USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 16
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1869. The regular January session began the fifth, with Truman Parcher, Martin Fiedler, B. Pirz, H. Terhaar and Joseph Edelbrock present, the latter being the new member and was elected chairman. The session continued until the ninth, being devoted largely to school, district and road matters and the allowance of bills. The salary of the superintendent of schools was fixed at $500 per year; the salary of the county attorney at $600; the auditor's office was allowed $300 for clerk hire. A. Sutton, D. J. Pettijohn and others were allowed $580 for locating a state road from Sauk Rapids to a point on the western boundary of the state between Big Stone lake and Lake Traverse under a special act of the legislature approved March 5, 1868.
A special session beginning March 9 and continuing until March 11 considered a number of school district petitions. An appropriation of $150 was made for opening and repairing the road from St. Cloud to Rockville. The payment of $11.83 to Robert Christopher for board and washing for G. W. Haskel and $97.50 to Dr. A. E. Senkler for medical attendance on the same person, while M. Lauerman was paid $68.35 for taking John Eich to the insane hospital, show something of the cost of the county's unfortunates at this time. Special sessions were held June 28 to 30 and July 26, 27. The salary of the county superintendent of schools was increased to $750 per year. An appropriation of $300 was made to the town of Paynesville to assist in building a bridge across Crow river. Payments of $650 for the Stewart bridge and $50 for the bridge across Sauk river at New Munich were ordered. A side-light is thrown on the manners and customs of the
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times by the letting of a contract to O. Tenny, the lowest bidder, to build a picket fence around Court House Square.
The regular session beginning September 7 adjourned September 11. After equalizing the assessed valnation of the county, the tax levy for 1869 was fixed at eleven mills. It was voted to refund to the city of St. Cloud $400 which had been paid to Major J. H. Donaldson for the apprehension and delivery to the proper officers of Frank De Forrest, one of the supposed murderers of Corporal Charles McManus. John J. Dorr was awarded the contract for filling and grading the court house grounds.
1870. The regular session began January 4 with Joseph Edelbrock, Truman Parcher, Herman Terhaar, B. Pirz and F. Schroeder present, the latter two being new members. Joseph Edelbrock was again elected chair- man of the board. Resolutions were adopted protesting to the legislature against the "useless and extraordinary expense attending the surveying and laying out of state roads," and asking that a halt be called. The senator and representative from this district were asked to secure the passage through the legislature of a bill authorizing the legal voters of the counties of Stearns, Todd and Morrison to vote on a change of the northern boundary of Stearns county, to conform to the following: Commencing at the north- west corner of section 31, township 127, range 35 and running thence east on the north line of the southern tier of sections in the township 127, ranges 35, 34, 33, 32, 31, 30 and 29 to the Mississippi river. Henry Krebs was elected county superintendent of schools. The county attorney's salary was fixed at $800. Wm. S. Moore was allowed $300 for professional services in the case of the First Division S. P. & P. R. R. Co. vs. Stearns county, and E. M. Wright $200 for extra services as county attorney. Appropriations for bridges were made as follows: St. Augusta, $100 (afterwards increased to $150) to assist in building a bridge across the creek on the road from St. Cloud to Clearwater; Munson, $200 for two bridges on the Paynesville and Forrest City, and St. Cloud and Fort Abercrombie roads. The board adjourned January 8.
Special sessions were held March 8 to 10, and June 9 to 11, at both of which a large number of school district petitions were acted on. A pub- lished complaint having been made that the poor of the county were not fairly treated and that fraudulent bills for their care had been allowed, the board resented the imputations and asked for propositions regarding the purchase of a poor farm or other methods for the care of the poor. An appropriation of $400 was made to the town of St. Martin on account of a bridge across Getchell's creek on the St. Cloud and Fort Abercrombie road ; $100 to Avon for repairing road and bridge on the road from St. Cloud to Breckenridge; and $50 each to Rockville and St. Wendel for road and bridge work. The county auditor was allowed a clerk at $50 per month.
An adjourned meeting was held July 11 for the transaction of routine business. The regular September session began the seventh, adjourning the tenth. After equalizing the assessments the tax levy was fixd at twelve mills. A judgment of $109.04 seeured by the S. P. & P. R. R. Co. against the county was ordered to be paid. At a special session September 17, an
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appropriation of $300 was made for opening the St. Cloud and St. Joseph road; $25 for opening the road between St. Joseph and Jacob's Prairie; and $75 for grading at the new bridge on the road from Richmond to Sauk Cen- tre in the town of Munson.
