The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1898-06-02


1869, by v. G. Seward, which wa
bought BY VIM. B. Herriott 10 May
1873, and the name changed to TIL
REDWOOD GAZETTE, and is now issued
under the same name by Aiken &
Schmahl as proprietors.
The Redwood county agricultural
society was organized in 1873 anc
held it's first fair that fall. There was
hardly any progress made until about
1882, when it was reorganized, issued
stock to the amount of $500, bought
40 acres of land and has gradually
built comfortable buildings. It has 8
good half-mile track and grand
stand. The policy of the manage.
ment has been conservative and there
has been a little profit nearly every
year.
The land Office of the Redwood
Falls land district was established in
July 1872, with Col. B. F. Smith reg
lister and Major W. H. Kelly receiver
These officers we're succeeded by
Capt. VIM. P. Huntington aud VIM.
B. Herriott. The office was removed
to Marshall some years ago.
The first banking business was OPP
ened as a private bank in 1871 by
w. F. Dickinson, which has since been
Incorporated under the State laws as
the Bank of Redwood Falls, with a
capital of $4,000.
The first store, except the one OPP
ened by Louis Roberts in the stockade,
was opened by H. Behnke & Bro, in
July 1865, under the management of
A. Northrup. The first hotel, The
Exchange, was built by James Nc
MILAN, and opened in 1865 on the lots
now occupied by the county Jail.
The first grain elevator was erected
in 1878, with a capacity of 100000 bu-
shells. The first blacksmith shop was
opened by John Thomas in the spring
of 1865. w. P. Tenney opened bar
Der shop in 1870 and has continued
the business to fhis time.
The first birth was Harry Thomp-
son TO Mr.. and Mrs. j. R. Thompson,
in February 1865, aud the first death
that of Willie Homer, son of Mr.. and
Mrs. j. S. G. Homer, on April 18th,
1865. A Baptist clergyman held the
first religious services in 1866, at the
house of j. S. G. Homer. The first
marriage ceremony in the county was
performed by o. c. Martin, justice of
the peace, between George Golfer and
Amanda Cole. 1t took place under
the falls, where the parties chose it
should be solemnized. DR.. D. l.,
Hitchcock was the first physician to
locate in the county, who came in with
his family in 1865, and Col. Samuel
McPhail was the first attorney.
Kaolin is found in large quantities
on the left bank of the Redwood river,
within the limits of the city of Red
wood Falls, samples of which have
been tested and reported to be of good
quality, but thus far no effort has been
made to work or prepare it for market
and which, as yet, is an undeveloped
resource. A low grade of Ignite is
found at three or four places in the
bluff along the Minnesota river, the
larger bed of which is known as the
Peabody mine. An effort was made
about five years ago 1888 to develop
the deposit, the view of the interested
parties being that the indications were
that good quality of bituminous
coal would be found by opening the
vein to considerable depth. After
spending considerable money it was
discovered that though the product
would burn it had no commercial
value and further effort was aban-
doned. There are extensive granite
lodges within the borders of the coun-
ty, along the Minnesota river, in two
OF which, at North Redwood and again
at point north of Belview, quarries
have been opened and worked to quite
an extent, enough at the least, to dem
onstrate that the product is of high
quality and that it is only necessary
for a demand to spring up to make
the quarries, as we'll as others not yet
opened, permanent and profitable
industry.
The county has been fortunate in
it's financial policy and has always
kept faith with it's creditors. Notwith-