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 16
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The first iron rail laid on this road was on Monday, September 26, 1887, at Cherokee, Iowa.
Monday, December 19, 1887, was a cold day, but nearly five hundred men with two hundred teams were approaching the ter- minus of the Illinois Central in the city of Sioux Falls, laying the iron railas they advanced, and the whole city was ready for a burst of enthusiasm when the last spike should be driven. At just 11:30 o'clock, P. M., everything was ready, when Mayor Norton, wielding the sledge with with a few well directed blows, sent the last spike home, and the whole city was soon made aware by the great com- motion that followed that Sioux Falls had an air line railroad con- nection .with. Chicago.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL PASSENGER DEPOT.
It had been previously arranged that a banquet should be given the officials of the Illinois Central when the road was completed, and the evening of the 19th day of December had been fixed upon as the time, and as Governor L. K. Church was to be in the city on that day, it was made a dual affair in honor of the officials and his excellency.
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At midnight Mayor Norton appeared at the banquet room with the railroad officials, and as the governor and other invited guests were present all sat down to one of the most elegant spreads Sioux Falls had ever given. E. W. Caldwell was toastmaster, and called on Governor Church to welcome the Central to Dakota, which he did in a splendid speech. This was followed by speeches from D. R. Bailey and Major E. G. Smith on the part of Sioux Falls. General Manager Jeffries then made the speech of the occasion, and eloquently as- serted that notwithstanding a majority of the stock and bonds of his company was held by foreigners it was American to the core. Speeches from F. R. Aikens, C. H. Winsor and E. G. Wright fol- lowed, and the gathering dispersed after having given three cheers and a tiger for the Queen City.
On Thursday, December 22, S30,000 was paid out in Sioux Falls to the laborers on the new line of road.
Freight trains commenced running on this road in January, 1888. A Cherokee accommodation train was put on April 2, and a regular passenger train June 3, 1888.
It only remains to add that Sioux Falls fulfilled all the obliga- tions entered into by her citizens to secure this road, and that the city council issued the warrants of the city in the sum of $43,329.52, to pay for the right of way and depot grounds.
WILLMAR AND SIOUX FALLS RAILROAD.
On the 18th day of February, 1886, several business men of Pipe- stone visited Sioux Falls to work up the interest among her people in building a railroad to be known as the Willmar and Sioux Falls railroad. They registered at the Cataract House and then called upon some of the most prominent business men in the city, extolling the enterprise they had in hand as only men can do who want a rail- road. In the evening a meeting was held in one of the sample rooms at the Cataract House and the project discussed in all its phases. E. A. Sherman was chairman of the meeting, and before it adjourned it was decided unanimously to make a move to obtain the road, and Andrew Beveridge, C. L. Norton and Cyrus Walts were appointed a committee to act for the city. A day or two after this meeting a local company was organized as the Willmar and Sioux Falls Rail- road Company, with S2,000,000 capital to build the line, and among the directors elected were E. A. Sherman and H. T. Corson of Sioux Falls. On March 11, 1886, articles of incorporation were filed with the secretary of state of Minnesota, and on April 6, the local com- pany ordered a preliminary survey to be made.
On Tuesday, July 20, 1886, a mass meeting was held in Sioux Falls to get an expression of the citizens and to see what could be done to secure the road. The meeting was quite largely attended, and resulted in passing a resolution guaranteeing 550,000 and the right of way for the line in Minnehaha county to the Manitoba Rail- way Company, if the company would build the road into Sioux Falls.
After this time, during the year 1886, conferences were held in St. Paul with the Manitoba management by prominent citizens of Sioux Falls for the purpose of obtaining, if possible, the assurance
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that the road would come to Sioux Falls. Nothing of a definite char- acter was accomplished, although the people at this end of the line were doing everything they could to aid in the project.
On the 8th day of January, 1887, it was reported that the survey- ing party was west of Willmar, and coming west, and on the 7th day of March, that the survey had been completed to Pipestone. March 24, the surveyors arrived in Sioux Falls, having completed the survey of the entire line.
