USA > Minnesota > Redwood County > The history of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 21
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added to $222.68, the indebtedness of the previous year, made a total county indebtedness on March 12, 1867, of $678.44, all in county orders most of which were held by Colonel McPhail. At the meeting of May 21, the commissioners decided to accept the offer of assistance from Governor William R. Marshall, and pledge the faith and credit of the county therefor. Col. Samuel McPhail was appointed distributing agent to issue seed and subsistence to the heads of families and other persons in need. September 24, the rates of taxation were levied as follows: state tax, 5 mills ; county, 10 mills; school tax, 2 mills; special county tax, 3 mills. The special county tax was to be applied to pur- chasing supplies for the county offices. On the next day bounties were voted for the killing of blackbirds, striped and pocket gophers. The personal property of the county was equalized by adding $25.00 to the tax statement of John Fuzzard. The sheriff was ordered to procure a suitable house for the use of the circuit court.
1868. The board of county commissioners met January 7, with B. H. Monroe and Hugh Curry, commissioners, and Edward March, auditor, present. B. H. Monroe was chosen chairman. Grand and Petit jurors were selected. The following salaries were voted: Auditor, $200 (for year ending March 1, 1868, and the same for the year ending March 1, 1869) ; county superin- tendent of schools, $25 (for the year ending January 7, 1868) ; county attorney, $200 (for the year ending January 7, 1868). March 2, the commissioners changed the boundary line between Redwood Falls township and Yellow Medicine township. They appointed Charles P. Griswold sheriff. It was ordered that any person bringing suit before any justice in the county must first give security sufficient to cover the cost. William H. Morrill, treasurer of the county, was ordered to collect the delinquent taxes of 1866 and 1867. The financial report for the year end- ing March 10, 1868, showed the total receipts to be $206.11; $50 of this being from liquor licenses and $156.11 from the county tax. The expenses for the year were $532.05, leaving a deficit for the year of $325.94. At that time the county had assets to the amount of $215.55, consisting of $33.59 due for delinquent taxes of 1866, and $181.96 due for delinquent taxes for 1867. Outside of the indebtedness to the state the total liabilities were $1,085.12. Of this $100.75 was still owing for books, and $984.37 was represented by outstanding county orders. There was also $87.04 due the state on delinquent state taxes. School monies had been received and dispersed to the amount of $234.64. This school fund represented sums received in 1867 and 1868 from state, county, and district taxes. On September 16, D. O. King put in his appearance as the third member of the board. The treasurer was again commanded to collect the delinquent taxes. The board
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of equalization on September 16, fixed the value of farm lands in the county. A tax of 10 mills was levied on every dollar of tax- able property in the county to pay up the county indebtedness. It was announced on December 28 that the abstract rolls of the county had been started by Sam McPhaill, who, for $27.70 had copied from the land office records an abstract of all entered lands. School districts No. 4 and No. 5 were created.
1869. The board of county commissioners met January 5, Gorham Powers, D. O. King, B. H. Monroe, and O. C. Martin, commissioners, and Edward March, auditor, were present. D. O. King was chosen chairman. The salary of the county attorney and of the county auditor was raised to $250 a year. On March 9, there was a dispute as to whether B. H. Monroe or Gorham Powers was legally a commissioner. Colonel Sam McPhail, county attorney, gave a written opinion from which the commis- sioners decided that Gorham Powers was not legally elected and therefore was not a member of this board of commissioners. School district No. 6 was created. A small part of school district No. 1 was transferred to school district No. 4. March 10, the liquor license fee was raised to $50. It was decided that a small building should be erected on a lot purchased for that purpose, to be used by the county officers, the cost not to exceed $300. The financial report for the year ending March 9, 1869, was given. The receipts for the year were $669.92, of which $574.43 was county tax, $62.50 was from liquor licenses, $19.74 was from fees on deeds. Total expenses for the year were $957.43, including salaries and supplies. The liabilities were $2,243.55, of which $1,030.97 was outstanding orders, $1,081.83 was due the state on the state tax for 1868, and a bill of $132.75 for books was still unpaid. There were still $2,187.25 of unpaid delinquent county taxes, and $1,081.83 delinquent state taxes due, making a total of $3,269.08 in assets. The school funds collected and distributed amounted to $163.77. The county orders cancelled were $748.40. On September 7, school districts No. 7 and No. 8 were created. There was a change made in the boundaries of school district No. 2. The township of Sherman was organized. A petition was presented for the change of the boundary line of commissioner district, but was rejected, because it was unauthorized by law. The commissioners sat as an equalization board, on September 8. September 9, the proceedings of the board of commissioners were ordered published in the Redwood Falls Mail, at the cost of $5 per session. The people of two townships now in Brown county and directly east of the present township of Charlestown, were notified that they were a part of Redwood county. The rate of taxation was the same as the preceding year: state, 5 mills; county, 10 mills ; school, 2 mills. The commissioners provided for the erection of the building for the county offices. On November
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16 Gorham Powers appears as commissioner, his right to a seat in place of B. H. Monroe having been established. Road, school, and liquor license matters were taken up. E. A. Chandler was appointed to the office of superintendent of school to succeed Edward March, resigned.
