Lyon County, Minnesota - Chapter 19: Reminiscent, 1912

Chapter 19: Reminiscent

IN gathering- data for a volume of this kind one runs across many stories of the early days for which no place can be found in the historical part but which are truly interesting and in many instances throw vivid light on early day conditions. These have been preserved and are here incorporated under the chapter heading "Reminiscent." Some of the stories have been written by early day residents; some are taken from the files of the local press; others are original, prepared by the author from data gathered from personal interviews.

The Prairie Fires

Those who lived in Lyon county during the years of its early settlement, and up into the eighties, will never forget the alarm caused by the approach of a prairie fire. Many of the present generation are skeptical of the dangers to life and property from this source. Others can but marvel at the conditions that made a prairie fire dangerous or even possible. But conditions in the early days differed greatly from those of the present time. Then there were vast stretches of sparsely settled and unbroken prairie, covered with a dense growth of grass, which in the low places often grew to a great height. In the

When a heavy wind accompanied one of these conflagrations the effect was thrilling. The flames would race over the prairie with the speed of the wind, leaping, bounding, rushing on their fiery way. By clay the air would be filled with smoke and cinders and the atmosphere would become hazy; at night the heavens would be illumined by the blaze, and the bright lines of the raging fires could be seen, often miles in length. After the passing, the prairie would be left a blackened waste.

The few scattered settlers were in great danger of loss when one of these fires approached. Many settlers lost their whole belongings, and but few escaped without loss from this source. "Firebreaks," made by plowing furrows around the buildings or hay stacks, sometimes served as a check to the flames, but with a strong head wind the flames often jumped hundreds of feet, and in such cases the breaks were no protection. The favorite met Ik id of fighting fires was by "back-firing." When one of the terrors of the prairie was seen approaching with the wind, a fire would be set near the property to be saved. This, small at first, could be controlled and whipped out on the leeward side, leaving the flames to slowly eat their way windward to meet the coming lurid destroyer. Sometimes a space of sufficient width was thus burned over in time to prevent the destruction. In case of a big conflagration, fire fighting companies would be organized to go out and contend with the flames, using dampened sacks, quilts, or whatever was handy, to whip out the blaze.

Prairie fires continued a menace to the people of Lyon county many years, or until the county had become quite thickly settled and subdued. Seldom did an autumn pass in the early days without one or more disastrous conflagrations in some part of the county. Several times the villages were threatened with destruction, and companies had to be formed to go out and fight the approaching flames.

One of the most destructive of the caily day fires occurred in the fall of 1871. It was started in Lyons township, where a homesteader set a fire to burn refuse hay. It spread rapidly, extending south to the Cottonwood river, north to the Yellow Medicine river, and east as far as Redwood Falls. The hay and grain of practically all the settlers in the burned district were consumed and the homes of some of the settlers were destroyed. A little patch of frostbitten grass was found that had been protected by the river, and the homesteaders cut that to keep their stock through the winter.

The fourteen-year-old daughter of James Armstrong, who lived close to where Marshall was later built, had died the day before of scarlet fever, and preparations for the first funeral in the community were being madb when the fire came. The following account of the

C. H. Whitney made the coffin, conducted the funeral, and made the remarks the occasion demanded. The affair was peculiarly sad. The girl died September 28, 1871, and on the following day a terrible prairie fire raged, burning over the whole country. A few who could gather fought the flames until exhausted. Mr. Whitney was taken to his sod shanty more dead than alive, and the fire swept away everything he had. He had just got the frame of his new house erected and the lumber was on the ground for its completion. All this was destroyed, together with all his grain and hay, the fruits of his first year of pioneer life.

That morning he had begun to make a coffin for the body awaiting burial; at night he was sq prostrated as to be unable to proceed with the work of the morning, and the night was passed by Mrs. Whitney in caring for her husband" and with her own hands finishing the work upon the coffin. The funeral was held the following day, amid the calamities of the loss to settlers by the great fire and the grief at the loss of the first of the little band. To add to the gloom, the atmosphere was yet so dense with smoke from the fire of the previous day and the now distant burning of the prairie that respiration was difficult, and the somberness of the night overspread the country.

A large tract of country was burned over in August, 1873, and several people lost their homes and other property. This was the first experience with the dreaded racing flames for many of the residents of Lyon county, and a great many were badly frightened.

