Book Title: An Illustrated History Of Nobles County
CHAPTER VIII.
CURRENT EVENTS-1893-1908.
Prosperous times continued up to the summer of 1893. Then came the memorable
panic and the few years of hard times. Two banks, one at Worthington and one at
Ellsworth, closed their doors; several business houses failed; business was for
a time paralyzed; and a period of dull times set in which was not entirely
broken until the late nineties. The depression was not so keenly felt in Nobles
county, however, as it was in many of the less favored portions of the country.
The panic was preceded by a decade of flourishing times. Everybody had prospered
and was in position to weather the financial crash and its resulting period of
depression.
The building of a suitable court house had long been a mooted question. Time
and again grand juries had investigated the county building, made known its
inadequacy for the proper care of the records and for the transaction of
business, and recommended the building of a new court house. The jail, which was
in the court house building, had often been condemned by state officials as an
unsafe place for the holding of prisoners. Prisoners of very ordinary expertness
were able to break out almost at will. In the spring of 1891 a bill was
introduced in the legislature, the purport of which was to allow the people of
the county to vote on the question of bonding for the purpose of erecting a
court house and jail, but the bill was killed in committee.
In the summer of 1893 a majority of the county board were in favor of erecting
a building, and they took the matter in their own hands and proceeded with the
plans. By a vote of three to two it was decided, on Jan. 12, 1893, to build a
jail and sheriff's residence at a cost not to exceed $10,000, and to issue bonds
for that amount. [1] On the same day and by the same vote the following
resolution was passed:
Resolved, That we take immediate steps to build a new court house in the court
house park at Worthington, and that the same be built without unnecessary delay,
and that $8,000 taxes be now levied for that purpose, the work of building to be
commenced, this fall if the money can be procured for that purpose.
Six days later it was decided to increase the levy from $8,000 to $12,000.
Commissioners H. M. Palm, John Mock and Chas. L. Peterson were named a building
committee for both the court house and jail. As a majority of the board of
commissioners they instructed themselves to proceed at once with the
construction of the jail and to employ an architect to prepare plans for the
court house.
Opposition developed so soon as the first steps were taken. The commissioners
had only fairly started with their work when a suit was brought against the
county by D. J. Forbes, of Adrian, [2] who asked for an injunction to restrain
the county officials from proceeding with the erection of either the court house
or jail. A temporary restraining order was granted, and work was necessarily
suspended. The case was carried to the supreme court, the county being
represented by Geo. W. Wilson. The proceedings of the county officials were
upheld, and the injunction was dissolved.
Architect Geo. Pass drew the plans for the jail, which were approved Jan. 3,
1894. The contract for its erection was let to John D. Carroll, of St. Paul
Park, on a bid of $9,655, and on October 19 the building was accepted.
A remonstrance against the building of the court house was presented to the
county board Feb. 15, 1894. It contained the signatures of 476 residents. The
commissioners responded by passing a resolution to the effect that application
be made to the state for a loan of $30,000 to help pay for the court house. [3]
Albert Bryan was the architect selected to furnish the plans. May 5 the contract
was let for the erection of the court house and the installation of the. heating
plant to J. D. Carroll on a bid of $42,469. Mr. Bryan, the architect, was
employed by the county to superintend the construction.
Work on the building was rushed. The corner stone was laid with interesting
ceremonies August 1. In January the contracts were let for furnishing the
building, and on May 28, 1895, the new court house was turned over by the
contractor and accepted by the county.
While the legal proceedings against the erection of the court house were in
progress the talk of county seat removal was resumed, and the subject again
became a live issue. Some preliminary work was done with a view to having the
matter submitted to the voters, but those interested, not securing the
encouragement necessary to guarantee the success of the movement, soon abandoned
their efforts. This was the last time the question of removal was brought up.
During the eleven years, 1883 to 1893, that the county seat question was an
issue, the question was not once brought to a vote.
By 1895 the population had increased to 11,905, which was 3,947 more than it
had been ten years before. By precincts:
Adrian Village l,072
Bigelow 577
Bloom 325
Dewald 514
Elk 368
Ellsworth Village 352
Graham Lakes 616
Grand Prairie 487
Hersey 425
Indian Lakes 474
Larkin 308
Leota 345
Lismore 418
Little Rock 559
Lorain 288
Olney 394
Ransom 396
Seward 480
Summit Lake 256
Westside 435
Willmont 545
Worthington Township 353
Worthington Village 1,918
Total 11,905
The latter half of the nineties was a very prosperous period in Nobles county.
