USA > Minnesota > Faribault County > The history of Faribault County, Minnesota : from its first settlement to the close of the year 1879 : the story of the pioneers > Part 37
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Bath, Me., Dec. 24 .- The weather for the past few days has been bitter cold.
THE FIRST COURT HOUSE.
The project of building a court house, for the use of the county officers and for court purposes, heretofore referred to, after much planning and discussion, resulted in the erection, on Court House Square, in Blue Earth City, of a brick building, thirty -seven by forty-five feet in size and two stories high. The first story is divided into five rooms, for county offices, the second story is fitted up for a court room. A commodious fire-proof vault is attached on the rear of the building, and the whole structure is well built and well finished. The cost was about five thousand dollars, the larger part of which expense was paid by the county, and the remainder by the township of Blue Earth City. No public debt was incurred in the enterprise. The building was completed late in the fall, and several county officers moved into their respective rooms, in the holiday season, between Christmas and New Year's day.
This structure is not large, nor imposing, but is substantial, a credit to the county, and will serve the purposes of the county for many years. Few counties have been so well, and at the same time, so economically provided for, in this respect, as ours.
THE FIRST COURT HOUSE.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
CHAPTER XIX.
A. D. 1873.
"_All pitying heaven.
Severe in mercy, chastening in its love, Oft-times in dark and awful visitation, Doth interpose, and leads the wanderer back To the straight path."-Baillie.
The first day of January was very mild and pleasant. The new year was ushered in under very favorable weather auspices, but if this fact was taken as predictive of a pleasant winter, a favorable spring or a prosperous year, the horoscope was not well read.
The seventh day of Jannary, 1873, was an eventful one in this county.
"Your plea is good, but still I say, Beware;
Laws are explained by men; so have a care."-Pope.
And first, on this day the district court commenced its winter term, Hon. F. H. Waite, judge. There were forty civil and four criminal cases on the calendar. There was a very large attendance of attorneys and of the people of the county, at this term. It was the first term of court held in the new court house. It was also the only term of this court, held in the county, during the year. The June term, owing to the sickness of the judge, was not held. A special session was called for July 15th, but this term, also, at the request of the board of county commissioners, was dispensed with.
The second event of the day was the assembling of the county commissioners. W. W. Potter, of Verona, was chosen chairman for the year. Of the business transacted by the board at this and subsequent meetings, it is not necessary to note anything here. Their subsequent meetings were held on the fourth day of March, June 10th and September 6th.
Another event of the seventh was the meeting of the Agricul- tural Society, at Blue Earth City. J. A. Latimer was elected presi- dent, Charles Stockman, treasurer, and A. H. Bullis, secretary. It is necessary to say that there was no other business transacted at this meeting, worthy of record here, but while we are penning these lines, we observe in a newspaper lying before us, the following golden words:
"In the wide world there are no more important things than farmers' boys. They are not so important for what they are, as for what they will be. At
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present they are, too often, of little consequence. But farmers' boys always will be the material out of which the noblest men are made. They have health and strength: they have bone and muscle; they have heart and will: they have nerve and patience: they have ambition and endurance; and these are the ma- terials that make men. Not buckrams and broadcloth, and patent leather and beaver fur, and kld gloves and watch seals, are the materials of which men are made, It takes better stuff to make a man. It is not fat and flesh, and swag- ger and self-conceit: nor yet smartness, nor flippaney, nor foppery, nor fastness. These make fools, not men: not men such as the world wants, nor such as it will honor and bless. Not artistically curled hair, nor a cane, nor a pipe, nor a elgar, nor a quid of tobacco, nor an oath, nor a glass of beer or brandy, nor a dog or gun, nor a pack of cards, nor a novel, nor a vulgar book of love and murder, nor a tale of adventures, that makes a man, or has anything to do with making a man. Farmers' boys ought to keep clear of all these idle, foolish things. They should be employed with nobler objects. They have yet to be men of the clear grit-honest, intelligent, industrious men."-Herald of Health.
A GREAT STORM.
On the same day, the seventh, there happened one of the most destructive storms ever known in the northwest. We quote the fol- lowing well written and truthful account of this storm, taken from the Blue Earth City Post.
