Polk County, Minnesota - Chapter 7: Early Historical Data After 1850, 1916 (part 1 of 2)

Chapter 7: Early Historical Data After 1850

In Volume II of Cooper & Company's History of the Red River Valley (Chicago, 1909), appears a chapter descriptive and narrative of Polk county. It may he characterized as the only historical sketch of the county ever published in imposing form. The article was written and revised by Hon. William Watts, of Crookston, and therefore may be regarded as authoritative. For Judge Watts is a long-time resident of the county and well versed in its history from its beginning as an organized county, and even long before. It is well that he consented to write the article, for otherwise much of the record of the county would be lost and not preserved in convenient and permanent form.

From the judge's valuable article several notes of the county's history have been extracted and used as data or notes for the present volume. Some of them have been quoted literally, but the majority have been used practically as texts or suggestions for comment. For example he speaks of the old Pembina trail, as ' ' the route by which the Hudson 's Bay Company carried its furs and mereliandise between the Northwest and St. Paul in the early days," and he states that although the famous trail passed through Polk County the Bay Company had no trading post within its borders. The fact is that the Bay Company never used the trail "in early days," and made but little use of it at any time. The trail was inaugurated in 1844 by Norman W. Kittson (then the chief factor of Chouteau & Company, of St. Louis) at Pembina, and it was used almost exclusively by him and his sub-agents up to about 1854, when he entered into partnership witli

* * * The past season over 800 Red River carts, loaded with furs and skins, came into St. Paul from those far northwestern valleys. Even the Hudson's Bay Company have at last availed themselves of the superior facilities of the heretofore ignored routes to our market, by sending last season over 60 packages of furs and pelts, taking in return cattle, mules, and implements of agriculture.

It would seem that 60 packages, or about 3,000 pounds, would not constitute but a very small portion of the cargoes of the carts, for three of the screaking but stout vehicles could easily transport 3,000 pounds.

First National Census

From 1850 to 1860 there was some development and occupation of the countrj^ within the present limits of Polk county. Indeed it seems from certain known circumstances that settlements were made in different parts of the country's present area before 1850.

In 1858, when Polk County was created by the Minnesota Legislature, its declared boundaries included all of the now area of the county, and also the following described territory : All of Pennington, Red Lake, Mahnomen, Clearwater, and Norman Counties; the greater part off the north half of Clay County ; twelve miles of the northern part and a strip three sections long from north to south by one section wide off the

side of Becker County; the southwest part of Beltrami County; twelve miles off the southern part of Marshall County and all of the Red Lake Indian Reservation - an area of about 3,030 miles.

When in 1849 and 1850 a census of the people of Minnesota Territory was taken whatever civilized population existed in this region was coi;nted in the returns of Pembina County, to which county what is now Polk then belonged. But in 1860 Polk County was in existence, a separate county, and in the census of that year it was enumerated separately. The commissioner; was Oscar Taylor, of St. Cloud, who was a lawyer, but during the Civil and Indian Wars was a captain in the First Minnesota Mounted Rangers; later he was a member of the Legislature for several years and a prominent attorney of St. Cloud. His enumeration was made in the month of July.

At the time of the enunciation there were four postofifices in the then Polk County, viz. : Georgetown, Rice River, Red River Junction, and Red Lake. Of these only Red River Junction, now East Grand Forks, is a Polk County town and post office. The population of the county was listed as to their post office addresses, and the total was 240, of which 140 males and 100 were females. (Minnesota Year Book for 1871-1872.)

Of course each of these post offices was the site of one or more trading houses and the enumerated inhabitants were for the most part connected in some way with them. Perhaps a majority of those counted, especially those at Red Lake, were Indians or mixed bloods. The rule was to count all of white blood, and also all Indians and those of mixed Indian blood that had "adopted the habits and customs of civilization." This definition wa.s held to include all that had professed Christianity, no matter if they still went blanketed and moecasined and yet dwelt in tepees and wigwams. The number of the mixed bloods reported was S4, leaving the total white population 146.

According to the manuscript copy of the census referred to the population of Red River Junction (now understood to be what is East Grand Forks) was as follows:

"William C. Wil worth, age 33; engineer; value of real estate, $3,000; personal, $1,200; born in New York. His wife, Emily Wilworth, age 27; housewife; born New York ; his child, Jane Wilworth, age 4 ; born in Minnesota.

"Antoine Bellaire, age 34; laborer; his wife, Katherine, age 34, and their seven children, Antoine, age 12; Charlotte, age 10; Mary, age 8; Eustace, age 6; Delict, age 5 ; Solomon, age 3, and Joseph, age 1 ; all mixed bloods and born in Minnesota; no property listed.

"Saml. J. Painter, (?) age 39; steamboat captain; real estate, $3,000; personal property, $1,000; born Pennsylvania. His wife, Elizabeth, born Virginia, and their five children - Sarah Ellen, aged 11, Rosanna aged 9, Francis M. aged 7, and James aged 5, were born in Kentucky, and Joel, aged 3, born in Jlinnesota.

"Charles Cavileer, age 42; physician; real estate, $10,000; personal, $500; born in Ohio. His wife, Isabel, age 22; born Hudson's Bay Territory; their children, Sarah J. age 3, Edmund R. age 2, and William McI. age two months, were born in Minnesota.

"Richard C. I5urdick, age 25; merchant; personal $1,000. His wife, Catherine, age 22; born in New- York. Their child, Charles, age 2, bom in Minnesota.

The whole population therefore was 40, including one negro and 12 mixed Woods. Total males, 25; females, 15. There were only 8 dwelling houses listed ; perhaps the Indian and mixed-blood lodges and shacks were not counted. The total value of real estate owned wa.s $26,800; personal property, $6,200.

Georgetown post office reported 65 people, of wliom 3 were mixed bloods; Rice River, 46 whites and 4 mixed bloods; Red Lake had 4 whites (traders) and 80 mixed bloods and one Indian, John Tombay.

The exact residences of the people of these various post offices cannot here be definitely given. It is probable, however, tliat for the most part those of Red River Junction (as East Grand Forks was then called) lived at or near the Junction. The place was called Red River Junction because it was the junction of the R^d River with its principal tributarj', the Red Lake. .What eventually became of all these Red River Junction people is not known to the present writer. We know that Charles Cavileer (as he always Avrote his name) went to North Dakota and laid out the town of Pembina, was its first postmaster, and died thei-e in 1902. He was prominent in early North Dakota affairs and the count.y of Cavalier (with the reformed spelling) was named for him.

George W. Northrup was from St. Paul, though a New York born. He led an adventurous life as a hunter, Indian trader, guide, etc. At one time, in 1858, he was captain of the "Anson Northrup" (Minn. Hist. Coll., Vol. 8, p. 52.) In the Civil War he enlisted in Company C, of Brackett's Battalion, of cavalry, and in the Sioux battle of Khay Tah-hkali Koota, ("hill or mountain where we shot the deer") commonly called the battle of Killdeer Mountain, he charged far to the front and received ten Indian arrows in his body, one through his heart. The Indians knew him well and called him "the Man that Pulls a Hand Cart," because when on one occasion, when he was connected with a train of Red River carts, he drew one of them quite a distance.

From 1850 To 1860

After the creation and organization of Minnesota Territorv, in the early part of 1849, the first Legislature divided the territory into nine counties, called Washington, Ramsey, Benton, Itasca, Wabashaw, Dakotah, Wahnahta, Mahkahto, and Pembina. At the time the ^Missouri River was the western boundary. Pembina County extended from the west line of Itasca to the Missouri River and from the Canadian boundary southward to the mouth of the Buffalo River. It comprised generally what is now nearly all of the northwestern part of Minnesota and practically all of the present State of North Dakota east of the Missouri River. What is now and has in the past been North Dakota was for nine years a part of Pembina County.

The census of that countj' in 1849 gave it a population of 637, of which number 295 were males. Tlie post-office of all these persons was given as Pembina, though many of them lived at what is now St. Vincent, on the east bank of the Red River, opposite Pembina. Of the entire population 27 persons were li.sted as born at Red Lake or elsewhere in "Minnesota Territory," and seven were natives of other States. Nearly all the people were of mixed Indian blood. (U. S. Census Reps, for 1850; al.so N. Dak. Hist. Coll., Vol. 1, p. 385 et seq.) It is almost certain that in 1849 there were white people living within tlie present confines of Polk, but we do not know who and exactly where thej' were.

After having its posts and agents banished from the United States, in 1821, the Hudson's Bay Company confined its operations to its own territory or other portions of Canada. There was great ill feeling by the American traders against the traders and posts of the great English coi-poratioii. Tlie agents of this corporation seem to have been always rapacious and they became unscrupulous and bold. They sought every means to capture and secure the Indian trade in the northern part of the United States west of Lake Superior and as far south of the international boundary as possible. They supplied the Indian hunters freely with whisky, during the trading seasons, induced hundreds of them to come over to Canada to trade and even to sell their furs to the company's servants at points within the United States. They frequently came upon trading excursions up the Red River and often were at Red Lake, always bringing whisky. They were not allowed under an English law to "sell" ardent spirits to the liquor-loving Indians, but it was held that "exchanging" these beverages for furs was not selling!

All along during the decade of 1840, and in the early part of that of 1850, Norman Kittson, Joe Rolette, and other American traders in this quarter had complained often and vehemently of the injuries done thera by the Bay Company's traders and hunters. They said that in addition to seducing the Indian trade away from them, the company's men habitually raided wliat is now the northern part of North Dakota and killed and drove off so many buffaloes that often there was a meat famine among the Teton and Mandan Sioux and the Assiniboines, Crees, and Cbippewas, upon whom the traders depended for patronage.

