An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota, Part 58

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 58
USA > Minnesota > Pipestone County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 58

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Just twelve days after the Pipestone Republic was launched on the sea of jour- nalism. Pipestone's third paper, the Pipo- stone Republican, was put forth, the first number appearing February 11. 1884. For some time previous some of the local politicians had been dissatisfied with the course of the Pipestone County Star and had offered indncements to a number of newspaper men to start an opposition paper in Pipestone, but not until this time had they succeeded. James Baynes was the founder of the Republican, start- ed as a nine column folio and made a six column quarto a year later. As the name indicated. the journal was an organ of the republican party. In October of the year of founding Messrs. O. T. Letcher and 1. M. Letcher became the owners of the plant and J. II. Letcher was installed as managing editor. Frank C. Culler be- came the publisher on November 20, 1885. conducted the paper until December 9. 18St, then annonneed its suspension and shipped the plant to southern California, where it did duty in the publication of another paper. In his announcement of the suspension Mr. Culloy said : . It is sufficient for the publisher to know and state that the publication of the paper has been a financial failure from ils commencement to its close. In the first place there was no reasonable business reason for a second paper ever being start- od in Pipestone."

The Woodstock Journal was the name of a short lived monthly paper, devoted

principally to literature, which was found- ed by Dr. II. Wilson. formerly of Edger- ton. in May. 1886. Only a few numbers of the paper were issued.

When the Great Northern Railroad company built its line through Pipestone county in 1888 and the town of Jasper was founded, one of the first considera- tions was the establishment of a news- paper to assist in building up the town. The Jasper Journal. the first and only paper ever started in Jasper, was issued for the first time on July 21. 1888,- almost simultaneous with the birth of the town. It was started as a seven col- mmmmm folio and retained that form until August. 1899, when it became a five col- ummm quoito-its present form. The Journal was founded by, and is still owned by. Selah S. King and E. W. Davies, and has always been under the management of the former. who conducts it as a repub- lican paper. 1 has seen Jasper grow from a mere nothing to the second largest town in the county, and the Journal has certainly shared in the prosperity and ad- vaneement of The place. and today is en- joving the liberal patronage it deserves. If it were necessary to introduce any evi- dence lo substantiate the statement that Mr. King's conduct of the paper has been satisfactory to the people of Jasper, the fact that he has published the one paper for nearly a quarter of a century without the appearance of a rival in the field might be set forth.

The Minnesota Stjernen, printed in the Norwegian language, was started at Edgerton October 26. 1889. by H. W. Roll. It was published in thal village until February. 1890, when a removal to Pipestone was made. C. 1. Ring at this time became interested in the ownership of the paper. In the latter part of April, 1890. the enterprise bringing a financial loss to its owners, the plant was moved to

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Albert Lea, where publication was contin- ned.

Although several newspapers were started in Pipestone in opposition to the Star in the early days it was not until 1890 that the town had reached the size to warrant the continuance of two publi- eations. That year was founded the Farm- ers' Leader, which has ever since divided the patronage of the city with the Star.

This paper was started as the Publie Tribune, which appeared for the first time on February 19, 1890, with F. A. Klunder as the editor and proprietor. After eight numbers had been issued. on April 16. 1890. A. D. Ferris bought an interest in the paper and the name was changed to Farmers' Advocate. it being announced by Messrs. Ferris & Klunder that the paper would be devoted to the interests of the farmers' alliance and other labor organizations.

Changes came thick and fast in the carly history of this journal. On August 20. 1890. it was put forth as a five col- um quarto under the name of Farmers' Leader, with C. C. Goodnow as owner and editor, and after the birth of the peoples party it beeame a stanch supporter of that organization. A few months after the change noted above. in December, 1890, George G. Stone bought an interest in the Leader and thereafter until January 15, 1895, it was published by Goodnow & Sione. On the last named date Mr. Stone. bought his partner's interest and has ever since conducted it, with the ex- ception of one year. Under his leader- ship the Leader has been democratic. In the spring of 1899 he enlarged the paper to a six column quarto and added power machinery throughout. From the first of the year 1902 until December 1. of the same year, the Leader was conducted uni- der a lease by W. C. Akers and J. L. Marshall, and was then again taken pos- session of by Mr. Stone.

