USA > Minnesota > Houston County > History of Houston County, Including Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota > Part 53
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WILD HAY .- The number of tons cured in 1879, was 4,808.
CULTIVATED ACRES .- In 1879, 102,667 acres were cultivated; and in 1880, there were 105,723. APPLES .- Number of trees in 1879, 34,610; number actually bearing, 7,501, producing 4,333
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AMBER SUGAR CANE.
bushels. In 1880, the whole number of trees were 34,724, with 12,683 bearing.
GRAPES .- The number of vines in 1879, was 8,222, which produced 22,456 pounds of fruit. In 1880, the number of vines was 8,908. It is a re- markable fact that grapes of one or another va- riety can be successfully cultivated in every State in the Union.
STRAWBERRIES .- In the season of 1878, there were raised of this fruit 3,142 quarts, and in 1879, 6,763 quarts, showing a commendable increase.
TOBACCO .- The amount of this leaf produced in 1878, was 2,673 pounds. In 1879, it had in- creased to 3,643 pounds.
HONEY .- The number of hives in 1878 was 685, producing 6,131 pounds of honey. In 1879, the hives were 401 in number, and the honey se- cured, 2,695 pounds.
MAPLE SUGAR AND SYRUP .- Only about 40 gallons of syrup and 50 pounds of sugar are made each year in the whole county.
BUTTER AND CHEESE .- In the year 1879, there were in the county 5,359 milch cows, producing 257,747 pounds of butter, and 3,969 pounds of cheese. In 1880, the number of cows reported was 5,494, and there was a single cheese factory in the county.
SHEEP AND WOOL .- The number of sheep kept in the county in 1879, was 3,721, producing 18,- 148 pounds of wool. In 1880, the number of sheep was 3,871, and the wool clip was 18,428 pounds.
HORSES .- The number reported in 1879, was 1,084 colts under three years, and 4,429 three years old and over. In 1880, there were, 1,176 colts, and 4,436 horses.
CATTLE-Under two years old, in 1879, 3,936. Total number of cattle of all ages, 12,679. In 1880, the cattle under two years old numbered 3,910, and of all ages, 12,684.
MULES AND ASSES .- The returns for 1880 dis- play 138 of all ages and varieties.
HoGs-In 1880 the whole number in the county of all ages returned for taxation was 18,294.
AMBER SUGAR CANE.
It is a thoroughly established fact that syrup and sugar can be sucsessfully made in Minnesota from the early amber cane which grows to perfection in all parts of the State. It is reasonable to believe that this indus- try is in its earliest infancy, and that at no dis-
tant time, the great bulk of the sugar now im- ported in such enormous quantities will be made at home, and, although such arguments have very little effect upon individual action, yet, it may not be devoid of general interest to know that the amount of sugar imported requires an equivalent in gold of more than $100,000,000, or one-sixth of all the circulating medium in the country.
Without doubt, the cultivation of the early amber cane in the northern States can supply a large part of this demand, and Minnesota could supply the home demand and leave a surplus for exportation. Such a change would certainly lessen the liability for hard times, and' if com- mercial panics must come, the intervals between their coming would be' lengthened, as with this great draft upon us, the difficulties of keeping the balance of trade on our side would be very materially decreased.
The great reason, however, why the farmers of Minnesota should make amber cane a part of every crop, is because it is in their pecuniary in- terest; if properly cultivated, and the business conducted with the skill usually displayed by the average farmer of the State, it will certainly be remunerative.
In Louisana, and other sugar making commu- nities, the old methods effectually excluded the small farmers from entering into the business at all, even in a small way, for every planter had to have his own sugar houses, with costly machinery, and expenses of engineer and of operating on a large scale. But even there this system is giving way to the modern'idea of a subdivision of labor, and the result is that common mills are being es- tablished, with all the facilities for the manufac- ture of the juice of the cane for the whole neigh- borhood, so that the planter can cultivate his crop without the trouble and expense of procuring ma- chinery and buildings, with skilled labor to work it up.
