Faribault County, Minnesota - Chapter 14, 1896

Chapter 14

In this historic panorama of the year, as it passes in I'eview before us, we at last behold, high up on the canvas, the emblazoned figures 1868. What of this almost forgotten year? How little any one remembers definitely of the events of any past year. Two or three personal incidents makes up the sum total. All other events are vague and uncertain and may belong to a year, two or three years before, or after. But for the historian's labor the events of the past, however important would soon, in the lapse of time, become mere traditions in which truth and fable are indistinguishable, and they constantly growing more uncertain, would at last pass forever from the memory of man.

In recounting the events of this year, a proper regard for our local legislative body and the order of incidents as to time, requires the statement that our county commissioners assembled on the 7th day of January and had a session of four days. All the further actions of the board at this session, which it is needful to record here, is that Henry J. Neal was reelected chairman, and it was decided to let the contract for building the county jail, a much-needed improvement in the light of public economy.

The board met again on the 10th and 11th days of February, but did nothing of importance, but reject a number of exorbitant bids for building the jail. Other meetings of the board were held March 10th, June 12th and Sept. 1st, but the business done was of no special interest.

A Convention

Though somewhat out of the order of events, it may be noted here that on the 25th day of January, a convention of homestead men was held at Blue Earth City, of which John A. Dean was chairman. In view of the demand of the "homesteaders," that further action be had by the legislature, then in session, in relation to taxation of homestead claims, the party at this convention was reorganized, a number of bylaws were adopted for the government of the society, and the name "The Free-Homestead Society of Faribault County," was adopted. This convention meant to accomplish something for the relief of homestead men, as will be seen hereafter, they

Let us now look towards the Capitol of the State where the legislature was in session and see what was being done for the good of the ])eople by

The Lycurguses

The State Legislature of this year which assembled January 7th and adjourned March Gth, jiassed several acts having a direct relation to this county. The titles of these acts were as follows:

An act to locate, survey and establish a State road from Blue Earth City, in Faribault county, via Fairmont, in Martin county, to Jackson, in Jackson county This road was subsequently surveyed and established.

An act to authorize the towns in Fillmore, Mower, Freeborn, Faribault, Martin and Jackson counties, to issue bonds to aid in the construction of any railroads running into, or through said counties. Under the provisions of this act, most of the towns in this county, at one time or another, voted to issue bonds, in various amounts, to aid in the construction of railroads in the county, as may be seen more fully by reference to the history of the several townships.

An act to provide for the taxation of improvements on homestead claims, made under the act of congress approved May 20th, 1862, entitled "An act to secure homesteads to actual settlers on the public domain, and the interest of claimants in such claims."

Bj' this law all improvements on homestead claims were required to be assessed and taxed, but section 4 enacted that "no tax shall be assessed or levied on any lands, held or occupied by settlers under said act of congress, other than on improvements made on the same, and the interest of the claimant therein, so long as the fee of the same remains in the United States.."'

This act was passed to satisfy the demands of the homestead settlers of the State who objected, as we have already seen, to the taxation of their homestead claims.

In this connection it should be stated that on the first day of February, Mr Wakefield, senator from this district, introduced in the senate: "A bill for an act to compel the county auditors of the several counties of the State to strike from the several tax duplicates, certain taxes therein named." Section first enacted, that the county auditorsof the several counties of the State are hereby required to strike from the several tax duplicates for the year 1867, and the several delinquent tax lists for previous years, all taxes upon lands entered under the act of congress, entitled an act to secure homesteads to actual settlers, etc , approved May 20th, 1862, when such taxes have been levied upon such lands prior to the time the person or persons entering the same, were entitled to receive a patent or patents therefor. Section second enacted, "such lands shall not be subject to taxation for any purpose prior to the time that the persons entering the same, may be entitled to patents therefor, from the United States."

