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 26
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This dog had one thing in common with a bird dog, and only one, and that was - he was a dog. His neck and tail were about the same in circumference, but his size and color were about right. He took this dog down to the Milwaukee depot, and by some hypnotic influence induced the agent to join in his wicked scheme for revenge.
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The dog was tied up at the depot, and Charlie went to Captain Bourne's office and told him the Milwaukee agent had a fine dog left with him which he proposed to sell at auction. Bourne wanted the dog, and he and Charlie went down and looked him over, and by the use of extravagant praise of the dog's good points Bourne paid the Milwaukee agent fifteen dollars, and took the dog up to his office. As soon as Bourne was gone, Norton got the fifteen dollars and went up town to see his friends, and sent the owner of the dog after him. Captain Bourne, although of a sweet mild disposition (so the old settlers say) got angry, and waged active war upon the owner of the dog. But the captain had to yield to what is called "the force of circumstances" and the dog went with the man who had the superior title.
AN INCIDENT AT LONE ROCK.
Lone Rock was frequently visited by the residents of Sioux Falls, and it was a favorite spot for fishermen to while away a few hours catching pickerel. At an early day a man by the name of Dan Harnet resided in Sioux Falls. He was an excentric character and afforded the people a great amount of amusement. As a practical joker his name was first on the list. Another resident at the same time, was one Honey-Lake Smith. He came from California, and had there been proprietor of a ranch called Honey-Lake, hence he was known here in Sioux Falls as Honey-Lake-Smith. He claimed to be a prize fisherman in California, and his fishing exploits, as told by himself, would not suffer by comparison with the tales of Munchausen. Dan Harnet was a betting man. He was ready at all times and under all circumstances to wager any and everything in his possession, and all the property of his friends and relatives besides, upon any debatable question that might arise.
He was tired of Honey-Lake's fishing stories, and offered to bet him $20 that he could catch more pickerel with hook and line out of the Sioux river in two hours than Honey-Lake could.
The bet was promptly taken, and Harry Corson chosen as ref- eree, and Dan Harnet selected Lone Rock as his position to fish. Honey-Lake selected a position a little below, where he could see the top of Lone Rock, and Corson took a position on shore near a small pool of water, but where Honey-Lake could not see him. Time was called, and Harnet soon caught a pickerel which was thrown over to Corson, who announced that he would put the pickerel in the pool. Harnet threw out his line, and Corson fastened the pickerel already caught to Harnet's hook, after which Harnet passed the fish over to Corson again, in fact, this was repeated as often as these heathen Chinese dared to do it. The same operation was gone through with in all about fifteen times, and each time the pickerel was given an air- ing, Dan shouted, and Honey-Lake could see the pickerel on its jour- ney from Lone Rock. The California adjectives indulged in by Honey-Lake were numerous and emphatic.
When the time was up, Harnet had only two fishes and Honey- Lake the same number. Corson and Harnet started home, telling Honey-Lake the fish were safe in the pool, but there were so many
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that they would send some one for them. They succeeded in getting Honey-Lake up town without his looking in the pool, and the money was paid over to Harnet. It was not long, however, before Honey- Lake learned the real facts in the case but as he was invited to the entertainment given by Harnet in celebrating his victory, he resigned himself pleasantly to his fate.
THEY SAW THE GOAT.
DAKOTA LADIES GET A GLIMPSE OF HIS MASONIC MAJESTY.
From St. Albans, Vt., Weekly Messenger.
The "goat" which is supposed to do active service at all regular and special communications or assemblies of the Masonic, Odd Fel- lows and other fraternities has for ages past piqued the curiosity of many "outsiders"-and especially has the existence of that myster- ious animal been a source of anxiety to the portion of the fair sex whose husbands are on familiar and friendly terms with the aforesaid "butter." A private letter from South Dakota to a St. Albans gen- tleman relates an instance in which this never-dying curiosity was at least temporarily satisfied; and as it is too good to keep we give it away-confidentially of course.
