USA > South Dakota > Jerauld County > A history of Jerauld county, South Dakota > Part 29
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On November 18th, F. A. Franzwa made an assignment for the benefit of his creditors. All were paid in full, the liabilities being about $14,000 and the assets $17,000, besides his two store buildings, at Lane and Al- pena.
About the first of December, Mrs. W. G. Milliken purchased Mrs. Van Houten's millinery stock and business.
In January, two petitions asking for free rural mail routes from Wes- sington Springs were circulated one for a route running north, circulated by J. H. McVey and the other circulated by Henry L. England, of Har- mony township for a route running west.
At noon on January 22nd, the alarm of fire was given in Wessington Springs, for the old Seminary was burning. The chemical engine proved worthless in that emergency, because of the location of the fire, whichi had started in the coal bin of the laundry. The building fell in about an hour after the fire was discovered. In February enough money had been subscribed to build another, and far better, seminary and the architect's plans accepted. At the same time the same architect submitted plans for the new public school building which was also accepted. The contracts for both buildings were let to the same man and work commenced June 12th. While the new building was being arranged for and built, the work of the seminary was carried on at the court house. In July the building that had been used for the public school was sold to the seminary and moved to the campus for use as a dormitory. Both the new buildings --- the seminary and the public school-were completed ready for use in November.
The city voted in January to issue bonds in the sum of $23,500 to build a system of waterworks by utilizing the big spring. On March 15th.
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Ernest Vessey.
Chas. W. Miller.
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Burning of the Seminary.
W. R. Hubbard.
Prof. and Mrs. J. K. Frccland.
Milo Putney.
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SEMINARY
The New Seminary.
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a contract was made with the Western Engineering Co., W. L. Bruce, engineer, to complete the work, as it now exists. A deed to the big spring and the land needed was obtained from the old townsite company for $3000.
One of the most important of the many great things done for Wes- sington Springs in the year 1908, was the opening of the Oliver Hotel, J. L. Coram, proprietor, which occurred on February 28th.
The hook and ladder trucks arrived in February the necessity for it having been demonstrated by the burning of the seminary.
In March arrangements were made with the government weather bureau office at Huron by which the predictions were each day phoned to the central office at Wessington Springs and by it sent over its vari- ous lines.
On March 3rd, President Roosevelt nominated to the U. S. Senate, Fred A. Dunham to be postmaster at Wessington Springs. This appoint- ment was confirmed on May 22nd and he became postmaster on July Ist in place of W. F. Bancroft, who had resigned. About the same time he purchased Mr. Bancroft's interest in the Jacobs-Bancroft building and inoved his paper, the Jerauld county Review, to the rear of the room oc- cupied by the post office.
Henry Pfaff re-opened his bakery in April in the building west of Dr. Cooper's office.
In the same month a Rebekah lodge with 44 members was established at Wessington Springs with Mrs. Louise Gregory, N. G.
About the same time the W. W. Johnson Lumber Co. sold its yards in Jerauld county to the Hayes-Lucas Lumber Co.
It was in April also that Miss Goldie Atkins opened the Cozy Cafe in the old Herald building on the north side of Main street. She sold the business to Earl Hawthorne in October.
On May 5th M. Lawson, of Parker, S. D., rented Bjorlo's studio and located in Wessington Springs.
The Wessington Springs Seminary on June 3rd granted diplomas to its graduating class-Mary L. Thompson, Leonard V. Hitchman, Jennie L. Dolliver, Gottfrid Bern and Mable F. Remster.
About the first of September, James Greenlee, from Coon Rapids, Iowa, bought an interest in Hermsen's barber shop, located in the old building where Ford and Rich had their "law and land office" twenty-five years before.
In the same month, L. S. DuBois sold The True Republican to H. A. Short.
Dr. Keene located in Wessington Springs to practice medicine, also in September.
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JEPAULO CO. COURT HOUSE.
HESSINGTON SPRINGS S.D.
Jerauld County Court House.
Wessington Springs 1899.