During the first days of February many petitions were circulated through the county and were numerously signed, praying the State legislatui'e to pass Mr. Wakefield's bill. The bill passed the Senate but failed in the House, and the act above referred to relating to the taxation of improvements on homesteads became the law of the State. That act at first sight, appeared in the main satisfactory but as construed for a time subsequently, proved a delusion as much as a relief measure. It was very much as though a stone had been given when bread had been asked. All improvements upon the homestead --and the Interest of the claimant therein, so long as the fee of the same remains in the United States," being assessed, taxed and held as personal property, the last cow of the homestead settler could be taken as in all other cases of personal property taxes for the payment of the tax. And the payment of the tax, too, being personal, was imperative, and more immediate than if assessed as a land tax. But the act was the best and in fact all that could be obtained of the legislature at that time, and was construed differently from the intention of many of the makers of the law. It may also be stated here incidently, that an act was also passsed, approved March 4th, relieving the Southern Minnesota Railroad Company from building their road to two "points" "Preston" and "Austin," named in the bill granting them the lands, and although this action had no direct reference to this county, it was the first and most important step towards the removal of all the points.

James B.Wakefield, of this county, in the Senate, and A. B. Colton, of Martin county, in the House, represented this district in the legislature of 1868.

Sowing The Seed

The spring of this year opened about the 20th of March, and seeding was done as early as the 23d of March. All the seeding was done early, and the weather continued quite favorable until the 24th day of April, when quite a snow storm occurred.

In view of the short crops of the two preceding years, a greater breadth of land was seeded this year than ever before, every available acre being put under cultivation. The farmers were encouraged to hope for good prices, as wheat, in May, brought two dollars per bushel, and the fact was that prices during the whole year ruled very favorably to the farmers.

Topics Of The Time

On the 24th day of February the House of Representatives of the United States adopted articles of impeachment of Andrew John son. President of the United States, whicli event created great commotion in political circles, and much interest throughout the countrj'. It is not proper here to discuss what, in that day, were known as "the reconstruction measures." the "my policy," of the President, nor the President's conduct, in the exercise of the functions of hi."* high office; they are simply alluded to here, as showing the subjects of public interest at the time, and in reference to the impeachment proceedings it is sufficient to say. that a trial before the Senate of the United States, sitting as a High Court of Impeachment was had. which terminated May 16th. The vote stood thirty five for impeachment, and nineteen against. The law required a two-thirds vote to impeach, and the vote cast for impeachment lacked one of the requisite number.

Another subject of much public interest at the time, was the overland expedition to the Black Hills of Dakota, projected by Capt. P. B. Davy, a resident of this county, and which created considerable excitement through Ihe county and State during the spring of this year. There was very good evidence that great mineral wealth existed in that wonderful tract of country, gold, silver, copper, iron, coal, besides immense forests of pine timber, and the object of the expedition was, as stated by the projector of the enterprise, "to open up that beautiful and fertile region to settlement and cultivation, and establish in her rich valleys a thriving and energetic people, who will bring to light the weight of her slumbering wealth and prospect her yet undeveloped and comparatively unknown mines."

Many agencies where established throughout the State for the purpose of affording information as to the objects of the enterprise, and facilities for joining the company. The expedition was gotten up on a large scale, and it was designed that the various detachments should leave the State about the 20th of May, and all gather at Yankton, D. T.. the place of general rendezvous, from whence the line of march would be taken up early in .June, for the Hills.

But when the expedition was about organized, it was countermanded by the general government, on the ground that the territory of country known as the Black Hills had been reserved for the occupancy of the Indians, and all others were forbidden to trespass upon it. and consequently this whole project had to be abandoned.

latei' years, have abundantly proved the correctness of the previous conjectures and statements as to the great mineral wealth of the country.

In connection with the Black Hills project, a pamphlet of twenty-eight pages was published at the South West office, in April of this year, under the supervision of Capt. Davy, containing an elaborate notice of the exi3edition and its objects, and containing, also, an article descriptive of Blue Earth City and Faribault county. Soon after harvest following, when the expedition had been abandoned, another pamphlet of twenty-eight pages, more fully descriptive of the county, gotten up by Capt. Davy, with the assistance of several other residents of Blue Earth City, was published at the Soutli West printing office, for general distribution throughout the Eastern states and Canada. These publications constituted the first, and it may be said the last efforts, until late years, beyond a few newspaper articles, to afford information, to the world at lai-ge, of the character of this county, its natural advantages for settlement, and to induce immigration.

