loads of lumber and provisions. The one elevator at Luverne was, of course, unable to properly handle the grain that poured in and meb confusion resulted.31 During the season 388,349 bushels of wheat alone were marketed in Luverne, which was sold at an average price of eighty cents per bushel. This distributed cash to the amount of $310.203. a great part of which was expended for Iumher and implements with which to develop the country.

For the first time since the coming of

slips into town to find himself the eighty- fourth removed from the hopper. . One hundred impatient teamsters in charge of as . many loaded wagons remained over Thursday night to take their places, in regular order, in the endless procession of wheat-laden vehicles waiting to discharge their cargoes at the elevator."-Rock County Herald, Navemir 2, 1877.

"Our distant readers can have but faint con- ception of the vast amount of wheat handled at this point; indeed, it seems a wonder to those best acquainted with the country where all these processions of grain-laden wagons come from. On Monday evening of this week. after a hard day's work by the elevator men. there remained by actual count no less than 170 loads of wheat to be disposed of, and hy sunrise next morning this number had been augmented by new arrivals to upwards of 200. Of course, this amount of grain is far beyond the capacity of the elevator to properly han- dle. and scores of impatient men were com- pelled to remain here two nights waiting their turn to unload. So great has been the rush at the elevator that. notwithstanding its run- ning time was increased to thirteen hours per day last week, a string of 100 to 150 teams has been constantly in waiting since that time, and in order to relieve the pressure the officers of the company have employed an extra set of men, who arrived on the morning's train. and hereafter the elevator will be operated night and day, and we are authorized to say that henceforth grain brought to this market will be promptly unloaded."-flerald. November 16, 1877.

HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

the grasshoppers, immigrants arrived in Rock county in 1877. This was caused to a great extent by the building of the rail- road. Pinching hard times in the older states and the opportunity to secure cheap lands in proximity to market in fertile Rock county added to the cause of their coming. Even during the summer sea- son, when the grasshoppers were threat- ening the destruction of crops, several ar- rived and selected homes. When it be- came evident that the crop was safe and that Rock county could produce some- thing besides grasshoppers, the immi- grants poured in and located in all parts of the county.3= These came prepared to build on their lands, and the lumber deal- ers were unable to replace their stocks

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An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota, Part 11

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970 Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Luverne, Minn. : Northern History Publishing Company Number of Pages: 924

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Luverne, Minn. : Northern History Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 924