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 40
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"In 1856 there was much injury in Texas, Kansas and Minnesota; and ten years afterwards, Kansas and the western districts of Missouri and Iowa suf- fered greatly, creating a necessity for public contributions from the eastern states to relieve the destitute.
"Since the settlement of Minnesota there have been five grasshopper years, 1856, 1857, 1865, 1873, and now, 1874-in each case with a loss of one-tenth of the entire crop of the state.
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"The history of the Red River Settlement presents a similar proportion of years of suffering and exemption. Since the settlement under Lord Selkirk In 1812. the locusts have appeared in 1818 and 1819, and then a long interval to 1857-8, next in 1864-5, doing slight Injury: in 1867-8, the famine year; in 1869- 70; In 1872 3: and now in 1874, with the probability that the ova deposited will threaten the crops of 1875. The last seven years have been peculiarly unfortu- nate-there being but one full erop, while the average loss cannot have been less than one-half. With the extension of settlements in Manitoba, the loss will probably be reduced to ten per cent-the rate observed in locust years in the states west of the Mississippi river, equally exposed to the pest, although the calamity is still greatly heightened by the circumstance that special dis- tricts are the scenes of devastation.
"The great treeless pampas of South America have been repeatedly covered in various districts by locust swarms."
About the middle of the last century, they appeared in north- ern New England, and proved a great public calamity.
By reference to the history of the preceding year, it will be seen when the locusts made their first visit to this county, since its settlement. At that time they remained here long enough to do much damage, and to deposit their eggs in the ground.
They bored innumerable holes in the ground, even in the dry, hard beaten road, about a quarter of an inch in diameter and an inch deep, and deposited their eggs at the bottom. The ground, in many places, had a very strange appearance indeed.
Many persons in the spring of this year, (1874), prophesied that we should not again be troubled with the grasshopper, they believing that the frosts of winter had destroyed the eggs deposited the previous year, and that this country was not natural to them, was not adapted to their wants. How vain were all these hopes! About the 7th to the 9th of May, the weather being quite warm and dry, they began to hatch and come out of the ground. They imme- diately-though as small as fleas-commenced the work of destruc- tion, and grew rapidly. About the 15th to the 20th of June, they be- gan to get wings. Up to this time they had already done an immense amount of damage to the wheat and oats, especially in the towns of Elmore, Jo Daviess, Pilot Grove, Verona, Winnebago City and the west. half of Blue Earth City township.
It should be stated here, that it is a vain supposition, sometimes entertained, that streams or lakes, or tracts of woodland, will im- pede their migration, or that frosts, wet weather, floods, storms or tempests can seriously affect them.
The question may be asked here. what all do they eat? The answer is simply-everything that is eatable, and some things that are not. They have a preference for garden vegetables, except peas-cultivated crops of all kinds, wheat, oats, corn, barley, flax, potatoes and tame grasses, and in default of these, then wild grass and the leaves and bark of shrubbery and young trees.
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In looking over the fields which they have desolated, one rea- lizes what is meant by the words "the grasshopper shall be a bur- den," and the words above quoted-"The land was as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; nothing did escape them."
After having destroyed the crops in the several towns, above mentioned, the pests left us on the seventh of July. The event is remembered as the great exodus.
The day had been oppressively warm, the themometer standing from one o'clock to five o'clock p. m., at 102° in the shade, and there was but little air astir. About 4:30 p. m., it was discovered that the sky was full of flying locusts. But these words do not give an ade- quate idea of their numbers-they were in swarms of millions, flying high and passing rapidly to the southwest. For an hour or more, they kept passing thus, while other millions, all about, were raising from the ground and joining the hosts on the wing, and on that day, over a vast extent of country, they arose and left. It was a great exodus indeed, and it was thought, by many, that they were taking their final leave of this country, which in the main proved to be true, so far as this county was concerned. Yet there were places where they remained in the State, and deposited their eggs, but (with the exception of Brush Creek and several adjoining towns, where they did no damage) not in this county, nor in the counties west of this. Their subsequent appearance was that of those that could fly. The greatest injury is done where they hatch, for they must subsist upon the country until able to migrate.
