Waseca County, Minnesota - Chapter 54, 1905

Chapter 54

Soon after the "Happy New Year" greetings, Jan. 5, 1885, a gloom was cast over the community by the death of J. M. Robertson, a prominent citizen of Waseca. He was born in Liberty, Sullivan county, N. Y., May 23, 1852. Two years later his parents moved to Illinois, and thence to Winona in 1856. He grew to manhood in Winona county and came to Waseca about 1879, engaging in the hardware business with Bailey & Watkins. He left a wife and two small children. His wife was the accomplished daughter of Hon. Burr Deuel, of Quincy, Olmstead county, Minnesota. Mr. Robertson died of pneumonia. It is said that while returning from Chicago, about three weeks prior to his death, he took a severe cold. The night was cold, and on the train was a poor woman and child who suffered from lack of warm wraps. To relieve them Mr. Robertson let them have his overcoat. The result was he received a cold that brought on the fatal result. For this self-sacrificing act his memory should be preserved.

The county commissioners this year were N. M. Nelson, Austin Vinton, M. Craven, Philip Purcell, M. P. Connor, and A. J. Jordan. Mr. Purcell was again elected chairman. The county printing this year was divided and let to the several papers designated at legal rates. A movement was made at this meeting for the building of a bridge across the Le Sueur river at the John Carmody farm, in Wilton; and at the ;\Iareli meeting, $300 Vf&s appropriated for that purpose.

Winter Weather An Aged Pioneer

The 87th anniversary of the birthday of ^Mrs. Xane.v !Mosher A^-as celebrated on the 29th of January by a surprise party for that lady at the residence of her daughter, ]^Irs. W. S. Baker, of Waseca. There were present twenty-five persons who were the children, the grandehildren, and the great grandchildren of the venerable lady. The occasion was one of decided enjoyment. Mrs. Mosher was born in Vermont in 1797. She was mother of Hiram A., Asa, and "Jim" Mosher, pioneers in this county.

Municipal Judge

It was at the legislative session of 1885 that the office of municipal judge was created by special act for the city of Waseca - the offices of justices of the peace for said city being abolished by the same act. The new court had jurisdiction throughout the county the same as a justice of the peace, with this addition : in all civil actions where the amount in controversy did not exceed $300. Otherwise its jurisdiction was substantially the same. John Carmody, Esq., was the first judse elected under the new law, and was one of the best who has ever held the position.

Crane, Creek Improvement

The drainage of large tracts of land situated in Steele and this county was undertaken and partly aeeomplisbed in 1885. The following report is here reproduced.

Messrs. S. B. Williams, T. H. Griffin, and W. C. Young, appointed by the governor to examine the work and audit the accounts for widening and deepening Crane creek, have submitted their report to State Auditor Braden, in which they say: the channel along the whole excavation, and In some places the excavation has been five feet in depth. In the opinion of this committee the worlf already done would be more than doubled in value it the work could be continued to the source of the creek at Watkins lake, and some straightening of the channel below the mouth of the creek.

The cost of such improvements to complete the work in a permanent manner, would not exceed, in our opinion, the present outlay of $1,500, additional, as the whole engineering is now complete and nothing but excavation is required. This would reclaim thousands of acres of land, a considerable part of which, as this committee is informed, belongs to the state, and is now nearly valueless because of the overflow for want of a free, open channel.

"In auditing accounts the committee found all bills reasonable and just except those for surveying, which were considerably above the legal rate of $4.00 per day allowed county surveyors. The committee reduced them thereto, bringing the whole outlay within the appropriation. Therefore we recommend that there be allowed as follows: For surveying, $399; for sundries such as tools, hardware, lumber used, etc., $120.10; for pay roll of laborers on excavation, $748.85; for services of the commissioners of Steele and Waseca counties and mileage, $202.65; for paying the commissioners on behalf of the state, $30.00; total, $1,500. In conclusion the committee wish to say that the work of excavating the channel has been done very much below the lowest bid received by the county commissioners for the said work."

