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 42
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chairman, aud C. W. Apley, of Minnesota Lake, secretary. The fol- lowing nominations were made:
J. P. West, of Wells, for Senator.
A. R. More, Sr., of Pilot Grove, and C. S. Dunbar, of Foster, for Representatives.
J. A. Kiester, of Blue Earth City, for Judge of Probate and Court Commissioner.
A. Anderson, of Delavan, for Treasurer. -
F. F. Harlow, of Winnebago City, for Sheriff.
H. P. Young, of Blue Earth City, for Coroner.
M. W. Green, of Wells, for County Attorney.
Soon after the convention the following independent candidates were announced:
E. H. Hutchins, of Winnebago City, for Senator.
D. F. Goodrich, of Blue Earth City, for Representative.
R. B. Johnson, for Treasurer.
Charles Stockman, for Sheriff.
J. H. Sprout and B. G. Reynolds, for the office of County Attorney.
.
The democratic and liberal republican convention was held at Blue Earth City on the twenty-third day of September. Allen Shultis, of Elmore, was elected chairman, and Geo. A. Weir, of Win- nebago City, secretary. The convention nominated Robert Andrews, of Wells, for Senator, and S. J. Abbott, of Winnebago City, and Al- len Shultis, of Elmore, for Representatives.
For Treasurer-Geo Barnes, of Minnesota Lake.
For Sheriff-A. B. Davis, of Winnebago City.
For County Attorney-Geo. B. Kingsley, of Blue Earth City.
For Coroner-H. P. Constans, of Blue Earth City.
No nominations were made for the offices of Judge of Probate and Court Commissioner.
Certain persons residing in the northern portion of the county, who favored the removal of the county seat, determined to make the matter a political issue, and to arouse public interest, a preliminary mass meeting was called at Wells for the fourteenth of October, and one at Winnebago City for the fifteenth, and a general people's con- vention at Delavan on the sixteenth. The meeting at Wells was not large nor enthusiastic, and no meeting was held at Winnebago City. At Delavan the meeting was not largely attended, there being only some thirty votes cast on the several motions offered. The following nominations, which seem to have been made without much refer- ence to the opinions of the nominees on the removal question, were made:
E. H. Hutchins, for Senator.
S. J. Abbott and D. F. Goodrich, for Representatives.
R. B. Johnson, for Treasurer.
408
HISTORY OF
In The Politicians we read.
"There names were legion, not a spot In those days by-gone knew them not: They swarmed and flitted everywhere, As locusts in the desert air, In numbers, countless as the sands, With famished hearts and acheing hands, And thirsty lips, that seemed to sigh For public udders to suck dry!" -Ilolley.
The election was held November 2d. The following table ex- hibits the official canvass:
OFFICIAL VOTE OF FARIBAULT COUNTY-COUNTY TICKET.
Treasurer.
Sheriff.
Attorney.
Pro- bate. Com'r Ct.
Coroner.
Senator.
Representatives.
R. B. Johnson.
A. Anderson.
Geo. Barnes.
F. F. Harlow.
A. B. Davis.
Chas. Stockman.
M. W. Greene.
G. B. Kingsley.
J. H. Sprout.
B. G. Reynolds.
J. A. Kiester.
J. A. Kiester.
H. P. Young.
H. P. Constans.
J. P. West.
E. H. Hutchins.
Robt. Andrews.
A. R. More.
C. S. Dunbar.
D. F. Goodrich.
S. J. Abbott.
_ | A. Shultis.
Kiester
16
2
7
5
6
13
4
1
17
17
14
1
17
5
10
12
10
3
Seely .. ...
9
31
6
2
32
4
2
15
19
40
40
37
3
19
19
2
30
18
27
2
2
Rome ...
57
20
3
3
3
68
21
25
14
11
74
74
56
15
44
17
10
36
31
27
10
37
Elmore ..
11
23
16
11
18
21
10
31
8
1
50
50
31
19
17
15
18
33
46
19
15
3
Foster ..
50
9
....
