Belview City

Belview City

The village of Belview is one of the neatest and most active in the county, and the spirit of its citizens has done much for the progress and advancement of the whole community. It is located in section 8, Kintire township, on the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad, 119 miles from Minneapolis, and five miles from Echo, in Yellow Medicine county. Redwood Falls, with which it is connected with a splendid gravel state road, is fifteen miles away. Education, religious, public and commercial affairs, are given deep attention, and there are found here: Norwegian Lutheran Synod, Swedish Augustana Lutheran, and English Congregational churches; a school house costing $20,000 and covering eight grades and a four years' high school course; a circular park ; a village hall costing $4,000 ; a fire house and fire company with gasoline engine, hose truck, and chemical extinguishers; a modern creamery and Farmers' Elevator Co.; with other ele- vators, stores, and business enterprises necessary to an up-to-date and thrifty country village. The Commercial club, the Automobile club and the band all tend to make the place widely known.

The Belview park is a circular park of about three acres, platted and donated to the village in 1899 by A. D. Southworth, in Southworth 's Second Addition. It was graded and planted to trees and shrubs in 1900.

The village cemetery consists of three acres, is located about fifty rods south from the village limits and was purchased from A. D. Southworth in 1896.

The fire protection consists of four 700-barrel cisterns located in different parts of the village ; a well, 6x6, 168 feet deep, furnishes water for the cisterns; one Waterous 12-horsepower gasoline engine, 1,000 feet of hose, hook and ladder truck, and one 80-gallon chemical extinguisher.

Belview is widely known for its splendid band. The first band was started in about 1892. A. F. Pottratz was its first leader. The only one of its charter members now residing here is A. O. Gimmestad. The present band consists of twenty pieces. It has, for the last six years, had the able and professional musician, Noble Coucheron, of Olivia, Minn., as its leader. The members are : A. "W. Lyslo, Waldemar Lyslo, Bernard Gimmestad, Carlyle Rahn, Edwin Olson, C. Norman Enestvedt, Alfred Enestvedt, Knute Hegdal, Casper Olson, Lars B. Seljevold, Knute C. Knutson, Oscar Gimmestad, Edwin Monson, Albert A. Monson, Edward Sampson, John H. Johnson, Forest Dryer, Jesse Olson, Lewis Hoppenrath, Albert Hoppenrath : Officers : A. "W. Lyslo, president ; Knute Knutson, vice-president ; Oscar Gimmestad, secretary; Knute Hegdal, treasurer.

The Belview Automobile club was organized in the spring of 1913. Its first and present officers are : A. O. Gimmestad, president; Wm. Mack, vice-president, H. O. Hegdal, secretary, N. W. Eide, treasurer. It has taken active interest in better roads, has bought five road drags, seeded road sides to tame grass, etc., and has had annual tours in different directions each year, annual banquets, and is a very active and lively club, consisting of about sixty members. A. O. Gimmestad is now, and has been the last three years, its member on the board of directors of the Minnesota State Automobile Association.

The first Belview Commercial Club was organized about 1892. In 1893 it secured a flour mill for Belview, gathered about $1,500 bonus and furnished the site and rock for foundation for the mill building. It has at various times been instrumental in locating enterprises and promoting the social as well as the material condition in and about Belview; has, the last five years furnished a lecture course of six to nine lectures and entertainments each year. It has the following active committees : Membership and entertainment, legislative and advertising, city development, manufacture and mercantile, park and band stand, good roads, lecture course and community calendar. Its present officers re:

The railroad was constructed through the present site of Belview in 1884, but the village was not started until 1887, when Charles H. Jones and Justin F. Jones, brothers, erected a general store and grain warehouse, and F. L. Simpson erected a grain elevator.

The little hamlet gradually grew, and in 1890, the Northwestern Gazetter records the settlement as a flourishing village with a population of 35, and the following business activities: Jones Brothers, general store; Jones, C. M., railroad agent and postmaster ; Jones, J. F., coal and grain ; Kolean, S. 0., hardware ; Leppman, George, grain and lumber ; Martin, John, wood and live stock ; Simpson, F. L., lumber and grain ; Sueter, Pauline, music teacher; Sueter, R. L., blacksmith.

