The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-07-09
Old SETTLERS PICNIC
WAS A BIG SUCCESS
From Tuesdays Dapv.

From Tuesdays Dapv.
Old settlers and young settlers gath
cred at Judd Cornell's grove I'm Old
Mapleton yesterday. the event being
the old settlers annual picnic, which
this year had been twice postponed
owing TO bad weather. but proved
more popular than ever. coming as Il
did ON the holiday following the
Fourth. when everyone was pleasure
seeking. With the day cool and clear
and ideal for motoring or out door ex
cursions of any kind, the people lo)a
advantage of the holiday for miles
around. and came in all sorts of rehi-
Clcs and on foot, il being estimated
that about three thousand people at
tended the festivities during the day,
The Sterling Center bard furnished
splendid. music, the organization Icing
composed of young men from Sterling
and vicinity, well trained together, ard
their selections patriotic and inspiring.
The picnic continued all day, the
crowd beginning to arrive in the early
morning and staying until late after
noon. Various amusements and an en-
pertaining program added much to the
endowment Of the occasion. 4 ball game
was played by the teams of Sterling
Center and Amboy, resulting in vic
tprv for the boys from Sterling Center.
The program was opened with music
Nv the band. and the invocation was
given by Rev. Jones of Amboy. John
MCGregor of Mapleton delivered the
address Of welcome. which was re-
sponded To by Judge A. II. Pau, Sr..
Of MankatO. Duets were sung by
Misses Ardis Gilmore and Verona DietG
of Mapleton and n. NJ. Jones and Sid
ney Davies of Mankato. John Mac
beth uf this city entered his horse.
"SCuttip" in the frcc-fOr-aH horse
race and won second money, the first
winner being Texas Ralph, driven by
George Cooper of MapletOn.
The address of the day was deliver
cd by Hon. T. J. Knox of Jackson,
who spoke in part as follows:
Should a traveller unaCQuainted
with it's past history pass through
Southern Minnesota today and see its
prosperous and beautiful cities and
villages. provided and equipped with
modern improvements and cOnven-
stantial business blocks. and adorned
with fine public buildings: should he
travel through it's farming districts
and sec the prosperity there every
where apparCnt.-the well titled, well
stocked and productive farms, the
comfortable farm homes. furnished
with most of the conveniences and
many of the luNuries of our modern
civilization. and protected by bcauti-
full groves, all bearing evidence OF
ContentmCnt and the Astounding pros
perity. OF our people: should he see
and observe all OF the natural and ac
quired advantages which make the
Southern Minnesota Of today one of
the most favored regions to be found
on rarth.-he would. I fear, find II Diff
fCult To realize or we'll understand
the .hardships, disappointments and
disheartcning trials and experiences
Of IT'S pioneer settlers; yet there is
perhaps no part or the west where
the early scttlcrs-thc pioneers,
encountered greater obstacles. endur
cd more hardships. or met with more
serious disappointments and discour-
aEements than the first settlers Of
Southern Minnesota.
Organization Of Territory.
THE territory of Minnesota with
it's present eastern and southern
boundaries was organized in 1919. the
act creating the territory having beZ
come n law March 3. of that year. and
II is worthy OF note in connection
Herewith that had the boundaries of
the new state of Wisconsin been es-
tablished I'm accordance with the ac
ton of its constitutional convention,
all of the region east of the Mississip-
nj as far north as the mouth OF the
Rum river. thence in a direct line to
the rapids of the st. Louis river.
would have been a part of the state
OF Wisconsin. including the present
sites of the cities of ST. Paul and east
Minneapolis. But in admitting that
state such boundaries were rejected
by congress and the present lines
adopted.
Admittance Of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin was admitted into the
Union as 4 state on May %. 1SiS. and
at that time vas mainly wilderness.
There were considerable settlements
on Lake Michigan. on the eastern and
southern borders of the state and
some small trading establishments ON
the Mississippi and st. Croix rivers
and on Lake Superior but the exterior
portion of its immense territory, that
portion lying between such settle
ments on it's eastern and those on it's
western borders, was In the main an
unbrokcn wilderness. so that the
routes of travel TO reach the new ter