USA > Minnesota > Waseca County > Child's history of Waseca County, Minnesota : from its first settlement in 1854 to the close of the year 1904, a record of fifty years : the story of the pioneers > Part 24
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ELECTION FIGURES.
The following figures show the result of the election in the county in 1874 :
STATE SENATOR.
COUNTY AUDITOR.
Edgar Cronkhite, dem 955
J. E. Child, rep 720
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
REPRESENTATIVES.
Jos. Minges, rep. 968
H. P. Packard, rep 748
M. H. Lamb, dem .. 827
John Thompson, dem. 666
Wm. Burke, dem. 93
Chris Melchior, rep 49
Wm. Byron, dem. 70
Geo. Hofeld, dem. 104
C. H. Newell, rep. 110
SHORT NOTES FOR THE YEAR.
Among the marriages of the year we record the following: Mr. W. H. Taylor, one of the early boy-settlers of Blooming Grove, and Miss Emma Barnes, one of the early girl-settlers of Wilton, were married March 5, 1874. They were very worthy, industrious, energetic and frugal young people. They now carry on a sheep ranch in Montana and are among the wealthy, well- to-do of that state.
Mr. August Pream, of Alton, and Miss Augusta Hollander, of Wilton, were married June 10, 1874, and began married life in Alton where they have been engaged in successful farming.
August 25, 1874, Mr. Rudolph Jacoby, then a recent arrival from Germany, a bright and well-informed young man, was joined in marriage with Miss Annie Schmidt, daughter of Mr. Edward Schmidt, one of the very early settlers of Otisco. She was the only child and inherits her father's fine estate. They own one of the finest farms in Otisco.
On the 10th of January, 1874, the dwelling house of Anthony James, one of the early settlers of Woodville, together with near- ly its entire contents, was destroyed by fire. His eldest daugh- ter, while carrying a small child from the burning building, fell
P. McGovern, dem.
875
H. J. Wadsworth, rep. 698
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
and broke one of her legs near the knee. The fire was caused by the accidental breaking of a kerosene lamp.
On Nov. 30, 1874, the house of Gottlieb Prechel, of St. Mary, on his old farm, was destroyed by fire. The old house was not worth much, but unfortunately for Mr. Peter Hund, who ocen- pied it, his household goods, with considerable grain, were all de- stroyed.
Under date of June 17, 1874, the Waseca News published the following :
We are pained to learn that Wm. R. Brisbane, son of Hon. Wm. Bris- bane of Wilton, was dangerously injured last week. The cattle having broken into his field, he mounted a large horse and rode into the field to drive them out. While on the gallop, the horse ran against a cow with such force as to knock himself down, Mr. Brisbane falling under him. The horse, a very heavy one, made several attempts to rise, each time falling back upon the body of the unfortunate man, Mr. Bris- bane vomited for several hours afterwards, and suffered great pain, but finally got better."
Mr. Brisbane has never fully recovered from the effects of the fall and the injuries he then received.
On the 17th of June, 1874, the county board passed a resolution appropriating $1,000 for the building of a vault to the court house for the safe keeping of the records, books, and papers of the county, especially the records of the office of the register of deeds. It was to be 16x20 feet, one story high, and built of brick, with heavy iron doors. O. Powell, S. K. Odell, and H. K. Stearns constituted the building committee to oversee the work.
The Waseca News of October 7, 1874, contained the following:
"A sad accident happened on Thursday last, in the town of Otisco. John Peterson, commonly known as "Little" John Peterson, while at work around a threshing machine was caught in the side gearing by the right arm near the elbow. His arm was drawn in up to his body and torn off, lacerating the flesh about his shoulder and side in a horri- ble manner."
He slowly recovered and lived a number of years afterwards, dying a year ago of heart failure.
The year 1874 was the last year of the second decade in the history of the county. The white population had increased from nothing to over eight thousand. A railroad had been built through the county, wagon roads had been improved, sloughs and streams bridged, and the country covered with improved farms owned by intelligent freemen.
CHAPTER XLIII, 1875.
THE RADICAL-COUNTY LEGISLATION-A HARD WINTER-SA- LOON TROUBLES-SPELLING SCHOOLS-NEW CHURCH BUILD- INGS-RAILROAD BOND PROPOSITIONS-GRANGE WAREHOUSE -OLD SETTLERS ORGANIZE-DEATHS OF THE YEAR-MAN FROZEN TO DEATH-COUNTY POLITICS-BAD STORMS-BUILD- ING OF TURNER HALL-DIED, KITTREDGE, MRS. FETTERLY, MRS. TAYLOR, MRS. H. J. CARLTON, JOHN L. WERDIN, MR. BRANDT, MRS. BOUCHER, MINNIE FARRINGTON.
