Blue Earth County, Minnesota - Chapter 22: Events of 1893 to 1902 - Chinch Bugs and Deouth - the Spanish Wab, 1901

He conducted it until 1890, when a stock March 2, 1893, Good Thunder voted to incompany was formed with a capital stock of corporate as a village. At Mankato this year the bluff. An oil mill was also Iniilt adjoin- & Co. ; two large ^vini;s wore added to the noring the flour mill. The stockholders were G. mal school building ; the Stahl House, a three similar plan was adopted in Decoria by B. H. The coming into power of the Democratic Gerlich and others for the erection of a public part}^ and the inauguration of Grover Clevehall in that town. During this same spring land as President on ^larch 4, 1893, stirred up there was much talk of a "Mankato and North- the asjiirants for postmasters in that party in eastern Eailwa}^' a company for the promotion every linmlet in our county. To settle the disof the enterprise having been formed at Man- putcs elections were lield in many of the vilkato, but nothing came of the matter. lages to let the Democratic voters of each corn- September 1, 1892, was issued the first num- munity determine wliom they wanted. This ber of the "^lankato Daily Eeview ' - the second was done at Eagle Lake, Garden City, Lak? great daily of our county. Today the Daily Free Crystal, ]\Iap]eton, Good Thunder, and possibly Press or Daily Eeview enter the majority of the one or two other places.

In 1893 a number of Lake Crystal business men formed a boat club, built a pavilion by the lake, and beside a number of oar and sail boats, two small steamers were launched. One of the latter named the "New Era" was thirtysix feet long and would carry twenty-five persons. The other steamer was called "The Crystal." Other events of 1893 at Lake Crystal were: the erection by Graif Bros. & Co., of a flour mill, 40x60 and four stories high of brick and stone; and the beginning late in the year of the construction of water works, for which $10,000 in bonds were issued.

At Smith's Mill the German Lutherans early in February, 1893, built a church costing $3,300, and during the summer the Presbyterians of Amboy erected a $5,000 house of worship. At the election of 1863, Daniel Buck of Mankato was elected a Judge of the Supreme Court of the State.

The year 1894 was again very dry and the chinch bugs were very destructive. Prof. Otto Lugger, the state entomologist, was kept busy with various experiments for their destruction, but without much avail.

On June 13, 1894, the Welsh of our county held an old settlers picnic at Lake Crystal. The papers presented on the occasion were of such historical value that it was determined to publish them in book form. Eevs. Thos. E. Hughes and David Edwards and Messrs. Thos. Hughes and H. G. Eoberts were appointed a committee for the purpose. The matter grew on the hands of this editorial board, and it was concluded to make the work cover the history of the Welsh in Minnesota. The book was profusely illustrated and issued in a large volume of 439 pages in July, 1895. It is a very valuable compilation of the history of that nationality in our county.

July 4, 1894, Amboy lost its mill and railway depot by fire. During this and the following year, a large number of co-operative creameries were started by the farmers all over the county In 1893 such a creamery had been started in Butternut Valley and a post office created in the vicinity, called "Butternut," with Christian Strom as postmaster. In August, 1894, a general store was started there on the cooperative plan, with Charlie Johnson as manager. A Lutheran church was also built, a blacksmith shop opened and the place soon became a little center for that community.

This year the County built its present Jail and sheriff's residence at a cost of $'2.S,000.00, which was completed, and occupied by D. T. Bowen, then sheriff' of the county in June, 1895.

The year 1894 saw at Mankato the additions to the Normal school completed, the Security Fiats, the Patterson-Payne Block, and the malting house built, and the Presbyterian church enclosed. It also saw a new public library started in the Meagher building at the same place. At Amboy a good school house was built and a fine Presbyterian church; and at Lake Crystal an electric light plant was installed by Graif Brothers. During the fall and winter of 1893-4 there were important religious revivals at the M. E. Church in Mankato, under Eev. J. P. Stout; in the Kennedy Bridge neighborhood, in the Ward neighborhood of Beauford and Medo. In July, 1894, a summer school convened at ^lajileton with over 110 teachers in attendance.

This year (1894) the bicycle craze was at its height and most of the county was on wheels. Bicycle clubs were formed and century rides v.'ere very fashionable.

