An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota, Part 29

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 29
USA > Minnesota > Pipestone County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 29

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There was some progress during the half dozen years following the opening of the pioneer store. In 1885 the railroad com- pany established stockyards at AAshcreek, and one year later erected a serviceable depot. Early in 1886 the believers in Ashereek's future greatness became con- vinced that the dawn of a new era was at hand because of the proposed building of the Burlington railroad to Sioux Falls from Ellsworth. At an enthusiastic meet- ing held February 20, plans to induce the

new railroad to change its route so as to pass through Ashcreek were considered. It was proposed to offer $15,000 as a bonus to secure this change of route, but the at- tempt to make of Ashereck a railroad cen- ter came to naught.

The Congregational church society, or- ganized in the spring of 1889, erected a neat church edifice in the village the same year. The church, built at a cost of $1100, was dedicated Sunday, February 9, 1890. Rev. William Fitch was the pastor at the time.

L. S. Welker succeeded to the business of J. T. Woodrow in the summer of 1888. A grist mill was established by C. A. Delamater in January, 1890, but it con- tinned in operation only a few months. The Ashereek farm of 894 acres was sold by Col. Grey in 1891 to Ezra Rice and James IT. Gray, and this transfer was the commencement of better days for the hum- ble village. The new owners were men in-

1º"A new station has been located by the Il- linois Central company on J. Il. Helgeson's farm on section 30. Martin township, Mr. Hel- geson has sold 100 acres to the company, for the purposes of the townsite, for $2200, and

iensely interested in the advancement of Rock county. Progress commenced at once. In September, 1891. J. T. Fort, a blacksmith, located in the town, and E. A. Brown erected a second elevator. The year following E. C. Palmer came from Sioux City and established a new store and lumber yard.

Ashereek in more recent years has been added to gradually, and at no particular period has experienced a boom or un- natural condition to force the extension of its limits. A creditable school building was erected in 1903. A public hall is main- tained, and in the village are to be found residences that would do credit to a more pretentious community.

BRUCE.

On section 30, Martin township, two miles west of Hills, is located the Illinois Central station of Bruce. In addition to the depot the business houses of the unpre- tentions hamlet are confined to a general store and two elevators. Bruce has known better days. At the time of its founding it gave promise of eventually taking high rank among the communities of Rock county. Its season of glory was short lived, however, and it was forced to bow to the stern decree of fate while yet an infant.

The first intimation of a Rock county town on the Martin township prairies was received in November, 1882. when the Il- linois Central authorities, whose railroad had just made entry into the county. lo- cated a station on J. H. Helgeson's farm, on section 30.10 Before December was over the company had built a side track on the site of the town-to-be, which it pro- posed to name Martin. The station bore that appellation only a few months, and

the company has secured twenty acres ad- joining from Ole Ruud and J. Nerison."-Cor- respondence in Rock County Herald, December 2. ISST.

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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

then was christened Bruce, in honor of the law. This action led to his arrest one of the chief officials of the Illinois and conviction in December. Central.

Unlike some of Rock county's towns, there was no long lapse of time before it responded to the hopes of its sponsors. Ao- tivity began with a rush in Bruce during the first year of its existence, which was also the one of its fullest development. The survey of the townsite was made in May. 1888, by J. F. Whalen. The plat. indicative of the expectation of the pro- moters, was made to include sixteen blocks. The dedication by John Butler and Char- les E. Moore took place May 22 and the day following record was made in the of- fice of the register of deeds,11

The boom commenced at once. Hickey & Co. wore the first on the ground and built a grain warehouse. The depot was erected about the same time. in the month of June, and G. B. Hartley was installed as the first agent. John Butler, one of the owners of the townsite, was especially active in the promotion of building opera- tions. During the summer he erected a hotel, which was first conducted by M. Mc- Carthy and later in the same year by Andrew Nelson : a store building, in which the first merchants, Fransen & Miller. were located : and a second warehouse, with a capacity of 30,000 bushels of grain. A second general store was established by Jacobson & Sexe before the year was over, as was also a blacksmith shop by Ole Lund. During the summer an attempt was made by George Bollinger to conduct a saloon in Bruce. He was refused the necessary license by the county commissioners, but proceeded, nevertheless, in violation of

11"Bruce, the new station in Rock county. Minnesota, midway between Sioux Falls and Rock Rapids, nas heen platted and no doubt will be a town of two hundred souls before the leaves begin to fall."-Rock Rapids Reporter, May, 1888.