Excellent crops brought hundreds of new settlers. Land values jumped several
hundred per cent; farm lands that had sold for $10 to $20 per acre now brought
$30 to $70. It was a time of unprecedented prosperity. The forward movement
continued into the present decade.
In 1898 Nobles county furnished a company of soldiers, who took part in the
Spanish-American war, serving a little less than ten months within the United
States. After the Minnesota militia had been called out under the president's
first call for troops, steps were taken in various parts of the state to raise
volunteer companies to be in readiness to enter the service should there be
another call for troops. The first steps toward this end in Nobles county were
taken April 19, when a mass meeting was held at G. A. R. hall, Worthington. The
initial proceedings were then taken toward enrolling a com pany.
When it became evident that another call would soon be made further steps were
taken. On May 6 another meeting of citizens was held in Worthington, when forty
names were enrolled. Another meeting was held May 24, when the list of members
increased to 60, and these officers were elected: Edward Dolan, captain; Fred
Bitner, first lieutenant; James McGee, second lieutenant. [4] The company was
quickly recruited, the villages of Worthington, Adrian and Rushmore furnishing
the bulk of the company.
President McKinley made the call on May 25, but owing to the necessity of
recruiting the skeleton companies of the former Minnesota regiments, the troops
waiting to respond under the second call were not mustered in at once. Finally
Gov. Clough issued the long awaited orders for the mobilization of the Fifteenth
Minnesota regiment, and on July 6 the Nobles county company departed for St.
Paul. There was a grand demonstration at Worthington when the company took, its
departure.
The Fifteenth Minnesota regiment, of which the Nobles county company became
company H, was mustered into the United States service July 18. The commissioned
officers of company H were Edward Dolan, Worthington, captain; Fred Bittner, [5]
Worthington, first lieutenant; Lucius V. Hubbard, [6] Red Wing, second
lieutenant. The company and regiment were stationed at Camps Ramsey and
Snelling, near St. Paul, until September 15. During that time the regiment went
through a fearful typhoid fever epidemic, when about 60 men of company H, out of
a total of a few over 100, were ill with the disease, resulting in three deaths
in the company [7] and several others in the regiment.
From Minnesota the regiment went to Camp Meade, near Harrisburg, Pa., where it
was assigned to the third brigade of the first division of the second army
corps. There it remained until Nov. 15, when the regiment was transferred to
Camp McKenzie, near Augusta, Ga. The regiment and company were mustered out at
that camp March 27, 1899. Following is the roster of the company at the time of
mustering out, with the rank of the soldier at that time, and his place of
residence as given in the original muster roll:
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
Edward Dolan (captain), Worthington.
Lucius V. Hubbard (first lieutenant), Red Wing.
James G. Kennedy (second lieutenant), Adrian.
SERGEANTS.
Loren B. Town (first sergeant), Worthington.
Samuel A. Copeland (quartermaster sergeant), Adrian.
Russell B. Moberly, Worthington.
Charles P. Tinnes, Adrian.
Arthur P. Rose, Worthington.
Howard Childs, Adrian.
CORPORALS.
Leo A. Dewey, Worthington.
William F. Norman, Adrian.
Henry M. Twitchell, Worthington.
John W. Rogers, Worthington.
Austin L. Kindred, Worthington.
James D. Cummings, Worthington.
Thomas Maloney, Worthington.
John E. Bass, Worthington.
John Butler, Dayton, Ohio.
Charles H. Johnson, Worthington.
John J. Scanlon, Worthington.
Lee H. Wetherby, Adrian.
Ward A. York, Missouri Valley, Iowa.
Bert H. Woolson (musician), Windom.
Frank R. Marrs (artificer), Lakefield.
Burr Randall (wagoner), Adrian.
PRIVATES.
William Apel, Worthington.
John H. Ballard, Jackson.
Henry Bassett, Rushmore.
Andrew L. Bigelow, Worthington.
John Bierman, Fulda.
Charles Blackburn, Worthington.
William F. Brabetz, Adrian.
Walter Briggs, Rushmore.
Irving Briggs, Worthington.
Henry Bruner, Bigelow.
Carl Buttschau, Worthington.
James F. Byrnes, Worthington.
Eugene Campbell, Adrian.
Joseph Collins, Chicago, Ill.
Patrick Cox, Adrian.
Timothy Cox, Adrian.
