USA > South Dakota > Minnehaha County > History of Minnehaha county, South Dakota. Containing an account of its settlements, growth, development and resources Synopsis of public records, biographical sketches > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94
Another railroad meeting of the citizens of Minnehaha county was held in Sioux Falls on the 22d day of January, 1876, and although the expression was unanimous in favor of aiding any railroad com- pany in building into Sioux Falls, still, the general opinion was that $50,000 would be as much as the county could afford to donate. Dur- ing the month of March, 1876, the Worthington and Sioux Falls railroad company was organized at St. Paul, with the view of making a con- nection with the road to be built by the Sioux Falls company, and this company proceeded to build a railroad from Worthington in the direction of Sioux Falls, completing its line to Luverne during the fall of 1877.
At a citizen's meeting held September 5, 1877, in Sioux Falls, some of the officials of the Sioux City and St. Paul and St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad company made the following proposition: "If the citizens of Minnehaha county will vote us aid to the amount of $25,000, and the village of Sioux Falls will vote us an additional
147
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
amount of $10,000, we will build and equip a railroad to Sioux Falls on or before October 1, 1878." On the 28th day of September, 1877. Horace Thompson of St. Paul, president of the Worthington and Sioux Falls Railroad Co., addressed a letter to the commissioners of Minnehaha county, proposing to build that line of road into Sioux Falls by the first day of October, 1878, if certain conditions contained in the letter were complied with. He required that the County of Minnehaha should raise $25,000 in aid of the road, and said in this communication that he made this proposition with the expectation that Sioux Falls would raise an additional sum of $10,000, and that the company controlling the charter to the Minnesota line would turn over to the Worthington and Sioux Falls company its charters, sur- veys, right of way, deeds, or releases of the whole line, including land at terminus in Sioux Falls for depot and side tracks, free from all expense. This communication was received by the county board on October 1, and on that day the board decided to submit to the election of the county the question of bonding the county in the sum of $25,000 in aid of the road, as proposed, the bonds to run twenty vears, with interest at ten per cent., and not to be issued by the board until Sioux Falls had raised $10,000 for the same purpose. The question was submitted at the general election in November, and re- sulted adversely to the issuance of the bonds, the vote standing 304 for, and 492 against.
After this defeat, the proposition made by the Worthington and Sioux Falls company was modified, and a proposition was submitted to the people of Sioux Falls, offering to build a road into Sioux Falls before the 1st day of November, 1878, provided they would raise $20,- 000 in aid of the road, and comply with the conditions first proposed in reference to the right of way and depot grounds. The citizens of Sioux Falls by this time were determined that the road being built west from Worthington and then completed and in operation to Luverne, should be extended with the greatest possible dispatch to Sioux Falls. Fifty-two citizens of Sioux Falls petitioned the board of trustees of the village to submit the question of bonding the village for this purpose, in the sum of 520,000, to the electors of the village, and a meeting of the village council was called for December 15, to consider the propriety of so doing.
When the meeting convened, President Howard and Trustces Sherman, VanEps and Phillips were present, Trustee Callender ab- sent. A motion was made to grant the request of the petitioners, which received an unanimous vote, and the election was called for January 15, 1878. The result of this election was 102 votes for and three against bonding.
At a special meeting of the village board held March 29, 1878, the bonds voted by the corporation were signed by C. K. Howard, president, and C. O. Natesta, clerk, and put into the hands of the village treasurer to be turned over to the Sioux Falls Railroad com- pany at the proper time. The bonds having been issued, the Sioux Falls company was merged into the Worthington and Sioux Falls Railroad company, and the extension of its line secured.
Sioux Falls was now sure of a railroad, and her people watched
148
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
the approach of the iron rail with great pleasure, and every issue of the local newspapers announced the progress that was being made. It reached Valley Springs the first of June, and on Monday, the 4th day of June, the company opened its office at that place for business. Brandon, the next station, was reached on the 15th day of July, al- though considerable grading had been done on the line west of that place. On Thursday, August 1, 1878, the first train with passengers in charge of Peter Becker, conductor, reached Sioux Falls between twelve and 1 o'clock in the afternoon, to be accurate, 12:40. A few gentlemen from Sioux Falls met this train at Brandon and decorated the engine with flags and streamers, and when the train reached its destination it was greeted by a band of music, led by T. H. Brown, and the cheers and shouts of a large assemblage of people.
