USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I > Part 56
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ELECTRICITY IN FERGUS FALLS.
The first system of electric lighting in Fergus Falls was installed in the spring of 1882 by George B. Wright, James W. Griffin and C. D. Wright. Those three men took out incorporation articles February 1, 1882, and gave to Fergus Falls its first electric light under the name of the Fergus Brush Electric Company. The company secured a man by the name of Brockway from Cleveland, Ohio, where the company making the Brush dynamo was established. Brockway installed the plant for the local company at the old Wright power dam between Mill and Cascade streets. This first company was organized in the days before the incandescent light was invented. The only light in use was the carbon arc light. There were only twelve con- sumers in the whole city of Fergus Falls, and these were all business houses. These old-fashioned carbon lights were supposed to furnish two thousand candle power. but whether they did or not the electrical history of the city fails to record. This company discontinued its plant when the manufacture of gas was started in 1884.
The second electric light company in Fergus Falls was organized in 1887. nearly thirty years ago. On May 26. 1887, the city granted a fran- chise to Charles L. Lewis, F. G. Barrows and James Compton "to erect such buildings, machinery and apparatus, within the corporate limits of the city. as may be necessary for producing electricity for the purposes of heating, lighting and furnishing power, and the exclusive permission and authority. for the period of seven years from and after the passage of this ordinance."
The company agreed to furnish lights to the city for street lighting at the rate of three dollars per thirty-candle-power light per month for all- night service if the city would take at least twenty-five lights: lights of the same power would be furnished merchants at the following rates: From dark until midnight, two dollars per month; from dark until ten o'clock, onr
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dollar and seventy-five cents per month: from dark until nine o'clock, one dollar and fifty cents per month. Residence light rates were fixed at one dollar and a half per month. Midnight service, for thirty-candle-power lights. The plant was installed during the summer of 1887 and stood on Mill street near the north Pennsylvania tracks. In the fall of the same year (August 8. 1887) Lewis, Compton and Barrows disposed of their plant to the Fergus Falls Electric Light and Power Company. This new com- pany was composed of the same men, who started the plant in the spring. Evidently the franchise was not very profitable to the owners, since less than two years later it changed hands again. On March 15. 1889, the Fergus Falls Electric Light and Power Company sold all their rights and interests in the franchise to the Fergus Falls Gas and Mill Company. This new company had obtained a franchise on September 14. 1883. for the purpose of maintaining and operating the gas plant in the city, but the venture had not proved successful. The citizens did not seem to care to invest in gas for lighting and heating as long as kerosene and wood remained as cheap as they then were. For this reason the gas company took over the electric light franchise and installed the power house in their plant where they had been manufacturing gas. This building, which stood on the north bank of Red river where the Northern Pacific crosses it. is now occupied by a broom factory. The new company continued to supply the city with electric ser- vice until 1895 when the city, during the administration of Mayor Mclean. established a municipal plant. The city plant stood above the city at the old Page dam. The city continued to maintain its own electric light and power system until 1910, when its dam was destroyed. This dam, which had just been constructed at a cost of fifty thousand dollars, was torn out within nine months after it was completed, and for several months the city was without electricity. Then followed a long discussion in the papers, on the streets and wherever citizens congregated, as to whether the city should rebuild its plant or enter into an agreement with a private company to fur- nish electric light and power. At this place in the history of electric service in Fergus Falls begins the history of the Otter Tail Power Company.
THE OTTER TAIL POWER COMPANY.
From the earliest days of the settlement of Fergus Falls, the water powers which are distributed along the river for several miles above and below the town, were looked upon as a certain source of future growth and prosperity. For years no special edition of the newspapers was gotten up to set forth the superior attractions of Fergus Falls without giving space to the well known pictures of the old wooden dams which supplied power for the village industries in the day time and kept awake the unaccustomed visitor by their ceaseless roaring in the stillness of the country nights. The
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long period of depression which followed the boom days of the early eighties never quite destroyed the faith that the water powers would sometime help to make Fergus Falls an important city. The water powers could not get away even if some of the population did. And in the end the people who stayed were right : for the population came back and the permanent develop- ment of the water powers was at last begun.
In 1907 the Otter Tail Power Company was organized by Vernon A. Wright, the son of George B. Wright, and F. G. Barrows, widely known in Fergus Falls and vicinity through an extensive loan business. Mr. Wright became the active head of the company, taking charge of the engineer- ing work and business development, while Mr. Barrows, through his wide acquaintance and business connections, acted as financial agent. A con- crete dam, which produced a head of thirty-six feet and developed two thou- sand horse-power, was completed at Dayton Hollow, five miles below the city. early in 1909. At that time the transmission of electric power over long distance was just beginning in Minnesota. The company commenced operations with the single city of Wahpeton. North Dakota as a market for power, a transmission line having been built to that city while the con- struction of the dam was in progress.
