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 37
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
prietor and editor of the Leader he gave it a new impetus in the fich of journalism, and it was at high-water mark when he sold out.
MINNEHAHA COUNTY MAIL. In 1885 Irving Bath came to Sious Falls with a newspaper plant and commenced the publication of : Democratic weekly newspaper called the Minnehaha County Mail He published it for about two years and then sold it to a person by the name of Wherry, who published it for a while and then disposed of his interest. The only interesting feature in connection with this paper during its publication was its attack upon R. J. Wells; Wells suit against Mr. Bath for damages; Bath's retraction of the charges and the discontinuance of the suit. The final event of the Sioux Falls career of this paper was its sale upon a chattel mortgage or the 23d day of January, 1888, when it was bid in for the sum of $500 by Mr. Bath, who shipped the plant away.
THE CHUCH NEWS was established in Sioux Falls in September. 1885. It was published monthly for several years in the interest of the Protestant Episcopal church in South Dakota, and besides church news of a general character it contained the official notices and ac- counts of the Episcopal acts and visitations of Bishop Hare.
The DAKOTA DEUTSCHE ZEITUNG was established in Sioux Falls in 1885, and its first number issued May 28, of that year, with Car Kleinpell as editor. It was published weekly in the German lan- guage, and was Democratic in politics. Mr. Kleinpell remained editor and publisher until 1888, when he sold the plant to Dr. Steinbach, who remained in control until it was purchased by its present editor and proprietor, Peter F. Haas, in February 1890, who changed the name of the paper to
DAKOTA STAATS ZEITUNG .-- Mr. Haas continued its publication as a Democratic newspaper until 1894, when the fusion of the Demo- cratic and Populist parties in South Dakota so disgusted him that he became a Republican, and his newspaper since that time has been a supporter of the Republican party. The Zeitung has a large circula- tion and is a prominent factor in the politics of this county and vicinity.
The SUED DAKOTA NACHRICHTEN was established at Mitchell, S. D., in 1890, as a Democratic weekly newspaper, by Hermann Buti- kofer, and was printed in the German language. In January, 1896, Mr. Butikofer moved the plant to Sioux Falls, and since then has been publishing the Nachrichten at this place. The first issue was on the 21st day of January, 1896. After coming to Sioux Falls Mr. Butikofer for a short time associated with him in his newspaper enterprise Paul B. Meyer, a gentleman quite well known in Minne- haha county. The Nachrichten is receiving from the German popula- tion of the county and other parts of the state a generous support.
The DAKOTA BELL, a humorous newspaper edited by Fred Carruth and Sam. T. Clover, was started in Sioux Falls early in 1887. Mr. Carruth had become quite famous as a humorous writer while publishing the Estelline Bell at Estelline, S. D., and he re- moved the plant to Sioux Falls and in connection with Mr. Clover
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commenced the publication of the Dakota Bell. They were kindred Ispirits, and the Dakota Bell was full of fun while it lasted, but Sioux Falls was too small for such geniuses and they were soon called into larger field, and the plant was disposed of and left the city. The editors of the Dakota Bell have now lucrative positions upon metro- politan newspapers.
THE SIOUX FALLS JOURNAL .-- E. E. Griswold, the proprietor und editor of the Dell Rapids Exponent, published at Dell Rapids, moved the plant to Sioux Falls in June, 1888, and commenced the publication of The Sioux Falls Journal, but after a few issues Mr. Griswold sold the Journal to C. H. Craig, who published it a few months and then sold the plant to J. T. Cogan and A. O. Stebbins. They remained proprietors of the same for about one year, and then sold out to a syndicate, with the Rev. W. J. Skillman in editorial charge. In October, 1893, Mr. Skillman bought the plant, and on the 21st day of that month leased the same to E. E. Griswold, its former proprietor, who continued the publication of the Journal, until August 1, 1894, when he sold the paper to Mark D. Scott, who has since then been its editor and publisher. Mr. Scott is a great local newsgatherer, and during the time it has been under his man- agement, the columns of the Journal have been spicy, to say the least. Mr. Scott has also fearlessly attacked the official acts of both city fland county officials, and was instrumental in getting the law settled das to the compensation county commissioners were entitled to receive rfor their services. During the latter part of the presidential cam- paign in 1896, Mr. Scott published a daily (sixty-two issues in all), but ron the 7th day of November, after it was known that Mckinley had ne been elected, it was discontinued.
