The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-05
BITTER TOWN FEUD
WAR TO THE DEATH BETWEEN
RIVAL VILLAGES OF NORTH
DAKOTA
CASE NOW IN THE COURTS

CASE NOW IN THE COURTS
et. Lawrence Making a Last Stand
Against the Victorious Agrees
siOns of MiIIer-NearIy All of the
Former Place Absorbed - Story
Rich in Character and With a
Wealth of Dramatic Incident.
SIOUX FALLS S. D, Nov 4-(Speclal)
The singular and very unusual episode
Of town striving to preserve its exist
ence by application TO the courts has at
tracted wide attention to the experience
of st. Lawrence, this state and the his
toricaI feud existing between that town
and its rival, Miller, which has now near
~ absorbed the former.
A recent incident of the prolonged strife
between the two wns which attracted
attention throughout practically the
whole United States was the effort to
prevent the removal Of a building to be
used as a Methodist parsonage from st.
Lawrence, and the final triumph of the
ladies' of Miller, who themselves took hold
Of the matter and did not rest content
until the building was safely landed in
Miller, Notwithstanding that the town
council Of St. Lawrence had passed an
ordinance prohibiting the removal Of the
building from that town
The prolonged feud between Miller and
St. Lawrence, which has many dramatic
features and in which a number of prom
inent men, from governor down to town.
-1-1r
has now extended beyond It's local en-
vironments by securing a place upon the
calendar of the supreme court of the
state. This case is the outgrowth Of an
attempt Of County Auditor Gross to tear
down brick block he had purchased in
st. Lawrence and move the same to Mil
Ter. He is opposed by State Senator John
NJ King and the remnant Of St. Law
renee, upon the claim that the property
could not be removed until the bonded
Indebtedness for which st. Lawrence is
obligated shall have been paid
A temporary Injunction against removal
of the property was first obtained from
Judge Campbell, of the Aberdeen circuit,
during the absence of Judge Gaffy, resi-
dent judge OF the Pierre circuit in which
the coptending towns are situated. Con-
tempt proceedings were also instituted
against Auditor Gross for having broken
open the doors of his building with a
sledge not having yet obtained the keys
from a former renter. The contempt case
was dismissed by Judge Gaffy, and on
August last he dissolved the injunction,
after full presentation of the case by
States Attorney S. Y. Christ for Mr.
Gross, and State Representative VII
marth and Judge Simmons, of Huron,
for St. Lawrence. A bond to indemnify
Mr.. Gross against loss was Immediately
put UP by residents of ST. Lawrence and
the case was carried to the supreme
court Of the state, where it is now pend
Ing.
INTERESTING DRAMA.
The history Of these two towns has
been an interesting drama, dating from
the early eighties. 1t has continued more
or less ever since, passing through two
bitter contests for the County seat of
Hand county, in which Miller was VIC
torious, and after being the basis of
strife between political parties and fac
tons.
These rival towns are located only two
miles apart on the Chicago & Northwest
ern railroad, between Huron and Pierre,
and at one time laid aside their rivalry
long enough to aspire for location of the
state capital between the two towns for
which purpose large body of land was
to be granted the state. But the old feel
Ing Of bitterness would not down and the
enterprise lacked the necessary concerted
action Its principal sponsor vas ex-St ate
Superintendent of Schools G. L. Pinkham
whose farm lies between the two towns
and was included in the proposed grant.
The town of Miller was laid out bv
Henry Miller and sons, w H and z 7
IN the fall Of 1881. They came from Ben
ton county, Iowa, with a colony Of TWEEN
ty-stx people The father and Oldest son,
w. H, have both passed away from the
field where they labOred so actively. E
J. Miller still lives in the town bearing
his name, and realizes his cherished homes
in the supremacy of Miller. over ST. law
renee as that once pretty and thriving
little city is now almost a thing Of the
past.
The beautiful site for a town on the
west banks of the ttmbered Turtle creal<
induced the purchase of the present To-
cation Of St. Lawrence by T J. Nichols
OF its original entryman G. w Savles
This occurred in March, 1882 Nickofs
was superintendent of the Dakota Cen
trail division Of the Chicago & North
western railroad. with headquarters at
Huron. His undue activity in the inter-
est of st. Lawrence was said to have
9een one Of the chief reasons for his
resignatiOn-hy request The TOWNSHIP
was then purchased by Porter Bros. and
E. A. Driver, of Chicago. The latter
was then, and IS now, a wealthy board
of trade man Of Chicago, and is the
present owner of what Is left of St.
Lawrence original town property.
State Senator John NJ King. Of ST
Lawrence, was an original government
settler on the east bank of Turtle creek
adjoining St. Lawrence, where he still
resides. He first obtained side track
and asked for a postoff1ce, to be named
after himself For some reason, prob
ably to avoid a duplication Of names
the postofice department declined the
name of King" but substituted the
Latin word, Rex" afterward changing
this to the present name-St Lawrence,
PICTURESQUE CHARACTER.
Senator King is one of the most pic
turesque characters in public life In South
Dakota. He came from Illinois. where