Another fire of great fierceness and covering considerable area swept the western part of Lyon county about the middle of September, 1877. It started near Sioux Falls and was driven by a strong southwest wind. It ran down both sides of the Redwood river as far as Marshall and was one of the most destructive fires in the county's history.

Illustrative of the velocity with which it traveled: Messrs. H. P. Sanden, E. K. Ronning, C. P. Myran and Christopher Johnson, of Shelburne township, had finished threshing and started for Marshall, each hauling a load of wheat to market with ox teams. . When they started from home there was no sign of fire, but they had proceeded only so far the prei enl site of R,uss ell when the blazing fire was seen approaching, and within a shorl time the prairies were a blackened waste.

One life was lost in this conflagration. At the C. P. Myran home, near where the village of Florence is now. were Mr . Myran and two children and Mrs. Henrick Jorgenson, wife of a newcomer who was building <>n his homestead near by. When the flames approached, the two women went out to the :011th to "back-fire'! and protect the property. The flames came with such -peed that the women were unable to accomplish their purpose hut were forced to flee for protection. Mrs. Myran reached the dug-out ami safety, hut Mrs. Jorgenson was overcome at the straw stable and burned to death.

The straw buildings, threshed "rain, hay. chickens and everything excepl the dug-outs on the C. P. Myran and Christopher Johnson homestead:- were destroyed, and those1 families were robbed of the fruits of their year's labor - the first year of their residence in the county that the grasshoppers had not taken the crop. E. K. Ronning and H. P. Sanden, their neighbors, generously shared their grain with the unfortunate families and assisted them in rebuilding.

The village of Marshall was in danger from a fire on October 3, 1879, and heroic efforts were necessary to save the town. Illustrative of the methods employed in overcoming the demons of the prairie is the following account of the checking of this fire, published in the Lyon County News of October 8, 1879: open for an emergency of this kind, a id in less than ten minutes after "fire" was yelled, hundreds of men were on the spot, armed with brooms, wet rags, shovels, pitchforks, rakes, hoes and everything they could seize hold of

During the latter part of October, 1888, prairie fires were very destructive in several part- of the county and many grain stacks and buildings were burned. Near the newly established station of bit .ell. on October 31, occurred a very stubborn fire and a human life was sacrificed to its fury. A number of people were fighting the flame; on the bluff near the home of Daniel Fellon, and among the1 number was Mrs. Fellon. The men rushed to head off the flames that were going around a back-fire, leaving Mrs. Fellon behind. The lady's clothing caught fire and she wa3 so badly burned that she died the following day.

Game Ix Early Days

In the days before white men came, Lyon county was the home of several species of big game, including bison, elk and deer, and many fur bearing animals. On hunting and trapping expeditions the aborigines visited the county from time immemorial, and later, when settlement had been extended to the frontier regions, white trappers were wont to visit the streams with their traps and were richly rewarded.

Small game was abundant - so abundant, in fact, that it is not safe to give a truthful account of its abundance at this late day. C. F. Case in the Lyon County Reporter of February 4, 1899,

A man of resources had little trouble to live on the Minnesota frontier at that time. The air was full of meat. Ducks and geese were frequently so thick that even we could shoot toward heaven and bring down this manna. The first goose that fell a victim to our sporting habits met with a flat refusal from our better half to cook the bird, for she insisted it must be sick or we never could have shot it. This prejudice died out later when we came home from a hunt and reported that three of us had shot fourteen geese at one shot. That was good hunting, and we felt a very natural delicacy for many months against confessing that when the fourteen fell our gun didn't go off.

The bison was a mono- the first of the big game to depart after the arrival of settlers. The very first settlers occasionally saw stray members of this noble animal of the prairies and many evidences of his former presence in the shape of wallows and his bleaching bones scattered over the prairie. A stray buffalo was killed by two Norwegian boys in 1869 at the point in Westerheim township where the two blanches of Yellow Medicine river join. The boys were bunting chickens, and the monarch of the plains met his death with charges of bird shot. The elk also departed early, although a few were seen by the Lyon county pioneers. The last of that species of big game was killed on the shore of Lake Marshall in 1870 by Alex Demars, a half-breed.

Deer remained in the county for a longer period, and had their habitat in the woods along the streams. After the October blizzard in 1880 three were shot in the Lynd woods, and at other times during that winter of deep snow several deer were seen in the county.

Early Courts Of Justice

Before the village was organized a certain township justice of the peace issued a summons in a civil process. He took delight in telling of the comingsuit and always added that he could not understand why they brought the case before him, for he had heard nothing about it and knew nothing of the particulars. He did not know that his professional ignorance constituted his sole qualification.

