USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, Minnesota > Part 51
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Hayward Creamery Association. About 1888 a gathered cream plant, the machinery being run by horsepower, was established at Hayward station by M. P. Hanson and his brother, H. P. Hanson. Several cream routes were established throughout the country and the factory was well patronized. At the end of the
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first year M. P. Hanson withdrew his interest in the concern and purchased the necessary equipment for a gathered cream plant which he installed on his farm a mile and a half north of the station. That fall Mr. Hanson found that his venture had been a financial failure and several farmers of the vicinity held a meeting and organized the Hayward Farmers' Creamery Associa- tion, with Mr. Hanson in charge of the buttermaking. His machinery was used and the work carried on at his farm until the summer of 1890, when the Riceland separator creamery was started several miles north. Early in the spring of 1891 a meeting was called at the schoolhouse and the Hayward Creamery Asso- ciation organized with the following officers: M. P. Hanson, president; Asle Lunde, secretary; Lars O. Braaten, treasurer ; Lars O. Esse, Lars Lunde, A. Sanderson, C. Christopherson, H. C. Nelson and Martin Carey, directors. Both of the gathered cream plants were abandoned and the present building erected and well equipped and commenced taking in cream June 3, 1891. L. F. Easton was the first buttermaker in the new plant. The president is now G. A. Jackson and the secretary is M. P. Hanson. The patrons own about 675 cows. In 1910, the creamery received 2,096,950 pounds of milk and 76,801 pounds of cream. The butter made amounted to 121,041 pounds and the total received for butter during the year was $36,478.32.
Twin Lakes Creamery Association. This creamery association was organized at the Twin Lakes schoolhouse August 6, 1892, and the creamery building was erected and equipped during the fall and early winter. A number of farmers and business men of the village had become interested in this movement and worked among the residents of the country near by and secured enough signers to warrant the undertaking of the organization. John Donahue presided over the first meeting and A. C. Aanerud acted as secretary. Sixty-two signers pledged 402 cows and the meeting at once elected the following officers : Paul Oppegaard, president ; James McGuir, vice-president; Fred Klenke, secretary; Hugh Donahue, treasurer, and Erick Flaskerud, Nels H. Hoyne, Roger Kelly, Ara Carter and Toliff Anderson, directors. The creamery was admirably situated on the sidetrack of the M. & St. L. railroad and Frank Linderman was engaged as the first buttermaker. The creamery commenced operations January 9, 1893. It was burned in the winter of 1910-11 and has not resumed operations.
Clover Valley Creamery Association. As the result of several meetings held in the Pickle school house, during the spring of 1890, Clover Valley Creamery Association was organized June 2, being one of the first separator creamery organizations in the state. For several years previous to this time the farmers of Clover Valley had been patronizing gathered cream wagons sent
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out from Albert Lea, Alden, and the Knudson Brothers, near Emmons, but there was a prevailing sentiment in favor of a modern separator creamery and not a dissenting vote was cast in the meeting called to establish the present creamery. The new creamery is located about a mile and a half north of Bear Lake. The building was completed during the fall of 1890 and the creamery began separating in November of that year. The officers of the organization at its beginning were Charles Radke, presi- dent ; George W. Hall, vice-president ; John M. Geissler, secretary ; William Wohlhuter, treasurer, and H. Drommerhausen, George L. Scherb, Fred Voss, Sr., Fred Fink and Herman Klukow, directors.
Trenton Creamery Association. In the spring of 1895 the farmers in the vicinity of Trenton postoffice met in the Trenton school house and discussed the organizing of a modern creamery in that community. March 11, 1895, the Trenton Creamery Asso- ciation was formed and steps taken at once to build and equip a plant. F. D. Drake was elected president; J. E. Hall, vice- president ; C. W. Ayers, secretary; Oluf Lee, treasurer; J. W. Pierce, Fred Harrington, Joy Tellet, H. S. Weed and J. N. Wilson were made members of the board of directors. The work on the building was completed in a very short time and on May 15, 1895, the Trenton creamery was opened for business, with J. V. Carter as buttermaker. Some inconvenience and loss was occa- sioned the creamery by the failure of the New Richland bank in 1899, in which the creamery money was deposited. The creamery was discontinued in 1900.
