USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
.
1
1 ยท
-
1
1 1
.
Digitized by
Digitized by Google
471
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Hennepin (Minneapolis). In 1908 the daily grind in the various mills amounted to thirteen thousand barrels at New Ulm, Sleepy Eye and Springfield. The capital then in- vested was one million, eight hundred and thirty-nine dol- lars.
The Eagle mills, at New Ulm, are successors to the old pioneer mill. This was rebuilt by Beinhorn & Rethfeld after the Indian massacre in 1862, when it was burned. In 1865 it was doing a flourishing business; its capacity was fifty barrels per day. It was a combined saw- and grist- mill until 1874. In 1880 it was converted into a "full roller process" mill, making two hundred barrels per day; in 1887 it was increased to a seven-hundred-barrel mill-then later to a thousand barrels daily. In 1898 it was enlarged into a two-thousand-five-hundred-barrel mill. In 1899 the company built two elevators and now employ three hun- dred people in the mills and elevators the company owns throughout the Dakotas and Minnesota. About one-half are employed in the mills, proper. In 1908 this mill was running under the capacity of five thousand barrels daily; had three immense grain elevators in New Ulm, with a capacity of four hundred thousand bushels of wheat. They also had fifty-one grain elevators scattered throughout Dakota and Minnesota. Their plant is connected with both the Minneapolis & St. Louis and Northwestern railway sys- tems. "Gold Coin" is one of the brands of flour that has made these mills famous from coast to coast. They have offices in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York, also have representatives in London; also sell in Holland and other European countries. These mills grind approximately five million bushels of grain annually. Their expense is about
Digitized by by Google
472
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
a half million dollars a year. By all odds it is the greatest flour producing plant in southern Minnesota.
Charles Silverson, former president of the company owning these mills, had been a leading figure in the man- agement and expansion of this great flour industry. He died in September, 1912, after several years illness.
The Cottonwood roller mills, near the city of New Ulm, are the property of John Bentzin. These mills were estab- lished in 1878 and have a daily capacity of one hundred barrels. It is the last custom mill left in the county, from the numerous ones it once had. Here excellent flour, both wheat and rye, as well as corn meal and graham flour are produced for customers living in the surrounding country.
THE OVERALL FACTORY.
Johnson Company, of St. Peter, have a branch factory in New Ulm in which they make men's overalls extensively. They employ fifty-five persons, of whom fifty-three are women. The weekly output is two hundred and eighty dozen. This branch factory was established in New Ulm in 1910 and does an extensive business. The present man- ager is Charles Lindeman, Jr.
THE STONE INDUSTRY.
One of the paying industries of New Ulm of recent years has been that of getting out crushed stone, for pav- ing, concrete work and general highway building. There are two incorporated concerns that operate extensive quar- ries near the city limits to the southeast. The quarries
Digitized by Google
- - -
473
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
are both situated just across the Minnesota river, in Nicol- let county, but the owners of both plants are local people for the most part, and have offices in New Ulm.
As early as 1888 the New Ulm Stone Company was incorporated and for many years quarried the granite for building purposes, but in 1905 they put in operation stone crushing mills, of which they now operate three, and have a capacity of about four carloads a day. Most of the out- put of this quarry goes to points in Iowa-Mason City, Sioux City, Storm Lake, etc., where it is used in street work largely. Thirty men are employed in the working season, and these are local men and the pay roll is appreci- ated by the retail dealers of the city. Years ago much of the product of these quarries was used in the Twin Cities. The capital stock is same as when incorporated-twenty- five thousand dollars. The first set of promoters-the in- corporators, were: Jacob Pfenningier, W. Boersch, August Schell and George G. Benz. They own a quarter section of land which contains an inexhaustable supply of fine granite. The company also ships immense amounts of sand and gravel to distant points.