28
13
16
1
5
19
41
11
38
3
35
5
1
24
28
11
IS
2
Emerald ..
4
62
2
10
9
19
34
2
2
30
68
68
66
2
52
14
2
65
61
159
79
152
24
37
Blue Earth City
55
174
10
62
22
153
56
95
4
236
233
178
57
150
69
18
13
13
27
26
7
21
23
Clark .
72
50
9
28
77
25
85
9
34
3
130
55
75
95
17
17
72
113
38
21
14
Jo Daviess. ..
24
26
1
7
17
28
11
26
5
9
52
52
19
32
25
43
8
2
37
13
8
10
8
Walnut Lake ..
43
9
. . .
34
13
6
5
8
30
50
50
18
32
10
38
2
8
6
37
10
8
Prescott ....
30
21
1
7
19
28
19
14
14
S
57
57
31
26
9
39
8
18
24
34
27
9
Verona ..
60
30
3
16
35
14
35
26
6
28
95
95
74
20
33
52
9
70
38
16
49
11
Dunbar ..
....
. ..
8
80
1
30
12
40
6
90
90
30
59
17
37
4
33
33
13
20
49
Minnesota L'ke
52
14
24
41
59
4
35
.
ยท
44
56
141
141
115
26
8
63
78
27
103
14
38
1
51
17
8
181
258
258
162
97
15
208
9
118
57
46
185
98
Winnebago City
145
109
7
86
153
20
527
586
294
347
463
1,703
1.698
1,153
54 1
815
742
145
915
757
692
637
349
Total.
893
733
82
422
757
24
39
2
12
11
6
64
62
1
62
1
1
40
44
38
12
34
..
12
43
4
39
3
16
59
59
11
16
50
1
8
14
15
18
10
Brush Creek ....
36
5
24
23
6
32
8
9
3
53
53
37
15
13
13
18
S
...
1
21
4
12
11
3
...
21
Lura .. ..
57
44
...
...
.
28
13
121
117
1
19
44
102
102
76
26
36
59
8
54
39
38
Barber ..
32
14
3
2
9
15
4
13
26
26
26
130
Delavan
FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
409
1875.
(No opposition.)
(No opposition.)
Pilot Grove . . .
6
128
410
HISTORY OF
The ropublican candidates for State officers were elected. The vote in this county for governor was as follows:
Pillsbury-Republican. 1,188
Buel-Democrat.
465
TIIE STATE CENSUS.
In June, of this year, a State census was taken, the town - ship assessors doing the work. The following is a condensed state- ment of certain items of the returns:
TOWNS
Real Estate.
Personal
I'roperty.
Population
1875.
No. llorses
and Mules.
Cattle, all
kinds.
No. of Sheep.
No. of logs.
No. Wagons
& Carrlages.
Kiester.
$ 97,202
$ 5,036
89
55
136
60
1
18
Seely
86,448
21,315
369
189
549
79
73
44
Rome
98,98G
19,082
457
170
641
218
128
60
Elmore.
133.201
21,884
405
238
576
415
202
73
Pilot Grove.
105,814
12,923
329
146
481
35
126
48
Foster ...
138,052
17,582
336
156
541
229
108
56
Brush Creek.
93,226
19,683
542
155
607
138
110
67
Emerald
156,866
39,758
748
419
1,30S
453
327
132
Blue Earth City.
311,809
90,203
1,178
458
894
967
216
178
Jo Daviess.
127,472
12,608
502
52
128
125
24
15
Walnut Lake
115,780
15,192
377
213
345
SI
131
54
Barber.
137.700
29,170
633
323
669
471
226
109
Prescott ..
168,418
21,958
543
268
575
91S
169
75
Verona.
191,054
24,255
547
284
683
989
200
81
Dunbar
93,394
11,135
250
160
316
131
79
48
Minnesota Lake.
134,200
27,457
630
313
605
82
162
96
Lura.
153.466
33,557
676
366
691
1,009
175
107
Delavan ..
177.798
33,401
800
327
621
391
168
97
Winnebago City.