1870. The county commissioners met January 4, with D. O. King, O. C. Martin and Gorham Powers, commissioners, present. D. O. King was chosen chairman. A clerk of court also appears for the first time. The present township of Sheridan was organ- ized, at that time named Nolton. A change of a part of the road known as the county road to the Lower Sioux agency was favor- ably reported. Books and stationery for the county offices were provided. On January 6, E. A. Chandler was appointed county superintendent of schools for two years, and the salary was raised to $50 per year. The building for the county offices was accepted, on January 8. On March 8, the school district No. 9 was created and Evind Knutson was transferred from district No. 7 to dis- trict No. 3. Several petitions were presented and granted for reduction of the assessed valuation of property, during the next two days. In the minutes of March 10, is found the first record of prosecution for selling liquors without a license. March 25, finds only D. O. King and O. C. Martin present. The financial report for the year ending March 25, 1870, was rendered. The total receipts were $1,863.01, of which $1,695.68 was from taxes and $145.50 was from licenses. The total expenses were $1,593.33 including salaries, fees and supplies. The liabilities amounted to $1,177.85, consisting of outstanding orders. There were still $5,062.91 due from delinquent tax and from other taxes $325.74, making a total of $5,388.65 in assets. Orders amounting to $1,558.38 were cancelled. On May 25, three new school districts were organized. September 6 the commissioners sat as an equal- ization board. The first petition to build a bridge was granted, this being over Wabasha creek. The rate of county tax was raised to 10 mills.
1871. On January 3 the board of county commissioners met, O. C. Martin, Gorham Powers, and Jacob J. Light being present. O. C. Martin was chosen chairman. The county attorney's salary was fixed at $300 per year. During the past year the first county map had been made. A committee of three were appointed to view the locality and measure the distance across the Redwood river with the view of building a bridge, for which the state had appropriated $5,000. The township of Cerro Gordo was organ- ized. This lay entirely outside the present boundaries of the county. Another township, lying outside the present county, and named Camp Release, was formed. On April 11, school districts 14, 15, 17 and 18 were organized the districts 7 and 8 organiza- tion being illegal. On May 18, two new townships were organ-
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HISTORY OF REDWOOD COUNTY
ized, both lying outside the present county. On May 18 the con- tract was let for the building of a bridge across the Redwood river at Redwood Falls and the Stage Road from Redwood Falls to New Ulm was to be repaired. A bill was presented for the building of a state road from Redwood Falls, west to the state line, but was rejected. A road from Redwood Falls to the Lyon county border was provided for. Two new school districts and a new township were created. On September 13, only two com- missioners were present. They voted to levy an 8-mill county tax for the ensuing year. In the minutes of November 2, Dr. William D. Flinn is appointed as county physician, this being the first time that such an office is recorded. The bridge erected across the Redwood river was ordered protected with a sign to be placed at either end of it, warning people, driving over it, not to move faster than at a walk. School and road matters were considered. It was ordered on November 3 that all real estate records relating to real estate in Redwood county and found in the records of Brown county, should be copied.
