USA > Minnesota > Rock County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 40
USA > Minnesota > Pipestone County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 40
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Conditions were greatly improved in 1882. The Milwaukee road placed its Pipestone county lands on the market, in- stalling M. E. Duff as resident manager. and quite a number of immigrants locat- ed in the county. A good crop of grain was raised. and the country took on a more prosperous air than it had the year before. The acreage sown in 1882. as shown by the records, and the estimated vield in bushels were as follows :
17On May 20 S. Y. Sichler, of Elmer town- ship. reported that there was a large quantity of snow still on his place. In the latter part of June a snowball battle was fought on the Samuel Avery farm east of Pipestone, the snow having been found in abundance in a sheltered place. In July snow was brought to Pipestone from Hatfield and exhibited.
'sThe jurors were as follows:
Grand Edwin Match. Justice Hathaway, John Murphy. James Hamilton, Riley French. S. Price, George Krapf. Caleb Heath. H. Dickey. D. R. Woodman. J. M. Chute. C. H. Wilkins, John Stuart, George Walkup, William Ludke. L. Ackerman. G. W. Huntley. John Hypes, Thomas Dixon, Mathias Heck. R. S. Wilkins. L. J. ('layton and Thomas Thompson.
Petit-T. E. Nesbit. C. E. McCall, Charles Kingshury, W. F. Tibbetts. Edwin Giles. J. H. Conlin. F. McClellin, A. F. Stillwell. S. D. Fisher. S. J. Perkins. 1. C. Bertrand. J. G. Bennett. George M. Wright. M. M. Gunsolus. William Fos- fer, W. W. Sweet. E. R. Wood. C. M. Taylor. F. A. Converse, A. C. Lincoln. A. A. Pike, J. L. Odell, John Clark and Frank Montville.
285
HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.
GRAIN
Acres
Bushels
Average
Wheat
10,911
196,398
18
Oats
5,431
271,600
50
Corn
4,250
106,250
25
Barley
1,960
58,800
30
Rye
1,300
32,500
25
Flax
7,860
102,180
13
Buckwheat
105
Potatoes
322
Tame Hay
122
TOTAL
32,334
767,828
The total assessed valuation for 1882 was $454,004, of which $121,485 was for real estate and $285,519 for personal property. In the county were 1241 horses, 1687 cattle, 43 mules, 167 sheep and 203 hogs.
A destructive hail and wind storm pas- sed over a narrow strip of country on June 16, 1882, and the following day a wind of eyelonie proportions brought dam- age to another part of the county. The path of the hail storm was about two iniles wide. It extended from the north- western part of the county southeasterly, passing about two miles north of Pipe- stone and a short distance north of Ed- gerton. In the path of the storm the grain was completely destroyed, the great- est damage being in Troy and Grange townships. On the evening of the seven- teenth a cyclone, which farther on its course brought great damage in central Jowa, formed just north of Pipestone
19The South Minnesota Land company was in- corporated in England with a capital stock of £250,000. It was formed, according to the ar- ticles of incorporation, for the purpose of taking over and reselling 102,773 acres of land in Pipe- stone county, 1642 acres in Rock county, and 105,000 acres of other land owned by the Sioux City & St. Paul Land company.
"The firm of Close Bros. & Co. was at the time the largest land dealer in the world. Dur- ing the period of operation in Pipestone county the firm was composed of James B. Close, Wil- liam B. Close and S. H. Graves, sons of wealthy Manchester, England, manufacturers. They were all well educated young men of great activity and ability and famous throughout England for their aquatic victories in the Cambridge uni- versity boat crew.
The investment in and development of Iowa and Minnesota lands was indirectly the result of a visit of William B. Close to the Centennial
and swept down the Rock river valley. In the vicinity of Edgerton the farm houses of E. W. Day, Thomas Butterfield, George Waite and Mr. Ulm were demolished.