Although the power from the Dayton Hollow dam was not immediately used in Fergus Falls, the project was nevertheless a distinctly Fergus Falls enterprise. The contractor. John Lauritzen, who built the dam, had front small beginnings developed a business which was by that time extended over Minnesota and the neighboring States. The capital used in the development of the water power was nearly all raised in Fergus Falls, being partly sup- plied by the organizers of the company and partly by local subscribers who then showed and have since continued to show their confidence in the electric power industry by taking freely all the securities offered by the company to carry out their projects.
At the same time that the Dayton Hollow dam was being built, the city of Fergus Falls was constructing a dam on the site of the old Page mill and a dam about three miles above the city. The mill had burned several years earlier after a varied and unfortunate history, and the city had bought and was using the dam for an electric power plant. Through some cause, which future litigation never was entirely able to clear up, the new city dam, after nearly a year of operation, suddenly failed without warning early in the morning of September 24. 1909, giving the attendants barely time to escape from the power house. One remarkable theory which gained some circulation and credence through the efforts of the well-known socialist editor, Haldor E. Boen, was that the dam came to its destruction at the hands of Mr. Wright, who was alleged to have floated down stream in a
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CITY POWER HOUSE AND DAM, BEFORE THEIR DESTRUCTION.
CITY DAM, AFTER ITS DESTRUCTION. POWER HOUSE DISAPPEARED ENTIRELY.
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boat loaded with quicksilver, which he distributed above the dam and which worked down and finally undercut the foundations. This period of Fergus Falls history was well supplied with local disturbances. Personalities formed the ordinary ammunition of controversy and Mr. Boen usually took a prom- inent part. The failure of the city dam was quickly followed by an exten- sion of the transmission system of the Otter Tail Power Company into the city and, after much labor and distress, a contract was agreed upon under which the city was to purchase current from the company for a term of seven and a half years.
The site of the city dam was now occupied by ruins. Should the city rebuild at the expiration of the contract with the power company? The municipal ownership party thought one way and their opponents thought the other way. In the meantime Mr. Wright of the power company discovered and laid before the citizens a project for a new development which increased ten-fold the tension between the parties. Mr. Wright showed that there existed a remarkable natural condition which would permit of a seventy- foot water power development. The river makes a loop twelve miles long above the city. The new project was to divert the river from its natural channel and carry it through a system of canals and tunnels across the neck of the loop, a distance of only about two and a half miles, and discharge it again into the river at a point a little above the city. Just in the neck of the loop was located a small pond, known as Hoot lake, and thus the pro- ject came to be known as the Hoot lake project. But the city damsite was located on the loop from which the water was to be diverted. If the Hoot Lake Project was carried out. the city damsite would have to be abandoned as there would be left only a little water in channel at that point. A con- troversy immediately arose and was continued for many weeks. Out of it emerged a new contract which, in turn, became the subject of a campaign which lasted till the election in April, 1912.
It is to the credit of both parties that the controversy was waged on a basis of the principles involved, though by no means free from a liberal admixture of personalities. Arguments, social, political and commercial, were urged on the streets and at mass meetings which taxed the capacity of the Lyceum theater. The newspapers occupied themselves in expressing their own views and those of their correspondents among whom the pen of J. H. Durrell, veteran journalist, newly come to Fergus Falls, was prob- ably the most active. But at no time was there any suggestion of the employment of corrupt methods. The promoters, after fully launching their project through the columns of the Fergus Falls Journal. took no part in the discussions, but left the city and remained away until after the spring election. At this election the project was ratified by a heavy majority.
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Even after the voters had declared in its favor, the way of the pro- ject was by no means smooth. The summer of 1912 saw the work delayed, while one of the hardest-fought legal battles in the history of the county was under way. The right to divert the water from the channel of the river was contested by one of the abutting owners, Edward A. Brastad, who owned nearly a mile of frontage on the river. The court records will show no more thorough-going example of litigious persistency. Tiring out one lawyer after another, and beaten at every turn, Mr. Brastad showed true sporting qualities and refused to quit. All suggestions of compromise made by the company were ignored and none was advanced by him. The case in one form or another was passed upon by the courts five times and reached its final decision by the supreme court of the state only in 1914.
In the meantime the company was under contract to carry out the new power development. Without waiting for a final decision of the Brastad case, construction was begun early in 1913 and the work carried to sub- stantial completion during the year. New transmisison lines were also built toward the south and west covering an area of approximately two thousand square miles and including twenty villages and cities.
Thus the water powers of Fergus Falls have at last come into their own and electric energy "Made in Fergus Falls" is now one of the best known products of the city. The future development of the industry seems assured. There remain several undeveloped power sites and a few years will probably see them all improved and the energy so long wasted finally brought into service.