CHICAGO, ST. PAUL, MINNEAPOLIS AND OMAHA PASSENGER DEPOT.
It is easy to imagine something of the feeling pervading the peo- ple on this occasion, after having so long and so diligently labored for railroad facilities to find at last the work had been accomplished, and their ears could hear the whistle of a locomotive, and their eyes see a train of cars in Sioux Falls.
The writer was in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on the 11th day of September, 1870, when the first railroad train came into that city. It was a great day, and the people for miles around decided to make
149
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
the most of it. Thousands of people were in attendance, and when the train approached bands of music played, cannons boomed, and the crowd set up a mighty shout. A few rods from the depot a large, well-dressed woman sat in a two-seated carriage with a driver in front, and the spirited horses attached to her carriage became frightened and commenced to run, when she shouted "let them run, let them run, I have been in the west sixteen years, and this is the first time I have seen the cars."
The first passenger fare established to St. Paul was $9.75, to Sioux City via Worthington, $6.20. Freight rates to St. Paul were as follows:
First-class $1.00 per hundred pounds
Second-class 90 per hundred pounds
Third-class 70 per hundred pounds
Fourth-class 60 per hundred pounds
Lumber $60 per car Wheat 30 cents per bushel
Trains from St. Paul arrived at 11:45 A. M., and departed at 1:15 P. M. During August and September following, the company erected depot buildings, engine house, and an elevator with a capacity of 60,000 bushels.
The Worthington and Sioux Falls line was extended to Salem in McCook county during the fall of 1879, and was eventually ab- sorbed by the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railroad Company.
THE CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL RAILROAD.
Having secured one railroad, the enterprising business men of Sioux Falls set about the securing of other lines into the city.
During the latter part of the year 1878, the Sioux City and Pem- bina railroad had completed its line to Beloit, and, like all railroad corporations, wanted a donation from the people residing along the line as it proceeded to build. It proposed to build to Sioux Falls during the year 1879, provided an appropriation should be made by her people for that purpose. At this time the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul company was building west from McGregor, and was getting its line within hailing distance, and although the proposed route entered Dakota south of Minnehaha county, it was thought ad- visable to make the attempt to divert it from its course and secure its extension to Sioux Falls.
A railroad company was organized at Sioux Falls called the Sioux Falls and Red River company, and had for its initial object the securing of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul line of road. This corporation consisted of B. F. Campbell, M. Grigsby, Wm. Van Eps, C. K. Howard, J. M. Washburn, A. Gale, E. W. Caldwell, H. Cal- lender, N. E. Phillips and T. H. Brown of Sioux Falls, and W. J. Sibbison and R. S. Alexander of Dell Rapids.
As soon as incorporated, the company conferred with the management of the C., M. and St. P. R. R. Co., in reference to secur- ing that line of road, but after brief negotiations it was found impos-
150
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
sible to divert it from its proposed route, or to secure any assurance that it would build a branch line to Sioux Falls.
During the early part of 1879, the Pembina company manifested a disposition to build to Sioux Falls, but at the same time it wanted a donation, and submitted to the people at different times, proposi- tions for extending its line to Sioux Falls, and promised to have the road in operation before January 1, 1880.
On the 26th day of July, it finally proposed that it would do so if Sioux Falls would donate depot grounds and secure the right of way from Canton. This offer was promptly accepted and the right of way secured, and on the 18th day of December, 1879, the first train over this road arrived in Sioux Falls. During the month of October, 1879, the Sioux City and Pembina, and Dakota Southern railroad companies consolidated, and on the first day of April, 1880, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul company absorbed it into its railroad system.
CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL PASSENGER DEPOT.
Another road, the Southern Minnesota, during 1879 was rapidly coming west through southern Minnesota and it was thought desir- able that this road should build down the valley of the Sioux to Sioux Falls. It was not very greedy in its demand for a donation for building to Sioux Falls, but asked that depot grounds in the village and the right of way for ten miles north of the corporation limits be given. This proposition was accepted, and the road secured and completed into Sioux Falls in 1881, and was soon absorbed by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company.
