USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I > Part 32
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The decade from 1870 to 1880 was essentially a period of railroad legislation. Every Legislature was importuned to pass all kinds of acts relat- ing to all kinds of railroads-narrow guage, broad guage and standard guage, etc. During this decade Otter Tail county became interested in the building of the Minnesota Northern railroad, a line which never got beyond the incorporated stage, but which was voted one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in bonds by the county. The act of February 15, 1877, provided that: "Each of the counties of Otter Tail, Wilkin, Becker and Wadena, and each of the several townships and villages in said counties, are hereby author- ized to aid in the construction of the Minnesota Northern railroad, by creat- ing and issuing to the Minnesota Northern Railroad company the bonds of such county, township or village, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding
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eight per cent. per annum, and the principal thereof payable in not exceeding twenty years from the date of issue thereof.
"The amount of bonds so issued, together with any unpaid indebtedness previously incurred in aid of railroads, shall in no case exceed ten per cent. of the assessed valuation of the property in the county, township or village issuing such bonds."
This act also provided that the question should be submitted to the people for a vote at an election called for that purpose, and that they should decide as to the amount of bonds issued. Otter Tail county decided to issue bonds to the amount of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The county voted them. They were printed, signed and delivered in escrow to the gov- ernor of the state to be delivered by him, when the conditions under which they were issued were complied with. The Fergus Falls Journal of Febru- ary 1, 1879, says: "On Tuesday of last week Governor Pillsbury, Senator McCrea and Representative Anderson, assembled in the governor's office at St. Paul, and proceeded to destroy the one hundred and fifty thousand dollars of bonds issued by Otter Tail county to aid in building the Minnesota North- ern railroad. The bonds were cancelled and will be sent home to be burned. The coupons were detached and burned up. And so all the discussion for and against the county bonds with all past hope of the railroad and fears of burdensome taxes exist only as the memory of a troubled dream." The board of commissioners of Otter Tail county completed the destruction of the Minnesota Northern railroad bonds at a special meeting held on March 19, 1879. The reason why this road through Fergus Falls never materialized was because the St. Paul & Pacific reached the city first. Fifteen days after the bill was passed relative to the Minnesota Northern, the Legislature passed the act compelling the St. Paul & Pacific to build through Fergus Falls or forfeit their land grant. The Otter Tail county people voted the Minnesota Northern bonds so as to provide for any possible contingency which might arise. They did not propose to miss an opportunity to get a railroad and if the St. Paul & Pacific had not gone through Fergus Falls then they would have had the Minnesota Northern with which to figure. However, as has been stated, the building of the St. Paul & Pacific through the county seat made it unnecessary to have any more dealings with the Minnesota Northern, and the bonds which the county had voted for that road and which were being held in escrow, were destroyed as has been described. One other act relative to Otter Tail county and the Minnesota Northern might be men- tioned. This was the act of March 12, 1878, which provided for a grant of all the swamp lands, belonging to the state, in Otter Tail county, to aid in the construction of the railroad from Fergus Falls to the Northern Pacific railway. It was provided that, if any of the swamp lands have been sold or
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otherwise disposed of by the United States, or by the state, the amount so sold or disposed of shall be made up to said company from lands belonging to the state outside of said county. It was further provided, that said com- pany shall at all times after acquiring said lands, offer the same for actual improvement at prices not exceeding two dollars per acre. The beneficiary of this grant of swamp lands was the Minnesota Northern railway, but since the company never materialized this act of March 12, 1878, never became operative.
One other railroad in the county remains to be noticed. This is the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad Company, which was built through the county in 1901. It branched off the main line at Glenwood in Pope county, extending north through Douglas and Otter Tail counties and on north to the Canadian boundary line. The following stations are on this line in Otter Tail county : Parkers Prairie, Almora, Henning, Otter Tail, Richville, Dent and Vergas. All the stations on the road with the exception of Parkers Prairie and Henning have come into existence since the road was put through the county.
REMOVAL OF RAILROAD SHOPS FROM FERGUS FALLS.
