USA > Minnesota > Houston County > History of Houston County, Minnesota > Part 13
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In 1875, when the bridge was completed across the Mississippi near La Crescent, the Grand Crossing terminus was abandoned and the people of La Crescent realized their ambition of immediate connection with the west.
The Southern Minnesota Railway Co. was reorganized from the South- ern Minnesota Railroad Co. March 3, 1877. The Southern Minnesota Rail- way Extension Company was also organized. Jan. 1, 1880, the Southern Minnesota, after receiving a deed from the Extension Company, deeded its road from the Mississippi River to Sioux Falls, and the branch from Wells to Mankato, to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, the latter issuing bonds and taking possession of the road May 1, 1880.
The Reno-Preston Division had its inception early in November, 1873, when several meetings were held in Caledonia to consider the matter of securing railroad facilities for that village. Among those interested were Thomas Abbotts, C. A. Coe, N. F. Dorival, W. H. Harries, Wells E. Dunbar and Nicholas Koob. November 28, the Caledonia & Mississippi Railroad
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Co. was duly incorporated, and authorized to construct a line from the Mississippi by the most convenient route to Caledonia. The original board of directors consisted of Thomas Abbotts, A. D. Sprague, C. A. Coe, N. E. Dorival, Richard Lester, Michael Roster, William Oxford, O. J. Weida, Nich- olas Koob, Mons Fladager and Joseph Vossen. The first officers were: President, Thomas Abbotts ; vice-president, A. D. Sprague; treasurer, Nich- olas Koob; secretary, N. F. Dorival; attorney, Richard Lester. During the winter subscriptions were taken, and in the summer a survey was made by Joseph Till, and a little grading done. Plans were made for the purchase of ties and rails. But there was considerable opposition on the part of those who feared that the line would take business away from the county to La Crosse instead of bringing business to Caledonia. Money was hard to obtain, the company was unable to meet its obligations for the grading done, various suits were brought, and much bitterness resulted, deepened by a newspaper controversy which kept the county in a turmoil for months. Then the proposition lay dormant for several years.
In the early spring of 1879, the Clinton, Dubuque & Minnesota Railroad Co., desiring feeders for its river road, began to consider favorably the idea of building a road from the Mississippi westward through Caledonia. Ac- cordingly, this company made an offer to complete a narrow gauge road, iron it, equip it, and put it in operation, in consideration of certain bonuses to be voted by the citizens of the territory through which the road was to pass. The old Caledonia & Mississippi was therefore reorganized as the Caledonia, Mississippi & Western, and the surveying and the purchase of the right of way extended vigorously. The question of the bonus aroused all the former controversy in Caledonia. The newspapers again took up the fight. At this juncture a number of citizens from La Crosse proposed to organize a company to build a line from La Crosse to Omaha by way of Caledonia. But there was considerable doubt as to their good faith, their plans were nebulous, while the Caledonia, Mississippi & Western was ready io start actual work at once. Therefore, on May 23, 1897, the bonds to the amount of $20,000 were voted by a substantial majority.
The question of a terminus was now considered. No mention had been made of Preston in the plans of the company. The road was to pass south of Preston, and townships of Canton and Harmony were each asked to vote a bonus of $12,000. Caledonia voted $25,000. Canton and Harmony, how- ever, refused to vote the bonus asked, and the company turned its attention to Preston, agreeing to make Preston the terminus of the road on condition that the citizens of Preston vote a bonus of $25,000 and persuade the citizens of Harmony and Canton to change their opinions. After a bitter fight the conditions were fulfilled, Preston voting $25,000, Harmony $12,000 and Canton $12,000. The bonuses voted and the right of way secured, it did not take long for the narrow gauge road to be built. The first shovel of dirt was thrown in June, 1879, and on Sept. 7, 1879, the first rail was laid at Reno. The first train reached Caledonia Sept. 25, 1879. On Christmas day, 1879, the gang was within sight of Preston, but the cold was so intense that work was suspended, and it was not until toward evening on Dec. 26, 1879, that the first train reached Preston. This first train, a work train,
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was in charge of Conductor W. W. Foot and H. G. Vesley, engineer. The first passenger train, in charge of the same engineer and the same con- ductor, started running regularly Jan. 19, 1880. During the construction of the road Frank Adams was constructing engineer and F. O. Wyatt super- intendent.