The territory desolated by the locusts during this year, was northwestern Iowa, the western portion of Minnesota, that is, west of a line running north and south, coinciding with the Blue Earth river and continued to the north boundary of the State-large dis- tricts of Dakota, a great part of Nebraska, southern and western Kansas, and a part of Missouri, and in all this vast territory, great destitution and suffering was caused by their ravages, requiring regular organized systems of assistance and contribution, from more favored localities, and thousands of dollars of State aid, to prevent starvation or depopulation.
A serious question presents itself; is there not some method by which the locusts may be destroyed and their depredations pre- vented. When they first appeared in this county, the people were, as above stated, unacquainted with them and practically perfectly helpless. The remark was often made, "were these plagues only wild animals, say even an army of elephants, or an organized army of human enemies, we could fight them and at least hurt them some," but against these pests there seemed to be no human device. And such was almost, literally the truth. Yet there were certain things
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done and others that might be done to greatly lessen their numbers and consequently their damages.
Most of the methods employed in certain portions of Europe and Asia, where the people have been troubled with locusts an- nually, for centuries, and now care little for them, are not practic- able here because of our sparce population. The principal methods of destroying them here, wero first to destroy the eggs on plowed land, which may be done to a considerable extent by early fall plowing, which breaks up the nests and throws the eggs to the sur- faco, the exposure killing them. But this is of no avail when the eggs are deposited on wild lands. Small fields were sometimes protected temporarily by two persons taking a long rope and passing it over the grain, when the hoppers were quite young and thus drive them out of the fields. Still another method used somewhat, in small fields, before the pests could fly, was that of laying winrows of hay at intervals through the field, and then drive the locusts upon the hay and immediately setting fire to the hay.
But the most effective instrument ever invented for the des- truction of the grasshoppers in this country on cultivated lands. was the famous death dealer, known as the hopper-dozer. This in- vention, like many another much needed invention, came at a late day-1877. It consisted simply of a common piece of sheet iron, six or eight feet long, with a small strip of board along the two larger sides, to give it stiffness, and a string, or wire, by which to draw it, extending from the two front corners, and the whole sheet covered with coal-tar. By drawing this instrument over the fields and gardens, at the period between the hatching and the winging of the insects, the young hoppers jump upon it, and are held by the tar and soon die. It is simply wonderful what quantities of the insects can thus be gathered and destroyed. They were used very extensively throughout the infested towns of the county after their introduction. Large quantities of tar were purchased at the public expense, and distributed to the several towns for this purpose in 1877.
But in any general invasion of the country, all these local methods of destroying the insects are of but uncertain advantage, for if destroyed in one locality to day, to-morrow others might light down again, as thick as ever, and, therefore, any real remedy must be one of a general character, such as will destroy them over large districts of country, at the same time.
Some one of a practical turn of mind may now be ready to ask, can not these locusts be put to some practical use? Certainly they can, as will appear from the following article quoted from a good authority. And any one who chooses, may make use of them, when
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they appear again. Such large quantities of them, should not be permitted to go wholly to waste.
"In Turkey, Persia, Arabia, and all that region of country, locusts-genuine bona fide locusts-have been eaten from remote antiquity, and to this day, they form an important item of the food used by the common people. The Bedou- ins collect them in immense quantities, and, after a partial drying, pack them in sacks. Then at their convenience, when the season for collecting is over, they steam the insects in closed vessels over a hot fire, winnow them in broad bas- kets to remove the legs and wings, and then pulverize them between flat stones. When wanted for food, they are only moistened with a little water, just as the Arabs do in preparing their date-flour, and then the repast is all ready."
In relation to the damages done by the locusts during this year in our own State, we present the following estimates, made by the St. Paul Press, which were doubtless very correct. In our own county, undoubtedly one-third of the entire crop of the county was destroyed by them this year.
GRASSHOPPER RAVAGES.
The St. Paul Press draws the following conclusions with respect to the grasshopper invasion in Minnesota:
"It is safe to estimate the tilled area in the ravaged district at 275,000 acres, and of the area of wheat in that district at 200,000 acres. Of this area, probably not less than 150,000 acres have been destroyed. This represents not less than 2,500,000 bushels of wheat devoured in the germ by the grasshoppers, or about one-twelfth of the wheat crop of the State. Add to this area 40,000 acres of oats, at 33 bushels per acre, or 1,320,000 bushels in all, or one-twelfth of the oat crop of the State; 20,000 acres of corn, at 32 bushels per acre, or 340,000 bushels, or one-twelfth of the corn crop of the State, and perhaps 20,000 acres more in rye, buckwheat, barley, potatoes and other crops-and the full extent of the grasshopper havoc can be easily estimated."
