USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92
The board met as a board of equalization July 15, continuing in session until the twentieth, adjourning until Angust 5, at which date it re-con- vened, completing the work August 10. A three-days' session of the county board began July 24, at which the tax levy was fixed at $20,000 for county purposes and one mill for schools. An extra session was held October 14-16, at which the county treasurer was instructed to visit cach town in the county between the first day of January and the last day of February, 1879, for the purpose of collecting taxes. An extra session for routine business was held December 9 and 10.
1879. The regular session met January 7, with B. Reinhard, E. P. Barnum, Carl Herberger, John Schneider and Michael Hansen, Sr., present, the three last named being new members. E. P. Barnum was elected chair- man. The business of the three days was confined to routine matters. At the regular March session, beginning the eighteenth and adjourning the twenty-first, a large number of road appropriations were made, the more im- portant being : $100 each to Melrose, Oak, Paynesville and Wakefield; $125 to Munson and St. Martin; $150 to Albany, Avon, Farming, Holding, Krain, Millwood, Rockville and St. Wendel.
The board of equalization met July 21 and after adjourning on the twenty-sixth to August 11, re-convened on that day, remaining in session until August 14. The county board met July 28, making the tax levy the same as for the year past. Road and bridge appropriations were made to the towns of Albany and St. Cloud, $100 each; St. Joseph, $150 and Ray- mond $250. Michael Hoy, the well-known detective, was allowed $163.45 for his services in arresting certain offenders named Morris, Hockenbury and Marshall. An unimportant special session was held October 21 and 23.
1880. The Jannary session of the board began on the sixth, continuing until the tenth, with B. Reinhard, Carl Herberger, John Schneider, Michael Hansen, Sr., and A. G. Jaques present, the latter two being new members. B. Reinhard was elected chairman. The salary of the county attorney was fixed at $800; superintendent of schools $1,000; county auditor $1,500, with $958 for his deputy.
The March session began on the sixteenth, adjourning on the nineteenth. Depositories for the county funds, in sums not to exceed $30,000 each, were
116
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
designated for the first time-the Bank of St. Cloud, with James A. Bell, Joseph C. Smith, H. J. Rosenberger, W. B. Mitchell and L. W. Collins as sure- ties; and the T. C. McClure bank, with H. C. Waite, N. P. Clarke, D. B. Searle, John Cooper and Frank Arnold as sureties. Twenty-eight liquor licenses were granted, and the county attorney was instructed to prosecute all persons known to have sold liquor without a license, provided that, upon demand, they refused to take out a license. The town of Collegeville, which was in the Second, Third and Fourth commissioner districts, was placed en- tirely in the Second district. The salary of the judge of probate was fixed at $1,150. The sum of $3,300 was appropriated from the road and bridge fund to the several commissioner districts as follows: First district, $400; Second, $1,000; Third, $800; Fourth, $600; Fifth, $500-these amounts to be expended under the direction of the commissioners of the respective dis- tricts. It was voted that in the future the expense of laying out or altering roads should be paid by the towns through which such roads passed.
The board of equalization was in session July 19 to 24, adjourning to August 2 and completing its work August 6. The board of commissioners was in session from July 26 to 30. The tax levy for county purposes was fixed at $16,000, less $6,000 in the treasury, with one mill school tax. The salary of the county superintendent of schools was increased to $1,200. Thirty-three liquor licenses were granted.
At an extra session held September 6 to 9, road and bridge appropria- tions were made as follows: Grove, $200; Oak, $130; Rockville, $175; St. Joseph, $100; St. Wendel, $145; road from Melrose to Willmar, $100; Holding and Krain road, $125; Munson and North Fork road, $200; Albany and St. Martin road, $150; Albany, $275; Collegeville, $100; Paynesville, $125; St. Augusta, for St. Cloud and Clearwater road, $125; St. Cloud, for St. Cloud and St. Joseph road, $400. Another extra session was held November 22 to 24, at which the following additional road and bridge appropriations were made : Lynden, $200; Long Prairie and Paynesville road, $200; Le Sauk, for St. Cloud and Brockway road, $275; St. Augusta bridge, $100; Holding and Krain road, $100; Holding and St. Wendel road, $100.
1881. The regular session beginning January 4, adjourned January 6. The following commissioners were present: John Schneider, Michael Han- sen, Sr., A. G. Jaques, J. P. Hammerel and Frank Benolken, the two last named being new members. As the result of the fourth ballot J. P. Hammerel was elected chairman. Salaries were fixed as follows: Attorney, $800; super- intendent of schools, $1,200; judge of probate, $1,150; auditor, $1,500, and his deputy, $1,044. At the March session, fifteenth to seventeeth, besides routine business an appropriation of $150 was made for a bridge over Hoboken creek, in the town of Sauk Centre.