It is not often that we are called upon to record a more severe storm than that which occurred during the past week, commencing on Tuesday afternoon. The day opened warm and bright, presenting a marked contrast with the severe cold weather which had preceded it. All the forenoon it grew warmer, and people congratulated themselves that the severe cold spell had come to an end for the present. The town was full of people, and everybody was astir. In the afternoon about two o'clock. entirely without warning, the wind veered around into the northwest and in a moment raged furiously, filling the air with fine snow, and rendering objects invisible at a few rods distance. All the after- noon it continued to increase in severity, and night closed in with a "nor'- wester" in full force. During the night the war of the elements continued. The wind rose and fell in Atful gusts, seeming to gather strength with each subsidence, and threatening great damage. The fine snow was driven through every nook and cranny, and settled upon resting places in fantastic shapes. Many passed a sleepless night, expecting every moment that their houses would be overturned, take fire, or that some other calamity would occur. It was a weird scene, well calculated to strike terror to stout hearts.
Morning came. but brought no cessation of the storm, and daylight broke upon a scene of desolation and discomfort. People who were in town the day before were compelled to remain all night, and together with those attendant upon the court and the meeting of the board of county commissioners, filled the hotels to overflowing, and drew upon the hospitalities of our citizens. Busi- ness was suspended, no session of the court was held, and all congregated around the fires speculating upon the probable loss of life, and comparing the storm with preceding ones. All day long old Boreas revelled and howled in his strength, piling snow drifts to great heights, only to remove them the next moment to some other locality. The feelings of hilarity and good cheer, usually manifested upon such occasions were entirely wanting, and instead thereof was a sense of anxlety for those who might be exposed to the mercy of the storm. Those separated from their families were anxious for the safety of the dear
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
ones at home, while no doubt those at home were equally anxious for those who were away from home.
The storm still raged when Wednesday night came, continuing through the night and on Thursday, though with less severity. On that day a few ven- tured to their homes. The court resumed business, and a feeling of relief be- gan to manifest itself. Ry Friday morning the storm had almost ceased, and during the day it stopped entirely; Saturday opened beautifully, and was a pleasant day.
So far we have heard of no loss of life or serious damages, although there were some narrow escapes. Two little girls of Mr. Everson, living in Pilot Grove township who were absent at a neighbor's when the storm commenced, started for home, and nearly perished on the way. A school in the town of Elmore was compelled to remain in the school house for two days and a night, and doubtless other schools had the same experience.
Many families were upon short allowances for fuel and perhaps for food, but as the weather was not remarkably cold, they managed to weather it through.
Taken all in all, this storm will pass into history as one of the severest storms that has ever occurred in this region.
-Since the above was written we learn that a German woman living near Wisner's Grove, in this county, was frozen to death. It is, also, rumored that a school teacher was frozen to death in Martin county.
Several weeks elapsed before any definite information could be obtained of the loss of life, and the extent of the damage done by the storm, and many startling rumors were afloat. Great exaggera- tions are usual on such occasions. Estimates heard on the streets, and found in newspapers, based upon reports, were made, by which it was claimed, that as many as one thousand people had lost their lives, but this was finally reduced to five hundred and less. The matter, when subsequently investigated, proved not so bad after all, though still a sad reckoning, as appears by the following statement.
LOSS OF LIFE BY THE STORM.
"Gov. Austin made an official report to the legislature in regard to the effects of the great storm of January last, resulting in the death of seventy persons, and the injury of thirty-one more. The tabular statement by counties is as follows:
Lost their Seriously
County.
lives.
Injured.
Blue Earth
1
1
Brown.
3
1
Chippewa
3
Clay
2
Cottonwood.
1
Dakota
1
Dodge
1
Douglas
1
1
Faribault.
1
Freeborn
Grant ...
3
Kandiyohi.
9
4
Lac Qui Parle.
1
Lyon.
4
3
Martin
2
Meeker
2
1
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Lost their Seriously lives.
County.
injured.
Mower ..
1
Murray
2
Nicollet
2
Nobles
3
1
Otter Tail
3
Pope
1
Renville
1
Rock.