The other company engaged in a similar business is the Jasper Granite Company, who operates on forty acres of leased land, near the company's holdings just named above. This was originally worked by the Minnesota Flint Company and about 1908 put in crushers also. Local and Minneapolis capital is invested in this enterprise. Mr. Wycoff is the manager of this company and has offices in the Olsen block. The New Ulm Stone Company has for its president and manager, H. Held, who successfully cares for the large shipments of stone, sand and gravel.
Digitized by Google
474
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
THE ICE BUSINESS.
The only company engaged in handling ice at New Ulm is the New Ulm Ice Company, composed of Herman Held and E. H. Haeberle, who put up large amounts of ice from the Minnesota river. They have extensive ice warehouses and ship much ice to distant points, besides handling the local trade and that of the Minneapolis & St. Louis Rail- road Company. They usually ship a hundred and fifty cars of ice in the season. They handle refrigerators and contract for building sand, gravel and crushed stone. Many of the men who work in the stone quarries also assist this company in the ice harvest.
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
New Ulm was incorporated in March, 1857, and Will- iam Pfaender was elected its first president. Later it was incorporated as a borough, with Charles Roos as mayor. A city charter was granted New Ulin on February 24, 1876, with Charles Roos as mayor and Jacob Nix as clerk. Since the place was incorporated into a city the records are all intact, but on account of the Indian depredations during the massacre in August, 1862, the early village records were all destroyed or lost. From 1862 on a record showing the chairman and mayors of the place is as fol- low: F. Gommell, chairman, 1862-63; R. Fischer, chair- man, 1863-64; John Hauenstein, chairman, 1864-65; R. Forster, chairman, 1865-66; L. Naegele, chairman, 1866- 68; Dr. A. Mueller, chairman, 1868-69 and 1870. The place then became an incorporated borough with Charles Roos
Digitized by by Google
!
475
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
as mayor; the councilmen were then, F. Forster, Dr. C. Weschcke, H. Loheyde; clerk, E. A. Hausman; treasurer, William Guetling; assessor, E. A. Hausman; justice of the peace, L. Bogen; marshal, F. Gommell; attorney, E. St. Julien Cox.
Since then the mayors have been: Charles Roos, 1872-73; William Pfaender, 1874-76; Charles Roos, 1876- 78; C. Weschcke, 1878-82; John C. Rudolph, 1882-83; H. B. Contans, 1883-86; C. Weschcke, 1886-88; John C. Rudolph, 1888-89; Charles Wagner, 1889-93; E. G. Koch, 1893-96; C. Weschcke, 1896-98; Jacob Klossner (acting mayor) 1899; C. Wescheke, 1899-1904; Charles Silverson, 1904-09; Joseph Bobleter, 1910; John P. Graff, 1910-12; Dr. L. A. Fritsche, 1912-16, and still serving as mayor of the city.
The officers for 1916 are as follow: Mayor, Dr. L. A. Fritsche; city clerk, William Backer; treasurer, Gottlieb Oswald; city attorney, Alb Pfaender; city engineer, F. D. Minium; superintendent of water and lights, A. J. Mueller; city council, Fred Behnke, president; Fred Hamann, Wm. Eibner, Emil Mueller, L. B. Krook and Christ Filzen, Jr.
The city's finances in 1916 are as follow: Electric light bonds out, $30,000; sewer bonds out, $10,000; new state loan, $40,000; state loan, $25,000. Total, $105,000.
The water plant consists of three wells, the depth of which is one is 186 feet; one 183 feet, and one 364 feet deep. Water is pumped from the lighting plant to the reservoir on Hermann's Heights, west of the city, and this basin holds, together with the lesser one at the foot of the hill by the pumping plant, a total of one million and ninety thousand gallons.
Digitized by Google
476
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
The electric light plant was formerly a private con- cern, but in April, 1901, was taken over by the city, and bonds were then voted to the amount of twenty thousand dollars. In all the plant has cost the city thirty thousand dollars.
The city has only five blocks of real paving which con- sists of an excellent quality of creosote block paving on Minnesota street, placed there in 1914.
