Waseca County, Minnesota - Chapter 53, 1905

Chapter 53

COUNTY PRINTING DIVIDED - ECKBNBECK RESIDENCE BURNED - LIFE AND DEATH OP JUDGE CANFIELD - S. S. PHELPS KILLED BY RAILROAD - VICE-PRESIDENT COLFAX ON THE FOURTH - ATTEMPTED JAIL DELIVERY, PRISONER SHOT - J. G. COOLBY KILLED - PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

The county "Fathers" met Jan. 1, 1884; those present being IS. il. Nelson, A. J. Jordan, Philip Purcell, G. W. Soule, Ira C. Trowbridge, and J\l. F. Connor. The board organized by electing Philip Purcell chairman. The county printing was divided aiuong the papers of the county and peace reigned supreme. Only the ordinary routine business of the county was transacted.

Eckenbeck Residence Burned

Shortly after 4 o'clock on Feb. 24, 1884. the residence of Charles Eckenbeek, corner of Wood and Fourth streets, Waseca, was discovered to be on fire. The fire started between the ceiling and roof of the rear part, as near as could be determined, and was first discovered by the hired girl, who rushed out in her night clothes, barefooted, giving the alarm of fire. George Eckenbeek was sleeping up stairs. His father, who was still very feeble from a long illness, Avas also up stairs. George took his father in his arms and carried him below. By this time the house was rapidly filling with smoke, and it was with much difficulty that he partly dressed his father and carried him out. Miss Effie Winters was staying over night with ]\Iiss Louise Eckenbeek, and as George stepped to the porch with his father in his arms. Miss Winters also passed out, and all fell, but received no injury. Carrying Mr. Eeltenbeck to a place of safety, George went back to look for his sister, whom he supposed to be in the burning building, but she had previously escaped. While in the house this time George was severely burned on his head. The entire building was now on fire and in a very short time burned to the ground. Mr. Eckenbeck suffered the loss of a large number of valuable papers, notes, etc.; Louise, many valuable paintings of her own handiwork, besides all her clothes. Sylvester and his father also lost their clothing. George saved a portion of his clothes, his gold watch, which was afterwards found in the street, and $50 in money that was in a bureau. He lost $300 worth of books. The value of the property destroyed was about $4,000, most of it covered by insurance.

Death Of A Pioneer

Job A. Canfield, who settled in the town of Otisco in 1856, was a lifelong pioneer. He was born in the state of Ohio, his parents having been pioneers in that state. . About the year 1845, when a yoimg man, he settled with his young wife in Dodge county, Wisconsin, near Waupun. His wife was a daughter of Obadiah Mosher, also a Wisconsin and Minnesota pioneer. Mr. Canfield was the first judge of probate in this county, holding the position from 1857 to 1860, and again from Jan. 1, 1870, to Jan. 1, 1878. August 12, 1862, at the age of thirty-eight years, he enlisted in Company F, Tenth Minnesota Infantry, and served until May 18, 1865. He died of apoplexy Jan. 28, 1884, and was buried with Masonic and Grand Army honors.

Death Of S. S. Phelps

The following account of the sad death of Mr. Phelps is from the pencil of Mr. G. W. Morse, editor of the Waseca Herald, at the time of Mr. Phelps' death:

