The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1899-08-17
ST LAWRENCE SIDE
AIe.ter From Senator King, Civ
Ing the ST. Lawrence view.
ST. LAWRENCE, S. D. Aug. II.

Error PRESS In a. fecenU lssuc
OF your paper was an editorial Oh
the case now pending in the Supreme
Court. As the case is OF much inter-
est to many people OF Hand county
especially OF st. Lawrence and Mil
Ter, thought perhaps that 81.
Lawrence view OF the case would be
interesting reading to yoursubScrio-
ers.
This case is known in legal par
lance as st. Lawrence, ct, al, vs.
Peter Gross. Ii appers that Mr..
Gross purchased a brick store build
ing of James Dolan, and proposed
to tear it down, move it to Miller
and erect another out of the materi-
ais. 1t appears also that during
the boom days OF our early settle
ments that st. Lawrence, like many
other Dakota towns previous to the
hard times, had largely Over-built.
The hard times came and property
owners could realize on the origin
al cost not more than from 10 to
so cents on the dollar. During re-
cent years the farmers OF Hand
county engaged in dairying, cattle
raising began to prosper and IL de-
mand sprung up for empty buildings
of the towns, to be moved out to
farms and repaired up for farm
buildings. A lively trade sprang up
and and st. Lawrence was soon dl-
vested OF her surplus empty build
ings. 1t also appears that a law
firm conceived the idea OF Offering
Inducements to our business men to
move to Miller and take buildings
and belongings with them. One
man was pursuaded and went. The
Dolan brick was sold with the inten-
ton of following out the plans OF the
law firm. This building was one OF
the best business buildings OF the
town, well occupied and paying a
good rental on the investment.
The occupants received their legal
30 day notice to vacate and did So.
Imp ortant and grave questions
arose at once over the propositions
of the law firm. During the boom
days of the town there was the crea-
ton of a boom bonded and warrant
ed debt. This debt of bonds and
warra nts including interest amounts
now to about $4,000. Every lit
tie coupon that comes home annual
y from New York to be paid as in
terest bears the name of member
OF the above mentioned law firm,
who was at that time a citizen of ST.
Lawrence and an active member OF
it's board OF management, and as
sisted in creating the debt and ex-
pending the money. In their induce
ments to get our business men to
move to Miller no inducements were
held out to bring the debt along.
How was this debt to be disposed of
is the great question at issue now
before the courts. Ii the plans of
law firm are carried out this debt
will all be conferred upon three or
four farmers and they will have it to
pay or get out. 1t will amount to
C onfiscation. In other words their
only alternative will be confiscation
or reputation, there will be no sal
walton. To prevent this they must
act now. A man who will not pro-
tect and defend his home, humble
though it may be, against all foes is
unworthy OF the name OF American
citizen. You spoke of me as taking
an active part in the law suit. l
want the good people OF Miller to
k now why ! act. / have home and
( amily and if you think Twill not de-
fe nd them in time of danger ! will
deceive you. In the decision that
we recently got from Judge Gaffy it
was nominally against us, but in re-
alitY for us, if it should prove to be
good law. To state the case in SIM
pie language we tried to ascert tain
who should pay the debt against st.
Lawrence. The judges decision
am ounts tn this. Real nrOnarty