Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-06-19
OLD SETTLERS
ANNUAL. Al | SESSION
Memorial Is Authorized - LaWler
Makes a Great Speech. Con-
tests Make Fun.

tlon was in every way one Of the most
successful of the series. Fine weather,
a good crowd. and good program of
many features combined to make it an
The business session at the court
house was the best attended of any
such ever attended by the writer The
seats in the courtroom were we'll TAX
en-. The session was called to order
by President Andrew Larson Mayor
Wellin bid the Old Settlers welcome to
Willmar in a neat little speech, in
which he outlined the arrangements for
the entertainment Of the visitors The
secretary read the annual reports which
were approved. The Association has the
sum of $194.7S in the treasury.
The following were elected officers
for the ensuing year:
William Olson of Spicer, president
Hon. o. N. Grue of Willmar, 1st vice
president.
Hon. G. A. Glader of Atwater End
vice president.
A. O. Forsberg, secretary
A. N. Lewis, treasurer.
The matter Of erecting a suitable
memorial in the court house yard to
commemorate the victims Of the Indian
Outbreak and subsequent war was very
favorably received by the meeting. The
question was discussed by several of
those present and on motion Of j. c..
Freeberg of Whitefield it was unani-
mously decided that suitable memorial
be erected, and that the expenses be
betrayed by public subscription to be
taken in all the precincts of the coun-
ty. An executive committee Of seven
members was elected to have charge Of
the matter The members are V. E..
Lawson. A. H. Sperry, Nels Guam, John
Wicklund, Hon. G. A. Glader and Peter
Broberg. No attempt will be made to
erect this memorial in time for the f1f-
tieth anniversary Of the Outbreak which
occurs in August Plans will be made
by the executive committee perhaps in
time to be submitted to the people at
large this fall.
Secretary Forsberg was kept busy
taking dues of old members and enroll
ing new ones.
BY courtesy of the Willmar Motor
Club there were a sufficient number Of
autos on hand to take the members Of
X.
Here dinner was served in the pavilion
while the Willmar Military Band gave a
concert in a manner that was much ap-
preciated.
After dinner the members of the asso-
citation were grouped and photograph
was taken by G. A. Backlund.
The exercises in the auditorium began
little after two o'clock. Besides the
speakers, the following members Of the
association who had been in the county
before the Indian Outbreak were seated
on the platform: Mrs. W. H. Clark of
Irving, Mr.. Robert TAFT of Diamond
Lake, John Wicklund of Kandiyohi,
Thomas Mulcare Of Harrison, A. H.
Sperry of Willmar, William Olson of
Spicer.
After selection by the Willmar Mill
tary Band, Mr.. Andrew Larson, the
outgoing president, made his annual ad-
dress, which was an able effort. Mr..
Larson surprised the audience with his
talk, for owing to his innate modesty,
he has never before in his lifelong resi-
dence here been heard making public
address.
William Olson, as the newly-elected
president, made happy response.
Secretary Forsberg delivered the men,
orial address in the absence of Hon.
Henry Feig. Since last meeting six
members Of the association have passed
away-Thomas H. Olson, John P
Thompson, Louis Johnson, Louis Lar
son, John Olson, Hon. c. e. Johnson
The life Of each was sketched in brief.
V. E. Lawson read some bulletins from
the Chicago convention provided by the
Northwestern Telephone company, an6
read a brief paper on the victims the
Indian massacre in this county.
Mr.. A. H. Sperry gave some interest
ing "reminiscences from the early times
in the county.
The Willmar Glee Club rendered
where the Sweet Kentucky Flows ir
a manner which called for an encore
to which they responded with thai
sweet Swedish selection, "Naturen och
Hjartat."
The orator of the day, the Hon. Dan
iel w. Lawler, former mayor of st. Pau
and candidate for United States sen
ator, was introduced and sustained wei
his reputation as platform speaker
He has magnificent voice and the aud
ience listened with closest attention t.
brief notes from Mr.. LAWYERS remarks
I'VE have listened with interest t,
the able and instructive addresses O
your President, Mr.. Andrew Larson
your Secretary, Mr.. Forsberg, and Mr.. v
E. Lawson. These papers, together will
the address Of Mr. A. H. Sperry, shoul'
be preserved permanently in the rec
ords of your association and should b.
printed in the annual reports Of tn
State Historical Society. In years t.
come they will be valuable contribution
to the history of this commonwealth
and will be consulted with eagerness b.
future generations. The story of tn
Indian Massacre Of 1862 is not only o
significance and Importance to the Stat
of Minnesota, but is also an importan
chapter in the history Of our nationa
development. The fact that only f1ft.
years ago within a short distance o
where we meet were enacted scenes o
carnage without parallel in history, at
tracts our attention to some strikinI
and instructive features In the fascin
ating story Of our country.
This Was the Old World.
I'VE are accustomed to speak Of thi
Western Continent as the New Worlc
The term Is we'll applied when consid
cred with reference to civil institution
and governmental Development but i
other important respects this is the old
est of all the worlds. Our own Mime
sofa biologists and antiquarians hav
proved by the documentary evidence Q
the earth itself that this part of tn
North American Continent was inhat
~ hum mr.