MINNEHAHA TEACHER .- Under the efficient editorial control of C. F. Bower, the Minnehaha Teacher is published by the Minnehaha 12 Teacher's Association. It was started in 1888, in the interest of the ie teachers of the county, and although the charge of its editorial col- a umns has been transferred from each county superintendent to his successor, it has maintained a high standard of excellence.
SIOUX FALLS DAILY CALL .- On Saturday, the 7th day of Sep- tember, 1889, the Daily Call made its first appearance in Sioux Falls. It was edited by E. C. Johnson, and the public was informed that it started out with a larger circulation in the city than any other paper, as it was going into nearly every family in the city, and persons re- ceiving it "need not fear to accept the paper as it had been paid for." It was a prohibition paper; in fact, it was the prohibition issue that was before the people at that time, which brought it into existence. It was conducted during the campaign of 1889, by Mr. Johnson, and when the campaign was over, on the 7th day of November, the Daily Call was one of the by-gones.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE FORUM, was established by the late Hon. Robert Buchanan, and was first published on the 5th day of October, 1893, in a building erected by himself for that purpose in the city of Sioux Falls. It was Populist in politics; and no paper of that party was more ably edited than the Forum. During the political cam-
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
paign of 1894, a daily issue of the same was published. Mr. Bu- chanan died on the 22d day of June, 1895, and the publication of the Forum was continued by his sons, Frederick and Ceylon W., and under their management the name was changed to Sioux Falls Forum. The firm of Buchanan Bros., in connection with the Forum plant, established the first patent auxiliary house in Sioux Falls for fur- nishing ready prints. In July, 1896, they sold their interest in this branch of the business to the South Dakota Newspaper Union of Aberdeen, and this concern changed its business location to Sioux Falls on the 18th of that month. During the latter part of July, Bu- chanan Bros., sold the Forum to H. H. Schwartz and George Grigsby, and this firm published the paper until November follow- ing, when the Forum again changed hands, O. E. Bowman of Mont- rose becoming the purchaser. Mr. Bowman published the Forum until July 16, 1897, when it passed into the hands of H. C. Sessions & 'Son. The Forum under the management of Mr. Bowman was populist in politics and of the middle-of-the-road type. H. C. Ses- sions, one of the present proprietors, has been favorably known in newspaper circles as the editor of the Dakota Visitor, the official organ of the A. O. U. W. lodge. The Forum under the present management meets the appreciation of its readers, and sustains its well-earned reputation as a good newspaper.
SOUTH DAKOTA RECORD .- In March, 1893, the South Dakota Record was established by W. F. Bellrood. In April, 1894, it was consolidated with the Western Investor and edited by Bellrood and J. C. MeManima. During the fall of that year Mr. McManima sold his interest to Mr. Bellrood who continued the publication of the paper until he removed from Sioux Falls in 1897. It was published monthly and devoted to the promotion of real estate transactions in its immediate locality.
FREMAD. This newspaper was established by the Fremad Pub- fishing Company at Sioux Falls in May, 1894, and its first issue was on the 17th of that month. The company was composed principally of farmers residing in the county, or, in other words, they guaran- teed the enterprise under the management of John F. Strass. It is Populist in politics, and is a political newspaper, edited and published by Mr. Strass. Since its first issue the paper has doubled in size, and Mr. Strass no longer needs any one to guarantee the success of the enterprise. It is printed in the Norwegian and English lan- guages, and those who are best qualified to judge of its merits assert that it is one of the ablest middle-of-the-road Populist newspapers in the state
THE SUCCESSFUL FARMER is a monthly farm newspaper, and was established by J. A. Lucas at Watertown, S. D., in January, 1893. In 1895, when Mr. Lucas removed to Sioux Falls, he brought the newspaper plant with him and continued to publish the Success- ful Farmer at this place until he sold it to Hial P. Robie in October, 1890, since which time Mr. Robie has been its editor and publisher. It has a very large list of subscribers, and circulates extensively among the farmers in South Dakota.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
DAKOTA FIELD AND FARM .- The first publication of this journal was at the city of Sioux Falls on the 15th day of April, 1896. We have this issue before us, and its editor, P. L. Axling assured its subscribers that it would be a journal of practical agriculture, and that all long-winded, theoretical articles would be discarded. An- other thing which the editor proposed to do was to classify its mat- ter into proper departments, so that the reader could readily find what he wanted. It was a four-column, eight-page paper, and during its existence was well conducted. October 1, 1898, the Dakota Field and Farm was made the official paper of the State Board of Agricul- ture. The November following Mr. Axling sold his paper to W. F. T. Bushnell of Aberdeen and it was merged into the Dakota Farmer.