Another topic of much interest at this time, with the people generally, was the building of the Southern Minnesota Railroad. Its progress was closely watched. When it should reach this county, if ever, was a matter of considerable discussion. At this time, and for several years, Waseca, in Waseca county, on the line of the Winona and St. Peter Railroad, was the great grain and lumber market of this region of country. An immense traffic was done over the roads leading from this county to that place. Long trains of from ten to thirty or more teams - farmers' wagons and the carryalls of the regular teamsters, were almost daily passing back and forth, hauling out grain and bringing back lumber, merchandise, etc. A number of stopping places on the line became quite famous hostelries for a number of years - Barber's and Schoffman's at Minnesota Lake; Hill's, Caster's, Larrabee's, the taverns at Wilton, are still remembered. Many an adventure, incident and joke of the road, occurring in those days, are still told by those who journeyed to and fro.

The Tribunal

On the 2d day of June, the District Court commenced its annual term, Hon. Horace Austin, presiding. The term was a very important one and lasted nine days. A large calendar was disposed of, but none of the cases were of public interest. Some of the cases, however, involved the decision of a number of very difficult legal points. Owing to "the smooth tongues of the lawyers and the thick heads of the jui-ors," several suitors were greatly surprised at the

The First Circus And Menagerie

Whatever may be thought or said of the moral aspects and influences of the circus or menagerie, or both combined, it is a fact that at this day, these great travelling shows have become a great American institution and their annual visits, during the summer months, are as regular and as much expected by almost all classes of people in the cities and in the towns and villages of the country, as the Fourth of July, and they are generally woU patronized.

The first of these great shows which appeared in this county was announced as "Orton Brothers Egyptian Caravan and Great South American Circus," and exhibited at Blue Earth City, on the 18th day of June of this year.

The blazeing show bills of this institution, posted up for weeks before and studied and canvassed in all their attractions by the boys, employed the gorgeous rhetoric usual in such cases, and read in about the following glowing words:

The most gigantic and magnificent combination of equestrian and artistic talent, with the most interesting and prodigious collection of wonderful animals ever seen on the face of the globe ! I

Many an aged reader of this brief sketch will call to remembrance what happiness the coming of a great show gave him in his boyhood's years - how he would lie awake most of the night, preceding the day of the circus, full of imaginations, conjectures and anticipations - how early he would awake the morning of that gi-eat day, and, perhaps, with many others of his age, probably barefooted and without breakfast, as the writer himself did on more than one occasion during his hopeful youth, go out miles on the road to meet the coming show - how the elephants and camels were inspected, how the wagons were viewed and numbered, with what awe and envy the drivers were regarded, and everything noted, and how proudly he marched with the possession to town - then watching the putting up of the great tents, and the final culmination of it all, the great exhibition itself. Life as we all know in the country towns and villages, brings but few such genuine, compact masses of real happiness to the stout, healthy and active boy, as the great tented show. Perhaps but few of the readers of this article ever heard the showman's battle cry: "Hey Rube!" "Hey Rube!" "Hey Rube!"

It has been heard, occasionally, of late years, but not often, especially in the northern states. It is a cry of awful import, and 'is never uttered, except in the last extremity, and then and always, it means, desperate fighting, blood and death. This is the rallying cry of the showmen when they are attacked by roughs and mobs, and there appears no other way than by fighting to protect themselves and their property.

In the showmans' literature it a^jpears that these desperate encounters have occurred most frequently in the rough, border towns of the southern states, but they have been known, also, at various places in the North. It is, of course, the interest of showmen to avoid such collisions, and it is seldom, though sometimes, their fault that such fights arise. They are almost always made in self defense, and are often bloody contests.

Such a fight occurred at Jacksonville. Texas, yeax-s ago, when twenty-three of the mob were killed and over fifty wounded - at a town in Arkansas where three were killed, many wounded on both sides, and a tent cut to pieces - at Somersett, Ky., where twenty were killed and many injured - ac Cartersville, Ga., three roughs were killed - at Plymouth, Ind., where many were wounded. These are but a few of the instances of this character which may be named. All of the old show companies have had some experiences of this kind - the elder Forepaugh, Robinsons, O'Brien, Dan Rice, Coup, Noyes, Barnum and others.

Sitting as a spectator in the grand pavilions of the large combined circuses and menageries of these modern days, and contemplating the scenes - the multitudes of interested people, the wonderful exhibitions presented by the trained knights of the sawdust arena, feats of strength, agility of trained muscles, the marvelous leaping, balancing, riding, the dangerous feats of the flying trapeze, all, apparently, setting the laws of nature at defiance, one is amazed at beholding what the trained human being and dumb animals are capable of.

