Jackson County, Minnesota - Current Events - 1895-1910, 1910

Current Events - 1895-1910

THE progress of a community is reflected to a considerable extent in its census returns.. That Jackson county's progress had been steady is attested by the fact that from 18G0, when enumerators found inhabitants in Jackson county for the first time, up to the present time, each five year census had shown a gain in population. The greatest increase during any of these five year periods occurred from 1890 to 1895. According to the state census for the last mentioned year, the population of Jackson countv was 12,324. This was an increase of 3,400 in fiv(} years. During the decade the county had more than doubled in population. Divided by precincts the

Considerable railroad history was made in Jackson county during 1895 and 1896, but no railroads were built. For many years the people of the county had tried to secure the building of a north and south road; they had approached every company in the country to the south - both those with lines of railroad and those without; they had offered inducements to company after company, but none was found who would build into the Milwaukee territory. Finally, several capitalists of Jackson formed a company and obtained a charter with tlie hope of some day being able to make arrangements to build a north and south road. The proposed road was named the Jackson Southern.

In 1895 the promoters decided to undertake the work of building the first section, from Jackson south to some point on the Burlington. Several of the precincts in the southwest corner of the county, which would be most benefited, were asked to issue bonds to aid the work, and on October 8 the following voted bonds: Des Moines, $8,000; Wisconsin, $8,000; Middletown, $9,000; Jackson, $11,000. Bonds did not carry in Petersburg, which was asked to give $9,000. A meeting of the stockholders was held October 11, when preliminary arrangements for securing right-of-way and commencing grading were made. Another meeting was held at Jackson October 19, which was reported bv the Jackson County Pilot as follows :

On last Saturday, October 19, the board of directors of the Jackson Southern railroad held an important session in this city. Among those present were Messrs. J. K. Brown, E. E. Carpenter, Alexander Fiddes, P. H. Berge, J. W. Cowing, T. J. Knox, of Jackson; J. J. Bell, of Des Moines, Iowa; and Malcolm Johnson, of Galveston, Texas.

Among other important business transacted, an assessment of ten per cent was made on the stockholders, which it is presumed will meet with a hearty response, as it is necessary to have funds to carry on the work. Arrangements were also perfected for building the road, work on which has already begun, and dirt will be flying along the line by next week.

The company has made arrangements to push the work to completion at as early a date as possible, and if December shall be an open month, like last year, the iron horse will neigh upon the suburbs of Jackson before the dawning of the new year.

The road will not prove so great a blessing to Petersburg township as it would have done had the bond proposition carried in that town. It is the intention of the company to locate a station in Middletown and build up a little village there. This will certainly prove a boon to the farmers of Middletown and will amply repay them for the aid voted.

Before the close of October a large part of the right-of-way had" been secured and surveyors had run the line. Early in November the contract for grading five of the eight miles between Jackson and the state line was let, and by the middle of the month a large force of graders was at work. The winter was an open one, and the making of the roadbed was continued nearly all winter, and most of the heavy grading was completed. The company was handicapped for lack of funds, but early in ^larch, 1896, \ contract for the sale of $25,000 worth of the township bonds was made, and the work was continued. In May the grading was completed, and the next month tracklaying

On the evening of Friday, August 19, 1898, the county was visited by a destructive wind storm, which resulted in two deaths and destruction to property to the value of $100,000. The storm came from the north and did its first damage in the village of Wilder. There the roof of the main building of Breck college was blown ofl', the church and Woodman's hall were demolished, and D. L. Rilev's lumber shed was wriecked, as well as several other buildings damaged.

The storm then lifted, going over Delafield and Heron Lake townships, but dropped down again at Lakefield. There the Jackson County State Bank building was partially unroofed, the Norwegian Lutheran church was moved from its foundation and wrecked beyond repair, William Searles' brick store building was struck by lightning and damaged, Charles Kelson's house was completely demolished, many outhouses and barns were blown down. iVt Okabena a box car was blown from a sidetrack onto the main line and thence eastward on the main line of the Milwaukee eleven miles. The wind then seemed to change to the opposite direction, for the car was blown back the same distance, without any damage whatever having been done it.

From Lakefield the storm proceeded south through Hunter and ^linneota townships. Much damage was done along its course through those precincts, some farms being swept entirely clear of buildings. In Minneota the tornado turned east, at right angles. Nearly every bit of property along the coui-se of the storm in Middletown was destroyed. In Petersburg the damage also was great, and in that township occurred the deaths. The victims were Mr. and Mrs. Herman Eggen- stein, who were temporarily living in the upper part of their barn, their house being under construction. The barn was completely blown to pieces, and Mr. and Mrs. Eggenstein were killed instantly. Xeighboring counties suffered some loss as a result of the storm, hut its main strength seems to have been expended in Jackson county.