By far the most important event of 1882 was the purchase by the South Min- nesota Land company of over 100,000 aeres of Southern Minnesota railroad lands within Pipestone county.19 The deal was completed in September, when a check for $446,000, comprising the last pay- ment, was turned over to the Milwaukee officials. Close Bros. & Co., who had op- erated extensively in railroad lands in northwestern lowa, were interested large- ly in the company and were the Ameri- can managers. They had a reputation for doing big things in the matter of develop- ing the country and promised a boom for Pipestone county. They did not begin operations in 1882. but let it be known that the following year they would begin work.20
Early in the spring of 1883 Close Bros. & Co. began the work of develop- ing their new lands. In consideration of establishing the firm's headquarters at Pipestone and many promised improve- ments in that city and surrounding conn- try, the Englishmen demanded a bonus of one hundred town lots and an undivided half interest in a two hundred aere traet adjoining the town on the north, all the property of C. H. Bennett. After some delay the demands were complied with,21
exposition at Philadelphia in 1876. The partners purchased many thousands of acres of land in northwestern Iowa and established headquar- ters at LeMars, Iowa, in the late seventies.
The decision to invest in the Pipestone coun- ty lands was brought about by representations of a few of the pioneer settlers of the county, who broached the subject to the partners, and a very brief visit of James B. Close in 1879. He secured samples of corn raised in the coun- ty (when there were only three cornfields in the whole of Pipestone county), sent them to England, and as a result the English capitalists back of Close Bros. gave their authority for the purchase of the Milwaukee lands in Pipe- stone county.
21Close Bros. & Co. threatened. in case the bonus was not granted, to establish their head- quarters at Hatfield or Airlie and to build up those towns in preference to Pipestone.
286
HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.
the citizens of Pipestone reimbursing Mr. Bennett for his lands by deeding him other town lots. On April 13. 1883, a contract was signed by Close Bros. & C'o. (at the time consisting of James B. Close. William B. Close. Frederick B. Close and C. W. Benson) and Mr. Ben- nett, by the terms of which. in considera- tion of the land derded. the land firm agreed to: First. remove the general headquarters of the firm from LeMars. lowa. to Pipestone and to erect a head- quarters building there: second, to build in Pipestone a hotel at a cost of $11,000; third. to erect forty farm residences in Pipestone county: fourth, to use its ut- most endeavor to secure settlers for Pipe- stone county and to try to secure for Pipe- stone additional railroad facilities, Head- quarters were at once established in Pipe- stone, and the terms of the contract were entirely fulfilled.22
The development of the railroad lands was commenced at once. The first train load of humber for Close Bros. & Co.'s buildings arrived July 1. 1883, and the rest of the summer and fall was spent in erecting the buildings.23 The lands were cut up into half-section farms, on each of which were erected a substantial and neat live-room, story and a half, 16x24 feet honse. 16x16 feet granary and a barn of size sufficient to hold eight horses. Breaking was also done on each of the farms improved by buildings. At the be- ginning of their operations in Pipestone county. Close Bros. & Co., English-fashion. preferred to rent to tenants, and derive only an income from their investment, in preference to the profits of sales. Within a short time, however, they put the lands on the market. The wild lands sold at from $8,00 to $10.00 per acre and the
improved farms at $12.00 to $18.00. Lib- eral terms of payment were arranged. The purchaser was required to pay down $1.00 per acre and the balance in equal instal- ments extending over a period of ten years. Actual settlers who made improve- ments on the land did not pay interest for the first five years. Concerning The operations of Close Bros. & Co. the Pipe- stone County Star of September 20. 1883, said :
Undoubtedly Pipestone City and county owe the largest share of credit for their re- cent progress and present prosperity to Close Bros. & Co., the enterprising and well known land dealers. They have done ten times more than any single firm-and probably as much as all the real estate firms combined-to get the rich lands of this splendid section in the market and at- tract settlers. Their plan is either to sell the lands direct to purchasers or to erect comfortable buildings and rent the farms to tenants. They transact a very extensive business and are doing magnificent service in the work of development, attracting a desirable class of immigrants and bringing the lands into cultivation so that they may become taxable property. The Close Bros. will, inside of a few years, make this en. tire section a veritable garden spot. In Pipestone county alone Close Bros. & Co. have 125,000 acres of the richest and most valuable land in Minnesota, which they are preparing to open up. A large number of farm houses, barns, etc., will be erected by Close Bros. & Co. during the present sum- mer and fall, and several thousand acres of land will be broken up.
And six years later. June 11. 1889:
The firm have given to Pipestone county and Pipestone City a push forward, such, we venture to say, as no other community in the west of the same age has enjoyed. The many thousands of dollars that they have spent in advertising alone has had the effect to render the locality famous the country over, and a consequence is that a steady stream of immigration is now flow- ing into the county: homes are being cre- ated, and the wilderness of a few years ago "blossoms as the rose."