The camel stood quietly chewing and contemplating the scenes with lofty contempt, when he might have been heard to say, "The pyramids, the date palm, myself and the clown's jokes, are the only

But, after all, many of the wonderful performances exhibited at these shows, and others far more startling, were performed in their day, by actors who have been dead for nearly two thousand years.

Witnessing these scenes, the mind involuntarily wanders back to the days of ancient Greece and the Olympic games, the jumping, running, boxing, javalin throwing and chariot races, and to the days of the great Roman circuses at Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria and other great towns of the Empire, but especially to the Circus Maximus and the colosseum of old pagan Rome, the capital of the world.

Here tens of thousands assembled on the great show days, to witness the scenes. Seated safely high up, but over or near the stone and iron dens of hundreds of ferocious wild beasts, the spectators viewed scenic exhibitions of unprecedented splendor in the vast arena before them; mighty contests of gladiators with each other, or with wild beasts, to the death; the frightful conflicts of great numbers of savage beasts turned into the arena; great feats of horsemanship, acrobatic performances and chariot races, arousing the enthusiasm of the multitudes to madness, and perhaps, last of all the exciting scenes of these great shows, came the infernal culminating act, before which the angels in heaven veiled their faces, the martyrdom of Christian men and women, who in those ages of terrible persecutions, would not deny their Lord, and were often driven naked, or rather clothed only in a halo of purity, innocence and devotion, or of sanctified manhood and womanhood, into the arena and there kneeling on the bloody sands awaited the death decreed for them. Death by what means, reader":* Do you hear the grating and rumbling of the huge iron doors opening not far away, and the howling, roaring, shrieking and bellowing of the half starved and ferocious wild beasts, as they bound into the arena and in savage eagerness and fury rush to the feast? Now hide your face and muffle your ears, for this scene is not to be witnessed by enlightened or Christian men, but only by devils and degraded pagan humanity. And when you recall these things do not forget to thank God that you live in an age when such scenes are impossible, an age whose beneficence has been achieved by the blood of the martyrs and the sufferings of the patriots of many centuries.

This ever memorable day was celebrated at Blue Earth City. The day was fine and the attendance of the people commendable. Geo. B. Kingsley read the Declaration and Capt. P. B. Davy was the orator of the occasion.

There was also a grand celebration of the day at Winnebago City. It was estimated that some 1,500 people were present. Here A. C. Dunn was the reader of the Declaration and Prof. E. P. Bartlett delivered the oration, which was subsequently published in the Homestead.

At the grove of J. Chestnut, in the town of Guthrie, four Sunday schools, and others numbering in all about four hundred people, assembled to do honor to the day, and here the Declaration was read by the Rev. Mr. Foss, and addresses were delivered by Jos. Claggett and J. Gleason. Altogether the demonstrations this year were a fitting recognition of the birthday of the best government the world has yet seen, as the orators of the day usually state, a government which has given the greatest amount of happiness and success to the masses of its people, which has given equal advantages to the rich and poor, exalted labor, made all proper stations in life honorable and the highest stations attainable to all.

There is a lawyer, yet living, who some years ago was waited upon by a committee from a small village, for the purpose of engaging him to deliver a Fourth of July oration. When they asked him his price, he said he considered $25.00 cheap enough.

He was on hand on the glorious day, and by andbye the procession moved to the grove, the orator took the stand and was introduced, and without any fooling around he walked to the front and said:

"Fellow countrymen: We whipped England twice and can do it again. We whipped Mexico once and can repeat that sport. We are a free people. This is the glorious Fourth. Give 'em hail Columbia, and go in for a good time. Thanks for your attention."

He had given them a !?5.00 oration and every person in the crowd, except one, was perfectly satisfied. An old lady followed the orator around - she was a Boston woman - until she had cornered him, and then expressed her disgust by saying:

"Seems ter me, that if j-er mont to please this 'ere crowd, you would'nt have chopped off that air speech without a single word about the 'tea party,' and Bunker Hill and the Pilgrims. You don't know nothing."