After the hard times period following the panic of 1893, Jackson county entered upon a prosperous era - the most prosperous in its whole history, before or since. During the years 1897 to 190'^, inclusive, excellent crops were the rule, and hundreds of new settlers came to share in the bounteous times. Land values jumped several hundred per cent ; fann lands that had sold for $10 to $20 per acre advanced to $35 to $100 per acre. It was a time of unprecedented prosperity, and continued until the disastrous vear 1903.

of the county seat of Jackson county came in 1900. The five years which the law provided should intervene between elections for the removal of countv seats had then passed, and the people of Lakefield and their friends in the western and northern parts of the county believed they stood an excellent show of securing the removal from Jacks<m, basing their belief on tlie fact that l>akefield was located in almost tlie exact center of the county, while Jackson was far from the g(K)graphical center and no longer could claim to be the center of population.^

Early in the spring some preliminary work was done in the way of finding out the sentiment of the people, and on Wednesday evening, April 4, the business men of Lakefield met and formallv started the contest. The next dav a committee com- posed of H. J. Hollister, ^I. H. Evans and E. T. Smith gave notice that the petition for removal would be circulated on April 23. This was published officially April 7, and the contest was started. On April 10 the people of Jackson, represented by T. J. Knox, Alexander Fiddes, Xiel/ Handevitt, J. C. Edlin, R. S. Robertson, B. \V. Ashlev, G. G. Arentson, C. Tichacek and ^I. B. Hutchinson, gave notice that thev would contest the removal,

For a month the Lakefield workers canvassed the county securing signatures to the petition and were very successful. On Tuesday, ^lay 22, the petition was filed with the countv auditor. It contained 1,G48 names- - 321 more than the number required to bring the question to a vote.- Xotice was at once given of a special ses-

*The center of population at the time was on the northwest quarter of section two. .Hunter township. The census of 1900 showed that there were 7.118 people In the north half of the county and 7,675 In the south half. In the two western tiers of townships the population was 4.725: In the two eastern tiers. 6.912; In the middle tier. 3.156.

When the commissioners met, W. B. Sketch, of Jackson, filed a written objection to the consideration of the petition on the ground that the notice of intention to circulate petition was not in the form required by law. He filed further objection on the ground that Commissioner Crawford was disqualified from sitting as a member of the board of county commissioners; also on the ground of bribery having been offered by the village of Lakefield; also that County Attorney E. T. Smith was disqualified from acting as legal advisor to the board on account of being directly interested in the removal of the county seat. The commissioners decided that they had jurisdiction, and, after having stricken three names from the petition, they held that the required number of signatures had been obtained and that it was in accordance with the law. The proper certificate was made and filed, and July 10 was named as the date for holding the election.

The campaign which ensued was spirited. Workers for both towns canvassed the county thoroughly. Ill feeling developed between the two communities, and mud slinging was not barred; in many instances personal abuse was used in place of argument. Again the people of Lakefield offered their public building to the county for a rental price of one dollar per year, providing the people voted them the county seat. A bond in the sum of $30,000 guaranteeing this was executed Julv 3.»

-The makers of the bond were M. H. Evans, John Frederick son, William Searles, J. W. Daubney, H. J. HoUlster. Thomas Crawford, C. M. Gage. G. W. Curtlss. A. F. Hanf. Adolph Bettin, G. H. Wood, George Britsch. C. S. Beall, S. Searles, W. F. TImm, D. L. Riley, F. L. T^onard. H. A. Rhodes. A. A, Fosness and William Kauder.

twenty-seven votes. The total vote counted was 3,558,* of which Lakefield received 1,930 and Jackson 1,628. To have won Lakefield must have received 1,957 votes - the 55 per cent of the total vote. Following is the result by precincts :

Precinct

A celebration in honor of the victory was held at Jackson on July 14, when the exercises were held in a downpour of rain. Fifteen hundred visitors were present to assist in the jollification.

Tiie vote had been so close that the people of Lakefield decided to take the matter into the courts, and on August 10 notice of a contest was served on the board of county commissioners. It was alleged on the part of Lakefield that the form of ballot used was misleading and did mislead voters, that voters were required to vote the Australian system when the law did not provide for so voting, that sey-

*The total number of ballots cast was 3.579. but several were Improperly marked, so that only 3.658 were counted. If the per cent should be figured from the total number of ballots put in the ballot box. L»akefleld was short thirty* elg^ht VQtes of winning.

eral electors were kept from voting because of threats and intimidations, that in Middletown township voters were allowed to take ballots away from the polling place before voting, that in some precincts the judges counted fewer votes for Lakefield than had been cast for that town, that money was paid certain specified persons for voting against removal. A recount was demanded, and the people of Lakefield asked the court to declare the election void if it was found that fraud liad been practiced.

In their answer to the charges the peo- ]ile of Jackson, hy M. B. Hutchinson, filed in x\ugu8t, denied all the charges and alleged irregularity and fraud on the part of the people of Lakefield.

The case came to trial in the district court before Judge James H. Quinn on November 27. Attorneys George W. Wilson and H. G. Latourell appeared for Lakefield and Attomevs T. J. Knox and George W. Somerville for Jackson. A few witnesses were examined, and the case was submitted by briefs.