1872. The county commissioners met January 2, with Jacob J. Light, Harvey Wingett, and David Tibbetts present. They chose Jacob J. Light chairman of the board. The boundaries for the commissioners' districts were changed. The salary of the county attorney was fixed at $400 per year. On January 4, the salary of the county superintendent of schools was raised to $100 per year and Dr. William H. Flinn appointed to that office. Feb- ruary 29 Peter Van Yandt is paid $65 for keeping paupers, this being the first mention of paupers kept and provided for, in the county. On March 1, A. C. Randall collected a bill for medicine which he had supplied the poor. March 2, a pauper from Jackson county was ordered to leave Redwood county. The annual finan- cial report for the year was rendered March 12. The total re- ceipts were $3,554.89, of which $159.50 was from licenses and $3,395.39 was from taxes collected. The total expenses were $4,838.63. The liabilities were outstanding orders amounting to $3,468.95, and the total assets amounted to $12,117.93, of which $850 was personal property and $907.83 were Brown county bonds, with bills against Brown county amounting to $314.10; the delinquent tax of $9,968.16 including the interest made up the balance. At the meeting of March 23, H. Wingett was chosen chairman pro tem in the absence of Jacob J. Light. The site known as the Court House Square was given to the county by Colonel Sam McPhail. On March 30, the offer of Mr. Radcliff to draw up plans and specifications for the new court house was ac- cepted. The first mention of a Redwood Falls banker, W. F. Dickinson, was made at this meeting, he being given the power to sell county bonds issued to build the court house. June 4, the plans for the new court house were received and approved.
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School and road petitions were read. On June 14, it was ordered to obtain bids for a complete set of plats and field notes of Red- wood county. The rate of county tax was to be 10 mills, and the special road and bridge tax of 1 mill was levied for the first time. Organizing townships and other matters were considered on Sep- tember 4. Money for handcuffs and leg shackles was appropri- ated.
During the grasshopper period the board was beset with many problems. In addition to school, tax, road, financial, bridge, town- ship, and other matters which had confronted the previous boards, the boards of this period erected a court house, attended to the matter of issuing railroad bonds, distributed seed wheat to suf- ferers from the grasshopper ravages, provided for the protec- tion of the borders of the county against forest fires, and at the same time gradually improved the finances of the county.
1873. The board met January 7, Jacob J. Light, Harvey Wingett, and David Tibbetts, commissioners present. Harvey Wingett was chosen chairman. In the financial record of March 19, is found the first mention of naturalization papers filed. The total expenses for the year were $4,386.58; total receipts were $4,426.57, most of which was from general taxes; the total assets were $12,064.62, most of which was in delinquent taxes, $9,332.40, and personal property, $1,050.00. On April 1, the board met and organized three school districts and one township. The re- turns of the election for the railroad bonds were received; total number of votes 243; in favor of the bonds, 235, opposed, -. The county paper was the Redwood Falls Gazette. It was decided that there was no safe place to keep the records of the county; so a court house was ordered built on the "court house square," the cost not to exceed $2,200. The bid, amounting to $2,150, for building the court house, was accepted. The funds, books and effects yet in the houses of V. C. Seward and belonging to the district court, were demanded returned to said office. On Sep- tember 2, the board sat as an equalization board. They made the rate uniform throughout the county, the rate being, county, 10 mills, and road and bridges, 1 mill. Two new townships were organized and other necessary business was attended to. Road and school matters were considered at the meeting of September 16. Lewis M. Baker, having resigned his office as register of deeds, the board appointed G. W. Braley to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term, on October 6.
1874. On January 6, the county commissioners met with the following members present: David Tibbetts, Harvey Wingett, and W. H. Hawk. David Tibbetts was chosen chairman for the year. After the official bonds had been approved, a new county
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school superintendent was appointed. The salary of the county attorney was lowered from $400 to $200. January 7, the license fee was lowered to $35. The annual financial report was rendered March 12 as follows: total expenses, $7,131.85; total receipts, $6,235.84, consisting of taxes largely; total assets, $17,303.78, mostly delinquent taxes. Township, road and bridge matters were considered. On March 21, it was voted to distribute seed wheat among the farmers who needed it. On July 28, four school districts were organized. In the records of September 30 a re- ward is offered to anyone who gives proof of any person who wantonly sets a prairie fire before May of the following year. Township and road matters were considered October 9.