St. Mary Church Burned

The Catholic church people of the St. ]Mary parish met with a heavy loss Dec. 19, 1885. The new Catholic church, which was erected at a cost of $15,000, was entirely destroyed by fire. Services were held in the morning and in the afternoon the building was consumed. Very few things were saved. The statue of St. Joseph, presented to the church some two months prior by Peter Burns and Christie HefiEeron, at a cost of $125, and the statue of the Blessed Virgin were removed without any material damage. The chalices were also saved. The church members were under lasting obligations to Thomas Garaghty and James Byron for their heroic services in rescuing the altar furniture. Mr. Garaghty at one time became so bewildered in the smoke that he probably would have perished had it not been for the assistance of James Byron in going to his rescue. The buildina: was 44x86 feet, and 26 feet high. It was insured for $7,000. The burned edifice was replaced with a new one early the next year.

Building Improvements

COUNTY PHYSICIANS - HERALD REMOVAL - ANOTHER DESTRUCTIVE FIRE - ROAD AND BRIDGE FUNDS- THE ST. CLOUD TORNADO, TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY - A BURGLAR SHOT BY ED. GOETZENBERGER - MURDER AND SUICIDE NEAR NEW RICHLAND - THE FARMERS' ALLIANCE - NOTABLE MEETINGS IN THE YEAR - EDITORS, W. C. T. U., OLD SETTLERS, MAPLEWOOD PARK - DIED, JOHN BALLARD, SILAS BUCKMAN, GEO. SMITH, HONORA BURKE (KILLED BY R. R.) - FALL ELECTION - EARLY WINTER - BUILDING STATISTICS.

The annual meeting of the county commissioners this year commenced Jan. 5. Philip Purcell was again chosen to preside. The members of the board were N. M. Nelson, Philip Purcell, M. F. Connor, Austin Vinton, and Milton Craven. The county physicians for this year were Dr. H. J. Young for the First district, Dr. M. J. Taylor for the Second, Dr. John Nutting for the Third, and Dr. W. A. Lang for the Fourth. The county printing was disposed of as follows: The contract for publishing the delinquent tax list was awarded to the "Herald;" the contract for publishing the proceedings of the county board went to the Janesville "Argus," and the contract for publishing the financial statement and the proceedings of the board of equalization was given to the "Radical."

Removal

On the 29th and 30th of January, 1886, the "Waseca County "Herald" outfit, was moved into the upper story of the brick building now owned by Hon. C. A. Smith, and adjoining the A.

On Feb. 11, 1886, about 2:30 o'clock a. m. fire was discovered in Tom. Moonan's wooden building, next to the brick store of S. C. Eckenbeck & Co., in the rear or kitchen part. That part of the building was all ablaze when discovered, and Mr. and Mrs. Southworth, who occiipied the building, barely escaped with their every-day clothing. The fire alarm was given and the members of the fire company and many citizens promptly responded. By the time the firemen got out their engine and put on a stream of water, the Moonan building was nearly consumed, and Jos. Gatzman's wooden building was well under way. The flames soon reached Ward's building, known as Brubaker &' Smith's meat market. By the most courageous efforts the fire was confined to the latter building, and although Helms' building, occupied by Sproat, several times caught fire, it was as often extinguished. The loss on buildings was $3,500, and on goods about $2,500. Brick buildings were promptly built the next spring to replace the burned ones.

Road And Bridge Funds

"Ordered, that $200 be appropriated for repairs on roads and bridges in the first commissioner district, to be expended under the supervision of Austin Vinton; that $200 be appropriated for repairs on roads and bridges in the second commissioner district, to be expended under the supervision of Philip Purcell; that $200 be appropriated for repairs on roads and bridges in the third commissioner district, to be expended under the supervision of N. M. Nelson; that $200 be appropriated for repairs on roads and bridges in the fourth commissioner district to be expended under the supervision of A. J. Jordan; that $200 be appropriated for repairs on roads and bridges in the fifth commissioner district, to be expended under the supervision of M. F. Connor."