The Grand Army of the state mentioned were holding an annual meeting in a certain busy town, and, as a proper accompaniment, came also a gathering of the Woman's Relief Corps. It so happened that the latter held their meeting in the Masonic hall, and some wicked wag decided that he would introduce the "traditional goat" to the ladies by way of convincing them that the animal was a "stern real- ity." "The billy-goat was procured, and during an intermission he was shut up in a side room, with a label "Private" on the door. The scheme worked well. A damsel of inquiring turn of mind tried the door. So did the billy-goat. He made a bold rush, pushed through the opening, and with a bleat bounded into the midst of the women in the ante-room, very much to their amazement. Then consternation set in as the terrible stories of the devastation wrought by the ma- sonic goat were recollected by these defenseless females. Taking refuge in chairs and on tables was of no avail, for "Billy" was agile; and the janitor (Frank Kunerth) had to be called in to take hold of both horns of this dilemma and lead him away. It was a case where the Relief Corps needed relief; and some of those women are now ready to believe that "the goat" is no myth, but instead an incon- venient combination of horns, hoofs and "trying" disposition.
CHARLES BARRETT'S NARROW ESCAPE FROM BEING BURIED ALIVE.
The election of Harrison for President in 1888, was celebrated in Sioux Falls with a good deal of enthusiasm, both natural and in- spired, and it is owing to this fact, that in gathering up the frag- ments, that as little as possible may be lost, we chronicle the follow- ing episode.
Every one knows Charles Barrett, and favorably too, for he is a
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good fellow, and is entirely satisfied with a residence in this world of cloud and sunshine, and would not exchange it for any place he can possibly hope for in the future.
He had been tempted by some of the "unterrified" to make sundry little bets, that Harrison would be elected, and in fact had yielded to the temptation (with great reluctance, of course, believing it was morally wrong to bet upon any event).
Cigars, a little money here and there, parcels of clothing, and also a very fine silk hat had been won by Mr. Barrett. He was feel- ing happy- the country was safe-the little tokens of his good judg- ment were in his possession, in fact, he felt generous to a fault. The boys had decorated his new silk hat with mottoes, and in doing so, had made it a very tall hat, and in fastening the decorations had punctured it full of holes, and all this without any protest being made. He took his friends, or his friends took him down to the "Mint" and what happened is best told in his own language:
"I drink beer occasionally, but seldom anything stronger, but the boys wouldn't take anything but "red bug juice," and of course, I had to take it with them. We drank several times, and I found I was dizzy and light-headed, but the other fellows seemed to be all right, and it made me a little mad. I thought they were trying to get me drunk. It occurred to me that my stomach was empty, and if I could only get a good lunch, I could go back and do them up. So I slipped out, intending to go across the street to a restaurant and fill up. As it happened Booth's undertaking establishment was next door to the restaurant, and I got in there by mistake. Booth was in, and seeing my condition said to me: "Charlie, come into the back room and lie down awhile, it will do you good." I thought so too, and went into his back room and lay down on a lounge, and was asleep in no time. I don't know how long I slept, but after awhile I woke up, and look- ing around found I was in a room with a lot of coffins. I thought I was laid out. I couldn't remember of being sick or hurt. I saw that silk hat, and then I thought I had been run over, taken up for dead, and delivered over to an undertaker. I felt of my head, arms and legs and body, to see if I had been smashed, but I could not find any trouble. I made a little stir, and was trying to get up, when Booth came in, put his hand on my shoulder, and said: "Charlie lie down." I thought he was a going to put me in a coffin, and I had got to act at once to keep from being buried. I commenced on Booth, and he shed his clothes in no time, and I can see him now crawling on his hands and knees to get away from me. When I had got rid of him, I made for the back door, went over a three foot railing to the ground eight feet below. I landed all right and ran for assistance, and coming into a small company of men, told them Booth was trying to bury me alive. Of course, I was very soon on my way home in a hack. I paid Booth $35.00 damages when I got down town, and made up my mind that "bug juice didn't agree with me."
A little incident connected with this affair occurred about the time Barrett was flying up the back alley. Booth pulled his clothes together, went to the front door, and seeing Captain Parliman, said: "Cap, Charlie Barrett is in here crazy, come in and quiet him down!"