March 28, 1895, Company F, 2nd Eeg't State Militia was mustered out. This year (1895) witnessed the building at Mankato of the Eay Block, the Glass Block by Longini and Thorns, the Fred Kron Block, and the Free Press (or Hunt) Block; at Amboy, the erection at a cost of $15,000.00 of a new flour mill, by Peterson & Fuller, an Odd Fellows block and a water system; at Good Thunder, of a new Lutheran church, dedicated with much rejoicing on September 20; at i\Iadison Lake, a new Catholic church edifice, dedicated with due ceremony on October 27, and at Eapidan station, a hall erected by the young men of the vicinity.

March 10, 1895, a morning daily paper was started at Mankato by W. C. Wilson and J. E. Hall, called the "Mankato Morning News." Wilson soon got into some scrape and had to leave town. The paper was sold the following October to Carl E. Eastwood. John Eiddes was local editor, Arthur Eose night editor, and J. E. Hall in charge of job department. Later Alexander Fiddcs of Jackson became its proprietor and J. E. Eeynolds became editor. Under this management the paper became quite popular for Mr. Eeynolds was a good writer and news gatherer. Through want of sufficient capital and patronage, however, the paper finally suspended in September, 189G.

The Populist party was quite strong in our county this year (1895), and on June 1st, a populist league was organized at Good Thunder with Peter McGrath as President, M. M. Pratt, A'ice-President, E. W. Parker, Secretary, and W. M. Smith, Treasurer. On July 4, a big Populist demonstration met at the same place at which addresses were given by Hon. L. C. Long of Nobles Co., E. W. Parker, and Father Pox.

On October 1, 1895, The ilankato Street Eailway was torn up and abandoned for want of sufficient patronage. j\fuch effort was made to have it changed into an electric line, but these efforts failed. C'. A. E\erhart & Co., sold their candy and cracker factory this year to a Kansas City compan}-, and five years theroal'tcr it was closed, after the departure of F. J. Royer, the last manager. In October F. il. Currier bought out the interest of John C. Nobles in the other candy factory and the firm of Bosenberger & Currier began their prosperous career.

S. J. Wright had for some time conducted a fruit commission house at ilankato but in November, 1895, he sold out to the Mankato Fruit Commission Co., of which he became a member. This year the Northwestern Telephone Company built a line to Lake Crystal.

its mercantile establishments. Among the losses were the bank and store of J. E. Brown, the stores of Sonneyson & Schoyen, Jno. Johnson, Geo. E. Crane, C'has. Dietz and Ira iloore. Undaunted by their misfortunes the property owners as soon as spring opened let contracts for much larger and better buildings than before. J. B. Nelson & Co., of Mankato obtained the contracts for the business blocks erected for J .

The state census of 1895 raised the population of Mankato above the 10,000 limit, and accordingly on February 7, 1896. the saloon li^ censes at the county seat were advanced to $1,- 000.00 per annum. During 1895-6-7 a bitter fight was waged by the citizens of Mankato against the Manliato Gas and Electric (.'o., because of the alleged exorbitant rates charged.

The sentiment was very strong in favor of a municipal lighting plant, and $10,000.00 in bonds were voted to install such a plant. Because of the financial panic then prevailing the council failed to dispose of the bonds. A few were opposed to municipal lighting, and in behalf of these L. G. if. Fletcher brought an injunction suit to restrain the city from disposing of the linnds. In February, 1897, this suit was decided in favor of the city. From the fall of 1890 until the fall of 1897 the city was lighted with gasoline lamps. At last on Sept. 10, 1897, a settlement was made with the gas comjiany, which gave both the city and private consumers a great reduction in price.

During 1895 and 1896 Mankato agitated with success the removal of the tracks of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Eailway from Fourth and Van Brunt street*, in the heart of the resident section of the city, to their present location along the river front. A new union depot was built by this company and the Northwestern Eailway during the summer^ near the foot of Alain street, which depot was first occupied December 6, 1896. The Blue Earth County Territorial Historical Society was organized at Mankato through the efforts of James Shoemaker. This society has every June held its annual picnic at Sibley Park, Mankato, and the events have been very popular with the old settlers of the county.