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In October the firm of Dill & Reese purchased the Herman Brod- korb grocery stock and building and began to do a general bakery busi- ness. Mr. Brodkorb retained his meat market business until the latter part of December when he sold it to Messrs. Hutchinson & Sleeper, of Lincoln, Nebraska.
On the 16th and 17th, of October, the Catholic ladies of Wessington Springs and vicinity held a church fair which produced a net income of over $500.
During many years the contests in temperance oratory had been con- tinued. Of the young people of Jerauld county who had won prizes in local and district contests Philip and Florence Moulton, Mrs. W. F. Bancroft and Laura Easton, all of Wessington Springs, had each .won diamond medals.
In the same month occurred the first game of foot ball ever played in Wessington Springs. The players were the Woonsocket high school eleven and the Seminary. The result was a victory for Woonsocket 15 to 2, but in December another game was played in which Woonsocket was defeated II to o.
In October Mrs. Esmay purchased the millinery business of Mrs. N. B. England.
About the middle of November the Wessington Springs Hardware and Implement Company, a corporation was formed. It took in the stock of both hardware stores and the stock of T. L. White was moved across the street to the Zink & Farrington building. The president of this com- pany was Joseph O'Brien and the directors were P. H. Shultz, N. B. England, Wm. Zink, J. H. Farrington and T. L. White.
The new brick school house at Wessington Springs was dedicated November 20th.
In December Mr. Bruce Bruntlett, of Kimball, built the Wessington Springs mill and about the same time A. M. Rasmussen opened a shoe store in the room vacated by the White hardware store.
In the month of December S. T. Leeds, who had set some traps by the lakes in Media township was greatly surprised to find two jack snipes caught in the traps he had set for mink.
Among the matters of county importance was the Free Methodist Sunday school convention held in February.
April 9th the county commissioners changed the places for selling property at chattel mortgage sales to H. A. Butler's livery barn in Wes- sington Springs, Thompson's livery barn in Alpena and Cunningham & Clodt's livery barn in Lane.
Early in the year a petition was circulated, to which the required number of signatures were obtained, asking for an increase of the num-
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PUBLIC SCHOOL
WASSINGTON SPRINGS. U.
Second Wessington Springs School House.
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First Wessington Springs School House.
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ber of commissioners from three to five. On the 22nd of April the board called in the county auditor and the county judge and divided the county into five districts, as follows :
Ist Dist .- Franklin and Blaine townships.
2nd Dist .- Alpena, Dale and Chery townships.
3rd Dist .- The city of Wessington Springs.
4th Dist .- Anina, Viola and Wessington Springs townships.
5th Dist .- The balance of the county not included in the other four districts.
For the extra commissioners they appointed W. H. McMillan of Alpena for the 2nd district and Herman C. Lyle of Anina township for the 4th district. Mr. McMillan afterwards declined the position and Ray Barber, also of Alpena, was given the office.
The county teachers' institute began August 17th and continued two weeks with Prof. Ramer of Mitchell as conductor.
The legislature of 1907 had enacted a primary election law and the old time caucus, unregulated by law, was gone forever. For the first time in the history of the state, all the people had a direct voice in the nomination of candidates. The primary, or nominating, election had been held in June by the Republicans and the following ticket put in the field :
Senator-A. Williamson of Sanborn county.
Representative-W. H. McMillan.
Treasurer-L. F. Russell.
Auditor-H. O. Refrem.
Clerk of Courts-Jas. T. Ferguson.
Register of Deeds-Chas. H. Hyde.
Attorney-J. G. Bradford.
Sheriff-C. W. Miller.
County Supt .- John F. Wicks. Judge-C. C. Gleim.
County Com., Ist Dist .- Geo. E. Whitney.
County Com., 2nd Dist .- Ray Barber.
County Com., 3rd Dist .- H. C. Lyle.
On the state ticket R. S. Vessey was nominated for governor.
The Democratic party took no part in the primary election, but nominated the following ticket by petition :
Senator-Noah Keller, of Sanborn county.
