USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota, and outline history of the state of Minnesota > Part 65
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B. J. HOUSE was formerly a member of the Massachusetts legislature, where he served with great ability. Ile came west in 1858, locating in
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CITY OF ALBERT LEA.
Albert Lea. He was elected three times as Pro- bate Judge, and held other positions of responsi- bility. He served in the Fourth Minnesota Regi- ment, from which he was honorably discharged, and remained a respectable private citizen. He was mustered out of earthly service on the 22d of January, 1879.
HIRAM J. JONES, one of the oldest persons in the county, died during the year 1879, much re- spected.
MRS. ELIZABETH WILLIAMS was born in Onon- daga county, New York, and at an early day mar- ried Mr. Gideon Marlett. They moved west to Elkhart, Indiana, and while there her husband died. She afterwards married Mr. R. Williams at Chillicothe, Illinois, and they came to Albert Lea in 1857. Mrs. Williams was one of the six who organized the Congregational church in 1858. Her loss was especially felt in the church. Her trials ended on the 18th of June, 1877, at the age of 63 years.
INDUSTRIAL.
Albert Lea is a commercial city. It is true there are a few manufacturing establishments on a moderate scale, and most of them are mentioned --
in a briefway. No attempt is made togive a business directory of the city; the changes in this respect are so frequent that a correct list of all the busi- ness houses might be written to have it very im- perfect by the time it gets into print. Among the industrial enterprises may be mentioned the fol- lowing, which, to save too many headings, includes the Post-office and Banks.
POST-OFFICE .- The office was opened at an early day, as mentioned in the early history, when there was but the house of Mr. Merry, before Mr. Ruble had got out of his tents, and while the bulk of the inhabitants were his workmen. A petition was drawn up, and all signed it, requesting a Post-office, to be called Albert Lea. It was favorably considered, and Lereuzo Merry was appointed Postmaster. The office was at first in bis house, but when Clark opened his store he was appointed deputy Postmaster. Mr. A. C. Svine- ford was afterward appointed to the position. while Clark still held his old place until Col. Eaton was appointed deputy, and removed the office to his boot and shoe store, which was on the Hall House block.
boxes and four lock boxes. But a single one was let for some time, and that was taken by George S. Ruble. Col. Eaton himself was appointed Postmaster in 1861, and continued to keep it for some years. President Johnson appointed D. K. Stacy, Postmaster, and he kept it in his law office. When General Grant became President, the Colo nel was re-appointed, and for a time it was held in a building on the corner of Newton and Wil- liam streets. In 1870, it was placed in a building put up for the purpose on Broadway. G. John- ston was the next Postmaster, appointed in the spring of 1876. Mr. H. A. Hanson received the appointment in November, 1881, and the office was removed to its present location in the Opera House block. It has 730 call boxes and 194 lock boxes, and is roomy and convenient.
It 1868 it was made a Money Order ofhice, the first order sold being dated on the 2d of Novem- ber. Seven mails are received each day by rail, and a tri-weekly from Owatonna by stage. It is rated as a third-class office. S. H. Cady has been the efficient mailing clerk and assistant for eight years. The salary of the Postmaster is $1,600 per annum. The stamps, &c., sold in 1881 amounted to $5,053.52; and the money order business, $38,101.24.
FREEBORN COUNTY BANK .- Thomas H. Arm- strong, President; W. B. Rumsey, Cashier. The correspondents are the Merchants National Bank, at St. Paul; The Security Bank, at Minneapolis; The First National Bank, at Chicago; the Ameri- can Exchange National Bank, in New York: The Batavian Bank, at LaCrosse; and the First National Bank, in Milwaukee. The deposits average about $80,000. This bank was started on the 1st of September, 1874, by the present proprietor.
H. D. BROWN & Co.'s BANK .- This banking house was started in the fall of 1669, by Frank Hall, who at first had the safe in his store; but he soon built the brick block where the bank now is, on the corner of Broadway and William streets. In the fall of 1871, the business was bought ont by H. D. Brown, who was sole proprietor until 1876, when D. R. P. Hibbs became associated with him, and is still interested in the ownership. The correspondents of this bank in the business centers are: First National Bank, Minneapolis ; First National Bank, St. Paul; Merchants' Loan
Clark kept the mail on a shelf in his store. Eaton had a case made, with twenty-four call . and Trust Company, Chicago; Alexander Mitchell's
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
Bank, Milwaukee; Fourth National Bank, New York: and The LaCrossa National Bank. This institution has deposits to the extent of $75,000.