In April of that year the officials of the Chicago & Northwestern went over the line with a view to purchasing it and continuing the tracks to Chat- field. But the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul heard of this, and at once purchased the road from the eastern stockholders.
From that date until 1901, the line retained its narrow gauge tracks, with poor connections at Reno, and with all the freight disadvantages at- tendant upon the necessity of a transfer at Reno. In 1890 Senator Richard E. Thompson introduced a bill in the Minnesota legislature, authorizing the railroad and warehouse commission to order the gauge broadened. The towns along the line took up the agitation, and the company decided to comply with the wishes of the people. Work was commenced in the sum- mer of 1901, and the first standard gauge train reached Preston Monday morning, Nov. 11, 1901, at 5:30 o'clock. The train consisted of engine 1343, a combination mail, baggage and smoking car, a day coach, and the superintendent's private car, occupied by several officials. The train crew consisted of W. W. Foot, conductor ; Robert Byrens, engineer ; J. D. Hanlon, fireman; J. D. Schwartz, express messenger and brakeman, and H. W. Rollins, mail agent.
The actual change from the narrow to the standard gauge was accom- plished with little delay. The narrow gauge passenger train brought the mail as usual on Saturday, Nov. 9, and immediately returned to Reno. Monday morning the mail left Preston on time, as usual, on the wide gauge train and the change became an accomplished fact.
In 1870, all the gaps being filled up, the Southern Minnesota was run- ning trains from the Mississippi to Wells. The railroad promoters were interested in Lanesboro, Fountain and Wykoff, and were in hope that these places would grow in such a manner as to eliminate Preston from among the important villages of the county. Accordingly, the company refused to establish any stations between Lanesboro and Fountain, and those desir- ing to take the train from Preston had to drive to one or the other of these places. Finally the citizens of Preston organized a freighting association and obtained the permission of the railroad officials to erect a freight house and station, the expense of building, maintaining and operating the same to be borne by the citizens of Preston. The building was at once erected, and W. C. Grant was employed as operator at $45 a month. However, for a time passenger trains stopped only when flagged. Shortly afterward, in 1871, a postoffice was established there with W. C. Grant as postmaster, and the trains were compelled to stop to leave and receive mail. After a time, when the affairs of the company reached the courts, the court ordered the new company to buy and operate the Isinours station.
When the depot was built stage and freight lines were established from Isinours to Preston. The stage line was Preston's only public pas- senger connection with the outside world until the narrow gauge road was
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built to Reno in 1879. The narrow gauge still left Preston with nothing but the stage lines and private teams to convey passengers to the north and west. H. R. Wells for many years worked for the opening of a branch from Preston to the main line of the Southern Minnesota. Finally the pres- ident of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul consented to receive a delega- tion of citizens to talk over the matter. This committee, consisting of H. R. Wells, R. E. Thompson, Henry Nupson, George W. Hard, J. W. Hopp, S. A. Langum and A. W. Thompson, met President A. J. Earling at Chicago, June 6, 1902, and after a long discussion the president promised that sur- veys should be made. Several surveys were made during the summer of 1902, and the company decided to build the road providing the citizens of Preston would secure a right of way free of charge to the company. This was done, and in the spring of 1903 the citizens turned over to the com- pany deeds to the right of way the entire distance, the cost being met by an issue of $5,000 bonds, which were authorized at a special village election at Preston, only 13 voting in the negative. The railroad started work in the spring, but owing to the wet season track laying was not completed until the fall. The civil engineer in charge was C. S. Coe. The first train over the new road left Preston at 12:48, Monday, Nov. 23, 1903, eighteen min- utes after scheduled time. William Shook was the conductor, Levi Kline the engineer, George Laskey the fireman, and J. E. Ford and Gus Shultz the brakemen. A number of leading citizens had arranged for an excur- sion, being met at Isinours by many prominent men of Lanesboro.
A route from La Crosse, northward, on the west bank of the Missis- sippi, was contemplated in 1856. On February 25, of that year, a charter was granted the Winona & La Crosse Railroad Co., giving it a right to con- struct a railroad from Winona, to a point within two miles of the corner of sections 11, 12, 13 and 14, township 104, range 4. A few days later the company was authorized to construct a ferry from its terminus, to any point within six miles of La Crosse. Though a railroad was later built along this route, it was not built by this company nor by its successors.