Poplar Grove Creamery. The Poplar Grove Creamery, located at Bath, was organized in 1892. The first meeting of which the records make any mention was held in the home of M. Sheehan on January 14, and the officers elected were Ellend Erickson, president ; John Sullivan, vice-president ; James St. John, secre- tary; James Sheehan, treasurer; M. Sheehan, Thidman Bartness and Bartly White, directors. At the time of its organization, the creamery was named North Star Creamery Association, but this name was later changed to Poplar Grove. No time was lost in erecting the building, and on May 20, 1892, the creamery com- menced operations with M. H. Graham as buttermaker, which position he held for three years. In the fall of the first year a feed mill was put in and operated in connection with the creamery but it was abandoned after a time. The payment for the building and equipment was completed in about four years. C. R. Sullivan, the present secretary, has proven a most painstaking and con- scientious officer. The president is S. O. Nygaard. During the year 1910, the creamery received 1,251,556 pounds of milk and 85,868 pounds of cream. The butter made amounted to 82,204% pounds, which with sundries, brought $24,089.43. The patrons
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were paid $21,376.96. A cement floor has been added to the creamery and a large brick smoke stack built. It is estimated that the patrons of this creamery own about 575 cows.
Gordonsville Creamery Association. In the spring of 1889, a year before the establishment of the creamery at Clarks Grove, the farmers and business men around Gordonsville became greatly interested in circulars sent out by the Davis Rankin Company, of Chicago, advertising creamery equipment. They wrote to this firm and an agent was sent out by the house, who called a meeting of the farmers and made arrangements for the building -and equipping a creamery for the consideration of $5,000. This arrangement was agreed upon by the farmers, and the creamery subsequently erected and fully equipped, for a gathered cream plant. The company began operations with W. H. H. Gordon, president ; Gilbert Hanson, vice-president; Walt Davis, secretary ; Neem Nelson, treasurer, and Herman Low, Bert and Jacob Beighley, Gilbert Hanson, Chris Nelson, Otto Forseth and Franz Davis, directors. Cream routes were soon established, one con- ducted by S. P. Beighley came within a mile or two of Albert Lea and at one time covered forty miles daily. After operating a few months and losing about $2,000, the creamery burned to the ground one night. This was the end of the dairying in this vicinity for several years, but in 1894 interest was again revived and in November, 1895, the Glenville Association put in a skim- ming station in charge of John Buley, which continued until 1898. December 14, 1897, a meeting of the farmers was held and the equipment of the skimming station offered for sale at $680. This was later bought for $600 and on December 22 the organization was completed. The first officers in this association were Carl Seuser, president; Ferdinand Wolff, vice-president; William Buchanan, secretary; H. T. Toye, treasurer; Carl Waldo, G. T. Lofthus, A. J. Beighley, W. H. Stewart and Otto Low, directors. In January, 1898, the first shipment of seventeen tubs of butter was made, S. A. Brady being the buttermaker. The president of the association is A. J. Beighley, and the secretary is Ira E. Barber. In 1910 the creamery received 405,741 pounds of milk and cream. From this 56,339 pounds of butter were made. The amount received for butter, milk and cream during the year was $22,370.65 and the patrons were paid $17,780.07. It is estimated that the patrons of this creamery own about 375 cows.
Newry Co-Operative Creamery Association. This creamery association was established in 1894 and the creamery building erected in section 16, Newry township. The officers elected were David Herron, president ; M. Cregan, vice-president ; T. A. Herron, secretary ; P. J. Gardner, treasurer ; R. L. Gardner, M. Cashman and D. T. Hollywood, directors. During 1898 the creamery patrons
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were paid $16,096.96 in cash. As the creamery is located in the northeast corner of Freeborn county, it finds a convenient ship- ping point at Blooming Prairie. At the present time the president is B. K. Benson and the secretary is M. J. Amundsen. Last year the creamery received 1,601,680 pounds of milk and 167,973 pounds of cream. The butter made amounted to 114,043 pounds. The amount received was $29,710.34, and of this, $27,230.64 was paid to patrons. The patrons own about 800 cows.
