USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 61
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to dope their men with drugs and special preparations in an effort to stave off the yellow jack just as we dope our hogs with serim in Minnesota today in an effort to stave off the hog cholera. When the United States Government undertook to dig the big ditch they realized that if success was to erown their efforts they must do something else besides doping their men, so they set to work to remove the causes which brought about the diseases, and how well they succeeded is shown by the fact- and statistics will prove it-that today it is one of the most healthful elimates on the globe.
Let any unbiased man investigate the conditions under which hogs are raised in the Northwest today, and he can come to no other conclusion than that it is not to be wondered at that we have cholera. The wonder is that we don't have it all the time. No other domestic animal on the farm is raised under such unnatural conditions. If hog cholera is to be exterminated we must do something besides doping our hogs with special prepa- rations. We must provide sanitation on the farm and must Feed more laxative foods. In nearly every case of hog cholera that has come under my observation, constipation is the fore- runner of the disease, and wherever a liberal quantity of apples is fed this condition cannot exist.
During the last eighteen years the vicinity in which I live has been visited by five or six epidemies of hog cholera which annihilated the herds of swine on every farm adjoining my own. My hogs were in direct contact with diseased animals on several orrasions, and in one instance they devoured the carcass of a hog that died From hog cholera, it having strayed to my place during the night and lain down beside the fence and died within reach of my hogs. Yet no symptoms of the disease developed in my own herd. I attribute my success in being able to raise healthy hogs in the midst of so many epidemies of hog cholera to the Fact that, first, my hogs are fed a liberal quantity of apples from the middle of July to the end of the year ; second. that my hog enclosure contains one aere of trees, mostly box elder, soft maple and two rows of buckthorn, and here the hogs run the entire year, helping themselves to whatever roots nature prescribes : third, to the roots of the buckthorn, which are as black as midnight and bitter as gall, and at certain seasons of the year are eagerly sought and devoured by the hogs, so much so that they have killed ont one-half of the buckthorn by eating out the entire root system.
Sneh are the conditions that have enabled me to raise healthy hogs in the midst of dying thousands.
The annual members of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society from Renville county, are: Bird Island. Ralph Loomis: Buffalo Lake. N. L. Monson : Fairfax. Frank H. Borth, Albert
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Cummings, Adolph Rieke. A. II. Rieke, and Albert D. Schumach- er : Franklin, Il. Berthe : Hector. I. E. Anderson, Erik Anderson, D. Kochler, Rudolph Lidberg and Chas. Wenz; Morton, W. T. Mahwald, Wesley B. Munsell and Fred Pfeiffer: Olivia, W. H. Cheney. W. A. Lindquist, and Henry Dunsmore. Jr. : Renville, S. M. Melitosh. Ed. J. Nordby, John J. Noska. Pat O'Brien, J. F. T. Tilisch, Henry W. Brummer, Aug. Binger, B. A. Binger, IT. J. Tale, and Lawrence Herscher: Sacred Heart, 1. Flagstad and J. Myra.
The life members of this society from Renville county are: Renville. 1. 1. Rice, G. A. Anderson and Herman Binger: Mor- ton, John Cheney : Olivia. Henry Dansmore. D. S. Hall and C. A. Ileins: Bird Island, Hamlin V. Poore.
The first nursery in Renville county was the Olivia nursery, established in 1878 by J. E. W. Peterson. A man of high ideals, a thorough lover of nature, conscientions in all his undertakings, and willing to sacrifice much for the benefit of his fellowmen, he set at work with a will and soon became an extensive grower of forest tree seedlings.
The many beautiful groves, parks and shade trees to be Found in every part of Renville county stand as a living monu- ment to the man who did more for the shelter and comfort of man and beast in Renville county than any other man. He died May 31, 1900. at which tine the nursery was discontinued.
In 1885 few. if any, standard apples were grown in Renville county. It was the consensus of opinion that apples could not be grown in this severe climate. And not until 1900 did orchard- ing assume commercial proportions. In 1890, here and there could be found a man who was growing a few crab apple trees, mostly of the Transcendent type. Some of the trees that were given reasonable care, survived for many years. but most of them perished through neglect, by stock running among them, by fire or by the elements. The surviving trees gave encouragement to a few enlturistie horticulturists, whose younger days had been spent in an apple growing country, and who were anxions to have a supply of apples for their family.