The Farmers' Leader takes front rank among the newspapers of this section of the state and is an ably conducted journal. In Mr. Stone the people of Pipestone county have an able champion.

For a little over a year the Woodstock Eagle was published. It was founded in August. 1891. by Carl S. Eastwood, who has published more newspapers in south- western Minnesota than any other two men. The month following its birth C. 1. Wing bought a half interest in the paper and managed it under the firm name of Eastwood & Wing until Angust. 1892. and then secured full control. The last issue of the Eagle was printed December 23. 1892. having succumbed for lack of proper support, and the plant was taken to Balaton, where it was used in publish- ing the Balaton Eagle.

The village of Trosky was the home of a newspaper for something less than eight months in the early nineties. Jacob Ten- ney established the Trosky Advertiser, a seven column folio, March 24, 1893. and presided over its destinies until the fol- lowing November, when he moved the plant to Wykoff, Minnesota, and launched the Wykoff Advertiser.

Pipestone Independent was the name of a paper founded by J. R. Mack on Sep- tember 23, 1894. It was a campaign pa- per and was started for the purpose of supporting an independent county tieket in the campaign of that year. Mr. Mack, who was an unsuccessful candidate for county attorney on the ticket, was quite liberal in his abuse of the nominees of the regular parties. Only eight numbers were issued, the last one being dated No- vember 10, 1894. Later in the year the former editor was convicted of embezzle- ment and sentenced to a term of impris- onment in the state penitentiary.

The Pipestone County News (now the Woodstock News) was founded by T. A. Stewart March 29, 1895, as a five column

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ITISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.

quarto. Mr. Stewart, who came from Ochevedan. Towa, established the paper for the purpose of booming the land busi- ness in which he was engaged in Wood- stock. Te conducted the paper until Oc- tober 2, 1896, when Guy Lincoln took control. That gentleman conducted the paper only a few weeks, being succeeded on December 11 by M. D. Cadwell and W. R. Brower. the latter having editorial charge. The patronage accorded the new firm did not warrant it in continuing the publication long. and early in March. 1891. the publishers abandoned the busi- ness and left Woodstock without a paper. Two of the local business men. George II. Shields and Alta Bean, not wishing the town to be without a paper. got ont four issues of the News, after which T. A. Stewart, the founder, again took control. Te conducted the paper until October 21. 1898. when William Mcd'une leased the plant. ran it only until January 13. 1899. and then turned it over again to Mr. Stewart. The latter resinmed edi- orial control and conducted the paper un- til he leased it to Carl Cloud on August 15, 1899.

The plant of the Pipestone County Vows was bought on April 20. 1900, by the News Publishing company, which re- tained Mr. Cloud as editor. On Novem- her 29, 1901, the plant was purchased by Carl Cloud and George H. Shields, who published the News as partners until July 11, 1902, when Mr. Shields bought his partner's interest and became sole owner and publisher. He changed the name of the paper to Woodstock News October 1. 1902, and continued the pub- lication alone until March 18, 1901. when Dan Gagen leased a half interest and the publishing firm became Shields & Gagen. The latter withdrew July 1. 1901, and was succeeded In Will Davis, who con- ducted it in partnership with Mr. Shields

until February 1, 1905, when the latter again became sole publisher. On October 6. 1905, TI. W. HTaislet, formerly of the Murray County Herald. bought the plant from Mr. Shields and was the publisher until March 29, 1907. when the paper was purchased by F. G. Sullivan. He conduel- ed it two years, selling on December 29. 1909, to Trying Shields, who took posses- sion April 1. 1910. Al that time A. H. Higley leased the plant and has since published the paper.

The next paper we have to consider in the order of founding is the Ruthton Ga- zette. This paper was established by W. C. Smith as a six column folio August 6. 1891, and was published by him for many years-for a time in partnership with L. W. Henderson. After having con- ducted the paper nearly twelve years, carly in May. 1909. he announced the suspension of the Gazelte and left Ruth- ton without a paper. After a lapse of six weeks the Gazette was revived by Mark Woolstencroft, who printed his first issue June 11. He changed the form to a five column folio and presided over the des- tinies of the publication until its suspen- sion in January. 1911.

