Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-06-22
ANDERSON BROS.


ing the gentlemen at home. Turning
back We soon passed the Rieff lake and
arrived at the Highland farm, or the
Maier homestead. Here the widow OF
William Maier: the latter an early
settler and veteran of many of the
most holly contested battles of the
Civil war, resides with Eve of her Chill.
dren, three sons and two daughters.
One OF the sons, August, is clerk of
school district No 3, as we'll as
pathmaster of the road district. We
were made welcome to remain for
dinner. The old lady related some of
the hardships OF early pioneer life.
For three years they had been obliged
to get along without COW. At one
time Mr.. Maier had been obliged to
trade of his gold watch for a barrel
OF -four, the latter being quoted at $40
at the time.
From the Maier home We wendell our
way eastward. We passed the town
ship gravel pit This town 10 doing
some good road work. Large numbers
of teams were engaged at hauling
gravel onto the roads In various parts
of the town.
Our next stop was at the German
Lutheran church property. We made
brief call at the parsonage. The
Rev. Erthal has furnished US the facts
concerning this church organization.
With less than forty voting members
this church Is doing work that merits
the admiration of anyone interested
in church work. In addition to sup.
porting their pastor they have per-
manent school teacher. German
school is in progress nearly ten
months in the year. Besides the Ger
man, all the common English branches
are taught, and when the pupils have
finished the work of this school they
are eligible to admission to any high
school. The buildings upon the
church property include fine church
edifice costing IS, 900, school house,
tho parsonage and q residence for the
parschisl school teacher, the last
named building being erected during
the past year. A pipe organ was
placed in the church in 1891, the nrst
instrument of the kind brought into
the county.
Passing within q mile of Atwater
village, we found the road leading
westwardly, south OF the Diamond
Lake woods. This stretch of timber,
around and among Thomas Lake,
Wheeler Lake, Schultz or Silkers
lake and Diamond Lake, Is in plain
view to the hundreds of passengers
that daily pass through on the Great
Northern q couple of miles to the
south. As one drives along the wagon
road one catches occasionally through
an opening of the woods and over the
smaller and more shallow lakes, q
glimpse OF the deep blue waters OF
Diamond Lake.
Our next stop was at the home oil
Mrs. P. D. O'Phelan, on the south
shore of Diamond Lake. Mrs. O'Phe.
Ian is the clerk of school District No
81. The schoolhouse in this district
burned down several years ago, and
school has since been held at Mrs.
OPTICIANS residence. A new site h Of
been purchased now, however, and q
new schoolhouse will shortly be
erected across the road from where
the old one stood.
Continuing westward, we secured on,
first good view OF Diamond lake from
q promontory east of Adam Tait't
place. Grouped on the southwest or {
OF Diamond lake lie the Zoe home
steads OF the four TAFT brothers, John
Adam, James and Robert. Sturdy
sons OF old Scotland, these fine ole
gentlemen carry their three score ani
ten years with honor. From Z family
that has made the sheep husbandr,
their business for century or more
back, the sheep industry is On import
ant branch on the TAFT farms, attic
Mr.. John Tait informed US that thu
increasing number OF prowling wolves
during the. late years 10 . great hand
cap to the industry and prevents tn.
expansion of the same. 1t is q pecu
liar fact that wolves do more damap,
to the sheep nov than when the coun
try WAS wilderness. It was our eooi
fortune to be entertained Ut tho HON,
OF John TAFT during the evening ant
over night. Seated on the verands
facing the lake, which from this poin
presents = view OF Incompatible beau
ty, we sat during the soft June even
ing enjoying chat with the member,
Of this family, whose good nature ani
kindness 10 q synonym in these part,
for Ill that the word hospitality i'm
plies. ~ -
In the morning 10 continued on,
trip around the lake, securing seyora
tlne views. Whist adds to the besuty