337,796
48,429
1,158
407
788
180
193
137
Total.
$532,655
11,096
4,946
11,607
7,007
2,912
1,594
PRODUCTIONS 1875.
Wheat
455,528 bushels.
Oats.
344,985 bushels.
Corn
228,480
Barley
18,316
Potatoes
54,088
66
Beans
1,115
Syrup
2,491 gallons.
Tame Hay
1,000 tons.
Flax Seed
22,649 bushels.
Wool.
18,654 pounds.
Butter
212,768 pounds.
Cheese
53,860
Honey
2,921
The total assessed value of all taxable property was $3,523,715.
The following statistics, relative to our schools, are taken from the report for the year, of the county superintendent, R. W. Rich- ards:
No. of Districts 109. There are eighty-two frame, two brick and ten log schoo houses, valued at 853,625.00. Paid for teachers wages, $14, 120.00.
1
44
Clark. .
229,168
5,03-1
121
82
36
93
55
Wells Village
25,393
316
171
371
411
FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
I have held eight teachers' institutes and training schools in the county, two of two weeks each, and six of one week each. The number of persons who attended the spring institutes was 160, while 83 attended those held in the fall. The whole number of persons examined for teachers was 282, of whom 63 re- ceived a second, and 136 received a third grade certificate. The other 83 were refused.
The poorest teachers we have, as a class, are those, who come from some of the eastern States to spend a summer in visiting friends, and are, through the influence of these friends, hired several months in advance in their friends' dis- tricts. They usually come well recommended as noted teachers, and they sus- tain their reputation as a general rule, as being noted for their failures.
They usually manage to come "just a little too late to attend the Institute," so they go into their schools without any apparent plans or ideas, other than uti- lizing the visit with friends.
I know not whether any other counties are victimized by these health- seekers. We have suffered now for six years, but this is the first time I have publicly protested against it.
There are some good teachers among this class, but the contrary is the rule and not the exception.
A NEW PAPER.
On the seventh day of October, the Wells Gazette appeared and arose from the ashes of the Wells Atlas. The career of the Atlas, always among the leading papers of the county, after many fluctua- tions of fortune came to an end. Geo. W. Plumley, an active newspaper man, was the editor and publisher of the Gazette. It was a seven column sheet, neatly printed-"patent internals and home- spun externals."
THE AUTUMN.
" "Tis past! no more the summer blooms; Ascending in the rear, Behold! congenial autumn comes, The Sabbath of the year."-Logan.
The autumn weather of this year was very fine for plowing, husking and threshing, until the middle of November, when winter set in. Indeed, the autumns are, usually, in this northern latitude, the most agreeable season of the year. Other lands may boast of the spring, or the summer, but nowhere on the globe, can be found a period of the year, more pleasant than the usual autumns of Min- nesota.
The autumn! the season of the ripening and gathering of the fruits of the tree and shrub and vine, the season of Indian summer, later of "the sere and yellow leaf."
The harvest is over, the grain has long been in the stack, the busy plow is at work in the fields, and we hear the humming of the thresher, throughout the land. A thousand streams of ripened grain are pouring their wealth into the granaries of the husband- man. The day of the ingathering and storage, and of wise fore- thought for the winter, is with us.
412
HISTORY OF
In the village and the city, business is growing active. The summer vacation is over and the summer idlers return again re- freshed and rejuvenated, to the usual labors of life. The long school vacation has also ended, the school bell is heard again, and a new year's work begins.
This too is the season of the State and county agricultural fairs and of conventions and political meetings and the great battle day of the ballots. And the Indian summer, the fifth season of the year and embraced in the autumn period, is not more beautiful and enjoy- able anywhere, than in this favored land.
The sun, now shorn of his fiercest heats, rises, pursues his apparent journey and sets, like a ruddy globe of fire, a hazy atmos- phere filling the sky, and a warm, soft, dreamy, mellow air has dis- placed the extremes of the former season.
"The haze that hangs upon the hills, Enshrouds the blazing sun; A tender luster spreads and fills The air, grown gray and dun."
