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 31
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The water tank is one of the very largest that is built, and holds 2,500 barrels. It is 22 feet from the ground to the bottom of the tank, and the tank is 18 feet in height, by 30 feet in diameter. The entire space below the tank is boarded up, batten- ed, and painted. The pipes that connect with the tank are thoroughly protected from the action of the frost, at all places.
The coal shed, separate and apart from the other buildings, is 460 feet long, 26 feet wide, and 14 feet high, and will hold 2,500 tons of coal. It is built entirely of wood, and is a mammoth building. Derricks are provided at two places, from which coal may be supplied. At one end of the coal house is a sand house 16x60 feet in size. In the construction of the buildings there were used 500 cords of stone, 550,000 brick, 150 cars of sand, 1,600 sacks of cement, 800,000 feet of lumber and six carloads of lime. The plant is a large one and contributes much to the permanent prosperity of the city of Waseca.
ELECTION OF 1881.
The county officers elected Nov. 8, were as follows: treasurer, C. McKenna, democrat; superintendent of schools, Dr. D. S. Cummings, democrat; register of deeds, Charles San Galli, demo- crat; sheriff, Hugh Wilson, republican; county attorney, W. R. Kinder, republican ; judge of probate, S. D. Crump, republican ; county surveyor, Orson L. Smith; coroner, Dr. R. O. Craig; coun- ty commissioners, I. C. Trowbridge, of Waseca, and Geo. W. Soule of Blooming Grove.
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
WASECA FIRE COMPANIES.
The very disastrous fire of October 20 and 21, of this year, em- phasized the necessity for organizing fire companies, and the year 1881 was appropriately closed by the organizing of an en- gine company and a hose company.
MEMBERS OF FIRST ENGINE COMPANY.
Jesse Reese,
John Maloney,
M. D. L. Collester,
John Lortis,
Walter Child,
Fred Clayton,
Peter Coles,
Samuel Strohmeier,
Gus. Staack,
E. Morrison,
C. Christopherson,
C. M. Oster,
H. V. Davis,
Ellsworth Goodspeed,
Sumner Wood, E. B. Collester,
D. McLoughlin, Wenzel Kruezer,
Charles Platt,
Geo. W. Smith,
A. J. Lohren,
C. Ebbinghausen,
J. M. Robertson,
J. A. Lilly,
John Roland,
J. W. Aughenbaugh,
Wm. Miller,
Allan Goodspeed,
Thomas Breen,
John F. Murphy.
S. Swenson, Wm. Schlicht,
MEMBERS OF THE FIRST HOSE COMPANY.
John Locke,
Ed. Goetzenberger, H. E. Strong,
Ernest Ramsdale,
E. L. Fiske,
D. S. Cummings,
Ed. Forbes,
A. Schildknecht,
C. D. Ward,
Ed. Cummings,
E. W. Fiske,
Jake Niebles,
Ed. Castor,
J. E. Madden,
M. O. Forbes.
The year 1881 closed with very pleasant weather. The fall . months had been delightful with "December as pleasant as May."
CHAPTER LI, 1882.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS-GOLDEN WEDDING OF HON. AND MRS. WM. BRISBANE-A CENTENARIAN DIES-SUICIDE OF ICHABOD WEST-BUILDING OF GRANT HOUSE AND WAVERLY HOTEL-DEATH OF MRS. KIMBALL-PROSPEROUS YEAR.
The county commissioners for this year were Ira C. Trow- bridge, Geo. W. Soule, Philip Purcell, N. M. Nelson, A. J. Jor- dan, and W. D. Armstrong, with C. E. Crane as county auditor. Philip Purcell was again elected chairman. Nothing special oc- curred except the awarding of the county printing without hav- ing given notice to the publishers in the county asking for bids. This action was a violation of law.
A GOLDEN WEDDING.
