Vesta City

Vesta City

Vesta township is located in the northwestern part of Redwood county, and embraces Congressional township 112-38. It is bounded on the north by Yellow Medicine county and half a mile of Entire, due to the mistake in the survey; on the east by Sheridan, on the south by Granite Rock, and on the west by Underwood. The Redwood river flows eastwardly through the central part of it. The surface is generally rolling. The Sanborn- Vesta branch of the Chicago and Northwestern enters it on the east side and passes in a northwesterly direction to the center of the township, stopping at Vesta. The only village is Vesta. The trading centers are Vesta, Echo, Seaforth and Redwood Falls. There are six school houses. The predominating nationality is Bohemian and German.

The original survey of this township was begun August 15, 1859, and finished August 23, 1859, by Mahlon Black, U. S. deputy surveyor. He described the surface as generally rolling and marshy. The soil, where it was not marshy, was of a first rate quality. The land was all prairie with no timber. A wagon road passed east and west through the center of this township.

Beginning with September 4, 1866, Vesta was a part of Yellow Medicine township, and after Yellow Medicine county was organized March 6, 1871, was considered a part of Redwood Falls township. Vesta was created with its present boundaries, May 11, 1880.

The History of the Minnesota Valley published in 1882 says : "The first claim was taken by William Smith in the fall of 1868 on section 14. He was followed by Mathias and Hubbard Burgess, Hiram Eldredge, George and Albert Dunning, in May 1869. The town was set apart for organization May 11, 1880, and the first election was ordered held at the house of Sarah Mcintosh, May 29 following. The name was given by Commissioner Hotchkiss after the goddess Vesta. The first school was taught by Mrs. Mary Reed in 1872, at the house of Hubbard Burgess ; schools are still conducted in private houses. Religious services have been conducted by the Methodist society for several years at private houses. The first marriage was that of S. Holson and Eliza Burgess in the winter of 1873. The first death was an infant daughter of William Smith, that died in November, 1870, and was buried on the farm.

Vesta, one of the most flourishing villages of Redwood county, is located just northwest of the central part of Vesta township, at the terminal of the Sanborn-Vesta branch of the Chicago & North Western Railroad, twenty-six miles northwest of Sanborn, eighteen miles west of Redwood Falls, and 166 miles southwest of St. Paul.

The generous width of its principal business street, the beauty of its residence section, its pleasant homes, and the spirit of the people, all tend to make Vesta a model rural village, and there are to be found here in abundant measure, the things which go to make village life attractive.

Having its beginning in the arrival of the Chicago & North Western railroad, the village grew rapidly in the winter of 1899- 1900 and has since enjoyed a gradual period of increase and prosperity.

Not more than a decade before the village was started, much of the land in the vicinity was still unbroken, and the last great herds of cattle to be found in the county found good range here.

With the establishment of Vesta as a trading point, farm lands became more desirable, and farm conditions improved, while the prosperity of the rural regions also re-acted upon the village, causing it to grow in size and importance. Owing somewhat, possibly, to the market facilities of Vesta, and owing likewise to general conditions throughout the county, the year of 1916 saw a rapid rise in land values, many farms which had previously been valued at $35 an acre, without improvements, jumping to $85 and $100 in value, and even higher.

There are three sightly church buildings, the First Presbyterian, the German Lutheran and the Catholic. The Brethren hold meetings at private houses. The I. 0. 0. F. maintains a lodge here, and the M. W. A. holds regular meetings.

Excellent electric light service is furnished from a plant operated in the village building by H. M. Reichert and John Lempke. The plant also furnishes power for the waterworks system, the mains covering the principal streets, with sufficient hydrants and dead-ends for adequate fire protection. There is also a volunteer fire company, with adequate equipment, in charge of Fred Gertjejanssen. A nearby ditch will soon provide for drainage sewage, and later provisions will be made for a sanitary sewer.

Long before the village was started, a postoffice was opened in the township, under the name of Vesta. T. L. Cronley was the first postmaster. He kept the office in his home on section 22. Semi-weekly mail service was provided by stage to Tracy and Redwood Falls. The next postmaster was James Arnold, who kept the office at his home in section 22.

When the railroad was projected the original site considered was on the farm of Joseph McGlough, a quarter of a mile east of the present village. But the owner priced his land at a higher figure than the Town Lot Co. was willing to pay, and the present site was purchased from Ludwig Rosberg, at $32 an acre. At that time the farm house of Mr. Rosberg stood north of the proposed site.