Representative-T. L. White.
Treasurer-G. W. Backus.
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125.000 GALLONS
PURE SPRING WAFER
THE SPRING
Reservoir at the Big Spring.
The Beginning of the Wessington Springs Seminary.
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Auditor -- W. F. Yegge. Register of Deeds-S. E. Pflaum.
County Supt .- Dora M. Shull. Sheriff-Nels Petersen.
Clerk of Courts-Geo. W. Titus.
County Com., Ist Dist .- Jos. Steichen.
County Com., 2nd Dist .- T. M. Thompson.
County Com., 3rd Dist .- P. Christensen.
At the election in November 1129 votes were polled and all the Re- publican candidates were elected except the candidates for Co. Supt. and Representative. Mr. Vessey was elected governor of the state.
On December 4th, just prior to his removal to Pierre the governor- elect was given a splendid reception in the new high school building by the people of the county.
In compiling this history of the county, I have not been able to give a complete account of the artesian wells that have been put down in the county, because some of the well drillers have kept no record of their work. Mr. W. P. Shultz, of Viola township has furnished me with a complete list of the wells drilled by him prior to January Ist, 1909. It is as follows :
George Clodt, Sec. 17, Viola, 1894, 800 feet deep. P. H. Shultz, Sec. 9. Viola, 1894, 880 feet deep.
Chas. Walters, Sec. 15, Viola, 1895, 830 feet deep. Mr. Campbell, Sec. 6, Blaine, 1896, 725 feet deep. Carl Beug, Sec. 25, Viola, 1898, 760 feet deep. Earnest Schmidt, Sec. 14, Dale, 1899, 817 feet deep. Wm. Klein, Sec. 25, Chery. 1900, 920 feet deep.
Up to this time Mr. Shultz had worked with a machine driven by horse power. Afterward the work was done with an engine.
J. E. Shull, Sec. 2, Marlar, 1900, 1725 feet deep. (No water).
K. S. Starkey, Sec. 26, Wessington Springs, 1903, 800 feet deep. P. H. Shultz, Sec. 29, Viola, 1903, 810 feet deep. Frank Villbrandt, Sec. 20, Viola, 1903, 890 feet deep. Wm. Daleske, Sec. 14, Dale, 1903. 816 feet deep. Earnest Villbrandt, Sec. 2, Viola, 1903, 725 feet deep. Ole Solburg, Sec. I, Viola, 1904. 735 feet deep. Jos. Steichen, Sec. 27, Blaine, 1904, 725 feet deep.
K. S. Starkcy, in Wessington Springs City, 1904, 1030 feet deep. W. T. McConnell, Sec. 12, Chery, 1904, 800 feet deep. Larry A. Pinard, Sec. 1, Chery, 1904, 88 feet deep.
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Jas. R. Dalton.
J. B. Collins.
Theo. Dean.
W. P. Shuls.
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Louis Hillbrandt, Sec. 3, Viola, 1904, 840 feet deep. O. W. Morehead, Sec. 10, Viola, 1904, 860 feet deep. W. P. Shultz, Sec. 27, Viola, 1904, 830 feet deep. J. N. Smith, Sec. 17, Viola, 1904, 840 feet deep.
David Burnison, Sec. 4, Franklin, 1904, 740 feet deep.
Henry Kneiriem, Sec. 8, Franklin, 1905, 750 feet deep.
Paul Kleppin, Sec. 32, Wessington Springs, 1905, repair, 1098 ft. deep.
H. F. Shultz, Sec. 9, Viola, 1905, 890 feet deep. Geo. Clodt, Sec. 17, Viola, 1905, 940 feet deep.
Aug. Scheel estate, Sec. 31, Alpena, 1906, 715 feet deep.
Adebar Bros., Sec 25, Dale, 1906, 800 feet deep.
Justin Schmidt, Sec. 25, Wessington Springs, 1906, 725 feet deep.
Mr. Friest, Sec. 5, Blaine, 1906, 780 feet deep.
