The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-05-11
Dakota County Seat War Comes
to Abrupt End.
PENNINGTON PULLS OUT.
All Will Love One Another Now; Con-
test Closes After a Spirited
Campaign Of Mon hs.

Hastings, May 5.--When the board of
county commissioners of Dakota cOun-
| tv. now in session to consider the petit
this city to the village of Pennington,
adjourned at 6 to 1870 last evening, it
looked as though the final action of the
board would not be taken until some
time next week The interest of spec
tators Jagged to large extent, there
fore, and there were few present tonight
to witness the most remarkable termina
ton of county seat controversy in the
history of Minnesota.
Gen f. c. Childs, senior counsel for
the petitioners, arose, and, after con
gratulaintg each side upon carrying on
fierce, manly and spirited battle, stated
that the efforts of the Hastings workers
had succeeded in reducing the number of
signers on the petition below the statu-
tory number of signers and that there
fore the petitioners would abandon the
petition. In doing this he stated that
his clients yielded to the necessities of
the occasion, and having been beaten,
desired to own up and congratulate the
victors on their energy and success.
p. H. O'Keefe, associate counsel. fol
lowed i'm Il similar vein. Senator Schall-
er was greatly surprised ;r the situa
ton, but congratulated &c petitioners
on their work and his city on the issue.
Mr.. Knox, who was counsel also in the
recent county seat fight at jackson, said
turn in events was Il great surprise
lated all parties. He stated that in his
Judgment, county seats were not worth
their cost to the petitioners.
|. A. Heirick, on behalf of the county
seat committee, thanked the commits
sioners for their impartial consideration
of the case through five days, and re.
minded Hastings of its promise to the
withdrawers from the petition that re-
pairs TO the Jail at a small expense
would make it satisfactory for many
years.
After the remarks the papers were
prepared for the board to certify its
| findings, and tomorrow the final action
in the matter will come with the sign
ing of the statement by the board as to
the names withdrawn.
This contest began the latter part of
January with the publication and post
| ing of notices that on and after Feb.
IA a petition would be circulated asking
for an election on the question of the
removal of the county seat to Farming
ton. From Feb. ii to April 10, when
the petition was signed, some eighty
voters, representing the best citizens of
the townships in the county, circulated
petitions and there was filed at Hast
iings on April 10, petition bearing the
names of 5000 taxpayers.
From April 10 to April 80, the day
the board began its consideration of the
petition, many more of the leading citi-
zens of Hastings set out to get powers
OF attorney to withdraw petitioners
from the petition. In this they were
successful. securing 1871 such papers. The
Pennington people went out after revo.
cations of the power of attorney and
procured l25 revOcations. TO sustain
the petition required 200 names, or 60
per cent of the $500 votes cast at the
last general election. The Withdrawals
which were not secured by subsequent
revelations reduced the number on the
petition nearly to 2.400.