After the case had been called and the complaint filed, the attorney for the defendant made a motion to dismiss, on the ground that "the complaint did not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action." After a moment's silence the learned justice assumed an air of judicial dignity and said: "A motion has been made to dismiss; does anyone second the motion'.'"

On a certain occasion 1 performed a marriage ceremony under quite extraordinary circumstances. One day in May I was cleaning up the room, which Avas used in turn for lumber office, court room, council meeting room, etc. The day was intensely warm and 1 had removed coat, vest and collar and rolled up my sleeves; my hand.-; were dirty, my hair disheveled, and drops of perspiration were trickling over a dustbegrimed face.

While in this condition a Norwegian couple appeared upon the scene to be married. It was about eleven o'clock and I told them that I would go to dinner early, clean myself, and be ready for the ceremony about one o'clock. This would not answer at all. They wanted to be married then and there. without delay. I pleaded in vain for a short postponement and finally told them that in any evenl l must go home and wash and put on some clean clothes. They would not agree even to that and demanded that the ceremony be performed at once.

1 was hardly able to conceal my displeasure at their unreasonable haste and lack of consideration for my embarrassed appearance, and I jumped up before them and told them to stand up and take hold of hands. Then, turning to the woman, I said: "Do you like him?" She coyly answered "yes." Nexl addressing the man. 1 said: "Do you like her?" He blushingly said --yes." "Then go to it." That was the only ceremony and it occupied less than half a minute. The whole party was actually dazed and somewhat dissatisfied over its brevit y and lack of formality.

Derivation Of

The word blizzard, synonymous with the terrible winter storm of the prairies, was coined during the early settlement of the Northwest. In the early eighties the newspapers of the country rilled columns giving the "original" derivation of the word, which then came into general use and in time found its way into the dictionaries. There is evidence that the word was coined in Marshall during the memorable storm of January. 1873. Concerning this, the Lyon County News of March 2, 1883, said:

The word blizzard was first used in Marshall, .Minnesota, by an American settler, now residing in Iowa. It was in the storm of 1873, at Charles H. Whitney's hotel, and the man was Deacon Seth Knowles, who was a settler of Lyon county near this village. The deacon was a fine German scholar, and while discussing the terrible storm raging without one speeker said no word could express its severity, whereupon the deacon said: "It's a blitzard !"

So the great storm of 1873 was locally known, and with recurring storms the term spread through the state. During late years it has been generally adopted for squalls in the eastern states, which as compared with a genuine knew what he was talking about and adapted the term to the terrors of the storm. A German witnessing one of these overpowering storms would say:

"The storm conies lightning-like." The transition from bliizartig to blizzard is natural and easy, while no word could better describe the oncoming snow and wind storm, and certainly there is no English word to lill the hill. The newness of the term and its pronunciation led the deacon to step to the counter of the hotel and write the word for the benefit of his friends.

A hook could be filled with the adventures and unpleasant features of the long winter of deep snows, 1880-81. For weeks the people of Lyon county were isolated, without mail and scantily supplied with fuel, provisions and many other necessities of life. The inconveniences- were borne good naturedly as a general thing, and the humor of the situation was often manifested.

During the last days of March, 1881, when not a train had been run for more than two months, an effort was made to open the road at Marshall, and an engine which had been "dead" there for many long weeks was fired up with wood that had been the coaling platform. C. C. Whitney, of the News, told of the effect on the people of the sound of the locomotive's whistle and bell, as follow-:

Wednesday afternoon the good people of Marshall were amazed and somewhat alarmed at hearing loud, shrill and frightful shrieks, and only those knowing to the facts could account therefor. Children ran to their mothers, women were almost speechless, and the sterner sex trembled with fear, many calling to mind Mother Shipton's prophecy that in 1881 the world would come to an end. But there was no call for such consternation, in reality.

In other countries and even in some parts of America, it is said, they have what are called locomotives, a kind of huge machine, which is made to run with steam, and these so-called iron horses draw coaches through the country at a rapid rate of speed. To alarm people of their approach these locomotives have attached a large bell and whistle.

It was one of these strange machines, running about near the river and blowing its terrible whistle, which caused the alarm to our people. We understand these machines are quite harmless, unless a person gets in front of them, and that they run along very fast in good weather, but that they are afraid of snow and can only be used in portions of the country where no snow falls. It is hinted that some time next summer, the Lord willing, some of these locomotives will be used to draw coaches and freight through this section of country. But we haven't much faith in such notions and think the old-fashioned way of having horses to draw the passengers, freight and mail from Sleepy Eye far more reliable, take it all the year around.