The regular May session, of three days, began the twelfth. A notice received from A. E. Bugbee, town clerk, of Paynesville, that no license for the sale of liquor be granted to any person in said town for the year end- ing the second Tuesday of May, 1882, was accepted and filed. An appropria- tion of $400 was made to the city of St. Cloud to defray one-half the cost of repairs to the Mississippi river bridge; $150 to Holding for one-half the
117
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
cost of bridges in that town; and $200 to Oak as one-half the cost of a bridge.
The board of equalization held a session from July 18 to 22. The county board met July 25 for a three-days' session. The tax levy was fixed at $22,- 000, less $10,000 in the treasury, for county purposes and one mill for schools. After the board had voted that liquor licenses could be taken out at a rate of $2.10 per month, to expire not earlier than the second Tuesday of January, 1882, forty licenses were granted. M. P. Noel tendered his resignation as county surveyor.
At the regular session beginning September 13, the commissioner dis- tricts were re-arranged as follows: First district-Lynden, St. Augusta, St. Cloud, and the first four wards of the city of St. Cloud; Second district- Albany, Avon, Brockway, Holding, Krain, Le Sauk, Millwood, Oak and St. Wendel; Third district-Eden Lake, Farming, Lake George, Lake Henry, Munson, Paynesville, St. Martin, Spring Hill and Zion; Fourth district-Col- legeville, Fair Haven, Luxemburg, Maine Prairie, Rockville, St. Joseph and Wakefield; Fifth district-Ashley, Crow Lake, Crow River, Getty, Grove, Melrose, North Fork, Raymond and Sauk Centre. Albany was given $100 to pay one-half the cost of a bridge. Seven more liquor licenses were granted. Adjourned September 15.
At the regular session November 15 to 17, rules and regulations were adopted regarding vaccination and quarantine measures to prevent the spread of small pox in certain infected districts. The town of St. Martin was given $100 toward a $250 bridge.
The board met December 12 and 13 to consider the small pox situation and adopted a resolution declaring that the county would not be responsi- ble for any claims on that account after that date.
1882. The regular session began January 3, with J. P. Hammerel, A. G. Jaques, N. Keppers and B. Pirz present, the latter two being new members. J. P. Hammerel was re-elected chairman. The salary of the county attorney was fixed at $800 and the superintendent of schools at the rate of $10 for each organized district in the county. Bills amounting to $2,452.55 were al- lowed to physicians previously designated by the board to be employed in small pox cases, the larger amounts being : Dr. J. A. DuBois, $591.85; Dr. B. R. Palmer, $214.50; Dr. J. E. Campbell, $313.50; Dr. H. Schmidt, $328.45; Dr. C. E. Scoboria, $230.50. For other services and supplies in connection with the small pox cases, bills were allowed to the amount of $2,036.15, the largest payment being to Dr. A. G. Jaques for "services and expenses." The liquor license fee was continued at $25, but it was provided that no license should be granted for less than the full amount-the monthly basis plan be- ing discontinued, the commissioners themselves evidently realizing its weak features. Adjourned January 5. An extra session to consider small pox mat- ters was held February 20 and 21.
At the March session, held March 21-23, another large number of small pox bills were presented, on which over $1,700 was allowed, the largest amounts being paid to Dr. A. G. Jaques, $502; Dr. Henry Schmidt, $381.05, . and Rev. Father Clements Staub, $258, for medical services; while bills to
118
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
practically an equal amount were rejected. The following day the commis- sioners met as a board of health notifying physicians and others that no bills or claims for services rendered in small pox or other cases would be paid by the county.
The May session began the ninth, adjourning the eleventh. Road and bridge appropriations, being in each case half the amount to be expended, were made as follows: $125 for improving the St. Cloud and St. Joseph road ; $160 for bridges in Albany ; $150 for the Rockville and St. Joseph road; $566 for roofing the Sauk river bridge at Richmond.
The board of equalization held its annual meeting July 17-22, with a further session July 27. The county board met July 24, for a three-days' session. Road and bridge appropriations on the basis of one-half being paid by the several towns were made as follows: St. Martin, for Sauk river bridge, $250; Wakefield, for bridge over Sauk river on road from Cold Spring to Eden Lake, $500, the state of Minnesota having also appropriated $400; Mel- rose, from Sank river bridge on the road from Melrose to Birchdale, Todd county, $250; Brockway, for bridge over Christy brook, $150; St. Wendel, for bridge, $100; Millwood, for bridge, $200. The tax levy was fixed at $20,- 000 for county purposes, and one mill for schools.