Manchester Creamery Association. A meeting was held in E. O. Fossum's store on January 12, 1891, at Manchester station for the purpose of establishing a modern creamery at that place. Erick Jonsrud, who had assisted in the organizing of the Clarks Grove and Riceland creameries the year previous, was present and the meeting profited much by his suggestions. Nine directors were elected and organized themselves as follows: C. Flindt, president ; E. Lybeck, vice-president; E. Nelson, secretary ; E. O. Fossum, treasurer, and I. A. Rodsater, R. Thykeson, Ole K. Moreim, John Severson and O. J. Jordahl, directors. May 12 of this same year the creamery was completed and fully equipped and C. F. Meyer engaged as buttermaker. June 24, 1892, the creamery was destroyed by fire and an insurance of $1,900 accepted. A meeting of the stockholders was called at once and plans made to rebuild. The building and equipment were left to the directors, and it was but a short time before the creamery was again ready for operations. This association owns what is considered one of the finest creamery buildings in the state. The building was erected in the fall of 1910. It is 32 by 84 feet, and sixteen feet high at the sides. The walls are of brick, the floor is of cement, the ceiling is of concrete and the roofing of steel. New machinery was put in, and new sheds were also built. Three months were used in erecting the building. During the nine months of operation in 1910, the creamery received 1,357,288 pounds of milk and 145,874 pounds of cream. The butter made amounted to 100,140 pounds. During the year $29,682.54 was received for butter and $26,692.97 paid to patrons. It is estimated that the patrons of this creamery own about 600 cows. The present officers of the association are: President, A. I. Moen ; secretary, G. O. Myran ; treasurer, John Severson.
The Enterprise Co-Operative Creamery Association. This creamery association was organized in February, 1902. Its first officers were Fred Crisman, president ; L. F. Allen, vice-president ; M. W. Stewart, secretary; Fred Machacek, treasurer; N. H. Nelson, A. Lang and W. H. Goslee, directors. The present officers are: F. Crisman, president ; A. Bump, vice-president; M. W. Stewart, secretary; George Funda, treasurer. Since the opening of this creamery, Fred Crisman has held the office of president of
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the association. The first buttermaker was A. C. Nelson, and the present man in charge of this work is Sam Nelson. This creamery has carried on a flourishing business and is now clear of debt and in a very prosperous condition, financially. It is located in London. In 1910 this creamery received 35,948 pounds of milk and 237,216 pounds of cream. The butter made amounted to 71,860 pounds. The amount paid to patrons was $18,314.03 and the total received for butter was $20,619.80. It is estimated that the patrons of this creamery own about 550 cows. Since the erection of the building, a barn 16 by 24 has been completed.
The Freeborn County Creamery Company, which conducts what is known as the "Centralizer," started a few years ago, in Albert Lea, and is the only creamery in the county which is not conducted on the co-operative plan. Some milk is taken in from this county, but most of it is shipped in from Iowa and Minnesota. The concern is a stock company, and no information is attainable as to the amount of business done.
The Union Creamery Company has a creamery in Emmons. The officers are: President, Alfred Emery; vice-president, Iver . Johnson ; secretary, Axel Anderson; treasurer, H. N. Rasmusson ; directors, S. G. Hansey, S. L. Davidson, Louis Knudson, William Menge and L. H. Larson. This creamery does a larger business than any other creamery in the county. It has a brick building 90 by 30 by 12 feet, built in 1903 at a cost of $8,000, and a buttermaker's house erected the same year at a cost of $1,000. In 1910 the creamery received 3,075,269 pounds of milk and 498,800 pounds of cream. It produced 276,194 pounds of butter. Patrons were paid $69,145.06 for milk and cream, and the total received for butter amounted to $89,958. It is estimated that the patrons own over 1,500 cows.
Myrtle Creamery Company. This company conducts one of the prosperous creameries of the county, and in addition to its creamery has erected a buttermaker's house, 24 by 26 feet and 14 feet high. Peter Nelson is the president and E. E. Nelson the secretary. In 1910 the creamery received 536,621 pounds of milk and 225,850 pounds of cream. Out of this 93,8841/2 pounds of butter were produced. The total received for butter, milk and cream during the year was $26,004.32, and the patrons were paid $22,106.49. It is estimated that the patrons of this creamery own some 600 cows.
The Conger Creamery Company has a creamery in Conger village. Fred Miller is the president and W. H. Horning the secretary. The creamery is equipped with the latest improved machinery and does a satisfactory business. In 1910 the creamery received 2,839,683 pounds of milk and 4,892 pounds of cream. From this 132,523 pounds of butter were made. The butter
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brought $39,699.02 and the patrons were paid $36,755.63. The creamery has about sixty-one patrons.