The year 1896 witnessed at Mankato, besides a big Eourth of July celebration, the building of the present Welsh Cal. Meth. Church, and the improvement of Sibley Park; at South Bend, on May 1st, W. W. Davis sold his store to A. Lincoln; at Mapleton the bank of J. B. Brown failed, and in September a new State Bank was organized by Judge Buck and a number of others, and an electric light plant was installed there by Seller Bros.; at Garden City, on October 6, the second old settler's reunion was held in connection with County Pair. These reunions of the old pioneers held in connection with the County Fairs, continued for five or six years with much success and then were dropped. The Christian denomination at Garden City built this year their present church. At Madison Lake a bank started and a bank building was erected. A telephone line was built, also from Eapidan to xVmboy, bringing the county ever closer together in a business and social way.

January 15, 1897, the farmers of Deeoria, McPherson and vicinity organized the "Farmers United Township Mutual Hail Insurance Company,"-' with Andrew French president, and N. Juliar, Treasurer.

Early in 1897, the Danville postoffice was moved to the Star Creamery in that township and Ira Moore, who had opened a store there, appointed postmaster, while the Sherman post office was discontinued.

By a legislative act approved March 13, 1897, the counties of Faribault and Martin were detached from the sixth Judicial District to form a new district, leaving only Blue Earth and Watonwan Counties in the Sixth District.

On May 7, 1897 the new livery barn of Martin Wiltgen was burned. April 17, 1897', the Odd Fellows block occupitd by the dry goods store of McConnell & Cummins, the grocery of A. B. Ewing and a number of offices burned, and on May 21, the big wholesale grocery block of L. Patterson was entirely destroyed by fire.

The winter of 1896-7 had been rather cold, with a heavy fall of snow and the Minnesota ^yas very high in the spring. April 21st, the "Henrietta" arrived at Mankato from Stillwater, the first boat for a number of years. She fl'as a stern wheeler, 170 feet long, had three decks and was capable of carrying 300 passengers. The arrival of a steamboat being now a novelty at Mankato, she attracted much attention and next day carried a large excursion to St. Peter. March 9, 1897, the first number of the "St. Clair Star" was issued by W. J. Ward, but the paper was soon discontinued. About the middle of May, of the same year the "Vernon Center News was started by M. H. Gder and is a live paper to this day. About the last of July of this same year another paper was started at Eagle Lake, called the Eagle Lake News, by F. A. Swayne, but it was short lived.

May 1, 1897, five sisters of the Sorrowful Mother came from Marshfield, Wis., to take charge of the Tourtellotte Hospital at Mankato. May 10, 1897, a tornado or cyclone passed through Medo completely demolishing a school house, the Alma City Creamery, and the Little Cobb postoffice and store owned by John Hanson. For a few days thereafter the people of Medo were very busy building cyclone cellars. June 11th of this year a rather unique robber's den was discovered under the Yeager school house in Eapidan. A young fellow named Silas Grey, had managed to excavate a room under the school house, boarded its sides up neatly, and covered the floor with carpets and made him a sumptuous home, the entrance to whicli was entirely hidden. Here he would spend the day, and at night he would appropriate farmers teams and prowl about in quest of booty and bring it to his den. Caught finally with a stolen bicycle and lodged in jail,

The year ]8!)7 was rather noted for its disasters in the history o-f our county and especially ^Mankato. Wo have already spoken of three big fires, which occurred in tlic early spring. In June came the failure of Longini & Thorns of the Glass Block. This was followed by the removal in October of the machinery of the Linseed Oil works to St. Paul and the closing in 1899 of one of the most important industries of the city. Later in the fall came the failure of John A Willard, followed quickly by the failure of the JIankato Knitting Mill, the Mankato Fibre Ware Co., and of the Willard and Polchow brick yards. This same vear witnessed the death of John P. Meagher and John A. Willard, than whom no two men had been more prominently connected with the financial, commercial and industrial interests of the county. October 5, 1897, the store of A. Lincoln at South Bend was burned, and with it the South Bend postoffice. The chinch' bugs and the hog cholera still prevailed upon the farms of the county. To these setbacks we have to add the great financial depression of those days. But in spite of the business gloom and many reverses the year was not ^^'ithout its sunny spots and the substantial assurance of hope and progress.