1
Sibley.
4
1
Steele.
1
Stevens.
3
1
Swift.
1
1
8
3
Yellow Medicine.
1
9
Total
70
31
The loss of live stock from exposure appears to be about as follows:
Head of horned cattle. 250
Horses. 25
Mules.
Sheep and hogs. 10
It is probable, however, that the entire loss of stock, could it be known, would exceed these figures."
THE STATUTE MAKERS.
Our legislature assembled January 7th and adjourned March 7th.
Our members were E. II. Hutchins, in the Senate, and S. P. Child and M. A. Hawks, in the House of Representatives. Bailey Madison, of this county, was sergeant-at-arms of the House.
But little of the legislation of 1873, had any direct reference to this county. There were only the following acts: "An Act to amend an act entitled an act to incorporate the village of Blue Earth City." "An Act to incorporate the village of Winnebago City." "An Act to authorize the county commissioners of Faribault county to change the boundaries of independent school district of Blue Earth City."
THE SPRING AND SEEDING.
The spring of this year opened about the first of March and the snow, of which there was considerable, went off pretty rapidly and without much rain. Some little wheat was sown as early as the twelfth day of March, but, owing to occasional rains, the fall of slight snows and freezing, the ground was kept in bad condition, and as late as the twenty-second day of April, not one-third of the wheat was sown, and some that had been sown quite early, rotted. Low grounds could not be seeded to much extent and where seeded, pro- duced nothing. It was remarked that probably one-fourth of the wheat was sown after the first of May, and nearly all the oats.
Waseca.
Watonwan
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
MAY DAY.
And here is another red-letter day, established by custom, May- day. The first day of May, has, through many centuries and in almost all countries, been distinguished by some sort of civil, social, or religious observances. festive and floral. It has become, in mod- ern times, in most countries, a children's and youth's gala day, and it is for them, that this brief notice of the day is written.
May day parties, or festivals, the May pole, entwined with its garlands and wreaths of leaves and flowers, around which the young folks form a revolving circle, singing and dancing, and the flower- crowned May Queen, the garnishing of the churches, dwellings and gateways with flowers and boughs, on the first day of May, are usages which have been known from a remote age.
"So you must wake and call me early, call me early, mother dear; Tomorrow 'll be the happiest time of all the glad new year; Tomorrow 'Il be of all the year, the maddest, merriest day,
For I'm to be the Queen O' the May, mother, I'm to be the Queen O' the May."-Tennyson.
The lighting of fires on the hill tops on this day, was a custom of the ancient Druids and the Scandinavian people. In that far gone time, it was not only a children's day, but the aged, the most ven- erable, the kingly and priestly, were leading actors in the day's fes- tivities. While many of the old usages incident to this day, have long since become obsolete, there are still some existing-as May day parties, the floral decoration of the dwellings and some others, of a social character, which may well be continued. The amusing custom which obtains among the children and youths, of hanging May baskets, is one worthy of commendation. This custom was intro- duced, in certain portions of this country, at an early day, and is quite an old one in many places.
Some baskets of various shapes are made of paper, of divers colors, tastefully ornamented, and filled with flowers, and containing some little written message of love or friendship, and the name of the recipient, are hung, secretly, just after dark, in the evening of May day, by the donor, on the door latch, or other convenient place, at the residence of the recipient, who is warned of the presentation by a sudden knocking on the door. But it is an essential part of the proceeding, that the basket be hung secretly and the giver be not caught at it. A great deal of fun is enjoyed in the seeking to avoid detection by the donor, and in the watchful effort of the receiver, to see who hangs the basket, and many little artifices are used on both sides, making great sport for the young folks. And this, with some other May day usages, are observed to some extent in this county every year.
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HISTORY OF
There are many of these pleasant social customs, very dear to the hearts of children and young people, which should be encouraged by parents and others, as they add greatly to the enjoyment and the pleasant memories of childhood's years-memories often the purest and best we can ever know in this mortal life.
A SCRAP HEAP.
Immigration commenced early in May, and the roads running westward were lined with the white covered wagons of the hundreds seeking new homes on the fertile prairies of south western Minne- sota. But little of the immigration stopped here, though lands in this county were very cheap.