The year 1883 was the most prosperous one in Pipestone county's history up to
23"While there is so much building going on in town it must be remembered that the coun- try round about is also building up. The prairies as far as the eye can reach in any direction from town are dotted with new houses."-Pipe- stone County Star, July 19, 1883.
2""The agreement was released April 10, 1884. each party acknowledging that the terms of the contract wore fulfilled.
287
HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.
that time. In one year the assessed valu- ation more than doubled, the total amount being $1.103,368, of which $816,944 was for real estate and $286,394 for personal property. According to a statement by the state commissioner of statistics. the acreage sown to the several erops, the vield in bushels and average per acre were as follows: Wheat. 11,080 acres. yield, 198,597 bushels. average per acre, 11.90 bushels: oats, 8318 acres, yield. 304.690 bushels, average per acre, 36.65 bushels; corn, 1392 acres, yield 43,230 bushels, average per acre, 31 bushels ; barley, 9686 acres, yield. 81,394 bushels, average per aere, 9 bushels.
The first county fair was held Septem- ber 29, 1883. Although only a few days' notice was given, there were many en- tries and the affair was pronounced a grand success. It was held in the open. no admission was charged. and no pre- miuns were offered. The cattle exhibit was an especially good one. The manage- ment of the fair was largely in the hands of E. A. Rice. A. D. Ferris and H. E. Corbett.2+
The year 1884 was a remarkable one in the history of Pipestone county by reason of the rapid advancement and de- velopment and the building of new rail- ways. During the entire twelve-month the prineipal topic of conversation was rail- roads, bonuses, bonds, right-of-way. As a result of the activity, the Omaha branchi line was extended to Pipestone and the Burlington road (now the Rock Island) was built through the county. These ac- cessions were secured only through the
"The judges of the several exhibits were as follows: Grain and farm produce. J. D. Tyler. Samuel Avery and A. N. Ferris; art and needle work, Mrs. G. W. Morrill, Mrs. S. L. Bailey and Mrs. A. J. Brown; stock. Duncan Stuart. Ed- ward Ewert and H. D. Sanford.
25 Pipestone City and Pipestone county were fortunate in having as residents in the early days an exceptionally progressive class of men- men who never let an opportunity pass to ad- vance the interests of the community. They were a liberal minded class of people and worked
active work and liberality of the people of Pipestone county.25
The extension of the Omaha line from Woodstock, which had been the terminus since 1829. to Pipestone was brought about through the efforts of Pipestone people. Early in January, 1884. a delo- gation consisting of Fred Close. C. H. Bennett. J. Il. Nichols, L. HI. Moore, A. 1. Ely, H. D. Sanford and C. (. Good- now visited the officials of the Omaha railroad at St. Paul and made the neces- saury arrangements. The railway authori- ties demanded a free right-of-way and de- pot grounds in Pipestone, and these the Pipestone delegation promised. In Feb- ruary subscription papers wore put in cir- culation, and within a short time the ner- essary funds were secured. Many of the land owners donated the right-of-way across their farms, and the rest was pur- chased by money raised by subscription. Grading was commeneed on the exten- sion May 8, tracklaying begun July 1, and before the close of that month the Eine was completed. The first passenger train was operated over the line August 1.
Early in the year came also the prom- ise of two new lines of road through the county, each with a "proposition." These were the Burlington, which proposed to build through the county southeast to northwest, and the Duluth, North Shore & Southwestern, which was to have built a line north and south. The people of Pipe- stone county were not at that period overlooking any opportunity to better their conditions, even if it cost money,
together for the common good. Some of them were not rich in this world's goods, but they were imbued with a love of their county and city to such an extent that whenever there was opportunity to secure some benefit they took off their coats and worked to secure it with as much vim as they put into their private business. Among others who were in the fore- front of every battle for the good of the com- munity were D. E. Sweet. C. H. Bennett, Dr. W. J. Taylor. L. H. Moore, 6. 6. Goodnow. J. H. Nichols, T. A. Black. E W. Davies and H. D. Sanford.