"Mr. Phelps was In town on business and started for home a few minutes before 6 o'clock, driving a span of horses attached to a pair of sleds with wagon box on same. At the time a very fierce blizzard was raging from the northwest, the snow coming in blinding clouds, and the temperature being very cold. About one mile west of here the road that he must travel is crossed by the Winona & St. Peter railroad. Each side of the railroad track, at the crossing, for perhaps four rods were banks of snow from three to six feet high, the same having been thrown from the track to keep it clear. The snow came in such gusts and the wind roared so loudly that no one could see or hear an approaching train for but a short distance. Mr. Phelps drove his team down the embankment on to the track, but found the bank on the opposite side too steep and high for his team to climb, and so turned up the track, thinking, no doubt, to get through the fence and so back onto the road. He had passed not more than fifty feet up the track before a freight train of two cars and a caboose came dashing along from the west at a speed necessary to pass through drifts that were liable to be found. H. A. Read was the engineer, and did not nor could not see the approaching team until within sixty feet of them. He saw the driver rise up and, as he thinks, make an attempt to jump, but such an effort was quite useless, as no person could have got out and up the steep bank of snow in time to escape. Mr. Read reversed his engine immediately and did everything possible to stop, but all in vain, until he had gone at least thirty rods. Getting off from his engine and looking for the results of the accident, the mangled body of Mr. Phelps was found under the second car, where his clothes had been caught by projecting bolts and he dragged the distance. The top of his head had been taken off, both feet cut off, and he had received many other cuts and bruises, so that he was quite beyond recognition. Both horses were killed instantly and thrown from the track after being dragged, one of them five or six rods and the other a little farther. The sleds were carried on the pilot until the train stopped. Removing the body from under the car, Mr. Read detached his engine and came down to the depot. Getting Coroner Young and others, he went back and brought the remains of the unfortunate man to the depot, where they remained until morning, when they were placed in a casket and removed to the residence."

T'ndoubteclly the most elaborate celebration of the national holiday ever held in this county occurred this year. ]Maplewood Park was then in its youthful «lory and all Waseca joined to make the occasion memorable. The day was very fine and the program was fully carried out. Vice-President Colfax was at his best and delivered a fine addi'ess.

The oration ended, the next thin^- in order was dinner, and auain the park was one vast picnic. The G. A. K. boys pooled their provisions and I'li.joyed an army picnic, and many were the jokes and pleasantries that jiasscd around. The drum corps Avith two fifei's, supplied an abundance of martial music. At 2:30 the concei-t besan in the pavilion, under dii-ection of Prof. Pfiyiiioiid. The attendance Avas very fair, considerina; the fact that, as a general rule, out door sports are preferred on the

Fourth of Ju]y. A thunder shower chorus was added to the eoneert program, which somewhat disturbed the same. The rain ett'e<;tuaHy ended further doings at the park and those who were not encamped there made their way to town, where the two bands were already engaged in making the air resonant with music. About 6 o'clock another and heavier shower came, still further dampening the ardor of the celebrators. The sky soon cleared and the cool evening was aeceptal)le to the m(>rry dancers of the G. A. R. ball at the opera house and the concert-goers at AA'ard's Hall. Both were largely patronized and generally pronounced successful. There was a brilliant display of fireworks in the evening both at the park and in the cit.v.

Attempted Jail Delivery

On July li. an attempt was made by the three prisoners then in jail to make their escape. About 9 o'clock in the evening, the deputy sheriff, IT. H. Evenson, went to lock the cell doors of the prisoners; the door of Martin Wallace's cell was open, and as Wallace had gone to bed, :i\Ir. Evenson very kindly stepped inside of the corridor to shut it. As he did so Wallace made for him and dealt him a heavy blow in the face. At the same time the other prisoners rushed from their cells and passed out the first door. Wallace and one of the others passed into the office and endeavored to get out the outside door, but it was locked. They were about to jump through the window when Mr. Evenson fired his revolver at Wallace, the ball entering his shoulder. This called a halt, and the prisoners all hurried back into their cells and were securel.v locked in. It was found necessary to call in the county physician to dress the wound of Wallace.

Suddenly Killed

;\[r. J. G-. Cooley, who was among the early Wilton settlers, while hauling wheat to Waseca, Nov. 24, 1884, lost his life in the following manner: About noon, as he' was driving up the hill on the Wilton road about a mile south of Waseca, the wagon, by some means, suddenly went into a deep rut, and Mr. Cooley was thrown from the load to the ground, a sack of wheat falling on him. As he fell, his body lay in such a position that the hind wheel of the wagon passed over his neck, killing him instantly.

The team passed on a short distance and stopped. His son, Josiah, a boy about sixteen years old, was some thirty rods behind his father, with another load of wheat. He saw his father fall and hastened to the spot as soon as possible, finding his father dead. Mr. August Schulz and others soon came up, when the body was placed upon a wagon and taken to Waseca, and thence to the family home in "Wilton.