This is evidently the course for the farmers of Minnesota, and every neighborhood should have its sugar mill, with grinding facilities, and evaporating pans sufficient to do the work before the frost arrives.
HISTORY OF THE EARLY AMBER.
In 1859, when Minnesota, as a State, was only a year old, at the time when the cultivation of the Chinese sugar cane, Imphee, or Sorghum, as it was called, was exciting attention throughout the
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HISTORY OF HOUSTON COUNTY.
country, Mr. E. Y. Teas, of Indiana, being in Paris, bought a few pounds of the seed, of a well known firm, merely asking for the best. This was taken home and planted in the county where he lived, on a fourth of an acre, and there was a sin- gle stalk, unlike the others, which ripened its seed by the time the rest was in bloom. The seed from . this exceptional plant was carefully preserved, and the product the next year also ripened earlier than any other. The syrup was found to be far super- ior, and on account of the color, it being unlike the dark product of other known varieties, it was called Amber Cane.
At this time a Mr. Lindley, from North Carolina, seeing the value of the new variety, took home a fine lot of seed. There it was found to flourish, and was subsequently brought back to Wayne county, Indiana, and carefully grown by Mr. Conley, who widely disseminated the seed. It is not known whether this stray seed was an acci- dental one from some known variety in the old world, or a new kind just springing into existence; but, at all events, its history, since Mr. Teas had the genius to preserve it, is certainly a happy ex- emplification of the survival of the fittest.
METHOD OF CULTIVATION.
Although many of our readers are well ac- qnainted with the whole business of making syrup and sugar from the amber cane, from the seed to the moment of leaving the granulating process, yet, for the benefit of those who have not given the subject deserved attention, a few observations will be made in this regard.
Minnesota soil, by its every appearance, is well adapted to the raising of any sugar plant. The only question, then, regards the climate, and that is overcome by the introduction of the early am- ber cane. The seed should be planted as early as possible, not allowing one day of needless delay. This will ripen the cane in the latter part of Au- gust, before danger of frost. However slightly frost touches the cane, it will be damaged, espe- cially in its crystallizing properties.
When cut, the cane should be piled in sheds for protection, which sheds should be built near the mill. The cane piles should not be more than six feet high, to insure against heating. Space around and between the piles should be left for a free circulation of the air. Small quantities of cane could be covered with straw, always remov- ing the straw during the day. The planting of
cane is of no more expense than that of corn, and only a small additional expense in cultivation may be taken into account.
An acre of land will readily produce eleven tons of cane, and a ton of cane will give from eighty- five to ninety-five gallons of juice by the use of a six-horse power mill.
The juice contains 16 per cent. solid matter, thirteen parts of which are crystallizable sugar, the remaining three parts being invert sugar and organic matter. An acre of cane will safely pro- duce from 130 to 150 gallons of syrup of 80 per cent. density.
The suckers should be removed to give the main stalk greater vigor. The cane grows from ten to eleven feet tall, and each stalk, stripped and headed, weighs from two to three pounds. A man can with ease out two acres a day. Two boys, us- ing each a common lath. can strip an acre per day. A team can haul it up at the same time.
The cane should be cut before any frost touches it, although a slight frost affecting the leaves only, will not injure the juice, provided the cane is then promptly cut.
The best way to harvest it is to place it in win- rows. Let two men start in, taking two rows each; make a winrow in the middle of the four rows, by laying down each hill as it is cut, with the butts in front, and the tops pointing back, laying each hill like shingles on a roof. Keep right on in this way, and you will have the cane in a condition to withstand rain and an ordinary early frost. The cane can be cut from the time of the immature to the ripe seed, but the riper it be- comes the sweeter the juice.
When you are ready to haul to the mill, begin at the butt end of the row, and cut off the seed heads, throwing two rows together, then drive be- tween the empty rows and load up by taking out both end boards, laying a tier at both ends with the butts outside.