The first week of 1875 ushered in the "Minnesota Radical," edited and published by James E. Child. It succeeded the "Waseca Weekly News" which had been published by the same man since 1863. It published as its platform the following :
We look upon the saloon traffic, in all its departments, as a crime against humanity, and a burning disgrace to our boasted civilization, as the one great cause of business failures, of crimes of every grade, and of the poverty and misery which go to make up so large a portion of the world's history. This traffic levies upon the tax-payers of the state seven-eighths of the expense of the state prison, over one-half the expense of the re- form school, and a large portion of the immense costs annually paid for criminal prosecutions. It habitually violates the laws of both God and man. It makes paupers and slaves of women and children. It murders our citizens, depraves the young, and destroys the weak. It corrupts voters and contaminates the ballot box.
We believe that the producing, commercial, and industrial interests of the country should have the best and cheapest modes of transportation possible, and while capital invested in such means of transit, whether by railroad or otherwise, should be permitted the right of reasonable and just compensation, all abuse in management, excessive rates of toll, and all unjust discriminations against localities, persons or interests, practiced by them, should be prohibited by law; and the people should
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
be protected from the improper and arbitrary use of the vast powers pos- sessed by railroad and other transportation companies; and that it is the duty of the state and nation, each in its legitimate sphere, to enact laws which will limit to just and reasonable rates all tolls, freights and charges of transportation companies, and protect the people from ex- tortion and imposition.
Let us unite as one man in an honest effort to suppress the liquor traffic, to prevent extortions and unjust discriminations by corporations, to drive corruption and bribery from high and low places."
COUNTY LEGISLATION.
The board of county commissioners met Jan. 5, 1875. The members present were Dr. R. O. Craig, H. K. Stearns, Wm. Burke, Maj. Wm. C. Young, and C. H. Newell. Dr. Craig was elected chairman. M. D. L. Collester was appointed county at- torney in place of Mr. P. McGovern, who had resigned to accept the position of state senator. The board petitioned the legisla- ture to enact a law authorizing the commissioners of the county to issue county bonds not exceeding ten thousand dollars, for the purpose of ereeting a county jail.
A HARD WINTER.
On the 8th of January, there was a Minnesota blizzard, lasting all of one day. On the 2d and 3d days of February there was an- other fierce snow storm; and on the 10th and 23d of the same month severe storms again deluged the country with snow. The first week in March a very heavy snow storm from the northeast covered all the northern portion of North America.
It was a hard winter in Minnesota, but light compared with the visitation in Canada. That country was covered with such mountains of snow as to make travel impossible. Large districts there were isolated for months and trade was paralyzed. The appearance of spring weather was welcomed by all the people of the North.
DEATH OF FREDERICK W. KITTREDGE.
Mr. Kittredge was born in the State of Ohio, in 1841. He was the son of Dr. Kittredge of that state, and a half brother of Maj. W. T. Kittredge, one of the early settlers of Wilton. Fred came to this county in 1861 and tanght school in Wilton one term. Soon after he went to Mankato where he took an active part in defense of the town during the Indian ontbreak. Shortly after
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
the Indian outbreak he married Miss Elizabeth L. Baker, of Ohio, and they began wedded life on a farm near Okaman. His health failing, he moved with his family first to Wilton and then to Wa- seca where he engaged in the drug business in company with N. E. Strong. He was an honorable, upright, intelligent gentleman and highly esteemed. He was sick for nearly a year of heart disease, and died Jan. 4, 1875. He was an honored member of the Masonic fraternity, and his brethren were kind and atten- tive to him during his long illness. He left surviving him his widow and three daughters. His remains were taken to Ohio for burial.
"WASECA COUNTY BANK ASSOCIATION."
This banking association was formed the first of the year by twenty-four of the citizens of this county and eleven residents of Faribault, Rice county. The officers of the association were the following: President, Geo. W. Newell; cashier, Frank A. New- ell; directors, P. C. Bailey, J. W. Johnson, R. M. Addison, S. S. Phelps, J. A. Claghorn, E. G. Wood, of Waseca; H. M. Matteson, W. B. Brown, and L. Emmett, of Faribault, Rice county.