The site was at once surveyed by E. E. Gray for the Western Town Lot Co., on the north half of the southeast quarter, and the south half of the northeast quarter of section 16, township 112, range 38. There were eight blocks, four of which contained twelve lots each, and the others a lesser number. Broadway was laid out 100 feet wide, and all the other streets 66 feet wide, with twenty^foot alleys. The north and south streets, beginning at the west, were Pine, Elm, Broadway, Oak and East streets. The east and west streets beginning at the north were North, Center and Front streets.

Four additions have since been made, one by Ludwig and Sophia Rosberg, and three by the Town Lot Co. The plat of Rosberg 's addition was filed May 17, 1900. The plats of blocks 9 and 10 were filed Jan. 23, 1900 ; of blocks 11, 12, 13 and 14, on the same date; of blocks 15 and 16, and outlot A on March 25, 1910.

Dry, healthful, and desirable as Vesta now is, it was originally platted in a slough. The first land sale was held on Nov. 3, 1898, by S. A. Hoyt and Harvey Harris, both from Sherburn, Minn., and representing the Town Lot Co. The sale was held from the rear end of a farm wagon, standing in the midst of a slough, the high weeds and wet high grass being trampled into the mud by the eager buyers. The first sale was made to Mrs. J. S. Byington, who purchased lot 12, block 3, for $200. Shortly afterward, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Byington moved a cook shanty which had been used for harvest hands, onto lot 12, block 3, and started taking boarders, the establishment being called humorously "The Grand Central." The shack was later moved back and a building erected.

The railroad station, round house, water tank and the three elevators, Bingham Brothers, the Great Western Elevator Co., and A. L. Foster, were completed in December, business was started, and from then until the following spring many business houses were erected and opened, up and down Broadway, along Front street, and gradually spreading to other streets.

The first store was opened by Matz (August) & Schroeder (Herman), in a shack, 12 by 18 feet, in the rear of lot 6, block 7. Soon they erected a substantial building on that lot, a party wall separating the store from the hardware store of Macklenberg (R. L.) & Athey (A. E.) on lot 7, block 7. James Arnold moved the postoffice from his farm to the village, and F. H. Bendix, as his deputy, was placed in charge, the office being kept in the store of Matz & Schroeder. Some months later, H. R. Draper was appointed first postmaster for the village, and moved the office to a small building on lot 4, block 7, which is now occupied by the Vesta Hardware Co.

The first residence, aside from the farm house, was erected in December, 1899, by Joseph J. Schulte, on lot 9, block 10, the house now being owned by C. H. Whiting. The Foster elevator was moved east, off from the right of way. E. L. Cross erected a building on lot 4, block 6, and in this, Joseph J. Schulte opened a drug store. A livery barn was erected by Henry Keller, on lot 13, block 7. John M. Katzenberg opened a cobbling establishment on lots 11 and 12, block 7. The Bank of Vesta, with which was connected the office of the Redwood Land Co., incorporated, and a flourishing insurance business was erected on lot 10, block 7, and was opened in charge of S. A. Hoyt and Harvey Harris.

H. R. Draper opened a general store on lot 4, block 7. Daniel Blanchard opened a meat market on lot 9, block 7. Nelson (Leonard F.) & Rawlings (Frank H.) opened a general store on lot 2, block 6. Gimmestad (A. 0.) & Lewis (M. Eugene) opened a land office on lot 3, block 6, with Mr. Lewis in charge. Paul B. Gutknecht opened a meat market on lot 5, block 6.

establishment on lot 21, block 6. Jacob J. Stepka opened a harness shop on lot 20, block 6. Joseph Dobias opened a saloon on lot 19, block 6. The Dobias Brothers opened the Northwestern Hotel on lot 18, block 6. Fred A. Urbach opened an undertaking and furniture establishment on lot 17, block 6. Gottfried Steinkraus established a shoe store on lot 15, block 2. Emil Kretzke opened a harness shop on lot 14, block 2.

John Kaufenberg moved a barn from his farm to lot 3, block 5, and opened a hotel. He and his family lived on the lower floor, and served meals there, while the beds for the boarders were located in what had been the hay loft. The experiences of the early pioneers of the village in this boarding house would make an interesting article. Conditions were crude, but a spirit of good feeling and friendliness prevailed, and even sleeping in a bed in a hayloft, with snoring companions in a dozen or so beds in the same loft, was better than sleeping on bank and store counters, as many of the men had previously been doing.