CITY BANK .- This banking house began bnsi- ness in 1878, on the Ist of September. Gilbert Gulbrandson has been the proprietor from the first; D. W. Dwyer is Cashier, and it does a gen- eral banking business, having deposits to the extent of $70.000. The banks with which it transacts business are: Dawson, Smith & Shaffer, St. Paul; The Merchants' National, Chicago; Mar- shall & Ilsley, Milwaukee; and American Exchange National, New York.
ALBERT LEA FLOURING MILL. This is the only flouring mill in town; it has two run of stones and can grind 125 bushels in ten hours. For power it has Fountain Lake, which may be said to be the headwaters of Shell Rock River, and this is com- munieated by two turbine wheels, with ten and fifteen horse power respectively. In addition to this there is a steam engine of forty horse-power, manufactured by A. P. Allis, of Milwaukee. A. M. Avery has managed the mill for the past three years. It does custom work.
During the summer of 1882 a feed-mill was added, to be driven by an improved vertical wind- mill-in which the wind is admitted through slats; to operate upon a drum with buckets not unlike a turbine wheel. This mill is identified with the early history of the town, and is owned at this time jointly by Mr. Ruble and Mr. Hall.
SPRING LAKE CREAMERY .- This establishment is owned and operated by a joint stock company, with a capital of $10,000, and is located at the foot of Broadway, near the lake. Some of the leading business men in the city are interested in the enterprise. The stockholders were John God- ley, Frank Hall, F. A. Blackmer, A. C. Wedge, J. W. Smith, Knatvoll Brothers, E. S. Prentice, H. A. Colburn, Theodore Tyrer, D. R. P. Hibbs, H. 1). Brown, W. P. Sergeant, and William Hazleton.
The officers of the company are: President, A. C. Wedge: Secretary and Treasurer, D. R. P. libbs; Superintendent, William Hazleton.
The business was started on Tuesday the Ith of May, 1881, with cream from 200 cows, although 1,000 had been promised. During the first year the number of cows having increased, the average make was between seven and eight hundred pounds a day.
Specifie directions are given as to how the milk
shall be set by the farmers, in cans of certain size, and the price paid is fifteen cents or more an inch for cream, which is equivalent to a pound of but- ter. The business being new the farmers are only beginning to learn how to get the best results from their cows: one very desirable point being to lengthen the season as far as possible, and to do this, catttle should be started early on green feed, which is inexpensively accomplished by sowing rye in the fall, to put them on early: and the fall which is apt to be dry should be lengthened out by sowing corn fodder to the extent of one fourth of an aere for each cow.
As to the income from cows where cream is sold to a creamery, the annexed statements are good examples of how the dairy pays:
One man, who had eighteen eows, realized dur- ing the season $1, 021,68.
Another with sixteen cows, received $882 73.
Twenty cows' eream for one month was sold for $143.54, and six cows for the same length of time nitted $10.74.
Examples might be multiplied but the above items are sufficient to furnish an idea of what the profits on the business actually is.
RULES OF THE ALBERT LEA CREAMERY COMPANY.
"The following rules have been adopted by the Albert Lea Creamery Company, to keep up the high standard of the butter of their manufacture. They are the same as have been adopted by the creameries of Iowa, and have resulted in plaeing that State at the head of the butter manufacturing interests of the country. These rules will be strictly adhered to:
1. Any patron found selling milk from an nn- healthy eow, or from cows still feverish from calving, will be dropped and the case reported to the civil authorities.
2. Cream from milk showing careless and un- cleanly milking, or containing inseets or dirt of any kind, will not be accepted.
3. Milk should be kept out of vegetable cel- lars, and its surroundings be kept free from all odors and impurities.
4. No tainted or frozen eream will be re- ceived.
5. No collector will, in any ease, take cream except what he himself skims from the cans.
6. Any person discovered tampering with cream in any fraudulent way, either by stirring.
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pouring in water, or any other substance, will be dropped and subjected to punishment by law.
7. Cream from milk standing in low tempera- ture is thin and will not hold ont. Such eream will not be taken unless the proper reduction be made. The proper temperature for milk to stand in is from 50 to 60 degress, and to make honest cream; milk should stand from fourteen to twenty- four hours in summer, and from twenty-four to thirty-six in the winter before skimming.
8. Ice and snow are detrimental to cream, and when used in milk will not be taken.
9. Two different milking must not be put into the same can, nor must the milk or can be disturb- ed after the milk is set.
10. Milk must stand at least ten hours after straining before the cream can skimmed and then be determined by the collector whether it is in condition to skim or not.
11. It is distinctly understood by all that the word inel is used as the equivalent of a pound or half pound of butter, according to the size of the can, and the creameries reserve the right to pay any patron for the number of pounds his cream will make.