Turtle Creek Cheese Company. The Turtle Creek Cheese Com- pany was formed in 1874 by a number of farmers living in the eastern part of the county in the townships of Oakland and Moscow. The prime movers in this organization were Granville Kearns, Steven Frisbie, James Cook, John Lacey, A. P. McBride, Jonas Haney, Jerome Rogers, John VanHouse and N. S. Hardy. During the summer of 1874 several meetings were held and Messrs. Lacey and McBride were appointed to go to Rochester and observe methods and organizations in that locality's factories. They returned with such encouraging reports that the organization known as Turtle Creek Cheese Company was at once perfected, having Steven Frisbie for president and Jerome Rogers as secre- tary. The first building erected across the creek in Mower county was blown down when about half completed, and the following spring another structure was erected and William Adams engaged as cheesemaker. Nine years later the factory burned down and was a total loss as there was no insurance, but a new company at once formed and a building was erected across the line and later discontinued.
Myrtle Cheese Factory. The Myrtle Cheese Company was organized in the spring of 1892 and that summer manufactured the first brick cheese ever made in Freeborn county. The first officers were: G. Tessman, president ; A. Newman, vice-president ; W. W. Galt, secretary ; H. Schumacher, manager, and C. Schilling, F. W. Golnick and Carl Grube, directors.
Alden Cheese Factory. In the early eighties, a cheese factory was started in Alden township. The cheesemaker was Mrs. Albert Johnson and the product found a ready market in Albert Lea, Wells and Alden. Those interested were Ira Starks, Charles Fellows, Charles Johnson, William Lane and Albert Johnson.
Live Stock Companies. While dairying is the predominant industry in Freeborn county, considerable feeding of live stock for the market is also done, and there are a number of men in the county who deal in stock on a large scale. There are also several companies which deal in stock. Among these may be mentioned the Farmers' Mutual Live Stock Company, of Albert Lea. This company was organized in 1891, and is doing a good business among the farmers.
Creamery Supplies. A factor in the development of the cream- ery industry in the county has been the Northern Creamery Supply House. This concern was started in 1897 by E. W. Knat- vold. In January, 1910, Mr. Knatvold sold out to his sons. As its name indicated, this company deals in all kinds of dairy and creamery supplies.
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Cow Testing. With the development of scientific dairying, a few individual owners of herds in the county had private cow tests conducted. The first concerted movement toward testing of herds was made July 1, 1903. A. W. Trow took charge of the matter, the test being conducted under the direction of the Dairy and Food Department of the State of Minnesota. Those who had their herds tested at that time were: A. B. Cornice, Alden; Clayton Cottrell, Glenville; G. B. Thayer, Hayward; A. T. Bud- long, Glenville ; Budlong & Thorlson, Glenville ; B. W. Pritchard, Glenville; T. E. Noble, Manchester, and Blackmer & Nelson, Albert Lea. This was really the beginning of cow testing in this county. With the development of the agricultural and dairy department in the Albert Lea High school, the idea of cow testing was prominently brought to the front. In November, 1910 a cow test association was organized in Albert Lea, and since then three others have been started, the four associations being under the charge of the Albert Lea High school.
The Freeborn County Buttermakers' and Dairymen's Asso- ciation has done much toward the progress of the dairy and creamery interests of Freeborn county. Many meetings have been held, and by getting together, discussing methods and listen- ing to experts, the members have been enabled to keep in the foremost ranks in their profession. The association was organized October 21, 1899, at the court house in Albert Lea. The first officers elected were: President, J. L. Burtiss; vice-president, G. M. Miller ; secretary, E. J. Henry ; treasurer, J. C. Buley. Soon afterward L. P. Lawson became president and M. Halverson secretary. Mr. Lawson, after long service, resigned March 10, 1910, and was succeeded by Erick Berglund. The present officers are : President, Erick Berglund ; vice-president, T. A. Vandegrift ; secretary, James Rasmussen ; treasurer, E. W. Knatvold.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE NEWSPAPERS.
Importance of the Newspaper-One Daily and Five Weeklies in Freeborn County-Historic Freeborn County Standard and Its Eventful Career-Times-Enterprise-Albert Lea Daily Tribune-Alden Advertiser-Glenville Progress-The Emmons Leader-Papers of Other Days-Edited by Lesley S. Whit- comb.