The Chicago & Northwestern bridge at Winona was completed Dec. 29, 1870. The Milwaukee & St. Paul, now the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, used the Winona bridge for crossing from Minnesota into Wisconsin, run- ning from Winona to La Crosse on the east bank of the river, over the tracks of the La Crosse, Trempealeau & Prescott Railroad, now owned by the Chicago & Northwestern. In 1872, the Milwaukee & St. Paul extended their line from Winona to La Crescent, where the trains were ferried to the Wisconsin side. But this track was used largely for freight service, the passenger trains continuing to cross at Winona. In 1875, as noted, the iron bridge from La Crosse to North La Crosse was completed and has since been used for all traffic over the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul.
In 1872, the people of Houston county secured railroad connection to the southward. In 1871, the Clinton, Dubuque & Minnesota Railroad Co. started grading a line at Dubuque, northward, and before the end of that year tracks were laid as far as Allamakee county. The track reached the state line in May, 1872, and on May 24, of that year, a station was opened there. The work was then pushed northward, the connection being made
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with the Southern Minnesota and the River Division a few months later.
Various routes have been surveyed in this county along which rail- roads have never been built. It may be that in future years one of these routes will be used for a trolley route tapping the rich farming districts of Houston and Winona counties.
The Five Million Dollar Loan and the repudiation of the Railroad Bonds issued under its provisions, was long a subject of controversy in this state. By an Act approved by the Minnesota territorial legislature May 22, 1857, four railroad corporations of this Territory, as already men- tioned, were granted alternate sections, designated by odd numbers, six miles in width on each side of the roads and their branches, this being in accord with the liberal railroad land grant by Congress. These four rail- road corporations, were the Minnesota & Pacific Railroad Company (changed to St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Company), the Minneapolis & Cedar Valley, the Transit Railroad Company (changed to Winona & St. Peter Railroad Company), and the Root River Valley & Southern Minne- sota Railroad Company. The companies were to pay three per cent of their gross earnings in lieu of taxes and assessments, and the lands granted by Congress were to be exempt from all taxation until sold and conveyanced by the companies. The corporations were generally given ten years to construct their respective roads. The financial embarrassments of 1857 retarded the progress of railroad building, and it also became evident that the parties who had obtained the railway charters mentioned had neither the money nor credit to complete these great highways in internal im- provements.
The territory of Minnesota was admitted to statehood, May 11, 1858. The constitution ratified and adopted Oct. 13, 1857, provided, in article 10, section 2, that "no corporations shall be formed under special acts except for municipal purposes;" and it still further provided that "the credit of the state shall never be given nor loaned, in the aid of any individual, asso- ciation or corporation." Notwithstanding the strong feeling worked up over the talk of getting bonds in the aid of railroads so badly needed in the state, the first act of the legislature, which was approved March 9, 1858, before the state was admitted, was to submit an amendment to the constitution, provided for loaning the State's credit to the four land grant roads to the extent of $1,250,000 each, or $5,000,000 in all, provided $100,- 000 for every ten miles to be graded, and $100,000 for every ten miles when the cars were running regularly. In return it required the roads to pledge the net income to pay the interest on the bonds, and to convey the first 24 sections of land from the government grant to the State, and to deposit in first mortage bonds an amount equal to the loan from the state for security. This proposal occasioned much uneasiness among the most prudent of the citizens in the State; and through public meetings were held denouncing the measure, it was, however, upon being submitted to the people, on the appointed day of a special election, April 15, 1858, carried by a large majority, there being 25,023 in favor to 6,733 against the amend- ment. The measure afterward became known as the Five Million Loan
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Bill. The State bonds were of $1,000 denomination, had 25 years to run, with interest at 7 per cent, the railroad companies to pay the interest, and were to be delivered to the incorporators of the companies when ten miles of the road was graded and ready for the superstructure. Owing to technicalities, it was extremely difficult to market these bonds. Times were hard and the companies were unable to pay the required interest.
On the assembling of the legislature in 1860 the interest on the state bonds having been defaulted, an amendment to the constitution was adopted and submitted to the people expunging the section sanctioned and approved by them April 15, 1858, reserving only the state's rights. The electors of the State, at the general election of November 6, 1860, with unanimity, by a vote of 27,023 to 733, approved of the amendment.