12. Patrous are required to notify their cream- eries at once of any neglect of the collectors, or any failure on their part to conform with the above rules.
ALBERT LEA CREAMEY CO."
ELEVATORS AND WAREHOUSES .- The produce of the county which is shipped from this city is han- dled by the following concerns:
Armstrong's elevator, which is 30x50 feet, two stories, and will hold 4,000 bushels. It is owned and operated by T. H. Armstrong. In 1870 this was ereeted by the farmers of the county, as a company, and managed by them for about four years, when it was sold to the present owner, who put in a two horse-power engine. It is managed by John Heising, who purchases grain aud hides.
William W. Cargill put up a small warehouse on the completion of the Southern Minnesota railroad to this point. This building collapsed some time after, and he put up the present build- ing, which has a capacity of about 15,000 bush- els and an eight horse-power engine. The firm is now Cargill Brothers, who are large buyers all all along the line, and deal in grain, hogs and hides.
Another ware-house was built just before the railroad was completed, by Bassett and Hunting- don. It is a frame building, and is now simply used as a storehouse for oats and corn by Cargill Brothers.
Vining, Calkins & Co. put up a small ware- house and used it but a few years. They had an engine. the power from which was used mostly in eleaning grain. It would hold about 8,000 bnsh- els; it is owned by L. F. Hodges & Co. and is now laying idle.
An elevator with a capacity of 30,000 bushels was put up by Henry Rowell in 1876. Ho owned and operated it for about three years, when it was disposed of to Cargill Brothers, who took it to Sherman and it has since been burned. It had a ten horse-power engine.
In 1877, Sergeant and Skinner built an elevator at a cost of $7,500. It is a frame building, with a capacity of about 35,000 bushels, and is operated with an eight horse-power engine. In 1879 Mr. Sargent's interest was purchased by H. D. Brown, amd the firm is now Brown & Skinner, who buy wheat only.
At the same time R. M. Todd & Co. of Rock Falls, Iowa, put up a flat ware-house, for the pur- pose of buying wheat for their mill.
Kimmer & Lamb put up that same season a small ware-house at-a cost of $500. This was at first rented by Todd & Co., but is now owned by that firm.
D. G. Parker subsequently put up his ware- house, a one-story building, and buys wheat and barley.
The Albert Lea Board of Trade built a one- story ware-house in 1881, and began the purchase of wheat. It is now used as a store-house by Ransom Brothers.
It is understood that the prices are well up to the large wheat markets, after deducting the freights.
OLSON & ANDERSON, WAGON-MAKERS AND GEN- ERAL BLACKSMITHING .- This establishment has been in operation since 1869, with Martin Olson as a member of the firm. The shop is on Clark Street. At first general blacksmithing business only was done, but in 1879, the manufacture of wagons and buggies was eommeneed. In 1882 tho firm put in a small steam engine of six horse-power. They do considerable plow repairing and other like kinds of work.
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
G. A. HAUGE & C. CHRISTOPHERSON manufac- ture wagons and repair plows. They also manu- facture C. D. Edwards Ditchers, which cuts a ditch two and one half feet wide and three aud one half deep. The power is conveyed by a capstan turned by horses or oxen, and it seems to be a valuable device for the purpose of excavating drainage ditches. Mr. Hauge purchased the establishment in 1875. About seven hands are employed. The shop is a large brick building on Washington street, near Spring Lake, and has a horse-power to drive some of the machinery. Such an establishment is of great value in the midst of an agricultural community.
ALBERT LEA CARRIAGE SHOP .- Charles Drom- merhansen is the proprietor, having started the business in 1866, on the corner of Newton and William streets, in a blacksmith shop, where he did repairing and made a few wagons and sleighs. In 1868, he moved to Clark street and built the shop he still occupies, and after a time commen- ced the manufacture of carriages aud a variety of light wagons. The establishment has three buildings and quite an extensive business.
WAGON, CARRIAGE, AND BLACKSMITH SHOP, JOSEPH PEFFER. PROPRIETOR. - This wagon shop was started in 1869, and work continued in it until 1878, when a blacksmith shop was added. General repairing, blacksmithing, horse shoeing, and wagon making is carried on, employing four men.
BLACKSMITHING .- C. P. Johnson oped a shop in May, 1882, and does general repair work and horse shoeing.
A WAGON SHOP was opened by Brown & Pratt, in 1867, and after changing hands several times it was bought by A. J. Balch. who added black- smithing and kept it in operation until August, 1882, when it passed into the hands of F. W. Balelı and M. C. Larson. They do general re- pairing and horse shoeing.