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Capt. Parliman looked at Booth and replied: "I don't want any of it in mine, I am not going in there," and looking Booth over again he added: "and I don't think you had better go in yourself."
BUCHANAN BROTHERS' GREAT SHOW.
Sometime in the future it is possible that some enterprising citi- zens of this county may organize a show and go on the road with an ambition to rival the show fame of P. T. Barnum. In order that they and their friends may not claim it to be the first enterprise of the kind originated in this county, we propose to put on record, so far as it can be done in a work of this kind, the fact that on Thursday, May 12, 1898, "Buchanan Brothers' Great Show"-"Two shows com- bined in one" exhibited in the city of Sioux Falls. It was a pure and simple Minnehaha county product, and this was the first time this great aggregation of Aerialists, Gymnasts, Acrobats, Riders, and Arenic Specialists exhibited under canvas. The Buchanan Brothers were citizens of Sioux Falls, and the enterprise and energy displayed in getting together this combined circus, menagerie and museum, struck the ordinary citizen as being a prima facia omen of success. But it was a wet season, and when they left Sioux Falls and went on the road they had a dampness to encounter, which overpowered their well laid plans to amass a fortune in the show business. After about thirty days the aggregation ceased to aggregate, and finally stranded at Pipestone, Minnesota. Everyone in Sioux Falls, where the Bu- chanan boys are well known, regretted the misfortune that overtook them; but, nevertheless Minnehaha county can still point to her Queen Bee mill, and several other monuments of her enterprise.
RAINMAKING.
During the month of May, 1894, there were frequent newspaper notices of persons traveling about producing rain to order in such quantities as people wanted. From these articles it appeared that these rain magicians would go to a drouth stricken country and contract with the muncipal authorities or other equally intelligent people to produce a certain rainfall, within a certain period, for a certain consideration. Upon scanning the articles carefully it ap- peared that the consideration paid was the most certain, the period the next, and the rainfall the least certain event to happen. In some cases rain fell within the period named, but it was usually where the people could have consistently claimed that the Great Ruler had for- gotten his children if rain had not fallen within the time fixed. Of course, every community has a certain percentage of people who are ready to believe in any claim put forth which they cannot understand, and especially if it is opposed to all natural laws, sense and reason. Minnehaha county had people of this sort, and they came to the conclusion after waiting a long time for much needed rain, that the relations were somewhat strained between the Great Arbiter of earthly events and the inhabitants of the Sioux Valley, and that something must be done at once to get the much needed moisture. A few of the citizens of Minnehaha county came before the board of county commissioners on the 7th day of June, and among them our
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esteemed friend Estabrook, who was supported by a petition with forty signatures, and asked the board to appropriate not to exceed $800 for the purpose of procuring a certain rainmaker by the name of Jewell with his gas tube and box trap to come to Sioux Falls, mix up his chemicals and wet down Minnehaha county as it should be. He said "it is no praying scheme-that's failed, but this man is a real rain producer, and rain seems to follow him, and he seldom can get in out of the wet, and that the people of Minnehaha county who had crops which were suffering for water would never be satisfied if this man and his moisture extractor were not brought to Minnehaha county and set at work." It was suggested that there were not more than four or five gallons of moisture in the atmosphere within fifty miles of Sioux Falls, but this didn't phase him, for he replied "more or less, we want what there is and the people are entitled to it." A resolution was introduced in accordance with the prayer of the petitioners, but it was lost. It did not, however end the matter. The drouth became more pronounced, and the demand for the rain- maker Mr. Jewell became more clamorous, and in some way he was induced to come to Sioux Falls about the 18th day of June. On the 19th day of June there was an informal meeting of the county com- missioners, or some of them at least, and negotiations were entered into between the board and Jewell for producing a rainfall in the County of Minnehaha. There is no record of the proceedings, and the writer is compelled to rely upon his memory for what follows. Jewell knew what he was talking about, and assured the commission- ers that he had conducted fifty-one experiments, and had been successful fifty-one times. He said, among other things, that he could produce rain under any circumstances, although it would not be so copious if high winds prevailed and the temperature was below fifty degrees, but with both of these obstacles in his way he could still milk the atmosphere. At Des Moines after the weather bureau had announced there were no prospects of rain and there