These well attended gatherings of the people, from year to year, are not only an indication of some inherent patriotic impulses, but of something more - the love of a day of association, .social enjoyment and entertainment. It is certainly a mistaken view of life that happiness and success are to be found at the present, or some future day, in a hard, perpetual devotion to labor and pinching economy and miserly saving. Such a life is apt to grow narrow and dark. The individual becomes selfish, sordid, censurous, morbid and unjust. The trite old saying is true, that "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

While all should be industrious, energetic in their callings, and not wasteful, it appears to be the better view to take of life, that we should often unbend, relax from labor for a time and seek amusement and recreation, even if it does cost something.

Life at best, for the great majority of the race, is not long, and the time of its end is uncertain, and it is not best to wait until some future day when we shall gel rich or become too old to work, but take life's rational pleasures as we go along.

Though there is somewhat of sorrow, many disappointments, tix'esome toil and causes of grief in most lives, it is better to be cheerful and make the best of what we cannot avoid, than to be always sad and gloomy. It is better to look on the bright side of things, the hopeful side, even if we cannot always give much of a reason for it, than it is to be forever looking on the dark side. There is much on every hand to enjoy. The earth itself is beautiful, grand, wonderful, and the natural conditions of the seasons and of bountiful productions and climate and scenery, wherever civilized man can live, are generally beneficent. What is bad is commonly the result of man's abuse of what is good, and it is not the product of nature. And while it is true that there are some bad, selfish, discourteous people in the world, it is also true that there are many intelligent, frank, generous,hospitable,lovable people in every locality, with whom itis a pleasure and a benefit to associate. And this is another and a chief source of human happiness.

Few communities or individuals are so poor or so driven to toil, or so subject to suffering of any kind, but what there are means and occasions for some recreation and social enjoyments. It would be well if, among other things, people generally should make it a rule to often attend the great assemblies of the people in their section of country, the public lectures, concerts, conventions, fairs, school exhibitions, neighborhood parties and picnics when requested and certainly the religious meetings of their locality, and occasionally visit distant friends, the neighboring villages and places of interest. These things break in upon the lives of most people like rays of sunshine into a dark room.

The body is rested, the mind broadened and enlightened and filled with new ideas and thoughts and hopes. Even in the sordid view of finances it may often prove a great benefit. There may be those who do not see the pertinence here of these common-place remarks, but the prescription was written for the benefit of a gloomy, grunting, growling, jienurious class of people who can never see anything except through a smoked glass, and who are apt to get scared at the bugbear of a little expense.

The Harvesters At Work

"Harvest is now over and the yield has proved very abundant. All kinds of grain and vegetables are good and cannot be surpassed in any country, in either quality or quantity. Prices are satisfactory. Immigration and capital have poured into the county, and for permanent improvements the present year, thus far, surpasses all preceding years. It is estimated that as much ground has been broken this season as the whole amount under cultivation the preceding years. Money is yet somewhat 'close,' but abundant crops and good prices will soon loosen up the money market. Business of all kinds is looking lively, the people are energetic, cheerful and confident of the future."

As pertinent to the subject in hand the following quotation is given from the report of the Commissioner of Statistics relative to the wheat crop of this year. It is a gently flowing bland document.

The season began most auspiciously. The spring opened unusually early. A prompt sun quickened the torpid earth into a willing mood. Wooing showers kissed the waiting vegetation, and upland and meadow, forest and prairie, grew radiant with vernal beauty. Coaxed by the soft rain, smiling skies and alluring breath of an early spring, the wheat fields of Minnesota gambolled and rioted in tropical luxuriance. Everywhere in the broad expanse of our wheat domain, the hastening crop grew big with the promise of the greatest harvest ever known, except in the years 1860 and 1865. There was the same bountiful " setting " at the start, the same generous spreading and stately development of stalk, and the same amplitude of head and milky plumpness of berry, which ripened into the golden harvests of those years.

But when in the critical period of development, just as the kernel was in the milk, a "heated term" commenced of wholly unparalleled intensity and duration. For two weeks the fierce heat descended with unmitigated fury upon the gasping earth. The sun, as if obeying the command of a modern Joshua, seemed to stand still and pour a flood of white heat upon the tender heads of the unhardened grain. It is a marvel that it was not wholly blasted in the fiery ordeal. But there is an invaluable property in the soil or climate of Minnesota, perhaps in both, which enahlos the jtrain to measurahly resist the extremes, wluthor of heat or flood. To such cause, whatever it may be, we have more than once owed the exemption of our maturing' crops from utter destruction. The worst result, in this instance, was that of forcing a premature ripening, by which the berry was shrivelled and defrauded of its normal development.