The St. Cloud Tornado

On the 14th day of April, 1886, Sauk Rapids and St. Cloud were visited by a tornado which killed fifty persons and wounded more than one hundred others. At St. Cloud, in the track of the storm, stood the Manitoba freight house and cars filled with freight. Down on them the whirlwind pounced, lifted them from the tracks and cast them in shapeless masses. Iron rails were torn from the ties and twisted like wires. Telegraph poles were torn up and wires twisted into masses. The freight house was totally wrecked and over $3,000 worth of freight was whirled through the air and thrown into heaps and scattered over an area of a quarter of a mile. Fifteen freight cars were demolished. The cries and shrieks of the wounded rent the air, and the ground was strewn with the bodies of the dead.

"The tornado struck this city at 4 o'clock, and in six minutes the town was in ruins. Not a business' house was left standing on the main street, and many residences were demolished. The wind came from the southwest and swept everything before It for a width of about four blocks. The stormcloud was as black as night, with a bright clear sky on either side. The courthouse was made a heap of ruins. The union school house, two churches, the postoffice, flour mill, and large machine shop were all converted into kindling wood. The Northern Pacific depot was blown away, and a large number of freight cars overturned. At the present time twenty-two dead bodies have been recovered from the ruins and a large number of persons are injured.

"A wedding party of thirty persons were in a building about four miles from Rice station when the storm came, and twenty-two of the party were killed and the others all injured. The dead were strewn about for a distance of fully six hundred feet, presenting a ghastly spectacle. The situation is a sad one, the living being not only deprived of their friends, but of all their earthly possessions at the same time. The total loss of property is not less than $300,000, without a dollar of tornado insurance."

Upon receipt of a report of the terrible affair in Waseca, a public meeting was called at the courthouse. Hugh Wilson was chosen chairman, and James E. Child secretary. A resolution offered by Mr. Lewis Brownell, asking the common council of the city to appropriate $300 to aid the sufferers, was unanimously adopted. At the suggestion of Judge Crump, seconded by Hon. W. G. Ward, the chair appointed a committee of three - Judge Crump, Senator Ward, and James E. Child - to solicit funds to aid the sufferers. The amount donated by the city was $300, and the amount paid in by private persons was $346.75. All of this was forwarded to the governor of the state to be used for the relief of the sufferers. In addition to this amount, the

German Evangelical churches of the county contributed as follows: The Waseca church $28; the Meriden church $22.10; Wilton church $11.40, and the Iosco church $42.25.

That $200 be appropriated for work on road on sections 20 and 29 in town of Alton, between the house of P. Morrissey and Buffalo Lake, and that A. J. Jordan and M. F. Connor be appointed a committee to expend said appropriation, and report at the next meeting of the board; that $400 be appropriated for the construction of the Lamb bridge; that $150 be appropriated for repair of roads and bridges in the sixth commissioner district, to be expended under the supervision of M. Craven; that $100 be appropriated for the construction of the Stewart creek bridge, on section 7, Otisco.

That $75 be appropriated to pay the remainder due for building the Stewart creek bridge, and that $195 be appropriated to pay for replanking the Cobb river bridge.

That $150 be appropriated for repairs on roads and bridges in the first commissioner district to be expended under the supervision of Austin Vinton; that $200 be appropriated for repairs on roads and bridges In the second commissioner district, to be expended under the supervision of Philip Purcell; that $150 be appropriated for repairs on roads and liridges in the third commissioner district, to be expended under the supervision of N. M. Nelson; that $150 be appropriated for repairs of roads and bridges in the fourth commissioner district, to be expended under the supervision of A. J. Jordan; that $150 be appropriated for repairs of roads and bridges in the fifth commissioner district, to be expended under the supervision of M. P. Connor.