288
HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY,
and bonds for both roads were promptly voted.26
For some time there had been rumors that the Burlington road was to extend through Pipestone county. In the fall of 1883 surveyors in the employ of a com- pany styled the Spirit Lake & Western Railway company ran a line from Sibley. lowa, to Pipestone and then returned. Dming the following winter it became known that the Cedar Rapids, Iowa Falls & Northwestern Railway company, a sub- sidiary Burlington company, was planning an extension from Lake Park to Sibley and the north. On February 5, 1884, General Superintendent C. J. Ives and S. 1. Dows, one of the directors of the Bur- lington company, attended a railroad mass meeting ai Pipestone, at which over five hundred people were present. They ask- ed for $25,000 in bonds, to be paid pro- viding the road should be completed through Pipestone county by January 1. 1885. Close Bros. & Co. offered to donate the right-of-way across their lands, and the meeting was enthusiastically in favor of accepting the proposition.
Petitions were at once prepared, asking for the submission of the question to a vole in all the preeinets except the four eastern townships.27 Special elections were called for March 3, 4 and 5, when each precinct, with the exception of Al- fona, voted to issue the township and vil- lage bonds. Following was the amount of bonds each precinct was asked to vote and the result of the election :
26"There has been no one question that has so agitated the minds of the people of Pipe- stone county since the county was organized as that now presented to them regarding the voting of aid for the new lines of railroad that evince a disposition to build through the county. Nearly everybody is discussing it, and well they may, for we are now at the most important point in the history of the county, a point where the people have it in their hands to build up an era of prosperity. or create a period of depression in the value of lands, houses and other property that constitute the wealth of the county."-Pipestone County Star, February 19. 1884.
PRECINCT
Bonds Asked
For Bonds
Against Bonds
Altona
$2800
26
27
Elmer
2900
30
0
Eden
1500
32
21
Fountain Prairie
1500
30
5
Grange
2500
35
0
Gray
3200
33
6
Pipestone
5000
159
0
Sweet
3400
39
3
Troy
2200
43
2
TOTAL
$25,000
127
6-4
The route of the Burlington road was surveyed in April and May, and grading was begun in early summer. Material was shipped to Pipestone on the other railroads and grading and track-laying for the north part of the road were begun from that city. Another construction crew worked from the south, and the con- nection was made at Pipestone September 22. The first passenger train passed over the line two days later, and regular passenger service was begun October 28. As a result of the construction of the new road the village of Trosky was founded and parts of the county which had there- tofore been long distances from market wore more rapidly developed.
Early in January. 1884, came the prop- osition of the Duluth, North Shore & Southwestern Railway company. R. D. Mallett, the vice president, arrived in Pipestone and stated that his company would build the road to Pipestone for a consideration of bonds to the amount of five per cent of the county's assessed valu- ation (about $40.000). Before the mat- ter had proceeded far it was learned that
27At the same time the question of voting bonds to aid the Duluth road was under con- sideration. It was found that the bonds would not be legally voted if the two propositions were decided at one election. and doubt was ex- pressed as to their legality if county bonds were voted on both propositions, The matter was submitted by the representatives of the railway companies to # committee of Pipestone county citizens. That committee decided that in order to conform strictly to the law. the Burlington proposition should be voted upon by townships and In case of a successful outcome township bonds should be issued, while the Duluth prop- osition should be voted upon by the county as a whole and in case of a successful outcome, county bonds should be issued,
HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.
289
the Burlington would soon be asking for a bond issue. As there was a legal barrier to issuing bonds to a greater amount than five per cent of the assessed valuation and the people of Pipestone county looked with favor upon the Burlington road also, at a mass meeting held in Pipestone Jan- uary 14 it was decided to take the neees- sary steps to bring to a vote the question of issuing bonds to the amount of $30,- 000 only. A little later the amount de- cided on was eut to $25,000, and when the question came to a vote the amount was reduced to $20,000. This also seemed to satisfy the promoters of the paper road, who agreed to have the railroad in opera- tion to Pipestone by December 1, 1885. The election was held March 10, with the following result :
PRECINCT
For Bonds
Against Bonds
Aetna
16
0
Altona
33
6
Burke
13
43
Eden
46
0
EImer
34
1
Fountain Prairie
28
1
Grange
17
0
Gray
34
1
Osborne
10
79
Pipestone City
174
1
Rock
25
9
Sweet
49
2
Troy
47
2
TOTAL
556
145
28Eight tons of advertising matter were dis- tributed in the United States alone, besides much to foreign countries. The enterprising land firm shipped their lumber in by special trains, covered with banners setting forth the advantages of Pipestone county. The Pipestone County Star of June 10, 1884, said:
"If any one thinks that Pipestone is not well advertised, let him ride from here to Chicago over the Milwaukee road. There is not a train
Although the bonds were voted, they were never issued. In May came the an- Doucement that the work of surveying had been discontinued, that the Duluth, Lake Shore & Southwestern Railway com- pany was without funds, that the road would not be constructed.