Hon. Wm. Brisbane and wife, of Wilton, celebrated their golden wedding Jan. 20, 1882. Their children, grand children, and great grand children then numbered seventy-three, and nearly all of them were present. There were also present some two hundred other persons, who participated in the celebration of the anniversary. One very noticeable-and to Mr. and Mrs. Brisbane a very interesting feature-was the presence of Mr. and Mrs. John Gillis, of Wisconsin, who were married on the same day and at the same place that they were. Mr. Gillis came with his aged companion on purpose to celebrate their Golden Wed- ding with their friends of "Auld Lang Syne." He brought with him a picture of the humble, thatched cottage in Scotland where they commenced their married life. It is seldom that two couples,
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
who married on the same day in the same place, and afterwards emigrated to a foreign shore, are permitted to celebrate their golden wedding together.
DEATH OF A CENTENARIAN.
A paragraph in a local paper, dated April 14, 1882, read as follows: "Died, at her home in Wilton, on the afternoon of the 6th inst., at 4 o'clock, Mrs. Boyer, in the one hundred and fourth year of her age. She had been confined to her bed all winter, but did not appear worse than usual until a few hours before her death. The funeral services on Saturday afternoon were conducted by Rev. Thos. Hartley of Otisco." She cared far very kindly by her son, James, who went west soon after her death.
SUICIDE.
Mr. Ichabod West, one of the early settlers of Vivian, aged 83 years, on the 8th day of August, committed suicide by hanging himself to a bed post in his room. Mr. West had been living with his son's family and had been growing blind for some time. This greatly annoyed him, and caused him to express fears that he would become entirely helpless. This seemed to him an un- bearable calamity. On Tuesday forenoon he went to his room. Soon after, his daughter-in-law had occasion to go in there when she found him suspended to the bed post by means of a handker- chief. He had evidently passed the handkerchief around the bed post and then around his neck and deliberately strangled him- self to death.
BUILDING OPERATIONS.
During the summer of 1882 several substantial buildings were erected in Waseca. Among them were two large hotels-the Grant House and the Waverly, -the Anderson block-now known as McLoughlin Bros.' Store, -the brick building at the southeast corner of Second and Wood streets, and other smaller buildings.
DEATH OF MRS. KIMBALL.
At a very early hour Sunday morning, Sept. 2. 1882. at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. H. P. Norton, of Waseca, Mrs. Naney Kimball quietly passed from earth. Mrs. Kimball was
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
the daughter of a soldier of the War of the Revolution, Gen. Eliphalet Gay, of New London, N. H. At this place Mrs. Kim- ball was born on the 25th of June, 1795. She was married to Jonathan Kimball in the year 1820, and continued to reside in New London till 1839. The family then emigrated to McHenry county, Illinois, and settled in what afterwards became Wood- stock, the county seat. After nine years of pioneer life her hus- band died, and she lived a widow thirty-four years. Till about ten years ago, she retained her property in Woodstock, and made that place her home. She afterwards resided with her daughters, spending most of her time in Waseca with Mrs. Norton.
ELECTION RESULTS.
The election, which was held Nov. 7, 1882, gave the following local results : state senator, Dr. R. O. Craig; representative, John C. White, of Waseca; county auditor, C. E. Crane; coroner, Dr. H. J. Young; county commissioners, Philip Purcell, and N. M. Nelson. Messrs. Crane, H. J. Young and N. M. Nelson were re- publicans-the others democrats.
CLOSE OF THE YEAR.
On the whole, the year 1882 was a quiet one for Waseca county. The weather, as a rule, had been mild, and the crops better than average. The people generally had been prosperous, and the holidays found them happy and contented.
CAPTER LII, 1883.
COUNTY PRINTING STRUGGLE-DIED, AMANDA GREGORY, EDIT- OR S. M. ROSE, MATTHIAS MALONEY-MAPLEWOOD PARK DRIVEWAY-CITY OF WASECA ISSUES BONDS TO BUILD STREETS-STEAMBOAT LAUNCHED ON CLEAR LAKE-MAPLE- WOOD PARK ASSOCIATION ORGANIZED-TORNADO JULY 13- PASSENGER TRAIN BLOWN FROM TRACK-ARM BROKEN- PROPERTY DESTROYED RESULT OF ELECTION.