April 28, 1887, a meeting was held in the court house by the citi- zens of Sioux Falls, for the purpose of considering a proposition that had been made by President J. M. Spicer, which contemplated the building of the road to Sioux Falls. It was largely attended, and the utmost enthusiasm prevailed: and when it was known that the condi- tions of securing the road were a donation of $50,000, and the right of way in Minnehaha county, it was so good a thing that no discussion took place and the proposition was accepted by a unanimous vote. A petition to the city council was then and there signed by upwards of fifty taxpayers, asking the council to levy a direct tax in aid of the road, and pledging the signers to use their best endeavors to secure the name of every taxpaver in the city. William Van Eps, W. H. Corson, P. P. Peck, N. E. Phillips and John Sundback were ap- pointed a committee to wait upon the county commissioners at once, and urge them to call a special election, and submit the question of levving a direct tax in aid of the road to the electors of the county. A committee, consisting of M. Grigsby, C. E. McKinney, R. F. Pet- tigrew, M. Gerin and J. T. Gilbert, was appointed to draw up and circulate for signatures a guaranty to the company in sufficient amount to secure the immediate commencement of work on the line. May 8, 1887, this committee reported that there had been secured $48,000 upon the guaranty. A meeting was held in Palisade town- ship on the same day, which was largely attended, and W. W. Coon, E. Millard and Ezra Royce were appointed a committee to aid in se- curing the right of way through the township.
June 18, 1887, President Spicer came to Sioux Falls, and upon his arrival a meeting of the citizens was called for the evening. It was a representative gathering of the people, and when convened E. A. Sherman stated that the people had come together to hear a report of the meeting of the directors of the Willmar and Sioux Falls Railroad Company held at Pipestone the day before. He said it had been determined at that meeting that the road could not be built to Sioux Falls during the year 1887, as it was impossible to secure the necessary ties, but that the management of the road through its president was ready to submit a proposition to the people, which would, if accepted, secure the road. President Spicer then came forward and submitted the following proposition:
The Willmar and Sioux Falls Railway Company being desirous of obtaining from the City of Sioux Falls, County of Minnehaha, Territory of Dakota, a bonus from said city in aid of the con- struction of the line of railway of said company from Willmar, Kandiyohi county, Minnesota, to Sioux Falls, Dakota, hereby makes to said City of Sioux Falls, the following definite proposition as heretofore mutually agreed upon :
First. The amount of such aid is $ 50,000, and the right of way through Minnehaha county, Dakota, to the City of Sioux Falls,
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Second. The said amount of aid to be paid as follows: At the time of the acceptance of this proposition the citizens of Sioux Falls shall execute an indemnity bond to said railway company in the amount of $50,000. Said bond to be approved by the president of said railway company and conditioned upon the construction of said railway line as herein proposed and the payment of the said aid as follows: At the time of the completion of said line of railway to Sioux Falls, $50,000 in cash, with the option on the part of the city to make said payment as follows: $20,000 January 1, ISS9; $15,000 January 1, 1890, and $15,000 January 1, 1891, with interest thereon at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum from the time when said railway company shall have cars run- ning to the said City of Sioux Falls. Said right of way through Minnehaha county to the City of Sioux Falls to be obtained at the expense of the citizens of Sioux Falls, or of Minnehaha county, Dakota, and deeds to be placed in the hands of the said railway company on or before September 1, 1887, and it is hereby understood and agreed that the citizens of Sioux Falls shall fully protect and indemnify said railway company against any cost or expense in obtaining the right of way through Minnehaha county, Dakota, to the City of Sioux Falls.
Third. The said railway company proposes and agrees, in consideration of said bonus, to cause to be constructed its line of railway from Willmar, Kandiyohi county, Minnesota, to Sioux Falls, Minnehaha county, Dakota, and to complete its line of railway and have cars running thereon to Sioux Falls, Dakota, on or before the ist day of January, 1SS9, and to grade said rail- way through Minnehaha county to Sioux Falls on or before January 1, 1888.
In witness whereof said Willmar and Sioux Falls Railway Company has on this 18th day of June, 1887, caused this proposition to be signed by John M. Spicer, its president, and Charles C. Goodnow, its secretary, and sealed with. its corporate seal.
THE WILLMAR AND SIOUX FALLS RAILWAY COMPANY. By JOHN M. SPICER, President.
(Seal.)
CHARLES C. GOODNOW, Secretary.
He said that all the counties along the proposed route in Minne- sota had voted a tax and secured the right of way, except Pipestone county, and that the people of that county would vote on the question the following Monday. He urged the people to take prompt action in the matter, as Sioux City on the one side, and towns west of Sioux Falls would pay liberal bonuses to divert the road from Sioux Falls, and that Sioux City had already offered $300,000 for the road. Other remarks were made, when R. F. Pettigrew made a motion that the proposition submitted be accepted and the bond given. It received a unanimous vote. A committee to secure the guaranty was ap- pointed, composed of John Norton, Andrew Beveridge, C. E. Mc- Kinney, M. Gerin and J. T. Gilbert.