A three-days' session, beginning September 12, was held, at which an appropriation of $150 was made to the town of Grove and $100 to Spring Hill for bridges, these towns having previously voted equal amounts. A three-days' session for routine business began November 21.
1883. The annual session opened January 2, adjourning January 4; present, J. P. Hammerel, N. Keppers, B. Pirz and A. A. Whitney, the latter being a new member. Nicholas Hansen, elected for the Fourth district, hav- ing failed to qualify, W. Merz held over as commissioner. Efforts to increase the liquor license fee to $100 and to $75 failed, Commissioners Whitney and Merz voting each time in the affirmative and commissioners Keppers, Pirz and Hammerel in the negative. It was finally made $50. Bridge appropriations were made as follows: Crow River and Holding, $100 each; Paynesville, $150; city of St. Cloud, $275.
The following road and bridge appropriations were made at a session March 20-22: Brockway, $150 for bridge over Spunk brook; Grove, $400, for bridge over Sauk river, the town having appropriated $1,000; St. Joseph, $500 for Sauk river bridge on Maine Prairie and St. Joseph road; St. Mar- tin, $500 for Sauk river bridge on Albany and St. Martin road; Sank Cen- tre, $500 for Sauk river bridge on Sauk Centre and Melrose road; Wake- field, $300 additional for Sauk river bridge; Lake George, $100.
At the regular session May 8-10, small pox bills which had been laid over were considered and allowances to the amount of $896.45 were made, while bills aggregating approximately $3,000 were rejected. An appropriation of $310 was made to the city of St. Cloud toward the building of a stone cul- vert across the ravine at Richmond avenue, this city having appropriated $900. John Schafer, of Le Sauk, was granted an auctioneer's license.
The board of equalization was in session July 16-19, and July 26-27. The county board met July 23 for a three-days' session. A tax levy of one mill
119
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
for schools and $27,000 for county purposes, was made, the main items in the latter being $10,000 for salaries, $4,000 for bridges, $3,000 for district court, and $2,000 for additional vault room. Sessions held August 1-2 and September 11-12, were for routine business. At a session December 18-20 auctioneer's licenses were granted to J. W. Tenvoorde and J. N. Gilley. -
1884. The first session for the year began January 1, and adjourned January 3; present : J. P. Hammerel, N. Keppers, B. Pirz, Joseph Scheelar and A. A. Whitney ; J. P. Hammerel and Joseph Scheelar being new members. J. P. Hammerel was elected chairman. The salary of the county attorney was fixed at $800 and the superintendent of schools at $1,240. License fee for auctioneers, $50 for merchandise and $10 for real estate and household goods, etc. Forty-five liquor licenses were granted at $50 each.
A two-days' extra session began January 14, at which D. B. Searle tendered his resignation as county attorney, which was accepted, and F. E. Searle was elected to render such legal services as the county might require. Barney Overbeck resigned as coroner and Dr. A. O. Gilman was elected his successor. It was voted to have the financial statement and all official notices published in both the St. Cloud Journal and St. Cloud Times, each paper to do the work for one-half the legal rate. At a special session held February 4 and 5, J. R. Boyd was granted a merchandise auctioneer's license.
At the session March 18-20, the following bridge appropriations were made: Collegeville, $100; Grove, bridge over Sauk river on road from Oak to Melrose; Munson, $225; Oak, $300 for Getchell creek bridge on road from Oak to St. Joseph; North Fork, $275; Paynesville, $400, for bridge across north branch Crow river, on road from Paynesville to Lake Henry and Zion; Raymond, $150; city of St. Cloud, $900; St. Wendel, $150. The session be- ginning May 13, adjourned May 15. The bond of Theodore Bruener, county attorney-elect, which had been rejected at the January session because of in- formality, was approved. An appropriation of $237.50 was made to the township of Fair Haven to assist in building a bridge over the branch of the Clearwater river on the road from Fair Haven to Kingston and over Three- mile creek on the road from Fair Haven to Lake George. Auctioneer's licenses to sell real estate, etc., were granted to B. F. Carr, Wm. Boulton and Joseph Eder.