THE NEWSPAPERS AGAIN.
The Wells Atlas "changed hands" in September. W. Keller becoming the editor and proprietor, Mr. Calvert retiring. Another change was made in the early part of December, and on the sixteenth of that month the paper came out under the new name of the "Fari- bault County Leader," H. L. LaDue, editor. The paper continued to be a seven column sheet, neatly printed and mainly devoted to local affairs. The inside was printed abroad, outside at home.
VOX POPULI.
An important election was now near at hand. Among other public officers to be chosen, were two judges of the supreme court, a judge of the sixth judicial district, and a member of congress.
Mark H. Dunnell was the republican congressional candidate, and Franklin H. Waite, for some years our district judge, was con- gressional candidate of the opposition.
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On the first day of October, a County Council of the Patrons of Husbandry was held at Delavan, at which, among other business transacted, the following nominations were made:
For Representatives- Thomas George and Geo. A. Barnes. For County Auditor-JJ. A. Arnold.
For Register of Deeds-Henry R. Walker.
For Surveyor-Gco. Weir.
For County Commissioners-1st District, W. T. Ives: 2d District, I. W. Temple; 4th District, J. A. Latimer; 5th District, J. Anderson.
The Republican County Convention met at Blue Earth City, on the eighth day of October. A. A. Huntington was chosen chairman, and G. W. Buswell, secretary. The convention proceeded to make the following nominations:
For Representatives-F. M. Pierce and Geo. A. Barnes.
For Auditor-W. W. White.
For Register of Decds-F. P. Brown.
For Surveyor-George Weir.
For County Commissioners-Ist District. C. W. Jones; 2d Dis- trict, F. W. Temple; 4th District, E. H. Hutchins; 5th District, D. Catlin.
Soon after the last mentioned convention, J. P. West, of Wells. was announced as an independent candidate for representative.
The Democratic and Liberal Republican Convention was held Oc- tober 10th. D. P. Wasgatt was chosen chairman, and G. W. Polleys. secretary. This convention nominated Robert Andrews and Thomas George for representatives, and the following named persons for county commissioners : 1st District, Allen Shultis; 2d District, Geo. B. Kingsley; 4th District, J. A. Latimer; 5th District, D. Catlin.
No nominations were made for the offices of auditor and regis- ter of deeds.
In consequence of the resignation of Franklin H. Waite. judge of the 6th judicial district, to which this county belongs. a republi- can judicial district convention was held at Madelia, Watonwan county, October 13th. Daniel A. Dickinson, of Mankato, was nom- inated as the candidate for judge.
Daniel Buck, of Mankato, was the candidate of the opposition to the republican nomince.
Here were two Daniels seeking to come to the judgment seat.
A few days before the day of election. Geo. A. Barnes, a candi- date for representative, withdrew, and on Friday preceding the election, Geo. W. Whallon, of Blue Earth City, came out as a candi- date for representative, in the place of Mr. Barnes. The campaign was not a very lively one, except for about three days immediately prior to election day.
The election was held on the third day of November.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
For Member of Congress the vote stood: For M. H. Dunnell, 903; for F. H. Waite, 756. Mr. Dunnell carried the district.
For Judge of District Court, Daniel A. Dickinson had 866 votes. and Daniel Buck had 817. Mr. Dickinson carried the district.
The following table taken from the official canvass of votes for representatives and county officers, other than commissioners, pre. sents the final results:
For Representatives, Whallon, 602; Pierce, 813; West, 792; George, 574; Andrews, 401.
For Auditor, White, 1,526; Arnold, 154.
For Register, Brown, 1,437; Weaver, 249.
For Surveyor, Weir had 1,680.
Amos Preston was elected county commissioner for District No. 1; F. W. Temple for District No. 2; E. H. Hutchins for District No. 4, and D. Catlin for District No. 5.
THE BEE.