"2"The little town of Bruce on the Sioux Falls branch of the Illinois Central, in Martin town- ship, Rock county, is about depopulated on

The postoffice was established in the store of Jacobson & Sexe in 1888. J. N. Jacobson conducted the office as deputy until September, 1889, when he was reg- ularly commissioned postmaster. Bruce progressed to a noticeable degree during the second year of life.

Early in the spring of 1890 the exist- ence of Bruce was threatened. because of the founding of the town of Hills, two miles away at the intersection of the Il- linois Central with the new Sioux City & Northern railroad. It became evident to the business men of Bruce that their interests were certain to suffer in competi- tion with the rival favored by a more stra- tegie location. In February the hotel closed its doors and March witnessed the re- moval across the fields of Bruce's leading business establishment. the Jacobson & Sexe store, as well as the blacksmith shop.12 What few buildings remained in the once promising community of Bruce were deserted.

But Bruce refused to entirely forfeit its lease of life. There were a few signs of activity during 1890, but none of a nature that assured a regeneration. J. N. Jacob- son, upon moving to Hills, resigned as postmaster of Bruce, and was succeeded in May by F. T. Miller, Mr. Miller laid plans for the opening of a general store but did not put them into execution. A store was established. however, by Hans N. Kjergaard. Postmaster Miller served only a few months in that capacity and with- drew in favor of Mr. Kjergaard, who has over since held the office. For six months

account of its people moving, bag and baggage. over to Hills, the new town on the Northern named after the general manager of the road. Hills is about a mile and a half east of Bruce. and the only blacksmith shop, grain buying establishment and general store In Bruce have been moved to Hills. The postoffice will prob- ably follow in short order."-Sioux City Jour- nal, March, 1900.

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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

during 1890 Bruce came into prominence as a wholesale center. Two liquor firms, Hickey & Mecknemar and the North Star Drug company, which were forced from South Dakota by prohibition laws, located for business at Bruce, the first town over the state line, but their career was run within a short period.

All later efforts to "boost" Bruce have ended in failure. During the spring of 1893. N. T. Burroughs, of Cherokee, lowa. who was interested in the townsite, pro- posed to once more establish the place on a firm footing.13 But the hopes thus awakened never saw fulfilment. A year prior to this the two grain warehouses at Bruce became the property of Edmonds & Londergan, and were converted into elevators. Disaster visited Bruce on the morning of October 16. 1900, when fire destroyed the Illinois Central depot. which was later rebuilt on a smaller scale.

The town of Bruce is today virtually controlled by one man, Hans N. Kjer- gaard, who is postmaster, only merchant, proprietor of the two elevators, stock buy- er and station agent. He was one of the few who refused to leave Bruce in the day of its crisis, and largely through his determination to stay, Bruce has main- tained its place on the map.

KANARANZI.

Numbered among the half dozen small- er villages of Rock county is Kanaranzi. named after the township within which it is located. Stated specifically. it is situ-

BUT. F. Shannon and T. E. Munger, officials of the Illinois Central railroad. and N. T. Bur- roughs, of Cherokee, were in town Tuesday on townsite business. Mr. Burroughs pro- poses to start Bruce up again and will make a first-class country town of it. Mr. Burroughs is a man of great wealth and he intends lo offer every inducement he can to business enterprises which he can get started at this place, and there is no doubt that in a short time Bruce will be one of the best country towns in this section of the country. We will have three good general stores running within a month from now."-Correspondence in Rock County Herald. April 21, 1893.

ated on the southeast quarter of section 3, seven miles from the county seat on the Watertown-Ellsworth branch of the Rock Island railroad. The business town con- sists of a store, elevators and shops that derive their support from the agricultural country adjoining.

