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 38
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some two hours afterwards; the remains lie buried in the St. Mary cemetery.
Died, Col. W. F. Drum, U. S. A., at Fort Yates, N. D., at 9 o'clock p. m., July 4, of apoplexy. Col. Drum, brother of S. II. Drum, of Woodville, was about fifty-nine years of age, and was a man of sterling worth and full of patriotism. He was a graduate of West Point, served during the Rebellion with emi- nent ability, and remained in the service until his death. He was one of the earliest settlers near Meriden, Steele county.
IIon. W. G. Ward, whose life and death are noticed at length elsewhere, died Sept. 21, 1892, of dropsy.
One of the early settlers in St. Mary and Freedom, Mr. John Bunagle, of the latter town, died very suddenly of heart disease. Oct. 4, 1892. Ile had been at work with his team in the field, plowing out potatoes, when he said to his wife and daughters, who were with him, that he felt bad. They suggested that he go to the house and take a rest. When they went to the house, about noon, he was found dead in the barn. Apparently he had died without a struggle. His first settlement in this eounty was at the old village of St. Mary, where he opened a small country store. Ile finally closed out his store and devoted himself to farming.
After a long and painful sickness, Mr. Charles San Galli died Oct. 5, 1892, of stomach trouble. Mr. San Galli was seventy years of age, having been born in Prussia, July 9, 1822. Upon attaining his majority he engaged in the mercantile business. which he continued until 1849, when he came to America, set- tling in New York, where he remained about twelve years. He married Miss Emily Shepherd in 1859, by whom he had four children. ITis wife died in 1869. After twelve years spent in New York, he returned to Prussia for eight years, and then came baek to America, residing in Albany, N. Y. He came to this county in 1869 and bought the Gruhlke farm, adjoining Waseca on the south, where he resided with his family up to the time of his death. He was elected to the office of register of deeds in the fall of 1879, by the Democrats, and re-elected in 1881, serving four years. In addition to his other accomplishments he was an excellent portrait painter. Ile left surviving him two sons and two daughters of mature years.
CHAPTER LXII, 1893.
COUNTY MATTERS-CITIZENS STATE BANK-DEEP SNOWS- CITY WATER AND LIGHT PLANT-SEVERE STORM-DIED: HON. B. A. LOWELL, ORRILLA CHILD, DR. SATTERLEE, S. W. LONG, WM. MARZAHN, LARS SELLAND (KILLED), I. C. TROWBRIDGE, MRS. C. BAKER, J. B. JACKSON-AN EARLY WINTER-DAIRY- MEN'S ASSOCIATION-AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
The county commissioners this year opened their session Jan. 3. Henry C. Chase, of Janesville, was elected chairman, the other members being Jonas O. Sunde, of New Richland, Oliver Peterson, of Waseea; Henry F. Lewer, of Woodville, and Henry W. Bluhm, of Vivian. The county printing was divided among the several papers of the county as it had been the previous year.
The records of this county, and presumably of every other county occasionally show some inconsisteneies, and this meet- ing of the board revealed quite an assumption of power on the part of the board of commissioners.
The board of audit of the county, on Jan. 2, -
"Ordered that the Citizens State Bank of Waseca be designated as depository of such (county) funds, the sum not to exceed $10,000 at any one time, said bank to allow interest on monthly balances at the rate of 21/2 per cent. per annum, and to furnish a bond in the sum of $20,000 to be approved by the board of county commissioners of Waseca county.
And it was further ordered: That the Peoples Bank of Waseca be designated as depository of the public funds of Waseca county except such amounts ($10,000) as are to be deposited in the Citizens State Bank, said Peoples Bank to allow interest on monthly balances at the rate of 214 per cent per annum, and to furnish a bond in the sum of
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
$60,000 to be approved by the board of county commissioners of Waseca county.
The board of county commissioners accepted and approved the report of the board of audit, and also accepted and approved the bonds of both banks. So far everything seemed to be well understood and fair; but on the last day of the session, the coun- ty commissioners, after reciting the order of the board of audit,
Resolved, That the county treasurer, Walter Child, be and is hereby instructed to deposit forthwith in said banks, all the funds now in bis hands, as such treasurer, and also all moneys which shall from time to time come into his hands for state, county, town, city, village, road, bridge, and all other purposes for a period of two years, in such amounts as designated by the board of audit, and
Resolved, That said county treasurer be and is hereby further in- structed that whenever the amount of public funds in his hands shall be less than $20,000, he shall keep the amounts of deposits in, and the amounts of drafts on said Citizens State and Peoples Banks as nearly equal as practicable.