John A. Dahlberg, Rushmore.
Nelson DuBois, Graceville.
Joseph S. Eastman, Brainard.
William A. Eastman, Brainard.
Simon Ebaugh, Worthington.
John Edwards (Erickson), Worthington.
Lincoln M. Erhardt, White Bear.
Clarence T. Faragher, Adrian.
Henry W. Forder, Rushmore.
James F. Gallagher, Waukesha, Wis.
Garrick M. Green, Worthington.
Olaf Hanson, Rushmore.
Charles G. Hawkinson, Worthington.
Louis H. Herzig, Kinbrae.
Clarence C. Holton, Lakefield.
Geo. V. Hovey, Worthington.
Frank Irwin, Graceville.
William H. Kilpatrick, Adrian.
Charles Klunder, Toledo, Iowa.
Frederick Knuth, Brewster.
Edward E. Libaire, Adrian.
Amos Lund, Adrian.
Gust Lundquist, Worthington.
Otto R. McChord, Rushmore.
Vernon Markham, Bigelow.
Morris E. Miller, Worthington.
Archie L. Moberly, Worthington.
David L. Monroe, Adrian.
Walter Mundweiler, Adrian.
Herman J. Naegeli, St. Cloud.
Roscoe B. Palmer, Worthington.
William Panno, Fulda.
Aubrey Patton, Memphis, Tenn.
William A. Patterson, Worthington.
Joseph Paulson, Adrian.
Louis Paulson, Minneapolis.
Henry F. Peters, Browns Valley.
Charles Peterson, Lakefield.
Andrew Pierce, Worthington.
Albert C. Pike, Spofford.
William Phrindable, Adrian.
Ralph Richar, Worthington.
Henry M. Roberge, St. Paul.
Theodore Sundstrom, Worthington.
Lionel Vought, Windom.
Robert G. Welsh, Morris.
Earl C. Wigham, Adrian.
John A. Winchell, Marion, Ind.
Ivan M. Warren, Owatonna.
In addition to the three deaths already mentioned, the company sustained the
following losses during the period of enlistment:
Joseph E. Stearns, Brewster, Sept. 20, 1898, order secretary of war.
John F. Tinnes, Adrian, Oct. 24, 1898, disability.
Edward Brooke [corporal), Owatonna, Nov. 13, 1898, disability.
John Fixemer, Worthington, Dec. 9, 1898, transferred to hospital corps, U. S.
army.
Daniel O'Neil, Adrian, Dec. 12, 1898, disability.
Walter E. Black, Pipestone, Dec. 17, 1898, transferred to company I.
William J. May, Graceville, Dec. 22, 1898, transferred to hospital corps, U.
S. army.
James G. Kennedy (sergeant), Dec. 30, 1898, order of secretary of war, to
accept commission.
James J. Walsh, St. Paul, Jan. 2, 1899, transferred to company B.
Harry E. Bonsall, Minneapolis, Jan. 6, 1899, transferred to signal corps, U.
S. army.
Harry H. Burmeister, Mankato, Jan. 15, 1899, order secretary of war.
Guss Taylor, Minneapolis, Jan. 27, 1899, order secretary of war.
John F. Johnson, Red Wing, Feb. 10, 1899, order secretary of war.
Jacob A. Glenn, Worthington, Feb. 15, 1899, disability.
Charles F. Humes, Des Moines, Iowa, Feb. 15, 1899, disability.
Fred E. Tuttle, Worthington, Feb. 25, 1899, transferred to signal corps, U. S.
army.
The Burlington branch road (now the Rock Island), the northern terminus of
which had been Worthington for so many years was extended northwestward in the
fall of 1899. Grading on the line was commenced in October, tracklaying was
begun the next month, and in December regular trains were run to the temporary
terminus at Wilmont. Two new towns were added to the county that fall as a
result of the building of the road-Wilmont and Reading. The former soon took its
place as a prosperous village, and now ranks fourth in the county in population.
Work on the road was resumed in March, 1900, and three months later the line was
completed to Hardwick, where it joined the main line. The village of Lismore was
founded that spring.