During the summer a good deal of speculation was engaged in, in reference to the commencement of the work here, the location of the depot and other matters pertaining to the road.
August 1, 1887, a large crew of men and several hundred teams camped on the Willmar and Sioux Falls line at a point about equi- distant from Willmar and Granite Falls, and by the 5th of Septem ber there were about one hundred camps of graders between Will- mar and Sioux Falls. September 12 it was learned that a large force of graders had been laid off, and that there was trouble somewhere. E. A. Sherman and R. F. Pettigrew visited St. Paul at once and saw James J. Hill, and were not long in finding the cause of the trouble. The Manitoba wanted depot grounds near the Omaha depot south of Eighth street, but expected to get what land the company wanted for $25,000, but had been asked $50,000, which sum was considered ex- orbitant. The result of the interview was an order by Mr. Hill that
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the grading should go on, and that the matter of depot grounds should rest until the spring of 1888, when, if necessary, condemna- tion proceedings would be instituted to obtain them, At the conclu- sion of the interview Mr. Hill said: "I have agreed to put my line through to Sioux Falls, and it is going there." This statement was a great relief to the people of Minnehaha county, for it must be ad- mitted that the boomers at Sioux City had not only kept them guess- ing, but had given them a great amount of hard work, and sharp work to thwart their schemes to divert the road from its original destination.
September 20, 1887, a meeting of the directors of the Willmar and Sioux Falls Railway Company was called at St. Paul. At this meeting all the directors resigned and an election was held for a new board. Itwas the intention to elect a director from each of the prin- cipal towns along the road, but it resulted in retaining only Presi- dent Spicer and Vice President Sherman, the balance being made up of prominent officials of the Manitoba.
Mr. Sherman arrived home on the 22d of September, and the next day it was known that the road had secured depot grounds in the southwestern part of the city, but at the same time it was known that the management still desired to obtain land near the Omaha de- pot for depot grounds, if it could be obtained at a reasonable price. This it was impossible to do, and on the 9th day of October, 1887, the depot was located where it now is.
The work of grading the road commenced early in the spring of 1888, but was delaved by heavy rains during the latter part of the spring and early summer, but on the first day of August a large force was put on, and from that time the work was pushed with great vigor. The approach of the force engaged in completing the road to Sioux Falls about October 20, 1888, astonished the people. It looked like a small, well equipped army. Some of the boarding cars were three stories high; and when the people saw seven hundred feet of track laid in just eight minutes, they were all ready to vote for "Jim Hill" for president of the United States. The line was com- pleted to Sioux Falls at 4:30 o'clock, in the afternoon of October 25, 1888.
The first regular passenger train on the Willmar and Sioux Falls railroad pulled out of the city of Sioux Falls at 8:30 A. M., November 1, 1888. The bridge not being completed over the Big Sioux river near the company's depot, temporary quarters had been provided on Eighth street, east of the Omaha depot.
E. A. Sherman secured the right of way and depot grounds for this road in Minnehaha county, and in doing so, labored hard to have it cost the city as little as possible, but having done the best he could the city was compelled to pay $77,403.65.
After the completion of the road, it was considered the right thing by the citizens of Sioux Falls, to formally express to James J. Hill its appreciation of what he had done for the city in giving her a connection with the great combination lines of railroads under his management, and a time had been fixed for so doing, but had been changed, and finally Tuesday, December 11, was settled upon for the
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occasion. At first the intention was to give a reception to the rail- road officials, but as time wore on the original plan was enlarged and the business men of St. Paul, Minneapolis and towns along the line were invited to the hospitalities of the city.
On Monday night, December 10, 1888, a train of nine sleepers and day coaches started from St. Paul for Sioux Falls. At different points along the line delegations got aboard the train, and when it arrived at its destination there were 185 passengers. A few persons from adjoining towns had also been invited, so that the guests of the city numbered more than two hundred. It was a great disappoint- ment to every one that James J. Hill could not be present, but a law suit involving about two million dollars detained him.
From the arrival of the train until its departure ten hours later, nothing was left undone by the people of Sioux Falls to make the oc- casion enjoyable for her guests and memorable in the annals of the Queen City. The arrangements were simply perfect, the banquet elegant, and the whole affair terminating in some admirable speeches in harmony with the occasion.