Without doubt, in the cultivation and handling of this crop, there will be many improvements, and new machinery, which, of course, will succeed or be rejected on its merits.
THE MANUFACTURE .- For a mill grinding two acres in twenty-four hours, will be required three men and a horse, besides two or three boilers.
From the mill the juice should pass into large settling vats, where impurities are taken from it. From here the juice passes into the large clas-
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sification pans, where the necessary chemicals for purifying can be applied. When well heated and skimmed, the juice passes into the evaporating pan, from which, if it is desirable to make sugar, it is turned into wooden coolers for crystallization. When crystallized, the sugar can be separated from the syrup, either with a centrifugal machine, or by drainage.
The outfit for a six horse power mill, grinding about three acres per day, is two or three classific- ation pans, about 12x4 feet, and eight inches deep, and one evaporator for finishing. Another filter- ing of the juice as it passes from the classification pans to the finishing evaporator, is of great ad- vantage. Skimmings can he made use of in fat- tening hogs. The skimmings of the finishing evaporator produce a fine quality of vinegar.
Out of the 140 to 150 gallons of syrup per acre, there can be made, by using proper machinery, 1,000 pounds of sugar, and what is left, about sixty gallons, will be a fine article of molasses.
The manufacture is, however, recommended to be in the hands of experts, as it can be made at so much a gallon or pound with satisfactory results. As to the amount of syrup to the acre, some of the men who have developed this industry, claim that 160 gallons an acre can be readily secured. The syrup weighs about twelve pounds to the gal- lon, and from this seven pounds of sugar ought to be made, and from these figures the value of the crop can be estimated, the worth of syrup and sugar being known. It should be remembered that after the sugar granulates, there are still sev- eral pounds of syrup to each gallon, which is good molasses.
The early history of the successful cultivation of amber cane in Minnesota is most interesting. Soon after the war of 1861, Seth H. Kenny, of of Morristown, and Charles F. Miller, of Dundas, Rice county, who were at the time strangers to each other, twenty miles apart, began experiment- ing and wrestling with the problem, as to whether molasses could be made from the Chinese sugar cane. Their efforts, although at first exciting the mournful pity of their neighbors, were at last crowned with success. One of them chanced upon the seed of the early amber, already mentioned, and sending some of it to a careful friend in Mis- souri, had a crop of seed raised from it there, and from this beginning has resulted a new industry for the state of Minnesota.
The St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, in the spring of 1877, invited these gentlemen to exhibit their speciments to that body, and from that hour, the attention of the people of the Northwest hav- ing been called to the subject, the success of sugar making in this northern latitude was assured.
For the benefit of those who are chemically in- clined, an analysis or two of the amber juice is here given:
ANALYSIS.
Juice-
Density (solid matter) 12.8
Pure saccharine. 9.5
Invert sugar (glucose) 2.2
Foreign matter 1.0
The presence of foreign matter is explained by the use of unripe cane, lacking from two to three weeks to have obtained maturity.
ANOTHER ANALYSIS.
Sugar manufactured by M. D. Bowen gave as results:
Crystallizable sugar
89.46
Invert sugar. 4.52
Moisture
5.80
Foreign matters :22
100.00
The analyses above given were made on the grounds, and under some unfavorable circum- stances, but show to a dead certainty the enor- mous value of the cultivation of early amber sugar-cane in Minnesota.
SUGAR CANE IN HOUSTON COUNTY.
Little attention has yet been paid to this crop, the acreage of which is yearly doubling. But ten acres were sown in 1878, yielding 985 gallons of syrup, or 98.50 per acre. In 1879, 81 acres were put in to early amber, and the result was 9,243 gallons, averaging per acre, 114.11.
In 1880, 104 acres of this crop were put in. At this rate of increase it will soon be the most valua- ble crop in the county, the soil of which must be well adapted to its growth, as the yield is more than twenty-five gallons per acre above the aver- age in the State.