The village was platted in 1889, and was incorporated in 1892-93. A census of Nov. 26, 1892, having shown a population of 177, a petition asking for incorporation was drawn up Nov. 29, 1892, and presented to the county commissioners. The petitioners were : J. M. Thompson, A. F. Potratz, Sten 0. Kolin, B. Simpson, Martin Listrud, T. Thompson, Peter Eischen, Frank Jaeger, Ole Hanson, J. 0. Moline, A. 0. Gimmestad, Tom Anderson, Halvor Helgeson, Theo. Ochs, Olie Johnson, H. T. Helgeson, A. H. Bakke, T. W. Gaffney, Clif Reynolds, Ole. H. Mogen, John 0. Gordon, Ambrose Fromm, Orin Gibbs, G. H. Kravik, C. C. Enestvedt, John Evans, A. F. Ellies, H. Haagenson, George Kroy, H. F. Jones, F. L. Simpson, W. J. Howes. Of these there are now living in the village: A. 0. Gimmestad, C. C. Enestvedt, 0. H. Mogen,

B. Simpson and F. L. Simpson. An election on the matter of incorporating was held at the store of 0. T. Ramsland & Co., Dec. 31, 1892, in charge of H. F. Jones, Martin Listrud and Sten O. Kolin, and of the forty votes cast, every one was in favor of the proposition. This action was approved by the county board on Jan. 3, 1893. At the regular village election which followed, these officers were elected : President, J. M. Thompson ; trustees, S. O. Kolin, Olie Johnson and 0. H. Mogen; treasurer, Martin Listrud; recorder, John Evans; justices, A. 0. Gimmestad and H. T. Helgeson ; constables, Haagen Haagenson and Alfred Kling.

At the annual election held in Frommes wagon shop on March 13, 1894, the following officers were elected: C. H. Jones, president of council ; G. F. Rahn, John Evans, A. 0. Gimmestad, trustees; G. H. Kravik, treasurer; A. J. Simpson, Recorder; A. 0. Gimmestad, justice of the peace ; John Moline, constable. At the annual election held in A. 0. Gimmestad 's office on March 1, 1895,

James Hjeldness, recorder ; Knute Hegdal, assessor ; B. A. Eaton, justice of the peace ; Thomas Hagen, M. H. Sandager, constables. At the annual election held in council room of village hall on March 10, 1914, the following officers were elected: E. E. Kohls, president of council; R. E. Gryting, Wm. Monson, P. Bloedow, councilmen ; Sam Sampson, treasurer ; James Hjeldness, recorder ; J. S. Gunelson, W. 0. Russell, justices of the peace ; B. Simpson, constable. At the annual election held in the village hall on March 9, 1915, the following officers were elected: J. S. Gunelson, president of council ; Wm. Monson, Gust Sampson, Ben Simpson, councilmen; Sam Sampson, treasurer; James Hjeldness, recorder; Knute Hedgal, assessor; Tom Hagen, constable.

The original plat of Belview was filed on May 21, 1889. The land in a part of the south half of section 8, town 113, range 37, was surveyed by Charles V. Everett for H. P. and Mary E. Jones on May 13, 1889. There were two whole and two unequal blocks. The streets were eighty feet wide and there were no alleys. The north and south streets, starting at the west, are, Lake, Main and Randolph. The east and west streets, starting at the north, are, Hibbard and Second avenues.

Jones' First Addition to Belview was filed Sept. 1, 1892. The land was owned by H. F. and Mary E. Jones. Southworth's Addition to Belview was filed on Feb. 23, 1897. The land was owned by A. D. Southworth. Southworth's Re-arrangement of Blocks 4, 5, 6, and 8, in his Addition to Belview, and also Southworth's Second Addition to Belview, are superseded by other plats. Jones' Second Addition to Belview was filed Nov. 27, 1899. This land was owned by H. F. and Mary E. Jones.

The railroad was built through the present site of Clements in 1902. A little trading center had been located one mile north of the what is now the village. At that point was the Three Lakes Farmers' Co-operative Creamery, with J. J. Lorentzon as butter maker. There also was the general store of Rongstad & Thorston, in which was kept the Clements postoffice with L. J. Rongstad as postmaster. A tri-weekly stage to Morgan carried the mail.