L. D. R. Kruse, Sec. 14, Viola, 1907, 730 feet deep. O. F. Kieser, Sec. 35, Viola, 1907, 780 feet deep.
Max Wetzel, Sec. 26, Viola, 1907, 776 feet deep.
O. W. Morehead, Sec. 28, Wess. Sprs. Twp., 1907, 930 feet deep.
B. F. Wood, Sec. 28, Wess. Sprs. Twp., 1907, 780 feet deep.
S. T. Smith, Sec. 18, Viola, 1907, 930 feet deep.
Chapter 21. PRAIRIE FIRES.
Because of the great number of prairie fires that have devastated Jerauld county during the past twenty-five years I have seen fit to put the record of those events in a chapter set apart to that purpose.
The following account of a fire that occurred March 26th, 1885, is taken from an old copy of the Waterbury News then edited by C. V. Martin.
"The most destructive fire that has swept the beautiful prairies about Waterbury, occurred on Thursday of this week. About noon a black cloud of smoke was observed off to the northwest, being swept south by a perfect gale of wind. Little by little the wind veered around more into the west and soon the flames could be seen darting up all over the neigh- boring hills. Nearly every man and boy in Waterbury then armed them- selves with wet blankets and other weapons to fight the flames and struck out into the country to help some of the neighbors who were unprotected. . The fire in the mean time was going at the rate of twenty miles an hour
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down Crow Creek Valley, licking up hay stacks and stables in its path as if they had been so much tinder.
When the fire reached Clay Platner's old place (the NE of Sec. 19), Stillman Moulton and brother, who had gone a little beyond, to try to save a haystack belonging to them, were caught in the flames and their faces, hands and feet were fearfully burned-so badly that the skin on Still's face and hands had fallen off in places, before he reached town. The boys suffered terribly, but Dr. Miller, their physician, thinks they will pull through all O. K. if they are careful of themselves.
At Joseph Ponsford's place the fire destroyed his hay stable and grain, but he managed to save his stock, though he was slightly burned in doing so. On the wild fire sped across the Crow Creek Valley and up to R. A. Wheeler's stock farm, and here the worst damage to stock was done. The stock yards had been protected last fall by a slight firebreak, but owing to the dryness of the grass and the high wind, this break was altogether insufficient, although the grass was small and stubby on the knoll where the yards were built. This fact was realized by the men about the place as soon as the fire was seen coming and they immediately went to en- larging the firebreak, but they had commenced too late, and before they had accomplished anything, scarcely, the fire was upon them. It jumped the break as easily as if there had been none in the way, and caught in the yards and stables where 45 head of fine young cattle were penned up. The poor creatures ran bellowing into the stable where in a perfect pandemonium of bellows, which their suffering elicited, they were burned alive.
The wagons, plows and other farming machinery belonging to the farm were either all, or in part, burned up. This is a most disastrous blow on the most estimable, but unlucky, Wheeler. Last winter his home with its contents was devoured by the flames, and now a greater calamity has befallen him. Not only is his stock and machinery gone, but his wife in her heroic endeavor to save their little property, was dreadfully burned. This terrible fortune can not always follow and Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler should not be entirely discouraged, as people of their industry will soon recover, even from their great loss.
The town of Waterbury was at one time during the day in great danger, but by the united and energetic effort of the citizens it was soon secure from any danger of the fire."
A few days later, April Ist, during a heavy southwest wind a fire started near Crow Lake and burned among the hills to a point near Turtle Peak northwest of Wessington Springs. The wind then turned to the west and the fire was blown down into the valley until it reached the line between Chery and Dale townships. The wind then shifted into the north
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and drove the long line of flames straight at the town. There was quick work at the county seat that afternoon to save the town from destruction. A firebreak was made by backfiring along a wagon tract from the resi- dence of Hiram Blowers to Dr. Mathias' drug store, which checked the head fire and the side fires were soon extinguished.
In March of the previous year a fire in Dale township had burned a barn and two cows owned by Chas. Eastman and a barn each for Ed. Harmston and O. W. Richardson.