1871. The commissioners present at the meeting January 3 were Joseph Edelbrock, Fred Schroeder, B. Pirz, Martin Greeley and Almon Sut- ton, the latter two being new members. Joseph Edelbrock was re-elected chair- man. The commissioner districts were arranged as follows, based on the last census: First district-The town of St. Cloud, and the first, second, third, and fourth wards of the City of St. Cloud. Second district-The towns of St. Joseph, St. Wendel, Le Sauk, Brockway, Holding, Avon, Albany and Oak. Third district-The towns of Eden Lake, Munson, Paynesville, Zion, Lake Henry, Crow Lake, St. Martin and North Fork. Fourth district-The towns of St. Augusta, Lynden, Fair Haven, Maine Prairie, Rockville, Wake- field and Luxemburg. Fifth district-The towns of Ashley, Getty, Grove, Melrose, Raymond, and Sauk Centre.
The salary of the county attorney was fixed at $800; deupty county auditor, $600; turnkey at the jail, $600. For corduroying and bridging the tamarack swamp on the Watab bridge and Avon road $100 was appropriated; $100 was added to the $300 appropriation for opening the St. Cloud and St. Joseph road ; $50 was added to the $400 for the town of St. Martin for bridge over Getchell creek; $50 to Oak and Albany for Getchell creek bridges; and $50 to Munson for bridges over Cold creek on Paynesville and Glencoe road. Adjourned January 7.
The regular March session began the fourteenth, lasting four days. The salary of the county superintendent of schools was fixed at $900 per year. The consideration of school district petitions occupied a large part of the attention of the board. Road and bridge appropriations were made as fol- lows: For corduroying the tamarack swamp on the Watab bridge and Avon road, $100 additional; for bridge over Weyrauch creek on the St. Cloud and Clearwater road, $150; for Avon and Holding road in Avon, $50; for work on Maine Prairie and Forest City road, $150; for Richmond and North Fork road, $150. A special session was held March 27, continuing for three days. Jerome J. Getty, who had been appointed to fill a vacancy, took his seat as commissioner from the Fifth district. An appropriation of $700 was made for the new St. Cloud and St. Joseph state road, this to include the build- ing of a bridge over the pond in the southeast quarter of section 9, township 124, range 28.
On call another special session was held June 12. Road appropriations were made as follows: For the St. Cloud and St. Joseph road, $110 addi- tional; to the town of Le Sauk $50 and Brockway $75 for repairing bridges ; to Wakefield $125 for the Rockville and Richmond road; $50 for the road from St. Joseph to New Munich; $125 to the town of Grove for Stewart's bridge. A petition for a county road from Sauk Centre to Raymond was granted. Auctioneer's licenses for the sale of merchandise were fixed at $40; for the sale of real estate or property other than merchandise, $10. Ad- journed June 14.
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The last session of the year was held September 5 to 9. After meeting as a board of equalization the tax levy was fixed at eleven mills. The sum of $134 was refunded to Sheriff Alden, this being the amount paid by him as a reward for the capture of prisoner Shero. A number of small road and bridge appropriations were made.
1872. The board met January 2, with B. Pirz, F. Schroeder, Wesley Carter and J. J. Getty present, the latter two being newly elected. Wesley Carter was elected chairman. M. C. Tolman was elected county superin- tendent of schools at a salary of $500 per year. The salary of the county at- torney was fixed at $800 and of the turnkey at $600. The license for auc- tioneers of merchandise was reduced to $100. A petition for a county road between the towns of Maine Prairie and Eden Lake was granted. An appro- priation of $350 was made to the town of St. Martin to assist in building a bridge across Sauk river to cost not less than $800, and $125 to the town of St. Martin for a bridge across Watab river to cost not less than $125. Adjourned January 6.
The board met for the March session on the nineteenth, with all the commissioners, including Martin Greeley, present. A petition for a county road between the towns of Paynesville and Eden Lake was granted. An appropriation of $100 was made to the town of Grove for bridges; $100 to the town of Sauk Centre for the road from Sauk Centre to Getty's Grove; $125 for the road from St. Cloud through Rockville to Cold Spring. The board adjourned March 23 to March 30. At the adjourned meeting $758 was allowed on claims amounting to $2,814 for loss of property by fire and storm during the summer and fall of 1871, under the provisions of an act of the legislature. There were in all twenty-five claimants, of whom fourteen resided in the town of Maine Prairie, and the others in Rockville, Eden Lake, Spring Hill, Avon, Sauk Centre, Oak and Raymond.