LEGAL WEIGHTS AND MEASURES IN MINNESOTA.
Wheat
60 pounds per bushel
Corn, shelled.
56
66
:
Corn, in ears.
70
66
Corn meal.
50
66
Rye.
56
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296
HISTORY OF HOUSTON COUNTY.
Oats.
32 pounds per bushel.
Barley
48
Potatoes.
60
Beans.
60
Bran ..
20
66
Hungarian seed ..
48
Clover
do
60
Timothy
do
45
66
Hemp
do
44
Flax
do
56
66
Red Top
do
14
66
66
66
Onions.
57
Top onions, sets.
28
Peas. .
60
60
Dried apples
28
66
Malt.
34
3
.6
Salt.
50
66
66
Turnips
57
Cranberries
36
66
66
Coal.
80
66
Lime.
80
=
Lime.
200
per barrel
Flour
196
Pork
. 200
66
66
Butter
84
66
66
66
LAND MEASURE ..
43,560 square feet make one acre.
To measure an acre: 198 feet by 200 feet make one acre. 209 feet on each side will make one square acre within a small fraction. A square mile contains 640 acres.
CHAPTER XLVII.
INTERESTING EVENTS CHRONOLOGICALLY ARRANGED.
Many occurrences of a local significance, which the readers of this history may be disappointed in not finding under the township headings, may be found here. Of course there are many affairs, which would be quite as interesting as those here mentioned, that are not alluded to, but it is hoped that enough have been caught to give a good idea of life in Houston county, since its settlement, a little over thirty years ago.
THE YEAR 1854.
At the first election in the county, in the spring of 1854, at Brownsville, 126 votes were cast, and at a dance in the evening, hardly a single set of "dancable" couples could be got together.
The land office was located in Brownsville this
year. J. R. Bennett was Register, and J. H. McKin- ney, Receiver. M. G. Thompson and Eugene Marshall were afterwards in the office. It was removed to Chatfield in 1866.
THE YEAR 1855.
There were seven town sites platted and recorded in the county this year, as follows: Brownsville, Hokah, Houston City, Caledonia, Spring Grove, Watertown, and Manton. Watertown was in Win- nebago, and Manton in La Crescent. Lots in Brownsville brought from $100 to $800.
The Root River Steamboat Company was or- ganized: Ole Knudson, President; C. W. Jenks, Treasurer; and E. A. Goodell, Secretary. The other directors were Job Brown, T. B. Twitford, and Joel March.
Near the close of the year 1855, the Brown brothers, at Brownsville, got their saw-mill in operation.
THE YEAR 1856.
The Mississippi and Missouri Railroad Com- pany was incorporated by an act approved March 1st. It was to run from the Mississippi via Wild Cat Valley.
A charter sor a ferry company was secured by E. A. Goodell in the spring.
On the 5th of April, Capt. J. H. Mckinney's house at Brownsville was burned, at a loss of $1,- 500, and no insurance.
COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY .- This was organized in Brownsville on the 4th of May; David Watson, President; Job Brown, Vice President; William Frazier Ross, Secretary, and D. N. Gates, Treas- urer. The local agents were: John H. Smith, Brownsville; Rev.M. Williams, Caledonia; William Erwin, Hokah; Ole Knudson, Houston; W. Trask, Winnebago; W. Bell, Bellville; Herman Peter- son, Spring Grove; and J. Wilson, Looneyville.
The first circus in the county was at Browns- ville, on the 17th of June. H. M. Smith was the proprietor.
On the 16th of July, the editor of the "Minne- sota Herald," Wm. F. Ross, was married at Wil- mington, Indiana, to Miss M. Eliza Rogers.
Houston county had a total population of 3,000.
THE YEAR 1857.
The first steamer was built on the Root River.
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66
Buckwheat.
32
297
INTERESTING EVENTS.
THE YEAR 1858.
The first sorghum cane mill was put up in the county by Mr. Andrews in Wild Cat Valley.