In the winter of 1849 Kitt.son and Henry M. Rice - the latter having a number of trading houses in the Chippewa country - made .strenuoiis efforts to stop the predatory incur.sions upon their preserves. Kittson wrote to Delegate Sibley : ' ' The tradei's of the Hudson's Baj' Company have, during a few months past, been engaged extensively in introducing liquor among the Indians within our limits." Rice wrote to Gen. Fletcher, agent for the Winnebagoes :

"The agents of the H. B. Co. brought a large quantity of ardent spirits to their depot at Rainy Lake, and at the time the Indians were gathering their last wild rice crop they .sent a quantitj' of liquor within our boundary and gave it to our Indians in exchange for rice. I have ample and positive pi'oof of this. It is impossible to take provisions to these remote posts, and the traders and employees are compelled to live on wild rice and fish ; the rice they purchase from the Indians. The object of the H. B. Co. was to secure all of the surplus rice so tliat my men would be compelled to abandon the country. They well know that, with the advantage of whisky, they can break down any opposition."

"The object which the British traders have in supplying the Indians with ardent spirits is to break down the American traders. They annoy and discommode our traders b.y purchasing with whisky all the surplus provisions the Indians have, but they injure our traders most by preventing them from obtaining furs. While tlie Indians can obtain liquor, they will not hunt and obtain furs, and having no money nothing can be made out of trade with them. About 20,000 buffalo are killed annually within the country occupied by the Sioux and Chippewa Indians south of our northern boundary by half breeds from the British side of the line. One-third of the Red River Canadians subsist on buffalo killed on the American side of tlie line. The destruction of the buffalo is a heavy tax on our Indian.s, especially the Sioux."

These descriptions of conditions induced the authorities at Washington and the expedition of Maj. Woods and Capt. Pope, of 1849, was resolved upon. In his instructions to Maj. Woods for the conduct of the expedition, Adjutant General R. Jones instructed him, among other things, to observe and report upon the condition of the Indians at Pembina and the Red River Valley, and particularly to report "the influence exerted on them by the Hudson's Bay Company by ti'ade, present, and otherwise." In asking President Taylor for the expedition, Hon. Thomas Ewing, Secretary of the Interior - which ofSce had been newly created - stated that the great evils committed upon northern Minnesota by the Hudson's Bay agents ought to be at once "corrected and prevented in the future." Among other suggestions he proposed that a moderate portion of the then Indian country, near the boundary line, and "upon the Red River of the North" be speedily acquired by treaty and purchase. This tract of country so acquired he thought ought to be "opened to actual settlement, for which it is represented to be well adapted." On the tract he would place "a body of citizens ready, not only to observe our laws respecting intercourse with the Indians, but willing and able to prevent further violations of them or incursions into our territory by those connected with the British settlements north of the boundary."

But for some time after the Woods and Pope expedition to Pembina the trespasses of the Hudson's Bay Company continued; not until 1857, after they had been allowed to establish their own posts on American soil. Gradually, however, they ceased almost entirely.

In 1857 the Hudson's Bay Company decided to abandon York Factory, its station and principal port of entry at the mouth of Nelson River, at Hudson's Bay. Soon after it completed arrangements with the U. S. Secretary of the Treasury whereby goods for the company and for the former Selkirk eoloni.sts might be carried in bond through the United States via St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Red River of the North. (N. D. Hist. Coll., Vol. 3, p. 552.) Trade with the Red River Valley now grew rapidly. Posts of the Bay Company, bj^ permission of the United States, were established at various points on the river. In 1860 Mr. Kittson sold out all his interests in the Red River fur trade to his former unprincipled rival and oppressor, the Bay Company, and became its agent, eventually establishing a line of steamboats and barges called the Red River Valley Transportation Company.

Building Op Fort Abercrombie

The establishment of Fort Abercrombie, although on the Dakota .side of the river, was another event of importance in the history and development of the

Red River Valley. Its location was determined upon in 1857, but it was built chiefly in 1858 and 1859. Its location was determined by the reports and recommendations of ^Maj. Woods and Capt. Pope, after their expedition to Pembina in 1849. Work was commenced upon the buildings in the spring of 1858, and the first structures were log cabins. It was named for Col. John J. Abercrombie, then lieutenant colonel of the Second U. S. Infantry, and detachments of that regiment constituted the first garrison. In June, 1858, a private expedition, of which Maiiton JIarble, the accomplished writer and artist, was a member, visited Fort Abercrombie on a trip to Pembina and beyond. On page 306 of Harper's Magazine for August, 1860, appears a sketch by Marble of the incomplete fort as it was in June, 1858, with the little log caliins as the soldiers' (juarters, etc. Below the sketch is a printed description by Mr. Marble from which the following is an extract:

"North of Graham's point (12 miles) as we rounded a turn of the river, whose wooded margin had concealed it from us hitherto, we came in sight of Fort Abercrombie - that is, of the one building erected for the commander's quarters and the canvas storehouses, which are built upon the prairie near the river bank. The log houses or quarters which otficers and privates at present occupy are all built in a quadrangle upon a pear-shaped promontory, looking west toward the prairie."

The Government records show tliat Lieut. Col. Abercrombie arrived with the first detehmeut of his troops in August, 1857. (Sec. War Rep. Cong. Series No. 943, p. 354.) But the fort was not fully completed for .several years later. The object of its building at the time the work commenced was not the protection of the American traders against the agents of the Hudson's Bay Company, since at that time the latter, by permission of and license from the American authorities, had their posts everywhere through the Valley and practically controlled, without protest or objection, the trade of the region. The object was to protect and encourage the pioneers that were coming into western Minnesota to take advantage of the offer by the Government of new lands in that quarter.

Probably, too, the building was secured by the association of Northern and Southern Democrats, some of whom were Senator Henry M. Rice and Henry T. Welles, of Minnesota; John C. Breckinridge and Beriah Magoffin, of Kentucky ; Robert Toombs, of Georgia ; George B. Clitherall, of Alabama ; Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi, and probably Dr. Archibald Graham, of Virginia. Some of the operations in Minnesota of these gentlemen are noted elsewhere.

But in July, 1859, the fort was temporarily abandoned. Ou the 25th Capt. N. H. Davis, Second U. S. Infantry, with one company of that regiment, abandoned the po.st, leaving it in charge of a military storekeeper. The reason assigned was that there was no longer any danger to Americans or American interests in that quarter. The abandonment was not for very long. In June, 1860, it was re-occupied by three companies of the Second Infantry, under Capt. Gardner and was garrisoned thereafter until in 1877, when it was discontinued as a military post.

The establishment of Fort Abercrombie was of great assistance in the development of Polk County and all of the other portions of the Red River Valley. Settlers were induced to come to the country in the belief that the fort would be a refuge and a rendezvous in case of Indian trouble, and that no serious danger need be feared from the savages. It was due largely to the representations of Henry T. Welles, through Senator Henry M. Rice, that a garrison was ordered re-established in the summer of 1859. The association which he represented had laid out the town of Breekenridge and wanted to sell lots therein, as well as to dispose of their lauds in the vicinity, and the occupation of the fort by 300 soldiers would give confidence in the situation to would-be investors and speculators. (For a good and authentic sketch of Fort Abercrombie see Part 2, Vol. 2, No. Dak. Hist. Socy. Coll.)

1856-57, while Henry M. Rice was in Washington, as delegate in Congress from Minnesota Territory, he formed a sort of business alliance, as he had some time before formed an intimate friendship with certain prominent Southern men, the most of whom were members of Congress. Some of these men were Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War in 1856 ; John C. Breckinridge, Vice President ; James Buchanan, President, both from 1857 to 1861 ; Robert Toombs, of Georgia, U. S. Senator, and Beriah Magoffin, later Governor of Kentucky.

Mr. Rice had long possessed great influence and control over a faction of the Democratic party in Minnesota Territory. Through his control of the Territorial Legislatures he succeeded in having Minnesota counties named from time to time in honor of his Southern friends and associates. Davis County (now partly Swift County) was named for Jeff. Davis; Toombs County (now Wilkin) for Robert Toombs, and Breekenridge (now Traverse, etc.) for the Vice President, all ultra pro-slavery men. Then two counties, Polk and Pierce, were named for ex-Democratic Presidents, and one for the existing President, James Buchanan. All of these Southern statesmen, except President Polk, had been of valuable personal .service to Mr. Rice and were greatly pleased at the rare compliment involved in the naming of counties for politicians of others. It is probable that Mr. Rice lost nothing by his courtesy.

But the bestowal of the name of James Knox Polk upon a Minnesota county was proper and befitting. It is understood that his last official act as President, at 11 :45 P. M., March 3, 1849, was his signing of the bill creating Minnesota Territory ; he died at his home, Nashville, Tennessee, June 15 following. When Gen. Sibley, who was Delegate in Congress from what by courtesy was called "Wisconsin Territory" and was pushing the bill for the creation of Minnesota, it was understood that all along he had the sympathy of President Polk. It was unfortunate that he did not live to see the Territory which he helped to create become a magnificent commonwealth of the Union. He was but 54 when he died, having been born in North Carolina in November, 1795. His home was in Tennessee after he was eleven years old. He served in Congress fourteen years and was Speaker of the House from 1835 to 1839, He was Governor of his State from 1839 to 1841. The Democrats nominated him for President in 1848 and he was elected over the great Henry Clay by a majority of 40,000 of the popular vote and of 70 in the electoral college. He declined a second term. He advocated the war against Mexico and was an efficient President during that contest. But he was opposed to wars in general, and it was largely his great influence during his administration which prevented war with Great Britain in 1846 over the Oregon question - a war of which many unwise Americans were decidedly' in favor - and when he was in Congress he and some other Congressmen prevented a war with Spain. He was a man of pure and high character and personally popular. This county need be well satisfied with its name.