SALOON TROUBLE.
On March 4, 1875, an exciting affair took place. The "Radi- cal" made a record of it, as follows :
Some time within the day, Charlie Blank, Lansing Blank and Curtis Sucker, commenced to fill up on rot-gut whisky, in accordance with the statute in such cases made and provided-at least, we suppose so. About five o'clock p. m. they went into Roeder's and took a horn or two of legal tangle-leg, and were about to leave, when Roeder demanded prompt payment. Lansing, who, it appears, had called for the licensed fluid, told Roeder that he would pay him on Saturday. Whereupon Roe- der clinched Charlie's hat off his head, and said he would keep it until his bill was paid. This aroused the animal on the part of all hands, and a general clinch ensued. The old lady of the mansion gave a screech and a scream, and, like a catamount or some other animal, gently placed her fingers in Charlie's curls. Curt and Lansing embraced old Roeder, opened the door and gently deposited him in the street. Curt then stepped to the door, reached in and brought forth the presiding female of the house and. Charlie who were fondly or otherwise clasped in each other's embrace. As they struck the sidewalk, the embracing business ceased. The old lady stood on end, placed her gentle hands upon her heaving bosom and screamed a scream of angry defiance that would have done credit to a female panther. By this time there was hurrying 12
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
to and fro, and eager enquiries as to the cause of all the commotion. In the mean time the boys had walked up town, making loud talk. Pres- ently Marshal Willyard appeared upon the scene and arrested Curt, whom he placed in charge of Constable Stevenson. He then made for Charlie, who took a run for home. The marshal met a team which he pressed into his service, and soon ran down his man. Lansing was not found until morning, when he, too, was arrested. On Friday morning the three young men were brought before Justice Baker, on a charge of drunkenness. They all plead guilty, and were fined $10 each and costs- the latter amounting to $4.75."
This affair was followed by a number of arrests. Roeder was arrested for selling liquors, and Justice Baker requested the county attorney to appear and prosecute the case. This the coun- ty attorney refused to do, claiming it was a village and not a county affair.
Mr. Brownell was then employed to prosecute the case, and Roeder was convicted by a jury-the case being a very plain one and the evidence clear and conclusive. The saloon attorney then . went before an ignorant court commissioner, got out a writ of habeas corpus, and, upon the hearing, the court commissioner set aside the verdict and the judgment of the justice and set the pris- oner free. That such a proceeding could take place among civ- ilized men shows the power of the liquor traffic at certain times and in certain places. But so indignant were the law-and-order people of the county that when the grand jury convened, the following March, indictments were found against the following persons for the unlawful selling of intoxicants, viz: W. T. Cronk- right, of Alma City, John Deeth, II. W. Zeller, Christian Hansen, Jule Egge, Roger Hanberry, and David Carey, of Waseca. The jury also presented an informal indictment or presentment against the county attorney for refusing to proseente Roeder for selling liquor before Justice Baker. The judge of the district court, upon his own motion, set aside the indictment against the county attorney on the ground of informality.
SPELLING SCHOOL.
During the winter of 1874-5 spelling schools became very pop- ular in the county, and the contests were interesting and instruc- tive. The following record of one of the contests is from the "Minnesota Radical" of April 28, 1875:
"The school was organized by the choice of Rev. Mr. Shedd, as presi-
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
dent; Messrs. Latham and Brownell, as judges; Mrs. Latham and Mr. Jamison, as captains; and Major Young, as teacher.
The winner of the sack of salt, the foot prize, was Mr. G. Parks, who could not master "pigmies." Mrs. James Claghorn couldn't get along with "jockeys," and took the pepper box. "Noxious" was altogether too noxious for Mrs. Garland. Rev. Lorin was poor at "seizing," and Capt. Jamison went down on a "mattress." Mr. McCormick spelled "chimneys" with nies for the latter syllable. Esquire Bennett couldn't get along with a "prude," and Mr. S. T. Lewis experienced a slip of the tongue on "hen-hawk." "Cougar" took down Mr. S. O. Sherwin; Miss Abbie Kittredge could not manage a "canoe;" Mr. Spencer was no good on "rummage;" and the bird "albatross," was the wrong bird for J. F. Pres- ton. "Cochineal" brought the color to Mr. Dearborn's face, and Miss Hollister was disgusted with "cinnamon." S. N. Sherwin was taken from the field by a "hurricane;" J. L. Claghorn was caught "joking;" H. A. Mosher was slightly "embarrassed;" and Mrs. S. N. Sherwin couldn't reach the "eldorado" of her anticipations.
