The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1899-08-31
ANSWER TO KING.
lion. j. IL. baldwin on The Early His
terry OF ut. Lawrence.



OF st. Lawrence. 1t is not my in.
tention or desire to enter into any
newspaper controversy with him.
But since he made reference several
times in his article to u certain law
firm and especially to one member
OF the firm who formerly lived in the
once beautiful and prosperous town
OF st. Lawrence, | deem it not un-
wise to say IA little something in a
public manner. spent fifteen years
OF the best part of my life in st. Law
renee and put forth every effort in
my power to assist in building up
that place. But it seems that fate
has decreed that it go down, at least
for time, and it's condition is too
well known to make mention OF.
My friend King speaks OF the debt
OF the town and the coupon that an
nually returns from New York, bear
ing the name of n member of the law
firm. take it that he is correct on
this point as was a member of the
town board when the bonds were is-
sued for the constr uction of the city
we'll back in the SOS and presume
that | signed them with four other
members OF the Board. Our rival
neIghbor town of Miller had put
down q well successfully and the
good citizens OF st. Lawrence
deemed a well a necessity, SO as to
keep pace with Miller. An honest f-
fort was made but the well was n
failure so far as fire protection was
concerned, but a well was secured
that has proven to be worth all it
cost for stock and domestic use.
The bonds issued for this purpose
were between 900 and 5000 dol
lars Later the business interest OF
the town demanded some kind
of fire protection and the town
board purchased fire engine,
constructed IL large cistern
and erected an engine house over it
at total cost OF about $3, 800. The
greater portion OF this think has
been paid; at least u considerable
part OF 1t. During all this time my
friend King was not an active advo-
cate in developing and pushing for
waId the general business interests
of the town, and it is my opinion ii
the senator had taken the in
terest and entered in the work of
building up the town through all the
past II years that he is now taking
to compel innocent people to leave
their property in st. Lawrence for
what would seem to be selfish motives
the town would today be in a pros
porous and fiourishing condition.
| may be mistaken in the construc-
ton put on the senator's letter, but
it appears to me that he is endeav-
oring to place the responsibility OF
the towns misfortune upon myself.
A better class OF people never set
tied in or around any town than
we're those WI no settled in and around
the town OF st. Lawrence. Their in
tentions We're both laudiblc and
and were deserving of
better results than has been meeted
out to them by the Ruler OF destines
and it would hardly seem that one
man could bring about the disas-
trous results that has befallen that
once che rlshed place.
1t is the unbounded duty of every
man to protect and defend his home.
/ can readily see how my friend King
mistaken in arriving at the
that ONE one has attack
ed his home, but all men are liable
to error. AS vet have not heard of
any one intrujing on anything, on
K ing's side Of Turtle River (since
1882 when the town Rex was wiped
out and the postoffice moved over
to st. Lawrence) neither do pre-
ume that any body has any inten-
ton of invading his COW yards.