was no moisture in the atmosphere within a circle of 100 miles of the city, he liberated the gas in the box car he was traveling about in, and it shot up into the ethereal canopy through his three little tin tubes - and the parched earth was drenched with water. He assured the commissioners he had no trouble in making contracts for producing rain, and that his success had been so uniform and remarkable that only very religious people objected to rain contracts, and they solely upon the ground that it was an insult to Providence, who knew best when to send rain. This seemed to remove the last obstacle in Commissioner Schaetzel's mind, and they all commenced to talk business. Commissioner Lee wanted the gas to enter the atmosphere at the geographical center of the county, and said he should insist upon it, so that in case the rainfall should not be uniform in quantity throughout the county the taxpayers couldn't blame the commission- ers. Emerson said he wanted each commissioner district to get the same quantity of water per acre, and he had taken the liberty to ask Mr. Jewell when he first met him whether this could be done, and if he would do it if a contract was made, and Mr. Jewell replied, that all he wanted was the loan of a county map while he remained in
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Sioux Falls, and he would see to it that the rainfall was uniform throughout the county. Commissioner Colton said: "The northwest- ern part of the county won't kick if they don't get quite so much rain as they do down nearer the machine - we had quite a shower up there a few days ago, and the crops are not suffering so much as they are a little further south. I am for letting Mr. Jewell do his work where he thinks he can do it to the best advantage." Before the contract was drawn the commissioners tried to induce Mr. Jewell to make the payment contingent upon his producing a certain amount of rainfall within a given time, but they found that the gentleman who was endeavoring to make his fifty-second contract a very prudent man and fully alive to the possible result of such a provision in the contract. But all the details were arranged, and the writer drew the contract. It was a compromise affair. A certain amount was to be paid in advance (S200) so Mr. Jewell could get his chemicals, and $400 more to be paid if a rainfall of one half inch should be produced within a given time, with a provision that, in case at the expiration of the time one half inch had not been produced and it was raining, Mr. Jewell should be permitted to finish his shower and get his money. After the contract was made Mr. Jewell went to Stite's drug store and bought about one dollar and fifty cents worth of chemicals and went to his box car and, to be exact, at 3:30 P. M., on the 19th day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety four, he let loose to an unsuspecting, unprepared firmament all the gas he could produce from the materials he purchased of Stites. The next day (Wednesday the 20th) he announced to the people through the newspapers that there would be a great downpour of rain before 6 P. M., on the following Thursday, and requested the daily papers to advise their readers to be prepared for a deluge of rain. The weather bureau got hold of Jewell's prognostications and on Wednesday it predicted rain for Thursday in the locality of Sioux Falls. Hicks, Coats and Thomas J. Mills all climbed onto Jewell's band wagon, and it did seem as though the mighty elements of nature had been corraled at last, andwould soon perform their functions, refreshing the thirsty soil in Minnehaha county. But the elements were intractable and refused to be milked by Jewell, and Thursday passed into history in Sioux Falls as one of the most defiant dry days of the season. Friday explanations were in order, and Jewell affirmed that the great altitude of Sioux Falls made it difficult for him to inject his gas into the atmosphere and bring it down to the dew- point. It should be mentioned that during the week he was in Sioux Falls there were frequent showers all about Minnehaha county, but none within its limits until Saturday when there was a moderate shower in the northern portion, and Saturday even- ing there was a gentle rain in the city of Sioux Falls and vicinity. While here, although not successful in producing rain, he sold to Hanson and McCook counties the right to use his invention in pro- ducing rain in those counties for the sum of $700 for each county. They had to contract, however, to keep their showers in hand and not work on such an extensive scale as to water the adjoining coun- ties. In the Sioux Falls Press of Saturday morning June 23, an
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article appeared, written by Harley Pettigrew, which completely punctured the whole scheme and made it too ridiculous for its most sanguine supporters to ever mention it again. He went at the prob- lem from a scientific standpoint and demonstrated how impossible it would be, even by the use of train loads of chemicals to condense the moisture in a single cubic mile of the atmosphere, to say nothing about causing a rainfall over an area of 816 square miles of territory. Mr. Jewell left Sioux Falls on Saturday afternoon following his failure, and since then rainmakers are not on the schedule of quota- tions.