The county commissioners opened their session this year Jan. 2. Mr. Purcell was again elected chairman. As usual in those days, there was an unseemly squabble for the county printing, and more or less favoritism was shown. The report says :
"Bids for the county printing were considered. The Argus bid only for the proceedings of the county commissioners at 25 cents per folio. The Radical put in a bid for the delinquent tax list at 21/2 cents per de- scription, the proceedings free, and suggested that the financial state- ment be published in all three papers, and each paid 25 cents per folio. The Herald proposed to print the delinquent tax list for $40, the finan- cial statement for $25, the proceedings of commissioners, including the proceedings of the board of equalization, for $35, and all other notices at 10 cents per folio. In disposing of the county printing, the bid of the Argus was accepted, also that of the Radical with the exception of the financial statement which was awarded without stating the price. The proceedings of the board of equalization were awarded to the Herald at 25 cents per folio."
MRS. AMANDA GREGORY.
This lady, who was one of the very early settlers of St. Mary, died Feb. 28, 1883, at the age of seventy-eight years. She had been feeble for a long time and died of old age.
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
DEATH OF EDITOR ROSE.
Salem M. Rose, senior editor and publisher of the Waseca County Herald, departed this life at 4.30 o'clock Tuesday morn- ing, March 13th, aged fifty-one years, and three months. Mr. Rose was one of the pioneers of Minnesota, removing to this state about 1860 from New York. He settled in Dodge county, where he afterwards married Abbie F. Bunker, and for the years that intervened previous to his removal to Waseca, he was successful in obtaining the reward of an industrious, honest and well ordered life. He was one of the early cditors of Waseca and highly respected.
DEATH ON THE RAILROAD.
Matthias Maloney, brother of the late John Maloney, of Wa- seca, and of Thomas Maloney, of Iosco, was found dead by the side of the railroad track. He was one of the early settlers of the county and lived with his four children a short distance east of New Richland, where he owned a farm. Friday night, March 16, he started for Waseca, having in his possession about $45 in money and several valuable papers. At New Richland he took a freight train, arriving at Waseca about the hour of 1 a. m. Very shortly thereafter his dead body was found lying on the railroad track a short distance south of the M. & St. L. de- pot. He was terribly mangled and cut, which indicated that a number of cars had passed over him. Coroner Young was im- mediately summoned, but he did not deem it necessary to hold an inquest, as the manner of Mr. Maloney's death was entirely plain. Whether he was crawling under a car and the train start- ed meanwhile, or whether he was standing on the track and first run over by the engine, can only be conjectured. One thing, however, seemed a little curious. When his body was found, which was immediately after his death, there was no money or papers about his person. No satisfactory explanation of the mystery ever came to light. He left surviving him three girls and a son, the last having then attained to manhood.
MAPLEWOOD PARK DRIVEWAY AND STREETS.
During the legislative session of 1883, the city of Waseca asked for and secured an act of the legislature authorizing the city
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
to issue bonds in any sum not exceeding $6,000.00 for the purpose of constructing highways-more especially a driveway or road around Clear Lake and to the grounds known as Maplewood Park. Immediately upon the passage of this act, Mayor Colles- ter called a special meeting of the city council. Upon petition of numerous eitizens, the council adopted the following resolu- tion :
"RESOLVED: That the common council of said city of Waseca here- by order a special election to be held by the legal voters of said city on the 19th day of March, 1883, at the court house, in said city, commenc- ing at 9 o'clock a. m., and closing at 5 o'clock p. m., for the purpose of voting on the question of issuing such bonds as provided by law; and that a copy of this resolution be published in the Herald and the Radical of said city."