At the time of building the St. Paul & Pacific railroad through Fergus Falls in 1879, George B. Wright and Henry G. Page guaranteed to the railroad company the right of way through the city. They were after- wards protected on such guarantee by the city's voting bonds to the amount of three thousand dollars to pay for the right of way.
Mr. Wright had been very active in securing the location of the rail- road here, but after it came and its shops, roundhouse and headquarters were established, he commenced the agitation for building the branch line of the Northern Pacific railroad from Wadena to Fergus Falls, thence on to Breckenridge, and north to Pelican Rapids. This enterprise of Mr. Wright did not please the St. Paul & Pacific railroad people. Naturally, they were opposed to the building of such competing lines. This situation caused trouble between Mr. Wright and James J. Hill. Mr. Hill wrote a letter to Mr. Wright, containing certain statements displeasing to the people of Fergus Falls. The letter was shown by Mr. Wright to various parties of the city, and, to prove the genuineness of Mr. Hill's signature, he exhibited his, Mr. Wright's, pass on the railroad, which bore the signature of Mr. Hill.
During this controversy it was discovered that the railroad round- house at Fergus Falls extended a few feet beyond the right of way, and on to the land of Mr. Wright. He wrote a letter to Mr. Hill, demanding that the roundhouse be removed from his land. Mr. Hill replied that he would remove the roundhouse as soon as possible, and this he did, taking
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it with all shops and men to Barnesville as soon as the latter place could be prepared to receive them. He also instructed all conductors of trains that on presentation of Mr. Wright's pass, it was to be "taken up" and regular fare collected. This was done, and Mr. Wright ceased to ride "dead · head" on any of the "Jim Hill" lines of road from that date.
The shops and division headquarters of the railroad being here, made a large monthly payroll, a large share of which money was naturally spent in the city. The removal was a sad blow to Fergus Falls.
One Sunday morning the writer was standing on the bridge over the railroad track at Union avenue. There passed under the bridge a long train of engines and cabooses on their way to Barnesville, and in the cabooses were the men, shouting "good-by" to Fergus Falls. It was a sad funeral procession, conveying the "remains" of Fergus Falls' hopes to the cemetery at Barnesville.
But Fergus Falls grew and prospered, notwithstanding its grief for the departed.
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CHAPTER XVII.
AGRICULTURE.
The topography of Otter Tail county, which is fully discussed in another chapter, has been the controlling element in the development of its agricul- ture. In the beginning of its development the western prairie region border- ing the Red river valley was given over entirely to wheat raising and it was not until after 1905 that other crops challenged the supremacy of this pioneer grain. It was not until nearly 1900 that it was thought corn could be gen- erally and successfully raised this far north.
The only representative of the so-called "bonanza" farms in the county was established in the township of Carlisle at French about 1882 on farms owned by Ames and French of Mexico, New York, and managed by C. J. Wright and D. M. Brown. Ames and French were progressive farm own- ers in the east and established a cheese factory, dairy and the beginnings of a pure bred herd on their Otter Tail county farm. By 1800 this farm had followed the course of other large farms and was gradually broken up into smaller units and rented.
Several farms operated by owners who lived on the farms developed to considerable size. notably the Wemple farms in Orwell, the Martin Hexum, A. O. Quam and Carl Umlauf farms in Carlisle, and the K. H. Bergerud farm in Aastad. C. H. Brush developed extensive land ownings in Orwell and Western; C. J. Wright in Carlisle, Fergus Falls and several other towns, and James A. Nowell developed a very large and well improved farm in Butler which he afterwards sold to the D. S. B. Johnston Land Company.
With few exceptions, Otter Tail county has been improved by the man who homesteaded a quarter section or bought from eighty and two hundred acres of school or railroad land. While the average sized farm has steadily increased, it is still below the two-hundred-acre mark. In the wooded por- tion of the county the smaller acreage immediately available for cultivation and the necessity of making use of the marsh hay and the timber pasture compelled an early turning to live stock. While these timber portions did not show such immediate prosperity as the prairie, this early development of dairying gave these timber farmers the lead in the forward movement and the buildings in such townships as Newton show its prosperity is second to none in the county.