1875. On January 5, the board met with A. M. Cook, William H. Hawk and D. Tibbetts, commissioners, present. A. M. Cook was chosen chairman. On January 28, in a special session, the board appointed A. M. Cook treasurer of the State Relief Fund, to distribute money to those who needed relief on account of the grasshoppers. On March 10, the resolution was adopted to cancel the $1,192.40 in outstanding orders because they were sup- posed to have been paid. The following annual report was ren- dered : total expenses, $7,991.06, besides $383.30 spent for roads and bridges; total receipts, $8,940.57, consisting in a large meas- ure of taxes and interest; total assets, $8,615.59, most of which was delinquent and uncollected taxes. July 26 the rate of county tax was fixed at 5 mills, and the road and bridge tax at 1 mill. The county was divided into five commissioner's districts.
1876. On January 4, the board, now consisting of five mem- bers, met with D. O. King, Charles Porter, L. Bedall, J. M. Little, and Mathias Keller, present. The first named commissioner was elected chairman. The salary of the county attorney was fixed at $350 per year. D. O. King and J. M. Little were appointed a committee on court house and court house grounds. D. L. Bigham was elected county superintendent of schools, on Febru- ary 1. On March 16 the bond of the bank of Redwood Falls, as depository of the county funds, was approved. The board ren- dered their financial report showing the total expenditures to be $6,799.24, including the road and bridge expenses of $227.63; total receipts, $6,908.38, most of which was from taxes collected; total liabilities, $2,326.04, mostly outstanding orders; total assets, $7,692.15, most of which was delinquent taxes and uncollected taxes of 1875. This report shows the county funds in the best condition thus far reported, but at the next meeting an expert was hired to examine and balance the county funds. On June 19 the time was spent in organizing four school districts and one township. July 24 the commissioners acted as an equalizing board. It was voted that $7,000 be raised as taxes to defray the county expenses, and that $1,000 be raised by the road and bridge
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tax. On September 6, the board decided not to issue the railroad bonds until the railroad was completed to Redwood Falls. Strips of grass were ordered burned along the south and west borders of the county to prevent forest fires from coming in. On Septem- ber 20, a petition was read before the board that the bonds for the railroad to Redwood Falls be issued immediately. D. O. King, Mathias Keller and J. M. Little were appointed to act as a com- mittee to confer with the railroad company with the view of mak- ing a compact with them.
1877. On January 2, the board of county commissioners met, with D. O. King, J. M. Little, Charles Porter, and Frank Schan- dera present. Mathias Keller appears on February 15 as the fifth commissioner. The bonds for the new railroad to connect with Winona were ordered issued immediately. The road was to be completed by October 1, 1877. On February 26 the board distrib- uted some of the money which the state had previously appropri- ated for buying seed grain for the sufferers from the grasshop- pers' ravages. On March 20, the treasurer rendered his annual report as follows: total receipts, $8,532.57; total expenses, $6,545.75; total assets, $16,754.62; total liabilities, $959.27, in out- standing orders. On March 21, strips were ordered plowed around the county at the boundary lines to act as guards against prairie fires. On June 18, the board voted to pay the state what was dne it, as delinquent state tax. On July 23, they sat as an equalizing board. The amount of $5,000 was to be raised for county ex- penses ; $975 was to be raised for roads and bridges. On Octo- ber 12, J. M. Little was chosen chairman to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of D. O. King.
The period of rapid growth began with the close of the grass- hopper years and extended to 1905. The routine business of the county gradually increased in volume and entailed an additional amount of attention on the part of the commissioners. During this period all the remaining townships were organized, many new school districts were created, roads gradually networked the county. A poor farm was bought and sold. A new court house was erected. To the three villages which were incorporated by the legislature, Redwood Falls, Walnut Grove and Lamberton, the county commissioners during this period added thirteen more. In the following resume, the names of the commissioners, notes regarding salaries, and a few other important matters are given, the other subjects being treated adequately elsewhere. In 1904 the first attempt was made to establish a county ditch.