Polk County was created by the first State Legislature of Minnesota in the summer of 1858; it was approved by Governor Sibley July 27. From the Legislative Journals it is learned that the bill was introduced in the House of Representatives and was known as House File No. 303. It established the counties of Pembina and Polk and was so entitled. It is difficult to learn who was the author of the bill, since the Legislative Journals are without indexes; probably it was Hon. John N. Chase, the Representative from the Pembina district, which was the 22d and was composed of Todd, Cass, and Pembina Counties. The act passed the House some time in the first weeks of July and the Senate July 13. In the latter body the votes were 23 for and 3 against. Those against were Senators Michael Cook (for whom Cook County was named), H. L. Thomas, and George Watson. What their objections were is not known.

The boundaries of the county as originally established commenced at the southwest corner of Pembina County, opposite the mouth of Turtle River and running up the Ri'd River to tlie mouth of the Buffalo River, or Georgetown ; thence eastwardly up the Buffalo along tlie northern boundary of Breckenridge County, and then along the nortJiern boundary of Becker Country to the southeastern extremity of Lake llasea; then north and east up the Mississippi to its intersection with the county's eastern boundary line, at the northeastern extremity of Cass Lake; thence due north to the southern boundar}- of Pembina County, and then due west to the point oppcsite the mouth of the Buffalo River, the place of beginning.

The county seat of Polk County was temporarily located at Douglass, and that of Pembina County at St. Vincent. According to Sewall's map of Minnesota for 1860, Douglass was located on the Red Lake River, at the new crossing, or where the new Pembina trail crossed the river, and where the Ramsey treaty of 1863 was held. The present site is called Iluot P. 0., and consists of one house, which stands in the southwestern part of Red Lake County. Douglass was originallj^ a trading post belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company. A town was laid out here in 1858, but it does not seem to have made any progress. No attempt at formally organizing Polk County was made until in 1872, and the Legislature did not declare the county fully organized until March 3, 1873, fifteen vears after it had been created.

Chaptee Viii Historical Articles Of The Early Settlement

REMINISCENCES OF THE SETTLEMENT OP POLK COUNTY, BY ELIAS STEENERSON - E. M. WjiJLSH'S DESCRIPTIONS OP PIONEER BUSINESS LIFE LUMBERING OPERATIONS IN POLK COUNTY, BY T. B. W^UjKER - EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES, BY E. D. CHILDS GENESIS OF THE PRESENT HISTORY OP POLK COUNTY, WITH A GENERAL DESCRIPTION

OF THE county's RESOURCES, BY N. P. STONE, HISTORIAN OF THE POLK COUNTY OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION - HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC PARISH OP ST. PETER, GENTILLY, MINN., BY REV. E. THEILLON THE MARAIS COMMUNITY, BY PETER ALLAN GUMMING ; ITS EARLY PERMANENT SETTLEMENT, ITS PROGRESS AND PRESENT CONDITION - FIRST PERMANENT SETTLER.S - THE CHURCHES SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS.

E'Eminiscences Of The Settlement Of Polk County, By Elias Steenerson

If the history of Polk County begins at the time when it became first occupied by actual and permanent settlers, it can be said to begin in June, 1871. It is true that W. C. Nash settled at East Grand Forks in 1870, but he belongs to the earliest pioneers of the Valley, having come here as a military man and mail carrier, contractor, and Indian trader, and, while we crown him as the oldest and earliest settler of Polk County, we shall date the real settlement of Polk County one year later.

It is also proper here to mention another name, that of the really celebrated French mixed blood, Pierre Bottineau, who was born in the Red River Valley, and as early as 1830 traveled over Polk County as trapper, scout, and messenger. After residing at various other points in Minnesota, he finally settled near Red Lake Falls, Polk County, in 1876. He was instrumental in bringing to Polk County a large number of French settlers, who established what was then known as the French Colony.

Some First Actual Settlers

Barring the exceptions stated, the first settlers of Polk County are, in the order named, the following: Levi Steenerson, Ole Estenson and family, Ole 0. Estenson, Peter 0. Estenson, Esten 0. Estenson, Peter

0. Setermoe, Ole Jevning, ToUif Ose, Knut Steenerson, Henry Simon, Paul Simon, GuUek Spokley, Salve Spokley, Tollef Tollefson, Jorgen Knutson, John Bremseth, Peter Jacobson, and John Sundet. This was in June, 1871; all were "squatters" on lands along the Red River, extending for a stretch of about twelve miles, and on both sides of Sand Hill River. The land was not surveyed, and each of the settlers had plenty of elbow room. They agreed among themselves as to boundaries, and each sought to secure a large proportion of timber, which stood in abundance along the river bank, the sheltered bends forming ideal building places.

These settlers constituted two groups or parties. Those settling south of Sand Hill River were acquaintances from Houston County, Minnesota; but most of them came originally from Telemarken, Norway. Those to the north of the Sand Hill were acquaintances from Freeborn County, Minnesota, and originally came from Osterdalen, in Norway. The settlements became known among the Norwegians as Telemarken and Osterdalen.

These settlers' chief occupation, for a number of years, was stock raising, both on their own account and on shares, or for pay from the Hudson's Bay Company. Agriculture was conducted on a compar- atively small scale, as the markets were not developed, and, besides, the grasshoppers harvested what they did put in during the hrst two or three years. Fishing for catiish was quite an industry among the settlers those days.

Stav Anger Settlements

As time went on each of these pioneers corresponded with friends in other localities, who soon came and located near them, and thus the settlements grew at a remarkably rapid rate, the Irish, the Bygland, the Scotch, and the Stavanger Settlements. North of the Osterdalen Settlement, came several Irish families, and located what is called the Irish Settlement. They came there soon after, but the same j'ear as the Osterdalens, and among them were Peter Genaw, Barney Haggerty, Mike Quirk, Patrick Quigley, Thomas and John Logan, John Garrety, and Mathew Martin.

North of the Irish Settlement, and for a stretch of about twelve miles, is the settlement known as Seterdalen. The first man to settle there was Daniel Ose, in June, 1872, and the next was his brother-inlaw, Knute Ose, who took land near him in August of the same year. These two Oses had been induced to come by Tollef Ose, who was one of those who took land along the Sand Hill River in 1871, and became neighbor and partner to Levi Steenerson, who was engaged in teaming and contracting for the Hudson's Bay Company. He was interested in developing the County, and saw the opportunities for emigrants to soon become independent land owners in this new country. He advised them to come and locate, which they did, and they became the nucleus for that settlement, which grew very rapidlj', and when it was organized into a town was named Bygland, after the town in Norway where the Oses came from.

That part of Polk County which is now Norman County, from near Georgetown, on Wild Rice River, to north of Marsh River, was settled about the same time as the Sand Hill country, only a little later in the summer. Among the first there were Joe Grotte and his three sons, Joseph, Nicholas, and Albert. Peter, John, and Tonnes Efterlaud, Andrew B. Larson, Lars B. Larson, Andrew Thompson, L. Henderson, H. L. Gorden, Ole Halstad, R. and N. R. Hage, and L. L. Hauske. The majority of these immigrants were from Fillmore County, and originally from Stavanger, Nonvay, wherefore it was frequently called the Stavanger Settlement.

The Norwegian stream of emigrants seems to have stopped at Red Lake River, as there we find the Scotch in possession in the same year, represented by such hardy pioneers as Robert and John Coulter, James Thomas, Robert Nisbet, and William Flemming, who were soon followed by their friends and acquaintances until the Scotch element also had a fair foothold in the virgin soil of Polk County.

Pioneers Near Crookston

In 1872 parties began to locate on the Red Lake River near Crookston. Among the first there were found Bernard Sampson, E. M. Walsh, Peter Cornelius, Christian Sather, John Darko, Delos Jacobus, Wm. Stewart, James Greenhalgh, E. C. Davis, N. P. Johnson, John Christianson, P. J. LaChapelle, and Richard Hussey. They were attracted by the railroad survey which located the crossing at the present site of Crookston.

The Danes and Swedes, not to be outdone, also put in appearances. Of the Danes we recall Hans P. Johnson, Nels P. Johnson, L. P. Johnson, Ole Christiansen, C. C. Tygesen, and of tlie Swedes, Nels Woodstrom, Nels and Andrew Malmberg, Olof Erickson, and August Peterson.

Delay In Railroad Building Made Distress

On account of the financial panic of 1873, the railroad was not completed when expected and the settlers, for a number of years, were doomed to disappointment and great hard.ships. The settlers along the Red River were better off, beeaiise in summer time the steamboats plied the river as far as Moor- head in early spring, and to Frog Point (now Belmont), later in the season. In low stages of water, and in the winter time, the Hudson's Bay Company maintained a stage line on the Dakota side, and trading posts at points ten or twelve miles apart, thus keeping up communication between St. Paul and Winnipeg the year around.