How could the treasurer obey both instructions ?
At the meeting of September 12, it was ordered that $50 be appropriated to the town of Blooming Grove, to be expended for grading hill on road between sections 29 and 30: that $100 be appropriated to the town of Alton, to he expended on a bridge on seetion 18, across outlet to Lake Elysian ; and that to the town of Freedom be appropriated $225 for a bridge between sections 13 and 14, of said town.
CITIZENS STATE BANK.
The Citizens State Bank of Waseca, since changed to the First National Bank of Waseca, was organized the first week in Janu- ary, with a paid-up capital stock of $25,000. The stockholders and the amount of stock of each were as follows:
Names.
Residence.
No. Shares.
Willis J. Jennison
Minneapolis, Minn 10
William E. Scott. Waseca, Minn. 10
E. A. Everett. Waseca, Minn. 4
J. W. Aughenbaugh Waseca, Minn 5
James E. Child Waseca, Minn. 10
A. Z. Conrad. Worcester, Mass. 10
Alpha D. Cadwell
Sioux Falls, S. D. 148
Chester H. Cadwell Waseca, Minn. 20
Reinhart Miller
Waseca, Minn. 1
S. Swenson Waseca, Minn 2
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
I. L. Hunt. . Waseca, Minn. 10
F. N. Hunt. . Waseca, Minn. 10
W. A. Henderson Waseca, Minn. 10
The following were chosen directors: Willis J. Jennison, James E. Child, William E. Scott, A. Z. Conrad, Reinhart Miller, A. D. Cadwell, F. N. Hunt, W. A. Henderson, and E. A. Everett. Mr. A. D. Cadwell was its first president, and Dr. F. N. Hunt, its first cashier.
DEEP SNOW.
Within the month of February, 1893, snow fell to quite a depth, and on Feb. 27, there was a heavy fall of snow. The Wa- seea Herald remarked :
That was a grand display of "the beautiful" that came down in great swirls and gusts and chunks, last Monday. The storm commenced gently on Sunday and got fairly under way during Sunday night. It
put in a good day's work on Monday, and that night the storm "did itself proud." Great drifts were piled up in every direction and in every conceivable shape. The streets were in picturesque condition, while some of the walks were four feet under the hard-packed snow. The scientific (?) appliances of the city for cleaning the sidewalks and opening the streets, so that women and children could pass and repass, were all brought into requisition. The street force must have been buried out of sight, as none of its members were visible. Our city system of dealing with the "beautiful," when it comes in such magnificent chunks, is heroic and self-supporting. The schoolma'ams and other young ladies of this city, who have to travel our highways going to and from their labors, are about to hold a meet- ing, we hear, to pass a vote of thanks to the male rulers of this part of the universe for their efficient method of opening the highways of the city immediately after such a deluge of snow as visited us last Monday.
Another snowstorm visited this seetion on April 20. A loeal paper made the following note :
We have had and are having weather, this week, that beats the rec- ollection of the oldest settler. Tuesday morning, long before daylight, a rain set in from the southeast, and continued until evening, when the wind veered to the northeast and a heavy snow storm set in. Yes- terday noon the snow was about fourteen inches deep and melting fast. At this writing, Thursday afternoon, the wind is in the north and snow still falling. The indications are for a clearing up.
WATER AND LIGHT PLANT.