The Knoblach Brothers started a brewery in 1857 or '58, in Brownsville.
The Root River Valley Railroad was com- menced.
The first Fair of the County Agricultural So- ciety was held.
THE YEAR 1860.
Hokah advertised its great advantages for man- ufacturing, laying particular stress on its twenty- six feet water fall.
Tn Tuesday, the 14th of March, a Miss Bennett living in the house of D. L. Buell, of Caledonia, was burned to death in consequence of her clothes taking fire.
The "Wild cat" and "Red dog" money that af- flicted this region, was on the Fulton County Bank, the Bank of Whitefield, and the Planters' and Mechanics' Bank, all of Georgia.
A land sale was ordered for Southern Minne- sota in October, to be held at the several land of- fices.
In December, Mr. Belden, of Caledonia, began a tri-weekly mail route between that place and La Crosse.
THE YEAR 1861.
In February, Col. McPhail, snuffing the battle afar off, issued a call from Caledonia to organize a regiment.
In March, the ferry charter was rescinded by the legislature, and there was great rejoicing.
THE YEAR 1862.
The "Hokah Chief," on the 16th of September, had a graphic account of the Indian war. Hon. Ignatius Donnelly reported the whole number of inhabitants killed and missing to be 382.
Early in the sixties, Daniel Watson, of Hous- ton, made sorghum syrup ..
In December, Mr. Lynn and his wife had a runa- way accident in Caledonia, and he was killed.
THE YEAR 1863.
Early in this year there were imported from Wisconsin into Portland Prairie 450 fine Merino sheep.
In March, there was a great freshet on the South Fork of the Root River, which, particularly in Sheldon, carried off the bridges. It was also de- structive on the Root River itself.
On the 8th of June, Capt. Cady, of the Eighth regiment, was killed while pursuing the Sioux.
In 1863, the trout fishing in Union was so fine as to provoke newspaper remark.
In June, there was an election in La Crosse to vote aid in building railroads and bridges in Minnesota. The proposition was carried to the extent of $15,000.
The contract for carrying the mail from Cale- donia to LaCrosse, via Hokah, was awarded to Beckett & Wightman, and the service was to be tri-weekly.
The expedition against the Indians, under the command of Gen. Sibley, was most remorselessly criticised by the correspondents of the "Hokah Chief." The battles that were reported from head- quarters were characterized as "Battle of Big Thing," "Battle of Couldn't see it," "Battle of No you don't," and was said to be a Don Quixotic expedition of the pic-nic order.
THE YEAR 1864.
There wns quite an emigration to Idaho from Houston county.
In July, wheat sold in La Crosse at $2.15 per bushel, and gold was then $2.50.
In the fall, the irrepressible Col. McPhail organ- ized a buffalo hunt, to start from Wood Falls, a day's ride from the hunting ground.
The school fund for Houston county was $526.49, to be divided among 277 scholars, about fifty cents each.
THE YEAR 1865.
In March, there was a noted flood on the Root River. Not a single dam, except at Hokah, could resist the frightful invitation to join the tide; the inundation of the valleys was fearful. The people along that usually placid stream deemed that de- struction's devastating doomsday had come. But when the waters receded, much less mischief than would have been supposed, was found to have been done.
On Monday, the 23d of July, a Miss Mattocks was drowned at Hokah.
In May, there was quite an Indian scare, but it was much greater over in Wisconsin.
THE YEAR 1866.
Wolf scalps were worth $6.00 each, and thirteen were brought in that year.
On Saturday, the 6th of December, the young
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HISTORY OF HOUSTON COUNTY.
ladies and gentlemen of Caledonia formed a liter- ary society.
A fatal accident occurred to Mrs. Foster, in Hokah, in December, 1866. While on a visit to a mill her clothing was caught by a shaft, and she was carried through a space but eight inches wide; death came to her relief in two hours.
THE YEAR 1867.