The projected and partly built St. Paul & Pacific Railroad was, during the years following, patched up so as to carry traffic between Fisher and Glyndon where it connected with the Northern Pacific, which was in operation between Duluth and Moorhead. Fisher's Landing was head of navigation on Red Lake River, and there connected with the steamboats running up Red River from Winnipeg. Thus a traffic was established, via Crookston, between St. Paul and Winnipeg, which afforded the settlers relief to a considerable degree. Although in winter they were barred out of this communication with the outside world, it did not cause such disappointment as at first, as it was all understood before hand, and all were prepared for this condition.

These conditions prevailed until 1880, and during that time Fisher's Landing was the leading business point in the county. In the early seventies the influx of settlers was rather slow, on account of the ravages of the grasshoppers and the unsettled condition of railroad building. It will be remembered that this was the period following the financial panic of 1873 and the failure of Jay Cooke & Company, who were the chief promotors of the Northern Pacific and other railroads of this country at the time.

Fiest Settlers Wkre Pre-Emptors Or Squatters

Up to 1876 the settlement of the county extended very little more than has already been mentioned. That is to say, it was settled along the streams; the Red River, the Sand Hill River, and the Red Lake River as far up as a few miles above Crookston ; the prairie was unoccupied and in its wild stage. The lands were not surveyed until 1874, so that up to that time the settlers were merely squatters. It then became known where they were "at," and from that time there were Government regulations to follow.

The Railroad Company had a grant of every odd section for twenty miles from the Red River east, extending from Marsh River to the Canadian Line, and this was in dispute in some way so that it could not be sold, but the company recognized the first applicant to purchase, by acknowledging his application on a postal card, stating that the application had been received and placed on file and would receive first consideration when placed on the market, which would be when a decision on the validity of the grant had been reached. While this was all right, these conditions made events uncertain, and did not tend to boost things. In a few years, however, this uncertainty came to an end as the railroad company secured a favorable decision and put their lands on the market at very reasonable terms, and they went like "hot cakes." It was not long until the prairies were settled, as well as the timbered stretches along the streams. Up to this time the country was mainly a grazing country, but now it began to take on a difl:'erent aspect. The St. Paul & Pacific Railroad had come into the hands of men familiar with the Red River Valley, of whom N. W. Kittson and J. J. Hill were leading spirits, and the master hand of the now famous financier was soon in evidence. The St. Paul & Pacific Railroad became the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad, and in 1880 was completed to Grand Forks.

The Period Op Real Development

The years 1878 and 1879 were the real beginning of the development of the Red River Valley. During this period the railroad lands were placed on the market at the rate of $5.00 per acre, but rebated at the rate of $2.50 per acre for breaking three-fourths of it, and an additional rebate of fifty cents per acre for cropping it, so that a quarter section of land cost only $440, and no residence was required. It was fully as good terms as on Government land; an additional charge, however, was placed on land with timber on it.

Compendiu.M Of History And Biography Of Polk County

This method encouraged the men on the railroad lands to break up the land and farm it, and produce freight for the railroad to handle, which was of importance to the railroad company, in order to show the financiers of the East that the railroad traversed a rich country which would afford traffic sufficient to produce profits on its investment. The plan worked out to full realization for the railroad company, and it was not long until all its lands were sold and the wheat came into the loading stations so fast that they were unable to take care of it for want of cars and elevators. The railroad company then arranged with elevator companies to build elevators, and gave them preference over track-buyers and flat-houses by declining to furnish the latter with ears, and thus forced the wheat into the elevators. This was a justifiable proposition, probably, from the standpoint of the railroad company, but it was a bitter pill for the grain growers to swallow, and led to a strife between the farmers and the railroad company. The farmers finally made their demand a State issue, resulting in legislative enactments tending to relieve the conditions and to establish the principle of State control of railroads, which recently has been confirmed to the fullest extent by the United States Supreme Court.

It is interesting to recall the stages of development of this great Valley. First, we find it a stock country, necessarily so on account of the natural conditions. Transportation was of the crudest kind, mostly by ox teams over poor roads and across unbridged streams. The early settler lived snugly along the river bank, well sheltered by tall timber, in which he had a cluster of log buildings, used as dwelling and stables. He had a large herd of fat, sleek cattle, fed exclusively on prairie hay, which had been gathered on the vast unsettled prairie with a hand scythe and pitchfork, and which, possibly on account of its having been produced on virgin soil, may have contained a large amount of nutrition, which enabled the cattle to grow fat on it to the exclusion of other food. Unrestricted freedom was enjoyed by the pioneer; there was no encroachment bv near neighbors and he hud unlimited range for his cattle in summer time, with abundance of timber for building and for firewood. These were comforts which to some degree overcame the many hardships of the Red River Valley pioneer.

Then a change came. The prairie began to be settled and opportunities for raising stock began to diminish. Claim shanties began to appear on former meadows and pasture lands. Soon there were seen men driving two ox teams abreast before a breaking plow, turning down the green grass and turning up the black soil, making a field at the best rate of speed then known. Then some lands would be fenced, and soon the hitherto bleak expanse was dotted with shacks and well covered by fenced fields.

These conditions produced two classes of farmers - those who wanted an open range, and thase who wanted each one to pasture his own cattle. This question was at one time a burning one in this community, and a spirited election to decide it was once held in the towni of Vineland, as there was at that time local option by the towns on such questions. The party that favored pasture law was defeated, greatly to their disappointment, as they were anxious to extend their wheat fields. When the next Legislature passed a herd law for the State, there were those who attributed it to the railroad company, which, they said, was encouraging the grain growing to the greatest extent possible. This State herd law removed one of the main barriers of progress to the prairie farmers. The stock man adjusted himself to the new conditions, and soon the i-ailroad coiiipanios were flooded with wheat ; and then they began to agitate for more stock raising by the farmers. This is a question which still puzzles many wise heads, and is yet to be adjusted, according to professional critics, in a better manner than now prevalent.

Drainage An Important Feature Op Development

Drainage became of utmost importance, especially so in the southeastern part of the county. The Sand Hill River lost itself on the flat country near Beltrami, and created a vast tract of wet land known, as the Beltrami Swamp, extending from near Marsh River, south of Beltrami, to west of Fisher, a distance of about twenty-four miles, with a width of about six to ten miles. The channel of Sand Hill River was completely obliterated for ten miles across this swamp, and came out again about four miles east of Red River, where it again regained its channel, with high banks fringed with fine timber, and having a fall of several feet to a mile, sufficient to create fine water power. The towns of Vineland and Hubbard were isolated from P'isher, Crookston, and Ada. From the points where its railroad was running it was necessary, in order to reach Fisher, to travel around this swamp, making the distance twenty-five miles, in place of fifteen miles straight across, and the same would hold good in order to reach Crookston. We were hauling our wheat with oxen which traveled about two miles per hour, so it can be imagined that it was an annoying situation, and a continuous temptation to liavel straight across; but if any one was rash enough to yield to the temptation he nearly always met with disaster by getting stuck in the mire. Imagine the disgust and despair of a gi-auger who, with his ox team and load of wheat, would get stuck in the mire everv forty rods for a distance of more than six miles (and having to unload and carry the grain sacks on his back across each time), and the desire it would incite in the mind of such granger for better roads and better drainage, and how he would highly resolve to promote such a reform!

It was to some extent due to this situation that the matter of drainage was finally taken up by the State. During the fall of 1879 a mass meeting was called in the Sand Hill Settlement for the purpose of seeing what could be accomplished with regard to opening the channel of Sand Hill River, and also to secure a road across to Crookston, the county seat. The secretary of the meeting was instructed to communicate with the county commissioners and the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad Company with a view to get aid from them to further the enterprise. This resulted in a call for a drainage convention, which was held at Crookston in a skating rink located on the comer where the federal building now stands. At that convention it was decided to ask the State for an appropriation for a drainage survey, and J. J. Hill pledged one third of the cost. At the next Legislature the appropriation was made and later followed up by appropriate legislation on the subject, until a system of drainage had been installed which has been of incalculable benefit to our county and State.

Where parties in 1877 maintained a muskrat camp, and the writer partook of a dish of muskrat soup, he, in 1907 established a route and located boxes for rural free mail delivery, and this land today is growing as fine a crop as any other tract in the county, and fine automobile roads traverse it in all directions.' Fine frame dwellings and barns can now be seen where in early pioneer days ducks and geese were swimming among the weeds. The fine dwellings and barns now throughout our county present a great contrast to the structures of 1871 to 1878.

A Typical First-Class Pioneer Dwelling

The writer had a log house ten by twelve feet on his homestead in section six, township one hundred forty-eight, range forty-eight; it was covered with elm bark, with turf on top of it to hold it down and make it warm. The logs in the structure were about eight inches in diameter at the top ; each end of the log had a notch cut half way into it, and these were laid on top of each other, the upper side being hewed into shape to fit into the notch of the other log. This dwelling had a door and a window ; the ground served as a floor; thrde beams and the walls and sides constituted the rest on which the elm bark roofing was placed. It was a real modern beam ceiling bungalow. This model was one of the best in vogue for the time for the bachelors, with the exception that mine was smaller than the general run.

Disaster To Tudal'S Dug-Out

My nciglibor ou section eight, cornering on my lioniestead, had a cabin of a different make, one which was not considered as well up in fashion as mine, but which he insisted was of much older architectural design ; and unless he could be convinced, he said, that my more modern structure proved of some special superior fitness, he would consider his the better of the two, not to mention the fact that he had a larger structure than I, which he continually reminded me of especially in the presence of a friend of ours, who had several marriageable daughters.