About that the the tree agent or tree "shark" appeared in Renville county and urged the settlers to buy fruit trees and plant home orchards. These men were nearly all representa- tives of eastern nurseries and the apple trees sold to the settlers of Renville county were of varieties usually grown in the cast- ern states. Most of the varieties soll were not adapted to the severe climate of Minnesota and many of them were too tender to live beyond the first winter. It took only a few years and a hard winter to prove that trees grown in the milder climate of the eastern states are absolutely worthless when planted on the prairies of Renville county, which has environments and climatic
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conditions peculiar to itself. The introduction of eastern nursery stock into Renville county came very near giving orcharding a death blow at that time, as those who had planted an orchard with the expectations of raising some apples, found that in a very few years all of their trees had gone. And these early orchardists from their actual experience were in a position to maintain that apple trees could not be grown in Renville county.
Root killing was one of the chief causes of failure in orchard- ing. The trees were grafted on roots too tender to withstand our climate. Twenty-five years ago the United States govern- ment sent representatives to Russia to make a collection of hardy apple trees with the expectation that they would solve the problem of root killing in the Northwest. The selections of trees were made in a climate where the temperature goes to sixty degrees below zero in winter. The collectors brought to the United States some 218 varieties of hardy apples. Great things were expected from this importation. Nearly all author- ities were of the opinion that their introduction into the North- west would make successful orcharding a certainty.
But after twenty years of trial and testing they have proved to be of little or no value in the Northwest, with one 'exception. the Hibernal, which is probably the hardiest and healthiest standard apple tree we have. The fruit is of large size and highly colored, but of very poor quality, too sour to eat but considered a very good pie apple. The Hibernal is being propa- gated on a large scale, not for its fruit, but as a tree to be top- grafted with varieties of the highest quality and which cannot be successfully grown on their own stem in this climate. Apples of the highest quality, such as the Jonathan and Grimes Golden. can be successfully grown in Renville county when they are top-grafted on Hibernal stock.
Many new orchards are being planted to this variety. with the intention of having them established for two or three years and then have them top-worked to the choicest of apples.
Most of the Russian apples were discarded because they were too low in quality, some of them blighted badly. some were too tender and many of them would do nothing. While the Russian apples proved to be a failure in the Northwest they have proved to be of some value when planted within two or three hundred miles from the sea coast, showing that the ocean is a great equalizer the world over. These Russian apples were collected within two or three hundred miles from the sea coast and where the thermometer goes to sixty degrees below zero in winter, yet they have little valne when moved so far inland as Ronville county is situated. But the losses caused by planting eastern trees and the lessons learned by the failure of the Russian
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
apples was the means of bringing about a new era in horticul- ture in the Northwest.
Thinking men who were interested in horticulture began to realize that to be successful with apple trees that would prove hardy and produce good fruit must be originated in this climate. They also discovered that all standard apples should be grafted on crab roots, thus lessening the chances of root killing in severe winters.
Men all over the Northwest began to raise apple trees from seed with the idea of originating something that would prove valuable in this climate. and how well they succeeded is shown by the fact that the Wealthy, one of those seedlings, is one of the very best apples we have in the United States today. About 1900 many nurseries started up all over Minnesota, with the chief object in view of propagating trees on hardy roots and of varieties that had proved to be of value in Minnesota.
Two nurseries are located in Renville county: the Dunsmore Nursery. Olivia. and J. Flagstad & Son, Sacred Heart, where trees and plants are propagated that are adapted to this locality, and the many bearing orchards scattered throughout the county stand as evidence of the superiority of the trees propagated by these men. There are a number of orchards in the county that contain upwards of 1,000 trees. Most of these large orchards are young, just commencing to bear.
