USA > South Dakota > Jerauld County > A history of Jerauld county, South Dakota > Part 17
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At Wessington Springs T. L. Blank, who was then publishing the Wessington Springs Herald left his printing office, located near where the Oliver hotel now stands, and made his way along the foothills to his residence, a mile northwest of town, on one of the highest points.
On the night of the blizzard J. H. Woodburn, who was then boarding at Price's ohtel, then known as the "Woodburn House" stepped to the door to look out, when he heard some one who was lost in the storm, calling for help. Accompanied by J. W. Barnum he ran across the street in the direction of the voice. They found L. J. Farnsworth a few feet south of Tarbell's hotel barn nearly crazed with fear. Woodburn caught him by the coat and dragged him to the barn door and pushed him inside. As he opened the door to let Farnsworth in, the light from the lantern that hung in the stable flashed upon some hideous looking objects just outside the door. Woodburn knew they were animals of some sort and calling to Barnum they drove them inside. It proved to be three oxen that had wandered from the residence of Mr. Coffee in the north part of town. The animals were sompletely covered with snow and nearly suf- focated with the great balls of ice that had formed over their nostrils.
August Bachmore's residence in Crow Lake township was on section ten. A few moments before the storm the sheep, about a hundred of them, were turned out of the stable. The cattle shed was built into the side hill, with a hole in the roof for convenience in getting hay to the animals. The cattle were in the stable, but all efforts to get the sheep into shelter failed and they had to be left outside, where most of them were found after the storm suffocated with the snow and ice that had formed over their noses. While the men were in the cattle stable making everything as comfortable as possible for the inmates, Frank Sailer came tumbling tlirough the hole in the roof. He had been caught by the storm while going home from Crow Lake and getting lost fate had guided his steps to the hole in the roof of Bachmore's shed.
Vaurin Dusek then lived where he does now, on the north bank of Crow Lake, Crow Lake township. He had taken his ax to the lake to cut holes in the ice to water the cattle, while his daughter, Mary, now
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Mrs. Petrole, drove them from the barn. He had cut but one hole when he became enveloped in the whirling mass of wind and snow. He im- mediately left the lake and went to meet his daughter, while she left the cattle and ran in search for her father. As luck would have it they bumped against each other about half way between the barn and the lake. Together they made their way from one object to another until they reached the house. The cattle, 18 in number, all crossed to the south shore of the lake and smothered in the storm.
C. S. Marvin lived on the NW of 18 in Logan township. He and his boy were driving his cattle to the residence of A. S. Fordham, on section 17, for water, when they were caught by the storm. The wind and snow hid the cattle from sight, and after riding about in a vain endeavor to round them up they attempted to go back home. That was found to be impossible and they turned toward Fordham's again. As good fortune would have it they reached the barn where Mr. Marvin left the boy and groped his way to the house. Mr. Fordham at once went to the barn and took care of the animals. He then told the boy to take hold of his coat tails and taking the direction as nearly as he could judge started for the house. They were passing the house when they tumbled over a snow bank and rolled together down against the building and were safe.
On the NE af 32 in Logan township a son of Joseph Byers was wa- tering the cattle at a pond near the barn, when the storm came. He attempted to drive the cattle to the barn against the wind. Being unable to do so he went to the house and told his father. Mr. Byers started at once to take care of the animals. The neighbors found him the next day about four miles south in Brule county, frozen to death beside a hay stack, where he had tried to find shelter.
Chas. Kugler, in the western part of Media township, was out with his team of oxen and hay rack getting a load of straw from a stack about forty rods from his house. He unhitched the team from the wagon and tried to get back to the buildings, but did not succeed. They found his frozen body with his team, near the residence of J. T. Ferguson in the northwest part of Anina township, the following Sunday afternoon.
After the storm a boy was found frozen to death near the north end of Long Lake in Harmony township. He had wandered in the storm from a few miles south of Miller, in Hand county, to where he dropped, overcome by the cold and exhaustion.
G. R. Bateman and William Taylor were on the way to Woonsocket and wandered on the prairie several hours, finally getting in at the Haw- thorne residence near the Firesteel creek.
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A man named James Hutchinson tried to go from his house to the barn, but becoming confused he sat down in a snow bank and as he phrased it. "Hollered like a loon," until his wife, thinking she heard him call, went to the door and answered. He followed toward the sound of her voice and reached the house.