BOAT BUILDING .- In 1865, Mr. C. D. Marlett built a shop in which to construct boats. It is still in operation by Mr. Marlett, who also does general repairing.
The city is not noted as a manufacturing place, but it is predicted that in the near future more attention will be paid to the subject; for manu- facturing, especially of articles having a general sale, serves as a kind of business balance wheel to steady affairs during crop shortages or other local
fluctuations. A Hlouring mill on a large scale would conduce to the prosperity of the city. and in due time it will no doubt be established.
CIGAR MANUFACTORY .- Thomas J. Wanek began manufacturing cigars on the 6th of April, 1878. Cigar manufacturers are still amenable to the revenue tax, started during the war of 1861. The license to start with is $10 per year, and then a stamp tax of $6 per thousand must be aflixed to all that are made. About thirty-five or forty thousand are put up each month. Among the various brands made are the "Select." "Henry Clay," "Evening Star." "Happy Dream." "Pro- tector," "Magic Slipper," "Shade," and "La Mon- tana."
MERCHANDISING. - Albert Lea is the trading point for the whole county, for while there are some good stores in the townships, the bulk of the trade is done at the county seat. Here may be found grocery stores, dry goods, hardware. agricultural implements, furniture, drugs and medicines, clothing, millinery, fancy goods, and in fact, all the usual variety of articles required by the present stage of civilization.
LAGER BEER WAREHOUSES .- C. and J. Michels have a refrigerating storehouse for their LaCrosse beer. It holds perhaps two hundred barrels, and is stored here to be shipped northwest and south, about a car-load a week being disposed of. Mr. T. Blacklin is the agent at this point.
JOHN GUND BREWING COMPANY has a refrig- erating warehouse at the depot, which holds about two hundred barrels of lager beer. It is sold along the line of road to the extent of about three car-loads every two weeks. O. Knudsen is the manager at Albert Lea.
It may be remarked that the growth of the lager beer business has been rather marked, and when we remember that the Anglo-Saxon race is a drinking race, as is also the Scandinavian and the Celtic race, their favorite beverage being spir- its, the change in favor of malt liquor is noticeable. What is to be the outcome is a matter that the political and social scientists may speenlate upon, as the question is not yet deci led whether the use of malt liquor. in contradistinction to spirituous, is really a guard against drunkenness.
HOTELS.
IlALL HOUSE. - This building was erected for a dwelling by Frank Hall, in 1866 or '67. In about four years he remodeled the house, and it has
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since been run as a hotel. A man named Foster was the first landlord, but after a year or two Mr. Hall assumed charge, and has conducted it ever since. It is a three-story brick, has 33 guest rooms, is near the central part of the city, and has the reputation of being a good hotel.
GILBERT HOUSE .- This building was erected by Morin, Armstrong, and others, in 1868, for a cheese factory, and run as such a couple of sea- sons. S. S. Sutton, in the meantime, had come into possession of the property and converted it into a hotel, known as the Lake House. After a year or so it was sold to Warren Gilbert, who is still the owner. The next lessees were Gardner & Hunter, who run it a few years when a dissolu- tion of partnership occurred, the latter continuing as proprietor about one year longer. During this time it had been changed to the Gardner House. The present proprietor, John B. Foote, leased the premises in 1879, and since then the capacity of the house has been doubled, and the standard raised so that it now ranks among the best hotels of the city. Seventy-five guests can be comforta- bly accommodated at this hotel.
LA CROSSEHOUSE .- This was built by the present proprietor, L. Oentrich, in 1877. It is a two-story frame, and can accommodate about twenty guests. It is located on Clark street, west of Broadway.
CITY HOTEL .- In 1867, William Fenholt erect- ed this hostlery, and still continues its manage- ment. It is a two story frame house, and can accommodate about thirty guests. It is located on Clark street, east of Broadway.
NATIONAL HOUSE .- This was built in 1875 by Andrew Rolfson, who conducted it until the first of September, 1882, when H. A. Crandall became proprietor. It is a two story frame house, situ- ated on East Clark street, and can accommodate about thirty-five guests.
WINSLOW HOUSE .- This house was built at the station of the Minneapolis & St. Louis railroad, on the completion of that line to Albert Lea, in 1878. It was run by Mr. Bunker until 1882, and has since been conducted by Frank Hall. It is a two story brick, and contains twenty-six rooms.
ALBERT LEA HOUSE .- This sign appears on the the ontside of a white frame lionse, nearly oppo- the Winslow House, but as the proprietor did not possess sufficient courtesy to answer the few civil
questions propounded to him, no further remarks can be made regarding this place.