The village platted, and the business activities well started, a petition was drawn up on Dec. 21, 1899, asking for the incorporation of the village. The census of Dec. 18, 1899, showed a population of 200. The signers of the petition were : John Dolliver, 0. E. Reynolds, Frank Kaufenberg, Thomas A. Miller, I. J. Cross, Ben. Migrand, Dell MeChesney, August Segnes, W. R. Depew, W. E. Eischner, F. H. Bendix, J. L. Lee, H. R. Draper, Orville L. Draper, D. F. Sayles, A. J. Serbus, Mat. Pesch, J. S. Byington, E. L. Cross, J M. Katzenberger, Stephen Klappenrich, Frank Dobesch, E. Shipka, C. Shipka, G. H. Rodes, Frank Ringenbauch, Henry Keller, William Blackmore, R. C. Cross, M. C. Cross, M. E. Lewis, John Kaufenberg, John S. Westphal and William Busach. The petition was granted on Jan. 2, 1900, and an election ordered held in Brundage Hall, Feb. 6, 1900, in charge of O. E. Reynolds, Frank Ringenbach and Frank H. Bendix. Of the sixty votes cast on the proposition on Feb. 6, 1900, every one was in favor of the incorporation. The first village election was held Feb. 20, 1900, and resulted as follows : President, H. R. Draper ; trustees, Frank Jaros, Frank H. Bendix, E. Crane ; recorder, A. E. Hutchinson; treasurer, Jacob J. Stepka. John Dobias was the first marshal. The present officers are: President, Charles R. Terhell ; trustees, Fred Gertjejanssen, J. J. Smith and C. H. Whiting ; recorder, W. J. Barber; treasurer, Frank Bendix.

The village continued its growth in 1900 and 1901, and when the Northwestern Gazetteer was issued in 1902, Vesta is described as an important and flourishing center, with Lutheran and Presbyterian churches, a graded school, a fire department, a bank, two hotels and several boarding houses, three grain elevators, a creamery, an opera house, a brick yard and several large stores, as well as a weekly newspaper, and excellent long distance tele- phone, express, telegraph, railroad and mail service. The business directory in that issue shows these activities: Bennett, Adrian A., notary public; Aarseth, Knute M., photographer; Bank of Vesta (private - Gold, Stabeck & Co., proprietors) ; Bingham Brothers, Louis R. Dudrey, grain elevator; Blackmore, William H., saloon; Blanchard, Daniel, live stock; Brophy & Radford (Thomas Brophy and James H. Radford), farm implements; Brundage, George H., general store; Cross, George H., general store; Dahlgren, John, painter; Draper, Henry R., general store; Foster, Abraham L., justice of the peace, grain elevator and fuel ; Gallagher, Charles A., brick manufacturing ; Gimmestad & Lewis (A. 0. Gimmestad and M. Eugene Lewis), real estate; Grand Central Hotel, Herbert W. Towne, manager; Gray, Frank D., physician; Gutknecht, Paul B., meats; Haley, Michael, well borer; Heger, Nicholas J. B., blacksmith; Hotel Vesta, John Kaufenberg, proprietor ; Katzenberger, John M., shoemaker ; Katzenberger, Charles, barber; Kojetin, Frank; Kratzke, Emil, harnessmaker; Lee, Richard W., dray; Loersch, Mrs. Ulrica A., general store ; Lyford, B. Frank, restaurant ; Macklanburg & Athey (Rudolph L. Macklanburg and Arthur E. Athey), furniture, hardware and farm implements ; Mather, Henry, saloon ; Matz & Schroeder (August Matz and Herman Schroeder), general store; Minnesota Elevator Co., Henry J. Arnold, agent ; Nelson & Rawlings (Leonard F. Nelson and Frank H. Rawlings), general store; Queal, J. H., & Co., Orrin E. Reynolds, agent, lumber ; Redwood County Land Co., Harvey Harris, secretary; Reichart, Haskill, blacksmith and machinery ; Reynolds, Orrin E., general store ; Rickell, James, livery ; Sayles, David F., drayman; Schulte, Joseph J., druggist; Scott, James, general store ; Serbus & Marquardt (Anton J. Serbus and Herman Marquardt), saloon; Smith, Julius J., mason, Steinkraus, Gottfried, shoes; Stepka, Jacob J., harnessmaker ; Stewart, John A., railroad express and telegraph agent; Suda, August, shoemaker; Swenson, Magnus, wagonmaker; Teorey, Samuel, photographer; Tout, Frederick, painter; Tuttle, Fred G., editor, Vesta Bright Eyes; Urbach, Fred A., furniture; Vesta Bright Eyes, Morgan E. Lewis, proprietor, Fred G. Tuttle, editor ; Vesta Creamery Co., 0. T. Sunde, manager; Vesta Opera House, George H. Brundage, manager ; Wistad, Gunder T., blacksmith ; Youmans, C. M. Lumber Co., William R. Baade, agent ; Zehetner, Frederick, blacksmith.