A Pioneer .Minister

part in the early affairs of Lyon county. He was one of the founders of Lynd and Camden, a pioneer minister, storekeeper and promoter, and a leader in early day affairs. In a way he was a character and many stories have been told of his doings. The following description of Rev. Ellis is from the pen of C. F. Case, written in 1898:

Probably this Rev, Ellis was for a time the most celebrated man in the county. We remember him as a preacher of some talent and a good deal of originality. Governed almost entirely by impulse, it was a wild guess what might be expected of him next. At a revival meeting he would make the pictures on the wall weep for the sins of the world, and as a Sunday School teacher he would fire the pupils with ambition to walk in the footsteps of Moses and the prophets, but he would also run horses on Sunday for the whisky, beat his best friend in a trade, and swear like a Spanish pirate when he got mad. Being overheard once by a lady damning his cattle away up in G, he apologized by saying that he had bought them from a very profane man and that he had to quote the language they were accustomed to before they thought his admonitions in earnest. Since eaving here he has been illustrated in the Police Gazette for trying to break up a seditious church meeting by pounding the congregation with the pulpit Bible.

In business Rev. Ellis was governed by the same impulsiveness. If dried apples were cheap in his opinion and for sale on time, he bought a ton of them and other goods with the same reckless abandon. It is said that one of his dried apple loads, topped out with half a ton of codfish, was caught in a heavy shower on its way from New Ulm and raised so high that he could only take the prairie road {o Lynd and had to spread his load over forty acres to dry again in the sun. The addition to this story, which we once made, that the Flandreau Indians smelled the drying codfish ami, thinking it the camp of a Chippewa enemy, went on the warpath, we here admit was untrue. The odors did not reach farther than Lake Benton.

A Railroad Strike

"When the Dakota Central railroad was 1 seine- constructed in the summer of 1879, the workmen engaged in a strike which created great excitement and necessitated a visit from the governor and the calling out of the militia. The wildest rumors were sent out concerning depredations committed by the strikers. but as a matter of fact very little damage was done.

On the morning of June 16, 1879, thirty-one shovelers working four miles wi'-t o( Tracy struck and demanded increased wages. Their employer refused the demands and told the men to go to Tracy and get their pay. The workmen at the next camp to the west also -truck when they heard of the action of the others, and a large number of the strikers started west to incite the other camps and make the strike general.

Nearly all the workmen joined the striker.; and those that were inclined otherwise were forced to join the ranks. The several construction crews became a mob. The march to the west continued until nightfall and camp was pitched on the Redwood river. On the morning of the seventeenth the mob continued the march toward Lake Benton. All except the camp farthest west suspended work and the army of strikers began the march back to Tracy. Many were mounted, and when some of those forced into the strike attempted to escape they were run down and again made to join the ranks.

The foreman in charge of the construction work was making a tour of inspection near Lake Benton when the trouble occurred. He eluded the strikers by taking a circuitous route and reached Tracy early on the morning of 'rue-day. the seventeenth. He at once asked aid from the county authorities.

Sheriff Hunter was informed that the strikers were waging war on the settlers, contractors, boarding house keepers and others and that a general riot was feared. The peace officer at once swore in about twenty deputies, who, armed with rusty muskets, took the noon train for the ea1 of trouble. The sheriff senl out a mounted scouting party to reconnoitre md they reported an army of 200 strikers to be fifteen miles wesl of Tracy. it was feared the sheriff's company

About noon on Wednesday a part of the strikers arrived at Tracy. They doif aloft on a- rude frame a sheet on which was inscribed: "Railroad Strikers. $3.50 per day and SI..')!) per day." A council between the strikers and contractors was held, at which the latter agreed to have the money on the next train from Marshall with which to pay the men their wages. The train did not stop at Tracy but went through at full speed. This incensed the strikers and threats of violence were made.

The strike was brought to a sudden close. Within a half hour after the train from Marshall went through, a special train bearing the New Ulm militia company arrived in Tracy. On the train was also Superintendent Sanborn with money to pay the strikers. Only about thirty of them applied for their wages; the others returned to work and the strike was over. Governor John S. Pillsbury made a trip to Tracy early on the morning of Thursday to investigate conditions, but the men had returned to work and the governor remained only a couple of hours.