The Pipestone Review, which was founded as the Week's Review, had a checkered career of a little more than two years. The Week's Review was founded on the nation's birthday. 1902. The pub- lishers were Week's Review company, of which Jay G. Kaplan was the manager and O. M. Haislet editor. It was found- el as a six column quarto and retained that form during its life. Mr. Kaplan was actively connected with the manage- ment only one week, being succeeded in the company by Charles S. Young and George T. Fox. Two months after the founding of the Week's Review Paul 1 Ewert secured the interests of Mesers. Haislet and Fox and from that date the

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HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.

journal was conducted by Charles S. Young as manager and Pant A. Ewert as editor. The next change occurred March 4, 1903. when Mr. Young retired and Mr. Ewert became sole publisher. A few weeks later he changed the name of the publication to Pipestone Review.

In May. 1904, Mr. Kaplan, who found- ed the Review, again took charge of the publication, securing it as a result of a decision in the district court, in which the jury awarded the Review plant to him. Mr. Kaplan had brought an action for re- plevin against Mr. Ewert, who claimed that he had traded land for the Review plant. Mr. Kaplan asserted that no such deal had been made and that he did not, nor had he agreed to. dispose of the plant. Mr. Kaplan again became the publisher and conducted it until June. 1904. At that time the Review plant was purchased by JJ. L. Marshall & Co .. who installed II. T .. Williamson as editor and manager. December 10, 1904, Marshall & Marshall became the publishers and a little later the paper was discontinued and the plant moved away.

The Holland Advocate was founded by George N. Kieffer July 31, 1903. It was

purchased by Dan Gagen in May, of the following year, who conducted it until March, 1905. At that time D. A. Gibbs became the editor and proprietor. It was an up-hill job publishing a paper in a town the size of Holland and although Mr. Gibbs made strennons efforts to keep up the struggle he gave up the effort late in July. 1905. and suspended publication, shipping the plant to North Dakota.

The last paper founded before the pub- lication of this volume was the Holland News, which made its appearance in July. 1906. It was issued from the office of the Woodstock News and TI. W. Haislet. the editor of that paper. was also the pub- lisher of the Holland paper, A. E. Hatch. of Holland. acting as local editor. Disas- ter overtook the new journal almost imme- diately. Because it was not printed in the town from which it was mailed it was denied admission to the mails as sec- ond class matter. Mr. Haislet at first decided that he would continue the pub- lication despite the ruling of the postoffice department, but later decided that disere- tion was the better part of valor and gave up the venture. The Holland News had an existence of about one month.

CHAPTER XXXII.

REMINDERS OF EARLY DAYS.

O F THE many stories of events and conditions in the early days of Pipestone county's history, I have selected the following for publication :

RESERVATION SQUATTERS.

Under the terms of the treaty with the Yankton branch of the Sioux nation. made in 1858, the United States govern- ment guaranteed that tribe the exclusive right to quarry the red Indian pipestone. found at no other place in the world, for so long a time as they desired during the lifetime of the treaty. Furthermore, the government cansed to be surveyed at the quarries a reservation. one mile square, for the above purpose, according to the terms of the treaty. In a former chapter of this work has been told the abortive attempt of whites to secure title to the quarries in 18;1. Thereafter until 1883 the whites without exception respected the rights of the aborigines to the quarries and the reservation. Then came a deter- mined effort on the part of a few residents of Pipestone to secure the reservation lands, an act which, according to govern- ment officials and Indian agents, came near precipitating an Indian outbreak.

Notwithstanding repeated warnings by old settlers against their proposed un- wise undertaking. in June. 1883, C. (. Goodnow and L. H. Moore squatted upon

lands within the reservation. Each erect- ed a building on his claim, and Mr. Good- now made his home thereon. The act created quite a commotion at the time, but for some time no official notice was taken, and before the summer was over others had squatted upon the reservation. In July H. W. George "jumped" the Moore clain of sixty acres, erected a cab- in, and made his home there.

The first action by government authori- ties to remove the squatters was taken in November, 1883. At that time Major Ridpath, who was in charge of the Indian ageney at Yankton, accompanied by Dr. Taylor, of Canton, Dakota territory, ap- peared in Pipestone and served notices upon Messrs. Goodnow, George and Moore, ordering them to remove them- selves and their improvements from the reservation. Major Ridpath stated that he had just returned from Washington, where he had secured the necessary au- thority for his action : that he would return to Pipestone within ten or fifteen days. and that if the orders were not complied with he would have the necessary foree to eject the squatters summarily.