Upon the trial no evidence was offered in support of the allegations contained in the notice of contest or answer of the contestee as to fraud. bri)>ery or other misconduct upon the l>art of the electors or others interested in said election. But the contestant urges that the election in question is void, for the reason that the ballot used was not such a ballot as the law provides shall be used in case of a removal of a county seat; that the Australian system is not the law under which the vote for the change of a county seat should be conducted, and that there has never been a legal canvass of the votes polled at such election, and that therefore the election so held should be declared null and void by an order of this court, for the reasons above set forth.

The contestant further insists that if the foregoing referred to order is refused, that section one of article eleven of the constitution is still in force, and that under it a bare majority vote is sufficient to change a county seat, notwithstanding the several amendments thereto, and that an order should be made for that

The last contention on the par-t of the contestant, I am satisfied, is not well taken, and that the legislature has power to pass an act fixing the number of votes required to remove a county seat.

As to the proposition that such election should be declared void, it appears from the petition, as well as tlie evidence and admissions of the parties, that the election was duly called, and that it was held under and puisuant to chapter one of the general statutes of this state; that the ballot used was such as is provided for in that chapter and that it clearly informed the elector for what he was voting, and I am unable to see how he could have been mislead or in any manner deceived by the use of such ballot, nor is the manner of the return by the judges of election to the county auditor questioned.

The county commissioners canvassed tiie vote on the 13th day of July, three days after the holding of the election, presumably under the provisions of section 050 of the general statutes of 1894.

Xo claim was made upon the trial that any fraud was perpetrated at any stage of the election or in canvassing the returns, and it clearly appears from the evidence had upon the trial tliat there was a total of 3,579 votes cast at «uch election, less than 55 per cent of which, viz: 1931, were cast in favor of the proposition to change the county seat.

It is therefore found as a conclusion of law that the contestant is not entitled to the relief asked for, and that such proceeding should be dismissed.

There was talk of appealing the case to the supreme court, but for several months no action was taken. Then exigencies arose, in conneetioo with the campaign against the erection of a jail building, which demanded an appeal, and in July, 1901, Lakefield gave notice of appeal. The case was disposed of in the supreme court January 22, 1902, the decision being favorable to Jackson.

The construction of the county jail building at Jackson in 1901 and 1902 was an event of importance because of its bearing on the county seat removal question and because of the fact that it paved the way, to a certain extent, for the future construction of a court house. That those who favored the removal of the county seat to Lakefield realized its importance is attested by the strenuous fight put up against its construction. Several injunctions were secured and a bitter fight continued until the building actually passed into the hands of the countv.

The people of Jackson, realizing that the construction of a jail building would have a favorable influence upon the next countv seat contest - which was sure to come - donated to the county a site for a jail building, with the proviso that title should revert to the village of Jackson in case the site should ever cease to be used for county jail purposes. The first official step toward erecting the building was taken early in July, 1901, when the county commissioners (Commissioners P. H. Berge, John M. Olson and Henry Thielvoldt voting yes, and Commissioners David Crawford and George Erbes voting ho) passed a ra^^olution that a jail be built according to plans furnished by Architect Kinney. On the same day a contract was made with the Pauly Jail & Manufacturing company, of St. Louis, for the erection of the building, to be completed March l', 1902, and to cost $17,450.

This procedure brought the friends of Lakefield to immediate activity. It was then th^t the appeal of the county seat removal case was made to the supreme court. An injunction, prohibiting the county commissioners from building a jail, was asked from the district court,^ and Judge Qiiinn granted a temporary restraining order. The defendants moved to dissolve the writ of injunction, and on July 27 Judge Quinn did so.

After the court had removed the legal barrier, the county commissioners, in special session Julv 30 and e31, made arrangements to proceed with the work. It was decided to raise $10,000 by bonding,

*The case was entitled A. M. St. John, plaintiff, vs. P. D. McKellar. county auditor. David Crawford. P. H. Berge. Henry Thielvoldt, George Erbes and John M. Olson, county commissioners, defendants.

and to utilize cash in the treasury for the balance. The former contract was rescinded and bids were called for, to be opened September 11. Again the Lakefield people appealed to the district court. Early in September they went before Judge Quinn and asked for aq injunction restraining the commissioners from spending county money for a jail building and for other relief. This hearing was held at Fairmont Septeml)er 10 before Judge Kinffslev. His deci.sion was to the effect that the commissioners had perfect legal autliority to carry out their proposed plans; the injunction was refused.

Bids for the constniction of the jail building were opened, and on September 12 a new contract was made with the Pauly Jail & Manufacturing company at a price of $14,200. On January 7, 1902, the specifications were changed and $3,200 was added to the contract price. The supreme couil decision of January 22, 1902. on the matter of bonds furnished by the Lakefield people, effectually disposed of the claim that the injunction against the commissioners building a jail was still in force. For the time being all legal objection to proceeding with the jail building was removed.