The present police force is three men. A volunteer fire company of forty-five competent men keep safe the city from fire ravages. They are aided by the direct pressure from the water-works and an engine. The only building owned by the city is the one-story brick, situated at 109 North Broadway, in which the clerk holds his office, and there the city council meets, as does the fire company.
There are now one hundred and twenty-two fire plugs and twelve miles of water main.
COMMERCIAL CLUB.
The business interests of New Ulm have been greatly advanced of recent years by the re-organization of the old Commercial Club, This club maintains fine rooms on Minnesota avenue; have more than two hundred "live wire" members, who see that nothing is lost sight of in pro- moting the city's best interests. They work for Brown county, as well as for the city. They have already aided in bringing much new business to the place. The member- ship is composed of the best men in New Ulm.
Digitized by by Google
Digitized by Google
UNION HOSPITAL ~ NEW ULM, MINN.
Loretta Hospital, New Uim, Minn.
Digitized by Google
T OFFICE, NEW ULM, MINN.
POSTOFFICE, NEW ULM.
HIGH SCHOOL
NEW ULM
HIGH SCHOOL, NEW ULM.
Digitized by
,
Digitized by by Google
477
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
POSTOFFICE HISTORY.
The following have served as postmasters at New Ulm, as shown by records furnished by the postal department at Washington:
Anton Kaus, July 20, 1856, to July 28, 1857; C. G. Koehne, to April 10, 1857; Frederick Rehfeld, to March 29, 1861; Fred Forster, to May 20, 1873; Joseph Bobleter, to January 13, 1886; Francis Baasen, to March 20, 1890; Gott- lieb Schmidt, to March 15, 1894; William Brust, to March 4, 1898; John H. Weddendorf, to April 15, 1902; Lewis B. Krook, to February, 27, 1907; Samuel D. Peterson, to February 10, 1911; Philip Liesch, to March 24, 1911; Fred- erick Pfaender, from March 24, 1915, and still serving.
The new government postoffice building was erected on the corner of Center and Broadway streets in 1909-10, at a cost of forty-two thousand and sixty dollars. The office was made a city delivery station June 1, 1903, and had three carriers, same as today except there is now an auxil- iary carrier.
The present office force is as follows: Postmaster, Frederick Pfaender; assistant postmaster, John H. Wed- dendorf; clerks, Matthew Prons, Edward L. Alwin, Fred W. Oswald, Joseph Karl, Herbert Baltrusch; substitute, Emil Hempel; city carriers, Andrew J. Tauer, John Hof- meister, Otto Schneider; auxiliary carrier, Henry A. Neu- wirth; substitute, Joseph Schuster; rural carriers, Jacob Vetter, A. L. Haberberg, George J. Haag, William F. Rich- ter, Robert A. Fimeyer, George Merkle, Louis P. Fimeyer. The custodian of the treasury department is Frederick
Digitized by Google
478
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Pfaender; Henry A. Herrian, engineer; fireman, Joseph Gassner.
Nine mails are received and ten dispatched every twenty-four hours.
The amount on deposit in the savings department in May, 1915, was twelve hundred and fourteen dollars.
Amount of business transacted during the last fiscal year was twenty-two thousand, five hundred and fifty-six dollars.
CHURCHES AND LODGES.
There are churches here of these denominations: Catholic, Lutheran, Evangelical Association, Evangelical, Episcopal, Congregational and German Methodist.
The lodges of the city include the Masons, Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Woodmen, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Knights of Columbus, Foresters, German Catholic Aid Society, St. Joseph's Society, the Arbeiter Verein, and the Turners Verein, estab- lished here in 1856, now a strong institution. Their build- ing is one of the best structures in the city.
HOSPITALS.
The city of New Ulm is fortunate in having two mod- ern hospitals-the Loretta, under the supervision of the Catholic Sisters and Union Hospital, controlled by the Protestants.