Andrew Berg, living in Franklin township, tried to get a pail of water from his well during the storm, but wandered five miles, returning home the next day.
Mr. William Davis, an elderly gentleman living in Viola township, started just before the storm to go southwest across a quarter section to the residence of J. N. Smith. He was lost near the barn and perished but a short distance from home. Mrs. Davis was found a few steps from the house almost dead. She died a few minutes after being taken in.
Mr. Ezra Voorhees, of Media township, lived on the NE quarter of 35. He was about three quarters of a mile south of his house with Elmer Carpenter, when they were caught in the storm. They immediately started for Mr. V.'s residence. His dog acted as guide. The intelligent animal would dash off into the storm and immediately return, as if to see if the men were following. This he continued until they reached the house.
Chapter 25. THE MAIL CARRIERS.
Thursday, the 12th day of January, 1888, was strenuous for the stage drivers of Jerauld county, all but two of whom were in the employ of G. N. Price. His drivers were A. G. Eberhart on the Woonsocket line ; Rolla Cady on the Miller line; William Moss on the Belford line. and also on the Crow Lake line : Sam Wilson on the line from Crow Lake to White Lake with Jehial Barnum as special, or supply, but usually employed about the barn at Wessington Springs.
The line from Wessington Springs to Waterbury was driven by T. J. Pressey, and the line from Waterbury to Kimball by Chas. Gingery, who was carrying the mail for A. J. Brown, the contractor.
Mr. Pressey had been making the trips between Wessington Springs and Waterbury, during the week preceeding the 12th of January, by going but one way each day. On Wednesday he made the trip from Wa- terbury to Wessington Springs, and on Thursday morning started back. He was near the residence of I. S. Binford, when he encountered the
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storm, and was enabled to get in without misshap and remained there until it was over.
The route driven by Charles Gingery took him from the village of Waterbury to Gann Valley, thence to Lyonville and from there to Kim- ball. He left Waterbury on Thursday morning about 7 o'clock accom- panied by Miss Addie Quim as a passenger to Kimball on the way to her old home in Illinois. They had passed Gann Valley, in Buffalo county and were nearing Lyonville, Brule county, when the soft, balmy air in which they had been riding was "in the twinkling of an eye" changed to a mass of blinding snow. The horses became unmanageable and left the road. After a protracted effort to get on Gingery loosed the horses from the sled, a box-like concern, wrapped his passenger in the robes and bidding her sit down he tipped the vehicle over so as to protect her from the storm as much as possible and then getting in beside her waited for the end. The day and night were passed in that uncomfortable posi- tion. When daylight came Friday morning ne saw a house about a mile away and though badly frozen, he made his way to it for help. They were both taken to Kimball, where the lady died from the effects of her exposure, Gingery, though a cripple for life lived until November, 1908, when he died in Ohio.
Rolla Cady left Wessington Springs on the Miller line Wednesday morning, and reached the north end of the route that night. Thursday, at the usual hour, he started on the return trip and had driven five or six miles, when the blizzard came upon him. In telling the story afterwards he said he knew of no pleasanter place to stay during a severe storm than at Green's ranch where there were several most agreeable young ladies. That ranch was five miles ahead and he determined to try for it. He succeeded and stayed there until Saturday morning when he continued his journey home, arriving that evening in good condition.
The mail line between Wessington Springs and Woonsocket was daily. Al Eberhart left Woonsocket Thursday morning and had reached the farm of Mr. Boje about three miles west of the county line when he was forced to seek shelter. He stayed with the farmer until Friday morn- ing and then made the balance of the trip to Wessington Springs, arriving at noon.
Sam Wilson, at Crow Lake, went to the barn as usual on Thursday morning and fed and cared for his team and then went to the post office. and told the postmaster he would not go on the White Lake drive that day because there was going to be a bad storm. No amount of ridicule or urging would induce him to start. He remained at Crow Lake until the storm had passed.