There is a hotel and boarding house near the depot on the Sonthern Minnesota railroad, kept by Mr. Brandon. It is a neat and home-like place, and gives good satisfaction to its patrons.
CITY GOVERNMENT.
In the winter of 1878, the city charter was granted by the State Legislature, in obedience to a numerously signed petition of the tax-payers of the village. And having been accepted by a vote , of the people, on the 12th day of May, 1878, the city government was organized, the first officers being: Mayor, Frank Hall; Board of Aldermen, W. P. Sergeant, President, J. W. Smith, R. E. Johnson, John F. Anderson, and E. D. Porter, two from each ward; Clerk, Fred. S. Lincoln.
After the organization, the various details re- quiring action were attended to. Some of the most important of which will be mentioned.
The city Justices were required to furnish bonds for the faithful discharge of their duties in the sum of $1,000 each. The City Treasurer for $5,000. The license for the sale of beer was fixed at $100, and both malt and spiritnous liquors at $250
The second meeting was on the 15th of the same month, when the Mayor delivered his inang- ural address.
A license fee for Cole's circus, which desired to exhibit, was fixed at $25.
The city Assessor's bonds were fixed at $500; the city Attorney's, $500, and various committees were appointed. At a subsequent meeting the order of business was established.
1st. Reading of Minutes.
2d. Reports of Committees.
3d. Action on the reports of Committees.
4th. Unfinished business.
5th. New business.
Meetings of the board were arranged for the Ist and 3d Tuesdays of each month.
The first ordinance was passed on the Ist of May, and related to the sale of intoxicating hev- erages.
The city printing, after some manouvering, was given to the "Enterprise."
Side walks early received attention.
In June the pay of the police was fixed at $45 per month.
The machinery of the city government was set
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
in motion and run with little frietion considering its newness, and the financial condition at the end of the year presented a good showing. as the ex- penditures had not been extravagant, and there was a small balance in the treasury.
The exhibit was as follows:
Cash received. $5,549 52
Cash paid out. 5.523 11
In the treasury . 26 41
1879 .-- The election was on the 5th of May. There were two candidates for Mayor. H. D. Brown and W. P. Sergeant. Mr. Brown was elected by seven majority. and the officers this year were: Mayor, H. D. Brown: Aldermen, W. P. Sergeant, President, Thomas H. Armstrong. Elland Erickson. J. W. Smith, William Fenholt, and John H. Anderson; Clerk, John Anderson; Attorney, R. M. Palmer; Assessor, D. N. Gates; Street Commissioner, E. D. Porter; Chief of Police, Reuben Williams; City Surveyor, William Morin.
Liquor licenses were fixed at $150, and the one hundred dollar licenses for selling malt liquors were discontinued. The license for a brewery was fixed at $200 a year.
On the 27th of June it was voted to purchase a La France Steam fire engine at a cost of $2,800. This was done after careful investigation. The question as to the location of an engine house was one of the problems the Council had to wrestle with. Several lots were offered, and finally two were accepted which were presented by William Morin and Thomas H. Armstrong. On the 26th of August the engine arrived. and after examina- tion and testing, it was declared satisfactory.
An ordinanee, passed to prevent the obstruction of certain streets by forbidding the feeding of teems on them, was vetoed by the Mayor on ac- count of its improver discriminations and because the streets were made for use, and the prosperity of the city largely depended upon the trade brought by the persons who would be thus in- commoded.
gins: Chief of police, E. D. Patrick: City Engin- eer, A. Motzfeldt.
Some of the salaries were fixed as follows: Chief of Police. 845 a month, and the night watch man 835. The clerk $250 a year; Street Commis- sioner $2 a day for actual work: Engineer of steam fire engine. 8150 a2 year, and the fireman $60 a year; the city engineer $100 a year.
On the 21st of June a bell was authorized for the engine house, and the fire limits were fixed.
The public drive around the lake was made in the summer of 1880. The right of way was con- veyed by Theodore Tyrer, of Albert Lea. and Washington Lee, of New York. who materially assisted in doing the work. The city gave $269, and received a deed of the property.
In October. the Spring Lake having become so filled as to be"obnoxious, exhaling foul emana- tions, five physicians, A. C. Wedge, M. E. Wood- bury, W. II. Smith, G. W. Bareb, and M. M. Dodge, presented a petition to the council as to the effects upon the sanitary condition of the eity, and recommended that it be filled or drained. Their prayer was supplemented by another from Frank Hall and seventy-one other citizens, and the machinery was set in motion to have it drained and filled.
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