This was the year of agitation for a water and electric light
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
plant in Waseca. As early as March 17, the following was pub- lished in the Herald :
"The question of water and water works forces itself upon the people of this city from year to year. It must be admitted by intelli- gent and thoughtful men that the safety of property, the health of citi- zens, and the general welfare of the people of Waseca demand water works. The supply of water, in case of a large fire, is wholly inade- quate. In connection with a good water supply, or closely allied to it, is the lighting of the city. It is true that we have an electric light plant, but it is owned by a private company. Each city can and ought to own its water supply, its electric light plant, its street cars, and other public conveniences. In every city where these public works are own- ed and operated by the city itself, the people are served better and at cheaper rates than in cities where they are the private property of cor- porations. The reason for this is obvious. Where the city owns and operates these public works there is little chance for bribery and cor- ruption; but in cities where private corporations own and operate them it becomes necessary for the private corporations to also own, control, and operate a majority of the aldermen, mayor, city attorney, and other officers. Their interest is to fleece the people, and in order to do it. they must control the city government. If they desire to steal the city funds to improve their private property, they must first get control of the city officers-especially of the aldermen, the city attorney, and the mayor. Generally the mayor is placed at the head of the plundering gang. If the city were the owner of these public works, every tax- payer would be interested in making them self-sustaining and efficient. It would seem as though this is a good time to take the subject into serious consideration. If the city is to engage in a system of improve- ments, as herein mentioned, then it behooves our citizens to select for the next mayor a man who, by education and disposition, is qualified to handle and direct such enterprises."
This subject was investigated and diseussed more or less for a long time, as the following report to the common council of Waseca will show. On May 11, 1893, there was held a meeting of the common council and of citizens, and a committee eon- sisting of Mayor Cummings, Hon. P. C. Bailey and Alderman Martin Hanson made report as follows :
"We have visited the cities of Tracy and Albert Lea and carefully examined the water works in operation at both places. These points were selected as being nearly identical with us as regards absence of natural elevations which can be used as locations for reservoirs in their source of water supply, as well as in other particulars. We desire in this connection to refer to the courtesles extended to us by officers and other citizens of both places. Every opportunity was offered us to inspect their plants, and such information as they have accumulated
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
in the building and operating of the same was freely given us. The result has been the noting of numerous details which will prove use- ful in the event of our city. putting in such works.
"The plants in operation in both cities are practically Identical and con- sist, briefly, of a deep well with pumping station and ground reservoir in connection, an elevated tank, watermalns and hydrants. The well at Tracy is six hundred feet deep; at Albert Lea, seven hundred. The quality of the water furnished by each is first class, practically inex- haustible, and suitable for domestic uses. The well at Albert Lea, be- ing artesian, flows directly into the ground reservoir, thereby saving the deep-well pumping which is required at Tracy. From the ground reservoir the water is pumped into the elevated tank which, at Tracy, is of wood; at Albert Lea, of steel. The bottoms of these tanks are elevated eighty-five feet from the ground level. They have proved to be frost proof and in fact no trouble has been had with either plant from freezing. These tanks furnish a constant pressure of forty pounds at the hydrants; an amount great enough to control all ordinary fires in two- or three- story buildings. To supplement this, the station is fitted with a large steam pump connected with the mains which will fur- nish any pressure the pipes will sustain.
"We are satisfied that the plan above outlined is practical in every way and economical in operation, and that a similar system, in connec- tion with a plant for electric lighting, could be built and operated in the city so as to be self-supporting.
"It is impossible to estimate exactly the cost of such a system in the absence of plans and specifications, but the following estimate is be- lieved to be approximately correct: Deep well, depending on depth, from sixteen hundred to two thousand dollars; pump station, honse, boilers, pump, smoke stack, etc., seven thousand dollars; water plant complete, with about two miles of mains, twenty-eight thousand dollars. From eight to ten thousand dollars would be needed if we include an electric light plant.
(Signed.)
D. S. CUMMINGS, P. C. BAILEY, MARTIN HANSON.
On May 16, 1893, a petition for a special election to authorize the city council to increase the bonded indebtedness of the city $30,000 for water works and electric lighting was presented to the council, and formal resolutions were adopted that the bonds of the city be issued, bearing six per cent interest, due in twenty years-that a special election be held at the engine room, June 6, 1893, and that the ballots shall contain the words: "In favor of water works and electric light bonds," or, "Against water
17
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
works and electric light bonds." The result of the special elec- tion of June 6 was as follows :
Whole number of votes cast
332
In favor of the bonds 242
Against
89
Work on the plant was commenced soon after. On June 11, 1893, the contract for putting in the well was let to J. T. Me- Carthy-the same was to be an artesian well, ten inches at the ground surface and eight inches after striking the lime rock.