A peculiar, pleasant stillness, silence, reigns for weeks over the land. Hardly a leaf stirs to the soft touch of the light breezes. Ob- jects cannot, because of the dry, foggy atmosphere, be seen, or but dimly, except near by, while distant sounds are easily heard, and what gorgeous sunsets close these pleasant days. The nights and mornings are cool, and fogs envelope the low lands, until dissipated by the rising sun. How agreeable are now the night's healthful rest and slumber, and the early morning rising.
And see on every hand:
"The fading many-colored woods, Shade deepening over shade, the country, round, Imbrowned; a crowded umbrage dusk and dun Of every hue, from wan declining green To sooty dark."
Slight frosts, growing more frequent, crisp and braceing, appear, and the time has come in this blessed season to ramble through the woods and gather the wild fruits. And now the roadsides and hedges and by-ways are splendid with blooming golden rod and crimson sumach, and many nameless flowers and shrubs, while the foliage of the trees is rich in gold and green and brown and yellow and red. But soon comes the falling leaf, the dying vegetation, "sober autumn fading into age," suggestive and saddening scenes of the closing, dying year, and the day breezes and night winds have a mournful cadence-the period of quiet contemplation, when thoughts come to us of the brevity of human life and of the great lesson, that all things earthly, must, sooner or later, fade and die.
413
FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
THE END OF '75.
The year was characterized by the great abundance of wild fruits. Wild grapes and plums were, particularly, plentiful, and there was an abundance of all kinds of berries and nuts. And on a clear, bright day in September, after the first frosts, we hitched up the old family horse in the light spring wagon, and we put in a large basket of provisions for ourselves, and a big feed of oats for the horse, and some bags and baskets, and the whole family, old and young, got in, and we started off in happy spirits for the woodlands, along the streams and about the lakes, to spend a day in gathering grapes and plums and hazelnuts and butternuts and walnuts, to store up for the winter's use. And when the snows are deep, and the winter winds howl around the house, we shall gather around the cheerful hearthstone, in the long winter evenings, and crack nuts and tell stories and read and sing our songs and envy not the rich their pleasures. And we had a grand day as we wandered through the autumn woods and along the streams and by way. A day free from anxieties and business and domestic cares, for it was so full of health and variety and freedom and pure air and exercise, that dull cares were forgotten. And we felt the beauty of the scenery, and the invigoration fall on us like a blessing.
How kind and merciful is the Father above us and over all, who made all things for us and tinted and colored the skies and the fields and the plumage of the birds and the wings of the insects which sported their short lives in the sunbeams, and the foliage of the trees and the blooming flowers and made the forests vocal with the songs of the airy choristers not yet departed for warmer climes, blending their wild cadences with the music of rippling streams and waterfalls and gentle, whispering breezes. Be still and listen! Reader, go forth often to enjoy aud commune with nature. You will be healthier and happier.
And now old Boreas has come down from his home in the far north, and the birds have flown, the trees are stripped of their leaves, and the grass and the flowers of the fields are dead, and the white mantle of the snow king is spread over the earth, and the year is near its end-Ay, ended.
"Where goes the candle when it dies? The leaf, the music, summer sighs? A finished thought, a world, a death? Where is the home of parted breath? Where goes a year, an age, nay, thine? Where is the end, the great sublime? All, all but eentre, round that Being, The Great, Omnipotent, All-seeing! Unending, and unchanged forever;
In vain the end from Him we sever- All ends are hid in God!"
414
HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XXII.
A. D. 1876.
Jlail! All Hail! the Centennial Year Of the Republic-The Year of Jubilee!
At the beginning of every year we are called upon to note the action of certain public bodies, as the same may relate to our county. And, as first in dignity and number of members and the general im- portance of their action, we may refer to the legislature of the State, which assembled January 4th and adjourned March 3d. The acts passed by this body having any special reference to this county, were the following:
To amend the act of incorporation of Winnebago City. To amend the act in relation to the voting of bonds in aid of railroads. To provide for the election of county superintendent. To authorize the auditor to extend certain taxes on the books. To incorporate the village of Minnesota Lake. To change the boundaries of cer- tain school districts.