At this point only three of the contestants remained upon the battle- field, viz: Mrs. Shedd, Mrs. Latham and Miss Annie Child. Mrs. Latham couldn't handle a "lariat" and Mrs. Shedd didn't know any more about "vaquero" than some others did. Miss Annie Child got caught in a "chaparral," but won the prize-Holland's Mistress of the Manse."
It is a pity that the American people can not devise a system of orthography more in accord with common sense than the pres- ent barbarous one which occupies so much of the time of pupils to the detriment of other studies.
THREE NEW CHURCH BUILDINGS.
This was a year of new church buildings. The Episcopalians, the German Methodists and the German Evangelical association, each erected a new house of worship. The German Methodist edi- fice then erected is still standing and received a new roof in 1904. The German Evangelical church then built gave way to a new and larger building erected in 1904. The Episcopalian chapel still serves the people of that church and is in a good state of preservation.
RAILROAD PROPOSITION.
Preliminary to the building of the M. & St. L. railroad through this county, there was considerable strife between the people of the old village of Wilton and the people of Waseca. About May 10, 1875, a gentleman by the name of Barnum, representing the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Iowa railway company, came through
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
the county and called a meeting before which he had an offer to lay. The meeting was held May 15, at the old court house, in Waseca. At a preliminary meeting, a committee had been ap- pointed to report upon the matter. A local paper reported as follows :
"On motion of Hon. W. G. Ward, James E. Child was called to the chair and H. A. Mosher was chosen secretary. A motion was made by Mr. Ward that "It is inexpedient for the town of Woodville to vote bonds to aid in the construction of a railroad or for any other purpose."
At the suggestion of Mr. G. P. Johnson, by consent of the mover, the chairman decided to wait a reasonable time before submitting the motion, for the report of a committee previously appointed.
Within a few minutes the committee entered, and S. B. Williams, Esq., proceeded to call the meeting to order, but was himself called to order at once by Mr. Ward, who took evident pleasure in informing him that the meeting was fully organized and ready for husiness. Friend Wil- liams took in the situation and commenced to give his views on the sub- ject of railroad bonuses.
Mr. Ward, again interrupted, and said the gentleman was out of order as he was not talking to the motion. Without insisting upon a ruling, Mr. Williams took a seat.
Mr. Barnum, of lowa, who was then called for, remarked that he had nothing to say until the pending motion was disposed of-then he had a proposition to make.
MIr. Ward then stated that he had no desire to take any advantage of the friends of the bonus proposition, and would withdraw his motion and allow the meeting to proceed de novo, simply retaining the chairman and secretary. No objection being made, Mr. Barnum proceeded to state his position on railroad matters in general, and made quite a speech, saying that, on general principles, he was opposed to subsidies to railroads, except where it could not be helped, but that the present ques- tion of granting aid was one of the cases where it could not very well be helped. We could have the road if we wanted it and would pay for it; and if not, we need not have it.
He then made the following proposition :
"That the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Iowa R. R. company propose to the citizens of Waseca county to locate, grade, iron and operate their rail- way from the south line of said county to the village of Waseca, and to have the cars running thereon at the earliest practical moment, provided that said county raise for said company in town bonds, reliable sub- scriptions, or money, a sum equal to $25,000, and place the same in pledge for said company, subject to their order, as follows: one-half when the cars are running to the town of Wilton, one-fourth when the cars are running to the village of Waseca, and one-fourth when the cars are running to the north line of said county-bonds to draw 7 per cent
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
interest payable semi-annually; and that said county furnish right of way, free of cost to said company, of 50 feet on each side of the center line, as the same is or may be located, and depot grounds 300x2,000 feet, in the village of Waseca."
Mr. Ward then addressed the meeting in opposition to the proposition. He argued that Waseca was the natural point of junction for the proposed road and that it would come here. He stated that the bonus would make no difference with the company, and cited the case of Mankato and St. Peter. The Winona & St. Peter company had decided to build a branch into Mankato, and after that decision, the officers of the road went to the citizens of Mankato and obtained a bonus which they put into their own pockets; but bonus or no bonus the branch would have been built. At St. Peter after the plans and specifications for the bridge had been made and approved and after the contract for building the bridge had been let, operations were suspended for ten days, by the of- ficers of the road, in order to get a bonus out of St. Peter; when, as a matter of fact, the bridge would have been built bonus or no bonus.