A three days special session began June 25. Petitions were granted for county roads from St. Cloud along the St. Cloud and Le Sauk town line, ter- minating at S. I. Shepard's; from the Sauk river bridge in the town of St. Cloud to a point at the intersection of the county road from Woodstock; and from Maine Prairie to Paynesville. An appropriation of $100 was made to the town of Getty for road purposes; $100 to the town of Spring Hill for use on the road from Richmond to North Fork; and $100 to the town of Paynesville for "planks on the bottom of Crow river near the residences of Leroy Elliott and W. P. Bennett." The regular session for September began the third, continuing until the seventh. After acting as a board of equaliza- tion, the tax levy was fixed at eleven mills, the same as for preceding years. M. C. Tolman having resigned as county superintendent of schools, B. Pirz was elected to fill the vacancy.
1873. The first session for the year began January 7, adjourning Jan- uary 11, with commissioners Wesley Carter, Martin Greeley, J. J. Getty, Fred Schroeder and Edward Miller present, the two last named being new mem- bers. Wesley Carter was re-elected chairman. A resolution was adopted exonerating L. A. Evans, judge of probate, from all blame for the loss of the records of the probate court by the fire of November 21, 1872. The salary
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of the county superintendent of schools was restored to $900; the salary of the county attorney was fixed at $800, and the turnkey at $600. An appro- priation of $100 was made to the town of Albany for the Round Prairie road. A petition for a county road from Getty to Sauk Centre was granted.
A session beginning March 18, continued until March 21. The license for merchandise auctioneers was still further reduced to $50. The applica- tion of Chas. A. Leagle, foreman of the Little Giant Engine Co., for the use of the court room for the monthly meetings of the company was granted. Insurance to the amount of $15,000 on the court house and jail was ordered. An appropriation of $150 was made for the road from St. Cloud to Arnold's mill. A special session was held June 24. Road and bridge appropriations were made as follows: $300 to the town of Lynden for bridge over Clear- water river; $150 to the town of Melrose; $250 to St. Wendel for road in sections 15 and 16, township 125, range 29; $125 to St. Augusta for bridge over mill dam; $500 to Grove for bridge over Sauk river between New Munich and Melrose; $150 to town of St. Cloud; $2,000 for a new bridge over Sauk river, near Arnold and Stanton's mill, on the road from St. Cloud to Fort Ripley, to replace the one taken out by high water; provided the town of Le Sauk appropriated $1,000. Adjourned June 28.
September session, second to sixth. After completing the work of equal- ization, the tax levy was fixed at five mills for current expenses; two mills for roads and bridges; two mills for poor fund; two mills for school fund- total, eleven mills. Applications for county roads from the village of Rich- mond to the town of Holding; from Albany to St. Martin, and from Maine Prairie to St. Joseph were granted. St. Wendel and Avon each were voted $100 for road purposes. At the several sessions small appropriations were voted to different towns for road and bridge purposes, and various appro- priations were made from the poor fund.
1874. The board met January 6, with Wesley Carter, F. Schroeder, Ed- ward Miller, John P. Hammerel and J. J. Getty, present, the two last named being new members. Wesley Carter was again re-elected chairman. The committee reported the completion of a new bridge across Sauk river at Arnold and Stanton's mill, and the sum of $200 was appropriated to the town of Le Sauk on account of this bridge. The following road and bridge appropriations were made: $100 to Munson for Cold Creek bridge on road from Paynesville to Richmond; $100 to Brockway for road No. 2; $125 to Fair Haven for a new bridge over Clearwater river, provided Wright county appropriated an equal sum; $100 to Getty for repairing Stewart's bridge over Sauk river; $150 additional to town of St. Martin. The county attorney's salary was fixed at $800. The board adjourned January 10.
At the session March 17 to 21, P. E. Kaiser was elected county super- intendent of schools at a salary of $1,000. J. J. Getty, F. Schroeder and Ed- ward Miller were appointed a committee to select a poor farm and report June 15. The county attorney was instructed to begin suit against certain parties to collect relief notes given the county for seed grain in 1867, amount- ing to $771.49 without interest. The town of Oak was allowed $300 for bridges. A special session beginning June 15, adjourned June 17. The com-
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mittee on poor farm made a verbal report and asked for further time. Ap- propriations for roads and bridges were made as follows: $800 to the city of St. Cloud for bridges in the city : $150 each to the towns of St. Wendel and St. Cloud; $100 each to Millwood, Crow Lake, St. Joseph and Getty; $100 for a bridge on the county road from Richmond to North Fork, between North Fork and Lake George. Petitions for new roads between the towns of Wakefield and Rockville and between Rockville and St. Augusta were granted.