The well was completed in 1894, and the water mains were laid the same year. The contractor was Mr. E. T. Sykes, and the contract price $24,252.58. The electrical department, as near as can be ascertained, cost $5,605.73; the engineers' work $400.00; cost of well, $5,003.03-a total of $35,261.34.
SEVERE ELECTRICAL STORM.
On the 14th of June a very severe storm passed over this section. The Waseca IIerald said of it: "The destruction of property by lightning was very extensive. Mr. J. MeCracken says James Cunningham, of Freedom, had ten head of cattle killed in the pasture, all in one bunch. Charles Root, of Byron, had two horses killed. H. J. Werdin, of Iosco, has also informed us that August Keiser, of his town, had six horned cattle and one horse killed in pasture, and that Pat Farley, of the same town. lost three head of cattle. We also learn that Julius Kakuschke. a tailor of this city, had a cow killed in one of the pastures south of town."
CALLED FROM EARTH.
The death roll in the county during the year was shorter than usual, although some prominent persons were called hence. The first of note was the demise of Hon. B. A. Lowell, who died in a North Dakota hospital May 12, 1893, of general paralysis. At that time his home was at Gardner, N. D. Deceased was one of the early settlers in this county, first engaging in mercantile business in Wilton, and afterwards living on a farm in Otiseo. He was, at an early day and during the war of the Rebellion, an earnest and active Republican, and was elected state senator in the fall of 1864. He served during the sessions of 1865-6. very acceptably to our people. Ile came to Waseca at an early
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
day in its history and for many years held the office of city jus- tice. He also carried on a small vegetable farm in the western suburb of this city for years, and until his health failed. Some years prior to his death he went to live with relatives in North Dakota.
Mrs. Orrilla (Roice) Child died May 23 at 11:40 o'clock p. m., at the residence of her son, James E. Child, of Waseca, aged eighty-three years, two months and twenty-one days. She was born in Jefferson county, New York, March 2, 1810. Her father, Enoch Roice, was of Seotch blood, and served in the American army during the Revolutionary struggle. Her mother, Sarah Palmenter, was of English descent. Both parents came from the state of Connecticut to the state of New York soon after the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Child's grandfather was also a Revo- lutionary soldier. She married Zabina Child, Feb. 14, 1833, and resided with her husband in the town of De Kalb, St. Lawrence county. They emigrated to Ohio in 1834, making their home in Medina county. They afterwards went back to St. Lawrence county, then returned to Ohio and spent a year, and then came west as far as Wisconsin, where they resided until 1862. Mrs. Child then came to Waseca county where she made her home most of the time. The latter part of July, 1892, she went to Nebraska to visit her daughter. About the time of her journey she contraeted a cold, and was quite sick while there. She re- turned to Waseca about the first of December, and gradually declined from that time until her death. Dropsy set in a short time before her death, and although she suffered much pain at times, her mind remained clear, and the close of life was a drop- ping to sleep without an apparent struggle. She reared, a family of seven children-five sons and two daughters-five of whom survived her.
Dr. 'W. W. Satterlee, one of the noted and devoted clergymen of this state, died at Minneapolis, May 27, 1893. The follow- ing account appeared in the Waseca Herald at the time :
"The deceased was born on May 11, 1837, at the then small village of La Porte, Ind., where he lived with his parents and secured a common school education. He studied medicine while very young, and practiced some years in Wisconsin, before coming to Minnesota, at the same time preaching the gospel as a local minister of the Wesleyan Methodist church. He came to Minnesota, we think, in 1863 or 1864. We first saw
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
him as he was crossing the LeSueur river, at the Wilton ford, with ox teams and covered wagon. He soon after located at Elysian where he practiced medicine and preached the gospel until 1867, when he came to the embryo city of Waseca, as the regular pastor of the M. E. church. He was the first and one of the ablest and best Methodist ministers ever in charge of the church here.
"To know a man thoroughly we must know him in the days of his poverty-at the time when he is struggling for the right against popular clamor. First, he was an uncompromising anti-slavery man when pro- slavery Democracy was in the ascendant. After the great struggle which destroyed slavery, he became an anti-saloon advocate. While un- compromising in his views, he was a man of unhounded charity for those who differed from him. Every impulse of the man was noble and self-sacrificing.