About the first of December "The Delavan Bee," published at Delavan, by C. Huntington, was removed to Blue Earth City, and the name was changed to The Bee.
With the remark that 1874 was the last year of the second decade in the history of the county-twenty annual milestones past -we close the record of the year.
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CHAPTER XXI.
A. D. 1875.
The winter of 1874-5 was what is described by the phrase "a hard winter."
In this county we had, on the eighth of January, a very severe snow storm-a blizzard-and on the 2d and 3d days of February, we were visited by another of those fierce storms, and again on the 10th and 23d days of the same month, the storms were severe. At the latter date, a very heavy northeast snow storm prevailed over the whole country. The cold, at times, during the winter was in- tense.
We append a general description of the winter taken from the St. Paul Press, of March 12th.
"The unparalleled severity of the winter is a subject of frequent dolorous comment by the eastern journals. All the eastern states have suffered from it. But Canada has been covered with such mountains of snow as to make travel impossible. Large districts have been isolated for months from the commer- cial centers, and large stores of grain, cattle, farm produce and manufactured goods are locked up behind the barriers of ice. The result is that all through Canada trade is almost at a standstill, and a severe panic and tight money market is the consequence. The same experience in a less aggravated form has afflicted all the northern belt of states. The severe cold has struck a chill into the marrow of trade, which has been benumbed and paralyzed. It is predicted that the opening of spring will witness a revival of business, and they already begin to feel it in Chicago."
THE COURTS.
The district court commenced its winter term January 5th. Ilon. A. C. Woolfolk, of Mankato, having been appointed by the governor of the state to till the vacancy occasioned by the resigna tion of Hon. F. H. Waite, presided at this term, the judge elect, Hon. D. A. Dickinson, not having yet qualified. The calendar contained seven criminal and thirty six civil cases.
The progress of business was interrupted somewhat by the ill- ness of the judge during the session. At the June term. Hon. D. A. Dickinson presided, being his first term in this county. There were four criminal and thirty-eight civil cases on the calendar.
Among the "levities of the law," we find the following incident, which is entirely too good to go into the waste basket. It is well
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known that there is a class of lawyers who take great delight in trying to confuse and browbeat witnesses, and make them testify to what they do not wish, or contradict their own statements. Here is a witness, however, who "turned the tables."
"Do you know the prisoner well?" asked the attorney.
"Never knew him sick," replied the witness.
"No levity," said the lawyer sternly.
"Now, sir, did you ever see the prisoner at the bar?"
"Took many a drink with him at the bar."
"Answer my question, sir," yelled the lawyer. "How long have you known the prisoner?"
"From two feet up to five feet ten inches."
"Will the court make the ="
"I have, Jedge," said the witness, anticipating the lawyer. "I have answered the question. I knowed the prisoner when he was a boy two feet long to a man five feet ten."
"Your Honor -_ ""
"It's fact, Jedge; I'm under oath," persisted the witness.
The lawyer arose, placed both hands on the table in front of him, spread his legs apart, leaned his body over the table, and said:
"Will you tell the court what you know about this case?"
"That ain't his name," replied the witness.
"What ain't his name?"
"Case. "
"Who said it was?"
"You did. You wanted to know what I knew about this Case. His name's Smith."
"Your Honor, " howled the attorney, plucking his beard out by the roots, "Will you make this man answer?"
"Witness," said the Judge, "you must answer the questions put to you."
"Lynd o' Goshen, Jedge, hain't I been doin' it? Let the blamed cuss fire away, I'm all ready."
"Then," said the lawyer, "don't beat about the bush any more. You and the prisoner have been friends?"
"Never," promptly responded the witness.
"What! Wasn't you summoned here as a friend?"
"No, sir; I was summoned here as a Presbyterian. Nary one of us was ever Friends. He's an old-line Baptist, without a drop of Quaker in him."
"Stand down," yelled the lawyer in disgust.
"Hay?"
"Can't do it. I'll sit down or stand up-"
"Sheriff, remove that man from the box."
Witness retires, muttering: "Well, if he ain't the thick-headedest cuss I ever laid eyes on."-Utica Observer.
AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS.
The Agricultural Society, at its annual meeting, January 5th, elected M. B. Pratt, president, F. W. Temple, secretary, and D. Freer, treasurer. The treasurer reported as the receipts of the year, $249.38; disbursements $221.15, and that the society was out of debt and had $28.23 in the treasury.