Having received nothing but unfavorable decisions in their efforts to prevent the building of the jail, the Lakefield people next demanded an injunction prohibiting the commi.ssioners from issuing the $10,000 bonds, and in this they were successful. The case was entitled William L). Hill vs. the county commissioners, and was brought before Judge Quinn in March, 1902. On the 28th of that month the judge made an order, holding, among other thing.-?, that the county seat was at Jackson, that the county commissioners were vested with authority to contract for the building of a jail to the extent of all money in the treasury available for that purpose, but that they must not enter into any contract that required the expenditure of more money tlian was so available. This, of c(turse, prevented the bond issue, but the majority of the county board found a wav out of the difficulty. On April 18, in special session, on the proposition of the Pauly Jail & Manufacturinpf company, the commissioners abro- ;^ated the contracts before made and entering into a new contract with the same company for the erection of the building (without the steel cells, etc.) at a price of $9,r)00. which amount was ayailable. The building was completed, accepted by the commissioners July 24, 1902, and a warrant drawn for the contract price. On September 23 the contract for the cell Vork was let to the same company for $7,800, that amount then being ayailable. The completed jail was accepted July 13, 1903, and a full settlement "was made at that time.

As has been stated previously, prosperous times continued in Jackson countv until the -year 1903. That was a year of disasters and marked the beginning of a short era of depression, due to partial crop failures because of excessive rainfall.

The disasters of the year began May 22. For several davs succeeding there were continual and awful rain, wind and electric storms that did great damage in all parts of the county, as well as in all southwestern Minnesota. Creeks and rivers overflowed and sloughs became vast lakes. Bridges were washed away, telephone and telegraph lines were destroyed, and the railroad lines were put out of commission. The damage to crops was great, and many buildings were wrecked bv the wind.

The most disastrous wind storm, in the matter of loss of life and destruction to property, in the history of Jackson county occurred Tuesday evening, June 30,

1903. The death dealing tornado traversed portions of LaCrosse and Weimer townships and entered the northeast corner of Delafield, killing seven people and destroying property to the value of $100,- 000. The killed were:

About seven o'clock Tuesday evening a dense black cloud was seen to form on the lower horizon northwest of town that was perfectly stationary, but almost immediately after its formation a white .^loud, which appeared to come from beyond the vision somewhere in the northeast, started towards it and was apparently enj^ulfed in the heavier mass. This process continued for about ten or fifteen minutes, when all at once the dense black mass appeared to leap upward, leaving a clear space of a bright red tint between it and the horizon. After this sudden move it again became stationary for a few seconds, wlien it started again at a terrific speed directly towards Heron Lake, but in less time than it takes to describe it, in fact one might say tlie twinkling of an eye, it changed its course to almost direct northeast, when the work of destruction to life and property commenced.

The tornado i^tnick the earth at the farm of Jcrv Sullivan, on the southeast quarter of section 15, T^Crosse township, three and one-half miles northeast of Heron Lake. There the only damage was the destruotion of a windmill and a hen house. Jcrrv Sullivan and ^lartin Larson, who were in the harn at the time, stated that the air was as hot as a hlast from a furnace. Froiii the Sullivan farm the storm traveled northeast to John Beichner's place, where it demolished the barn, granary, engine house, three bug- gies and farm machinery and did considerable damage to the house. The family were in the house but escaped injury. The home of Chris Krieger, on the Powlitcheck farm, was struck, but the damage there was not great. The hog house was torn to pieces and the barn moved off its foundation. The family sought shelter in an out-door cellar.

The tornado had gained great force when it reached the farm home of John Mathias, and nothing but splinters of ruin were left of the barns, granaries and other outbuildings, while the large residence was almost a total wreck, although it was left on the foundation. A number of hogs were killed. With one exception all the members of the family were in the house during the storm and escaped injury. Joseph Mathias, twenty years of age, was in the field when the storm came up and was killed when on his way to the house by being struck by flying timbers. The Hager school house, nearby, was entirely destroyed and its ruins scattered over a large area. At Henry Meyers' home all sought shelter in the cellar. The house w^as not injured, but all the other buildings were destroyed. Cottonwood trees, 12 to 15 inches in diameter, were twisted olf and hurled in all directions.

Three human live? were lost at Joseph Fritscher's home on the Louis Hager farm, where the storm next appeared. Here the house, barns and siieds were blown to pieces and all the machinery on the place piled in one heap, while many of the trees in the grove were iwisted off. The Fritscher family saw the storm approaching and were preparing to seek safety in the cellar, but the storm struck the house before they got down. Mrs. Fritscher was killed instantly, her head being nearly severed from her body. Her little baby girl was also killed, its skull having been crushed. Aurelia Fritscher, another child, had her back broken and died soon after found. Mr. Fritscher's father,- who was in the barn at the time of the storm, had his jaw broken and was badly injured. The children of the family, excepting the two killed, were not badly hurt. Mr. Fritscher was rendered unconscious bv injuries received, and when he came to his senses found himself lying in a grove.