1878. The board of county commissioners met January 1. Fred V. Hotchkiss, Frank R. Schandera, Mathias Keller, Charles
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Porter, and O. B. Turrell, commissioners were present. Fred V. Hotchkiss was chosen chairman. On January 2, the salary of the county attorney was lowered to $300. In the minutes of Jan- uary 3, is the first record of a town voting on the liquor license question. On March 5, applications for seed grain were consid- ered and most of them allowed. On March 20, the salary of the county superintendent of schools was fixed at $10° for every school, there being at this time thirty-five schools in the county. On July 15, 1878, the commissioners acted as an equalization board.
1879. January 7, the county board met, with Fred V. Hotch- kiss, Charles Porter, O. B. Turrell, Frank R. Schandera, and Archibald Stewart, commissioners, present. The first named man was chosen chairman. On January 8, a petition was ordered sent to the state to provide for two terms of district court in Redwood county. The liquor license fee was raised to $100 per year. In the minutes of the meeting of January 9, the first record is found of a county officer being asked to resign. At the same ineeting the town officers for Johnsonville township were appointed, the people of that township having failed to elect. The Redwood Gazette and the Lamberton Commercial were designated as the county papers.
1880. The first meeting came on January 6. Fred V. Hotch- kiss, Charles Porter, O. B. Turrell, Archibald Stewart and W. H. Owen, commissioners, were present. Fred Hotchkiss was re- elected chairman. The salary of the county attorney was raised to $400; that of the county auditor was raised to $1,200. On January 9, the board decided not to grant any liquor licenses for that year. The board on the following day organized the ter- ritory not already made into townships, as road and assessment districts. They appointed an assessor and road supervisor in each of the six districts.
1881. The first meeting of the board was held on January 4. Fred V. Hotchkiss, Charles Bennett, W. H. Owen, Archibald Stewart and O. B. Turrell, commissioners, were present. On January 5, the salary of the judge of probate was fixed at $300 per year.
1882. The first meeting of the board was held January 3, O. B. Turrell, W. H. Owen, James Anderson, Alfred Clark and George W. Skelton being present. The salary of the county at- torney was raised to $450. Much time was taken in changing school district boundaries.
1883. The first meeting of the board was held January 2, James Anderson, Alfred Clark, Eli Webb, James Longbottom and L. B. Newton were present.
1884. The board met on Jannary 1, with James Longbottom, James Anderson, James S. Johnson, Eli Webb, and Alfred Clark,
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commissioners, present. The liquor license fee was raised to $100. The salary of the county attorney was made $400, on January 2. A committee was appointed to purchase a poor farm for Redwood county in Sherman township. On July 31, the Iowa and Minne- sota Railroad Company applied for help in building a railroad through Redwood Falls southward to the state line. Nothing was done in this regard.
1885. The first meeting of the board was held January 6, with James Anderson, chairman, Eli Webb, James S. Johnson, Joseph Tyson and William Lauer, commissioners, present. The liquor license fee was lowered again to $50 per year.
1886. The first meeting of the board occurred on January 5, with Joseph Tyson, chairman, William Lauer, Eli Webb, James S. Johnson, and James Anderson, present. The "Redwood Ga- zette" and the "Redwood Reveille" were chosen to do the county printing. James Aiken and W. M. Todd were the respective pub- lishers. The salary of the county treasurer was fixed at $1,200 a year.
1887. The first meeting of the board was held January 4, with W. E. Baker, chairman, Michael Donner, H. H. Leavitt, D. W. Whittet, and James Sommer, present. The liquor license fee was raised to $100 per year. The salary of the county attorney was raised to $600 per year.
1888. The board met January 4. The commissioners were all present-W. E. Baker, James Sommer, H. H. Leavitt, Michael Donner, and David W. Whittet. The Redwood Gazette was chosen as the official paper for the county.
1889. The board met January 1. The following commission- ers were present : W. E. Baker, chairman, Michael Donner, H. H. Leavitt, James S. Johnson, and David W. Whittet. The village of Morgan was incorporated.
1890. The board met on January 6, with the same commis- sioners as at previous year. Five thousand dollars were appro- priated for the enlarging of the court house.
1891. The board met January 6. James S. Johnson, David W. Whittet, H. H. Leavitt, Frank Schandera, and F. W. Philbrick, commissioners, were present. David W. Whittet was chosen chairman. The salary of the county attorney was raised to $800. The resolution was adopted on February 26 that the court house was not sufficient for the needs of the county and a new one should be built, the cost not to exceed $15,000.
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