The census of 1900 showed a total population of 14,932, a gain of 3,027 in
five years. The population by precincts follows:
Adrian Village 1,258
Bigelow 719
Bloom 519
Brewster Village 234
Dewald 654
Dundee Village 217
Elk 484
Ellsworth Village 454
Graham Lakes 485
Grand Prairie 464
Hersey 386
Indian Lake 373
Kinbrae Village 137
Larkin 496
Leota 552
Lismore 479
Little Rock 532
Lorain 378
Olney 486
Hansom 428
Round Lake Village 226
Seward 558
Summit Lake 497
Westside 438
Willmont 699
Worthington Township 393
Worthington Village 2,386
Total 14,932
The year 1903 was one of disaster. The most destructive hail storm in the
county's history visited the western townships on July 20, and did awful damage.
An estimate placed the damage to crops in western Nobles county at $260,000,
covered by about $100,000 insurance. Ellsworth people estimated the crop loss in
trade territory of that town, which extends into Rock county and Iowa, at
$350,000. The story of the storm is told in the Nobles County Democrat of July 24:
Monday morning [July 20] the sky was clear with the exception of a long, low
line of dark looking clouds in the north. As the wind was from the south, it
looked for several hours as if the clouds would be driven farther to the north,
and few thought there was any danger of the storm coming this way. But despite
the south wind, the cloud bank moved slowly in this direction, and finally,
about noon, it was evident that a terrific storm was approaching. The dark
clouds were tinged here and there with streaks of green-a sure indication of
hail. At one o'clock hugh [sic] raindrops began to fall, and a few minutes later
the hail, driven by a strong wind, came, thick and fast, cutting the leaves from
the trees, breaking windows and beating grain to the ground. The hail was
accompanied by torrents of rain, which aided in the work of destruction. But it
was all over in ten minutes, and where the ruin-laden clouds had been, blue sky
appeared, as if nature wished to show how quickly she could do the trick and
smile at a man's misfortune. For some minutes after the storm had passed the
roar of the falling hail could be heard far to the south-and then the sun shone,
not on fields of waving grain and laughing corn, but on flat masses of tangled,
broken straw and corn blades cut to ribbons. Here and there on the north, west
and south were patches comparatively uninjured-oases in the desolation.
Leota, Lismore, Westside and Grand Prairie townships were hit hardest, while
Willmont, Larkin, Olney, Little Rock, Dewald, Ransom, Bigelow, Bloom and Summit
Lake were damaged only in spots. So far as the Democrat has been able to learn,
there was no loss to speak of in the other parts of the county.
The general direction of the storm was from northwest to southeast, though it
frequently changed its course for short distances, and split up into several
parts or streams. Its entire width here was more than twenty miles, the path of
greatest destruction being between here and Luverne, with Kenneth, Magnolia and
Ellsworth in line for the worst of it.
The Democrat qualified its previous article somewhat in the issue of July 31.
It said:
According to reports there are many fine fields of grain in the country
northeast, east and southeast of Adrian that escaped serious damage by hail. On
the west there is not much that is worth cutting, but still there is some, and
we are not so everlastingly wiped out after all.
The Ellsworth News of July 24 told of the storm in that part of the county:
The most destructive hail storm that ever visited this section struck here
Monday at one o'clock in the afternoon, and half an hour later hundreds of
thousands of dollars worth of grain and corn crops were worthless. As one farmer
remarked: "Our harvesting, stacking and threshing was all done quickly and all
together." Where but a half hour before stood magnificent fields of rich, waving
grain' and luxuriant corn, now only the broken straw and stalks, pounded into
the ground by the ruthless hail and presenting a chaotic apearance, greeted the
eye.
The storm came from the north. It first appeared seven miles south of
Watertown early in the morning and came on over Clear lake, going southeast to
Woodstock and thence over Kenneth, Lismore and Adrian. At the latter place much
damage is reported. The most of Grand Prairie township suffered heavy loss; also
the west part of Little Rock.
There appeared to be two divisions of the storm here. The west division
appeared first five miles northwest of Kanaranzi and came on over that place.
From the Ole Fostenrud and Miller places to the creek everything was hailed out.
This branch of the storm passed just west of town and on south toward George. .
. . From east to west the storm appeared to be about eight miles wide, and must
have covered a tract of country over 100 miles long from north to south. . . .
The hail fell in torrents and in many places are reported as large as hens'
eggs. This blow will be severely felt both by the farmers and business men. A
great many are depending on this crop to pay debts incurred last year on account
of the corn failure. . . . Lismore and Westside townships are nearly wiped out,
as well as Grand Prairie and the larger portion of Little Rock.
The elements seemed determined that the crops should be a total failure in
1903. The hail storm had been a serious blow to the western half of the county,
and the floods of rainfall that continued all season brought destruction to
crops in all parts of the county, particularly in the eastern half.
