Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-09-02
A Trip Through the County x
BY THE EDITOR.


of this drawback people are holding
onto their farms in way that should
set d good example to people of town.
ships more for tunatety situated as to
markets, but who do not seem to ap-
preciate when they have good thing.
Those we spoke to on the subject
placed the present value of land in
Norway Lake at S45 an acre and up
wards. The name of the township is
no misnomer.- The population is
solidly of Norwegian extraction. One
or two Swedish people reside within
the township, but. they have acquiesced
to the fitness of the situation by Sc
'lecting Norwegian mates.
We arrived at the home of County
Commissioner John j. Week Tuesday
morning last in our search for Off
cial and historical data. Besides be-
ing a member of the county board,
Mr.. Week is town clerk and clerk of
school district No. s.. We found Mr..
Week having his first experience in
harvesting flax. The official records
kept us busy at taking notes all day.
The Week family treated us kindly
and Hospitality.
In the evening we drove up to the
fine home of Even o. Glesne in Sec.
p. The Glesne family was the first
to settle within the boundary of What
is now Norway Lake, and Berthe, the
first daughter-now Mrs. Rev. John
Halvorson-was the first white child
born within the township. Mr.. Glesne
is cousin of the Railsons, who settled
three or four miles south of where Mr..
Glesne lives. Living on his original
homestead, Mr.. Glesne acquired con-
siderable adjoining real estate, pos
sessing at one time title to about $50
acres. He has sold farms to his sons
Ole and Elmer. At present he is erect
ing a new fine residence in which he
expects to reside. Mr.. Glesne has
been clerk of school district No. 20
since the time of its organization in
1859 and we secured notes from the
records of the same during the even
ing. The .Glesne's are all whole
souled and pleasant people, to meet.
Elmer, Who is married to a young lady
of sweet disposition, lives on the farm.
Miss Geoline, the youngest daughter,
lives at home with her parents. Elmer
spoke of the fine duck pass between
two neighboring lakes and generously
invited us to come and share the sport
of shooting with him when the ducks
will be flying. "Colonel' Glesne,
who has a position at H. J. Dale's
store at Renville, is, at home for a
vacation-giving a helping hand in
the harvest. Stacking was in pro-
gress and the cutting of fax had be-
gun. For the latter purpose an old
style reaper is found to be the most
serviceable. Dairying is an import
ant factor on the Glesne farm, as it is
on all of the Norway Lake farms, and
the hum Of the cream separator is
heard regularly morning and evening.
In the morning we bid farewell to
our hospitable friends, and departed
for the northwestern part of the town.
ship. Our next stop was at the home
of Ole Rindahl, clerk of school dis
trict No. u. Mr.. sRindahl had his
blowing we'll under way. He kindly
assisted US in gathering the informa-
ton obtainable regarding his school
district, and his mother treated us to
an early and bountiful dinner. After
dinner we proceeded on our way, en-
tering upon the roughly billy districts
of the town. We called at the resi-
dence of Peter Peterson, but found
that he was stacking grain farther on
our way. On the edge of the grove
below his place we paused to get a
view which illustrates the difficulty OF
making roads through this country.
In Norway Lake,, as in other towns,
q great deal of attention has been
given OF late towards improving and
straig htening the roads and situaI-.
ton that few years ago would have
been considered impracticable is now
attempted and conquered. Across the
creek We found Mr.. Peterson at work