From the Fritscher home the storm crossed the township line into Weimer and struck Bernard Miranowski's home, blowing down the barn and corncribs and tearing some of the shingles off the house. Mr. Miranowvski received a slight ga^sh in the head and was the onlv one on the place injured. When he saw the storm approach he sought safety by lying flat on the ground in a driveway between the corncribs. At Mrs. Chepa's place the house and all the other buildings were entirely destroyed and some stock was killed. Mrs.. Chepa and a daughter sought shelter in the grove, where they clung to a tree. Miss Chepa was struck by a flying board, which tore off a piece of her scalp and a braid of hair. The braid was later- found a half mile awav.

After leaving the Chepa place the storm broadened its course. It destroyed a barn and hog house at Frank Stenzel's anfl broke most of the windows out of the residence. About a half mile from there, at Clement StenzeFfi, the barn was destroyed. At K. E. Streator's farm a new barn and granary were destroyed and several cattle kill(^d, some of them being carried to the Little Des ^foines river, a half mile away. The bridge over the Des Moines east of StreatorV was destroyed.

About a mile east of the bridge the storm struck the home of Dr. Westerman and demolb^hed everything on the place excepting a threshing machine engine. This was an exceptionally fine farm home, destroyed, several head of stock were killed, and tlie fields were stripped as clean as tliough they had been plowed. The twelve people who were on the place escaped injury by crouching in the cellar.

The next place to feel the hand of the destrover was the home of Daniel Gallagher, on tlie south bank of String lake, and here the three inhabitants on the place were killed. The house was blown into the lake and the other buildings torn to pieces, ^[r. Gallagher and his daughter, Ellen, were blown into the lake and drowned. Nettie Gallagher, another daughter, was found on the bank of the lake, a mutilated corpse. Wilder, a mile south of the scene of this disaster, was unharmed. From the Gallagher place the storm continued eastward toward AVindom, but soon lost its force.

While the whole season of 1903 was rainy, it was not until September that the deluge came. Beginning with Friday, September 11, and continuing several days, came an awful downpour of water, the greatest in the history of the county, and thousands of dollars worth of damage was done. The Des Moines river and the many creeks rose to great heights, carrying away bridges in all parts of the county. Heron lake was reported to be rising at the rate of eight inches an hour on Sunday, the 13th - something entirely without precedent. Two thousand feet of Milwaukee track were washed out between Okabena and Miloma, and the grade at the bridge at Okabena was washed down from three to eight feet. Whole sections of the county were under water, the north part of Alba township and the south part of LaCrosse township being a vast lake. Grain and hay stacks in many parts of the county were under water, and in places the water was so high the stacks floated away. Heavy winds accompanied the rains in some townships, and many wrecked buildings resulted. The losses from all causes were enormous and had a disastrous effect on the county's prosperity.

The first official step toward the erection of Jackson countv's new court house was taken July 23, 1903, when the board of county commissioners in special session resolved to raise the sum of $50,000 for the purpose of erecting and furnishing the building and provided for holding a special election to vote on the question of bonding for that amount. The division of the voters on the question was about the same as it had been on the county seat removal question. The west side of the county and the country tributary to Lakefield voted almost solidly against the bonds, while the people favorable to Jackson retaining the county seat voted as solidly for the bonds. The bonding proposition was defeated by a vote of 1,551 to 1,316: By precincts the vote was as follows:

Althougli the bond proposition was defeated, the majority of the county board, sustained by tlie sentiment of the people of Jackson and southeastern Jackson county, decided to* go on with preparations for securing the county building. The people of Lakefield (who had not given up the idea of trying again for county seat hcmors, by any means) and of other j)ortions of the county naturally did everything in their power to block the moves made bv the countv board, and a livelv contest ensued. In Julv, 1903, the commissioners had voted a tax of $1G,000 for court house purposes, but when Countv Auditor P. D. AIcKellar extended the taxes on the tax books he did not include this court house tax. The commissioners on January 5, 1904, took action to compel him to do so, asking a writ of mandamus from the district court. On March 3 Judge Quinn denied the motion for mandamus, liolding that it was proper that the countv auditor should not extend the $U),000 upon the tax books.

In consequence of this decision, the county was without court house funds, and the matter was of necessity dropped temporarily. In July, 1904, the commissioners passed a resolution declaring the old court house unsuitable and inadequate for the purposes for which it was used, and providing for the erection of a new building to cost not over $05,000 and for the procuring of plans and specifications for such a building.** Keeping within the amount provided by law, the conmiissioners in 1904 levied a tax of $9,000 for court house purposes and the next year levied $14,000 for the same purpose, so that when the matter was brought up

-Commissioners Henry G. Anderson. Henr>' George Erbes In the negative. This was the Thielvoldt and J. M. Olson voted in the affirmative. Commissioners David Crawford and vote always recorded in court house matters while this board was In office.