The county was represented at this session by J. P. West, of Wells, in the Senate, and in the House by A. R. More, Sr., of Pilot Grove, and Chas. S. Dunbar, of Foster. James B. Wakefield, lieu- tenant governor, president of the Senate, Geo. W. Buswell, chief clerk of the House, and Chas. A. Rose, assistant sergeant-at-arms of the Senate, were also residents of this county. Faribault county much appreciated the honor of these high positions conferred upon its cit- izens.
Our attention may next be called to the annual January term of the district court, which commenced its session on the fourth day of the month. Hon. D. A. Dickinson. judge, presiding. There were four criminal and thirty-seven civil cases on the calendar, many of which were disposed of. The term lasted fifteen days, being the longest term of court which had yet been held in the county. It was the desire of the judge to clear up the calendar as far as possible. It may also be stated that the grand jury sat longer at this term than ever before. At the June term of this court there were four criminal and twenty-five civil cases ou the calendar, and the term lasted ten days. As a good many jokes are told by the lawyers, and sometimes even by the judges, during term time, we here append one
415
FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
related several times of two spectators of a trial, one of whom was not much acquainted with court proceedings.
"Mercy ! how angry those men are !
How they do shake their fists in each other's faces ! They call each other by all sorts of opprobrious epithets.
Will they kill one another?
Hardly.
But one of them will surely strike; and the other; see ! he will strike back. Not a bit of it.
Why, arn't they deadly enemies, and arn't they terribly angry with each other?
Oh, dear, no! If you follow them when they go out you will probably find them drinking out of the same bottle.
Then, who and what are they, pray?
Only a couple of lawyers. That's all. Oh !"
The next important local event was the assembling of the Board of County Commissioners, which occurred also on the fourth day of January. Frank W. Temple was elected chairman for the year. They held a session of six days, being as long a sitting as had ever occurred in this county. Much public business was transacted. A part of the duties to be attended to at this meeting of the board, was the appointment of a superintendent of schools, but, after many bal- lotings, which reached no result, they adjourned the matter over to the March session.
This board met again in March, but no business was done of in- terest at this time. As to the superintendency, the matter was dis- posed of by act of legislature, above referred to, which made the office elective at the next general election, and continued the present incumbents in office until that time. Other meetings of the board were held during the year, the action at which is noted elsewhere.
The summary of events of this part of the year may now be completed by the statement that the annual meeting of the Fari- bault County Agricultural Society was held at Blue Earth City, on Tuesday, the 4th inst., and was called to order by the president, M. B. Pratt. The report of the officers was read and adopted. The following is the treasurer's report of the receipts and disbursements for the year ending December 31st, 1875.
RECEIPTS.
Gate money July 4th.
$102.70
Fees for entering horses
13.00
Membership tickets, fair 1875.
119.00
Gate money. . 82.30
State apportionment .. 58.82
From former treasurer 9.25
$385.07
416
HISTORY OF
DISBURSEMENTS.
Purses paid, July 4th. $54.00
Incidental expenses. 13.40
For work and lumber. 90.50
Premiums paid.
226.00
$383.90
Balance in treasury, January 4, 1876
1.17
The meeting then proceeded to the election of officers for the ensuing year as follows:
President-S. Pfeffer, Blue Earth City.
Secretary-J. C. Woodruff, Prescott.
Treasurer-A. Shultis, Elmore.
WEATHER.
The winter of 1875-'76, at least after January 1st, was a remark- ably fine one. The weather during January and up to the last day of February, was very pleasant, there being no snow and no storms.
On the twenty ninth of February a snow storm occurred of severaldays. During March the ground was covered with snow, which went off at the close of the month with high waters, and March proved to be the real winter month of the whole winter.