Loretta Hospital, the older institution, was originally known as St. Alexander's Hospital, and was founded in 1884 by Father Alexander Berghold, organizer of the Cath- olic church of this city. It is located in a beautiful spot in
Digitized by Google
1 1
479
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
the northwestern part of New Ulm, with charming land- scape scenery in all directions-an ideal place for an insti- tution of this character. It commenced work in a modest way, but steadily grew with the advancement of the country round about. It is now a modern institution with every facility found in the best hospitals in any part of the country today. It is a three-story brick structure, with many wards, and attended by a dozen or more competent and well-trained nurses. It is under the supervision of the Sisters. It has operating rooms, a good chapel, and connected with it there is a Home for the Aged. The operations here performed are executed in a thorough manner by local surgeons, who are highly successful in their work, hence the home institutions care for many patients who otherwise would have to go to some other city for operations and treatments.
Surrounding this hospital is a farm run in connection and owned by the same organization. Here all fruits, vegetables, milk and eggs, used in the hospital are pro- duced, thus giving fresh and healthful supplies along this line. With all of these advantages this institution has all it can well care for and many times there is a lack of rooms for all who apply for treatment.
The later hospital of the city is the Union Hospital, which was opened to the public in 1915. This is a well- constructed brick building in the extreme southern portion of the city. It was established through the agency of the Protestant people of the community, and is a stock com- pany corporation, with directors and officers, as provided by law. It has three stories and a basement; is fire-proof and built on up-to-date plans and is attended by local sur- geons and physicians.
Digitized by by Google
480
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
THE HERMANN MONUMENT.
One of the magnificent and attractive structures in the city of New Ulm is the monument erected to the memory of that great German liberator, Hermann. It was unveiled on September 25, 1897, and cost about forty thousand dol- lars, including the ground and the bronze statue, which is of heroic size and may be seen for many miles from the city in either direction. This memorial is a large stone, brick and steel building standing on a high elevation overlooking the city from the west, and just opposite the college campus. It is a national monument, and many cities in the East wanted it but at the meeting of the national grand lodge of the Sons of Hermann in Philadelphia in 1885, the question was up and there it was determined that it was proper to erect such a monument in the city where the designer and architect resided and that person was Julius Berndt, of New Ulm, who had already bought a site in New Ulm for such a monument. Its first contract price was twenty-four thousand dollars. Within its walls is a museum hall where numerous pioneer relics are being stored and yearly added to. A spiral stairway runs to the top, beneath the bronze figure of Hermann, with his mighty sword in hand point- ing heavenward. The grounds surrounding the memorial building or monument, so called, are indeed beautiful. Native trees are here; swings, walks, pavilions and flowers are seen on every hand in their season. It is annually visited by hundreds of Germans and other lovers of lib- erty. The national grand lodge of the Order of the Sons of Hermann was held at New Ulm, September 21, 1897.
Digitized by by Google
.......
Digitized by
by Google
Digitized by
CHAPTER XIX.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
CITIES, VILLAGES AND HAMLETS.
Brown county has the following incorporated and un- incorporated places. The location, date of plattings and incorporation of the same is given, so far as they appear of record in the register of deeds office, but it is to be re- gretted that no better system obtains than is here found for permanently preserving the plattings of the county. Large and excellent blank plat-books have been purchased, but never been utilized for the purpose for which they were intended, as they simply contain an improvised index, while the plats are kept in various places in an unbound form, liable to be destroyed at any time. Indeed, several are now missing.
New Ulm (city) was originally surveyed in 1856, but the record shows that it was not filed for record until April 7, 1858, when it was effected by the German Land Associa- tion, through its president, William Pfaender. It extends from southeast to northwest along the banks of the Minne- sota river, in township 110, range 30 west. Many addi- tions have been made with the passing years.
Sleepy Eye, first platted as "Sleepy Eye Lake," by Thomas Allison and Walter Breckenridge, September 18,
(31)
Digitized by by Google
482
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
1872, in sections 29 and 30, of township 110, range 32 west. Incorporated as a city in 1903.
