The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-09-10

be a two story building with base
, ment. The second story will be used
for living apartments and the base
ment for general shop work.
G. w. Braden's new residence is
being rapidly completed. and the roof
Is almost finished. II will be n great
| improvement over the old home.
Mrs. f. j. Russell moved into her
new home which she purchased of
/ Mrs. Tammany. and Mrs. Tammany
has moved into the new home she
bought of Mrs. Josie Cummins.
A. II. Pressne1rs house, which he
purchased of Henry Jourgeson. has
been raised two feet. A new wall OF
the Radical cement blocks makes n
/ fine finish. He has dug a new cellar
and walled IT up with cement blocks.
and all together made the place into
a desirable little home.
There is considerable difference Of
opinion regarding the ditching of Eagle
Lake. There Is a petition out to ditch
the lake. and q remonstrance against
Il. and the agitation runs high. Just
what benefit II will be to a few to
drain the lake remains To be seen. II
II is drained the general public will
be deprived of a favorite place for
fishing. hunting and boating. and ice
cropS The beautiful stream OF water
running through the village, provid-
ing water for man and beast. and its
stock of nice fish, will be a thing of
the past. The general public is in
dignant and at fighting heat at 'the
talk OF ditching the lake. II Is thought
that II the lake is ditched the stag
nant POOLS that will remain and the
odor of the debris at the bottom of
the lake after theswater is drained of
will render the country for miles
around in an unhealthy condition.
Some of the old settlers OF Blue
Earth county, especially the old and
respected citizen. Benjamin Ray.
would like to know how and by whom
this town happened to be called lie
Ray. The present towns of lie Ray
and jamestown were formerly one. be-
ing six miles wide, and nine miles
long. This was I'm territorial days.
When the towns were divided lie Ray
was first called Spere. after n Ger
man town. Mr.. Berris. an old time
settler. suggested the name TO the
then acting board. At the election
following Mr.. William Cole presented
the name of LeRay, which was adopt
ed and ratified by the voters. The
name LeRay is q compound word. lie
or Leh was the capital of Lauakh or
middle Tibet, a city of 5000 to 10000.
ut an altitude of 800 feet. The
name Ray. or as IL was sometimes
spelled, Wray. was the name OF an
eminent naturalist, who ranked high
as a botanist and when York state
was settled the surroundings of a
most lovely spot suggested the name
LeRay William Cole. being n resi-
dent OF LeRay. y. Y, before settling
in this township. no doubt after view
ing the beautiful forest, thought the
name LeRay would be most appropri-
ate for this place. A beloved old resi-
dent has furnished most of this in
formation, Mr.. VI. ID. Mcnamara, now
ninety years old. the Oldest settler
now living i'm LeRay, who has lived
here for the past ffty-nine years, and
Is still living on the old homestead.
which he pre-empted I'm the fifties. He
is an authoritative source OF knowl-
edge as To words and their meanings.
Mr. and Mrs. J. l.. Cummins and
Mr. and Mrs. =. Il. Anderson autoed
TO Minneapolis and st. Paul Sunday.
where they will take i'm the state fair.
Joseph Langeurker has opened up
the barber sh@ OF this place And
everybody reports him doing good
work.
Ben Burgess. who is working for the
Northwestern Telephone company, is
spending Sunday and Monday with his
parents. Mr.. and Mrs. Charley Bur
CESS.
Mr.. and Mrs. Clint Chapman and
son Oren and Mr.. and Mrs. Harry
Craighead of Randall. Mimi. autoed
tn Eagle Lake. where they spent Sat
urday and Sunday with Mrs. George
Garrison.
Miss Grace stevens of Dodge Cen
ter arrived here Monday. She will
stay with her aunt, Mrs. John Hough
falling. and go to school here this
winter.
Miss Caroline Arnold and Mr.. Os-
car Swanson autocd To ST. Peter Sun
day.