After the work of equalization had been completed which occupied from July 21 to 26 (with one day's session on the thirty-first) the board met July 28, adjourning the thirtieth. An appropriation of $100 was made to Melrose for a bridge on the road from Sauk Centre to Birchdale, and $325 to Spring Hill for a bridge across Sauk river. The tax levy was fixed at one mill for schools and $40,000 for county purposes, which included $3,500 for a bridge at Cold Spring and $2,500 for a bridge at Arnold's mill across Sauk river. A routine session was held September 9-11, at the December session 16-18, a resolution was adopted asking the delegation from Stearns county to oppose the repeal by the legislature of the bill making paupers a town charge. The fee for liquor licenses was reduced to $25.
1885. The board met January 6, with J. P. Hammerel, N. Keppers, B. Pirz, Joseph Scheelar and A. A. Whitney present, N. Keppers and B. Pirz
120
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
being new members. J. P. Hammerel was re-elected chairman. Salaries were fixed as follows: County attorney, $800; superintendent of schools, $1,500; clerk of the probate court, $500; J. A. DuBois, deputy coroner, $500. A com- munication addressed to the county attorney requesting his presence at a ses- sion of the board of county commissioners on the afternoon of January 7 on official business, elicited the following spicy reply, which was ordered to be recorded in the minutes of the board :
"To the Hon. Board of County Commissioners of Stearns county, Minn. -In reply to the above communication will say that I have no objection to be present at the meeting of your Hon. Board, provided the board will guarantee to me that I shall be treated in a decent and respectful manner, and that I will not be subjected to the insults of your chairman or any other member of said board. If this guarantee is made I shall be present as re- quested. Respectfully yours, Theodore Bruener, Co. Atty." The next day the board voted that "the letter to the county attorney and the answer to the board be reconsidered," but not expunged. The first order for the loca- tion of a public ditch in Stearns county was made at this session, the applica- tion, which was signed by George E. Wraner, Joseph Tonjes, W. F. Fisk and others interested, having been received July 30, 1884. The viewers were James Colgrove, Fred Goenner and George Messman, whose report was fav- orable. The ditch started at B. Meyer's creek in the N. E. 1/4 of N. E. 1/4, sec- tion 24, township 123, range 28, running to Plum creek, near the bridge on the road from Clearwater to St. Cloud, being in length 3.65 miles and lo- cated in the towns of St. Augusta and Lynden. This was followed by an application, filed December 15, 1884, and signed by F. Gumtor, F. Heitke, August Schultz, H. Moede and others, for a ditch to start from the center of section 35, in the town of Zion, and run to a point of intersection with Cole creek, on the north line of lot 14, section 19, town of Munson. James H. Boylon, Peter Hahn and Valentine Engelhard were appointed viewers. The following bridge appropriations were made: Ashley, $100; Farming, $150; Lake Henry, $300; Munson, $350, for Sauk river bridge at Richmond; North Fork, $250, for bridge on north branch of Crow river; Paynesville, $100 for bridge on Crow river; city of St. Cloud, $900 for bridges; St. Mar- tin, $100. Sixty-six liquor licenses were granted at the reduced rate.
At a special session held February 17-19 bids were received for build- ing three town bridges across Sauk river at Arnold's mill, St. Joseph and Cold Spring, according to plans drawn by C. F. Loweth. The contract for the superstructures was awarded to Horace E. Horton at $2,098.20 for the Arnold bridge, $3,148.80 for the St. Joseph bridge and $5,247 for the Cold Spring bridge, being $10,494 for the three. The contract for the substruc- tures was awarded to W. J. Murphy. The town of Le Sauk having appro- priated $1,000 for the bridge at Arnold's mill the county added $2,200; St. Joseph's appropriation of $1,000 was increased by $1,800 in addition to $500 previously appropriated, making a total of $2,300; and $3,000 was added to the $3,500 appropriated by the town of Wakefield. The St. Cloud Times was made the official paper under an agreement that the financial statement, pro- ceedings of the board and all official notices should also be published in Ger-
121
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
man in the Nordstern, all for the one legal price, the job printing done locally to go to the Nordstern. This arrangement continued with but few interrup- tions until the year 1913.
The regular March session meeting on the nineteenth lasted but one day. H. E. Horton having refused to sign the bridge contracts because of a clause providing for liquidated damage in case the bridges were not completed at the date specified, the contract was awarded to the Scheffler Bridge Works, whose bid for the three bridges was $11,350. The claims of the county com- missioners for services in small pox cases were allowed as follows: A. G. Jaques, from January 7 to March 12, 1882, $460; B. Pirz, from January 24 to March 18, 1882, $175; N. Keppers, from February 10 to March 12, 1882, $135. A special session was held March 31 to April 2, at which a contract was entered into with the Scheffler Bridge Works for the construction of the three town bridges referred to above. Avon and Fair Haven were each al- lowed $100 for bridges. A session was held May 12-14, at which a quit-claim deed, to cover irregularity in a previous conveyance, was ordered to be given the First Methodist Church of St. Cloud, for lot 1, block G, the old jail lot.
