The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-26


streams and lakes. Lying between the
park region and the Red river valley it
partakes of the characteristics of each,
and therefore very desirable country.
The people who live there believe in it
and like it, and well they may, for it
has made many of them rich. 1t is a
splendid agricultural region, and uni
versal thrift is visible in the town and
on the farms. Groves of trees are to be
seen around many of the country
homes, the foresighted farmers thus
providing comfort, shade and fuel. And
the lakes are resorts during the sea-
sons for anglers and duck hunters,
and every year new crops of stories of
exploits with hooks and guns are
sprung upon the community.
The county has population of 1885
by the census of 1900, but conservative
estimates now place it at 10000. The
first census that of 1870, gave it $40
population. There are 339,232 acres of
land on the assessors books, valued at
1886 an acre. The total valuation of
all lands, town lots, etc., is $3,433, 058.
The rate of taxation is low, only being
~ mills, few counties having as low a
rate 1t has no bonded Indebtedness,
the schools being the principal source
Of expense, and it is money well ex-
pended. The county is in the Fifty
seventh legislative district, the Six
teenth judicial district and the Sew
enth congressional district Political
ly the county is very much Republican,
about as is to 1. The county was
named for Gen. U. S. Grant.
County Seat War.
In the organization of the county
Elbow Lake was selected county seat,
but Herman had a longing for the
honor, and in an election won it by a
majority of six votes. The records
We're brought over, a court house was
built, costing the township about S.
0OO. Pending its completion the rec
ords were placed in temporary quar-
tiers and guarded for fear that threats
by Elbow Lake people to forcibly take
them back might be carried out. The
matter was finally taken into court,
Knute Nelson appearing for Elbow
Lake. The court house, that was never
officially occupied, burned in 1899, a
building then known as Stoneburg's
opera house.
Herman was laid out in 1871 by the
st. Paul & Pacific railway. and incor-
porated ten years later. 1t was named
for Hermann Trott, the first land COM
missioner of the road. The sign on the
first depot read HERMANN" but the
final M was dropped later. The first
settler and merchant was S. FrogneI,
who came about two months ahead OF
the railway He is still living in the
town, which he has seen change from
a virgin prairie to prosperous COM
munity. The first postmaster was
Hans Prydz, who held the Office from
1872 to 1881. The creamery built sew
eral years ago is now operated by the
Crescent Creamery company, of st.
Paul, with F. E. White as manager. It
is the purpose of the new management
to enlarge it and handle cream from
outside points. Another important in
dustry is the Touring mill of 150-barreI
capacity, owned by the Phoenix Mill
company, of Minneapolis, w. F. Scho-
Der being resident manager. It has q
5O,0O0-buShel grain elevator in connec-
ton. The mill runs day and night, and
then cannot meet the demand for Her.
mans Best xxx flour.
For time Herman was terminus Of
the railway and supplies went from
there to other budding towns, military
posts and Indian agencies, many miles
away In all directions. The first hotel
was put up by a son of the Gould sod"
whose name has been lost in the shuttle.
of events. The building, however, still
stands and is occupied by Netlands
shoe store, on Atlantic avenue, opposite
the Great Northern depot. In the early
days trapping fur-bearing animals con-
II 1UotCu " TIE lIlCOIU6 OIL the settlers.
The town grew slowly, the country
getting a setback by storm in Janu-
airy, 1873, when the cold, the wind and
the snow brought disaster and death
to many of the prairie jewellers, and
the event is still date line among old
timers.
Herman's First Paper.
The first paper was the Herald, start
ed in 1878 by A. j. Whiteman, one of
his successors being A. De Lacy Wood.
A. c. Belyea took the plant to Elbow
Lake, where it is now owned by w. H
Goetzinger. The Enterprise, now in its
seventeenth year, was established by
d. w. Randall, now secretary of the
Minnesota State Agricultural society,
publishing it from his office at Morris.
where he owned the Tribune. Miss
Nellie Jacobs, well known for her edi-
torial ability and independence, has
had control of it for some years. The
Review, of which G. P. Mcpherson is
editor, is now in its fourth volume.
With these two papers Herman is well
represented.
Gen. T. H. Barrett, well known
figure in state history, whose estate Of
10000 acres stretches over into Stevens
county, was active in promoting the
best interests of the town during his
lifetime. G. A. Smith, of Minneapolis,
prominent IN politics, finance, ETC., lived
In Herman twenty-five years ago en-
gagged in the lumber business. C. f.
Washburn, formerly well known in
business and political affairs, once lived
in Herman, and represented the county
in the legislature.
The first grain elevator at Herman
was built in 1874. At that time the
elevator companies did not buy grain.
merely handling it. The grain was
bought by the merchants. Herman was
a good market, and farmers came from
points as distant as Evansville and
Alexandria.
The Pullman house was built by
Charles Pullman in 1874. The lake adj
joining the village also bears his name.
The first school was opened in the
same year. with six pupils; the present
enrolment is over 20O The first
church, Methodist, was organized in
1879.
There is large farming country
tributary to Herman, with no other
town near by to dispute it's control.
The merchants appreciate this
and maintain the trade by dealing
literally with customers. There are
many farmers who began without
means who are rich. making every dol
L. L