The building of the Burlington rail- road into Rock county in 1884 brought with it the possibility of new towns, and among the places to materialize was the station in Kanaranzi township. The grad- ing of the proposed line was hardly com- menced before there were negotiations be- tween the raihoad authorities and repre- sentatives of the farmers and landowners of Kanaranzi township in regard to locat- ing a town, which it was expected would satisfy a long felt want for a more con- venient market.14

But a whole year was allowed to pass before the agitators' hopes were realized. In August. 1885. the townsite company connected with the railroad took action. A survey was made during that month by LeRoy Grant, from which a town plat of nine blocks was made. The dedication occurred September 28, 1885. and on Oc- tober 14 the instrument was placed on record.15. The land on which the town was located was originally the property of Charles Thompson.

No sooner was the town-to-be laid out than activity in its promotion became evi- dent. The first to build on the site was A. E. Patterson, who completed a grain warehouse abont the first of September.

""The people here have not yet given up all hopes of obtaining a depot in Kanaranzi township. The distance from Luverne to some good location will be about ten or eleven miles. and the country around here will support a good town, as it will get much of the trade that now goes to Adrian and Rock Rapids. We believe the railroad company is working for its own interest, and, allowing this to be a faci, we see no reason why we should feel in doubt." Correspondence in Rock County Her- ald, May 16. 1884.

"One addition has been attached to the origi- nal townsite of Kanaranzi: Kanaranzi Village Outlots, by G. S. Snover. December 27, 1904.

HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

213

1885. Ezra Rice put up the second grain honse later in the same month, which was opened for business with Thomas Ganfield in charge. The depot was also erected during the fall of 1885, but it was not until October 18, 1886, that the station was formally opened. G. T. Bandy, for-' merly of Cazenovia, was installed as agent. A number of residences covered the im- provements of the latter year. Mr. Bandy became Kanaranzi's first postmaster, as- suming charge at the opening of the of- fice on January 28, 1887. As a result of the heavy wind storm on August 2, 1887, Kanaranzi was for a time with only one grain warehouse, the establishment of E. A. Brown, who had succeeded A. E. Pat- terson, suffering complete destruction. It was immediately rebuilt. In October, 1887. a correspondent boasted for the town two grain buyers, a newly established stock yard and a photographer.16

Kanaranzi was without a mercantile establishment for the first three years of its existence. The first store was opened by C. Northrup and E. Milne in a building they erected early in October, 1888. Ser- eral months later this firm sold to G. T. Bandy, the station agent, who during the season of 1889 also engaged in the lum- ber business. Mr. Bandy disposed of his interests in 1891 to Elias M. Blakeslee. who in June succeeded him as postmaster.

With the addition of a lumber yard, blacksmith shop and saloon late in the year 1892. Kanaranzi reached the high point in its development. The last two decades have changed but little the appearance of the village, Imt it has experienced all the healthful tendencies of improvement which a community of its size can ex- hibit. A substantial $1200 school building was erected in the village in 1899.

10"Who says our town is not having a boom? Let him who says so come and see the new stock yards. We also have two grain buyers. Mr. Mitchell represents E. A. Brown. of Ash-

MANLEY.

Manley. a village withont a resident. is the least of all the points entitled to a place on the map of Rock county. Lo- cated on the southeast quarter of section 35. in the fraction of Beaver Creek town- ship, at the intersection of the Omaha with the Great Northern railway, it is a has- been town. At present it is not even dis- tinguished as a railroad station. despite its favorable location. Its sole enterprise. is a grain elevator, conducted during a cer- tain portion of the year.

Time was when Manley occupied a more prominent position in affairs. The Sioux City & Northern railroad (later to become a part of the Great Northernsystem ) build- ing through the county in 1889. simulta- neously located two towns in Rock coun- ty, Hills and Manley (originally known as Hornick). Both were placed at inter- sections of the new line with roads already in operation. Of the two towns the great- er hopes for future prominence were cen- tored in Manley. The turn of events proved the contrary. At the time the railroad was laying its course through the county substantial inducements were of- fered by the residents of both Beaver Creek and Valley Springs to include their respective towns on the route. But instead of accepting such offers, the townsite promoters connected with the new road entertained visions of a small eity at the junetion of the Sioux City & Northern with the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, a city that would reach out and absorb both Beaver Creek and Valley Springs.

A quarter section of land, for which was paid $1000, was bought of E. M. Per- . cival in September, to be laid out into the townsite of Hornick. The survey was

creek, and Mr. Bandy represents E. Rice, of Luverne. We also have a photographer here." -- Correspondence in Rock County Herald. Octo- bor 7. 1887.