THE GATLING GUN .- The first issue of the Gatling Gun made its appearance in February, 1896. It was published monthly under the direction of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Sioux Falls, and Mrs. M. J. Bagley had editorial charge until January, 1897, when she was succeeded by Mrs. Rena E. Bowers. It was a straight-out prohibition paper, and was radically opposed to any compromise on the liquor question, in short, advocated the annihila- tion of the liquor traffic. Mrs. Otto H. Bleifuss was the last one to have editorial charge of the paper under its first name. About six months ago Mr. E. Hanson took charge of the paper, and it is now published by him under the name of the Christian Prohibitionist.
SYD DAKOTA EKKO is a weekly newspaper published at Sioux Falls by the Scandinavian Publishing Company of South Dakota. It is printed in the Norwegian language, and was started at Brookings, S. D., the first week in August, 1889, with S. O. Nordvold as editor. He remained in editorial charge until 1890, when G. Bie Ravndal was employed to take charge of this department. The plant was removed to Sioux Falls February 1, 1891, and since that time the paper has been published at this place. Mr. Ravndal remained its editor until he was appointed United States consul, and removed to Beirut, Syria, in February, 1898, when he was succeeded by the present editor, (). C. Stewart. The Ekko has a good list of subscribers, and is ac- knowledged to be the leading Scandinavian newspaper in the state. In politics it is Republican, and has contributed largely to the suc- cess of this party.
THE COMMERCIAL NEWS .- In January, 1899, E. J. Mannix com- menced the publication of the News. It is a monthly and devoted to the interests of the Wholesaler, Retailer and the Commercial Trav- eler. It has a long list of advertisements, and a good circulation.
Several other publications than those noticed have appeared from time to time, but they were devoted to special work like some of those mentioned, and could not be strictly termed newspapers, and most of them have passed into history after having served the pur- pose for which they were established.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
BANKS.
The first bank established in Sioux Falls commenced business in W. S. Kimball's hardware store on Phillips avenue on the 10th das of October, 1873. It was opened by E. E. Otis, who continued in business a few months only and then removed to St. Helena, Ne- braska, and entered the legal profession.
BANK FOR SAVINGS. This bank was established by J. D. Came- ron and was opened for business on the 5th day of June, 1874. It was located on Phillips avenue "in a building erected for Mr. Came- ron." The same month F. R. Crandall of Iowa came to Sioux Falls and started the Minnehaha County Bank, but sold it to J. D. Cameron on the first day of July following, and returned to Iowa. The Bank for Savings was run by Mr. Cameron for nearly two years, when he dropped banking and engaged in the real estate business. A pecu- liar incident in connection with this bank happened in the latter part of September, 1874, when Mr. Cameron was suddenly taken sick with cerebro spinal meningitis, and his faculties of speech and hearing were suspended for nine days. This pratically suspended the oper- ation of the bank the same length of time, but it is reported that it was the bank that was ill, and that the symptoms of the disease were manifested through Mr. Cameron.
SIOUX FALLS BANK. - The Sioux Falls Bank was established in in August, 1886, by J. B. Young. The following June, Harry L. Hol- lister purchased an interest in the bank and became its cashier. The bank was better known as J. B. Young & Co., than by its real name. In April, 1880, Young and Hollister, together with several others whom they interested in the project, organized the First Na- tional Bank, which took the place of the Sioux Falls Bank. While in existence it did a successful business.
CITIZENS BANK. The Citizens Bank was established in Sioux Falls in September, 1878, by Robert Nation, who remained in charge until February, 1881, when he sold out to H. S. Hills and E. P. Bebe. The bank was located on the southeast corner of Phillips avenue and Tenth street, and was conducted by the two last named gentlemen until the death of Mr. Hills, which occurred on the 19th day of October, 1886. During 1886 the bank was reorganized and became the Citizens National Bank. Mr. Beebe president and E. M. Hills (a son of H. S. Hills) cashier had the affairs of the bank in charge until it was consolidated with the Minnehaha National Bank in April, 1888, at which time it surrendered its charter.