At this time Henry Petrie owned the land which embraces the present village. His farmhouse was near where the schoolhouse is now located. His land was sold to the Town Lot Co. for $50 an acre. The first town lot sale was held in May, 1902, and business activities at once commenced.

H. C. Warnke opened a saloon in a barn, he and Berg Brothers later erecting a brick building, and continuing the saloon. In the same brick building they also had a harness shop.

Creamery, and with it the postoffice, L. J. Rongstad still continuing as postmaster. Gerstmann & Hoffenspirger opened a hardware and implement store in a barn, and later erected a suitable store building. The State Bank of Clements erected a sightly brick building which has since housed that institution. The depot was put up, the Laird-Norton Yards opened a lumber yard in charge of Louis G. Lowie, and the Western Elevator Co., Schmidt & Anderson and the Sleepy Eye Milling Co. all erected elevators.

Residences were erected by Otto Gerstmann, F. H. Bauermeister, Albert P. Fenecke, F. X. Schlumperger, Joseph Eppel and Walter Thompson. The St. Joseph Catholic church was started that fall and completed the following spring. The German Lutheran church was not erected until some time later.

The village continued to grow, and the Northwestern Gazetteer of 1904 showed the following business activities: Bacher, John and Gustaf, saloon; Berg Bros., saloon; Egenberger, Mathias, justice; Farmers' Co-operative Creamery, S. C. Wohlford, manager; Gerstmann & Hopfenspriger, hardware; Gag, George B., hotel; Laird-Norton Yards, lumber; Nissen, Peter C, & Co., general store; Prokosch & Clements, livery; Queal, J. H., & Co., lumber; Rohner, Jacob, mason; Rongstad & Thorston, general store; Schlekan, J. J., railroad, express and telegraph agent Sleepy Eye Milling Co., B. A. Eaton, agent, grain elevator Schmidt & Anderson Co., Joseph Peakert, agent, grain elevator State Bank of Clements, Joseph Epple, cashier ; Western Elevator Co., F. H. Bauermeister, agent; Wichmann, Emil E., blacksmith.

The Gazetter of 1906 describes the village as containing a bank, a hotel, a creamery, three elevators, a Catholic church, a school house, and many important business houses and business interests, as follows : Bacher, John and Gustaf, saloon ; Christensen & Viegel, saloon; Eisenberger, Mathias, justice; Farmers' Cooperative Creamery, S. C. Wohlford, manager; Gerstmann & Hopfenspriger, hardware; Healey, Howard, barber; Jensen, Miller, meats ; Laird-Norton Yards, lumber ; Nissen, P. C, & Co., general store; Olson & Christensen live stock; Prokasch & Clements, livery ; Queal, J. H, & Co., lumber ; Restou, Herman, hotel ; Rohner, Jacob, mason; Rongstad & Thorson, general store; Sehlekau, J. J., railroad, express and telegraph agent ; Sleepy Eye Milling Co., B. A. Eaton, agent, grain elevator; Smith & Anderson Co., Jos. Penkert, agent, grain elevator; State Bank of Clements (capital, $15,000; H. C. Warnke, president; Joseph Epps,

The village has been furnished with street lights from the private plant of A. E. Clements. The village hall is a sightly structure erected in 1907, a large frame building, ornamented with towering pillars in front. It is used as an opera house and for general meeting purposes.

The original plat of Clements was filed March 24, 1902. It was surveyed for the Western Town Lot Co. by P. R. Kline on Feb. 12, 1902. This land was a part of the northeast quarter of section 33, town 111, range 35. There were four whole blocks and five unequal ones. All the streets were 70 feet wide except Pine and Firsts, which were 80 feet, and Front, which was 66 feet. The alleys were each 20 feet wide. The north and south streets starting on the west were Oak, Pine and Elm. The east and west streets, beginning at the south were Front, parallel to the railroad tracks, First, Second and Third.

The petition was granted and an election ordered held in Warnke 's Hall, on June 27, 1903, in charge of F. H. Bauermeister, Otto Gerstmann and L. J. Rongstad Of the thirty-one votes cast on the question at the election, all were in favor of the incorporation. The first officers of the village were : President, Otto Gerstmann, trustees, Emil Wichmann, F. X. Slumperger, L. G. Rongstad ; recorded, F. H. Bauermeister ; treasurer, Joseph Epple. The first constable was Walter Thompson.