Early in this year an effort was made to estab- lish & Unitarian Church in Caledonia. Rev. S. C. Buckley was here preaching the doctrines of that denomination. The subject elicited quite a news- paper discussion.
Late in the winter the Methodists had a pro- tracted meeting in Caledania.
At the April election, the proposition to raise a tax of six mills on the dollar for the purpose of building a court house, was submitted to the voters of the county, and decided in the negative.
In March, a huge rock became detached near the top of the bluff in Brownsville, and came thun- dering down, and taking a flying leap near a house, went through it from roof to cellar, demolishing a part of the wall of the latter.
In April, 1867, a fire destroyed a book and no- tion store in Brownsville, belonging to J. M. Yarr
On Tuesday, the 2d of April, a Lodge of Good Templars was instituted in Caledonia, with thirty charter members,
On Monday evening, May 6th, the saw-mill and cabinet shop in Jefferson, owned by Gurney & Wellington, was entirely consumed by fire.
When the income tax was collected the follow- iug gentlemen paid a tax of this description in the county: A. McMichael, A. D. Sprague, Henry Rippe, Harvey Bell, Mark Percival, and C. Mont- gomery.
In May, the Clerk of the District Court, John Dorsh, issued a license to a man 80 years of age, to marry a woman of 50.
A Base Ball Club was organized in Caledonia on the 29th of June, with the following officers: President, C. A. Coe; Vice President, A. H. Belding; Treasurer, N. E. Dorival; Umpire, P. P. Wall; Secretary, E. P. Dorival; Captains, J. Em- mons and A. H. Belding. The club met on Sat- urday afternoons.
Two children, one belonging to Samuel Baird, and the other to George Spangler, of Winnebago Valley, were killed by the caving in of a bank, on the 13th of July.
The regalia, seal, books and other property be- longing to Money Creek Lodge of Good Temp- lars was stolen on the evening of the 16th of July.
Base Ball struck the town of Hokah late in the summer, and a club was organized, called Resolute Base Rall Club of Hokah, with the following officers .: President, Ed. Thompson; Vice President, L. S. Keeler; Secretary and Treasurer, A. P. Coul- ter, with a board of directors.
In the early fall, Dr. H. B. Laflin took the in- itiative in laying sidewalks in Caledonia, by com- mencing in front of his place on Kingston street.
In the autumn Prof. Julius Emmons opened a select school in Caledonia, which was largely at- tended.
Wheat sold at Brownsville and Lansing for from $1.50 to $1.90 per bushel.
In December, a series of meetings were held in Caledonia to influence the enforcement of an ob- servance of the sabbath.
THE YEAR 1868.
On the 5th of January 1868, the Episcopal Church in Caledonia having been completed, service was held in it for the first time.
The Methodist Church bell was placed in posi- tion on the 11th of January 1868.
The Methodist Episcopal Church in Caledonia was dedicated on the 23d of February. The ser- mon was preached by Rev. C. Hobart, D. D., J. W. Kelper was Pastor.
A Band of Hope was organized in Caledonia on the 10th of March, with 20 members.
In the spring the tree business in Caledonia was quite brisk. Among those who were prom- inent in planting shade and other trees, were : Dr. H. B. Laflin, D. L. Buell, J. W. Cook, Wells E. Dunbar, Mrs. H. Hinkley, John Dorsh, W. Trask, J. Vossen, J. Bouquet, A. D. Sprague, Dr. O'Connor, Oliver Dunbar, T. J. Dunbar, and J. Belden.
July 4th was quite generally celebrated in Houston county, the principal gatherings being at Caledonia, where addresses were made by Rev. N. Fellows and others; also at Riceford and Houston, where appropriate exercises took place. At Rice- ford a premature explosion carried away the arms of one man, and an eye and a part of the face of another. Their names were Gilbert and Sherburn.
On the 8th of May, the "Free Press", at Browns- ville, appeared for the first time with a patent in- side.
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