The untimely advent of this heated period during the critical transition of the grain from the milk to the dough, was perhaps the sole preventive of as large an average yield as was ever known in this State. Our heaviest wheat crops were those of 1860 and 1865, when the average was somewhat over twentytwo bushels per acre. Before the crop of 1868 was gathered, I estimated the loss from the cause named as equal to about one-tlfth of the crop, leaving an average which I estimated at 17.75, which estimate is shown to have been very near correct, the official returns showing 17.9 bushels as the average per acre.

Agricultural Society Items

At the session of the legislature of this yeai-, an important act passed for the encouragement and assistance of the state and county agricultural societies. The act appropriated, annually, the the sum of two thousand dollars, to be equally divided among the county agricultural societies, which should comply with certain requirements, to be expended by them in such manner as they might deem best calculated to "promote and improve the condition of agriculture, horticulture and the mechanical, manufacturing and household arts and interests, in this State, either for the payment of pi'emiums at the annual exhibitions, or in the purchase and distribution of choice cuttings, seeds, plants or tubers, which having been tested, are found to be adapted to the soil and climate of this State, or in the pi'osecution of scientific investigation and experiments and in the collection and diffusion of information tending to develop the natural and agricultural resources of Minnesota."

An adjourned meeting of the Agricultural Society was held at Winnebago City on the 11th day of July, at which time a premium list was made, judges appointed, and certain other arrangements made for the annual fair, which it was designed should be one of the best ever had in the county. It was determined to hold the fair at Winnebago City, on the 7th and 8th days of October.

Among other intei'esting items, in the notices of the coming fair, the Homestead announced under the head. Agricultural Hop, that it was "proposed, as a finale to the fair, to have a jolly dance on the evening of the 8th."

The fair proved very much a failure; the speaker engaged for the occasion failed to attend, and on the first day the ground was covered with snow and a cold nor'wester blew a regular gale. The following amusing account of the fair is taken from the Homestead of the 14th of October.

"The fair last week had the elements for an enemy and could not be started until nine o'clock of the second day. Ministers said the weather was very unpropitious. Hotel proprietors thought it tough. Young ladies declared it to be a shame. Old ladies said there was no use in worrying; while strapping westerners, of full growth swore it was a bad egg. * » Nevertheless there was a fair and three or four hundred people saw it. Two beets and a harness looked askance at each other down stairs, while out of doors, two fine wooled bucks occupied the rear of a lumber wagon. All took the premium. The department of Fine Arts, up stairs, made a better show. The walls were draped in clothes lines, festooned with bed quilts and pictures, while the body of the room was ornamented with a variety of useful and ornamental articles, including babies. Glancing our eye about, we noticed a smashed water-mellon hanging on the west wall, which on inspection proved to be only an imitation. In close proximity to it, was a good representation of a girl in pantalettes, in the act of drawing a broad-sword. A sick cookoo, in the top of a clock, tried to make a noise, but couldn't pitch the tune, without being bolstered up, and that act of kindness having been done, he did not know enough to go in and shut the door."

"There being abundance of room, little stockings, big stockings, tatting and the shells of the ocean lay scattered around in the order of disorder, each possessing some charm to win a beholder."

Educational

A State Teachers' Institute was held at Winnebago City, commencing Oct. 12th and lasting five days. This was the first State Institute for the instruction of teachers, held in this county, and proved a very useful as well as a very interesting affair.

Thirty- two school teachers were present and took part in the exercises, while many other people interested in the work of education, attended the meetings and lectures.

Hon. M. H. Bunnell, state superintendent. Prof. Sanford Niles and S. J. Abbott, county superintendent of schools in this county, were the instructors.

About the same time notice was given of a Sunday School Teachers' Institute, to be held at Winnebago City, on the 26th, 27th and 28th days of October, under the charge of Rev. Geo. W. Prescott, State Sunday school agent. A very interesting programme of exercises was prepared and published, but for some now unknown cause this institute was either not held, or all record of the event is now lost.