I must not forget to give my neighbor's name and to describe how his cabin was constructed. His name was Jorgen Jorgenson Tudal. His cabin was sixteen by twenty-four feet in size and was dug four feet down into the ground, and the dirt piled two feet high on one side of it and three feet on the other; a rather small log was placed on top of the dirt on the lower side and a big one on the higher side, thus giving sufficient slant for a roof. In the center was placed a good strong log, and across the whole were placed split poles, and ou top of that was put a layer of hay, then a lot of loose dirt, next a layer of turf ; there w-ere a door and window in the front end.

Jorgen would always insist that I should stay Avith him, as there was so much more room in his house, and I frequently acceded to his wishes, and I had to admit that my quarters were rather cramped. An opportunity eame, however, that proved that my cabin was superior in fitness. At one time, while we were attending a stag dance at a bachelor friend's house, on a sultry summer evening, he insisted I should stay with him after the dance was over, and I consented. It was well on in the wee small hours when we retired and we were quite drowsy and soon fell asleep. Jorgen was a very heavy .sleeper and was snoring away in great shape - snoring so that the reverberation fairly shook the roofing. We had not been sleeping very long until a big rain storm set in and the rain eame down in torrents. I finally awoke and found the water coming in ou all sides and standing two feet deep on the floor ; the bread box was floating around ; the ham and yeast cakes eame tumbling from their moorings, and dirt was continually .sliding ofl; the wall as the rain washed it down. I shook Jorgen by the arm and called out to him, liut he slept on. I could not arouse him. Finally I took him by the legs and pulled his bare feet down into the water and thus got him awake. I called out to him then, "Jorgen, your house is not tit to live in ; let us go down to my place." "Oh, you scoundrel," he said, "how can you sit there and laugh at tliis? See my bread and bacon in the water ! ' '

Pioneers Who Came Prior To 1879

Besides those I have already named as the earliest pioneers I will give a list of names of others who came to the county previous to the period of railroads, say up to 1879, and the towns in which they settled.

Town of Vineland: Steener Knutson, Chris and Andrew Steenerson, Ole and Andrew Bremseth, Tom Knutson, Andrew P. Elseth, S. P. Elseth, Iner II. M. Joen, Sven P. Svenson, M. C. Roholt, Iver Bjorge, Ole and Erick Stortroem, Anthon E. Hanson, Simon Bangen, Ole Simonson, Hans Bangen, Hans and Lars Berg, Swennung and Erick Linden, Peter, Edward and Amon Moen, John and Peter Thompson, John J. Borsevald, Ingeret Stubson, Nels Thune, Nels Glaback, Hans Glasrud.

Town of Tynsert : Ole and Jacob Johnson, Erick Jordal, Paul Halverson, Isia Abrahamson (a Finlander), Hans Kopang, Helge Thoreson, Esten, Leet, Ole and Ingebret Fosback, Ole Bruenen, August Aas, Iver Lund, Peter Boukind, Halvor Lunos, Ingebret

Town of Bygland : Torkel and Ole Danialson, Targrim Jorgenson, Jorgen Knute, Halvor and Ole Torgrinison, Gunsten and Swenke Swenkeuson, Torbjon Tollefson, Anton Lindem, Soren, Knute, Paul, and Ole Sorenson, Ole and Osmund, Isaacson and Osmund Osmundson, Knute K., Halvor K., and Osmund K. Knutson, Tom Benson, J. G. Anderson, Ole Anderson, Jens Halvorson, Ben Torkleson, Aslak Bjorenson, Ole Legvald.

Fisher : Ole and Jacob Jorgenson, Andrew, Halvor, Nels and Ole Stalemoe, Ole Williamson, Jon Peterson, Ole Vatendal, A. G. Anderson, T. G. Olson, Osmund and Gunder Thommason, Patrick Lealas, John Cowneron, Henry Sweet, Fred and George Warden, Sara Tarreson, Theodore Helgeson, Jens Halvorson, John Hegg, Jens Wallerbeck, A. E. Bradish, Tom Erwin, Carl Widenhoefer, Mike Feleske, Julius Wagoner, Adam Burr, Julius Zacho, C. U. Webster, Fred Radi, Hod, Frank and Will Haney, Ole and Jorgen Hanson, Louis Christienson, Gunder, Gudno and Knute Lee, James Brewster, Dave Greenlief, Thomas Moran, James, Roberts, and Dan Bain, Mike Burns, Ole Olson, J. B. Merrill, Even and Lars Olson, Hugh Thompson, Frank S. DeMers, Gunder Krostue, John Carter, Frank Zaraker, Capt. Russell Adam and Alex Thompson.

Town of Huntsville : Edwin and James Lealos, Ed C!ookman, George, Charley, and Alex Coulter, D. B. Ferguson, James Shanks, Tom MacVity, James Mc- Gregor, Paul Jones, Joe Jai'ves, Wilber Skinner, Richard Barrett, John Goodwin, James and Joseph Robertson, James Lee, James, Dan and John Mc- Donald, R. E. White, Ole Hanson, Adam Ii-vine, Robei't Anderson, Arne Higden, James Cummings, Duncan Bain, A. Boucher, Leon Surpanault, Halvor Tharaldson, Ole Danielson, M. Boucher, M. Hunt, A. L. Steele, Jerry Enright, William Jackson, Garrett Murphy, C. J. Tollakson, John, Thomas and Pete McCoy.

E. M. Walsh'S Reminiscences Of Pioneer Life

Edmund M. Walsh will always be fairly distinguished for his prominent connection with the early history of Crookston and Polk County. He came here when but 20 years of age. His personal sketch, which appears elsewhere, shows that he was born in New York State in 1851, and when six years of age was brought by his parents to Henderson, Sibley County, Minn., where he was reared to young manhood. In 1870 he took charge of his father's general store at Henderson, but closed it the following year and set out for the Red River Valley, which became the future scene of his successful operations.

At the time Mr. Walsh left Henderson the old St. Paiil & Pacific Railway Company was operating its line at that time from St. Paul to Willmar, and constructing the balance of the line to Breckenridge. A four-horse stage line was running from Willmar to Fort Garry and carrying passengers, express, and mail, and the freighting was done by Red River carta drawn by Indian ponies and oxen, one pony or ox being harnessed to each cart ; sometimes there were as many as two hundred carts in a string. These vehicles were made entirely of wood, and often, when in motion, their scjueaking eould be heard for a long distance. A large amount of freight was also hauled by American freighters, using, mosrtly, oxen and wagons, and hauling from one ton to one and one-half tons to the wagon, and making on an average of twenty miles a day ; but when the Northern Pacific Railway was completed and in operation to JMoorhead, the Red River steamboats and barges superseded and put out of business the ox carts and wagons as freighters.

I left St. Paul, the forepart of September, in the j'ear 1871, and went as far as Willniar on the passenger train of the old St. Paul & Pacifie, now the Great Noi'thern. At Willmar I boarded the construction train and rode to the end of the track, then walked thirty miles to Breckenridge, which was then composed of one .shanty as a stopping place. I expected to overtake an ox train going to Fort Garry (which train was owned by friends of mine), and continue my trip with them as far as Grand Forks, North Dakota, where my father was in the lumber and mercantile business; but unfortunately for me the ox train had left Breckenridge, the day before I had gotten there, and so thei-e was nothing left for me to do but to stai't out on foot and alone and overtake my friends ; but this I accomplished that same day, after they had struck camp for the night. Tlie next day we passed through Moorhead. This was a very busy place at that time, as the Northern Pacific crossing had just been located at that point, and every one was either building or seemed to be getting ready to build. There were also a number of tent stores and saloons; the only building of any importance was the Chapin House.

Georgetown was the next point of interest, being the Hudson's Bay trading post, having stores and buildings of good construction. Here we cros!3ed the Red River to the Dakota side and continued our slow journey north. AVhen we got to within twenty miles of Grand Forks, we had .stopped at a creek to water the oxen ; then the stage came along, and also stopped to water the stage horses. I induced the stage driver to take me into Grand Forks, where we arrived after dark at the stage and hotel station, which was kept liy John Stewart. I asked him if that was Grand Forks, and he said "Well, yes; part of it." I then asked him where the rest of it was, and he told me around the corner of the building, and said "Do you see that light over there, about a mile away?" I said "yes." "Well," said he, "that is the rest of Grand Forks. Good night."

The next morning I discovered that Old Uncle John was about right, as in the town there were only the saw mill owned and operated by Griggs, Walsh & Co., their general store, their bunk and boarding house, and a small building occupied as a saloon by Romeo Whitney. There w-ere also several other buildings under construction and which were completed that Fall, one being a residence for Capt. Alex. Griggs and a boarding house by Uncle John Fadden.

There not being much for me to do in Grank Forks, I boarded the stage November 1, 1871, and went to Fort Garry or Winnipeg where I found employment at my trade, as tinner, at good wages, and staying there until March 1, 1872, I then returned to Grand Forks. Winnipeg at tliat time had a population of about 1,000, mostly Scotch and Frencli mixed bloods.

About that time there was considerable talk of a railroad being built through Northern Minnesota from Breckenridge to Pembina. From information that some of the leading men of Gi'and Forks had, it was said that the crossing of the Red Lake River by the railroad would be about ten or tw-elve miles east of Grand Forks, and that tliere would l)e a great city at that point some day ; consequently there was much interest manifested by many in trying to strike the right point where the road would cross. Myself with Jake Eshelman (known as "Stripes"), Harry Farmer ("the dude"), and Harry Sheppard ("Shepp"), were sent up the Red Lake River to settle on four claims (the land not being surveyed at that time), and to hold them for the town syndicate. We located our claims about two oi' three miles west of where Fisher is now located, and commenced to make improvements in the way of shanty building, etc.