During the period of stagnation cau?aed by the unfavorable crop conditions during the few years of the last decade, the census of 1905 - the last before the publication of this volume - was taken. The population was then 14,838, a gain of onlv 45 in five years - the onlv ^\^ vear period in the county's history when a substantial gain was not recorded.^ Of the totil population, 7,844 were males and (),994 females. By townships the division was as follows:

In the matter of length of resideneo in the state the eeiHus showed Jaekson county to be well represented with pioneers. There were 105 ])ersons who had resided in ^linnesota sinee before it was admitted as a state in 1858 - a period of over 47 years. There were 1,849 who had been continuous residents of Minnesota for be-

The building of the court house again became a live issue at the beginning of the vear 1906. The commissioners tlien had $23,000 in the court house fund and decided to begin the work. At the first meeting of the board that year - on Janiiarv 4 - it was resolved that a court house should be built at once which should cost, including furnishings, not over $100,000. The resolution was carried by the affirmative votes of Commissioners Anderson, Thielvoldt and Olson, Commissioners Mc- Xab^ and Crawford voting no. Arrangements were made to secure plans and specifications, and on February 2 the board accepted the plans of Buechner & Orth, who estimated the cost of the proposed building at not over $80,000, not including vault fixtures, electric light fixtures or decorations.

The action of the county board in declaring for immediate construction of the building precipitated another county seat removal contest,** which proved to be one of the most bitter and hardest fought contests for count v seat honors ever wa<red in Minnesota. Over five years had elapsed since the question had been voted upon and there was no legal barrier to bringing another contest.^'' The people of the west end of the county had been successa.

-"This movement Is the logical result of the action of the majoritjr of the members of the board of county commissioners at their annual meeting a month ago, when they passed a resolution for the erection of a new court house at Jacltson to cost $100,000. It is very apparent that the taxpayers of the county do not approve the action of the board; and as we said three weelts ago, the only way to prevent them from carrying out their plans is to move the county seat to Lakefield." - Lakefield Standard, February 1, 1906.

"The Minnesota law governing county seat removals provides that five years must elapse after a vote has been taken on the question before it can again be brought to a vote.

Immediately after the commissioners resolved to proceed with the building, the contest was started. On January 23 the following notice was served on the county board :

We, tlie undersigned, legal voters of the county of Jackson, state of Minnesota, pray that the county seat thereof be changed to the village of T^akcfield, in said Jackson county.

Notice

Notice is hereby given by the undersigned legal voters of Jackson county, Minnesota, that the foregoing petition will be circulated, beginning not earlier thaoi February 13, 1906, nor later than February 15, 1900, in said Jackson county, Minnesota, for signatures of the legal voters of said county for a change of the county seat thereof to the village of Lakefield, Jackson county, Minnesota.

The people of Jackson on February 1 gave legal notice of their intention to contest the removal of tlie countv seat,*^ and the bitter contest was on. In two of the former contests the question had been brought to a vote without much effort on the part of Jackson to pi^event it. In this conflict tactics were changed, Jackson determining to fight the petition and prevent, if possible, the question from being submitted to the voters, by securing withdrawals of signatures from the original petition and by attacking the validity of the petition.'^ Jackson's line of action in the early part of the contest was to prevent people favorable to Jackson from signing the Lakefield petition. "Refuse to sign the petition/' was the slogan. "If you refuse to sign, there will be no vote." An agreement, of no legal standing, however, was drawn up and circulated for the signatures of those who would agree not to sign the Lakefield petition, and many so hound themselves.^*

The workers for each town declared their intentions of conducting an honorahle campaign, but each seemed to think the other side was not going to. Early in the campaign - on Januar}' 30 - the l)eople of Lakefield offered a reward of three hundred dollars for evidence that would lead to the conviction of any parties for bribery or corrupt practice in the election, the offer being signed by many of the leading men of Lakefield. The people of Jackson countered by proposing tliat the people of each town deposit five hundred dollars in a Windom bank, to be paid on the order of the district judge after the conviction of anvone for briberv or corruption in connection with the eontost. There were no convictions.

Again Tjakefield offered its city hall for -court house uses if tlie removal should be accomplished. This was done by resolution of the village council February 3. The building was offered for a term of ten years at an annual rental of one dolslgn the petition in order to bring the question to a vote. At the general election in 1904 there had been east 3,055 votes; therefore It was necessary for 1.821 legal voters to sign the petition before the commissioners were authorised to call an election and submit the question.

"In view of the fact that Jackson county has already had three contests for the removal of the county seat to Lakefield, and that such contests are a cause of heavy expense to the taxpayers of the county and stir up strife, engender bitter feelings and tend to demoralise the people, we, the undersigned, legal voters of Jackson county. Minnesota, hereby state that we are not In favor of another county seat contest, and for that reason we hereby promise and agree with each other that we will not < sign a petition for the change of the county seat, notice of the intention to circulate which is now being published.

lar, with privilege of renewal for another ten year period at the same price. Private parties also Agreed that "if the vaults in the above mentioned building are not sufficient to contain all the records of said Jackson county, we will build onto the above mentioned building additional vaults, fire-proof and water-proof, necessary for the use of the officers of Jackson county, Minnesota, without any cost to Jackson countv/'^° This offer was characterized as bribery by the opposing workers, and authorities were cited to show that sueli an offer constituted bribery of the voters.