The Poor Farm

A sale of school lands was held at Blue Earth City on the 23d day of October. At this sale the county purchased a tract of three hundred and twenty acres for a poor farm. This was making a very wise provison for the future. A time comes in the history of all enlightened communities, when some provision must be made for the aged and infirm poor, who have no means of support. In the manifold chances and changes of this mortal life - sickness, poverty, friendlessness, may come to even the richest and proudest of to-day, and the sad and lonely journey "over the hills to the poor house," may have to be made by some to whom such a contingency may be thought to be the remotest, or most impossible of all earthly events. The provision now usually made is the establishment of a hospital, or poor house, which is sustained by the public taxation. Of late years it has been found economical and beneficial, otherwise, to connect a farm with such poor house, from the products of which, in many places, the poor are comfortably maintained or nearly so. Besides many of the unfortunates who find the poor house their last resort, are able and willing to labor to some extent on a farm and thus contibute to their own support. The expense of purchasing lands at this time for the purpose, was much less than it would be in subsequent years when the county should become more populous. The tract purchased was near the center of the county, and comprised the north half of section thirty six, in town one hundred and three (103) of range twenty-seven (27), being in the town of Prescott.

The Politicians' Field-Day

We now proceed to give a brief account of another furious and bitter political contest. The campaign was more than ordinarily exciting because, in addition to local issues, another presidential contest was in progress.

Grant and Colfax were the republican candidates for president and vice-president, and Seymour and Blair the democratic candidates for the same high ofiices.

On the 10th day of October the Republican Legislative District Convention met at Fairmont, Martin county, and nominated for senator, A. L. Ward, of Martin county, and James L. Crays, of this county, for representative.

The "points" being still the issue in local politics, or rather made so, and the homestead question not having yet been satisfactorily settled, and the nominations made at Fairmont being thought to be opposed to "]3oints" and the exemption of homesteads from taxation, an informal convention was held at Blue Earth City on the evening of the 17th of October, in the interest of the "points" and homestead men to consider the situation. Representatives were present from two counties - ^this and Jackson.

The convention adopted a series of resolutions as a platform, the substance of which was that the railroad company having accepted the grant of lands with the conditions, agreed to build their road through the points named and were in good faith bound to do so - that they wanted the "points" removed and designed not to build the road into this county or district, and that the nominations made at Fairmont were not binding upon the party, as they were fraudulently made.

James B. Wakefield was nominated as a candidate for senator, and James W. Hunter, of Jackson county, for representative. A committee was appointed to draft and publish an "address" to the people of the district, setting forth, as was alleged, the real issues to be decided. The resolutions and address were published in the form of a circular and were distributed broadcast throughout the district.

What relevancy these lines may have had to the political affairs of the time, the writer of this history will not attempt to say, but they were heard repeated about that time.

On the 31st of October, the democracy held a county convention at Winnebago City, and placed in the field, for county officers, the following candidates:

Messrs. Hewett and Davy, democratic candidates for senator and representative, subsequently withdrew from the contest, and the lists of candidates being now settled, they all entered upon a fair

Politics in local questions were thrown aside, the district was canvassed from end to end, meetings were held, and the people were visited at their firesides by the candidates or their friends.

Of the newspapers in the district, the Soutli-West at Blue Earth City, favored Wakefield and Hunter. The Homestead, at Winnebago City.and the Adas at Fairmont, favored Ward and Grays. The election was held on the third day of November. The following table presents the result in this county. Of the votes cast

Messrs. Wakefield and Hunter had a majority of the votes cast in the entire district and were elected, and so "points" and "No Homestead Taxation" won again, but the contest was a hard one and the majority small.

The winter closed in about the 15th day of November, when a very severe snow storm began and continued unabated for three days. And now the record of this year's events may be closed with the statement tlaat on the 19th of December, C. W. Thompson. General Manager of the Southern Minnesota Railroad Company, made a proposition to some fourteen of the townships of the county, to the effect that tlie company would build and complete its road to Winnebago City in this county, by the first day of January, 1871, if the towns named in the proposition would vote aid in the form of town bonds, payable in ten years with seven per cent annual interest to the amounts specified in the proposition, which was fifteen thousand dollars in all the towns but Winnebago City, of which twenty-five thousand was required.

In conclusion it may be written that in the way of immigration and permanent improvements, crops, weather, the public health and general prosperity, the year was one of the best in our history.