The climax of the long wet season was reached September 11. During the
afternoon and evening of that day about six inches of water fell in as many
hours. The ground was already thoroughly saturated, and the precipitation of 600
tons of water to the acre in so short a time made it look as though an ark might
come handy. Every ditch and gutter became a raging torrent; every stream a
raging river. At Worthington Okabena lake overflowed its banks, and many of the
streets were covered with water, so that they had to be traveled in boats.
Houses on low ground were filled with water, and some of the residents had to
flee for their lives. Thousands of dollars worth of property was destroyed. [8]
Much damage was also done in the western portion of the county. The Kanaranzi
river rose so rapidly that before midnight it was running over the Omaha track
just west of Adrian. So swift was the current that more than 100 feet of the
grade was washed away, leaving the rails and ties hanging in the gap. Approaches
to wagon bridges over the usually peaceful river were carried away. Heavy
timbers were torn from their places, and even telephone poles were washed out of
the ground. But the fury of the Kanaranzi was as nothing compared with the
frenzy of the Little Rock, which swept everything before it. As a result of the
flood there was a bad freight train wreck on the Omaha between Worthington and Org.
An idea of the dampness of the season is gained from the following table of
the rainfall for the eight months ending October 31, prepared by Weather
Observer J. H. Maxwell:
Month- Inches.
March 2 1/2
April 1 3/4
May 12 1/2
June 6 1/4
July 5 3/4
August 5 1/4
September 10 1/2
October 4
______
48 1/2
The crop was a failure that year. Wet weather continued for two or three years
afterward, and partial crop failures resulted. Depending almost entirely on its
agricultural industries, Nobles county was hard hit. A period of dull times set
in. Immigration ceased, and the result is seen in the census figures of 1905.
The total population then was 15,056, a gain of only 124 in five years.
Worthington, Adrian and some of the small villages showed a small decrease. The
population by precincts, according to this last census, was:
Adrian Village 1,184
Bigelow Township 458
Bigelow Village 194
Bloom 496
Brewster Village 273
Dewald 481
Dundee Village 182
Elk 464
Ellsworth Village 537
Graham Lakes 453
Grand Prairie 476
Hersey 421
Indian Lake 348
Kinbrae Village 111
Larkin 395
Leota 586
Lismore Township 450
Lismore Village 181
Little Rock 594
Lorain 370
Olney 446
Ransom 458
Round Lake Village 245
Rushmore Village 228
Seward 523
Summit Lake 473
Westside 417
Willmont Township 645
Wilmont Village 279
Worthington Township 412
Worthington Village 2,276
Total 15,056
Of the total population 11,977 were native born-5,845 born in Minnesota; 6,132
born in other states. The foreign born population was 3,079, divided among the
various countries as follows:
Germany 1,311
Sweden 576
Norway 313
Canada 138
Ireland 145
Denmark 92
England 103
Bohemia 11
Scotland 48
Wales 17
Austria 62
All other countries 263
Total 3,079
The setback caused by the wet seasons was only temporary. A good crop. was
raised in 1906 and a bountiful one in 1907. Good prices prevailed during the
latter year, and the financial flurry that came late that fall- caused no
anxiety among the people of Nobles county. The year 1908 opened with the people
feeling happy and contented. They live in the best country the bright light of
heaven ever shown upon.
ENDNOTES
[1] July 18 the resolution was amended. It was decided not to issue the
bonds, but to apply to the state for a loan of $10,000.
[2] Entitled D. J. Forbes vs. J. J. Kendlen.
[3]Passed by the usual vote of three to two.
[4] Soon after the election it was made known that Gov. Clough reserved the
right to name the second lieutenant, and the name of James McGee was dropped.
[5] Resigned Dec. 13, 1898. Was succeeded by Lucius V. Hubbard on Dec. 31, 1898.
[6] Was succeeded by James G. Kennedy, Adrian, who was promoted from first
sergeant Dec. 31, 1898.
[7] Everett Calvert, of Plattsville, Wis., died Aug. 15, 1898; George L.
Michael, of Bigelow, Minn., died Sept. 5, 1898; Joseph R. Moffitt, of Burchard,
Neb., died Sept. 5, 1898.
[8] For a more detailed account of the flood in Worthington see chapter 14.
Additional Comments:
Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY
MINNESOTA
BY
ARTHUR P. ROSE
NORTHERN HISTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY
WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA
PUBLISHERS
1908
