The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1900-08-15
HE REDWOOD GAZETTE.
BY AIKEN & scHMAHL.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST Is, 1900
FOSTER WINS At vEsTA.
Railroad Company Gives Him ar
Elevator Site There.

of-way in Vesta for the elevator
they have erected on the tract deed
ed to them by Joseph McGeough
several months ago. This piece OF
information comes from the railroad
and warehouse commission,
It appears that Mr.. Foster has
been making divers and sundry
kicks to the commissioners ever
since the company maliciousIy
pulled down the uncompleted eleva-
tor last winter. At last the com
missioners decided to investigate
the matter, and notice was served
on all of the parties interested that
a commissioner or two would be in
| Vesta last Tuesday In pursuance
Of that notice P. NJ: Ringdahl, one
of the commissioners and A. K.
Teisberg, secretary, appeared in
Vesta on the early train. Joining
them at Sanborn was Mr.. Abbott of
the law firm of Brown & Abbott of
Winona, attorneys for the railroad
company, and Fred. n. Stewart, as
sistant superintendent. When the
party arrived at Vesta the repre-
sentatives of the railroad company
asked Mr.. Foster to select site or
their right-of way, and when Foster
selected the same the officials in
formed him that a lease for the
same would be made out at once and
that he might move his elevator to
the same at once. The politeness of
the officials Jared Mr.. Foster con-
siderably. and the railroad commits
sion officials observed that their
services were not needed to bring
about harmony between the indie
pendent buyers and the railroad
company.
The readers of The GAZETTE will
remember the history of this trans
action. Some time last winter Eos
ter & Miller made written applica-
ton to the company for the priyi-
lege of erecting an independent els-
vator on its right of-way AS soon
as the written application was
made out the firm selected site
just east Of the stock yards and
commenced work erecting the build
ing. They claim that they had oral
permission from the company's
agent to go ahead with the work.
When the building was about half
completed the officials were APP
prised OF the work that was going
on. They ordered an engine and a
crew of men to Vesta, with chains,
hooks, ETC., and on arriving there
the crew was ordered to destroy
the uncomplt ted building They
gathered up the tools Of the elevator
employees, placed them in trunks
or in a pile still further east and
then fastened two chains to the
building. The ends of the chains
were fastened to the tender of the
locomotive. Two good puffs and a
move forward of the engine, left
nothing OF the partially completed
elevator but huge pile Of broken
lumber. The hooks and chains
were released and the engine and
crew moved back to Sanborn.
There was blood on the North
| western in Vesta for a long time
after that Business men and
farmers all swore vengeance and
Foster & Miller suggested suit
for heavy damages for the malicious
destruction of personal property,
and their claim was filed with the
Northwestern, where it has since
| remained, without suit being COM
menced.
When Messrs Ringdahl and Teis-
berg appeared in Vesta, after the
site had been selected, Mr.. Foster
insisted that the company should
reimburse his firm for damages
caused by the destruction Of his
property. Mr.. Stewart and the at
torney contended that the company
could not consider the claim for the
reason that the work on the build.
ling was commenced and carried or
without permit from the company
and hence Foster & Miller had ne
business there. Mr.. Ringdahl sus
tanned this action on the part OF the
railroad company, and it is prob
l able that the matter is now settled
for all time.