Along about May 1, 1872, we were informed that the railroad had located the crossing at Crookston, so we then abandoned our claims and joined in the rush to the crossing, afterwards named Crookston, after the chief engineer of the railroad. Col. Wm. Crooks, of St. Paul. We were too late to secure any land on the town site, as it was all taken up or squatted on by parties following the railroad engineers. Bob Houston was one of the fir.st, with W. H. Stewart, Leo Peigonote, E. C. Davies, Joseph Barrett, B. Sampson, John Darkow, Dick Hussey close seconds. Soon a very lively little town was born, and it grew quite rapidly. Stewart started a saloon and hotel ; Davis, who had a large grading contract, had supply stores, and other stores and saloons - principally saloons - grew up in a night. Among others of the first settlers whom I call to mind are J. R. Barb, Charles Wentzel, Frank Jerome, P. Gervais, Paschal and Mrs. Lachapelle, Jake Meyers, Jim Turner, and Henr}' Sheppard. There were a great many men employed in railroad work, in steel and gi'ading gangs, and business was very brisk, gamblers and others of that ilk reaping part of the prosperity. During the summer of 1872 Bruiis & Finkle, of Moorhead, put up a large store, which was managed by Wm. Ross. E. Lariviere also put up a large store and had a large Indian trade, and about that time I put up a frame tar-paper shack and started a tin shop and hardware store on a small scale. There were also a few settlers that came in and settled on land near Crookston. James Greenbalgh, Sr., Christ Sathre, Peter Cornelius, David Wilkins, and Sam Honeywell, with their families, were among the first to settle.

Prosperity was in the air all during the summer and up to the middle of October in the year 1872, when word came from railroad headquarters to stop all work at once; consequently several hundred men were thrown out of work. As winter was coming on most of the men left and winter closed in on the few that remained. Fortunately the stores and others had large stocks of goods on hand. Money being plenty (apparently), everybody lived high, anticipating the resumption of railroad work in the early spring of 1873; but we were doomed to disappointment, and for four years it might be said we hung on by our eyelashes waiting for the operation of the railroad.

A part of this period is what we used to call ' ' catfish-or-no-breakf ast " times, and what the inhabitants didn't know about cooking cat-fish was not worth knowing. We had them stewed, fried, baked, boiled, scalloped, and in bouillon. The winter months constituted the social season of the year, and were spent in dancing, surprise parties, theatrical entertainments with all local talent, and other social doings. During these years, were added to our numbers K. D. Chase, John McLean, W. G. Woodruff, D. Jacobus, E. H. Shaw, H. G. Palmer, Munroe Palmer, and their families. Mrs. Munroe Palmer was our first school mistress, and taught the few children in a small log cabin that was built by the railroad engineers.

The Indians were very numerous during the early years of settlement. Particularly in the summer time they would come in, in large numbers, and they usually camped where the High School buildings now are. They were peaceable enough and we had very little trouble with them, except when tliey got liquor from some of the traders, and this happened often enough to cause the U. S. Government to send U. S. Marshal Nichols here to investigate. He evidently found evidence enough to convince himself that there was good cause for complaints, for a short time after his third visit here he I'eturned with a squad of soldiers from Port Pembina and seized the entire stock of goods of E. Lariviere 's store and later sold the same at public auction. Mr. W. D. Bailey was the successful bidder, and he continued the business until he sold out to Pontain & Anglim in 1876.

seasons of 1874 and 1875, landing at the foot of Third Street, and carrying freight to Winnipeg which had l)een hauled in here by the branch line of the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad. During 1875 the railroad was built into Fisher's Landing, which was made the head of navigation until the railroad was built on to Grand Forks.

In 1877 and 1878 the heavy settlement of Polk County began. Pierre Bottineau and his son, John B., brouglit in a large number of French Canadians from Ramsey and Hennepin Counties, Minnesota, and also quite a number from the East, locating them along Red Lake River from Louisville to Red Lake Falls, and along Clearwater River from Red Lake Falls to Lambert. The Southern part of the State also furnished quite a number of settlers from Wabasha County and other points on the Mississippi River, and these newcomers settled around Crookstou.

T. B. Walker'S Lumbering Operations In Polk County

In 1871 a firm of lumbermen, Jarvis & Berridge, of Winnipeg, purchased a lot of logs cut from Indian lands, under a permit fi"om the Indian Department, for the sale of stumpage, the proceeds to go to the Indians. The logging was to be done just north of the White Earth Reservation, on the very upper waters of the Clearwater River, a tributary of Red Lake River, coming in at Red Lake Falls. The enterprise was in large part a failure, in consequence of the extraordinary expense of driving the logs, and the prosecutions by the Government of those who did tlie logging on the deal with the Indian Department, as not being authorized by Congress. This led to prosecutions by the Federal Department, and it was finally declared an unwarranted prosecution, as the authorization of the cutting was done by the Indian Department and parties to the contract, as purchasers of the timber, were legally authorized; therefore.

for any violation of law pertaining to the operations, the Government ofBcials should be held responsible. i In this case the cutting was not held to be a criminal " offense, as it was done in the interest of the Indians. The work extended over two or three years, in efforts to get the logs over the difficult driving on Clearwater River.

These operations led the lumbermen of Winnipeg to investigating the timber on Rice River, which nins through the White Earth Reservation, and on the R<?d Lake and Clearwater Rivers, on the Red Lake Reservation. It was found that a considerable body of timber, belonging to the Pillsburys and to T. B. Walker, was lying around the northeast corner and easterly side of the '\^^lite Earth Reservation. The most of this timber, by more or less of a long haul, could reach the Clearwater River (which, for the first ten or fifteen miles, runs eastward along the north boundary of the White Earth Reservation, and then farther east and north to Clearwater Lake), and made a considerable body of the pine mentioned, tributary to that river. The Winnipeg lumbermen, having found this timber available for driving to the Red River, undertook to purcliase some of it for supplying their mills in Winnipeg, and their undertaking resulted in a contract to purchase logs of Mr. T. B. Walker, to be delivered at Winnipeg, at a rate which seemed to be sufficient to make the operations profitable, although at a large expense for hauling and driving the logs.

Tons of dynamite were used in clearing the boulders which were thickly strewn along the lower fifty miles of the Clearwater River, and expensive dams were built to hold the spring floods in Clearwater Lake and on the river above. Upon Mr. Walker's purchasing the timber owned by the Pillsbui"ys, a number of years' logging was carried on and the logs driven to Winnipeg, where the difficulties of holding the logs, the high price which they had to pay for them, and the bad management of the lumber firm, made a practical failure of the enterprise, with the failure of the lumber company to meet their obligaa*i,J}fcS2i4.S:K!&Sr- ^^E^w-'- i»««fras«» tions and pay for the logs. When the logs were all delivered in the booms at Winnipeg, the banks came to the rescue, took possession of the logs and paid for them, and ran the mills and received back their advance, together with money ah'eady due them from the Winnipeg lumber firm.

The drive of logs that was delivered at Winnipeg that lar.t season was one that had been hung up the year before on the Clearwater River, and which, by means if the spring floods, was brought down over the faL and rapids and into Red Lake River, where there was plenty of water to drive the balance of the waj'. The logs of the previous winter were driven dov.n to the rapids and had to be left (the same as they ] ad been the year before), for the drive that was taken that year to Winnipeg.

As the Winnipeg firm was "all iu" it was not in condition to purchase the logs, which were hung up on Clearwater River, and this led to the building of the lumber mills at Crookston. A site was selected opposite the city, on the townsite of Carmen, which had only the river between it and the townsite of Crookston. The mill was built and expensive improvemen '^ put in for holding logs. These improvements consisted of expensive cut-offs or bins above Crookston for the floods to pass through and leave the logs on the lagoons, with very expensive piers and booms; this made quite a practical and satisfactory lumbering enterprise, excepting as to its large cost. This was followed by attempts of certain parties in Crookston to organize boom companies and secure the riparian rights on the river to control the booming, making the lumber company pay tribute to the extent of about what there would be in the lumber business as a booming charge for this unnecessary outside interference ; but the courts intervened and decided against the interference, and for that reason, the mills were built at Crookston ; otherwise they would have gone to Grand Forks, or the logs might have been taken again to Winnipeg, and no further lumbering would have been done at Crookston.

ton and it was iu operation for many years; but as soon as the plant was located and the lumber in pile, the farmers of the township in which it was located, outside of the townsite of Crookston, began levying the most excessive rate of taxation, - in excess of that levied against any lumber plant in Minnesota, even ill the cities, where vastly greater expenditures for local matters would be necessary. This became so burdensome that it became necessary to appeal to the Legislature of the State and to add the mill-site to the townsite of Crookston, where naturally there would be at least double or triple the amount of taxation appropriately assessable for expenditures which were not in any manner necessary in a townsite of farmers.