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK .- The first National Bank was organized about April 1, 1880, with a capital stock of $50,000. The stockholders were Harry Hollister, J. B. Young, R. F. Pettigrew, J Schaetzel, Jr., C. K. Howard, N. E. Phillips, C. F. Webber and Cyrus Walts. Hollister and Young owned $36,000 of the stock. J. B. Young was its first president, and Harry Hollister was cashier until 1884, when he retired from the bank and became president of the Insurance Company of Dakota. Mr. Young remained with the bank until 1886, when he sold out and went to California. R. J.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
Wells succeeded Mr. Young as president. The bank soon became involved in litigation owing to an act of its cashier, W. F. Furbeck, in issuing a cashiers check which the bank refused to pay, resulting in an attachment of the assets of the bank and the appointment of a re- ceiver, who took charge of the bank in March, 1886, and settled up its affairs.
EASTON, MCKINNEY & SCOUGAL BANK. - A bank was established in Sioux Falls by C. F. Easton, C. E. McKinney and Geo. Scongal in November, 1880. In 1881 Easton sold out his interest, and the bank continued in business under the management of C. E. Mckinney until it was superseded by the Sioux Falls National Bank in Novem- ber, 1882.
SIOUX FALLS NATIONAL BANK .- This bank was organized No- vember 11, 1882, with a capital stock of $50,000. The directors at the time of its organization were C. E. McKinney, Wm. VanEps, C. L. Norton, John McClellan, A. C. Phillips, W. W. Brookings and John W. Tuthill. C. E. Mckinney was elected president and C. L. Norton cashier, and by re-elections hold the same positions at the present time. In 1883, the capital stock was increased to $100,000. It is a strong bank, has been ably managed, and has the confidence of the people. The directors at the present time are C. E. McKinney, C. L. Norton, D. L. Mc Kinney, S. E. Blauvelt, Moriz Levinger, S. A. Brown, and H. C. Fenn. D. L. McKinney is vice president, and H. C. Fenn assistant cashier.
DAKOTA NATIONAL BANK OF SIOUX FALLS .- This bank was organized on the 31st day of October, 1882, with a capital stock of $50,000. The first directors were Melvin Grigsby, P. P. Peck, Cyrus Walts, W. H. Corson, Artemus Gale, T. H. Brown and Frank Kunerth. M. Grigsby was elected president, W. H. Corson vice president and T. H. Brown cashier. When it commenced doing busi- ness Porter P. Peck was elected cashier and held this position until C. C. Carpenter was elected in January, 1885, who remained as cash- ier of the bank until his decease March 16, 1895. George H. Brace succeeded Mr. Grigsby as president and remained as such during the existence of the bank.
The management of the Dakota National had always been con- sidered conservative, and it had the confidence of the public. It was therefore a great surprise when on Saturday evening, November 21, 1896, it was learned that the bank would not open its doors for busi- ness the following Monday. A national bank examiner immediately took possession of the bank, and on the 20th day of January, 1897, C. F. Zimmerman was appointed receiver. The assets were large, but owing to the hard times, it was impossible to realize upon them, and for this reason the bank was compelled to close its doors.
MINNEHAHA NATIONAL BANK OF SIOUX FALLS .- In July, 1885, E. A. Sherman interested himself in organizing the Minnehaha Na- tional Bank, and after securing the necessary capital of $50,000 and complying with the national banking laws, the comptroller of the currency authorized the bank to commence business on the 8th day of August, 1885. The directors named in the articles of association
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
were E. A. Sherman, H. C. Copeland, L. F. Davis, W. A. Noble, A. Beveridge, E. E. Savage, L. D. Henry, R. G. Parmley, C. S. Palmer, O. H. Smith and Cyrus Walts. E. A. Sherman was elected pres- ident, and G. E. Lathrop cashier. The bank commenced business on the west side of Main avenue south of Ninth street. Mr. Lathrop was cashier until January 11, 1887, when C. E. Johnson was elected and held this position until April 21, 1888. At the last mentioned date the Citizens National Bank was merged with the Minnehaha National bank. Mr. Sherman resigned as president and J. M. Bailey, Jr., was elected in his place, and E. M. Hills, the former cashier of the citizens National bank, was elected cashier. At this time the capital stock was increased to $150,000, but has since been reduced to $100,000. July 1, 1889, it was designated as depository for the United States funds. On the 29th day of April, 1889, W. L. Baker was elected cashier, which position he has held since then. At the annual election of officers in January, 1892, Porter P. Peck was elected president and remained its president until the summer of 1898 when he resigned, and Dr. Wm. S. Caldwell of Freeport, I11., was elected and holds this office at the present time. It is a strong financial institution.