According to the Indian agent. ever since the first invasion of the sacred land by Mr. Goodnow and others, there had been a spirit of uneasiness among the Yanktons under his command. and at

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HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.

times so demonstrative had they become that he feared an outbreak. The Indians charged all manner of bad faith upon the government for allowing white settlers to invade the sacred plot of ground. Time after time the Indian police implored the major to let them go to Pipestone and clear the reservation by means of the torch, and thus show the whites that the rights of the Indian could not be tramp- led upon. So restless did the tribe be- come, explained the agent, that about six weeks previous an Indian policeman was permitted to go to the reservation and look the ground over carefully and see whether there was any provocation for this great tumult or not. A trusty sav- age was sent on this mission quietly. He returned to the agency and reported con- ditions to old Strike-the-Ree and other chiefs, and for a time the agent had all he could do to control and keep down the savage nature of the red men. They thirst- ed for the blood of the men who had in- vaded their domain. The major quieted their feelings, a council was held. and it was agreed that the major should go to Washington and consult with the "Great Father," and that his decision should be final. Dr. Taylor corroborated the agent's statements and added that the lives of the squatters had been in jeopardy for several weeks, that only by the utmost vigilance had members of the Yankton tribe been prevented from stealing away and attack- ing the interlopers.

The squatters paid no attention to the agent's orders or to his very capable talk and continued to live on the reservation. During the next few years others erected buildings on the Indians lands. namely, W. H. HEockabout. William Whitehead and G. W. Huntley. Occasionally came rumors of hostilities and occasionally mild-mannered attempts to remove the while settlers, but the squatters contin-

ued to hold their claims until 1887, when the arrival of United States soldiers on the scene brought about the evacuation of the reservation. A short time before this drastie action, the United States supreme court handed down a decision in which the Indians' rights to dig their sacred pipe- stone on the reservation were upheld. On October 11, 1882. there appeared in Pipe- stone ten soldiers of the Fifth United States regulars. under command of Cap- tain J. W. Bean, accompanied by Judge Kinney, Indian agent at Yankton, and a surveying officer, Lieutenant W. N. Blow, The military officer had orders from the war department for the pre-emptory re- moral of the whites, peaceably if possible, forcibly if necessary. Judge Kinney was equally well armed with orders from the department of the interior. The squatters capitulated. All removed themselves and their household goods from the reserva- . tion. They were granted time until the following spring to move the buildings: C. C. Goodnow's house, the last white man's habitation on the reservation. was moved to town early in June. 1888. The war was over !

A RAILROAD WAR.

The law provides that when the track of one railroad crosses that of another, the company which is building across the right-of-way of the other shall put in the crossing and maintain the same for all time. There is no provision for a case where two new lines of road reach a cross- ing point at the same time, and this fact, led to a lively railroad war at Pipestone when the Omaha and Burlington roads reached the city at practically the same time in 1884-a war which was well "played up" in the papers all over the United States.

Engineer Watson. of the Burlington. laid his track at the point where the cross-

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HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.

ing was to be made before the arrival of the track-laying crews, for the express purpose of escaping the necessity of put- ting in the crossing. It was a clever move, but the Omaha workers were also strate- gists. When their track was laid to the point of crossing, without ceremony they pulled up the Burlington track and laid their own. This was done on Sunday, when the Burlington officials coukl take no action at law to restrain their rivals. After laying the track the Omaha author- ities stationed a loaded freight train at the point of crossing, and for over a week an engine remained there to prevent the Burlington workmen from tearing up their track. The same evening, a Bur- lington engine was run up to the point of crossing and, likewise, held its posi- tion until matters were settled. The Oma- ha officials secured a temporary injune- tion, lestraining the Burlington people from interfering with the track. The blockade did not materially delay the work of building either road, for the track- lavers continued their work beyond the disputed point.

The trouble was amicably adjusted. At a conference between S. J. Tracy, solici- tor for the Burlington, and Superintend- ent Whitman, of the Omaha, an arrange- ment was made whereby the Burlington was to construct a permanent crossing over the Omaha tracks and pay for the privilege. The Omaha, having possession. and supported by a temporary injunction, was in a position to dictate terms, which it did. The crossing was put in the lat- ter part of July.

THE LONG WINTER.

