Waseca County, Minnesota - Chapter 35, 1905

Chapter 35

MARKED A NEW ERA - HEAVY FALL OF SNOW, WETTEST YEAR ON RECORD - FIRST RAILROAD BUILT - COUNTY OUT OF DEBT - WEATHER AND CROPS - WASECA SURVEYED AND PLATTED - RAPID CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS - LIST OF STRUCTURES - SHIPPED GOODS VIA CRANE CREEK - LA DOW REPRESENTATIVE - WHEAT BROUGHT FROM $1.60 TO $2.25 PER BUSHEL.

The year 1867 marked a new era in the history of Waseca county. Old villages took a decline and new ones sprang into existence. The winter of 1866-7 was remarkable for a very heavy fall of snow. Real winter commenced early in November of 1866, and there was plenty of sleighing until the middle of April, 1867.

The down-pour of rain that spring was unprecedented in the history of the state. All the bottom lands along the Le Sueur river were covered with water, and, at Wilton, the stage coach could not cross the stream for days at a time. The early part of the season was remarkable for high prices of grain and provisions, heavy rains and bottomless mud-holes. This year brought the first railroad to the county of Waseca and the depot was established in the town of Woodville where the freight depot of the C. & N.-W. railway now stands. It was also notable as the birthday year of the present city of Waseca. And it is worthy of note here that goods were shipped by boat from Owatonna, via Straight river. Crane creek and Clear lake, and landed near where the brewery now stands. It was a standing joke at Wilton that "Waseca was at the head of navigation." It was the wettest year ever experienced since the first settlement in 185i.

There was great scarcity of provisions, especially on the frontier, until after harvest. Wheat sold here as high as $2.25 per bushel. Oats and potatoes sold for $1 per bushel each. Flour sold for $7 per hundred pounds, and pork for 15 to 20 cents. Prices were still higher further west and southwest. Potatoes sold in Martin county for $2.50 per bushel, flour for $10 per cwt., and pork for twenty-five cents a pound. Such was the distress in some localities that the state was called upon to furnish seed grain and give other aid.

Waseca county suffered less than counties to the south and southwest of it, on account of the building of the W. & St. P. railway, which furnished work to many of our people that were able to leave their farms for that purpose.

County Legislation

This was an " astonisher. " It broke all precedent. But it was short lived, for on the morrow the "order" was unanimously rescinded - a conversion almost as sudden as that of St. Paul, and certainly not more commendable.

Prior to this time there had been held but one term of the district court each year; but the time had come, so the board thought, when two terms instead of one should be held each year. So the commissioners petitioned Hon. N. I\I. Donaldson, then judge of the district court, to hold "an adjourned term of court as near the middle of the current year as possible."

Under the then new law of the legislative session of 1867, county commissioners were required to meet on the second Tuesday of March, each year, and, among other duties devolving upon the board, they were to make and publish a financial statement of receipts and expenditures, fully itemized. This law had become necessary on account of corrupt practices that had scandalized several counties in the state. The county commissioners complied with this law and from their report the following summary is taken : Total amount of orders and certificates Issued $4,845.98

This was the first time in the history of the county that it had been able to show a balance on the credit side of the ledger. The publication of this report showed that the county was substantially out of debt, and everyone felt relieved after eleven years of extortionate interest and heavy discounts on county paper.

At the meeting of the county commissioners, July 17, 1867, Wm. H. Young, of Woodville, was allowed $100 "for taking Bundt Anderson and returning him to jail." This Anderson was a thief that had escaped from the old wooden jail at Wilton.

At the September meeting of the board, Mr. Jesse Poland was appointed to serve as county superintendent of public schools, and his salary was fixed at $250 a year - about $20.86 per month.

At the October meeting of the board of county commissioners, Mr. Luce resigned, and ilr. Isaac was elected chairman of the board for the unexpired term.

The Weather And Crops

These two constitute a never-ending topic of conversation and speculation, and well they may. The climate, the soil, the farmer - they are the sources of all prosperity. Let these fail, then all business languishes, and misery takes the place of comfort.

About the middle of July, 1867, the weather cleared and the harvest weather was as favorable as usual. From that time until the close of the year, with the exception of a light snowstorm in November, the weather was very favorable. Plowing and grading upon the streets of Waseca were going on during the latter half of December.

Early in the year 1867, Mr. I. C. Trowbridge, who had probably received inside information of the location of the railroad depot at this point, bought out iMr. J. K. Meyers, and arranged to lay out a town. The road was definitely located by Engineers W. G. Ward and J. H. Jenkins, early in the summer, and ]\Ir. Trowbridge had the original village surveyed and platted by Surveyor Jenkins, July 22, 1867. In August, as soon as the wheat was harvested and removed, the work of erecting buildings commenced. ;Mr. Wm. Everett, deceased, was the first man to commence the erection of a business house on the new plat. It was soon completed and occupied on the first floor by Lord, Addison & Co., dealers in general merchandise. The front part, up stairs, was used hy ]\Ir. Everett's family as a temporary residence, while the rear end of the building, up stairs, was occupied by the printinji- office of James E. Child, who came over with the News outfit from Wilton, about the last of October.

In August, also, a Wilton company, in the name of Geo. W. Watkins, surveyed and platted a portion of section 18. and named it Clear Lake City. The survey was made by H. G. Mosher, Esq. The place was started as a rival to Waseca, but in a few years it liecame a part of this city, and is now embraced in the Third ward.