The regular session beginning July 27, adjourned August 1. After the annual equalizing of property valuations, the tax levy was fixed at nine mills, being a reduction of one mill each for current expenses and roads and bridges. J. P. Hammerel was appointed a member of the poor farm com- mittee to succeed Edward Miller resigned, and the committee was directed to visit the different places offered and be prepared to report September 2. An appropriation of $400 was made to the towns of Munson and Avon for the road from Avon to Richmond.
At the October session, which met on the thirteenth and adjourned on the fifteenth, Peter Hahn presented his certificate of appointment as com- missioner from the Third district to succeed Edward Miller resigned. The tax levy was reduced to eight mills, by taking half a mill each from the revenue and poor fund. James McKelvy, judge of the district court, was authorized to employ a short-hand reporter. The report of the committee on a poor farm was laid on the table. Appropriations were made as follows : $100 to the town of Fair Haven for the Kingston bridge; $100 to Wake- field for bridge purposes; $100 to Grove additional for Stewart's bridge; $125 for road work in Brockway. As usual during each session much time was devoted to the consideration of school district petitions.
1875. The board met January 5, the commissioners present being Fred Schroeder, J. P. Hammerel, J. J. Getty, John H. Owen and Peter Hahn, the two last named being new members. Fred Schroeder was elected chairman. The county attorney's salary was fixed at $800. An appropriation of $400 was made for work on the St. Martin and Albany road and $200 for work on the Rockville and St. Augusta road. Adjourned January 9.
A three-days' special session began March 22. The salary of the county superintendent of schools was fixed at $1,200. Insurance to the amount of $20,000 was ordered to be placed on the court house and jail. H. H. Cleve- land was allowed $200 and J. H. Staples $110 for damages caused by a change in the location of the Maine Prairie and St. Joseph county road. Another special session beginning June 21 and adjourning June 23 was characterized by a lively contest among the newspapers for the publishing of the delinquent tax list, "cut-throat" prices ruling. The list was awarded to Frank Smith, of the St. Cloud Times, at 11/2 cents per description, but as he failed to fur- nish the necessary bond for $2,000 the work was given to C. R. Mckinney of the St. Cloud Press, at 2 cents per description, he furnishing the required bond. The highest bid, 93/4 cents, was that of the St. Cloud Journal. St. Augusta was given $100 for a bridge over the mill dam, and petitions for county roads in the towns of Farming and St. Joseph were granted.
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A six-days' session began July 26, with a meeting of the board of equaliza- tion, upon the adjournment of which a levy of $17,500 was made for county purposes; $5,000 each for roads and bridges and for the poor fund, with one mill for schools. D. J. Hanscom, of Eden Lake, presented a report and map of a state road from Litchfield, Meeker county, to Cold Spring, Stearns county, which were accepted and filed in the register of deeds office. The county superintendent of schools was instructed not to visit more than two districts in any one day and if the intervening distance was six miles, not more than one district. Thus providing against hasty and superficial ex- aminations.
The October session, continuing from the fifth to the seventh was de- voted almost wholly to school district and road and bridge matters. The following appropriations of $100 and over were made: Avon, $150 for St. Joseph and Holding road; Getty, $100 for road near Cleveland's and Veeder's; Oak, $300 for bridge over Getchell's creek; St. Wendel, $125 for road purposes; Spring Hill, $300 and Grove, $200 for bridges over Sauk river; Millwood, $100 for road purposes.
1876. The board met January 4, with John H. Owen, J. J. Getty, J. P. Hammerel, Peter Hahn and Nicholas Keppers present, the latter two being the new members. Commissioner Owen was elected chairman. P. E. Kaiser was elected superintendent of schools (receiving three votes to two votes for T. J. Gray), at a salary of $1,000 per year; the county attorney's salary was made $800. The license for auctioneers was fixed at $50 and Frank Fairchild made his appearance as the first applicant. Resolutions were adopted asking the Stearns county delegation in the legislature to secure, if possible, the passage of an act requiring the different towns in the county to support their own poor. Sixty cords of maple wood were bought for $179.40, being a trifle less than $3.00 per cord, and less by one- half than the market price for this wood at the date of the publishing of this history. An appropriation of $200 additional was made for the Cold Spring bridge; $100 to Rockville for the Rockville and St. Augusta road; $250 to Munson for the Sauk river bottom of the bridge at Richmond, provided the town expend an equal amount; $100 to Grove for the Stewart's bridge. A petition for a road through the towns of St. Wendel, Brockway and Hold- ing was accepted. The St. Cloud Times was made the official paper without bids.