It is worthy of notice that the farms of the county were largely set- tled by recent immigrants, mostly of Scandinavian or German blood, with a large percentage of Finns at a somewhat later date. All of these people
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settled in the country, the villages being populated at the start mostly with Yankees, English. Scotch and Irish. The German, Scandinavian and Finn- ish inhabitants of our villages are almost entirely descendants of these first farmers.
In the early days there was very little renting of land. As late as 1877 land within three miles of Fergus Falls could be bought at from two dollars and a quarter to five dollars an acre and the requirements in the way of buildings and improvements were slight. As the value of land increased there was a tendency for some of the newcomers to rent for a few years until they were able to buy land for themselves, and this tendency, which shows in every, farming county, is on the increase in Otter Tail county.
The following table shows the varying production of the county in the different farm crops and animal products. It is interesting to note that there was twenty times as many acres of wheat as corn in 1870, thirty times as many in 1879, twelve times as many in 1900, and only five and a half times as many in 1910. This increase in corn acreage has been even more rapid since then and at this writing ( 1916) the corn crop covers at least a third as many acres as the wheat. Barley, rye, potatoes and clover show a similar increase. The most recent development is the introduction of alfalfa increasing from one acre to fifty-three acres between 1900 and 1910, and probably amounting to two thousand acres in 1916. Much of the increase in alfalfa is due to the work of the county agricultural agents who have advocated the use of this crop. A county agricultural agent was first secured for Otter Tail county in December, 1912. In 1914, the agent, F. R. Johnson, made a special campaign for the introduction of alfalfa and about six hundred and fifty acres were planted in the country during that year. The following year. 1915, no especial campaign was made as it was felt that the crop was now generally enough distributed to prove what it would do. The county agent gave help to all who applied for it in planting alfalfa, however, and about four hundred acres were seeded. Indications are that at least five hundred additional acres will be sown in 1916 which will give Otter Tail county an acreage in this crop of about two thousand acres. This is more than the total acreage of all crops in 1869, and repre- sents an increase of nine hundred per cent. in three years.
1869.
1870. 264
1879. 2,087
1900.
Number of farms
6.227
1910. 5.804
Acres of wheat
1.029
2.048
52,988
241.169
166,023
Bushels of wheat
12,901
32.014
812.515
3.941.120
2.436.207
Acres of Oats
405
969
11,192
52.059
83.328
Bushels of oats
10.795
22,983
413.128
1,541.520
2.142,813
Acres of corn
106
1.597
19.551
30,983
Bushels of corn
2,642
56,767
535,520
986,681
Acres of barley
820
4,921
31,122
.
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Bushels of barley
20,930
130,340
717.080
Arres of rye
473
1,216
15,070
Bushels of rye
9.290
15,650
246,153
Acres of potatoes
885
3.688
6.195
Bushels of potatoes
119.646
340.711
728.975
Acres of cultivated hay
530
15.851
71.363
Acres of wild hay
62.799
72,182
56,759
Acres flax
SOSD
9,123
Bushels of fax
86.610
92.419
Bushels of clover seed
51
Bushels of other grass seed
74
Acres of beans
75
98
258
Bushels of beans
869
954
. 3.946
Total acres cultivated
1,378
3,871
69.932
505.358
592.598
Acres of alfalfa
1
53
The following table shows live stock statistics for 1880, 1900 and 1910:
1880.
1900.
1910.