SOUTH SIOUX FALLS RAILROAD AND RAPID TRANSIT.
The South Sioux Falls Railroad and Rapid Transit company was incorporated in December, 1888.
The incorporators were R. F. Pettigrew, S. L. Tate, F. H. Ger- rish, C. G. Ferguson and F. W. Pettigrew. It was supposed at first that the company intended to build a belt motor line around the city, the central station to be located at South Sioux Falls.
January 4, 1889, the city council of Sioux Falls passed an ordi- nance giving this company the right to build and operate a motor line within the city limits, and the exclusive right to certain streets in the city, commencing at the intersection of Eleventh street and Phillips avenue.
During the spring and early summer the road was graded and ironed to South Sioux Falls. Two new passenger cars for this road arrived in the city about the 10th day of May, 1889. The 18th day of June, 1889, the first business was done on this road, over one thousand people being conveyed from Eleventh street to Coats' race track. A trial trip was made Tuesday, June 25, 1889, to South Sioux Falls, and all the city officials were invited to honor the oc- casion with their presence.
During the summer of that year all sort of surmises were made as to where the western terminus would be located, but the idea pre- vailed quite generally that it was the eastern end of the Midland Pacific, and would ultimately be built to Puget Sound.
In March, 1890, the name of this company was changed to the Sioux Falls Terminal Railroad Company.
A portion of this line between the city of Sioux Falls and South Sioux Falls is now operated by the Great Northern Railroad Company.
11
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
SOUTH DAKOTA RAPID TRANSIT AND RAILROAD COMPANY.
In June, 1889, it was known in Sioux Falls that there was a pro- ject on foot to construct a motor line from Sioux Falls to East Sioux Falls. The organization was perfected about the 1st of July of that vear under the name of South Dakota Rapid Transit and Railway Company. W. R. Kingsbury, R. J. Wells, C. C. Crandall, C. E. Johnson, A. M. Crosby, J. T. Little, Jr., and S. C. French were elected directors, and they elected Kingsbury, president, French, vice president, Johnson, treasurer and W. S. Welliver, secretary.
An ordinance was passed by the city council of the city of Sioux Falls on the 1st day of July, 1889, granting the right of wav for this company to build and operate a single track of its railway along and upon certain streets in the city, commencing at the foot of Ninth street crossing the Sioux river and thence east to the city limits. But before anything was done at the west end of the line, the com- pany and the owners of property on Tenth street arranged for the building of a viaduct on that street, east of the bridge over the tracks of the Milwaukee, Omaha and Great Northern railroads, and the ordinance granting the right of way, was afterwards amended so as to begin the line at the intersection of Tenth street and Phillips avenue.
About this time the Tenth street bridge was condemned, and owing to the fact that this line was to cross the river on Tenth street, the bridge was rebuilt in a most substantial manner.
As soon as the right of way through the city had been secured the company proceeded to survey the route, and when it was com- pleted on the 1st of August, Engineer Jackson reported that the line was just six miles in length. The building of the bridges on the line, seven in all, was completed in November and track laying com- menced on January 27, 1890.
About February 20, 1890, the contract was let for the equipment of the road, all except the cars, for the sum of $35,000.
The motors for the electric cars arrived April 8, and were taken to the engine house on block one in East Park addition. The engine arrived on April 12, and the boiler-weighing 13,000 1bs .- on April 17, 1890.
About this time in the history of the electric motor line, a dis- agreement arose between the city council and the company, and during the afternoon of May 14, a special meeting of the committee on rules and ordinances met to consider the matter.
At the time of the passage of the original ordinance number 81, the company thought it possible that they might want to cross the river on Tenth street, although by the terms of the ordinance it was to cross at Ninth street. Afterwards ordinance number 102 was passed, amending ordinance 81, giving the company the right to enter the city by way of Tenth street across the viaduct, and the laying of a double track on the bridge, the company to keep up the repair of the bridge roadway between the rails. At the time this ordinance was passed, Col. J. H. Drake appeared in opposition to it.
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The meeting of the committee was called to consider an ordi- nance amending ordinance number 81. Col. Drake and Wm. Van Eps were present and discussed at length the question at issue, while the company was represented by J. W. Jones and its president W. R. Kingsbury. This proposed amendment declared the rights and privileges granted under ordinance 81 forfeited, unless the line of railway should be wholly built and equipped for business and in full operation within the limits of the city of Sioux Falls on or before the 15th day of July, 1890, or within fifteen days after the Tenth street bridge and viaduct should be completed and open to travel.