In 1913 the orchard of G. A. Anderson, Renville, produced 1.300 bushels of apples, that of the writer 1.000 bushels, which were sold in the local markets and shipped to the Dakotas, the package used being the standard bushel box. In 1913 the Olivia Canning & Preserving Company canned about 2,000 bushels of apples, which were grown in Renville county.
The soil and climate of Renville county is adapted to fruit raising, and with the proper selection of varieties adapted to this locality we can raise the best fruit on earth. As evidence of the superiority of the fruit raised in Renville county and against the strongest competition possible, that of an interna- tional exposition, the Louisiana Purchase Exposition awarded the writer both a medal and diploma on fruit grown in Ren- ville county.
It is estimated that there are now in Renville county orchards 97.000 apple trees and 24,000 phim trees, abont one-third of which are bearing. I am anxious and I hope to see the day when by every farm house in Renville county there will be a nice row of evergreens planted around the home, an orchard and a fruit and flower garden on a generous scale, thus creat- ing a little paradise where the children will spend hour after hour in peace and joy, and when childhood is past and the children have wandered away from home they then can stop
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HISTORY OF RENVIELE COUNTY
and think back to the old Renville county home with its little orchard that grew the best apples they ever tasted, and straw- berries that were better than any other, for no fruit is as good as that which grows in one's own garden. By all means mould the character of your children by providing a, generous flower garden. Children raised under such environments will ever have a love for the beautiful, and when they go out in the world to enter upon the more stern duties of life and mayhap the frown- ing of fortune they will then realize "It is not all of life to live." And under any circumstances, they will always have a source of joy to draw on when their memory reverts to their childhood days and a home that was worthy of the name, beset with flowers on every side, which were eager and anxious to bid them wel- come. Not only will an abundance of beautiful flowers give an added charm to your own life, but it will cheer the tired wife and mother as she sits on her porch enjoying the fragrance of the flowers as it is wafted about her on the wings of the dying day.
CHAPTER XXII.
PROGRESSIVE ENTERPRISES.
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Urban and Rural Telephone Companies-Milling Companies- Grain Companies-Agricultural Organizations-Fair Asso- ciations.
One of the features which is doing much for Renville county life is the telephone. These lines of communication, which place the county into instant connection with the outside world, also join village with village, and farm with farm. The county is excellently supplied with great trunk lines, and there are few people indeed in village or country in this county who cannot be speedily reached with a telephone call. The following com- panies are incorporated in Renville county :
The Hawk Creek Rural Telephone Co. was incorporated March 24, 1906, by P. E. Synes, G. P. Mangerud, E. O. Oppe- gaard, Steve Odegard, O. M. Agre, all of whom reside in the town of Hawk Creek. The first board of directors consisted of : P. E. Synnes, G. P. Mangernd. E. O. Oppegaard, Steve Odegard and O. M. Agre. The capital stock was placed at $25,000.
The Morton Rural Telephone Co. was incorporated August 1, 1904, by F. W. Orth. F. W. Penhall, Fred Watschke, M. J. Egan. George Welsh, Robert B. Henton and Henry Beckman. The capital stock was placed at $25,000.
The Franklin Local and Rural Telephone Co. was incorporated .Inly 15, 1903, by C. W. Parsons, Henry Dittes, A. J. Olin, Daniel Whetstone, R. E. O'Keefe, H. B. Cole. L. H. Kirwin. A. L. Erick-
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
son, C. A. Desmond, Mathias Kelley. John Curran and C. E. Freeman. The first board of directors was: C. W. Parsons. Henry Dittes. A. J. Olin. Daniel Whetstone and R. E. O'Keefe. The capital stock was placed at $15,000.
The Fairfax Telephone Co. was incorporated Ily 6. 1904. by E. F. Sell. Panl Albrecht. William Dickmeyer, C. W. Heiman, (. A. Rieke. A. E. Fenske, Poter P. Ness. JJohn M. Mahowald, S. W. Smith, A. E. Carver and A. V. Rieke, with a capital of $10.000. The first board of directors: (. W. Ileiman, E. F. Sell. William Diekmeyer. S. W. Smith, John Mahowald, A. E. Carver. Paul Albrecht.