Number of sheep
4,714
18,646
19,427
Pounds of wool
20,585
65.760
Number milk cows
6.245
21.850
34.529
Total cattle
17.306
50.996
74.660)
Number hogs
3,102
20,271
27.462
Number horses
5.155
22.677
23.164
Number mules
167
269
167
Value of poultry
$51.628
$104.835
Gallons milk produced
7.821,870
9.988,171
Pounds butter produced
727,165
1.571.902
1.262.512
Butter fat sold
1.836,690
Pounds cheese produced
39.123
10,914
2.106
Gallons cream sold
465
109,775
Gallons milk sold
377.200
283.052
Value of dairy products
$349.759
$$74.051
All branches of live stock industry show a similar increase, the one decrease being in the production of cheese. Before the number of cows was large enough to support butter factories, the cheese factory was the only alternative to the home making of butter, and as dairy butter usually sold at a low price the cheese industry was much more profitable. The increase in number of cows and the introduction of the centrifugal separator made the co-operative creamery possible. Since under this system it was not necessary to haul cream so often, most of the cheese factories were grad- ually discontinud. At one time or another cheese has been made at French, Balmoral. Western, Amor, Maine and Fergus Falls. With the further expansion of the dairy industry, which is now one of the most important of the country, there is a probability that cheese making will again come to the front. The manufacturer of ice cream also absorbs part of the milk production and this feature will undoubtedly take an ever increasing amount of milk.
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Another marked change that is not shown on the statistical table is the building of silos. While silo construction began in the United States in the seventies, it did not begin in Otter Tail county until about 1910. By 1915 there were about two hundred silos in use and the rate of increase was becoming more rapid.
The grasshopper was a prominent factor in the history of agriculture in Otter Tail county in the seventies and eighties. The county has long paid bounties on wolves and gophers, but the depredations of these two animals pale into insignificance beside the damage wrought by the grasshoppers in any one of their raids across the county. Many references have been made elsewhere in this history to the grasshopper and the editor has paid his respects to the pestiferous insect in a special article. There can be no question but that some of the grasshopper raids of the seventies had a disastrous effect upon the growth of the county for the time being. When it is known that a swarm of grasshoppers could completely ruin a crop within twenty-four hours, and that the farmer had no means of knowing when to expect such a raid. it can be seen that such conditions would not be liable to advertise the county as a promising place to settle. In one instance the grasshoppers set- tled on an onion patch and not only ate the tops, but the bulbs as well, so that nothing was left but the empty holes where the bulbs had been. It is reported that when this swarm of hoppers finally flew over town the onion smell was distinctly noticeable.
Frantic efforts were made to destroy the pests, trenches were dug to intercept their march and "hopper dozers" were driven over the infested fields. The "hopper dozer" was a tin trough with a vertical canvas screen behind it. When this instrument was hauled across a field the hoppers jumped against the screen, fell into the trough and were killed by the oil which had been placed there.
Bounties were paid on the hoppers and many farmers are said to have made more from their hopper crop than any other. There were even quar- rels caused by enterprising citizens "hoppering" on their neighbor's fields.
Probably the most severe raid of the grasshoppers occurred in 1877. In fact. the damage done that year was so great that the Legislature took cognizance of the condition of the farmers throughout the state and passed an act (February 12, 1878) providing for the extension of financial relief to the farmers who had lost their crops as a result of the grasshoppers. As result of this act Otter Tail county received five thousand ninety-three dollars and fifty cents from the state to purchase grain for the grasshopper sufferers. As soon as the county commissioners received notice of the passage of the act they called a special meting for March 5. 1878, at which time, according to notice previously given in the newspapers, they would
.
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receive and examine applications from farmers in the county who desired to borrow grain for seed. On that date two hundred and seventy-one farm- ers appeared in person to make application for grain. It is interesting to note that only two farmers asked for corn, and they only wanted one-half bushel each. All of the other grain was wheat or oats. By March 18th the county had accepted applications for seven thousand five hundred and ninety-four bushels of wheat, one thousand and two bushels of oats and one bushel of corn. The commissioners paid eighty cents for wheat and thirty cents for oats; the price of corn is not given. Of the total amount of money spent by the county seventy per cent. came out of the state fund. and the remainder out of a fund provided by the county. Otter Tail county authorized a bond issue not to exceed two thousand three hundred dollars on March 18. 1878, to take care of its share of the total fund to be devoted to the grasshopper sufferers.