A special session began March 21 and adjourned March 23. The com- missioners from the First and Fifth districts were instructed to receive pro- posals from the physicians in their districts for medical treatment of county paupers in said districts and to employ such physicians as they might deem proper. Wakefield was given $440 for repairs to the Sauk river bridge at Cold Spring. A three-days' special session, beginning June 19, was de- voted to the consideration of applications for relief from the poor fund, school district applications and routine business.
At the regular July session, which began on the twenty-fourth, ending the twenty-ninth, after the work of equalization had been completed, a tax levy of $15,000 for county purposes, $5,000 for the poor, and one mill for
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schools was voted. An extra session beginning September 14 and adjourn- ing the sixteenth was devoted to routine business. Another extra session beginning November 30, continued three days. The resignation of George Geissel as sheriff was accepted and Mathias Mickley elected his successor. John Schafer was elected turnkey at the jail.
1877. The new board met January 2, with J. H. Owen, N. Keppers, Peter Hahn, J. P. Hammerel and E. P. Barnum present, the two last named being new members. J. H. Owens was re-elected chairman. The salary of the county superintendent of schoods was fixed at $1,000 and the salary of the county attorney at $800. The Stearns county delegation in the legisla- ture was again requested to secure the passage of a special act making the county poor charges of their respective towns.
At a special session, continuing from March 15 to 21, applications for seed grain from farmers in the northern and western part of the county were received, of which 82 were allowed and 55 rejected. It was decided that the seed grain allowed, wheat and peas, be sent to Albany and Mel- rose. A contract for repairing the Sauk river bridge at Waite's crossing was let to Peter Schmit, for $1,575, of which $125 was to be paid by the town of St. Cloud, and the balance by the county. The town of Grove was allowed $150 toward the cost of a bridge across Sauk river at Stewart's crossing, and $100 was appropriated to the town of St. Joseph for a bridge over Sauk river. An extra session beginning June 18 was given to routine business.
A session was held July 16, largely devoted to equalization matters, adjournment being taken to August, when the work of equalization was completed and the tax levy fixed at $15,000 for county purposes and one mill school tax. The legislature having passed an act requiring the several towns to provide for their own poor no levy was made for county poor fund. A special session for routine business was held November 8 and 9.
1878. The first session of the year began January 1, with N. Kep- pers, Peter Hahn, J. P. Hammerel, E. P. Barnum and B. Reinhard present, the latter being a new member. Peter Hahn was elected chairman. The county delegation in the legislature was requested to secure the passage of a special law extending the time for the payment of taxes in Stearns county to December 1. The bond of the county treasurer was increased from $75,- 000 to $90,000. The salaries of the county attorney and superintendent of schools were fixed at $800 and $1,000 respectively. The liquor license was reduced to $25. Adjourned January 3. A special session was held January 14 and 15, at which the bond of J. A. Moosbrugger, county treasurer, was approved, and the north half of township 124, range 32 was detached from commissioner district No. 5 and attached to district No. 3. A special ses- sion held March 5 and 6 was devoted entirely to considering applications for seed grain under the provisions of the act of February 13, 1878. The board reported to the governor that it had approved 388 applications, covering 18,852 acres, for which would be needed 12,689 bushels of wheat and 4,541 bushels of oats.
At the regular March session, from the nineteenth to the twenty-sec-
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ond, the distribution of secd grain was made. Bids for the publication of the annual financial statement were received, ranging from $7.25 to $16.00- all absurdly low prices-the contract being awarded to the St. Cloud Jour- nal as the lowest bidder. An extra session was held April 29 to May 1. An appropriation of $1,500 was made to the town of Munson for the new bridge over the Sauk river at Richmond and $150 was appropriated to the town of St. Joseph for "ice breakers" for the Sauk river bridge at Staples. At an extra session June 10-12, an additional appropriation of $500 was made for the new bridge at Richmond; $500 was appropriated to the town of Sauk Centre for road and bridge purposes; and $5,000 to the city of St. Cloud to be used in the construction of a free wagon bridge across the Mississippi river at that city.
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