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The Belford line was a semi-weekly, and supplied Sullivan, Parsons and Belford postoffices. The Sullivan office was at the residence of W. W. Goodwin on the NE of 32 in Wessington Springs township and Par- sons was on the --- of with a gentleman named Billings as postmaster. Will Moss had passed Parsons postoffice when he saw the storm coming. He whipped up the team in an effort to reach a farm house a short distance ahead. The family at the house saw him coming and witnessed the race until Moss became enveloped in the storm. Long after the blizzard struck the house members of the family stood by the door and called, but no response could they get. Out on the prairie Moss was struggling to get his team through the deep snow and the suffocating storm, but the effort was useless. He stopped and unhitched the ponies from the sled and wrapping himself in the robes and blankets, tipped it over him and there he remained until the next morning, not much the worse for his experience. He returned to Wessington Springs Monday, leaving one of the ponies frozen to death near where he had spent the night on the prairie.
A singular experience befell Howard Pope, who, then a boy of but 14 years, was driving a mail line from Kimball, in Brule county to Cas- talia in Charles Mix county. While the event about to be related occur- red outside of Jerauld county, yet I tell it because Mr. Pope has been so long identified with life in this community. Probably no man in the state has carried mails by stage as many miles as Howard Pope. All told he has driven mail stage in Jerauld and near-by counties 150,800 miles- enough to have encircled the globe over six times.
On the morning of the 12th of January, 1888, Howard, wrapped in a long fur coat with a very high collar, and otherwise dressed for winter weather, left Kimball postoffice about 9 o'clock, and had driven about six miles. He was near the residence of a farmer named Patteen. When the storm began, the team left the beaten track and were soon flounder- ing in a snow drift. Howard left the sleigh and went around the horses unhitching the tugs. In trying to get back to the sleigh he became separated from the team and after that could find neither the naimals nor the sled. He wandered about for some time until he came to a post in a wire fence. His long coat prevented his getting through the fence. so he attempted to crawl under it. While under the fence he was pro- tected from the wind and pulling his coat collar up about his head he lay still to rest and get his breath. He was so warm and comfortable down there in the snow, wrapped in his great coat, which covered him completely, from head to foot, that he stayed longer than was his inten- tion when he stopped. His next sensation was of a pressure pressing upon him. He struggled and finally threw off the weight. He rose to his feet.
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The wind had stopped blowing but the air was intensely cold. He saw his sleigh near by and close to it the horses, one of them frozen to death. By the position of the sun he knew it was early morning, and that he had lain about eighteen hours asleep under that wire fence. He went to Mr. Patteen's house and told his story. The farmer would not believe it possible until he had been to the fence and examined the hole in the snow. Howard was not even chilled.
Such is the story of the blizzard, the one great storm of thirty years.
Efforts were made in different parts of the county to assist in a finan- cial way, both Addie Knieriem and Mr. Chas. Gingery. Blank & Blank, then publishers of the Wessington Springs Herald, inaugurated a move to provide a fund for Miss Knieriem. A benefit social was announced to be held at the court house in Wessington Springs on the 22nd of March. A committee was appointed in each township to sell tickets. The result was $200, besides an annuity of $600 a year donated by a philan- trophist of Brooklyn, N. Y., through the influence of Dr. A. M. Mathias. Other entertainments of like character were held in various parts of the county ; one at C. R. Nelson's in Anina township raising $II.
For Chas. Gingery a social in Harmony township netted $15 and one at Scofields, in Marlar township $30. At the residence of B. G. Cum- inings, in Media $37.50 was raised, $7.50 of which was sent by people of Franklin township.
In the forepart of March Mr. Cady resigned his position as driver on the Miller route and J. W. Barnum took his place.
Chapter 26.
On January 2nd, 1888, John Grant took the oath of office as county commissioner, and the new board organized with O. A. Knudtson as chairman.
In June another move was made in the county to increase the board of commissioners to five members, but failed.
At the July session of the board in 1888 a full report of receipts and expenses for the preceding year was made. From it the statement is made that the total expense of caring for the poor of the county during that year was but $179.07. Total receipts, $31,061.12 ; total expenditure $26,474.28. The entire debt of the county at that time was $15.842.07. In that statement no account was taken of uncollected taxes.
On the 5th day of July, 1888, T. H. Null resigned his office of district
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attorney, and a few weeks later moved to Huron, where he had formed a law partnership. On the 10th of July the board appointed A. Converse to the position made vacant by the resignation of Mr. Null.
The county tax levy made by the county board in 1888 was: County fund, 6 mills; road, 1 mill; bridge, 1 mill; sinking fund, 4 mills. The territorial tax levy was: General revenue, 3 and one-tenth mills ; bond interest, four-tenths mills ; stock indemnity, seven-tenths; the latter to be levied only on cattle, mules and horses.