A Burglar Shot

On the night of June 3, 1886, a man named Ed. I\lenck, a tailor, and a stranger, who refused to siive his name, broke into the hardware store of P. C. Bailey, between 11 and 12 o'l'loek. Ed. Goetzenberger and Francis Breen had gone to bed a short time before, in the office, adjoining the store. They heard the report of the glass breaking, and Ed. got up and looked out, but saw nothing. As there were many people on the streets ;ind some in the saloons, he tliought little of it. Presently they heard more noise, this time in the store. Tlun- arose cautiously, put on their pantaloons, lighted a lamp, Ed. taking his revolver and Francis the lamp, and suddenly opened the door between the office and the store, where they discovered two burglars. The thieves beat a hasty retreat, notwithstanding Ed. 's invitation to them to halt, and as they said something about shooting, Ed. went into practice while young Breen bravely held the light. Ed. emptied his revolver at them as they retreated by crawling" through a window, and then he shoiited for the police. There was a general search instituted, and the men were soon found and arrested by Marshal Keeley. Both of them had their hands cut considerably by the glass in the window, and the stranger received a bullet wound, the ball striking him in the back, following a rib, and lodging in front. Dr. Hunt took out the bullet and dressed their wounds. Some of the citizens chipped in and presented Ed. Goetzenberger and Francis Breen each a gold watch and chain as evidence of their appreciation of the courage displayed by the joung men on the occasion. Both offenders were convicted of burglary at the fall term of court and sent to prison.

Murder And Suicide

The people of Xew Eichland were thrown into a state of great excitement on the evening of July 6, 1886, by the murder of Miss Anna il. Discher and the suicide of her murderer. The following report was published at the time:

Henry Young was a German whose relatives reside in Wisconsin. He had been around here for several years, was always considered a steady young man, not of vicious habits, tolerably well to do, and owned an interest in a thresher, which he ran in season. The other victim, Anna M. Discher, was the daughter of W. P. Discher, justice of the peace, and a well-to-do farmer. In the afternoon Young was around town and seemed to be drinking heavily. Then he went out to the Discher farm. Mrs. Discher and daughter were sitting on the porch sewing. He walked up to the girl and after a few words drew his revolver and shot her twice, the bullets taking effect in or near the heart. She died in a few minutes in her mother's arms. Thrusting the revolver into his mouth, he fired and killed himself instantly. It is rumored that he had wanted her for some time to marry him, which she declined to do. This is undoubtedly correct, as it seems to be reasonably well founded."

Parmers' Alliance

the state. On the 15th of May, 1886, there was a meeting of .Alliance men at Waseca, George W. Sprague, president of the state alliance, being here to address them. ]Mr. W. D. Armstrong announced that there were now five alliances in the county, and that they might organize a county alliance, if those present thought it advisable ; but before doing so he should like to hear from the state officers that were present. He introduced George W. Sprague, president of the state organization, who addressed the meeting; at considerable length. After the address, on motion of M. F. Connor, the five alliances represented proceeded to the formal organization of a county alliance. The president and the secretary of each alliance signed an application to the state alliance for a charter. Jlessrs. W. D. Armstrong, II. A. Wagoner, Patrick Kenehan, and Thomas Barden were chosen to act as a committee to draft by-laws for the count.v alliance, to report to an adjourned meeting to be held ^May 29. At the adjourned meeting, constitution and by-laws were adoptfd and the following officers elected: President, L. C. Remund, of Blooming Grove; vice-president, I\l. F, Connor, of Wilton: secretary, W. D. Armstrong, of Woodville ; treasurer, Jas. E. Jones, of Iosco.

The regular meetings of the county alliance were to be held on the first Saturday of January, April, July and September. The meeting of May 29 adjourned to meet again June 26, 1886. At this last meeting there were present delegates from eight alliances.

Notable Meetings

There were several notable meetings in Waseca during the summer months. On the 15th of June the Southwestern Editorial convention of Minnesota was held in Waseca. The editors were entertained at Hotel Maplewood at noon and in the evening a banquet was tendered them at the Grant House.