The Hector Telephone Exchange was incorporated February 2. 1905. by Emil Larson, Edwin Dahlgren, Justin Johnson, Harry L. D'Arms. Heury L. Torbenson, E. M. Erieson and George S. Eichmiller. The capital stock was placed at $25,000. The board of directors: Harry L. D'AArms, president : E. M. Ericson. vice-president : G. S. Eichmiller, treasurer: Henry L. Torbenson, secretary : Frank Grow.
The Eddsville Telephone Co. was incorporated March 18. 1910 at Bird Island by Charles Glesener. William Keltgen. Mike Jungers. William Glesener. Anthony Ziller, John Lafontaine, Joseph Ziller. Joseph .I. Meurer. Joseph Schmoll, Martin Paar, Joseph Eiler, Sr .. Martin Cook. Alois Mnench, Steve Sanger, Math. Tarry. M. P. Sanger, R. S. Amberg and John S. Johnson. The capital stock was $3.000. The first board of directors: Joo Menrer, president : Charles Glesener, treasurer: Mike Jungers. Anthony Ziller. Alois Muench. William Glesener was the first secretary.
The Bird Island Telephone Co. was incorporated November 2, 190s. by Arthur C. Bowe, president and treasurer: William J. IInff, vice-president and secretary, and M. F. Bowe. Amount of stock was $50,000.
The Renville Consolidated Telephone Co. was incorporated January 21. 1893. by Jesse T. Brooks. T. O. Connor. Charles Brecke. R. T. Daly. M. J. Dowling. George S. Humphrey. all resid- ing at Ronville. The capital was placed at $15,000.
The Danube Telephone Co. was incorporated February 13. 1908. by Otto Selonidt. N. T. Knott. L. C. Hinrichs, F. A. Schroeder, F. A. Bade and Dauter & Gundlock. These persons also constituted the first board of directors. The amount of stock was $5,000.
The Renville Rural Telephone Co. was incorporated March 26. 1904. by A. E. Carver. A. V. Rieke. S. W. Smith and Paul Albrecht. of Fairfax, and C. W. Parsons. O. W. Harris and R. E. O'Keefe, of Franklin. The capital stock was $20,000.
The Osceola Telephone Co. was incorporated February 17. 1912, by Damlin V. Poore, president : Julius Anderson. vice-presi-
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
dent ; S. M. Freeman, secretary ; Il. A. JJungelaus, treasurer ; John Homan, Henry Sing. E. W. Wolff, Harry Braceo, Julius Ruchert, Johan Bernhagen. John Dummer, F. O. Grimm. The capital stoek was $3,000.
The Renville County Telephone Co. was incorporated May 23, 1910. at Olivia by A. C. Bowe. W. J. Huff, M. F. Bowe, with a capital stock of $100,000. A. C. Bowe was president and treas- urer: W. J. Huff, vice-president and secretary.
The West Ericson Telephone Co. was incorporated May 13, 1909, by P. O. Dosseth, A. O. Skrukrud, II. HI. Sagness, Herman Milsten and Hans Vorken, with a capital of $5,000.
MILLING COMPANIES.
Mills are a valuable adjunet to the life of any agricultural county. Reuville county is especially fortunate in having a number of substantial enterprises of this kind. They add to the fame of the county, they use the grain raised on the nearby farms. they supply the housewives with flour and other mill products of the best quality, and they also furnish some of the county's important exports. The following are the milling com- panies whose incorporation is recorded with the register of deeds :
The Morton Milling Co., of Morton, was incorporated Deeem- ber 14, 1893. by U. P. Murray, of New Orleans, Louisiana : Thomas F. Norton, of Fairfax : George R. Lewis, of Minneapolis. The capital stock was placed at $50,000. Officers: President, Thomas F. Norton; vice-president, U. P. Murray; secretary, U. P. Murray : treasurer, Thomas F. Norton.
The Bird Island Roller Mills was incorporated at Bird Island February 21. 1891. by F. W. Baarsch and Albert F. Baarseh, of Bird Island, and Otto Baarsch, of New Ulm. These persons also constituted the first board of directors. F. W. Baarseh was presi- dent : Albert F. Baarsch, secretary and treasurer. The capital stock was $20,000.