Frequent references are found in the commissioners' records of requests for relief from taxes because the person requesting relief had lost his crop as a result of the devastating grasshopper. Gradually, however, the danger from grasshoppers passed away, and by the end of the eighties it had disap- peared as a disturbing factor in the life of the Otter Tail county farmer. The latest outbreaks of grasshoppers in 1911 and 1912, while causing some alarm, were less destructive than the first. The twentieth-century hopper succumbed to climatic influences or natural enemies before becoming so widely numerous as to be dangerous.
Another event in the history of the county is the bumper crop of 1895. Many explanations for this crop have been given, but none that really explains. Some influence in the season seemed to favor all plant life. Wheat fields that were pounded into the ground in June by hail so that nothing green remained, recovered naturally and made bumper crops that fall. The following yields on farms where accurate records were kept will show the difference between this year and those preceding and succeeding it, the figures indicating bushels per acre of wheat on the lands designated for the years in question :
Section.
Township.
1893.
184.
1895.
1896.
1897.
20
Fergus Falls
5
32
8
18
19
Fergus Falls.
13
13
38
8
23
Carlisle.
6
12.
31
4
7
28
Carlisle.
9
27
5
5
22
Girard
6
7
30.
11
4
Girard.
6
5
4
10
2
Aastad
6
10
7
8
21
Everts.
7
33.
11 11
One of the hopeful signs of the future of Otter Tail county is to be seen in the large number of organizations of various kinds which have for
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their purpose the improvements of farming conditions. For many years after the county was organized in 1868, no such a thing as a farmers' club was known. Creameries, cheese factories, co-operative insurance companies, telephone companies, shipping associations, farmers' clubs, etc., were almost unknown until the nineties. In fact, the efforts of farmers to combine their strength to improve conditions did not find expression to any great extent until after 1900. Since that time a large number of organizations have come into existence, all of which have for their express purpose the advance- ment of the interests of the farmers.
The Grange movement here merged into the Farmers Alliance and became wholly political. Later it took the form of Populism and there remained none of the social features of the Grange, as existing in other communities, so that when Populism lost its identity in the Bryan campaign there was no strong farmers' organization left. The principal achievements of the Farmers Alliance movement was the passage of laws compelling rail- roads to allow farmers to load their own cars with farm produce or to build their own elevators. Before this time only the large elevator companies were allowed to load cars with grain and the farmers justly felt that this monopoly was harmful to their interests. Out of Populism also grew many reform measures now adopted by all the present political parties, but as a distinctly farmer's organization nothing remains but the memory.
It is not the purpose of this article to go into detail to show what all of the various organizations of the farmer are doing, but rather to set forth in a general way what is being done. It is a matter of general knowledge that the telephone has been of great benefit to the farmers, and that rural banks-and the county now supports thirty-three-have placed ready money at his disposal; that the creameries and cheese factories have brought thou- sands of dollars into the family treasury ; that the shipping associations have given him better markets and better prices. All of these facts are patent to the farmer who reads his paper. Since the establishment of the county mail service in 1906 the farmer is put into daily communication with the outside world and this fact marks a great step in the life of the farmer. The daily mail and the telephone are two of the biggest factors in the improvement of rural life in Otter Tail county. Added to these innovations should be mentioned the good roads movement. One expert has said that for every dollar put on roads two dollars are added to the value of the land through which the road passes, and this statement is not by any means exaggerated.
The insistent cry of the times is "co-operation." The farmer has seen that siness of other kinds has prospered for the reason that it was organ- ized ' directed along co-operative lines. If the manufacture of reapers and vers became lucrative because of co-operation, why could not the
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farmer who used these implements also unite in some such way so that they could raise better corn, more wheat and fatter hogs and with greater profit. Herein lies the reason for the organization of all kinds of clubs for the farmer. And so there has come into existence the many farmers' clubs of Otter Tail county. They point the way to the emancipation of the farmer and to a day when he will also realize six per cent. on his investment. Some of the many organizations of this county which have made their appearance within the past decade are indicated in the succeeding paragraph. Each one has its own organization, each has its little group of earnest workers, each is striving for but one thing-to make life for the farmer of Otter Tail county better in every way. They are in touch with one another through the county agricultural agent and are thus given the power that comes from united effort.
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