The Lakefield workers covered all parts of the county in their campaign for signatures. The newspapers waged a mudslinging campaign, full of personalities, and charged rank corruption and irregularity on the part of the opposing forces.'^ On Marcli 20 the Lakefield workers completed their campaign and filed the petition with the county auditor. It con-

"Said the Jackson County Pilot on February 22: "Well founded reports of men known not to be voters being urged and in many Instances induced to sign the petition for removal are common. In several instances men have deliberately been made intoxicated and while In * that condition induced to sign. Bulldozing seems to be a favorite method and has become so common as to almost cease to excite comment."

tained the names of 2,0G0 persons - 239 more than the sixty per cent required by law to bring the matter to a vote. April 9 was the date set for the consideration of the petition by the county board.

With the filing of the petition came the campaign of the Jackson workers to secure withdrawals from the petition.^^ They also went to all parts of the county in their efforts to secure enough withdrawals to beat the petition. Th^e workers were openly charged with bribery by the press favorable to Lakefield.^®

When the board of county commissioners met on April 9 to act on the petition intense excitement prevailed; the nerves of everyone were at high tension. George W. Somerville appeard before the board for the petitioners and T. J. Knox and H. H. Dunn for the contestants. The

"The withdrawal is a legal document provided for in the county seat removal law. It is acknowledged before a notary public, Justice of the peace or other public ofTIcial, and when presented to the county board at the consideration of the original petition removes the name of the signer from the petition. After the withdrawal is presented it may be revoked by the proper, legal procedure. Following was the form used by Jackson In this contest:

* 'Having heretofore signed the petition praying that the county seat of Jackson county, Minnesota, be changed to the village of Lakefield In said county, the circulation of which petition was begun on or about February 13, 1906, I desire to and do withdraw my name from said petition and request the county board of said county to strike my name therefrom, for me before the county board of commissioners of said county and in my name and stead and as my attorney but without expense to me, to withdraw and strike my name from said petition and to act in and about said matter as fully to all intents and purposes as I could do if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that my .«*aid attorney shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

"Said the Lakefield Standard: "The Jackson workers are out through the country using the most dishonest tactics to. get the voters to withdraw their names from the petition. If you know of anyone who has been induced by Jackson's dishonest tactics to sign a withdrawal, bring him to Lakefield AT ONCE, or let us know who It is, so he can. have a chance to sign a paper putting his name back on the petition. . . . Out in Round Lake township the Jackson canvassers have tried to make the signers of the Lakefield petition believe that it is against the law to pay more than five dollars for withdrawals. We have consulted the revised statutes, but can find no such provision."

attorneys for the people of Jackson oifered to prove fraud and bribery in obtaining signatures to the petition and revocations of withdrawals; the attorney for Lakefield offered to prove fraud and bribery in securing withdrawals. But thki evidence was not introduced, the board ruling that it had power only to consider those matters committed to its consideration by the statute and that it had not power to consider matters not so defined.'" For one v^eek tlie board was in session determining I he standing of the petition. Five hundred twelve names were stricken from the petition for various reasons,-** leaving 1,548, or 273 less than the sixty per cent of voters as required by law. The commissioners denied the prayer of the .petitioners; another eountv seat contest was ended.

Xo sooner did it become evident that the petition would fail before the board of county commissioners than steps were taken to circulate a new petition and reopen the contest. Official notice to this effect was given April 18, it being announced that the petition would be circulated beginning not earlier than May 7 nor later than Mav 9.^^ AVhile this new petition was being circulated during the months of Mav and June the countv board was taking -^teps to let the con-

'-Sectlon 398 revised code reads as follows: -'Duties of the county board at the time and place specified In the notice, proof of its service having been filed; the board shall meet to act on said petition and shall Inquire and determine which, if any, of the signers thereof were not. at the time of signing the same, legal voters of said county, and which, if any, of the signatures thereto were not attached within sixty days preceding the filing thereof; and which, if any. have been withdrawn, all such signatures shall be stricken from the petition and deducted from the count, and a list thereof, certified by the board, shall be filed forthwith with the county auditor. . . ."

=*These 512 names stricken off were tabulated as follows: 195 duplicate signatures. 228 withdrawals, 88 minors, non-residents and aliens, 1 woman.

'-The notice was sigrned by John Nestrud. G. T. Juyeland. Herman Pohlman, N. A. Johnson, Jan Stinar, John Koch. John M. Hovelsrud, F. E. Murphy. B. M. Hovelsrud. Ole O. Sandager. Trond O. Trondson. B. P. Elverum, W. L. Frost. Wllhelm Hohensteln. August Hubner. Matt Gentry, Axel Sandberg and C. F. Rossow.

tract for the new court house. On the 9th of May a resolution was passed by tlie i)oard to advertise for bids for the erection of the building in accordance with the plans selected, the bids to be opened June* 11. On that date, there being no satisfactory bids, the board readvertised for bids, to be opened July 9. Before the new bids were opened the courts again took a hand in the proceeding.