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
The police department is under the direct supervision of the mayor, who appoints the chief of police and patrolmen. The present chief of police is Allen H. Johnson, who was appointed by Mayor Leonard Eriksson when the latter assumed office on April 11, 1916. There are two patrolmen, Judson Burton and Joseph Holt.
STREETS, SIDEWALKS, BRIDGES, SEWERAGE, PARKS, ETC.
The city of Fergus Falls has about twenty miles of streets within its limits. Most of these are graveled, but it is the intention of the present administration to take up the question of paving at least two streets, Lin- coln avenue between Cascade and Vine streets, and Mill street between the two railroad tracks. In order to do this it is proposed to amend the city charter so that payments for paving may be distributed over a period of years. A bond issue will also have to be voted before the work can com- mence. It is universally conceded that the main streets of the city should be paved, but the council has never felt the city was in shape to start the work. Before any paving is done it will be necessary to relay some of the
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water mains and this will entail no small amount of expenditure on the part of the city, since it owns the waterworks system. However, it is safe to say that within the next five years Fergus Falls will have its first paved streets.
There are now fourteen miles of sidewalks, practically all of which are of cement construction. There are still a few boardwalks in various parts of the city, but these are being rapidly replaced with cement walks. The city maintains five bridges across the Red river, and they constitute no small factor in the annual budget. The last bridge constructed, the one across Mill street, cost the city nine thousand dollars. The railroad com- panies built the three bridges across their tracks and the city is put to no expense for their maintenance.
The city is covered with a fairly complete system of sewerage mains, and they are being extended as they are needed. All the sewerage is emptied into Red river below the intake. No provision has yet been made by the city for municipal collection of garbage, the disposition of garbage being left to the individual householders.
The city owns a park area of twenty acres and is now contemplating the purchase of a ten-acre tract adjoining the fair grounds for park pur- poses. There is a small park adjoining each railroad station, both of which are owned by the railroad companies, but maintained by the city. The city relieves the companies of the burden of paying the tax on the two tracts. Probably the most popular park in the city is the athletic park, commonly known as the public play ground, which is located on north Vine street.
CARE OF THE POOR.
Fergus Falls is not unlike all other communities in having the question of poor relief to handle. From the early history of the village provisions have been made to care for the unfortunate. The Legislature has passed various statutes which furnish the financial basis for the relief of the poor. but there are many organizations which assist the local authorities in caring for the families dependent upon public relief. The largest demands upon the poor fund are naturally made during the winter season. The disposi- tion of the poor funds now devolves upon Mr. Steve Butler, who is super- intendent of poor fund. He not only examines all cases where it is pro- posed to extend relief, but also runs a kind of an employment bureau. He makes efforts to secure work for those who are able to work. He solicits contributions of cast-off clothing and shoes and during the past year a large number of people of the city helped the cause of charity in this way. At one time Mr. Butler had nearly a room full of clothes, which he distributed among the poor, thereby avoiding the necessity of drawing upon the city's poor fund for purchasing clothes. During the winter people come to him
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almost daily and tell him they do not have a pound of coal or a stick of wood left and no money with which to buy it. Fuel has to be provided, as they could not be allowed to freeze. The demand for food was also unus- ually heavy during the winter of 1915-16.
The city has three people at the poor farm who are regular charges and owes the county about two hundred and twenty-five dollars for their maintenance. If this bill were paid it would more than wipe out the remain- der of the poor fund. More money will be available in April.
The tax levy for the poor fund brought in about one thousand dollars the past year. The city has had several hospital bills to pay; it has four old people to be provided for in their homes here and it has three to be main- tained throughout the year at the poor farm. In addition to the call for relief from numerous sources, especially during the winter, which means that the money in the fund has to be spread very thin. One colored man who was stricken with paralysis has been kept at one of the hospitals for about ten months and the city has recently been notified that it will have to assist in paying for his care. He was an industrious, hard-working man, but made an unfortunate investment shortly before he was stricken and lost practically all of his earnings. He may be a charge for years.
CITY FUNDS.
Cities are not unlike other business institutions; it takes money to keep them going. Probably no aspect of municipal government is as important as its method of assessing taxes and then expending them to the greatest benefit. Few citizens of Fergus Falls know where their taxes go, and still fewer have any idea how a dollar in taxes is apportioned among various funds. The average taxpayer pays his taxes and expects an obliging admin- istration to spend his money in any way it chooses. For the benefit of those citizens who are interested in knowing something of the different city funds and the amount of money credited to them by the city treasurer in his last statement, the following table may be of interest: General fund, $3,135.49; permanent improvement revolving fund. $353.28; permanent improvement fund, $1,563.13: electric light fund, $5,622.79; electric light sinking fund, $241.68; water fund, $11.606.02; water sinking fund, $3,317.62; highway fund, $138.82; poor fund, $367.71; firemen's relief fund, $611.02; park fund, $322.06; total in all funds, $27.369.82.