In the early day- Lyon county was frequently "hard up" and not in position to meet its bills. Times were exceeding bad, there was little taxable property, ami often the county authorities wen obliged to take humiliating means to satisfy creditor-.

Heard authorized .Mr. A. R. Cummins, county treasurer, to raise three hundred dollars to apply on above sheriff's hill; said money to he borrowed

During the grasshopper days debts were contracted which caused much trouble and expense to county officials. Several judgments were secured and drastic steps had to be taken to keep the county solvent. The following resolution appears on the journal of the Board of County Commissioners for March 23, 1878:

Whereas one H. D. Witness holds county orders to a large amount and holds over us judgments and suits to our mortal terror and excessive fear, demanding money and costs and general distress to the good people of Lyon county, therefore we, the County Board of said county so distressed, do hereby resolve that in consideration that said H. D. Witness withhold such suits and judgments from further progress and does not start more suits to so distress and mortally worry said good people aforesaid, that on the first day of July next, we, the County Board, will issue bonds to the extent of the law, viz.: $4900. Signed. O. C. Gregg, county auditor; H. T. Oakland, chairman County Board; D. F. Weymouth, county attorney.

Signs Of The Times

many interesting items. Under existing conditions the events recorded below could hardly happen. In many respects the people of Lyon county of thirty and forty years ago lived in a different world; not one of the little items quoted was considered out of the ordinary at the time, but they would lie if published as news in the same papers today. "The world do move."

Salary Increased. - The postmaster of Marshal has had his salary increased from $45 to $200 a year, to date from January last. - Prairie Schooner, November 1, 1873.

Marshall an Island. - The high water of last week has disappeared and left the river within reasonable bounds. It brought out the fact that several residence lots within the town plat ought to be deeded with a boat to get on to and off from in high water. Either the business part of town is in the wrong place or a little work ought to be put in on the river bank above, in the shape of a levee, or still farther up, in the shape of a cut to turn high water off Lake Marshall way. The business part of town was mostly out of water but was on an island that cut the larger part of town off from connection with it. - Prairie Schooner, April 16, 1875.

Gold Discovery. - We don't wish to excite the country with statements that will not properly pan out on examination, but there is gold in Lyon county. Some years ago an old minei was struck by the peculiar bluffs around Camden, nine miles above Marshall, and in Mr. Rouse's company did some prospecting ami found gold in small quantities. The search was abandoned, but within the past few days Mr. P. I. Pierce, who is an old gold miner, has been turning up the sand in that neighborhood and yesterday showed us some specimens which he found there of undoubted genuineness. He is sanguine that gold in paying quantities will be found. Nearly every pan shows color. - Marshall Messenger, May 1 1 . 1S77.

The Town Well. - "We never miss the water until the well runs dry." But we rise to a point of order on the internal improvement question. The well on the corner is the subject of this harangue, fellow citizens. It ought to be a well-spring of joy, for in it has been sunk the public wealth to the amount of $150, more or less. We hope somebody has made something out of it, for the public has not, and in all the desirable qualifications of a well it is a lamentable failure. It is simply a hole in the ground, over which the council has spent much money and many hopes. If the structure only ran up instead of down it would do to leave as a monument of hope deferred, but as it does not the question still rages: "What shall we do to be saved." - Marshall Messenger, April 25, 1S7<).

Better Railroad Facilities. - One can now leave Marshall at half past twelve o'clock in the afternoon and be in Chicago at four o'clock the next afternoon, making a ride of twentyseven and one-half hours. This is an improvement on the time card we once had, when it took from six at night until six in the morning to ride from here to New Clm, and that on a freight train with an oak plank to sit on and a dirty old red lantern for an illuminator. - Lyon County Xews, June 4, L879.

No 1'irst Bounce does. - The base ball regulations for 18,79 are changed so thai a foul hall must be caught on the fly to make the striker out. Also the ball must be caught on the fly on the third strike to insure a strike. - Lyon County Xews, June 4, 1.S7(J.

The First Telephone. - Professor Cregg ha- a telephone in successful operation between his residence ami the court house. It attracts a great deal of attention from the curious. Will Gregg manufactured the machine. - Lyon < lounty News, October 21, 1881.

An Automobile! - The Olds automobile for D. H. Evans arrived on Monday and the great chauffeur has been the erivy of all as he "autoed" about the city. The machine is a daisy and tin first one to be owned by a Tracy citizen. - Tracy Herald, April, 1902.