The records further show that, at a special meeting of the common council, held March 29, pursuant to the call of the mayor, it was moved and carried "that the recorder be directed to purchase eighteen blank printed bonds in denominations of $500.00 each, said bonds to run ten years with interest coupons attached, bearing a rate of interest of six per cent per annum, interest payable semi-annually, and said bonds to be issued June 1, 1883." There was much discussion before the matter of bonds and streets and driveways in and about Waseca was settled. On May 30, following, the council ordered the issuance of two bonds, of $500 each, the money to be derived therefrom to be expended in the construction of the driveway around Clear Lake. On June 5, the council awarded the job of grubbing and clearing the road bed around Clear Lake to James Tripp for $165.00. The contract for hauling and putting upon the streets one thousand loads of gravel, from the farm of Mike Tomoski, was let to Mr. Patrick Kelly, he being the lowest bidder. At the council meeting of June 15, Alderman Robertson introduced a resolution to immediately issue four more city bonds, numbers 3, 4, 5 and 6, of $500.00 each, for the construction of drives around Clear and Loon Lakes. Alderman Wood moved to amend by making the total amount of the bonds $4,000.00, one-half the amount, $2,000.00, to be used in making stone gutters along Second street. The amendment was lost by a tie vote-Wood and Broughton voting ave, and Madden and Robertson nay. The vote being taken on the original motion it was lost by the same vote. June
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
20, Mayor Trowbridge called a special meeting of the council to take action in regard to the construction of stone gutters or Second street, and also the construction of the driveway around Clear Lake.
This meeting resulted in the adoption of a resolution to issue city bonds to the amount of $3,000-$1,500 of which was to be expended in the construction of stone gutters on Second street, and the rest in the construction of the driveway around Clear Lake. At the council meeting held Nov. 20, of the same year, the mayor and the recorder were directed to issue two more road bonds, each of $500.00. It appears from the records that only $5,000 of the authorized $6,000 in bonds, was issued that year. This was a year of many improvements in and about the city. The Clear Lake road was graded in excellent shape as was the Loon Lake drive. The stone gutters on each side of Second street were put in this season. This last was one of the most useful publie improvements ever made by the city up to that time.
STEAMBOAT LAUNCHED.
A small steamboat, called the "Commodore," was successfully launched on Clear Lake, June 16, 1883. The boat was formerly in use on Lake Minnetonka, Minn., and was purchased by Ira C. Trowbridge and A. P. Jamison for $1,200. It served as a pleasure boat for a number of years, especially during the Chau- tauqua sessions at Maplewood Park. It was finally sold to parties in the western portion of the state, much to the regret of many in this locality.
INDEPENDENCE DAY.
Great preparations had been made for a public celebration of the Fourth, at Waseca, but a drizzling rain, which set in at 5 o'clock a. m. and continued till between 9 and 10 o'clock, sadly demoralized the arrangements that had been made. As soon as the rain ceased, however, the people gathered at Court House Square, where Rev. R. Forbes delivered one of his charae- teristic addresses.
MAPLEWOOD PARK ASSOCIATION.
During the month of July, this year, steps were taken to
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
organize this association. The temporary officers were Rev. C. N. Stowers, of Faribault, president; Rev. H. C. Jennings, secre- tary; and Mr. A. P. Jamison, treasurer. Nearly all the leading citizens of Waseca took stock and became interested in what was popularly known as "The Waseca Cautauqua Assembly" at Maplewood Park. It was one of the finest resorts in the state and was maintained for fifteen years consecutively-the last assembly being held in July, 1898. Financially, the enterprise was never a success; but morally, socially, and intellectually it was worth more than it cost. It is much to be regretted that the people at large did not contribute more liberally to its main- tenance.
TORNADO EXTRAORDINARY.
This was the year of tornadoes in Southern Minnesota, and Waseca had a foretaste of what was a terrible disaster at Roch- ester, Minn., about a month later.