FERGUS FALLS LIBRARY.
In nothing is the character of citizenship for culture and refinement more clearly determined than is manifested in their concern for the estab- lishment and maintenance of a public library. Good schools and good school buildings, with modern equipments, are essential and necessary for the pro-
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per education of the young, but the educational facilities of a community are not complete without a good library, supplied with good literature, to which all of the citizens, both old and young, may have free access. It is to the credit of the citizens of Fergus Falls that have recognized this fact, not only in providing for good schools and modern school buildings with every modern appointment, but also in the early attention which they have given to the establishment of a public library.
As early as 1872 there was a circulating library established here under the supervision of George F. Cowing, superintendent of the public schools. There were only a few books in this library and the patronage was limited mostly to teachers and others interesting in the schools. Without any sys- tem in the distribution of books in this primitive library the books got into the hands of people who forgot to return them and in a short time the few volumes disappeared. In later years the pupils of the high school interested themselves in organizing a school library and reading room in the high school building. This was continued for some time aided by subscriptions from citizens.
What was really the first public library in Fergus Falls was established through the energy of F. A. Weld, then superintendent of the city schools, in 1890. Superintendent Weld induced the board of education to agree to give towards a public library as much money as could be raised by private fifty dollars in subscription, and, with this and a like amount from the board, the first installment of books was purchased. A library board was appointed, consisting of F. A. Weld, Dr. A. P. Williamson, W. C. Lincoln, Rev. C. C. Rollit and H. M. Wheelock. A room for the installment of the library was secured in the Washington building. This was the location of the library for some time. When this building was needed for other pur- poses the books in the library were removed to J. T. Johnson's drug store, where they remained for a few years. For two years prior to the time of the erection of a library building C. J. Sawbridge kept the books in his office and acted as librarian.
As the volumes increased in number, and the library increased in pat- ronage and popularity, it became evident that a permanent library building was a necessity. Probably the first suggestion in public print of this neces- sity was made in Wheelock's Weekly, of March 17, 1898. In that paper it was stated that the number of books in the library was being increased from three to four hundred volumes per year, and the use which the public makes of the library is keeping pace with its growth: that the present library accommodations were wholly inadequate and that no other place that would be convenient to library patrons was available. . If such a place could be obtained the rent would be high. and it would be a sensible business proposi-
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tion to erect a building for library purposes, as the amount paid in rent would more than pay interest on the investment. The writer says:
"The idea of erecting a library building is not visionary. It need not cost much at the beginning. Its requirements are modest ones. First, a central location is needed. Second, the building must be large enough to hold the books, with a probable increase for a number of years to come, and give space for a reading room in front. The building ought not to cost over fifteen hundred dollars."
This suggestion appealed to those interested as a sensible one, the only question was to how the money was to be secured to erect a building. As there was nothing in the way of a reserve fund, nor resources of any kind it fell upon the library board to devise ways and means by which the neces- sary fund could be secured. A soliciting committee, consisting of J. W. Mason, J. T. Johnson, E. J. Webber and F. D. Barrows, was appointed to make a canvass among the citizens for subscriptions to the building fund. This committee met with excellent success, about one thousand dollars was secured as a result of their efforts. This was not enough, however, but the subscription list obtained was sufficient to encourage the belief that success would be ultimately attained. One of the most valuable donations received by this committee was that of W. B. Dunnell, architect of the state hospitals, who donated a complete set of building plans and specifications for the build- ing. The ladies of the city, who are always ready and resourceful in the aid of every good cause, took up the matter, after the energies of the first solicit- ing committee had lagged, somewhat, and supplemented the individual dona- tions by a considerable fund secured by entertainments of various kinds. Mrs. C. J. Sawbridge and Mrs. J. W. Mason were leaders in this movement. They secured a committee of ladies as assistants, including Mrs. Dumble, Mrs. Hixon, Mrs. McLaughlin, Mrs. Metcalf, Mrs. Corliss, Mrs. McMahon, Mrs. Brandenberg, Mrs. W. R. Smith, Mrs. J. T. Johnson, Mrs. Strand, Mrs. F. J. Evans, Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Hannah.
Notwithstanding all these combined efforts, the fall of 1898 found the necessary fund short of the required amount. In the following spring the library trustees, composed of Superintendent Vandyke, C. D. Wright, Par- sons, Hilton and Wheelock, revived the project. With the assistance of C. C. Warfield, C. A. Daley and R. J. Angus, they obtained a renewal of the previous year's subscriptions and added a number of new names to the list.
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