In calling the election of 1888 the county commissioners bounded the precincts the same as at the February school election in 1884.
The legislature of 1884 had provided for the election of county ,superintendents in June with a view of taking the office out of the usual political scramble. On the 19th of June, 1888, I. S. Binford was re- elected, receiving 365 of the 366 votes cast at that election. During all the time he continued in office Mr. Binford kept alive the interest in township institute work among the teachers. The third annual county institute was held Nov. 12 to 16, 1888, with C. J. Pickhart as conductor and S. F. Huntley, assistant. At that institute the Jerauld County Teach- ers' Reading Circle was organized with Fred Luke as manager.
On February 25th, 1888, the Agricultural Society had a meeting, at which C. W. Hill was elected president ; R. Vanderveen, vicepresident ; J. W. Thomas, secretary ; and B. J. Cummings, treasurer. The fair that year was held on the grounds north of Wessington Springs, and though not a success financially, yet the exhibits, in quality, were the best that had been made.
The crop yield in that year, considering the methods of farming, were good. The following totals compiled by John F. Wicks, from the asses- sor's reports, while at work, at that time in the county clerk's office, show the amounts of the various farm products.
Amount.
Leading township.
Corn
204,982,
Viola.
Wheat
215,416
Viola.
Barley
25,915
Viola.
Potatoes
14,652
Viola.
Butter (lbs.)
99,270
Viola.
Oats
205,581
Alpena.
Rye
10,048
Marlar.
Flax
34,569
Pleasant.
Cheese (lbs.)
4.585
Wessington Springs.
Tame hay (tons)
2,003
Wild hay (tons)
20,180
Poultry
$7,694
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But for the high rates of interest that many of the settlers were still paying, the county would have been placed in a prosperous condition.
During the year 1888 a railroad project from Huron southwest was talked of, and another from Pierre southeast. Both cities were candi- dates for capital of the coming state.
Some changes were made this year in the management of the news- papers in the county. The firm of Blank & Blank leased the Herald to W. N. Coffee, who assumed control of the paper May 4th, but only continued in charge until the last issue in June.
On the Ist of April, N. J. Dunham retired from the Journal at Alpena and Lacy F. Shafer took the editorial management, under a lease from D. F. Royer, but purchased the paper in the second week in October.
The farmers' alliance, feeling the need of a newspaper in its work in the county, leased of B. B. Blosser one column of the True Republican and elected O. J. Marshall its editor. Mr. Marshall began furnishing "copy" for the printer on the 20th of March, and during the next year continued to make it one of the most influential columns published in the county.
During the fall campaign Guy McGlashan published a paper called The Independent, at Crow Lake, but suspended the publication about January 15th, 1889.
In 1888 the first bounty for growing trees received by any citizen of Jerauld county was paid by the territorial treasurer to Mr. L. G. Wilson, for trees grown by him on his pre-emption claim in Viola township.
The Fourth of July celebrations in the county in 1888 were at Alpena and Crow Lake, but as yet I have been unable to get the particulars of either.
During the winter of 1888-89 a debating society was organized at the Grieve school house in Harmony township and has been continued ever since, during the winter months.
In September of 1888 Mr. G. G. Livermore, of Fairmount, Minn., brought to Jerauld county seven car loads of sheep which he leased to settlers in Chery and Dale townships on shares. This was the beginning of a business that paid the owner of the sheep a nice profit and enabled many of the farmers to tide over the hard times of a few years later.
All through the summer and fall of 1887 the farmers of Alpena and the country tributary to that station had been discussing the subject of building a farmers elevator there. Application was made to the railway company for a site for the building, but was met with a flat refusal. By the spring of 1888 the farmers had become determined in the matter and again brought it to the attention of the company. This time a meeting was arranged for between Messrs. May, Worrall and Teasdale on the
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part of the farmers and a representative of the railroad, about the first. of April. The result of this meeting was so encouraging that a call was issued for those interested to come together at the depot in Alpena 011 April 12th to discuss the matter more fully. Another meeting was held on the 15th of April and officers of a temporary organization were elected as follows: Pres., G. J. Royer; Vice Pres., O. G. Woodruff ; Secretary, John Teasdale ; Treas., C. D. Worrall. On June 30th the plans had been so far promoted that a meeting was held at the Alpena school house to adopt by-laws of a corporation and elect officers, a charter, dated June 12th, 1888, having been already obtained. The work of selling stock and building the elevator was now pushed as rapidly as possible and by the. beginning of the threshing season the company was ready to receive grain, John Teasdale being the buyer.