It may appear to be an infringement upon the time of the reader to quote the following item, in relation to weather remarks, but it hits an almost universal and very useless custom:
"To go into statistics, it is estimated that during the year the average man has said: 'Ilow are yer?' 3,743 times: 'is this hot enough for you?' and 'is this cold enough for you?' each 471 times; 'pleasan t day,' 10,748 times; 'looks like rain,' 12.325} times; other meteorological remarks, not classified, 786,421,- 107,365,792,001 times."
STATE FORESTRY ASSOCIATION.
The Banner County.
During the winter the State Forestry Association was organized at St. Paul, to encourage the planting of forest trees on the prairies of the State-a most valuable project. The Association appointed the first Tuesday of May as Arbor-day and recommended that on that day, trees and cuttings should be set out, throughout the whole State. Handsome premiums were offered by the Society to such as should, on that day, set out the most trees or cuttings, or both, and it was determined that the county which couldl show the greatest number set out, should be known as the banner county.
It is pleasant to record the fact that this county proved and was declared to be the banner county of the State, and that George D. Moore, of Pilot Grove, received the largest premiums awarded to any person in the county. He set 11.210 trees and cuttings. The
417
FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
number of trees and cuttings planted in this county on Arbor-day, was one hundred, ninety-five thousand, two hundred and ninety- eight, and the whole number during the year was 1,803, 776.
The Association was permanently organized and was designed to continue for a number of years.
For some years a bounty had been given by the several counties and also by the State, to such as should set out trees and cut- tings and continue for some years, to protect and cultivate them, which greatly encouraged the enterprise, but this Association was designed to be more comprehensive in its influence and encourage this industry in a more systematic manner. Many valuable pam- phlets on the subject of forestry were published for gratuituous dis- tribution, by the Society. The objects of the Association must be considered of the most commendable character.
"WOODMAN, SPARE THAT TREE."
Few natural objects are of more real use and beauty than trees, whether they be fruit, shade, ornamental, or forest trees. The great forests of hard woods, or of soft woods, such as the sev- eral varieties of pine, are of great utility and immense value in many respects, besides that of furnishing lumber.
A country without natural timber, is wanting in one of the most essential requisites of comfortable and profitable occupancy. Such a country is apt to be sterile-a desert, and unproductive, because of drouths, and is swept by terrible storms, and subject to greatex- tremes of temperature. Vast regions of the old world, which were once timbered and fertile, but have been denuded of their trees, are now almost barren wastes, and their inhabitants have gone back to semi-barbarism.
The existence of large bodies of timber, or even the presence of many trees and detached groves, distributed over the land, have a marked influence on the humidity of the atmosphere and the rain- fall, the evenness of the temperature, and the productiveness of the soil. The influence of trees on the climate is very great. The streams of water grow smaller as the timber is cut away. Many European nations now recognizing these facts, have made provisions by law for the protection of their remaining native forests, and in both Europe and America, the subject, not only of protecting their forests, but also that of growing forests, has attracted the public attention.
Minnesota wisely attended to the encouragement of the growth of forest trees at an early day. But the State has done little yet for the protection of our native timber, and its destruction goes on from year to year. Certain detached portions of all forests should
418
HISTORY OF
be preserved from destruction, or the trees simply "thinned out," not all cleared olf.
To cut down a tree, of even a century, or two, in age, is some- thing that almost anyone-any fool, can do, but to plant a young tree as it should be planted, and have it grow, requires some sense and skill. It appears to be always easier, to destroy, than create.
In some regions the forest must be felled, of course, to get arable lands for cultivation, but the wholesale destruction of forest trees, where such a necessity does not exist, is quite another thing. But long before the State paid any attention to these subjects, the people in the prairie districts of the State commenced the planting of trees and groves, of various varieties of indigenous trees, about their homes. This county, which in this respect. is but a sample of many others, is now dotted all over with groves of from two to ten or more acres of rapidly growing forest trees, and while at a little distance from a grove on the prairie, you see no habitation near, nothing but a grove, yet in the heart of that grove you will find, perhaps, a dwelling, well, barns, cribs, cattle yards and other out buildings, all protected by the shade of the trees from the heat of summer, and from the storms of summer and winter.
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