Soon after the Crookston mills were in operation, the people of Grand Forks, finding how advantageous it was to Crookston to have the mills located there, made an especial effort and offered a millsite location and a portion of the necessary lumber yard, as au inducement for either Mr. Walker or the Red River Lumber Company to build mills at that point. They also were to furnish the riparian or shore rights for boom privileges for holding the logs for a considerable length of the Red River, at Grand Forks, and also a considerable length of shore rights on the Red Lake River, some miles above Grand Forks, to hold larger drives of logs which could not be held down at the mill booms. Pursuant to this agreement, the mills were built at Grand Forks, just at the lower edge of what was then the town, and a thrifty lumber manufacturing business was established. After several years the mill burned down, and as the riparian rights had never been furnished, as agi'ced upon by some of the prominent citizens of Grand Forks, and as there was not sufficient room to hold the logs, and there was a likelihood of losing a large lot down the river, in case of a flood, Mr. Walker undertook to locate on the Minnesota side of the river. This location would have been fully as well, or better, for Grand Forks; but the people opposed it and some of the citizens bought up shore rights in the properties which the mill company was seeking to secure. Finding that a sufficient amount of boomage riglits, as well as necessary yard room for piling and for planing mills and other purposes of the lumber plant, could not be secured, the project was abandoned, and the persons who had come there pretending to be in line to build more mills were found not to have any such intention, but were only speculating out of options and purchases which they had made to sell to the Red River Lumber Company. Thus ended the Grand Forks lumbering operations, after about ten years of operating the mills.

After the Crookston mills had been running for about sixteen years, came the panic of '93. At this time also came the Government sale of the timber ou the Red Lake Indian Reservation. As the Red River Lumber Company was the only lumber concern on Red Lake River, Mr. Walker arranged to secure money from the banks in Minneapolis to purchase a sufficient amount of the timber to enable the mills at Crookston to operate for many years. For this purpose he arranged with one of the largest banks of Minneapolis for sufficient funds to purchase a large amount of the timber, and to do this, he placed several business accounts, including his own personal account, in this bank, and provided, under an agreement, for the amount of the ten per cent, which each account was allowed to take from the bank, under the banking laws. When panicky conditions came on, and the bank was calling upon its customers, as far as they reasonably could, for payments to meet the withdrawals of money that the depositors were making, there was one lumber firm in Minneapolis which owned a very favorable tract of timber on the upper Mississippi waters. This tract two other prominent lumber firms were anxious to purchase and to take advantage of the stringent times to secure it at only a fraction of its value. Mr. Walker had no interest in either one of these concerns - nor was it any of his particular business, as to the outcome of such sale - but, finding that the president of the bank was forcing the owners to sell for $200,000 property worth $600,000 or

$800,000, he, rather indiscreetly, said to some of the directors of the bank, that it was a shame to sacrifice the rights of this concern in favor of the wealthier firm that happened to have money to pay, and as that firm owed the bank money, the president was requiring the owners to sell and sacrifice for this price. The directors, on the statement of ^Iv. Walker, did not approve the order requiring them to sell, which so displeased the president of the bank that he called oft' the agreement to furnish the additional loans that he had agreed to make to Mr. Walker, and also required him to pay up the comparatively small amount which he owed the bank.

At that time of panic the banks were not furnishing money, and were having a close time to meet their own obligations, and so the Red Lake timber sale passed and Mr. Walker did not even attend the sale. Therefore the Shevlin Company, backed by one of the largest concerns in the State, found itself without competition to buy in these lands at a veiy low rate, and much less than was anticipated. It had been presumed that Mr. Walker would be on hand at the sale to purchase substantially the whole at whatever price was necessary to get it, and at more than any one else could aiford to pay. He had some use for the timber, and the others would have to make a beginning, and without a sufficient amount to establish mills, they hardly considered it worth while to attend the sale.

Mr. Shevlin, after finding himself in possession of so large an amount of timber, bought out the mills and lumber and the remainder of the timber that Mr. Walker owned on the Clearwater River. In addition to this, he built mills at Thief River Falls, and for a considerable number of years supplied the Red River Valley with lumber and aided very materially in the prosperity of the northwestern part of the state. Mr. Walker then withdrew from that territory and afterward built mills over at Akeley, Hubbard County, Minnesota, on the headwaters of the Crow Wing River, and has been, up to the present time, quite largely engaged in manufacturing lumber at that point. In the meantime, lie sold his milling plant in Minneapolis and for the past sixteen years, has been engaged only in manufacturing at the new townsite of Akeley.

The episode given as the reason for Mr. Walker's abandoning the Red Lake River mills at Crookston, and the sale to Shevlin & Company, is more a personal incident than an historical feature, but may be of interest as an explanation, and as an example of how an incidental or accidental circumstance may turn the current of events into diiferent channels.

By E. D. Childs, Pioneer

In the spring of 1877, in company with James Hill, of Warren, Wisconsin, Superintendent W. H. Fisher, of St. Paul, Minn., et al., I visited the Valley of the Red River of the North, making headquarters at Crookstou. At this time the other railroads into the Valley were the Northern Pacific, which had been built from Dulutli to a point just west of Fargo, and the old St. Paul & Pacific, which had built two lines, one of which, starting from St. Paul, had been completed as far north as Melrose, Minn. ; the other starting at Minneapolis, had been completed and was being operated to Breckenridge, Minn. Also, while these were in process of construction, the company building the road brought material from Duluth over the Northern Pacific to Glyndon, and had laid rails as far south as old Barnesville toward Melrose, and also north from Glyndon to what is now Euclid. At this point of construction the financial backers of the St. Paul & Pacific were thrown into bankruptcy, all work stopped, and the property defaulting on its interest was thrown into court and J. P. Farley, of the Illinois Central, was named receiver, with W. H. Fisher as superintendent.

After Mr. Farley's appointment as receiver, he had interested Norman Kittson, of St. Paul, who was running a line of steamboats from Crookston to Port

Gari-y (now Winnipeg) on the Red River, induced him to furnish the funds to take up the track from Crookston to Euclid and relay it to Fisher, thereby enabling the boats to meet the end of the railway without navigating the dangerous stretch of river between Crookston and Fisher.

This was the condition of the railway service on my first visit to Crookston. Our party took the train at Minneapolis, and during the day made our way to Breckenridge where we stopped over night at the old Hyser House. The next morning we hired a team and drove to Fargo, stopping at Fort Abercrombie for dinner, reaching the old Headquarters Hotel at Pargo near nightfall. I distinctly remember that where Wahpeton now stands there was but one house and that was covered with tar paper. The third morning we took train from Fargo to Glyndon, ten miles, and then changed from the Northern Pacific to the St. Paul & Pacific and went aboard a mixed train, which ran tri-weekly during the summer (there were no trains in the winter), from old Barnesville to Fisher. We arrived at Crookston in the afternoon of the third day.

The town at that time consisted of two streets ; the main one is now the alley between the Great Northern Depot and the property known for many years as the Fountain & Anglim store, at that time occupied by W. D. Bailey as a general store. The other was a short intersection of Robert Street from the railway to what is now known as the Routell Block, then occupied by Ross & Walsh as a general store and tin-shop.

During the previous spring Mr. Farley had been greatly hampered in operating the road by the flood waters collecting on the south half of Section 1, just south of the river, and on our return to St. Paul, he proposed to Mr. Hill and myself that if we would buy Section 1 at the agreed price of $2.50 per acre, and bind ourselves to di'ain it so the water would not be a menace to traffic, he would, "run flat ears under the Crookston depot and locate it and the town on Section 1, moving all their switches and the yards, with other railroad property, to the south side of the river." We were not ready at that time to accept the offer, and six weeks later, when we went back prepared to enter into the contract, he informed us that in the meantime J. J. Hill and associates had secured control of the properties, and that it was beyond his power to carry out his former proposition.

This trip with our party led to the formation of the firm of Chjlds, Lytic & Co., consisting of E. D. Childs, W. G. Lytle, and James HiU, and the contracting between this partnership and J. P. Farley for 10,000 acres of land of the St. Paul & Pacific Railway grant at the price of $2.50 per acre, or $25,000. This contract was afterwards ratified by J. J. Hill and his associates and the land selected from the townships of Andover, Fairfax, Lowell, and Angus.

During the summer of 1877 we sent teams from Warren, Wisconsin, to Crookston and broke up 300 acres of laud on sections 23 and 24 in the township of Andover, returning the teams to Wisconsin for the winter at the close of the breaking season. In the spring of 1878 Mr. Lytle and family and myself and family removed to Crookston, where Mr. Lytle still resides (although he retired from the firm in the fall of 1880), and where I remained until the fall of 1907.

We were the pioneers in the wheat business from Ada north, except that Barnes & Tenny, of Glyndon, had bought a few carloads at Crookston during the fall of 1877. They built houses at Rolette, Beltrami, Carmen, and Crookston, and as fast as the road was extended north, after its re-organization as the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba. Under the firm name of Sterret, Hill & Childs, we built at Fanny, Euclid, Angus, Warren, Argyle, Stephen, Hallock, and St. Vincent; also on the line to the west as far as Grand Forks. At Fisher we went into Capt. Demeres's wheat field cut down a portion of his gi'ain, sufficient for a building site, had the elevator built, and filled with over 30,000 bushels of wheat before a rail was laid to it, so we could load cars.

When we first settled in Crookston, one of the heaviest drawbacks to immigration was the lack of good water supply for domestic use and during 1878 and 1879 our firm spent much money in prospecting for an artesian supply from below the alkaline deposit. Finally, in company with Corser & Elwood, we imported a deep-well contractor, with his machinery from Minneapolis, and succeeded in establishing two flowing wells in Carmen. An analysis of these waters showed them to be 99.4 per-cent pure water and the residue healthful mineral salts. One of these wells, furnished water for the city of Grand Forks during the great typhoid epidemic in the decade of 1880, being shipped over in carload lots; but afterwards, when the Carmen elevators burned, this well was choked and has never been opened up ; the other well is still in use in the street north of Block 11, Carmen. This demonstration of the existence of an artesian basin of pure water in tlie Red River Valley was a factor in its development of more than passing interest.