The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow. Editors seldom think they write history. Your copy of the local paper may be used to wrap the family laundry, cover the pantry shelf or be placed under the carpet. In a month from the time a newspaper is issued, it would be difficult to locate a single copy, but in the newspaper office itself, it has been preserved and placed upon file. These files become an asset of the office and increase in value as the papers become yellow with age. Here in the musty volumes is found the history of your town, your county, your state .. The history of this county could not be written were it not for the records of newspaper files. The State Historical Society recognizes the value of newspaper history and a complete file of every newspaper in the state is kept by the Historical Society. Inaccurate history, do you say? Perhaps so, and ye' the most accurate it is possible to get, and infinitely more nearly accurate than almost any other historical source. The editor of a newspaper not only means to get correct information, but uses the source method for every important article he prints. Each day, if he edits a daily, each week, if a weekly, his effort stands before the bar of public criticism. His critics are those intimately concerned in the articles published. They do not trust to memory, hearsay. legend or tradition. They are eye or ear witnesses or star actors in the passing drama. They surely are trustworthy critics. With them the newspaper must pass muster. If facts are not stated correctly, they are corrected. What other history could stand this crucial test ? The newspaper that is not substan- tially accurate, cannot and does not live. Time gives authen- ticity. Criticism is forgotten, minor inaccuracies overlooked and the newspaper record stands as the accepted history of an event. A newspaper is not mere gossip. It is a record of passing events. Reports of buildings, new industries, biographies, social events, religious movements, births, deaths, politics, policies, honors that
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come to people, crimes which blacken our record, onward and backward moves in progress, disasters, amusements, accidents, epidemics-all make up the newspaper history of a community. It is the mirror of life as it is daily lived here and now.
The newspaper is everywhere recognized as the adjunct of civilization. The new town, however far removed from the busy marts of trade, clamors for a newspaper. Never satisfied until it gets one, and never satisfied after it has one. The newspaper is the nucleus of criticism for the entire community. Everyone knows how it should be run better than the editor. Its policies and its literature are criticized and yet people want it and at heart are loyal to it, for they recognize its value. They read it and want it to push along movements they are interested in. A religious revival, county fair, market day, civic improvement measures, new policies or politicians-all need the newspaper to give them an impetus. The press must arouse the people. Through no other avenue can so many be reached. A mass meet- ing can touch but a mere handful compared with the numbers reached in each issue of a newspaper.
There are six newspapers in Freeborn county, one daily and five weeklies. They are: The Albert Lea "Tribune" (daily), "The Times-Enterprise," the "Freeborn County Standard," the Alden "Advertiser," the Glenville "Progress," and the Emmons "Leader. "
During the pioneer period the county had but two newspapers, the "Freeborn County Standard" and the Albert Lea "Enter- prise," the former having been established in 1857 and the latter first appearing in April of 1872. The "Standard" for the most of the time has advocated independent policies, with a leaning toward Democracy, while the "Enterprise" represented the Re- publican element.
The Albert Lea "Posten" first issued July 5, 1882, was a seven-column folio, printed in the Norwegian language. H. O). Haukness was treasurer and manager and O. J. Hagen was the editor. The "Posten" was preceded by the "Sanverke," by N. Nelson, the "Sanverke" by the "Soudre Minnesota," and before these there was the "North Star" by Jac. Ellickson and T. T. Pierce.
The "Posten" proved an uphill proposition, and while it existed nearly eight years, it was never a profitable venture and after its suspension the plant was disposed of to various parties, Simon- son & Whitcomb purchasing the final remnant.
Aside from occasional campaign publications which were of necessity short lived, there were no other newspapers published in the city until the establishment of the "Freeborn County Times" by R. C. Blackmer in 1895. The "Times" was published
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in six-column size, usually twelve pages, and proved a very ag- gressive competitor. Prior to the establishment of the "Times" H. H. Tompkins, superintendent of the Alden schools, commenced the publication of a small leaflet, containing chiefly school news. This was so well received that the publisher was encouraged to enlarge the publication and widen its scope, the result being a regular weekly newspaper, christened the "Alden Advance," the first issue occurring early in 1891. Dr. J. H. Gleason is the pres- ent owner and publisher. Besides the latter there are published in the county the Glenville "Progress," by A. G. Morgan, it being in its fourteenth year, and the Emmons "Leader," by F. W. Lovestrom, now in its tenth year. For several years prior to the spring of 1911 there was published at Hartland a bright little weekly called the "Herald," being the work of Brown Brothers. All these publications in the villages outside of Albert Lea are Republican as to politics and are important factors in the civic development of their respective communities.
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