During the summer at ifankato L. Patterson & Co., built them a larger and more commorlious business block than ever; the Odd Fellows began in September the erection of their fine office block; M. A. Sherk & Son built their large grocery store on the corner of Front and Liberty streets, and Rosenberger and Currier began the erection of their present large candy factory, 44x100 feet, with annex in the rear 44x 32 ; September 28, 1897, the Mankato weekly Post became a semi-weekly paper. In October of the same year, the Citizens Telephone Company was started, and organized the following February, which company has since grown to a big institution.

The creameries of the county were continuing to multiply, and dairying had taken the place of wheat raising as the chief agricultural industry of the county. The German Lutherans built a church at Eapidan station this year, (1897); and at a Sunday school convention held at Garden City in June, forty-four schools reported H.'i-I-I scholars and 439 oft'icers and teachers. As these scliools represented only the English speaking part of the community they did not Ijy a long way cover the Bible students of the county.

In January, 1898, the Woodmen's Hall was completed at Garden City, and Over & Clough opened a new store there. At Mankato J. B. & D. Richards purchased the glass block and moved their stock of dry goods thereto. Early in Februar}', 1898, Kleinschmidt Bros., opened at ilankuto a factory for interior wood work, which prospered for a time. The county Superintendent of schools had started the plan of holding annual declamatory contests at Mankato, open to all the country schools. The third contest was held February 25th of this yea,r. March 2, 1898, the large four stoi7 brick block of the young Men's Investment Co., of Mankato was destroyed by fire. Hon. W. J. Bryan, the Democratic candidate for president, gave an address at Mankato in January of this year. The winter of 1897-8 was quite open and seeding began about the middle of March. The ground was quite dry and dust storms were frequent.

St. Patrick's day was duly observed at Mankato and Jlapleton as usual, ilarch 18th, the livery barn of B. D. Pay and Sons was burned, lieing one of the eleven incendiary fires at Mankato during the year ending April 1, 1898. The autlior of these fires at Mankato, which continued for a number of years, was never discovered. April l.j, 1898, a new Militia company was organized at Mankato of which W. L. Comstock -nas chosen Captain, J. E. Heggerness 1st Lieutenant, and G. Alba Lewis 2nd Lieutenant. April 29th of the same year Col. C. E. Johnson and forty-five recruits from Mankato joined the 3rd Minnesota regiment and soon left for the Spanish war.

At the County and State fairs of these days J. S. Parks of Pleasant Mound put on exhibition 240 different varieties of apples raised in his orchard, demonstrating conclusively the possibility of our county in apple culture. Early in August J. A. Elittie of Mankato was appointed Eeferee in Bankruptcy for this district. In August the fire companies of Mankato sold out to the city, which has since maintained a paid fire department of its own. During the fall the city erected its present fire station, which was completed by March 1, 1899.

October 23, 1898, President Edward Searing of the Normal School died suddenly at St. Paul. He was one of the best educators in the state and under his able management the Mankato Normal had become famous. December 16,

The Chicago and Northwestern Eailway determined to build up the Minnesota valley and thus straighten its line between Jlankato and New Ulm some fourteen miles. To this end a corporation called the "Mankato and New Ulm Eailway Co.," was formed on January 16,

1899. Surveys were at once made, right of way purchased, the grading begun in May, 1899, and the road completed by May 29, 1900, when the first train was run over it. The building of this new Eailway added two new townsites to our county, Judson and Cambria, both of which were laid out early in the spring of 1900, by the railway company. A depot, elevator, store, blacksmith shop, creamery and church were built at Judson; and at Cambria, a depot, elevator, store, blacksmith shop, creamery. Woodmen's Hall and two or three residences were erected.

Through the efl^orts of Dr. J. W. Andrews and other Mankato physicians the St. Joseph Catholic hospital was secured for Mankato and built during the summer of 1899, at a cost of $50,000 and dedicated on Dec. 5th of that year. It was put in charge of a corps of sisters and has proved a great blessing to the sick of our county and vicinity.