In Viola township, on Sept. 4th, 1884, Fred Kieser's barn and about 40 tons of hay were burned, and on the 7th Mr. Palowski's wheat stacks were burned. On the 24th of the same month a prairie fire swept over the northwest part of Viola township destroying about 100 hundred tons of hay for Dr. Nesmith. On September 20th of the year following fire again visited Fred Kieser, this time set by a steam thresher, and burned about 75 bushels of flax, a large amount of hay and his cattle and sheep sheds.
In Alpena township a prairie fire in November, 1883, burned over sections 9 and 10 in Alpena township, destroying some hay, a stable and a cow belonging to the Campbell boys.
In the fall of 1884 a shanty on E. T. Bowen's claim in Anina town- ship was burned together with about 50 tons of hay owned by A. D. Cady and a stack belonging to E. B. Orr.
On April 24th, 1888, a fire, driven by a strong south wind, swept across Chery township from the north part of Media and burned large quantities of hay for F. M. Brown, M. S. Thornton, M. E. Small, K. Blanchard, L. F. Russell and Roth Bros. On the same day a prairie fire in Franklin township destroyed a stable owned by Mr. Goll.
In Crow township, in 1886, J. A. Paddock's house was burned in a prairie fire and the next year his stables and granary were destroyed with all his seed corn and 500 bushels of oats.
There have been innumerable prairie fires of which no record has been kept, and of which no one has more than a vague remembrance, in which no damage was done, except to destroy the grass and take front the ground the natural covering that conserved moisture. But the year 1889, probably witnessed more destruction by fire, not only in the state at large, but more particularly in Jerauld county, than in any other year in its history.
The fires began raging in March. On the 22nd of that month a fire came from Hand county and burned over a portion of the north part of Marlar township. Two days later the residence of Sidney McElwain, in Pleasant township, was destroyed. The next day, March 25th, another fire from Hand county swept through, west of the central part of Har-
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mony township and also of Pleasant to the north line of Crow Lake township.
On the 28th of March a fire started on Section 10 in Harmony town- ship and burned southeast destroying all but the houses for N. J. Dun- ham, I. N. Rich, A. G. Snyder and H. L. England.
The 2nd day of April, 1889, will never be forgotten by any one who was in any part of South Dakota on that day. Early in the morning a strong wind, accompanied by electric currents, began blowing and soon increased to a furious gale, having a speed of over 80 miles per hour. There had been but little rain during the previous autumn, light snow in the winter and the spring rains had not yet come. Everything was dry.
In Hand county, near Ree Heights, on the NE quarter of section 17 -II2-72 lived a man named Ingram. On the morning of April 2nd, 1889, while standing near his stable he lit his pipe and threw the match down on a pile of dry manure., Mr. Louis Kreidler, now of Hyde P. O., this county, saw the fire leap up from the spot where the match was thrown and start on its career of destruction. Directly in its course lay all of the western half of Jerauld county. With a head fire miles in length it reached Marlar township about noon. It struck the township at the extreme northwest corner where Nathan Mighell lived on the NW quarter of section 6. All his buildings were destroyed in a few moments. On the NE quarter of the same section Kane Marlar's buildings were all burned, and the same fate befell the residence of Arthur Hudson on sec- tion 5, B. F. Marlar on section 4 and Frank Bemis on the SW quarter of section 3. So suddenly did the fire come and so great was its extent that the people had no opportunity to help each other. As the flames swept southward the destruction was terrible. The general course was a little east of south touching the east side of the claims of Wm. Grace and Zachariah and John Groub. A few sections in the southwest corner of Marlar township was all the unburned' prairie left for pasture in that part of the county. To the eastward of the Grace farm J. M. Corbin lost his stables and live stock. His house was saved by Mrs. Corbin, who carriet dry dirt and threw it upon each spark as it caugt upon the roof and sides of the bilding. Henry Daniels lost his buildings and hay. Wm. and Frank Scofield lost 20 head of cattle and the large barn on Wm. Scofield's claim . Mark Scofield, who lived on section 26, lost everything. On section II John Ruan lost his barn, while Tillman Hunt, on section 31. lost all his buildings. On the same section Mrs. Rosa Knight lost her stable. Fearing that the house would also be destroyed she carried her furniture out on to the garden spot, but as luck would have it, some sparks caught in the furniture and it was burned, while the house was saved. On section 29 Wm. McLain lost all but his house and on the next
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section 28, John Buchanan lost everything. The claim of Morris Curtis, the SW quarter of 33, was swept clear of all buildings, while Mr. Land- caster on SW quarter of 32 lost all his stables and hay. Mr. Hillman lost his stables and Calvin Hain and Frank Danburg lost all they had.