The worst storm that ever visited this section occurred July 13, 1883. About 10 o'clock a. m., dense, black clouds rolled up from the southwest and overcast the sky. Lightning flashes followed each other in quick succession and heavy peals of thun- der shook every building and made the earth tremble. Rain soon commenced to fall, and then, for a few moments, there was a death-like calm, when, all at once, the wind came from the northwest with all the force of a hurricane, and the rain came in blinding sheets, accompanied by hail. So dense was the falling rain and so fierce the wind that one could not discern objects across the street. This terrible storm lasted about an hour, during which time the strongest mind shuddered with fear at what might happen.
Although much damage was done to property, no person was killed or seriously injured. Trowbridge's brick building, now occupied by Mr. Gallien, was unroofed, the tin roofing being carried some distance. The top of the south wall was torn down and the rain drenched the interior of the building. His loss was estimated at $1,000. The furniture factory, since destroyed by fire, was entirely unroofed and the body of the building bad- ly wrecked. Willyard's planing mill and machine shop was badly torn to pieces-almost a complete wreck. Father Christie's
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
barn at the Catholic parsonage was moved from its foundation. The wind totally wrecked the warehouse on the west end of the W. & St. P. elevator, and moved a number of barrels of ce- ment and salt several rods, but left them standing uninjured. The large wheel of Roland's windmill and portions of the tower were carried away. The top of the front wall of the Simon Smith brick store was blown down. The "Priest hotel" lost its chimneys and the barn was totally wrecked. The plateglass front windows of the building now owned and occupied by Mc- Loughlin Bros. were broken by flying debris. One corner of the old courthouse was unroofed and portions of the wall blown down. One freight car was blown from the transfer track and upset, while many of the cars were unceremoniously moved about the yards. The German M. E. church was racked out of position and considerably injured. The old "City Roller Mill" of Everett & Aughenbaugh received the full force of the storm as it swept unimpeded across Loon Lake. The roof was torn off and the entire building very much twisted out of shape. Their machinery was badly disarranged and somewhat damaged. Their warehouse was partly unroofed and five hundred sacks of flour were exposed to the rain. The Grant house had a por- tion of its roof torn off and some damage was done to inside rooms.
The passenger train that left Waseca, going east, just before the storm, was blown from the track, about three miles this side of Owatonna, and several passengers were more or less injured. Among the passengers were Rev. H. C. Jennings, Misses Fanny and Etta Forbes, and Max Forbes, all residents of Waseca at that time. Miss Etta Forbes had an arm broken by the fall, and all were badly shaken up. After reaching Owatonna, Mr. Jen- nings procured a team and carriage and returned to Waseca with the Misses Forbes.
There was one amusing incident during the storm which served to relieve the sadness that was so universal in the community just after the storm subsided. There lived in the city at that time a ponderous gentleman by the name of Kelley, a wood saw- yer by occupation. He was undoubtedly the largest man in the county. "Brother" Kelley lived alone in a small house just east of the W. & St. P. elevator. At the time of the storm he was
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
at his house, and being the heaviest man in the county, he un- doubtedly felt that he would be able to hold his own house down under all circumstances. But alas! the Storm King was no re- spector of weights and measures, and, in a jiffy, his house was torn in pieces and seattered to all the winds of heaven. Kelley seized hold of the stove as an anchor, but he was soon torn from that and carried bodily with portions of his domicile into a pond of water near by with part of the roof of his house upon him. As soon as he struek the ground and recovered from his surprise, he threw off the piece of roof and waded ashore, where he sat down upon the ground and meditated upon the weakness of hu- man habitations until the storm subsided. Aside from a bad bruise on his head he was not much injured, except in his wounded dignity, for he was a very dignified man.
The German Lutheran church, in Ioseo, was moved from its foundation and racked to some extent. S. S. Phelps' large barn, in St. Mary, was all torn to pieees, and his granary moved from its foundation. In the same town the new residenee of James and John Keeley was blown down. A eow belonging to Wm. Oestereich was killed by lightning. E. Brossard's barn was un- roofed. Julius Papke lost his granary, corn cribs, sheds, and other property.