Of the subsequent history of the Five Million Dollar Loan Bill the Minnesota Legislative Manual says: "Along with the prosperity of the State, caused so largely by the rapid railroad building, the State pride be- gan to assert itself with more force, and the prominent citizens continued to urge an adjustment of the dishonored railroad bonds. In 1877 a proposi- tion setting aside the proceeds of 500,000 acres for internal improvement lands in settlement was by act of the legislature submitted to a vote at a special election called for June 12, and was voted down by the decisive vote of 59,176 against to 17,324 votes for the proposition. This vote was largely owning to the fact that the state at that time had almost an entire new population that had come into the state long after the bonds were issued and had no definite knowledge of the history of the original indebtedness.
"In 1881 the Legislature enacted a law providing for the adjustment of these bonds, and designating the judges of the supreme court as a com- mission to make the settlement. The constitutionality of this law was questioned and the final determination of the supreme bench was that the law was unconstitutional, as also the amendment of 1860 prohibiting any settlement without a vote of the people. This latter Act had been pre- viously determined unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States. An extra session of the legislature was called in October of the same year, when the final adjustment was authorized by act of the legisla- ture on a basis of 50 per cent of the amount nominally due, and after a careful examination of all the claims presented, the bond issue was for- ever set at rest by the issue of adjustment bonds to the amount of $4,282,- 000 to parties entitled to receive them. For the payment of these bonds the proposition of setting aside the proceeds of the 500,000 acres of in- ternal improvement lands was again submitted at the general election in 1881, and by a vote of 82,435 votes in favor and 24,526 votes against, the action of the legislature was ratified and the stigma of repudiation re- moved which had been fastened upon the state by the popular vote of 1877."
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CHAPTER IX
COUNTY GOVERNMENT
The area now embraced in Houston county was included in the original limits of Wabasha (then spelled Wabashaw county), which was one of the nine counties created by the First Territorial Legislature.
Governor Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial governor, arrived in St. Paul, May 27, 1849, and on June 1, 1849, issued his first procla- mation. June 11, 1849, he issued a second proclamation dividing the Territory into three judicial districts. July 7, 1849, the Governor issued a proclamation dividing the Territory into seven council districts and ordering an election. The first session of the legislative assembly of the Territory of Minnesota was held at St. Paul, commencing Sept. 3, 1849.
By an Act approved Oct. 27, 1849, the Territory was divided into the counties of Washington, Ramsey, Benton, Itasca, Wabashaw, Dakotah, Wahnahta, Mahkahto and Pembina. Only the counties of Washington, Ramsey and Benton were organized for all county purposes. The others were organized only for the appointment of justices of the peace, con- stables, and such other judicial and administrative officers as might be especially provided for. They were entitled to any number of justices of the peace and constables, not exceeding six in number, to be appointed by the Governor, and their term of office was made two years, unless sooner removed by the Governor. These officers were made conservators of the peace.
Wabasha county as "erected" by the Act of Oct. 27, 1849, composed practically all of the southern part of the present State of Minnesota. Its northern boundary was the parallel running through the mouth of the St. Croix and the mouth of the Yellow Medicine rivers; the southern boundary was the Iowa line; its eastern, the Mississippi; and its western, the Missouri; and it also included the big peninsula between the Missouri and the Big Sioux rivers, and all of what is at present southeastern South Dakota. Of this vast county, the present Houston county was a part.
In 1851, by the Revised Statutes, Chapter I, the Territory was divided into Benton, Dakota, Itasca, Cass, Pembina, Ramsey, Washington, Chisago and Wabashaw counties, and their boundaries defined. Wabashaw county consisted of all the State lying between the Mississippi River and a line drawn due south from Medicine Bottle's village at Pine Bend. The line south from Pine Bend would touch what is now the western boundary of Goodhue, Dodge and Mower counties. Wabashaw county therefore took in a portion of what is now Dakota county, as well as all the present counties of Goodhue, Dodge, Mower, Wabasha, Olmsted, Fillmore, Winona and Houston.