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About the first of September, another Agricultural Society was formed in the county, at Winnebago City, designed, not only for this county, but for the Blue Earth Valley. A. H. Bullis was chosen president. F. Gale. treasurer and B. F. Goodwin, secretary. Notice was given that the fair of the society would be held at Winnebago City, on the 16th and 17th days of September, and regulations and a premium list were published. The fair, however, was not held. This organization proved a failure.
The fair of the established society was held at Blue Earth City on the 23d and 24th days of September. The premiums offered amounted to 8500. Besides the usual attractions, the following al- luring announcements were made on large and conspicuous posters:
"Running, Trotting, English Hurdle and Foot races. Buckskin Joe, for 17 years a captive among the Indians, with forty Indian warriors, will give a sham Indian fight, on the fair grounds."
The fair was a success, but Joe did not appear, nor did the fight occur.
THE PARLIAMENT.
The seventeenth State Legislature assembled on the fifth day of January, and adjourned March 5th. At this session, the county was represented by S. P. Child, of Blue Earth City, in the Senate, and J. P. West, of Wells, and F. M. Pierce, of Winnebago City, in the House. Geo. W. Buswell, of this county, was First Assistant Clerk of the House, and Charles A. Rose, of this county, Fireman for the Senate.
The following are the titles of the several acts of the legislature of this year, relating to this county:
An act to authorize the board of county commissioners of certain counties, (including Faribault), to remit and refund a portion of the tax levied for the year 1874.
An act to extend the time for the payment of personal property taxes for 1874, in certain towns in this county.
An act to amend the charter of Winnebago City.
Au act to appropriate money ($20,000) for the immediate relief of the suffer- ing settlers on the frontier.
An act to appropriate money ($75,000) to aid the destitute settlers of coun- ties devastated by grasshoppers.
An act to authorize the electors of the independent school district No. 7, in Winnebago City, to fix salaries of officers.
An act to authorize certain counties (including Faribault) or any of the towns therein, to issue bonds to aid in the construction of railroads.
An act to amend an act to authorize the supervisors of Clark township to issue bonds.
An act to appropriate five hundred dollars to aid in constructing a bridge across the Blue Earth river, at Howe's Ford.
An act to appropriate three hundred dollars to aid in constructing a bridge across the east branch of the Blue Earth river, north of Blue Earth City.
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An act to appropriate six hundred dollars to erect a bridge across the east branch of the Blue Earth river, in Blue Earth City township.
Hon. S. J. R. McMillan was, at this session, elected United States Senator. The relief acts above specified were rendered neces- sary because of the grasshopper devastations, and by the three acts last mentioned, the county secured, out of the internal improvement fund, much needed appropriations to aid in the construction of im- portant bridges, amounting in all to $1,400.00.
Under the $20,000 relief act, the sum of $400.00 was allotted to this county, which sum was distributed among the destitute, by A. Preston, F. W. Temple, and E. H. Hutchins, commissioners. This distribution was made about the first of March, and was made in merchandise, to such as proved themselves deserving.
Under the provisions of the $75,000 act, above specified, 1,900 bushels of sealed wheat were distributed in this county, to grass- hopper sufferers, during the month of April. There were about 125 applicants. Over 1,500 bushels were distributed at Blue Earth City, the same having been purchased of the farmers in the vicinity, who had not been injured by the grasshoppers, at an average cost of seventy five cents a bushel. The balance was distributed at Winnebago City, and was purchased in the immediate neighborhood, at an average cost of ninety cents per bushel. F. W. Temple, at Blue Earth City, and E. H. Hutchins, at Winnebago City, commis- sioners, superintended the purchase and distribution of the grain, at these several places.
THE ARBITERS OF THE COUNTY.
Meetings were held during the year by the commissioners, Jan- uary 5th, March 10th, July 26th, September 7th and October 5th. Amos Preston, of Elmore, was chairman for the year. The only notable fact in the business done, was that an unusual amount of money was appropriated during the year for the building of bridges, a much needed improvement, and many valuable bridges were erected.
PITHILY PUT IN PARAGRAPHS.
Here are some local gleanings grouped together, which should not be omitted:
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