The hearing in this case ended with the promise of President Kingsbury that the company would lay only one track over the bridge and viaduct, and that it should be laid upon one of the side- walks supported by brackets if found practicable.
The committee reported this ordinance to the city council on May 17, with a recommendation that it be referred to the city attor- ney, which was accordingly done.
About this time one of those little affairs occurred in the city that usually follow in building motor and street car lines where there are, or are supposed to be, conflicting interests. Sunday morning, May 25, just after midnight, there appeared to be an un- usual activity in the vicinity of Tenth street and Phillips avenue. It so happened that, owing to some public gatherings in the city that were just breaking up, a good many people were on the streets, and, as it was only a step out of the way to visit Tenth street, they did so to verify the rumor that something unusual was taking place at that point. A crowd soon gathered, and to their surprise found about fifty persons on Tenth street engaged in laying a street car track. Mayor Peck soon arrived, and was horrified at finding so many men breaking the Sabbath, and expostulated with them, using some of the most approved scriptural quotations "in accents wild," but all to no effect. The tall form of George Arneson was to be seen everywhere among the Sabbath breakers urging them on. Fred Pettigrew and C. G. Ferguson appeared to be associated with Arneson in command, and this gave the whole scheme away. for who was there but Judge Tate, that could induce such men to work on the Sabbath. The mayor and City Attorney Brockway took a hack for Judge Tate's home. They found him asleep, or apparently so, but they aroused him, and then commenced one of the most remarkable disquisitions upon the desecration of the Sabbath that was ever delivered to a wicked man. Peck told him that the example he was setting was not in keeping with his Presbyterian pretensions, and Brockway re- minded him that there would be a hereafter that was fearful to con- template for such men as would induce unreflecting persons like Arneson, Pettigrew and Ferguson to break the Sabbath. The judge was awed, if not convinced, and with a trembling hand he wrote a note and handed it to the mayor, which read as follows: "To George Arneson, F. W. Pettigrew and Mr. Hyde :- Please to stop work on Tenth street and level up the ground so that the work can be re- newed Monday morning. S. L. Tate." This note was recognized as authority by the street car force. Of course, this movement was
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for the purpose of occupying the street in advance of the motor line, and the mayor, after having stopped the street car scheme, turned his attention to the managers of the motor line, and they agreed to do nothing on Sunday. All day Sunday the air was full of rumors as to what would happen on Tenth street at the beginning of the next secular day, and a good many people took an afternoon nap on Sunday, so as to be present when the exercises commenced. About eleven o'clock Sunday night two hundred men appeared on Tenth street between Phillips and First avenues. armed with spokes. They were there in the interest of the motor line. The mayor was also there with the police force augmented by thirty specials sworn in for the occasion. The street car managers were also present and tried to induce the mayor to disarm their opponents, but the mayor had enlisted in the interest of peace, and while he would not disarm any one, still, he declared he was there to see that no weapons were used by either party in the attempt to occupy Tenth street. It was evident, however, that he was pleased with the extensive prepara- tions that the motor line had made to give the public the advantage of their line upon Tenth street at as early a date as possible. Dur- ing Sunday evening the street car people had been engaged in spik- ing rails onto ties and had them in readiness for laying. Just before midnight a crowd of men started from the street car barn on Eleventh street, with rails spiked to ties. At this demonstration large wagons of the motor company came from Phillips avenue into Tenth street; the first was loaded with ties, the second with rails, and the last with spikes, which were dropped as they proceeded east on Tenth street. The motor force occupying the line, went at the work in earnest, and in four minutes had the iron laid to First avenue, in fifteen minutes more they had the rails spiked in place, and at 12:20 o'clock Monday morning, the motor line was running a handcar over the line. The horse car people carried three lengths of rails spiked to ties to First avenue, but in attempting to lay one of them in the middle of Tenth street, it resulted in its being dropped in the gutter on one side of the street. The collision was not much of an affair, as the force of the motor line was so much stronger that they had only to place themselves in the path of the street car people to prevent them ac- complishing anything. After the motor people had the track laid they proceeded to perfect the line and put it in as good condition as possible. The street car people after being repulsed, drew several loads of ties and rails into Tenth street between Phillips and Main avenues, but the motor people were prepared to prevent any further attempt on the part of the company in laying its track.
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