In Blooming Grove, Malaehi Madden had a large new barn de- molished. Two of his small boys were in the barn at the time and were carried quite a distance, but safely landed in a slough. His crops were badly damaged. Roger Garaghty, living near Madden's, had his log house, his barn and sheds entirely blown down, and his erops badly injured. The storm was fearful at Ole Sonsteby's place. He went into his cellar as the storm struck, and immediately his house, built of logs, was taken up and carried away. Large oak trees near his house were broken off and some torn out by the roots.
In Woodville, Mike Spillane's granary was blown down and his erops badly injured. Charles Hensel had thirty-five tons of hay destroyed, his crops and buildings badly injured, and a quantity of growing timber ruined.
At Meriden the German Evangelical church was badly wrecked. A very large barn on the farm of H. Palas was torn
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
down. At the station, a blacksmith shop was torn down, and the flouring mill was unroofed and otherwise seriously damaged.
The damage throughout the towns named was very extensive, and few there were who did not suffer some loss.
RESULT OF THE ELECTION.
A. Bierman, demoerat, for governor, carried the county by a majority of 203. For other state officers, the republican majority was about 165. The democrats elected Charles McKenna treas- urer, M. B. Keeley elerk of court, P. McGovern county attorney, and Dr. D. S. Cummings superintendent of sehools. Hiram A. Mosher, independent, was elected register of deeds. The repub- licans elected S. D. Crump judge of probate, B. A. Lowell court commissioner, Orson L. Smith surveyor, and Dr. H. J. Young coroner. The democrats also elected two county commissioners -M. F. Connor and A. J. Jordan.
VERMONTERS.
The Vermonters held a meeting at the Grant house in Decem- ber, 1883, and Mr. P. A. Erwin, of St. Mary, was present, al- though eighty-eight years of age.
WILTON LODGE NO. 24.
The first Masonic lodge organized in the county was located in Wilton, and was instituted Jan. 8, 1858. . After the removal of the county seat from that place to Waseca, Wilton gradually faded away, and on Dec. 20, 1883, the lodge was removed to Alma City. At the time of its location at Alma City it contained a membership of twenty-five. Its membership was soon after much increased.
CHAPTER LIII, 1884.
COUNTY PRINTING DIVIDED-ECKENBECK RESIDENCE BURNED -LIFE AND DEATH OF JUDGE CANFIELD-S. S. PHELPS KILLED BY RAILROAD-VICE-PRESIDENT COLFAX ON THE FOURTH-ATTEMPTED JAIL DELIVERY, PRISONER SHOT-J. G. COOLEY KILLED-PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
The county "Fathers" met Jan. 1, 1884; those present being N. M. Nelson, A. J. Jordan, Philip Pureell, G. W. Soule, Ira C. Trowbridge, and M. F. Connor. The board organized by elect- ing Philip Purcell chairman. The county printing was divided among the papers of the county and peace reigned supreme. Only the ordinary routine business of the county was transacted.
ECKENBECK RESIDENCE BURNED.
Shortly after 4 o'clock on Feb. 24, 1884, the residence of Charles Eekenbeek, corner of Wood and Fourth streets, Waseca, was discovered to be on fire. The fire started between the eeil- ing and roof of the rear part, as near as could be determined, and was first discovered by the hired girl, who rushed out in her night clothes, barefooted, giving the alarm of fire. George Eckenbeck was sleeping up stairs. His father, who was still very feeble from a long illness, was also up stairs. George took his father in his arms and earried him below. By this time the house was rapidly filling with smoke, and it was with much diffi- culty that he partly dressed his father and carried him out. Miss Effie Winters was staying over night with Miss Louise Ecken- beck, and as George stepped to the porch with his father in his arms, Miss Winters also passed out, and all fell, but received
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