The Hughs Milling Co. was incorporated September 13. 1898. at Fairfax, Minnesota, by the following persons: Pulaski H. Hughes, president : T. E. Hughes, secretary, and Joseph Chap- man, Jr., vice-president and treasurer. The capital stock was $10,000.
The Morton Merchant Milling Co. at Morton was incorporated December 14, 1904, by J. L. Schoch, president ; B. Stockman. secretary and treasurer: L. A. Fritsche and W. M. Ballinger, vice-president. The amount of capital stock was placed at $50,000.
The Franklin Milling Co. was incorporated at Franklin JJuly 28. 1903, by Henry Dittes, Charles E. Dittes. Ernst W. Dittes. R. (. Dittes. The capital stock was placed at $25,000.
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IHISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
The Berry Bros. Milling Co. was incorporated at llector lanu- ary 19. 1909, by the following: Charles J. Berry, Oscar S. Berry. Alfred Berry, George M. Berry, Henry E. Berry. The capital stock was placed at $50.000.
GRAIN AND ELEVATOR COMPANIES.
Many of the elevators which form so picturesque a feature of the Renville county landscape are owned by outside concerns. who operate a chain of such establishments. Some of them, how- ever, are owned by local concerns. The following grain com- panies have filed their incorporation papers with the register of deeds :
The Peterson Grain Co. of Sacred Heart was incorporated April 25, 1902. by Frank Peterson, Sacred Heart : Squire Jones and Alword C. Egelston. Minneapolis. The capital stock was placed at $50,000.
The Grain Mercantile Co. was incorporated November 26, 1894, by Alexander Stewart. Sylvester S. Carigall, W. Il. Wheeler, A. E. Benediet and Charles F. Deaver. of Minneapolis. The capital stock was placed at $12,000.
The Bird Island Farmers' Elevator Co. was organized April 29, 1905, at Bird Island by Nicholas Bruels, of Norfolk, presi- dent; Henry J. Jungelaus, Osceola, vice-president : Charles Kent- ning, Bird Island, secretary ; Levi Mitchell, Bird Island, treasurer; William Baumgartner and George A. Hesse, Bird Island : John Kromer and Frank Lichter. Kingman: Charles Miller and Fred Foesch, Melville; Thomas MeGovern and Charles Glesener, Palmyra ; William Korst, Oserola.
The Danube's Farmers' Elevator Co. was incorporated at Dammbe March 24, 1906, by Eugene Grunert. Chris Hagedorn, F. A. Schroeder. Fred Sansele, Adolph Kaiser, George Heine- mann, Herman Manthei. Fred Kramin. F. Stob. with a capital stock of $10,000. Officers: Engene Grunert. president : Chris Hagedorn, vice-president: F. A. Schroeder, secretary: Fred Sansele, treasurer: F. Stob. Adolph Kaiser, George Heinemann. Herman Manthei and Fred Kramin, directors.
The Farmers' Co-operative Elevator Co., of Fairfax. was organized January 26, 1906, by Paul Albrecht. Ole S. Olson. John B Liebl. Thomas F. Covan. Herman Schmechel, O. 11. Grasmoen. Olaf Dale. Ernest Kienlen. Gustaf Mahlke. The cap- ital stock was $10,000.
The Equity Elevator & Trading Co., of Buffalo bake. was mrorporated April 5. 1913. by Peter Ulrich. George Antonsen. John I. Van Hale. C. A. Dascher, Thomas Simmons. Michael Kolbrick. B. F. Sheppard. The capital stock was placed at $20,000.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
The Farmers' Grain & Stock Co. was incorporated Angust 26, 1912. at Fairfax by Christ H. Boyum, Herman Schmechel, William Ruona, G. A. Boemmels, Einar E. Nelson JJ. 1. Carson. Einer E. Nelson, G. A. Boemmels, C. HI. Boymm, Oscar Isaacson, Herman Schmechel. Charles Hillman, JJohn Durbahn were on the first board of directors.