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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

made under the direction of L. K. Bow- man. Ten blocks were included in the original plat, which was dedicated Oc- tober 25, 1889, by E. W. Skinner, and recorded on November 2.17 The Sioux City & Northern erected a depot building early in November and laid out stock' yards, and before the station was given a place on the company's time table, the name was changed from Bornick to Man- ley. in honor of W. P. Manley, who was cashier of the Security National Bank, of Sioux City, and one of the leading stock- holders of the Sioux City & Northern com- pany.

At this early stage of Manley's devel- opment an invitation was extended to both Beaver Creek and Valley Springs to join forces with the new town, before circun- stances should force such a procedure.18 The boom that was expected to eventuate in 1890 did not materialize so fully as anticipated. In April an elevator was erected by C. N. Bell. of St. Paul. and F. C. Bell was placed in charge. After much bargaining. L. K. Lee was induced to build a roller mill at Manley. The enterprise was launched early in August. Late in July a postoffice was established and Miss Mary E. MeCallen appointed postmistress. The office was housed in a small building erected for the purpose.

To encourage the development of the fown the townsite owners extensively ad- vertised and hell an auction sale of town lots that resulted successfully so far as their pockets were concerned. The sale was held on July 30. 1890. For the oc-

"One addition was plaited lo Manley: First, by E. W. Skinner, July 30, 1890; surveyed by W. N. Davidson.

1\"A representative of the Northern Land company, which owns the towns along the Sioux City & Northern railway, has been in- terviewing the merchants and residents of the towns of Beaver Creek and Valley Springs, with a view to induce the two towns to unite and form a thriving town at the junction of the Sioux City & Northern and Omaha rail- ways."-Beaver Creek News-Letter. November. 1889.

casion a free excursion train was run from Sioux City, which carried prospee- tive investors. the majority of whom were laboring men. It was reported that 588 persons were entertained by the company on the day of the sale and that seventy- five lots were sold.19 The many promises of building projects that were made be- fore the wholesale disposal of lots were not fulfilled. The activities of the year 1890 from the first of August may be som- marized : A small bottling works was put in operation ; several small residences. one by E. M. Percival and another by Mr. Sturtevant, were erected : the first and on- ly store in the town was established by II. IT. Loeffler in December : the firm of Rood Bros. engaged in the fuel business and stock buying : an ice house with a storage capacity of 160 tons was completed by Albert Johnson in December.

There were a few additions to Manley in 1891. John Butler erected a 24x50 feet grain warehouse in time for the fall season. and in December a blacksmith and wagon maker located in the town. The Manley mill was closed in March, 1892. and from that time the decline of the june- tion city was rapid. while Beaver Creek and Valley Springs continued to pros- per. In the course of the next few years every industry in the town, with the ex- ception of the grain elevators. were with- drawn.

The store building and the few resi- dences remained unoccupied for a period and were eventually moved away."" A fire on the morning of October 8. 1901, de-

19""The sale of town lots at Manley last week is said to have been a big affair, the pur- chases aggregating about $4000, at prices rang- ing from $50 to $150 a lot. The free excursion from Sioux City drew a big crowd."-Rock Rapids Review. August, 1890.

2º"Manley will soon be a has-been town. One by one the buildings of that place are being taken away. The last building to be removed. and about all that remains of Manley, will be The two story store building. The building was sold this week to A. N. Nerison, of Hills. The building will be removed to Hills and used

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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

stroved one of the two elevators. entailing a loss of $2500. In 1901 the station was closed but was later opened for a pe- riod. No agent is maintained at Manley at the present time.

OTHER PLACES.

Warner is the name given to a grain station, three miles east of Luverne. on section 2. Magnolia township, on the Worthington-Mitehell branch of the Oma- ha railroad. It has never advanced be- vond the condition originally intended. Late in July, 1822, a grain warehouse. 20x40 feet in dimensions, was erected at this point to house the products of the farms of Capt. Blakely and Messrs. Thompson and Seney, capitalists who controlled vast agricultural interests in Magnolia Township at that early day. For a year this point was designated as Hill Siding, then came by its present name Warner, in honor of Eling F. Warner, one of the original directors of the Sioux City & St. Paul railroad. An elevator marks the site of Warner today. It was built in August, 1901, by the Hubbard & Pal- mer company.