Springfield, situated in sections 18 and 19 of township 109, range 34 west, was platted as "Burns" in 1877, on the line of the Winona & St. Peter railroad. A postoffice had been established there in 1873. It took the name of Spring- field in 1881, when it was incorporated as a village.
Searls, situated in section 21, of Cottonwood civil town- ship, was platted October 10, 1899, by Harry L. Jenkins and wife.
Hanska was platted October 9, 1899. by Harry L. Jenkins and Anna L. Jenkins, in section 24, township 108, range 31. It was incorporated in 1901.
Evan, formerly "Hanson's Station," originally platted May, 1887, in section 8, Prairieville civil township, by Nels Hanson. Incorporated in 1904.
Cobden is situated in section 31, township 110, range 33 west; was platted February 16, 1901, by Thomas Peter- son and S. C. Frederickson. It was incorporated in 1905.
Blessum is situated in section 24, township 108, range 31 west, and was platted June 2, 1898, by H. Blessum, pro- prietor.
Comfrey was incorporated from a part of Bashaw township in 1900. It is situated in section 34, township 108, range 34 west.
OLD AND PRESENT PLACES NAMED.
Since the organization of the county there have been towns, cities and villages, or hamlets, as follow :
Dotson, originally "Bedford," is now a discontinued
Digitized by by Google
1
483
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
postoffice and a station point on the Chicago & Northwest- ern railway in Stately township, thirty-three miles south- west of New Ulm and six miles northwest of Comfrey.
Cobden, with a population of about one hundred and fifty in 1910, is a village in Prairieville township, on the Chicago & Northwestern railway, twenty-one miles west of New Ulm; has German and Danish Lutheran churches.
Comfrey, in Bashaw township, on the Chicago & Northwestern railway, thirty miles southwest of New Ulm; has Catholic, Congregational, German and Swedish Luth- eran churches.
Essig, a village of less than one hundred people, is a village in Milford township, on the Chicago & Northwest- ern railway, eight miles west of New Ulm; has a Lutheran church and other interests.
Evan, a village of one hundred and twenty-five in 1910, is in Prairieville township, twenty miles northwest of New Ulm; has business interests and a Danish Lutheran and Presbyterian church.
Hanska, a village of about five hundred, incorporated, in Lake Janska township on the Minneapolis & St. Louis railway, thirteen miles south of New Ulm; has a Lutheran and a Unitarian church and business interests.
Golden Gate, a discontinued postoffice in Home town- ship, sixteen miles northwest of New Ulm, and eight miles north of Sleepy Eye.
Home, a discontinued postoffice in Home township, ten miles northwest of New Ulm and eight miles northwest of Sleepy Eye.
Leavenworth, a discontinued postoffice in Leavenworth township, twenty miles southwest of New Ulm.
Digitized by by Google
484
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Linden, a discontinued postoffice in Linden township, ten miles south of New Ulm.
Lonetree, a discontinued postoffice in Eden township, twenty-five miles northwest of New Ulm, and six miles northeast of Morgan, on the Chicago & Northwestern rail- way.
McCleary, a discontinued postoffice in Bashaw town- ship, twenty-two miles southwest of New Ulm.
Searles, with a population of fifty or more, a village in Cottonwood township, seven miles south of New Ulm; has a Catholic church.
Stately, a discontinued postoffice in Stately township, thirty-five miles southwest of New Ulm.
Sleepy Eye, with a population in 1910 of 2,247, an in- corporated city on the Chicago & Northwestern railway, fourteen miles west of New Ulm.
Springfield, a village incorporation in Burnstown township, having about 1,600 population in 1910; it is twenty-eight miles west of New Ulm; has Catholic, Ger- man and Scandinavian Lutheran, German and English Methodist Episcopal churches; also a Congregational church.
New Ulm, the seat of justice of Brown county, with a population of six thousand, has Catholic, Lutheran, Meth- odist, Evangelical Friends, Episcopal and Bethel churches.