151
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
BURLINGTON, CEDAR RAPIDS AND NORTHERN RAILROAD.
As early as the 13th day of August. 1884. P. P. Peck, then one of the aldermen of Sioux Falls, asked the city council, "to appro- priate $500 to make a permanent survey of a line of railroad from Sioux Falls east to a point in Osceola or Lyon counties, Iowa, to inter- sect with the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern railroad." This was done by an unanimous vote, and a warrant ordered drawn in the sum of $100, "to pay the incidental expenses of such survey." A few months later a warrant was drawn for $400 to defray the ex- penses of the survey that had been made.
The foregoing is the first record the writer has been able to find of any attempt made to get the Burlington line of road into Sioux Falls.
During 1885 the subject was discussed, but no definite action taken.
At a railroad meeting held in Sioux Falls January 2, 1886, the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad Company made a proposition to extend its line to Sioux Falls during the year 1886. To do this it required that a fund of 580,000 be raised by the people residing along the proposed route from Ellsworth to Sioux Falls, and that the right of way and depot grounds be donated. Pre- vions to this, the Sioux Falls, Iowa and Northern Railroad Company had been formed, and the final result of this meeting was to pass a resolution as follows: " Resolved, that it is taken to be the sense of the meeting that the officers of the Sioux Falls, Iowa and Northern railroad be requested to draw a guarantee of the proposition here submitted by President Ives, and present the same to the people of Sioux Falls for their signature, and that the chairman of this meeting appoint a committee of five for that purpose." This meeting was well attended and those present were in a mood to promise al- most anything to secure this road, in fact, some of them said, "Sioux Falls could not prosper without it." An agreement was drawn up and signed by the committee on the part of Sioux Falls, and by Presi- dent Ives on the part of the railroad company to carry into effect the proposition as first made. It was estimated that Sioux Falls would have to raise $50,000 of the $80,000 asked for, and the contract was made accordingly.
On the 11th day of January, 1886, the city council convened in special session to consider a petition that had been circulated and largely signed, asking the council to levy a tax on all the taxable property in the city, sufficiently large to raise $50,000, or else sub- mit to the people the question of bonding the city in that sum to secure the building of this road to Sioux Falls.
The council referred the petition to the finance committee, with instruction to report at the next meeting, and then adjourned until the next day. On the 12th day of January the committee reported, recommending the council to submit the question of bonding the city in the sum of $50,000 in aid of the road, to the electors of Sioux Falls, and that the election be held on the 9th of February, 1886.
152
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
The council at once passed a resolution calling the election, as recommended by the committee. Within a day or two after this action had been taken, it was discovered that $50,000 would not be sufficient to meet the obligations assumed by the citizens committee, and a public meeting was held to take the subject into consideration.
At this meeting it was thought advisable to raise $60,000, as it would require at least $10,000 to get the right of way and depot grounds in Minnehaha county. A resolution was passed, requesting the city council to submit the question of bonding the city in the sum of $60,000 to a vote of the people. In a called session on the 20th day of January, the city council rescinded its former action in the matter, and ordered the question submitted to a vote of the peo- ple on the 16th day of February, 1886, in accordance with the terms of the resolution adopted at the citizens' meeting.
The election was held and resulted in there being 709 votes cast, of which 671 were in favor of issuing bonds, and 38 against.
On the 26th day of February the vote was canvassed and the bonds ordered issued-120 in number, of $500 each, at 7 per cent. in- terest, to become due in twenty years. On the 12th day of May the city council directed the mayor and clerk to sign the bonds and de- posit them in the Minnehaha National Bank. This issue of bonds was at a later date destroyed, owing to some informalities, and on the 9th day of March, 1887, a new issue of bonds was made in the same amount, to run for twenty years from date.
E
BURLINGTON, CEDAR RAPIDS AND NORTHERN PASSENGER DEPOT.