On June 9 papers were served on the board of county commissioners, giving notice of injunction proceedings, brought in the name of John >iestrud, asking that they be forbidden to let the contract for the erection of a court house. The ease came to trial June 25 before Judges James H. Quinn and Ijorin Cray, sitting together. In a decision dated June 29 and filed July 5 the injunction was dissolved, the court holding that the commissioners would not be exceeding their rights in proceeding with the building of a court house or any part of it, so long as they did not make the pecuniary liability of the county exceed $23,000, the amount then available for the purpose; that bevond that amount thev could not contract until more funds were available.

Court house building and county seat removal matters were complicated at this st.ige of the proceedings by the temporary susj)ension from office of Commissioner Henry G. Anderson. Charges were filed against ^Ir. Anderson before Governor John A. Johnson on Julv 5, - and the

^'Jackson people contended that the flUng of the charges against Mr. Anderson was a deliberate attempt on the part of Lakefleld to attain advantages which the court denied them. The Republic on July 13 said:

"After the Lakefleld county seat removal schemers failed in their aimbltlon to induce the courts to interfere by injunction to prevent the building of a new court house, they proceeded to carry out a prearranged scheme to carry the matter before the governor and under the guise of filing charges against County Commissioner H. G. Anderson, and securing his temporary suspension from office until after the regular July meeting of the county board and the meeting called for July 23 to consider and act upon the second removal petition, they at- same day the governor suspended Mr. Anderson, pending the determination of the eliarges in a final hearing August 1. On July 6 a delegation went from Jackson to St. Paul and interviewed the governor, with the result that the state executive revoked his order and reinstated Mr. Anderson. At the hearing of the Jackson county officer before Commissioner Powers on July 13 the proceedings were dismissed on the motion of George W. Somerville, Lakefield^s attornev.

The bids for the construction of the court house were opened July 9. Charles Skooglum, of St. Paul, was the successful bidder, his bid for the building complete being $91,082. Because of the injunction of the court not to contract for a greater sum than was available in cash for the purpose, the commissioners let the contract only for the foundation, up to and including the water table, the bid for this part of the building being $10,330.^^ July 10 another levy for court house purposes of $13,000 was made. The work of tearing down the old court house was begun July 25, the county officers utilizing the Jackson city hall for offices. Excavation work for the new building was begun September 4.

Before the court house program had been carried this far, however, the last county seat contest had been brought to a close. The county seat removal people filed their petition July 3. It contained 1,881 names - sixty more than the number required by law. The date of considering the petition was July 23. The Jackson forces again canvassed the county for withdrawals and were successful in setempted and nearly succeeded in ending: the decision of the court and securlngr the same resuUs that they attempted to secure in their injunction suit."

"Owing to failure to post the proper notices, the letting: of the contract was found to be invalid. Bids were again called for. and on August 18 a new contract was entered into with Charles Skooglum on a bid of $10,226 for the foundation.

At the meeting of tiie county board on July 23 to determine the sufficiency of the petition Attorneys J. A. ^lansfieid and Die Thoreson represented Lakefield and Attorney T. J. Knox represented Jackson. The work of striking names from the petition because of withdrawals was continued until the 24th. Then it was announced that 106 names had been taken off, leaving 1,775 on the petition - not enough to warrant bringing the question to a vote. Proceedings were discontinued. The twenty years county seat war was at an end.

There not being enough funds available to complete the court house building, on January 7, 1907, the county commissioners decided to again put the question of issuing bonds to the people.-* The special election was held February 19, the question at issue being the issuance of $65,000 worth of bonds. A majority of 129 in favor of the proposition was given, the precincts voting as follows:

From that time all was smooth sailing. Contracts were let April 16, 1907, as follows: Charles Skooglum, court house above basement, $74,438; Cuddy & Cavanaugh, heating plant and plumbing, $7,317; Nemis & Nemis, electrical work, $740; Diebold Safe & Lock company, vault doors and shutters, $1,760. March 3, 1908, a contract was let to Crown Electrical Manufacturing company for electric light fixtures, on a bid of $1,475. This brought the contract price up to a little less than $100,000. When the building was finally completed and furnished the total cost, excluding sidewalks, was $117,435.22.2*^

The corner stone of the court house was laid with ceremonies July 9, 1907, United State Senator Moses E. Clapp and Hon. T. J. Knox being the principal speakers.

The building was finally completed early in 1909 and the dedicatory exercises were held June 22, 1909. The dedicatory address was delivered by Judge P. E. Brown and the other speakers were Judge James H. Quinn, T. J. Knox and Henry G. Anderson.

The events of the last few years of Jackson county's history can be told in a few words. For three or four years following 1903 the comparative dull times continued. Then came better times. A bountiful crop was raised in 1907, good prices prevailed, and the financial flurry that fall caused no anxiety among the people of Jackson county. A good crop was raised in 1908, and in 1909 the mosi; bountiful harvest of a decade was gathered. The year 1910 opens with the people of Jackson county happy, contented and prosperous. They inhabit the best county the bright light of heaven ever shown upon.