Wabasso is a thriving village of some 500 people, located in Vail township, on the Sanborn-Vesta and Evan-Marshall branches of the Chicago & North Western. It is in the geographical center of the county, surrounded by some of the best farming country in southern Minnesota. An abundance of water is found some fifty feet below the surface, and artificial drainage has added greatly to the value of the land.

Fire protection is of the best. The volunteer fire department consists of some twenty members, and the bell on the water tower can be heard all over the village. The fire department has two hose carts, 1,200 feet of 2V2-inch hose, and one hook and ladder truck.

The waterworks system consists of a 2,000-barrel tank on a 100-foot tower, supplied from a well by one Fairbanks-Morse single plunger pump, with a 35-gallon capacity a minute, and operated by a gasoline engine. There is also a Waterous gasoline engine pumping from three cisterms around town. The street water system consists of 500 feet of 8-inch, 2,000 feet of 6-inch, and 400 feet of 4-inch mains, with ten double hydrants and three dead ends.

There is no sanitary sewer, but private septic tanks supply this need, and a nearby county ditch provides an outlet for the drainage from the creamery and from the cellars.

The schools are of the best, and in 1916 rooms have been rented so that the course will be extended to include three years of high school work. The school grounds are excellently kept, and provided with a full athletic equipment.

Electric lights for streets, business houses and homes will be provided in October, 1916, by the Peoples Light & Power Company of Lamberton.

The city hall is a pretty structure erected in 1902. It houses the fire department and the village offices, and is well equipped with scenery and the like for the best of theatrical attractions. It also provides a good meeting place for all public purposes.

Henry Meyer, a farmer, who settled here in the early days, was the first settler near the present village. The Sanborn-Vesta branch of the Chicago & North Western came through in 1899, and building operations were commenced in December, 1899. Among the early business interests were: Francois & Schmahl, general store ; Koenig & Schmid, hardware ; Schmidt & Anderson and Bingham Brothers, elevators ; Gold-Stabeck State Bank ; C. M. Youmans & Co., and J. H. Queal & Co., lumber yards; A. F. Fischer, hotel and grocery; R. A. Leistikow, general store; Gebhardt & Roth, farm machinery; Brandt & Zeren, harness shop. In the spring of 1900 Math. Schueller, William Stacken and Adam Zins each erected blacksmith shops.

