Melrose City

Melrose City

Melrose is situated in the northeast part of the county, and has an area of 26,880 acres. The Sauk river enters the town at the southwest corner and flows in an easterly direction, leaving the town near the southeast corner. This part is mostly a level prairie, having a light sandy soil. The Adley branch runs in a southeasterly direction through the eastern part of the town, and forms a junction with the Sauk river on section thirty-six. Aside from the strip of prairie above mentioned, the surface was originally covered with timber and brush of the varieties peculiar to the locality.

The first four settlers in Melrose were Moses W. Adley and his brother, Warren M., and the brothers Robert and E. C. Wheeler, all natives of Maine. Moses W. Adley arrived at this place on January 10, 1856, but did not settle until the following year, when he took a claim on section thirty-four, which included the' greater portion of the present village of Melrose. Warren M. Adley made a claim a few months later on section thirty-three. E, C. Wheeler settled near the others the

Melrose township was organized in 1866, and the first election held on January 22. The first records are very incomplete, and a full list of the first oflftcers cannot be obtained. The supervisors were: W. Chambers (chairman), Chas. W, Taylor, and Charles G. Lamb; and clerk, Augustus Lindberg.

Melrose City

Melrose village was surveyed and platted by Edwin and W. C. Clark in 1872. This was the terminus of the branch of the St. Paul & Pacific, later the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba, now the Great Northern, from 1871 to 1878, when the branch was pushed through to form a junction with the main line at Barnesville.

Edwin and W. H. Clark opened the first store in 1868, in a board shanty which was erected as a temporary convenience pending the completion of their new store building, which was occupied the same fall.

The first school in the village was taught by Alfred Townsend in 1868, in the old schoolhouse, which was removed about 1882, to give place to the large ncf.v building in process of construction. This new building was 38 by 58 feet, and two stories high, containing four large and convenient class rooms. It was built of wood, and brick veneered, resting on a granite foundation, and surmounted by a lofty belfry, which gave to the building quite an imposing appearance at that time.

In 1867, Edwin and W. H. Clark bought a tract of land including the water power on the Sauk river at this point. They at once began the construction of a fiouring mill, which was completed the same fall and is still in operation. The mill was 40 by 80 feet, and three stories high. When first started it contained but two run of stones.

Edwin Clark purchased the entire manu- - facturing and commercial interests of W. H. Clark, in Melrose, in 1878, and has conducted the business alone.

Pillsbury & Hulbert, of Minneapolis, arected an elevator here in 1879. It was operated by steam power and had a warehouse attached. The elevator was 26 by 36 feet, and the warehouse, 40 by 50 feet, with a storage capacity of 30,000 bushels.

According to an act approved on March 3, 1881, the village of Melrose was incorporated, and the first election held on Tuesday, April 5, following. The first officers were: President, J. H. Edelbrock; councilmen, Edwin Clark, A. A. Whitney, G. Richter, and J. Moritz; justice of the peace and recorder, Don B. McDonald; marshal, Abram Lent; and street commissioner, W. B. Whitney.

Melrose is one of the most thriving small cities in the state. It has a population of some 2,600, and is noted for its progressive spirit. It is located in the southern part of the township of the same name, thirtyfour miles west of St. Cloud. Many public improvements add to the comfort and desirability of the place as a residence. There are Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran and Methodist churches, two banks, three hotels, a commercial club, flour and planing mills, two grain elevators, marble works (the Melrose Granite Company is the largest in the West, employing 250 men), an opera house, two creameries, a brewery, electric light plant and waterworks. A weekly newspaper, the Beacon, is published. Ships grain, flour, marble and live stock. Land is worth $10 to $50 per acre.

Munson lies in the southern part of the county, and has an area of 23,040 acres. It embraces township 123 north, range 31 west. The surface is chiefly a rolling prairie, except in the northeast and southwest, where it was originally covered with light timber and brush. Sauk river enters the town near the northwest- corner, and leaves it near the southeast corner, passing through Horseshoe Lake, which is the largest body of water in the town. There are a number of smaller lakes, the

The first permanent settlement was made in 1856. Herman Brunning and Joseph Young were, undoubtedly, the first settlers. They made claims on section twenty-four. William Buck also settled on the same section, about the same time. Henry Rolfus made a claim on section six. Andrew Benmel settled on section sixteen, and John Snyder on section twenty. The following year was marked by quite an increase in the population.