In March an eight inch Howitzer - a captured Spanish Gun - was secured for the G. A. E. of Mankato, through congressman McCleary and placed in Lincoln Park in May, 1900, where it still remains. In May, 1899, the Cannon Valley railroad was sold by the Minneapolis and St. Louis Eailway Co., to the Great Western Eailway Co. This brought the ofliice of the Wells, Fargo Express into Mankato and Madison Lake. June 10, 1899, 800 people attended the seventh annual picnic of the early settlers association of Blue Earth County, at. Garden City, and three days later a great multitude attended the Woodmen's picnic at Mankato.

During the summer of 1899 the M'. E. church of Amboy built their present fine edifice. In May of the same year the Amboy-Sterling Telephone Co., was organized with a capital of $10,000, by L. W. Wells, Willoughby Wells, C. H. Brace, Wm. Ellis, C. J. Louer and J. E. Merrill; July 1, of the same year the private bank at Amboy was changed to "The State Bank of Amboy" with a capital of $25,000, its President being David Secor, Vice President, Frank P. Ware and Cashier, S. C. Berner.

In August Vernon Center voted $3,500 in bonds to help build an $8,000 school building, which was not put up until 1902, when the school district became independent. In August, 1899, the Vernon mill, then owned by Mrs. C. M. Green was struck by lightning and burned. At Lalie Crystal the Welsh Cal. Methodists erected their present fine house of worship. At Eapidan Thos. L. Eodgers was erecting a three story new flour mill on the site of the old Kenworthy mill. It was completed the following spring and has a capacity of 50 to 75 barrels per day, and makes an excellent grade of flour.

This year, (1899), saw the telephone extended to Beauford; the "St. Clair Star" suspended; the "Eagle Lake News" sold to M. H. Galer; a carnival in September at Mapleton; and the organization of the Standard Brewing Co., at Mankato.

Near the close of the year a well written and finely illustrated volume entitled "The History of St. Paul and St. Peter's church of Mankato by Father Von Packish was issued by the Post Printing Company. The book is in German and gives, in addition to the complete annals of the church, much valuable information about the early German settlements of the county.

A long succession of _ very dry years had resulted in many of the shallow lakes of the county becoming dry. Among these were Jackson Lake and Eagle Lake. The village of Aniboy was anzious to maintain the former, and the people of Eagle Lake village felt in the same way about their lake, but the farmers, who bordered upon the lakes and were adding to their farms by the recession of the waters looked difierently upon the matter. In both instances one party accused the other of tampering with the outlets of these lakes and in 1900 litigations were had in the courts. A decided change in the rainfall of the locality came in a year or two and all quarrels of this kind were drowned in the abundant floods which followed.

Since the failure of the standard cement company in 1893, the works had been operated by P. H. Carney, wlio up to January 1, 1900, had produced 452,261 barrels of cement. Since then for many years the works have been under the management of Harry E. Carney.

In March, 1900, the saw mill of Cords & Chase "in McPherson, and the old Eoekey flour mill at Mankato burned. The Cal)le Mill was, also, sold to Joseph Kreuer and Albert Schwartz.

In April, 1900, Barnes purchased the Eagle Lake News, of M. H. Galer but was succeeded in a year or so by H. C. Cummins & Son. The Garden City Progress was a new paper of this year edited by A. I. Shaver.

May 14, of this year was inaugurated the first rural mail route in the County. It started from Amboy and embraced thirty-six square miles of territory and served a population of 660 persons. A. B. Burgess was appointed its first carrier. In September of the same year the second Eural Eoute was established at Vernon Center, and the thii-d from Mankato in October.

In April J. B. and D. Eichards purchased the Glass Block at Mankato and occupied it with their store. In June, the Woodmen's Hall at Eapidan was built; and at Lake Crystal was held the second annual commencement of its High School.

Early in August the Amboy Herald was sold by J. A. Krohn to- H. C. Hotaling and James B. Brown, the latter assuming the management and, in September, 1902, becoming sole proprietor.

October 11, 1900, the South Bend Hotel and Store were burned, wiping out about all there remained of that ancient burg. The hotel had been erected in 1857, by M. Thompson, and the store of D. P. Davia and son about 18G7. When burned tlie buildings had been bought and occupied about a month by A. J. Dethier for mercantile purposes, and there was some suspicion as to the origin of the fire.