153
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY,
The road was completed into Sioux Falls on the 26th day of Oc- tober, 1886, J. W. Boyce driving the last spike at 11 o'clock A. M., and the ringing of church bells and blowing of steam whistles announced to the people that the B., C. R & N. railroad was com- pleted. A freight train arrived that day over the road, and the fol- lowing dav, at 3 o'clock P. M., a passenger train left for Ellsworth, to connect with the through train from Watertown, and on the 1st day of November, 1886, regular passenger trains commenced running.
In securing the right of way through the county, and in getting the other towns along the line to Ellsworth to donate their propor- tionate share, required not a little work on the part of Sioux Falls. Thomas H. Brown did a good deal of this work, and is entitled to a large share of the credit in obtaining this line of road.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD.
On the 26th day of April, 1887, a public meeting was held at Cherokee, Iowa, to take action in the matter of inducing the Illinois Central Railroad Company to build a branch to Sioux Falls. It was a well-attended meeting of the business men of Cherokee, and they were alive to the advantages the city would secure by the building of this road. A committee was appointed to confer with the officials of the road, and to set before them the advantages that Cherokee had over all other towns on the line as a terminus of a branch road to Sioux Falls. The committee had also instruction to confer with the people of Sioux Falls, and get them interested in the enterprise.
This may be said to be the initial step that culminated in secur- ing to Sioux Falls a connection with the Illinois Central, although the citizens of Sioux Falls had before this taken some action in the same direction.
About four o'clock in the afternoon of Thursday, May 12, 1887. a delegation of twenty-two gentlemen arrived in Sioux Falls in the interest of the proposed railroad from Cherokee. This delegation was made up of business men from Cherokee, Primgar, Sheldon and Rock Rapids. They were expected to arrive the next day, but the citizens were ready for them, and dodgers were at once circulated, calling the business men to assemble at the Cataract house that even- ing to confer with the delegation regarding the projected railroad connection.
Representatives of all the various interests in the city responded to the call, and the visitors were assured that nothing would please the people of Sioux Falls more, than to secure the railroad connec- tion they desired.
Just prior to this time, it had been intimated in railroad circles that the Illinois Central had a project to extend its road from Fort Dodge to Sioux Falls, and from whatever point this road commenced to build through northwestern Iowa, the people of Sioux Falls were determined to offer such inducements as to secure the connection. R. F. Pettigrew, A. Beveridge, C. E. Mckinney, E. A. Sherman and Major E. G. Smith were appointed on the part of Sioux Falls to act with the delegations present from the several localities, with in- structions to do everything possible to secure the road.
154
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
The delegations returned home the next day, and reported they had been enthusiastically received all along the line, and that the people were alive to the importance of energetic, concerted action, if they were to secure the road from Cherokee to Sioux Falls.
Sioux Falls had been fixed upon by the Central, as the ultimate terminus of the proposed branch, and whether it was to commence at Fort Dodge, Tara, Manson, or Cherokee, (although her citizens preferred it should be at Cherokee) she was reasonably certain of the connection.
On the 22d day of May, 1887, the officials of the Illinois Central visited Cherokee, and the advantages and feasibility of the route from Cherokee to Sioux Falls were so strongly presented to them by the people of that enterprising city, that they secured an order di- recting Division Superintendent Gilleas to make a survey of the route at once.
On Wednesday, June 1, 1887, D. C. Rice of Sioux Falls, who had been summoned to Cherokee, returned home and reported that the route had been divided into three surveying districts -- one from Cherokee to Sheldon, one from Sheldon west, and one from Sioux Falls east; that he had charge of the one from Sioux Falls, and had received instructions to push his work with all possible vigor, and that he would commence the next dav.
June 2, 1887, Superintendent Gilleas was in Sioux Falls, and he said the survey would be completed over the entire route within two weeks. On Wednesday, July 11, he again visited Sioux Falls, ac- companied by Wm. J. Knight, attorney of the Illinois Central rail- road, and it was soon known that they came with authority to con- tract for the building of the road from Cherokee to Sioux Falls before January 1, 1888. As usual on occasions like this, a meeting was held at the Cataract house in the evening. It was largely at- tended by representative business men, and without any delay Mr. Knight made the following proposition: "The Illinois Central will at once commence grading and have its line from Cherokee to Sioux Falls in operation by January 1, 1888, if the city of Sioux Falls will secure it depot grounds and the right of way thereto from the cor- poration limits." The proposition was accompanied with a state- ment that the depot grounds wanted by the company was a strip of land 300 feet wide and about 2,000 feet long, on the east side of the river north of Eighth street, between the river bank and the Omaha track, and that the company desired the right of way to the packing house, polishing works and quarries, and sufficient ground for stock vard and roundhouse purposes.