In September of the same year, :Mrs. Judith Trowbridge, H. P. Norton and Baldwin & Kittredge laid out what is known as the First Addition to AVaseca, the same being surveyed and platted by H. G. .Mosher. Mrs. Justina Child Avas the first to construct a building on the First Addition.

From the time of the survey and platting of the town iintil long into the winter, the Avork of building went rapidly forward. The first week in December, 18(i7, the "AYaseea News," published by the writei-, ecmtained tlie fdllowiiiK:

"We have ascertained, as far as possible, the number of new buildings which have been erected at this point since August. On the north side of the W. & St. P. railroad track, there are eighty-two buildings, and on the south side twenty - in all one hundred and two - all built in the short space of three months. Of those north of the big elevator, there are some twenty-five two stories high; one two-and-a-half stories; five oneand-a-half stories high, and the others are smaller buildings.

"There are eleven mercantile establishments, eight liquor stores (God save the mark), four hotels, two livery stables, two cabinet and furniture shops and stores, two harness shops, several carpenter and blacksmith shops, two meat markets, and a printing office.

"Among the hotels we mention the Trowbridge House, 60x80 feet, two stories high, cost $4,000, which is kept by Mr. I. C. Trowbridge, original proprietor of the village. The Vincent Hotel (now known as the Priest Block) is GO feet on Wood street and 5.5 on Second street, two_ stories high and cost $3,500. It is just completed, well furnished and now open to the public. * *

"Among the blacksmith shops we can commend that of R. B. Wood, on Lake avenue, near the Devannah & Reynolds livery stable (which then occupied the present court-house grounds).

"The store of Lord, Addison & Co. is 22 feet front by 60 feet deep, two stories high, and cost about $1,400. The lower story is filled with No. 1 goods of all kinds, while the second story is occupied by Mr. Everett's family in front, and our printing ofUce in the back end of the building.

"Mills, Follett & Co., bankers, occupy Geo. L. Tarbell's building which is 22x45 feet, two stories high. Baldwin & Kittredge, bankers and real estate dealers, occupy a temporary building opposite Bailey's hardware store. Comee & Young have opened a furniture establishment, 16x20 feet, with a shop in the rear. H. P. Norton's building, wherein he keeps the express office, and where Mr. Mollin is prepared to clothe the needy, is 18x30 feet, two stories high, and cost $1,200.

"Opposite the Vincent House is the well-known hardware store of Bailey & Watkins. It is 22x64 feet, two stories high, and cost $1,800. The next building is owned by Williams & Washburn. It is 22x50 feet, two stories high, and is occupied below by H. S. Swift & Co., dealers in dry goods and clothing. (It is now occupied by Preston & Stucky, and belongs to Hon. M. H. Helms.)

"The Joe Gatzman building, 20x40 feet, two stories high, is occupied below as a grocery and liquor establishment. The next is McVeigh's store 18x40 feet, two stories high. Then comes "Uncle Tom Pierce's establishment - an eating saloon and auction store - 16x40 feet, two stories high, with a dwelling in the rear 13x20 feet. Then comes the Strong & Wilsey drug store, 22x40 feet, two stories high, and well finished. Here are drugs, medicines, toys, etc., and here Dr. Young makes his headquarters. Next comes a restaurant 18x54 feet, and then A. R. Foster's grain warehouse, 10x40 feet. Moreau & Dulmage have a building near by, 20x40, two stories high.

"Near the depot, are the well-known lumber yards of W. W. Johnson, Williams & Washburn, and the lumber, coal and salt establishment of Mr. Chas. Bckenbeck. On the corner of Second and Elm streets is the meat and produce market of A. E. Dearborn. His building is 20x40 feet, two stories high, with a store room back, 16x40 feet, one story. (Mc- Loughlin Bros, now occupy the site with their large brick store.)

"Besides the 102 buildings mentioned to start with, there are others - the large railroad grain-elevator, the depot building, the brick water tank, the engine or round house, all built by the railroad company, and a warehouse built by Geo. L. Tarbell, Esq.

"It is almost incredible that so much work could have been done in so short a time, and still there are many other structures in process of construction, and every man is at work early and late."

"High Wind. - A terrible wind storm is raging here to-day. Three building frames in Clear Lake City have been blown down. The News office is turned into a smokehouse ad interim - a stirring time this."

The same paper noted that S. W. Franklin, of New Richland, and ]\Iiss ]\lelissa B. Freelove, of ilanchester, Iowa, were married Nov. 19, 1867, by Rev. Norton.

The first store of general merchandise opened within the present city limits was that of Mr. Wm. McVeigh, near where the brewery now stands. Tradition says he opened his store in the fall of 1866. During the early part of the season of 1867 he shipped his goods in boats by way of Straight river, Crane creek and the lakes to the boat landing on this side of Clear lake. How was that for high water?

The Pall Election

The election of local officers in 1867 resulted as follows : Representative, Geo. A. La Dow; clerk of court, S. J. Willis; sheriff, S. W. Long; judge of probate, H. D. Baldwin; county attorney, W. T. Kittredge; surveyor, C. E. Crane. Messrs. Long and La Dow were the only democrats elected. Mr. La Dow was elected by two votes only.

The year 1867 will be remembered as the wettest in the history of the state. The crops were light, with the single exception of grass. The level lands could not be cultivated on account of the moisture, and even the high grounds did not produce an average crop. But what grain there was brought high prices, and the large immigration made money plentiful and furnished employment for everyone. The price of wheat during the early winter months ranged from $1.60 to $2.25 per bushel, and corn brought from sixty cents to one dollar per bushel. The fall weather was very fine, and all in all the year closed hopefully and with favorable prospects.