Fillmore county was created by act of the Legislature approved March
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5, 1853. Its sister counties that were created or had their boundaries altered at that time were Dakota, Goodhue, Wabasha, Scott, Le Sueur, Rice, Blue Earth, Sibley, Nicollet and Pierce. Section 4, Chapter 5, Gen- eral Laws of Minnesota, 1853, gives the boundaries of Fillmore county. The lines indicated are somewhat vague, but the county generally speak- ing took in all of Houston county, nearly all of Winona county, parts of what are now Olmsted and Fillmore counties, and a small corner of Wabasha.
The Governor was to appoint county officers, justices of the peace and constables, who under proper bonds were to serve until their successors were duly selected at the next general election. The county commissioners were to locate the county seat. Under this authority, Gov. Willis A. Gorman appointed as officers : H. B. Stoll, of Minneowah, register of deeds ; Erwin H. Johnson, of Winona, treasurer; Andrew Cole, judge of probate; John Iams, sheriff. Henry C. Gere, of Winona, Myron Toms, of Minneowah, and William T. Luark, of Minnesota City, were appointed the commis- sioners. O. M. Lord, possibly at a little later date, was appointed coroner. T. K. Allen, John Burns, George M. Gere and H. B. Waterman, who had served as justices when their residences were included in Wabasha county, were retained as justices in the new Fillmore county.
The first board of county commissioners, consisting of Henry C. Gere, Myron Thoms and William T. Luark, met at the Winona Hotel on Center street in Winona, May 28, 1853, and appointed Henry C. Gere chairman. Henry B. Stoll was clerk. Thus organized, the board proceeded to busi- ness. Grand and petit jurors were drawn, and three assessors, S. A. Houck, John C. Laird and Jeremiah Tibbetts, were named in place of three ap- pointees of the Governor who had failed to qualify.
The second meeting was held at the home of John Burns at the mouth of Burns Valley, June 4, 1853, the clerk and two of the commissioners being present. Henry C. Gere was absent. The bond of S. A. Houck as assessor was accepted with William T. Luark as surety.
Owing to high water, it was impossible for Messrs Luark and Gere to get to Minneowa, which had been selected for the next meeting place, and, consequently, on July 4, Myron Toms, commissioner, and Henry B. Stoll, clerk, adjourned the session to meet at Winona the next day. But the trails were still impassable, so on July 5, the other two members, Messrs. Gere and Luark, met at the Winona Hotel in Winona, and after approving the bond of Erwin Johnson as treasurer, adjourned until July 9, 1853.
On July 9, 1853, the meeting was held at the Winona Hotel, Winona, and all the members were present. At this meeting the commissioners created five election precincts. The Mount Vernon, Minnesota City, Min- neowah and Winona precincts all lay within the present limits of Winona county. The Root River precinct was created on the petition of ten legal voters. The precinct consisted of a strip running the whole length of what was then the county, the northern boundary being a line drawn due west from the home of Nathan Brown, at Dakota, in the present Winona county, and the southern boundary being a line drawn due west from the mouth of the Root River. It therefore included the northern
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half of what is now Houston county. The first election was ordered held at the home of John S. Looney, in what is now section 27, Houston town- ship, Houston county, with John S. Looney, Joseph Brown and G. W. Gil- fillan as judges of election. At this same meeting of July 9, 1853, the first school district, that of Minnesota City, was established. The first petition for a road was also granted, its route to be from Minnesota City to Winona, with Harvey Hubbard and E. B. Drew as examiners. C. R. Coryell was appointed county surveyor.
The next meeting of the board was held at the Winona House, Winona, July 22, 1853. At this meeting, Messrs. Gere and Luark were present. In the absence of H. B. Stoll, Sylvester J. Smith was appointed clerk pro tem. The examiners of the route between Minnesota City and Winona reported that they had located the road. It followed practically the lines of the thoroughfare now connecting the two places.
Aug. 27, 1853, Messrs. Luark and Toms were present. The Brownsville precinct was created at the request of twelve voters. It embraced all that part of the then Fillmore county lying south of a line drawn due west from the mouth of the Root River. The election was to be held at the Public House of David Brown, the judges to be Charles Brown, Samuel McPhail and M. C. Young. After creating this precinct, the commissioners approved the bond of C. R. Coryell as surveyor. Lewis H. Springer and O. M. Lord were appointed viewers of a road in the Rollingstone valley leading from the Minnesota and Winona road to Dr. Bentley's location.
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