Before this, the people of Sioux Falls had agreed with the towns east, through which the road was to be built, that Sioux Falls would secure the right of way in Minnehaha county. After the proposition had been submitted by Mr. Knight, it was discussed fully by those present and finally submitted to a vote, and it was unanimously de- cided to accept the proposition. A committee was then appointed, consisting of R. F. Pettigrew, C. E. Mckinney, E. G. Smith, E. A. Sherman and C. (). Bailey, to obtain a guaranty that the agreement would be carried out, and to arrange with the company in reference to all matters contained in its proposition.
155
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
Although this project of building the road from Cherokee to Sionx Falls was being carried on by the Illinois Central company, still it could not do it directly, as its charter obtained from the State of Illinois did not permit it to construct any railroad lines outside of the state, but it could acquire possession of railroads by purchase or consolidation. To avoid this inhibition, the Cherokee and Dakota, a construction company, was incorporated, composed of prominent of- ficials of the Illinois Central.
On Tuesday, July 12, 1887. a large delegation came over from Rock Rapids for the purpose of seeing what could be done in refer- ence to the right of way nine miles in length, in Minnesota. This delegation wanted Sioux Falls to take care of it, as they had all they could do at Rock Rapids, having to procure thirty-two miles of right of way in Lyon county besides depot grounds. The result of this conference was an agreement that Sioux Falls should obtain the right of way in Minnesota.
The following Thursday prominent officials of the Illinois Con- tral came to Sioux Falls and informed the people just what was wanted to settle the question whether the road would be built or not. Some of the requirements it was impossible to perform, and soon af- ter, E. A. Sherman and R. F. Pettigrew went to Dubuque to confer further with the railroad officials, and obtain, if possible, such modi- fications of the contract as would enable the people of Sioux Falls to enter into it, feeling assured that they could perform the obligations assumed.
In this mission they were successful, and Mr. Sherman returned to Sioux Falls. On Tuesday, July 26, 1887, he started out with a contract of guaranty to obtain the signatures of the business men of the city, and the amount they would be individually responsible for if the road was built in 1887. The city had bonded for $60,000 in building the B., C. R. and N. railroad, and had promised the Willmar and Sioux Falls company $60,000 more, and it looked like a big job to secure $40,000 for this road, and it was probable that it could not be obtained for a less sum.
Mr. Sherman put in a good day's work, and at night had $30,000 subscribed. Thirteen men had subscribed $1,000 each, and thirty- four men $500 each. The next day he increased the guaranty to $42,- 250, and then telegraphed the officials of the Illinois Central that the guaranty was completed in accordance with the Dubuque agreement. Thursday evening a public meeting was held, but it was only neces- sary as a ratification meeting, and it is safe to say that a Sioux Falls audience was never in a happier mood. A committee was appointed to secure the right of way, consisting of E. A. Sherman, R. F. Petti- grew, C. E. Mckinney, H. M. Avery and R. G. Parmley.
On Saturday, July 30, 1887, the guaranty was accepted by the railroad officials, and the grading of the road let, to be completed within sixty days, and the people of Sioux Falls retired that night assured of another connection with a great railroad system.
E. A. Sherman, R. F. Pettigrew and R. G. Parmley went into Minnesota to secure the right of way, in fact, all along the line as far as Sioux Falls was to obtain it, and one of the committee re-
156
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
ported that when they were all together they could always secure it. Pettigrew and Sherman would get the men into their barns and Parmley would go into their houses and by his bland smiles, winning deportment and entertaining songs would so please the ladies that when they came to the point of contracting for the amount that should be paid, they always found the wives more liberal than the husbands. On the 12th day of August, 1887, this commitee re- ported that they had secured the right of way through Minnesota, except for a short distance over the property of two nonresidents, and that in so doing, had contracted to pay $6, 400.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.