PAST AND PRESENT POSTOFFICES.
Since the county of Brown was organized the follow- ing postoffices have been established within its bounds. Some of these have long since been discontinued, while
Digitized b Google
485
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
others remained in use until the introduction of the present system of rural free delivery was established. This list has been kindly furnished by Congressman F. F. Ellsworth, representative from this district, and is a transcript of the records at the postal department at Washington.
New Ulm-Anton Kaus, postmaster, appointed June 20, 1856; C. G. Kochne, July 28, 1857: Frederick Rehfeld, April 10, 1858; Fred Forester, March 29, 1861; Joseph Bobleter, May 20, 1873; Joseph Bobleter, December 13, 1877; Joseph Bobleter, December 15, 1881; Francis Baasen, January 13, 1886; Gottlieb Schmidt, March 20, 1890; Will- iam Brust, March 15, 1894; John H. Waddendorf, March 4, 1898; Lewis B. Krook, April 15, 1902; Samuel D. Peter- son, February 27, 1907; John H. Weddendorf, February 10, 1911; Philip Liesch, March 24, 1911; Frederick Pfaen- der, March 24, 1915.
Bad Track-James W. Lynd, postmaster, appointed January 6, 1857; discontinued, December 19, 1857.
Contean Perce-Byron Jennings, postmaster, appoint- ed January 6, 1857; discontinued, December 19, 1857.
Pisa-Charles T. Wheeler, postmaster, appointed Jan- uary 6, 1857; Alexander Wood, August 27, 1857; changed to Jackson.
Redwood Mills-James Magnor, postmaster, appointed January 6, 1857; discontinued, December 19, 1857.
Leavenworth-James B. Calkins, postmaster, ap- pointed February 23, 1858; John Schneider, June 24, 1859; discontinued, August 15, 1859; re-established, Luther Whiton, October 17, 1860; William B. Carroll, August 31, 1861; O. L. Howard, June 29, 1864; Sam Sherman, October 24, 1865; discontinued, October 15, 1862; re-established,
Digitized by by Google
486
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
June 29, 1864; John Roth, April 21, 1873; John B. Alter- matt, January 14, 1878; John Huiras, December 18, 1883; John Schumacher, June 4, 1885; Robert Altermatt, Aug- ust 2, 1885; John Huiras, December 18, 1893; Charles T. Kuester, February 23, 1899; Frank Jaros, April 3, 1899; Peter Schlitz, January 29, 1900; discontinued, papers sent to Sleepy Eye, October, 1902.
Pajutazee-Jonathan F. Brown, postmaster, ap- pointed January 20, 1850; discontinued, January 25, 1860; re-established; Hiram Buck, August, 1862; discontinued, September 10, 1862; re-established, John Rotering, May 18, 1869; discontinued, January 22, 1874.
Milford-Louis Schilling, postmaster, appointed Octo- ber 18, 1861; Anton Henle, July 30, 1865; discontinued, May 30, 1863; re-established, July 30, 1866; August June- mann, January 27, 1891; Peter Heinen, January 26, 1895; Martin Schoolrich, February 7, 1896; mail to New Ulm, August 15, 1899.
Blair-Lewis Schlick, postmaster, appointed April 28, 1862; discontinued, June 7, 1865.
Backsville-Philip Kirby, postmaster, appointed July 23, 1866; Eli Benham, April 19, 1867; Henry S. Back, July 20, 1869; discontinued, October 21, 1870.
Home-Joseph Libert, postmaster, appointed April 30, 1868; Jacob P. Current, January 16, 1869; discontinued, papers sent to Sleepy Eye, August 15, 1900.
Golden Gate-Ebenezer Fuller, postmaster, appointed June 8, 1868; Nels P. Nelson, December 13, 1870; John S. Delford, October 13, 1873; Horatio Werring, November 2, 1877; William Dey, October 19, 1887; Alonzo H. Pickle,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.