The old settlers of Freedom and Alton, met on the 10th day of June, in the cultivated grove on the beautiful farm of Prof. F. D. Seaman. The day was an ideal one for such a picnic and there were three hundred and tifty persons present. The feast was all that could be desired, and then followed toasts and responses. A synopsis of the response by Judge Crump, then of Waseca, is here given:

He said he was the first one, as usual, to make a fool of himself, and he proposed to do it well. He deemed it a compliment to be called upon to address them, although it would be unfortunate both for them and himself. "I can remember," said he, "when I became an old settler here. It was in 1865. I also remember the first old settler I met here, who is now in Wisconsin. He was neither naked or clad, and had twenty-five cents in his pocket - now he has nothing. I can appreciate and you can appreciate those who have come here and why they have come. You know that we came here to eat - especially Graham and myself - and we have enjoyed ourselves, especially Graham. He knows when he has a good thing. We have all enjoyed ourselves on this occasion.

"I can remember when we had myriads of mosquitoes here as big as sheep and kept hogs on them. We have driven them out, but alas! the book agents and the lightning rod men have taken their places.

"I can remember, too, that the rattlesnake infested this region. He, too, has disappeared before the old settler, and the local editor rattles at the passer-by.

"The Indian, too, I am told, once roamed over these prairies with tomahawk and scalping knife; but he is gone, and the politicians and office seekers now scour the country in search of spoils.

"I now come to the defense of my friend, Jim Cummins. He has been lied about. Somebody has said he is no old settler. I know he is. He has told me so. He broke the prairie sod here in 1858, and camped here with another Indian at that time, and I want it entered in the minutes.

"As the pioneers grow older, as the wrinkles in their faces grow longer and more numerous, as the hair gets whiter, as the numbers grow less, from year to year, these reunions will be more valued, and your children will thank you for having subdued this wilderness and built these pleasant homes.

"We honor and ought to honor the soldier who defended the country in the hour of peril, but I think the men and women who braved the hardships and dangers of frontier life are entitled to some credit for their courage and fortitude, and ought to be congratulated for coming here.

Death Of John Ballard

John Ballard, of Iosco, on the afternoon of July 13, 1886, started out with a hay rake, just after supper, to rake hay. There was no breeching to the harness, and the rake ran on the heels of the horse, causing him to run. The horse became unmanageable, ran into a grove, and Mr. Ballard was thrown against a tree with such force as to break several of his ribs loose from the backbone. He was a great sufferer until August 31, Avhen he passed into rest. He was about fifty years of age, and settled in this county in 1858. He married about 1861 and left surviving him his wife and ten children ; the eldest twenty-four years of age and the youngest three. He owned a farm of one hundred and tAventy acres, and a ten-acre timber lot, besides considerable personal property. He was a Union soldier in the War of the Eebellion and was a member of McKune Post G. A. R., which attended his funeral, paying the last sad honors to their departed comrade.

November Deaths

Died, Mr. Silas Buckman, in his seventy-eighth year, at 3 o'clock, a. m., Nov. 9, 1886, of diarrhoea and congestion of the bladder. He had been failing since the latter part of August. He was a native of New Hampshire, removed to Crown Point, New York, when a boy, and resided there until 1S67, when he settled on a farm in "Woodville township. His wife died some years before. Since that time he had lived with his son, G. E. Buckman.

Died, George Smith, elder son of Hon. AVarren Smith, Nov. 10, 1886, at 2 o'clock a. m., of congestion, in his twenty-third year. George had suffered for a year or more from diabetes and was much reduced in flesh and strength. He attended the Saturday evening entertainment at the opera house, and took a severe cold, which caused congestion and death. He graduated the spring before with distinction at Dartmouth college, and had chosen civil engineering as his profession.