When the flames left Marlar township only five stables were standing within its limits and ten houses and been burned. The fire struck Crow ยท township just west of the Martin ranch, where the stables, hay and grain were lost. By this time the fury of the gale filled the air with dust, smoke, ashes, bits of grass and flying debris of every description, to such an extent that the smoke could not be distinguished, except by the smell, and the flames could not be seen at a distance of one hundred yards. Shingles, light boards and wisps of hay carried fire though the air and lighted a fire far ahead of the main conflagration. A board set fire to the grass near J. A. Paddock's farm in Crow township after having been carried by the wind over two miles. He lost two small stables. South of Paddock's in Logan township lived J. A. Riegal. He was at one of the neighbors in the forenoon when he became alarmed by the smell of smoke and hurried home. In a few moments the fire was all about the buildings. Mrs. Riegel assisted in fighting the fire until all seemed lost when she took her little child and ran to the garden spot where she knelt and pro- tected the infant as best she could until the fearful holocaust was past. The house was saved and the animals, that had gathered on a plowed field, were also saved. The out buildings were all burned.
All that part of Pleasant township lying west of the strip burned on March 25th, was swept by the flames. In this part of the township lived Frank Smith, E. J. Holdridge, B. R. Shimp, W. A. Dean? J. W. Barnum and others. The fire made a clean sweep and left nothing except the claim shanty of Miss Kate Salter. The fire traversed nearly all of the center and west half of Crow Lake township, reaching the lake at the Dusek farm, about 1:30 P. M. At the Sailer farm Ed. and Bymo were badly burned while trying to save their property from the flames. John Vanous, on section 9 lost his barn and team. The flames passed around the lake and spread out over a large part of Aurora county.
But the fire did so much damage in Marlar, Crow, Pleasant and Crow Lake townships was not the only one to rage in Jerauld county that day. There were so many, in fact, that it has been impossible to trace the origin of them all. Some were started from burning straw stacks, some by people trying to burn around their stacks or buildings to protect them from an approaching fire. The latter was the case with Mr. Pryne, of Pleasant township, who tried to burn about his hay stacks to save them from a fire he feared was coming. The neighbors extinguished
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the approaching flames, but the conflagration he started escaped from his control and destroyed all of his stacks.
The numerous fires that occurred in March served as a warning to the people of Chery township, and Messrs. Hill, Horsley, Shaefer, Lewis, Mccullough and others, burned a firebreak along the foot of the hills in that township. This enabled them to fight the blaze off from their valley farms, but it swept southward among the hills. In Media township George Dean lost all but his team and threshing machine not even being able to save his clothing or furniture.
Jas. T. Ferguson, in Anina township, having his own place reasonably well portected, brought his team from the stable to take a barrel of water to the assistance of some of his neighbors. While hitching the horses to the stoneboat the wind picked it up and hurled it with terrific force against Ferguson, cracking his skull, breaking his chest bone and one rib. Frank Voge lost everything but his house; John Shultz lost a valu- able patch of small fruit; George Kalb lost his machinery and stables ; E. J. Gates saved everything but his hay, but came near losing his life; Geo. Winegarden lost his barn, stock, hay, grain and machinery; E. H. Ford lost his claim shanty and its contents and Chas. Ferguson had his cattle, sheep and corral burned.
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