The construction of railroads, the ex- tensive advertising campaign of Close Bros. & Co.,28 and the abundant crops made the year 1884 a banner one in Pipe- stone county's history. There was a large increase in population, many new busi- ness enterprises were started, and in all parts of the county material progress was made. Not in the early days was there a year to compare with 1884. Seventeen thousand acres of land and 560 town lots were sold, the total consideration for which was $169.240. This did not in- elude the farm lands which were sold un- der contract, which reached a value equal to the deed transfers, making the total real estate transactions nearly $350,000. The acreage sown to wheat in 1884 was 16,451, to oats, 9462.
These statistics indicate that at last Pipestone county had come upon better times. Excellent crops and a large im- migration brought the county rapidly to . the front.
but what bears circulars describing the beat- ties of this glorious country, and they are dis- tributed far and wide. If people do not know where to find a good permanent home, in a land where milk and honey flow free to all who wish to partake, it will not be the fault of the great land firm of Close Bros. & Co., who have expended so far this season in the neighborhood of ten thousand dollars in printed matier."
17
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CHAPTER XXII.
CURRENT EVENTS-1885-1911.
T HE good times period which be- gan in the early eighties contin- ned without interruption until the panie of 1893. Each year witnessed the arrival of new settlers, the building of new homes, the further development of the county, the passing of pioneer days and ways. A reliable indication of the progress or retrogression of a community are the census returns, and Pipestone county made an excellent showing in the five-year period, 1880 to 1885, nearly doubling in population. The enumera- tion in 1885 showed a population of 4051, divided by precincts as follows:
Aetna 78
Altona 255
Burke
292
Eden 264
Elmer 232
Fountain Prairie
168
Grange
201
Gray
188
Osborne (including Edgerton) 464
Pipestone 1109
Rock
145
Sweet
274
Troy
381
Total 4051
The year 1885, particularly, was one of advancement. Close Bros. & Co., who had in the two preceding years spent many thousand dollars advertising their Pipestone county lands, then began to reap
1"The Star is more than pleased to record the fact that more improvements, in the way of farm buildings, are going on in Pipestone county this season than ever before. More sod is being
their reward in sales. Many who purchas- ed that year did not locate on their lands until the next season, but some of them erected buildings, and nearly all broke their lands.1 A large part of the sales of the year were in the townships of Troy, Sweet and Eden. The contract sales by Close Bros. & Co. amounted to $250,000, while the value of real estate transferred by deed was $242,257, making a total of nearly a half million dollars. Nearly all of these sales were to new arrivals and actnal settlers. At the close of the year the local paper said: "The year just closed has been one of the greatest pros- perity for Pipestone and the county at large. The improvements throughout the county have been more numerous and our farmers have done more than in any previous year since the county was or- ganized."
Good erops were the rule in 1885, as they were during all the years of the late eighties, and in 1886 several hundred families who had bought lands the year before moved on their property; others came and invested in the cheap lands in order to share in the prevailing prosper- ity. The leading land firm made extra- ordinary exertions in 1887, and during the year sold over 140,000 acres of its
turned over than ever before and the prairies are alive with teams and plows."-Pipestone County Star, May 12, 1885.
291
292
HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.
lands in Minnesota, łowa and Kansas, of which nearly 20,000 acres were in Pipe- stone county. At the close of that year the firm had disposed of about one-half of its Pipestone county holdings. Many sub- stantial building improvements were made in the county during the twelve- month.
The history of Pipestone county would be incomplete without an account of the terrible blizzard of January 12, 1888, and of the adventures of Pipestone county residents in the storm. The blizzard was an event in the history of the northwest. So suddenly and unexpectedly did it en- velop the country, changing in a moment from a warm, spring-like snow storm into a howling, icy blizzard, that there was no time to escape its fury for those unpre- pared. All over the northwest there was great loss of life and property. That Pipestone county should have escaped withont the loss of a life is miraculous. it being the only community in south- western Minnesota that did. There was a big loss of stock and many cases of severe freezing and narrow eseapes, but no hu- man being perished within the county.
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