"Some twenty years ago he went to Minneapolis and has served as pastor of several churches there. The Minneapolis Journal says:
'Six years ago he accepted the chair of political economy and scien- tific temperance at Athens College in Tennessee, which position he held at the time of his death. While teaching in the South, he has been ac- customed to come to this city, where the larger portion of his children and family live, to spend his summer vacations, and for this reason he was at Minneapolis at the present time. Last Tuesday evening he took a slight cold at the lake, where he was staying, and owing to this he came back to the city to the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Pye.
" 'The next morning he awoke with a severe pain in his left side, indicating pneumonia, and from that time he began sinking very fast until Saturday morning, when he breathed his last at about 10 o'clock. The early settlers of this section of the state join with Minneapolis friends in mourning the unexpected death of a noble and true man-a brother of suffering mankind the world over."
Mr. Satterlee was a great worker. Starting in the world with- out capital or a "pull," he became a power for good in the land. In early days, in Waseca, he found it necessary to resort to manual labor to support his family. This he cheerfully did until he finally had a church strong enough to afford him a living. IIe early espoused the temperance cause and became its leader in this state. He was also the author of several books-one a reply to "Looking Backward," by Bellamy. His reply was well written and showed marked ability. He was the personification of true moral courage. Whatever his judgment and conscience said was right he believed in, and no offer of personal gain or desire of promotion could swerve him from it. He was one of those de- scribed by Holland :
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
Men whom the lust of office does not kill; Men whom the spoils of office cannot huy. Men who possess opinions and a will;
Men who have honor; men who will not lie;
Men who can stand before a demagogue,
And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking.
Seth W. Long was one of the 1856 settlers of this county, hav- ing moved that year to Empire in the town of Iosco. He came to this county from Ohio, with his father, William Long, and his brother George, who were accompanied by M. S. Green, Algerine Willsey, James Chadwick, and others. After the decline of Em- pire he removed to Okaman and kept hotel for a number of years. He afterwards removed to Wilton during the war and carried on the Globe Hotel for a number of years. In 1867 he was elected to the office of sheriff of this county, and was re- elected in 1869, 1871, 1873, and 1875, serving in all ten years. During his last term of office his wife died. After the expira- tion of his term of office as sheriff he resided most of the time in the western portion of the county. For many years he had been in poor health and his death was not unexpected to his intimate friends. Seth W. Long was an honest, upright citizen and highly respected by the people of this county. The immediate cause of his death was paralysis of the throat and tongue. He was stricken on Sunday, May 29, and from that time to the time of his death, June 5, he was totally unable to swallow nourish- ment of any kind. Neither could he speak or converse orally. We are told that he died apparently without much pain or suffering. IIis remains lie buried in the Wilton cemetery beside those of his wife and some other members of his family.
Died, in Waterville, Tuesday morning, June 27, 1893, Mr. Wil- liam Marzahn, in his seventy-third year. The deceased was born near Berlin, Germany, Dec. 9, 1820. He was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Kanne, who survived him. In 1855 Mr. Marzahn, wife and four children started for America, three of the chil- dren and a brother dying on shipboard of cholera-August Mar- zahn, of Waterville, being the surviving child. Mr. Marzahn moved to a farm in Iosco in 1856, and by strict attention to busi- ness and hard work accumulated a fine property. His son Robert occupies the old homestead and is a prosperous farmer.
The Waseca Herald of Sept. 8, contained the following :
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CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
"A horrible death is reported from Blooming Grove. Dr. Leonard, and City Constable George H. Goodspeed, on Tuesday last, were called to the farm of Lars Selland to investigate the death of that gentleman. The facts as we gather them are as follows: Mr. Selland arose last Tuesday morning, Sept. 5, 1893, and went out about seven o'clock. Nothing more was seen of him until about ten o'clock when his lifeless body was found about four feet outside the pasture fence. His hat and a pitch- fork were found a few feet inside the fence. His body and limbs were bruised and discolored, in almost every part, and his ribs and breast bone were broken in many places. The body was found by an old gentleman named Ole Egelson, who lives on the farm. There was blood on the ground inside the fence and on the fence, and the conclusion is that he was killed by a two-year-old bull that was in the pasture, and then thrown over the fence by the animal. The bull hung constantly about the place pawing and bellowing. It was a very sad affair."
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