Mr. Barnum said in reply that nearly all the roads in the West were land-grant roads, while this one was not. He had come here in good faith, and should be pleased to co-operate with the people here, but as there seemed to be strong opposition, and as there was no motion before the meeting, he would withdraw the proposition, and leave the people here to take such action as they might deem for their best interests.
S. B. Williams, Esq., addressed the meeting in favor of voting a bonus. He thought that under the circumstances it would be money well in- vested.
On motion of Hon. P. McGovern that a committee of ten be appointed to canvass the matter, the chair appointed as such committee, P. McGov- ern, W. G. Ward, Thos. Bendure. A. Vinton, B. S. Lewis, I. C. Trowbridge, W. C. Young, S. B. Williams, G. P. Johnson, and S. H. Foster.
The meeting then adjourned to meet on Saturday, May 22 at 2 o'clock p. m.
Excitement ran high during the week, so high indeed that tim- id souls did not attend the adjourned meeting. At the time of the adjourned meeting, the chair called the meeting to order, and the committee appointed at the previous meeting, through the chairman, Hon. P. McGovern, reported that they had no sugges- tions to make.
Mr. Lewis then offered the following resolution, and moved its adoption :
Resolved, by the citizens of Woodville township, Waseca county, that we will give to the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Iowa railroad company, or the railway company which shall first construct and build said line of road, to aid in the construction of said road, through said town, the sum of $25,000 in the bonds of said town, drawing seven per cent interest
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
payable semi-annually, payable in thirty years from their date; said bonds to be delivered when said company shall have constructed its road to a junction with the W. & St. P. R. R. in the village of Waseca, and shall have the same in running operation.
On motion of B. S. Lewis, the meeting decided to vote upon the resolution by ballot. The chair appointed as tellers to receive the votes Messrs. W. G. Ward, W. C. Young, and Lewis Brownell.
W G. Ward took the floor and made a speech in opposition to the resolution. He was replied to by Mr. Brownell, who favored its adoption.
Fifteen minutes was agreed upon to allow parties to prepare ballots, the polls to remain open one-half hour.
One hundred eighty-five votes were cast-95 for, and 90 against the resolution; and the resolution was declared adopted.
Although the contest was very spirited, it really decided noth- ing as it was only an informal expression of opinion; but it aroused a disenssion which, in 1876, resulted in the bonding of the township in the sum of $30,000.
The town of Wilton had on the 17th of May. 1875, voted to issue bonds to the amount of $25,000.
GRANGE ORGANIZATIONS.
The first Grange in Waseca county was organized May 14, 1870, under a dispensation issued by William Saunders, Master of the National Grange, and certified to by O. W. Kelly, the first national secretary of the order. As early as May 3, 1873, there were ten granges in the county ready to co-operate with one an- other for the benefit of all, and a county organization was effect- ed at that time. This organization was more for discussion and mutual instruction than for business, and it was finally deemed advisable to create a company, or corporation, for the purchasing and handling of grain. This was accomplished Oct. 19, 1874, at Waseca. The records of the town of Woodville for the year 1874, contain the articles of incorporation of the Grange association. The following were its managers:
"H. W. S. Hinkley, W. D. Armstrong, R. R. Howard, L. D. Smith, Hugh Wilson, J. J. Wilkins, Robert Earl, Samuel Hodgkins, and J. Penfield.
The capital stock was fixed at $2,000, and each share was $25. The name of the organization was Waseca County Grange association, and its principal place of business was at Waseca. Its business was to erect or lease a grain warehouse, and to operate the same; to receive, handle,
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buy, ship, store, and sell grain and farm products. It commenced opera- tions that fall, and, for a time, appeared to be doing a good business. The price of wheat was at once raised by the combine buyers, and the farmers of the county, outside the men that formed the organization and were fighting the Chicago wheat ring, reaped a rich harvest. But the association after a time learned with considerable loss of money that the man they had entrusted with the management of the warehouse was one of the many unfortunates that can not be trusted. Although a man of many good qualities, he possessed the fault of drinking liquor, and the wheat men soon managed, indirectly, to keep him under the influence of the dram shops. The final outcome was a loss of the en- tire capital invested by the stockholders, leaving the wheat combine with a stronger hold than before. The experiment revealed the fact that farmers, as a rule, are not yet ready to stand by one another in a fight against organized monopoly."
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