When the city in the early '80s was negotiating with T. B'. Walker of Minneapolis, asking him to locate a great lumber industry at that point, the donation by our firm, without price, of the land on which the mill and lumberyard were established was a leading factor in influencing Mr. Walker's decision.

In the church life of the city it was my privilege to be one of the charter members of the First Methodist Church, and at a later date, of the Baptist, both in Crookston and Carmen. After the city limits were extended south of the river during different periods I was for fourteen years a member of the City Council and took part in much of the important legislation of that period, among others had an active part in defeating the $50,000 bond issue, which was sought to be given as a bonus to the Northern Pacific Railroad wlien it entered the city.

Fire Department Bird'S-Eye View Of Crookstox Ix 1885

came later have iu many instances buikled successfully. Late in the decade of 1880 my partner, Mr. Hill, made a heavy and most unfortunate investment in a silver mine in New Mexico, which swept away every vestige of his personal fortune. The loss so far undennined the financial condition of our corporation that it took the next fifteen years, and very great sacrifices of our holdings, to pay off the claims resulting from his unfortunate speculation, and this led to my selling all of our holdings in Minnesota and removal, in 1907, to Wasliiugton, where I have since resided.

Settlers ' Association

To the large number of members of the Old Settlers' Association who were not present when the initial steps in the direction of compiling and publishing a personal and general history of Polk County, and especially of its pioneer period, a statement of the opportunity and circumstances leading to the venture is due. The following synopsis of report of the meeting at which this enterprise was launched will give a better view of the spirit and purpose of the old settlers than any mere statements.

Persuant to a call issued by John Carter, president of the Old Settlers' Association of Polk County, a meeting was held in the office of 0. 0. Christiansen, at Crookston. At this meeting, in addition to the local members, there were present the Honorable Halvor Steenerson and the Honorable R. J. Montague. IMr. Montague was one of the pioneer attorneys of Crookston, who at one time held the office of county judge, and at another time the office of mayor of Crookston. A few years since, he moved to Virginia, IMinne.sota, where he is officially known as city attorney of that enterprising city. Routine business being temporarily laid aside. Judge Montague interested the meeting with a half hour's talk, reviewing many of the important events in the env\y history of the county and city, also calling to mind many amusing affairs in the early public life of the city, recalling and rephrasing stories a tliird of a century old, illustrating the truth that a good story well told, like old wine, may improve with age.

The sympathy of the meeting becoming largely reminiscent in its attitude, all were ready to hear from Congressman Steenerson, who then addressed the meeting. Mr. Steenerson gave a review of the achievements of the pioneers who came to the Red River Valley leaving old associations, old friends, and even civilization, hundreds of miles behind, to try their fortunes in an untried climate of long winters of storm and snow, and summers of rain and flood. "These men," said Mr. Steenerson, "are the heroes who have helped build the empire of the Red River Valley, and they are worthy of a place in its history."

Judge William Watts, who has always taken an active interest in the early settlement and development of the valley, having contributed quite largely to a " History of the Red River Valley, ' ' published in 1909, next entertained the meeting for a short time, and closed with an endorsement of Mr. Steenerson 's suggestion. It being evident that the sentiment of all present was favorable to the proposed history, Mr. Steenerson moved that the Old Settlers' Association compile and print in book form a history of Polk County. The president declared a unanimous vote in favor of the motion, and it was so recorded.

A few weeks later Mr. Bingham, of W. H. Bingham & Company, historical publishers, of Minneapolis, having become informed of the movement, came to Crookston and called on the officers of the association with a view to securing the publishing of the contemplated history. Later he met with the Old Settlers in session and made a proposition, in substance, that his firm would furnish material for the history, with such aid as the Old Settlers could give, and that his firm would furnish such history to the public at a price of $15 per copy. The Old Settlers ratified an agreement of this nature: this agreement being the

Preliminary to the general historical features of this woik, the writer desires to call the attention of the reader to certain conditions, physical and otherwise, peculiar to Polk County and differing vastly from those found elsewhere in the Red River Yallej'. If one hundred residents of this county were questioned as to the location of Polk County, one hundred would answer, "In the Red River Valley," and not one would give the correct answer.

Polk County is geograi^hically centrally located more largely and particularly in the valley of the Red Lake River, than in the valley of the Red River of the North. Red Lake River is the outlet of Red Lake, the largest body of fresh water within the boundaries of any one of the United States of America. This lake is located centrally in a basin of about two million acres in the northwestern part of Minnesota, having a large number of small rivers entering the lake from various directions, and but one outlet, the Red Lake River. Red Lake River receives, in addition, the flow of two important rivers : the Clearwater, coming from the southeast and joining Red Lake River at Red Lake Falls, and the Thief River, coming from the north and joining the Red Lake River at Thief River Falls.

The natural physical conditions of the Red Lake River Valley have no harmony with the conditions of the Red River of the North. Red Lake River, after reaching the prairie at Red Lake Falls, has a continuous average fall of four feet per mile, to within a few miles of Grand Forks. The Red River of the North, as shown by the records accepted as correct, has an average of only a major fraction of a one-foot incline per mile from Breckenridge to St. Vincent. A rapid current clarifies the stream, while a slow one tends to a sluggish and unwholesome condition.

The occasional floods that have occurred in the Red River are mentioned in the "History of the Red River Valley, ' ' published in 1909, as follows : ' ' These floods attain a height of only a few feet below the level of the adjoining prairie where that is highest, and along the greater part of the distance between Fargo and Winnipeg, the banks are overflowed and the flat land on each side of the river to a distance of two to four miles from it, is covered with water one to five or more feet in depth." Compare the above with the conditions found in the valley of the Red Lake River. The Red Lake River flows through a well-defined valley ranging from one-quarter to three-quarters of a mile wide - from the prairie level on one side to that on the other. At Crookstou the width is fully threequarters of a mile. The business part and threefourths of the residence portion of the city are located between these banks, upon the table lauds somewhat peculiar to this river. These table lands vary in height, and generally slope gradually toward the river. The lowest portion of the city has a few residences which have been troubled with the high waters, as had been anticipated at the time of building. The highest water known in Crookston has not risen to a point within twenty feet of the prairie level.

For thirty years the pine logs cut upon the Red Lake Indian Reservation were floated down the Red Lake River to the T. B. Walker sawmill, at Crookstou, and manufactured into lumber to be distributed through the Red River Valley for building purposes, furnishing employment to one hundred or more men during the process of manufacture.

The first dam in Crookston was built in the early eighties, and later rebuilt by the Crookston Waterworks, Power & Light Company. The power obtained from this dam was used for furnishing light, water, and power for the city. During the past year the Crookston Waterworks, Power & Light Company have, by the addition of another and nuich larger dam, reharnessed the water power of the Red Lake River, giving it a capacity for service many times greater than before. This company has a wire already running from their power plant near Crookston to Grand Forks, which will soon be in service furnishing power to that city. Arrangements have also been made for lighting the tovvu of Fisher from this wii'e. This company has established two artesian wells in the City of Crookston, which supply an abundance of pure, wholesome water to the citj'. The general absence of any alkaline feature in the water is marked throughout the county, and it is possible to find pure artesian water of the finest kind in nearly all places where a well is drilled.

It is a well-known fact that the best soil of the Red River Valley is along the river banks, produced by the deposits of silt and clay during the thousand or more years of valley formation. Polk County borders on the Red River a distance of 48 miles, and including the two sides of the Red Lake River, which runs centrally through Polk County a distance of forty miles, has a total frontage of timber of one hundred and twenty-eight miles length, and an equivalent larger breadth or length of the richest kind of soil. If the statements of the geologists are reliable, Polk County must excel in quality of soil all other counties in the Red River Valley.

No more fitting recognition of the merits of Polk County, in its relations with the Red River Valley, could have been given than when James J. Hill offered four hundred and ninety-nine acres of land as site for the State Agricultural College centrally located at Crookston, and no more signal service was rendered the Valley than when Senator A. D. Stephens, then a member of the Legislature, through his active personal effort and influence, secured the passage of a bill through the Legislature, establishing a school of agriculture at Crookston. The interest in the school has been of gradual but continuous growth, until today the college, as a Valley institution, has become a dominant feature in practical husbandry and kindred branches, with an enrollment of over two hundred students.

The period of actual steamboating on the Red River extended from the time of the completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad to Moorhead in December, 1871, to the time of the completion of the St. Paul & Pacific from Crookston to St. Vincent, making a continuous all-rail line from St. Paul to Winnipeg, in

1878. The largest number of boats plying the Red River of the North at one time was reported as twelve, according to the History of the Red River Valley, published in 1909. Dui'ing these years, traffic was frequently suspended owing to low water. After the establishment of all-rail service, steamboating gradually disappeared, until the last boat went out of commission, and the sound of the steamboat whistle is heard no more. The commercial value of this river described in the above-mentioned history as one of the "two mighty rivers" (referring to the Mississippi and the Red River of the North), today is at zero. Its service to the world was short. It now is only a hazard. Every year of high flood-tide must bring disaster of greater or less degree. Red Lake River has a record for safety that can be trusted. Red Lake River still holds in reserve enough silent force, when added to that with which it has already been taxed, to amount in round numbers to ten thousand horsepower energy, thus demonstrating its capacity of service to Polk County.