In the autumn of 1888, L. N. Loomis, who was about to retire from the office of register of deeds, established The Bank of Alpena. He con- tinued as sole proprietor of the institution until December 15th, 1891. when he took D. F. Royer and H. J. Wallace into the bank with him and they incorporated it with a capital of $6,000, Mr. Loomis still being the manager. In 1902 the building now occupied by the bank was erected. and in January, 1903, the bank and building were sold to O. L. Branson. D. T. Gilman and J. R. Milliken, the latter being the resident manager. Under this management the bank continued until January Ist, 1907. when it passed into the hands of the present owners, who have increased its capital to $12,000, with $3,000 surplus.
After the dedication of the I. O. O. F. Hall on July 4th, 1888, Roth Bros. opened a stock of general merchandise in the lower room, moving from the store room previously occupied by them on the opposite side of the street. They continued the business until 1891, when they sold to D. S. and M. A. Manwaring. The present owner, Mr. A. F. Smith, bought the stock and business from Manwaring Bros. in 1897.
Among the pioneers of the county who died in '1888 were J. O. Gray, county assessor, on Nov. Ist, and L. H. Tarbell, proprietor of the Wes- sington Springs Hotel, on March 22nd. After the death of Mr. Tarbell the hotel was conducted by Miss Lina A. French until the appointment of R. S. Vessey as administrator of the Tarbell estate.
The first meat market in Wessington Springs was opened by Ed. Hinchliff, of Woonsocket, on Monday, April 9th, 1888, but the enterprise was not long lived.
On May 10th, 1888, John Grant made the first final homestead proof on seven year residence that was made in the county. The land was the SE of 19 in Wessington Springs township.
19I
Mrs. Julius Smith opened a millinery stock May 23rd, in a building owned by T. H. Null west of Morse & La Pont's hardware store, but it also was of short duration.
The closing exercises of the first year of the Seminary occurred on the afternoon of June 14th, 1888. The students who had a part in these exercises were Dale Wallace, Maude Spears, Cora Sickler, Walter Bate- man, Gertie Anderson, Walter Mathias, Matie Mercer, F. E. Gaffin, Chas. Ford, Nellie Vessey, Effie Crow, Kara Snart, A. C. Thompson, Lena Crow, John Bremner, James Osborne and Lulu Smart.
The first harness shop in Wessington Springs was started by R. E. Ketchum in June, 1888. Another shop was opened soon after by C. N. Hall and in the following winter Mr. Ketchum moved his work to his home on Sec. 31 in Marlar township.
December 5th, 1888. Some one threw a burning cigar stub into the street. A strong northwest wind picked it up and tumbled it into a pile of street refuse that had accumulated under the platform in front of Al- bert & Vessey's store.
By midnight all the town was asleep-all but John R. Francis, who, as was his custom, sat in the office of the Tarbell hotel reading by the light of a kerosene lamp. About 2 o'clock he chanced to glance out of the window and saw a small jet af flame leap up under the store front. A cup of water would have extinguished it. He sprang to the water pail that usually stood on the wash stand in the hotel office. It was empty. . He shouted "fire" and ran to the kitchen to get a pail of water from there. That pail was empty. He took it and ran to the east door of the kitchen to get water from the barrels that usually stood just out- side in a wagon. The door was locked and the key gone. He ran out through the office and around to the wagon, still shouting "fire! fire!" The barrels were empty. Not a drop of water nearer than the creek. He ran to that, all the time sounding the alarm. As he passed the fire a pail full of water would have put it out. But the wind was fanning it. and scattering the sparks. By the time he returned from the stream a crowd was gathering, but the flames were beyond control. In an hour the store was in ashes, the Tarbell hotel was in ruins with its stables and sheds, together with Hackett's real estate office and the oil-shed belonging to the hardware store. There was no snow on the ground and a prairie fire went racing off southeast before the wind. The hotel was never rebuilt. The mercantile firm went into the Stephens' building and was soon doing business again.
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