The work of equalization occupied the board July 20-23 and again July 30. At the commissioner's session, July 27-29, the second public ditch, for which a petition had been filed January 8, was definitely located and assess- ments made; length of ditch 2.68 miles. A tax levy was made of one mill for schools and $38,425 for county purposes, of which $2,000 was for Paynes- ville, $3,000 for Grove and $3,000 for Clearwater bridges.
September 8-10, routine business. At a special session held November 7, the county attorney was instructed to begin legal proceedings to enjoin the St. Cloud, Mankato and Austin Railway Company from using, occupying or obstructing the public highway, leading from St. Cloud to Cold Spring in the towns of Rockville, Wakefield and Munson. Regular session, December 15 and 16, routine.
1886. The board met for its first session January 5, with J. P. Hammerel, N. Keppers, B. Pirz, J. Scheelar and A. A. Whitney present; J. P. Hammerel was re-elected chairman. The salary of the county attorney was increased to $1,000 and the salary of the superintendent of schools continued at $1,500. Bridge appropriations were made as follows: Ashley, $180 for bridge over Ashley river; Lake Henry, $442; Maine Prairie, $360; North Fork, $200; Raymond, $135; city of St. Cloud, $900 for a bridge over Jefferson avenue near High street; St. Wendel, $180 for bridge over Watab creek; Sauk Cen- tre, $215 for bridge over Sauk river; Sauk Centre and Ashley, $100 for bridge over Hoboken creek; Paynesville, $800 for bridge over Crow river; Zion, $135. As with previous appropriations these amounts were not to ex- ceed over one-half the cost of the bridges. Adjourned January 7.
A special meeting was held March 18-20, at which the bids for build- ing iron bridges at Clearwater, Grove and Paynesville were opened. The con- tract for the building of the Grove bridge over Sauk river at Stewart's cross- ing complete was awarded to the Columbia Bridge Company, of Dayton, Ohio, for $2,868; and the superstructure of the Paynesville bridge to the same com- pany for $2,268, while all bids for the Clearwater bridge were rejected for
122
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
the reason that this bridge was not on a county road. J. H. Dennison was given the contract for building the stone piers for the Paynesville bridge. It was voted that the county pay two-thirds of the cost of the Grove bridge, and $1,912 was appropriated, and $484 in addition to $400 appropriated March 19, 1884, was appropriated for the Paynesville bridge on Crow river.
A three-days' session was held May 11-13. The following bridge appro- priations were made: Albany, $150 for bridge on Albany and St. Martin road; Collegeville, $100, Collegeville and Munson road; Lake Henry, $442, Lake Henry and Spring Hill road; Maine Prairie, $225, Clearwater and Manannah road; Wakefield, $250, St. Joseph and Wakefield road. It was ordered that the court room should be used for no other purpose than county business, the holding of state land sales and county conventions. For 132 cords of maple wood $323.34 was paid.
The board of equalization was in session July 19-21, completing its work August 11. The county board met July 26-28, and levied a one-mill school tax and $32,000 for county purposes, the main items in this amount being $11,300 for salaries and $5,000 for roads and bridges. Appropriations from this fund were made as follows: Paynesville, $150 for grading approach to new iron bridge; St. Augusta, $125 for bridge over Johnson's creek; St. Joseph, $100 for road work; Maine Prairie, $150 for Fair Haven and Forest City road; Luxemburg, $247 for roads from Maine Prairie to Paynesville and from Clearwater to Manannah; Spring Hill, $600 for bridge across Getchell creek. The location of public ditch No. 2 was approved and assess- ments made. The coroner and his deputies were instructed that $8.00 was the maximum price which could be paid for coffins for panpers. A session for routine business was held September 14 and 15, as was a session Decem- ber 21-23.
1887. The January 4 session began with N. Keppers, B. Pirz, P. R. Griebler, Joseph Scheelar and A. A. Whitney present, the latter three being newly-elected members. B. Pirz was elected chairman. The Columbia Bridge Company allowed the county and the town of Paynesville each $100 damages for the Paynesville bridge not being completed on time, any claim for damages on account of delay in completing the Stewart bridge being waived. The liquor license was increased to $50, at which rate 71 licenses were granted, St. Joseph leading with ten and Albany following with eight. Adjourned January 6.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.