November 14, 1900, occurred the death of John C. Wise, Sr., the founder of the Mankato Weekly Eecord, and of the Daily and Weekly Eeview. For over forty-one years he had been the great Democratic leader and editor of our county. A man of splendid Journalistic ability, excellent character and greatly beloved. No one was better acquainted with the county and its history than he, and to his exhaustlees store of local information as recorded by him week by week many of the facts of this history are due. He possessed a wonderful memory of persons, events and dates, and he never published a statement, until he had fully verified it. He was fond of truth and not sensational rumors, and for this reason his paper was more reliable than most newspapers, and possessed a peculiar historical value.

In February, 1901, Andrew Carnegie, the great Pittsburg philanthropist, offered Mankato $40,000 to build a public Library, provided a site was furnished and the city guaranteed $4,000 a year in perpetuity for its maintenance. The conditions were accepted and the site se- cured this year, and in April, 1902, the contract for the building was let to J. B. Nelson & Co., for $30,082. June 24, 1902, the corner stone v.as laid and on June 23, 1903, the building was opened. The Mankato Public Library had been established pursuant to law, April 7, 1894, by a resolution of the Common Council, and $2,000 annually was appropriated for its maintenance. A board of nine directors was appointed by the mayor. Eooms were rented upstairs in the J. P. Meagher building, 132 South Front St., where on February 6, 1895, the library was first opened, with 2,000 volumes on its shelves. Miss Minnie McGraw was appointed librarian, which position she held until 1906, when she resigned and Miss Maude Van Buren succeeded her. Domiciled in this fine building, splendidly equipped for its purpose, the Mankato Public Library has become one of the most useful institutions of our county seat.

In March, 1901, a Farmers Co-operative Warehouse Company was organized at Good Thunder and Peter McGrath made its president. April 30, a cheese company was organized at Ceresco, with S. H. Thurston, as president; Julius Kopishke, vice president; Chas. Russell, secretary; and J. E. Noble, general manager.

April 30, 1901, Garden City voted to incorporate as a village by a vote of 49 to 41, and on May 21, Frank P. Fairchild was elected the first President of its board of trustees. Aftev three or four years the village franchise was surrendered as the place was too small to maintain a separate organization.

May 22, 1901, occurred the sad death of James Shoemaker by being run over by a railway v;ar at Mankato. He had been a prominent figure in both city and county for years and was president of the l^Iankato Beard of Trade and of The Territorial Old Settlers Society at the time of his tragic death.

May 21, 1901, the Mankato military company were, captain, Schuyler Hawks; first lieutenant. Guards as Company B'. Its officers at the time were, captain, Schuyler Ila^\ks; fii'=t lieutenant, P. E. Brown; second lieutenant, Geo. Kenney.

During this year (1901) the Great Western Railway ]3urcha:?cd a right of -way through the city of Mankato in order to join the C. St. P. and Milwaukee Railway Co., in a imion depot near the foot of Jackson Street.

The same October the Graif Brotliers of Lake Crystal put in a local Telephone exchange in that village. In November, 1901, the postofEice department had thirteen new rural roixtes under consideration for Blue Earth County, all of which were soon there after established - 5 at Mankato, 4 at Mapleton, 2 at Amboy and 1 each at Eagle Lake and Lake Crystal.

During the summer of 1901 the Railway company put in a water system at Amboy. The Eobinson Block was also remodeled into a hotel at that village.

November 18, 1901, the Lake Crystal Mill was destroyed by fire, but Avas again rebuilt by a stock company in'the fall of 1902, at a cost of $28,000.

Feb. 15, 1902, two rural routes were established from Amboy with J. L. Decker and 0. B. Kelly as carriers, and the postofliccs of Pleasant Mound and Willow Creek were discontinued. Two routes, were, also, established from Lake Crystal.

This summer (1902) the Barber Asphalt company paved Broad street in the city of Mankato. Most of the property owners were greatly opposed to the paving and much expenHiNc litigation arose over the matter be- * tween them and the city, which proved very unfortunate and disastrous to both parties.