During the eighties plans for a town at the foot of the Blue mounds, a short distance north of Luverne, were made. The quarrying industry had developed to quite an extent. and it was a scheme of J. F. Shoemaker, the head of the controlling company, to found a small town or colony, where the men employed in the quarries might establish convenient homes. The. first activity toward this end was the con- struction of 2000 feel of side track to the proposed site in November. 1884. For a as a dwelling."-Valley Springs Vidette. March, 1900.

"1"The delay in laying out the proposed town- site on section 26. Denver, coupled with the character of the work in progress at the mounds. has excited the suspicion that the town of Jasper [Hardwick]. instead of being located at the point originally proposed, will be located at the foot of the mound."-Rock County Herald. October 31, 1884.

time appearances led to the belief that the station the Burlington company had de- cided to locate in Rock county north of Luverne ( Hardwick) was to lie at the foot of the mounds.21 In the spring of 1885 Mr. Shoemaker made preparations to plat a townsite,22 but the intention was never carried into effect. A station at Mound. established in June, was maintained for a short period, but no agent was located there. A few temporary dwelling houses were erected, but beyond that no improve- ments were ever made in the "town."

In the days of star mail routes it was the custom to maintain country postoffices at convenient points. There were a num- ber of such in Rock county prior to the founding of villages and the establishment of rural mail routes, which carry daily mail to all paris of the country. With the modern methods of distributing the mail came the abandonment of country postoffices, and there is now none main- tained in Rock county.

Denver was the name of one country postoffice. It was located at the residence of Il. Goodale, on section 10, in the town- ship of the same name. The office, es- tablished in February, 1885, with Mr. Goodale as postmaster. existed for a num- ber of years. The Burlington railroad traversed section 10, and a "mail eatcher" was put up at the most convenient point to the Denver postoffice in May, 1886, and thereafter mail was received at the office Monday and Friday mornings of each work.

Handy postoffice. located on the east line of Kanaranzi township. came into existence during the first decade of the

22"J. F. Shoemaker has decided to plat a portion of his land in the vicinity of the quarries for the use of employes of the quarry com- pany, and it is understood that a considerable number of residences will be built. The plat. however, will not be recorded, and none of the lots will be sold, as Mr. Shoemaker is deter- mined that no saloons shall be established there."-Rock County Herald, March 20. 1885,

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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

conniy's history. The first postmaster, Mr. Meris, was succeeded in December, 1822, by O. D. Bryan. The office was maintained several years.

A postoffice in Martin township, known as Martin, was established in June, 1836. John D. Tyler was the first postmaster. With the coming of railroads Martin post- office was discontinued.

Clinton postoffice, in the township of that name, was established the same month as Martin and Nels Clemetson commis- sioned postmaster. In April, 1827, the name of the office was changed from Clin- mail at Luverne.

ton to Kongsberg. It was discontinued in November, 1881, and the mail formerly consigned to that office was sent to Ash- creek.

In eastern Rose Dell township was lo- cated Meadow postoffice, established in the early eighties. K. K. Steen was post- master for many years.

Pleasant Valley postoffice had an exist- ence of a few years in the late seventies. It was discontinued in December, 1880. and the patrons thereafter received their

CHAPTER XIV.

DESCRIPTIVE.

R OCK county picked its location in the extreme southwestern corner of Minnesota and chose well. Without detracting in the least from the reputations of the other excellent counties of Minnesota, let it be known that Rock county's farming lands, in point of fer- tility and topographical perfectness. are the best in the state: they are the master- piece of the all-wise Creator's making. In fact. the undisputed claim has been made that Rock county is the richest agri- cultural county in the United States.1

The county is bounded on the north by Pipestone county, on the cast by Nobles county. on the south by Lyon county. Towa. and on the west by Minnehaha county, South Dakota. Its geographical center is in latitude 13 degrees, 47 minutes and 30 seconds north, and it lies between me- ridians 96 and 97 west from Greenwich. Rock county is rectangular in form, twenty and one-eighth miles in width and twenty-four miles in length, north and south. It contains twelve congressional townships and a fractional strip of land two and one-eighth miles in width and twenty-four in length. Its area is 482.67 square miles, or 308,910.15 acres, of which

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An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota, Part 29

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