SIOUX FALLS SAVINGS BANK .- In 1886 the present cashier of the Sioux Falls Savings bank came to Sioux Falls, and after having looked over the situation concluded that a savings bank would be a good thing for those who should organize such an institution, and would also be of good service to the public. In October of that year he broached the subject to Wm. Van Eps, and he was so much pleased with the idea that papers for its incorporation went out by the next mail to the secretary of the Territory, and on the 10th day of January, 1887, the Sioux Falls Savings Bank opened it doors for business. The first directors were William Van Eps, Marcus Rus- sell, J. T. Gilbert, John McClellan and Joseph A. Ward. Mr. Van Eps was elected president, and remained as such until January, 1897, when J. W Tuthill was elected. Marcus Russell has been cashier of the bank since its organization, The capital stock is $50,000, and the bank has been so well managed that satisfactory dividends have been received by its stockholders. It is one of the solid financial institutions of the county, and has the confidence of the people.
UNION TRUST COMPANY .-- This Company was organized the 1st of May, 1887, with a capital stock of $100,000, of which $50,000 was taken by E. A. Sherman. It was established for the purpose of dealing in real estate, and making long time loans. E. A. Sherman was elected its first president, and H. M. Avery secretary. When the U'nion National Bank was organized, the banking branch of the I'nion Trust Company's business was transferred to this bank. Mr. Sherman, as its president, and Mr. Avery as secretary, conducted the business of the company during its existence.
GERMAN BANK .- The German Bank was started in Sioux Falls by Jacob Schaetzel, Sr., and his sons, with a capital stock of $50,000. It opened for business on the first day of May, 1888, with Jacob
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
Schaetzel, Sr., as president, which position he held during the entire existence of the bank. George Schaetzel was cashier until 1891, at which time his brother Henry took that place and remained in that capacity until the bank voluntarily went out of business in October, 1896. The management of the bank was conservative and had the confidence of the people.
UNION SAVINGS ASSOCIATION. This association was incorpor- ated in November, 1894, with an authorized capital stock of $1,000,000. G. W. Abbott was the most active promoter of this organization, having had several years experience as manager of similar enter- prises in Minneapolis and Sioux Falls. The first directors were G. W. Abbott, C. S. Palmer, E. A. Sherman, P. J. Rogde and B. H. ReQua. C. S. Palmer was elected president, E. A. Sherman treas- urer, and Mr. Abbott general manager. It had a paid up capital of $90,000 at the start, and has been doing a very successful business.
CO-OPERATIVE SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION. - In 1888, B. H. Lien, John Diamond, H. H. Natwick and C. G. Leyse, all residents of Brookings, S. D., organized the Scandinavian American Building and Loan Association, at that place. Business was done under this organization until June, 1891, when it was re in- corporated under the name of the Co-Operative Savings and Loan Association, and was removed to Sioux Falls in February, 1892. At that time its assets amounted to $9,000, but after its location in Sioux Falls the business was carried on upon a larger scale. R. F. Pettigrew was elected president, H. H. Natwick vice president, B. H. Lien treasurer, C. G. Leyse secretary and G. W. Abbott man- ager. Mr. Abbott remained with the association three years and during that period its volume of business rapidly increased, and at the present time its published statements show that it has been under wise and conservative management, and that it ranks among the foremost institutions of the kind in the Northwest.
HOTELS.
The first building ever named as a hotel in Minnehaha county was built of stone by the Western Town Company in September, 1857, on the northeast quarter of section 16, in Sioux Falls, and was called the Dubuque House. It was a small structure, but it was large enough to accommodate the traveling public at that time. There has been nothing left of this pioneer hotel for the last twenty years to designate its exact location, except a slight depression in the ground where the cellar was excavated. It was located north of the island.
CATARACT HOUSE .- This was the first hotel built in Minnehaha county which had anything like reasonable facilities for accommo- dating the traveling public. It was built in 1871 by Harry Corson, and opened to the public on the 15th day of August of that year. The structure was thirty by forty feet, two stories in height and base- ment. It had fourteen bed chambers and two parlors. At this early date in the history of Sioux Falls it was quite a pretentious hotel, and under the management of Mr. Corson it soon became known as the best hotel in Dakota. As the demand increased for greater
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