terian, German Evangelical and Methodist congregations, a school, fire department, a bank, a hotel, four grain elevators, a flour mill md a weekly newspaper. A daily stage was operated to New Avon. Among the business activities were: Altermatt, Ernest, photographer; Barkuloo, Charles L., restaurant; Billington, Day ton E., drugs; Bingham Bros. (A. E. Wirtzler, agt.), grain ele vator; Black Bros. (Frederick W. and Emil), general store Braun, George, saloon; Callery, Kate, dressmaker; Chadbourn Alfred G., physician ; Chadbourn, Rufus G., justice ; Ecke, Otto C. meats; Ells Bros (John and Martin), livery, Fischer, Emil grocer; Francois & Schmahl (Wm. A. Hauck, manager), general store; Franta & Lock way (Nicholas J. Franta and John C. Lockway), flour mill; Gebhard & Roth (Joseph Gebhard, John Roth) farm implements ; Graham, Frank K., livery, feed and sales stable ; Groebner, Joseph, farm implements; Hassenstab, Albert L., furniture ; Hassenstab, Mollie, milliner ; Hoefer, Charles, saloon ; Koenig & Schmid (John Koenig and Wolfgang Schmid) hardware; Lang, Thomas J., justice; Leistikow & Durbahn (Rudolph A. Leistikow and Jacob Durbahn), general store; London, Robt. D., railway, express and telegraph agent; Lucas, Herman E., physician; McKee, Robert E., barber; McNeill & Sons (Daniel G., Daniel G., Jr. and Benjamin) carpenters ; Mahler, Wm. F., publisher Wabasso Standard; Mantel, George, auctioneer; Meyer, Christian, mason; Minnesota Elevator Co. (Wm. A. Anderson, agent) ; Pierce & Harriott (Squire L. Pierce and Edw. E. Harriott) lawyers; Queal, J. H. & Co. (E. C. Barton, agent), lumber and coal; Rahskopf, John H., hardware and furniture; Roberts, James A., painter; Sacke, Joseph T., saloon ; Schaefer, Charles F., real estate ; Schmid & Anderson Grain Co. (Emil Howe, agent), grain elevator; Schmitz, Bernard J., saloon; Schoenecker, Henry C, harnessmaker; Schueller, Mathias, blacksmith; Stacken, Wm., blacksmith; Starken, Cornelius, saloon; State Bank of Wabasso (capital $10,- 000), Wm. H. Gold, president; Oliver T. Newhouse, cashier; Towne, Grant C, proprietor Wabasso Hotel; Wabasso Farmers' Grain & Fuel Co., Leo Altermatt, president; John McPhee, secretary; Adam A. Washburn, treasurer; E. S. Beynon, agent; Wabasso Hardware Co. (Edward H. Heins, James T. Horr, Thomas B. Mcllrath) ; Wabasso Hotel, Grant C. Towne, proprietor ; Wabasso Livery Barn, F. K. Graham, proprietor; Wabasso Standard, Wm. F. Mahler, publisher; Waldow, Ernst, farm implements; Waldron, Sylvester N., jeweler; Youmans, C. M., Lumber Co. (Chas E. Bush, agent) ; Zins, Adam W., blacksmith.

In 1904 the village had still further grown, and the Gazetteer shows these activities: Alex, Conrad M., saloon; Altermabt, Lee, meats; Bebermeyer, Henry J., furniture and undertaking; Benz, Delia, grocer; Billington, Dayton E., drugs; Bingham Bros., Scott Peck, agent, grain elevator; Black Bros. (Frederick W. and Emil), general store; Boltz Bros. (Herman and Charles), livery; Braun, George, saloon; Chadbourn, Alfred G., physician; Citizens State bank (capital $15,000), Abraham J. Welden, president; Albert W. Mueller, cashier) ; Franta & Lockway (Nicholas J. Franta and John C. Lockway) flour mill; Gebhard & Roth (Joseph H. Gebhard and Johu H. Roth), farm implements; Gleason, Clark A., publisher Wabasso Standard; Goblirsch Bros. (Geo. and Andrew), general store; Groebner, Joseph, farm implements; Harriott, Edward E., lawyer; Hewitt, J., Sons (Jerome, Ernest and Pearl), draymen; Hoffman, John J., jewelry, music and photographer; Hotel Wabasso. Peter Welter, proprietor; Johanneck, Mrs. John, milliner and dressmaker; Lang, Thomas J., justice; Leistikow & Durbahn (Rudolph A. Leistikow and Jacob Durbahn), general store; Lockway, Andrew, painter; McKee, Robert E., barber; McNeill, Daniel G., carpenter; Mantel, George, auctioneer; Meyer, Christian, mason; Mueller, Albert W., lawyer; Queal, J. H. & Co. (Louis Wertzler. agent), lumber and coal; Rahskopf, John H., hardware and furniture ; Redwood County Rural Telephone Co., Nora Tradewell, operator; Richardson, Geo., restaurant; Sacke, Joseph T., saloon; Schmid & Anderson Grain Co. (Emil Howe, agent), grain elevator; Schmitz, Bernard J., saloon; Schneider, Anton A., grocer; Schoenecker, Henry C, harnessmaker ; Schueller, Mathias, blacksmith ; Sparling, Henry L., railway, express and telegraph agent ; Stacken, Wm., blacksmith ; Starken, Cornelius, saloon; State Bank of Wabasso (capital $25,000; Wm. H. Gold, president; Oliver T. Newhouse, cashier) ; Wabasso Farmers' Grain & Fuel Co. (John Price, president: John Arends, secretary; Wm. Kurtz, treasurer; T. J. Tradewell. agent) ; Wabasso Hardware Co. (Edward H. Heins, James T. Horr and Thomas B. Mcllrath) ; Wabasso Standard, Clark A. Gleason, publisher; Welter, Peter, proprietor Hotel Wabasso ; Western Elevator Co. (Wm. J. Blackman, agent) ; Westinghouse, B. J. & Co. (Bert J. Westinghouse and Geo. Bockman), jewelers; Westinghouse & Stacken (Mabel Westinghouse and Mrs. Wm. Stacken) milliners; Youmans, C. M., Lumber Co. (Wm. R. Baade. agent) ; Zins, Adam M., blacksmith. The postoffice, the lumber yards, the mill, the newspaper and the bank have been important factors in the economic growth of Wabasso. J. H. Rashkopf became the first postmaster in 1900. He was followed in 1904 by D. E. Billington, and in 1915 by Jos. Groebner. A flour mill was built in the early days, and was destroyed by fire of unknown origin in 1913. The State Bank was the first bank here. It was consolidated with the Citizens State Bank, built here in 1903. Another bank is now being organized. The Wabasso Standard, a weekly newspaper, was first published by W. F. Mahler, in April, 1900. and passed through several hands before the present owner. Edward G. Weldon purchased it from Weicks & Truedson in 1909. C. M. Youmans Lumber Co.,