Heavy rains set in about the seventeenth of May, and the waters became very high. A great deal of "mighty east wind" prevailed during May.
But little corn was planted in 1873, and much of that planted was not gotten into the ground until after the twenty-sixth of May.
Owing to some unaccountable cause, possibly the hard winter of 1872-3, or the peculiar character of the spring, a blight came over the fruit and some other much hardier trees, during the summer. Many fruit trees leaved out and bloomed in the spring as usual, but soon the blossoms fell off, the trees lost their thrift, then the leaves fell and finally the tree died. Some trees which had been set for years and had grown to good size, died. The blight seemed to extend to some indiginous trees as well. However, this blight fortu- nately prevailed only in certain localities, while in others it was not observed.
Although the spring of the year was unpleasant, the summer made amends for it. There were no hail storms of importance-no great storms of wind or rain, but little sultry, or very hot weather, and general good health prevailed throughout the county. In fact the summer was more evenly tempered than usual, and taken alto- gether, was one of the most agreeable within the recollection of the writer.
THE F. C. S. S. A.
The third annual meeting of the Sunday School Association was held at Wells, on the twenty-ninth and thirtieth days of May. The attendance was good and the interest manifested commendable. A committee reported thirty-one Sabbath schools in the county. The following resolution was adopted:
"Resolved, That the salvation of the soul and the development of the Chris- tian character, are of the first importance, and as the popular habits of intem- perance and profanity, and the use of tobacco, are hinderances thereto, we earnestly warn and carefully guard the youth against them."
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
C. B. Miner, of Verona, was elected president; O. A. Albee. of Winnebago City and Chas. H. Dearborn, of Blue Earth City, vice presidents; Chas. H. Patten, of Winnebago City, secretary, and Thomas Blair, of Delavan, treasurer, for the ensuing year.
MORE RAILROAD TALK.
If any curious person should ever take it into his head to look up the history of the struggle of the people of this county to secure the building of railroads, how long and persistently they labored, and what sacrifices they made, to secure the building of the great lines of road, the benefits of which now all enjoy, here is an item which he should want to see. In the early part of the year, the project was again revived of building a road from Mankato to Wells, heretofore spoken of, and in connection therewith, E. F. Drake, president of the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad Company, again proposed to construct a branch line from that point, at or near Good Thunder Ford, on the line of the above mentioned road, via Winne- bago City and Blue Earth City, to the Iowa State line. The condition was the voting of aid in town bonds by the several townships along the line of road, to the aggregate amount of $150,000; $50,000 of which was to be provided by towns in Blue Earth county, and $100,000 by the towns in Faribault county. The bonds were voted during the spring and summer. The company was to have until December 1st, 1874, to complete the roads, and this, for the time being, was the great topic of interest. Meetings were held in most of the towns along the Blue Earth line, at which Mr. Drake appeared personally, and stated his views and intentions. Circulars setting forth the project and the advantages of the road, were printed in the English and Norwegian languages, and widely distributed. About the first of the following September, both companies had made their arrangements to build, and work had actually commenced on the Mankato and Wells line, but all was soon abandoned, and the building of the roads fell through for this year, owing to financial difficulties.
"Hope is a curtail dog in some affairs."-Shakespeare.
THE GRASSHOPPER INVASION.
One of the greatest calamities which ever befell this region of country, was the grasshopper plague, which commenced in this year and extended through a period of four, and in some localities, five years, A few introductory remarks only, will be made relative to the subject in the history of this year, but it will be more fully treated hereafter.
During the month of June, vast swarms of these insects appeared suddenly in northwestern Iowa, and in a few days after, in south-
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HISTORY OF
western Minnesota. Their ravages were very serious. The peo- ple were taken by surprise, they could not comprehend this terrible destruction of the ir crops, they knew not what to do and were utterly powerless. The pests eat up the gardens and stripped the grain fields in many localities, entirely destroying the erops. In some instances, within the area attacked, the injury done was but par - tial to the grain fields, but their capacity to do irreparable and wide- spread damage was plainly evident. It was on the last day of June that they made their appearance at Blue Earth City, and along the line of the Blue Earth river. They had, however, been in the south- western towns of the county for some days previous. They came in innumerable hosts, as it is written of the locusts of Egypt.