This territory was included in the town of Richmond, which was organized in 1858. Munson was organized in 1859. The first records have been burned, but the following is a partial list of the first officers: Supervisors, Reuben M. Richarson (chairman), Andrew Benmel, and William Buck; clerk, Henry Broker; justice of the peace, H. Brunning; assessor, B. firz; and constable, Samuel Wakefield.

In 1855, Reuben Richardson made a claim on section twenty-four, and the following year, surveyed and platted Richmond on this claim. An addition was platted the following year by Herman Brunning, and the greater portion of the present village stands on this addition.

The first store was opened by Henry Broker in 1856 or 1857, and the first blacksmith shop by Andrew Goehring in 1857. The first church (Catholic) was built of logs in 1856, and the first services were held by Father Bruno.

Richmond Village

Richmond village is one of the thriving settlements in the county. It is located in the eastern part of Munson township, on the Great Northern, twenty-one miles southwest of St. Cloud. Formerly it was known as Torah. The population is about 600.

It has a Catholic church, two banks, a hotel, a municipal water works plant, a commercial club, a flour mill, a tile plant, two elevators and a creamery. A weekly newspaper, the Richmond Standard, is published. The exports are grain, live stock and produce. Land is worth $50 to $100 an acre.

Backes, general store; Becker Bros., shoes; M. A. Bussen & Son (Mathias A. and J,. M.), publish the Richmond Standard; real estate, loans and general insurance; Cargill Elevator Co., Peter Ruegemer, manager; Commercial club, Michael E. Gross, president, Henry Flint, secretary; Jas. J. Dufner, dentist; Jacob Feiden, hardware; Frank & Meyers, farm implements; Stephen Ganzer, harness; German-American State Bank (capital, $15,000), Florin H. Welcome, president, Anton B. Rieland, cashier; Michael Heiderscheild, house mover; G. H. Klein, meats; Michael Kolb, veterinary surgeon; J. H. Kowalkowski, cigar manufacturer; Jno. Lang, general store; National Elevator Co.; Richmond Creamery, W. C. Arndt, manager; Richmond House, Jos. Wieber, proprietor; Richmond Mutual Telephone Co.; Richmond Standard; Richmond Telephone Co.; J. H. Roettger, jeweler; Mrs. Katherine Rothstein, milliner; Mrs. Anna M. Ruegemer, milliner; P. P. Ruegemer, taxidermist; H. W. Scharver, railroad agent; A. Schroeder, blacksmith; Jos. Schwankl, drugs; G. C. Sieverding, blacksmith; State Bank, capital, $10,000, Gerhard Braegelmann, president; Wm. Moening, cashier; Torah Telephone & Improvement Co., L. P. Hennes, president; Jos. Schwankl, secretary and manager; A. M. Utecht, general store; Jos. Vogt, tile manufacturer; Wm. Vogt, harness; A. Weber, piano tuner; Mrs.. Agnes Wenck, hardware (Frank X. Wenck, manager) ; Thos. Wenner, lumber; Jos. Wieber, proprietor Richmond House; Frank Willenbring, general store (farming) ; Jacob B. Willenbring, barber; Jno. Wilbenbring, jeweler; J. P. Williams, farming implements; Fridolm Wurst, flour mill; Christopher Yunger, photographer.

Melrose's first paper was the Record, started in 1877 by Donald R. Macdonald and who sold it in 1881 to Charles P. Hendryx, who six months later removed it to Sauk Centre and consolidated it with the Sauk Centre Herald. In the fall of 1882 Campbell & Dorcy established the Melrose Sun. Dorcy sold his interest in 1884 to D. Grein, who died the following year. Dr. Campbell then obtained the entire ownership, and published it until 1893, when he removed it to Belgrade. Two years later he returned to Melrose with the paper, changing its name to the Melrose Beacon. The paper was leased to Mr. Batchellor, who published it until 1897, when he was succeded by Sid Hunter, for a few months. That year it was purchased from Dr. Campbell by J. C. Martin, who was an energetic newspaper man, but sold it in a short time, owing to ill health, to D. W. Bath. The latter published it for four years, and was succeeded by A. F. Steffin, who was its publisher until 1913, when he