The Irish standard., 1907-11-09
GRACEVILLE:.


Pen Picture of a Bright Min
nesota Village.
Past and Present Of Big Stone
County Referred to.
Especial Editorial corrsspondenee.)
One Of the pretty little towns In the
western part Of Minnesota is
Graceville, situated in Big Stone coun-
ty. 1t was named after Bishop Grace
and was incorporated as a village in
1881. Previous to 81 about twenty
nine years ago, the first settlers took
up their homes there and amongst those
now brought to mind We're such men
as Morris Green. David Fahey, w. F.
o'Neil, William Nash, NJ. ]. Mcdonnell,
Richard Barry, Michael Shortall, Will
liam Nannery, James Hanlon, Patrick
Leonard, Edward Downs, R. A. Costel-
10, Edmund O'Connor, Patrick Conoby,
Martin Larkin, Patrick. Hayden, John
Keating, A. Lannon and John Gar
vey.
Commissioners appointed, by legis-
lative act, to organize village govern
ment, were w. F. O'NeiI, Domtnick
Burke and M. j. Mcdonnell: This
having been accomplished the first set
Of officers for Graceville were then
chosen as follows: President, NJ. J..
McDonnell; recorder, w. F. O'Neil.
John Barry, John Robinson and Frank
Rosenthal were selected as the first
board of supervisors, with Patrick
Meagher as town clerk. Some Of the
first men to engage in business were
Michael Shortall, groceries and sup
plies; M. ]. Mcdonnell, dry goods, gro
ceries and general merchandise; Co.'S
tello & O'Neil, hardware and general
merchandise; Burke & o'Loughlin, gen.
eral merchandise.
The present village officers are: M.
is. Stevens, mayor; H. T. Williams, re-
corder; T. p. Horner, H. w. Strong
and George Griffith, trustees. James A.
McRae is treasurer and M ]. Mcdonnell
is village justice. Some of those now
engaged in business are Grove Bros.
& Cregan, H.. j. Vollmer & Co., James
Sammon; general merchandise; M. D.
Hartnett. hardware; Robert Brennan,
meats; r. A. Costello, hardware: P. H.
Cauley, furniture, w. F. O'Neil, real
estate: Costello Bros, meats; Frank
Valesh, cigars: A. w. Lindberg, res
taurant; M. P. Moran, groceries; M. r..
Canty, insurance.; John P. Trainor,
drugs; IT. Keating, fuel.
The population of Graceville today is
estimated at about 1900. and from
whatever standpoint Of view it will
compare we'll with any town or village
in the state Of its size in general i'm
portance. There are two churches,
Catholic and Congregational. five ele-
vators, a 2o0-barrel flour mill and two
excellent banks, namely the Big Stone
County bank and the First National
The former is conducted by Andrew
O'Brien and the latter by John McRae
& Sons. Two railroads, the Great
Northern and Milwaukee, pass through
the village and there are various insti-
tutions and enterprises that are worthy
Of mention. A splendid hotel, the
Shannon, conducted by M. McShane,
formerly of Benson, is one of these. And
there's the newspaper field. The En-
terpfise, a creditable journal, indeed
and the Phoenix, both are good papers
The f1rst-named is conducted by
Messrs. Day and Atwood. with
the latter in charge Of Mrs. E.
M. Robertson. Graceville, too, has
a big high school to boast of.
a town hall and an opera house.
And last, but not least, are st. Mary's
female academy and convent buildings,
imposing structures, of which all the
people of Graceville may justly feel
proud. At the. academy are twelve
teachers and In the neighborhood of
three hundred scholars, many of them
from outside points. Both Holy Rosary
Church and the academy are situated
on stoddart avenue, the principal busi-
ness thoroughfare. North of stoddart
avenue are st. Peter, st. Paul, st. Jo-
seph and st. Mary's streets, while south
Of the same avenue are Parnell, Gar
field and Tofua streets. All the streets
thus mentioned are crossed by First,
Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and other
numbered streets to the boundary line.
Graceville itself is built on the bord-
ders Of a beautiful sheet Of water,