A book could be filled with the adven- tures and unpleasant features of the long winter of deep shows. 1880-81. For weeks the people of Pipestone county were iso- lated. without mail and scantily supplied

with fuel, provisions and many of the ne- cessities of life. Here are recorded only a few of the incidents of the winter.

In the remarkable blizzard of October 15, 1880, James Hislop, who resided in the northi part of the county, set out on foot with his wife and child for a neigh- bor's house. hoping to get better sheller than his house afforded. During the trip they became exhausted, stopped to rest, and were soon covered with a snow drift. Mr. Hislop worked his way out of the drift and went ahead to seek the house they were looking for. He had gone only a short distance when he returned for his family, but he could not find the place where he had left them. After searching in the blinding storm for some time, he went for assistance. A searching party was at once organized, but it was not until the following afternoon that the unfortunate woman and her child were found. Mrs. Hislop made a cavern in the drift and thus kept from smothering to death. She succeeded in keeping the child warm, but she was badly frozen.

Illustrative of the scarcity of fuel even carly in the blockade is the following in- cident. Mr. Mckenzie, of Pipestone, early in February went to the little town of Verdi, where he purchased 550 pounds of hard coal, loaded it upon his sled, and then started for home. When he was five miles from Verdi a blizzard overtook him and he was obliged to take refuge in a nearby house. The storm made the roads impassable and Mr. Mckenzie was obliged to return home and leave his load. On February 21 he went out after it, but the coal had disappeared. a man with a sick family and no fuel having taken it. While in Verdi Mr. MeKenzie learned of one man who had split up his harvester for the wood it contained, while several other parties had burned everything in the shape of wood they could find and were then

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HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.

nearly destitute. Not a bit of fuel was to be had in Verdi and Mr. MeKenzie returned home empty-handed.

A family residing in a claim shanty south of Pipestone had a unique experi- ence. The blizzard of March 11 entirely covered the shack, leaving absolutely no trace of it. For two days the family were obliged to use candle light, but did not suffer any inconveniences. The house was shoveled out by a party of railroad shovelers.

The scarcity of fuel and provisions re- sulted in many amusing incidents. The Pipestone County Star of March 3 told of a new-fangled fuel :

We have been asked for our experience in burning railroad ties. Well, we have had some during the past month. They are not very expensive fuel, oh no! Forty of them make an ordinary cord of wood- soft wood at that-and have been sold at thirty-five cents apiece, just $14 for the cord at the depot. On getting them home we find that they cost five cents each for haut- ing-an additional $2.00. For sawing and splitting the cost was $2.50, total for a cord of very soft wood, $18. We have tried the wood in one stove and greenbacks in an- other, and so far as the heat is concerned, we believe it is in favor of the stove that burns the greenbacks.

The Star also told of a substitute for wrapping paper :

Our butchers, being out of wrapping pa- per, have conceived the novel idea of us- ing sharpened sticks, and it is nothing un- common to see people going through the streets with parasols made of a hunk of roast beef or a round steak. Necessity is the mother of invention.

THE PRAIRIE FIRES.

During the entire early history of Pipe- stone county prairie fires brought great losses to the settlers, and many thousands of dollars worth of property were destroy- ed through that agency. In the fall of 1829, particularly, there was great dam- age. For nights in succession the heavens were illumined by the glare from the rag- ing prairie tires. On October 5, while a

hard south wind was blowing, a fire was started in the northeastern part of the county, and in a moment. almost, the rag- ing flames had spread over miles of terri- torv. Houses and barns, hay and grain stacks, melted before it like so much pa- per. and thousands of dollars damage was done in a few hours. In attempting to save his teain. Mike Gamble was severely burned.

On the same day a fire was started two miles northwest of Pipestone, which spread with fearful rapidity and brought great damage in Troy township. The llames jumped firebreaks, and tumble weeds carried the fire miles ahead of the main conflagration. A desperate fight was put up before the flames were finally under control. The southeastern part of the county also suffered severely from fires that season, and many of the new settlers were burned out as an initiation to Pipestone county. The local paper said on October 9: "To try to estimate these losses at this writing would be nse- less. They are simply enormous for the new beginners in this new county and are indeed discouraging to the sufferers." C. 1l. Bennett and wife fought one of these fires all night to keep it from burning their home and invading the town from the north.

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An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota, Part 58

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