Death Of Miss Honora Burke

A sad and fatal accident occurred at the Phelps' crossint;', about a mile and a quarter west of Waseca on the "Winona & St. Peter railroad, December 24, 1886, about 7 o'clock in the evening. JNIr. Philip Brown and wife, of St. Mary, came in to meet ]\Iiss Ilonora Burke, daughter of ilichael Burke and sister of ]N[rs. Brown. Miss Burke was coming from Minneapolis to spend Christmas with her parents and friends. According to jMr. Brown's evidence before the coroner's jury they left the depot about 7 o'clock. Miss Burke sat on the righthand side of the sleigh, Isabella McCabe, a girl some twelve years of age, next to her, Mrs. Brown on the left side, all on the same seat, with Brown sitting on his wife's lap. He was driving along on a fast trot and did not see or hear the freight train coming from the west until within thirty or forty feet of the track. His wife then said: "There comes the train." He tried to stop the team, one horse and one mule, and had them nearly stopped within perhaps five feet of the track, when the horse gave a plunge and dragged the mule with him over the track. At the same instant the engine struck the sleigh and threw them all out. He and his wife fell near together, the ilcCabe girl a little way from them, near the fence, and Miss Burke still further from them, partly under the wire fence. He got up immediately and went to his wife who was hurt some, then to the McCabe girl who seemed to be stunned, - he thought she was dead. He next went to where Miss Burke was and drew her from under the fence. He could not see that she was alive, so he put his ear to her mouth and found that she did not breathe. Dr. Young, who examined Miss Burke, said that she died of concussion of the brain, caused by being thrown against a fence post, and that death was probably instantaneous.

The Fall Election

For the first time in years, the democrats carried the county for state candidates by pluralities ranging from 137 to 504 - the latter number being for "Doc." Ames, of Minneapolis - his total vote in the county having been 1,442. The following local candidates were elected : senator, W. G. Ward ; representative, M. W. Ryan; treasurer, Chas. McKenna; auditor, S. Swen- son; register of deeds, A. F. Kruger; clerk of court, il. B. Keeley; sheriff, A. C. Krassin; judge of probate, Wm. C. Young; county attorney, P. McGovern; superintendent of schools, J. B. Dye ; court commissioner, G. R. Buckman ; coroner, M. V. Hunt ; surveyor, O. L. Smith; county commissioners, Austin Vinton, Philip Purcell, J. 0. Sunde, James Conway, Charles Deyling, Oliver Peterson.

Early Winter

"The beautiful Indian summer of this month came to a sudden close on Tuesday. Snow commenced to fall in the morning, with the wind northeast, and continued to fall through the day. Tuesday night the wind veered to the north and blew a continuous gale for twenty-four hours, the snow falling continuously and drifting into great heaps. The roads were blockaded in every direction, and railway trains were suspended on both roads. The passenger from Minneapolis got stuck in a snow drift between Waterville and Waseca, and no mail arrived during the day. It was the heaviest snow storm for years in the month of November, but, fortunately, the weather was not very cold. Thursday morning the wind was in the northwest, the snow still falling and drifting. The outlook for winter travel was discouraging."

Building Statistics

The people of Waseca in 1886 expended eiglity-eight thousand, four hundred eighty-five dollars in constructing new bitildings and making improvements. The largest and most important building erected this year was the Catholic Seminary, bttilt on lots adjoining the Catholic church, in Waseca, liy the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus. Their headquarters in this country are Philadelphia. The central building is 30x60 feet, and eaeli wing, east and west, is 40x66 feet, all twd stories high. Only the we^t wing and its basement were completed this year and enst $10,- 000. The basement of the part completed this season is 11 feet high and divided as follows : A play room in the south end ll-lxlO feet, next a furnace room 12x20, a cellar 10x12, and a wood room 8x12. In the center is a well of water, then a kitchen 13xir\ and a laundry 13x15, separated by the stairwav hall. At the north end of the building are two dining rooms, one on each side of the hall, 13x15 feet. The first story over the basement is 16 feet high, and divided as follows: Entrance hall 7x30; the first room on the right, 14x16, is the parlor; opposite this is the reception room, the same size; the next room on the right, as you enter the hall, is the music room, 14x16; and opposite that is the chapel, 14x16 feet; then comes a hall the whole width of the building seven feet across, and next, two school rooms, separated by folding doors, each room 20x30 feet. The second or upper story is 15 feet high, and contains two school rooms, each 20x16 feet; three sleeping rooms, 14x16, one sleeping room, 9x16 feet; a bath room and water closet, 8x9 feet, and two small closets. This is one of the important educational institiitions of the state and has done much for the people of Waseca and surrounding country.