Wabasso is 158 miles from St. Paul, eighteen miles northwest from Sanborn, and about the same distance southwest from Redwood Falls. Owing to its central location, the village has become a candidate for county seat honors, and it is believed that a wellorganized attempt to move the county seat here is about to be made.

Wabasso was surveyed Sept. 30, 1899, for the Western Town Lot Company by J. C. W. Kline. The plat was filed for record Oct. 20, 1899. The village was located in the southeast quarter and the east one-half of southwest quarter of section 23, town 111, range 37. The plat consisted of four whole blocks and two fractional blocks, each containing ten lots, except lots 4 and 7, which run to Front street, which is parallel to the track. All the streets are 70 feet wide, except Main and Oak, which are 80 feet, and Elm and Front, which are 60 feet wide. The north and south streets beginning from the west, are: Front, Elm, Oak, Cedar and Pine. The east and west streets beginning at the north are : North, Main and South.

The plat of blocks 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, addition of Wabasso was filed Sept. 7, 1900. The land was owned by the Western Town Lot Company. The plat of blocks 22 to 28, inclusive, and outlots A to R inclusive, addition to Wabasso. was filed April 2, 1912. This land belonged to the Western Town Lot Company. The plat of outlots S. T and U, addition to Wabasso, was filed Dec. 15, 1913. The land was owned by the Western Town Lot Company. The plat of Braun's block addition to Wabasso was filed on Dec. 31, 1902. This land was owned by George and Bertha Braun. The plat of blocks 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and the south one-half of blocks 13 and 14, and the subdivision of lot 6, in block 15, addition to Wabasso, was filed June 20, 1901. It was owned by the Western Town Lot Company. The plat of blocks 8, 9, 10 and 11, addition to Wabasso, was filed Jan. 23, 1900. It was owned by the Western Town Lot Company.

Wabasso was incorporated in 1900. On March 17, 1900, the census of that date having shown a population of 184, a petition was drawn up, asking the commissioners to incorporate parts of sections 23 and 26, township 112, range 37. The petition was granted April 23, and an election called for April 28, 1900. The election was duly held in charge of G. H. Probett, A. E. Wertzler and Otto Schmidt, and of the forty-eight votes cast, all were in favor of the incorporation.

Wayburne is a small hamlet on the town line between section 33, Morgan, and section 4, Brookville. It is located on the Evan- Marshall branch of the Chicago & North Western.

The original plat of Wayburne was filed March 24, 1902. The land was surveyed by F. R. Kline for the Western Town Lot Company in Feb. 22, 1902. This land was in the north one-half of northwest one-quarter of section 4, town 110, range 34. It contained one whole block and three fractional or unequal blocks. One of the streets was 80 feet and the other two were 70 feet wide. Each of the two alleys was 20 feet wide. The north and south streets. beginning on the west are Walnut and Main. First street runs east and west.