CASCADES AT SIOUX FALLS.
17
A STATEMENT
IN REFERENCE TO THE ARRANGEMENT AND CON- TENTS OF THE REMAINDER OF THIS WORK.
In giving the history of the twenty-four townships comprising the County of Minnehaha, with the municipalities carved out and organized within their limits, the same order has been followed as adopted by the government survey and followed by the county com- missioners in dividing the county into civil townships.
The survey, the streams and lakes, and to some extent the topo- graphical features of each township are described, and a brief account of its settlement, industries, churches and other societies also appears. Some of the official proceedings of the townships and other municipal organizations are noticed, and a list of township, town and city officials from the time of their organization to 1899, inclusive, are carefully compiled, followed by biographical sketches of residents.
The design at first was to publish this work in 1895, but the financial depression at that time made it impracticable to do so, and not until now has it seemed expedient to present it to the public. In some matters nothing has been added since then, especially in refer- ence to the fraternal societies and kindred subjects. A large pro- portion of the biographical sketches had been written at that time, and since then some of the persons whose biographies appear, have removed and others died, of which, for obvious reasons, no mention is made. In procuring biographical sketches at least fifteen hundred circular letters were mailed to residents of the county, with questions for them to answer, and although a postage stamp was inclosed a large number of these circulars were not returned, and consequently biographical sketches of many of the old residents do not appear. Great pains has been taken to be exact in the matter of dates and in presenting the names of persons correctly, but errors in this respect have undoubtedly been committed, owing to unreliable information and the obscure signatures we necessarily had to decipher.
In compiling the lists of officials the records have been examined for the necessary information. Some of these records are quite com- plete, while others are very incomplete, failing to give the names of the officials from year to year, and the records being practically the only reliable source of information, some of the lists must necessarily be quite imperfect.
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ORGANIZATION OF CIVIL TOWNSHIPS.
In the issue of the Sioux Falls Pantagraph published in Sioux Falls on the 18th day of February, 1874, the following item appears: "In the month of January last, four new townships were organized in Minnehaha county, and officers elected. The officers of the new town of Benton were Wm. Alguire, J. C. Eldridgeand Mr. Hartwell, supervisors; A. S. Fuller, clerk; J. D. Green, treasurer; J. C. El- dridge, assessor; R. Foster and H. Neer, justices; H. W. Burvee and A. Lifto, constables; D. Alguire, Sr., overseer of highways." Having had access to the clerk's books of every township in the county, and finding no records prior to 1881, Mr. Eldridge of Benton was interviewed in reference to this item, and he said: "I remember there was a meeting held at my place about that time, and that a school district was organized, and township matters discussed, but I have no recollection of being elected supervisor or assessor. I know I never did any assessing, there was a county assessor at that time." Upon interviewing other persons likely to know something in regard to such township organization, their recollections were found to be so indistinct and conflicting in fact, and the improbability of being able to ascertain the exact facts, where no records could be found, the idea of any further reference to them was abandoned.
One thing is certain, however, that all the townships in the county were organized under the provisions of "An Act providing for Organization of Civil Townships, and the Government thereof" to take effect from and after its passage and approval, which was passed by the legislature of the Territory of Dakota in 1879, and ap- proved February 18.
There were ninety-eight sections in this law, and its provisions justified its title. It enacted that upon the presentation of a petition from fifty legal voters of any county to the county commissioners, they should, at a special election, submit the question whether the system of township government as provided in the law should be adopted by the county, and if a majority of the votes cast at such election should be in favor of township government, then the board of county commissioners should immediately proceed to divide the county into civil townships, fix and determine the boundaries there- of and number the same, and in so doing should have regard for the natural boundaries, and that at any time thereafter the board might alter and change the same, provided, that the number of civil town- ships should not exceed the number of congressional townships or fractional parts thereof greater than one-half.
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