The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-25
TROUBLE ON TIE BORDER
CITIZENS OF MINNESOTA AND
SOUTH DAKOTA ENGAGED IN
STUBBORN FIGHT
ARISES OVER A QUARANTINE
Gov. Van SAINT, Appealed to as a
Mediator, Directs DR.. Bracken
to Sue for Peace
at Once.

The citizens of Traverse county, Min
nesota, and Roberts county, South Da-
kota, are at loggerheads on the matter
of quarantining against smallpox, and
Gov. Van SAINT and the state health de-
partment of Minnesota have been in
voked for aid in settling the difficulties.
Former Representative j. L. Scha n
and T. J. Leary, an attorney of Browns
Valley Traverse county, came to the
capitol yesterday with the burden upon
their hearts. They laid their case te-
fore the governor, DR.. Bracken, secretary
of the state board of health, and United
States Attorney r. G. Evans. The facts
were given a fair hearing, and 1T was dc-
cided for DIR. Bracken and a similar rep
resentative from South Dakota to meet
somewhere in the territory involved ana
endeav0r to effect a truce whereby nos
tilities would be prevented and the quar-
antine placed where it properly belongs.
Dr. Bracken will go out there at once,
and through Gov. Van SAINT the SoItn
Dakota authorities will be asked to Sc
lect a representative to confer with him.
The situation is simply case of one
county trying to get even with another.
Some days ago Browns Valley succeeded
in getting quarantine placed aga nse
its South Dakota sister town, Whlcn Is
in Roberts county. The two towns, Whlcn
are the centers of their respective c9un-'
ties that border on the state line, a Q
but fourteen miles apart, and ike many
country towns with no greater Instance
between them, nourish little jealousy
for each other This feeling was aggra-
waited when the quarantine was placed
against Sisseton AS retallatory meas
ure Sisseton got released from the quar-
antine but placed all the remainder VI
Roberts county under the ban. The Cd
iect of this, according to the statement
of Messrs Schain and Leary, pe-
come obvious when it is known that d
large mart. if not all of that territory, is
tributary to the town of Browns NaHey.
Under the authority of the county
board of health of Roberts county,
guards have been stationed along TIE
state line to prevent any persons from
crossing and as a result CT these police
regulations two residents of Minnesota,
who tried to go over into Roberts county,
South Dakota, were seized and placed
under arrest in Sisseton, where they
still languish The fact is, according
to the two representatives from Browns
valley, that in quarantining the county
OF Roberts, between Sisscton and
Browns valley, the South Dakota peo-
pie have shut off a large amount of
trade from Browns Valley. and have in
many other ways interfered with the
commerce and industry of that section
thelr trading in Browns Valley. now are
I"rced TO go to Sisseton or stay at home
LOT lhey cannot cross the state line hut
ian &c 10 Slsseton, which is now free
rom the quarantine. Many other farm
ers ilVlng in Minnesota have ranches in
Sol'tn dakota, and are thus prevented
from reaching them, thereby being de-
layed IN getting in their crops which are
already quite late. This TT is held.
VII! result In great financial injury,
ana the men who have come to ST PAM
alIlrm that it is all done for pure snite
ASKED where the smallpox really ex.
lsted, Messrs. Schain declared that r.
was wa, IN the town of Sissetons and not IN
the country Intervening between that
place and Browns Valley The gentlemen
ooth point out that the injustice of the
regulation is apparent when it is con-
sldered that the very section that is in
rested by the disease is left free from
quarantine, and that where the scourga
oees rot exist is placed under legal re-
stficticns
IT is feared that unless some amica hIe
settlement can be speedily reached bv
the authorities from the two states
actlVe trouble will ensue, as the feeling
at Browns Valley seems to be growing
ana II the situation is rightly represent.
ed that at Sisseton is not so very calm.