The Farmers' Grain Exchange Co. was incorporated July 22. 1912, at fleetor by George Leasman, president ; C. H. Reneber, vice-president : Angust E. Jung. secretary: W. E. Kemp, treas- urer : Charles Freberg, G. W. Torbert. Mike Koch, John P. Berg- man, Ernest Hertel. The capital stock was placed at $15,000.
The Franklin Farmers' Elevator Co. was incorporated Febru- ary 27, 1913, at Franklin by N. J. Olson, George Forsyth, A. J. Anderson, Martin Siegfried, J. C. Farrell, Herman Hohn and A. Danielson. These persons also constituted the first board of directors. The capital stock was placed at $10,000.
The Morton Elevator Co. was incorporated February 25, 1897, at Morton by Michael Holden, H. M. Hack, F. W. Penhall, 1. W. Orth, Leonard Farnbngh. G. H. Chisholm, Thomas Seary, Wenzel Kodet. August Vogel. The capital stock was placed at $10,000.
The Farmers' Co-operative Grain Co. was incorporated August 8, 1914, at Morton by Tim. Sullivan (director). Frank Grass (director). Charles Buscho (treasurer), Harry Hale, Henry Schafer. Fred Pfeiffer (director), William Wichman. Paul Schafer (vice-president) August Daum (president), H. F. Lns- senhop, T. W. Riley, F. E. Zumwinkle (secretary), Thomas Tis- dell (director), J. Scheffler. Pat Buckley (director). The capital stock was placed at $10,000.
The John Hokanson Grain Co. was incorporated May 21. 1908, at lleetor by John Hokansou, II. S. Deming, George Hokan- son, A. B. Anderson and C. E. Hokanson. The capital stork was placed at $25,000.
The Hector Elevator Co. was incorporated at Hector Septem- her 19. 1895, by E. M. Erickson. C. H. Nixon. A. M. Erickson, 1. W. Whitney. The members of first board of directors were : Martin Mathison, E. J. Butler, JJohn Johnson, Martin Johnson. Swen Pearson, B. J. Butler, John Hurst, James Hanna, John Hokanson, Frank Music, Andrew Anderson. Officers: Presi- dent, E. M. Erickson : vice-president, C. H. Nixon : secretary, A. M. Erickson. The capital stock was placed at $25,000.
Union Elevator & Mercantile Co. was incorporated at Buffalo Lake August 8, 1895, by J. S. Armstrong. N. 11. Riebe. William Rusch. Oh Olesen, John Moore, Martin L. Monson, Frank Krueger, Elins Torens, Louis Dickman, Simon Moore. J. H. Borden, C. Il. Smith, J. Heinecke. M. L. Munson, M. B. Foster, Ole Hanson. The capital stork was placed at $25,000.
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IHISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
The Renville Farmers' Elevator Co. was incorporated August 23. 1910, at Reuville by Henry Haen (president ), J. II. Larkin, J. C. Jepson (secretary and director), O. A. Stensvad (treasurer), John Wordes, Joachim Schemel, Carl Pankow, A. R. Holmberg and Theodore Enestvedt, directors. The capital stock was placed at $10,500.
AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS.
The co-operative idea is growing. Farmers are banding together for commercial and social advantages. Among the first farmers' organizations were the fair associations. Now there are all sorts of institutions in which the farmers own the principal shares, elevators, warehouses, creameries, telephones, shipping associations, produce companies, stock breeding combines and the like. Following are some of the agricultural organizations whose incorporation is filed with the register of deeds:
The Renville County Agricultural & Live Stock Association was incorporated December 13, 1879, in the village of Bird Island by the following persons: F. E. Wolff, Norman Heckok, George H. Megquire. W. A. Bump, Charles C. Ladd, J. S. Bowler, L. L. Tinnes, Albert. Brown, J. K. Salisbury, John King, W. M. Ilalbrook, J. S. Niles, James Brown, E. D. Stone and J. J. Stearns. J. K. Salisbury was president ; A. S. Niles, first vice-president ; Albert Brown, second vice-president : J. (. Ladd, third vice-presi- dent : J. S. Bowler. secretary ; F. E. Wolff, treasurer.
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