Ou looking toward the sun, they could be seen, though flying quite high, passing northward in countless myriads. Those that lit down along the Blue Earth river, appeared to be but small parties or detachments, dropped out of the main army. After remaining in some localities a few days, in others some weeks, eating up the vege tation and depositing their eggs, they would suddenly disappear. Their ravages were much more serious this year, in the counties lying west of this, than here, resulting in much loss and destruction.
If it is permissable in so grave a matter as this, should we be asked what became of much of our grain crops for a number of years, we may reply, as did the Kansas school boy, in the following brief catechism:
Kansas teacher-"Where does all of our grain products go to?" Boy- "It goes into the hopper." "Hopper? What hopper?" "Grasshopper" Triumphantly shouted the lad.
PATRIOTIC PYROTECHNICS.
The birthday of the nation was celebrated at a number of places in the county. At Blue Earth City, Rev. J. W. Powell delivered the oration and J. A. Kiester read the Declaration. At Winnebago City Gen. Kellogg, of La Crosse, addressed the people, and Andrew C. Dunn was the reader of the Declaration.
On these days of rejoicing in our civil and religious liberties, it is well to remember the innumerable and intolerable evils, which. through many centuries, resulted from the union of church and state and the exercise of ecclesiastical power over the civil authority. The record is among the blackest and bloodiest of the human race. In our favored land, these two great powers are separate. One can- not exercise authority over, or interfere with the other. And here is what a great religious body, great iu numbers and influence, both in Europe and America, wisely embraces among its fundamental teachings on this subject:
"Some have improperly mingled together, civil and ecclesiastical power. From this heterogeneous commixture.extensive wars, rebellions and insurrections
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
have been produced." * * * "Inasmuch * as the power of the * church * * * confers eternal gifts *
* it cannot by any means interfere with civil polity and government. For the latter relates to matters entirely different from the gospel, and protects with its power, not the souls of men, but their bodies and possessions against external violence by the sword and bodily penalties. Therefore, the two governments, the civil and ecclesiastical ought not to be mingled and confounded. For the eccle- siastical power has its command to preach the gospel and to administer the sacraments, and it ought not to interfere with a foreign office, it ought not to dethrone or make Kings, it ought not to abolish or disturb civil laws and obedience to government. It ought not to make and appoint laws for the civil power concerning political matters."
THE HARVEST AND CROPS.
The harvest of the earlier varieties of wheat, commenced in the last week in July. The harvest weather of the year, was all it could be desired. No heavy rains, or winds, interfered with the work. Owing to the fact that most of our farmers had several varieties of wheat, some of which were earlier than others, the work was more distributed than usual, and much less hired help was required. In fact the grain of this year was gotten up much more cheaply than in former years. The wheat crop of the year was not a good one. In the east half of the county, the crop was fair, but in the west half not more than half a crop, many farmers not getting over five or six bushels per acre. The grasshoppers did much injury in certain localities, and even on fields where it was thought they had done but little, if any harm, the damage proved to be a considerable percentage, when the grain came from the spout of the threshing machine. The Red Osaka, in some localities, was struck with rust. Oats averaged from thirty to forty bushels per acre, there being more fields of the former than of the latter amount.
The corn crop was only nominal, but little having been planted, yet there were some good fields which yielded well, one especially of ninety acres in the northwestern part of the county. It brought from fifty to seventy five cents per bushel in the fall. Barley in the southwestern portion of the county was eaten up by the grasshop- pers and in other parts of the county was not a great crop. During the succeeding winter barley brought over one dollar per bushel. Potatoes did not yield well, generally, and there was a consequent scarcity and high prices, ranging from sixty to seventy-five cents per bushel in November, and running as high as from eighty cents to one dollar in the winter.
This was not a prosperous year for our farmers, and while the aggregate productions of the year show well, as reported by the commissioner of statistics, the results may be accredited, partially, to increased acreage of lands tilled, and partially to imperfect and over-estimated returns, and partially to the fact that these statistics are not very reliable in any event.
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