The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-08-18
TALKS OF FORMER
DAYS IN MANKATO
"REMINISCENCES TOLD BY
SEVERAL SPEAKERS
DINNER WAS ENJOYED
Hon. Charles johnson Delivered
Fine Address Officers
Were Reelected

uOudlly inc dNlcuudhSS hiai hSo iSE
ritorial Old Settlers Picnic day,
yesterday. at Sibley Park. as one
Of the most delightful picnics yet
held.
The picnic grounds presented az
beautiful sight, with flags Tying
over the heads of everyone, who was
busily engaged in eating picnic
goodies at twelve o'clock. A plat
form had been erected on which a
piano was placed. together with
chairs for the singers. and in fronts
and to the sides in a semi. circle,
the members and friends Of the So
ciety were seated.
2After the meeting was called to
order by the president, Judge Lorin
CRAY, Rev George F. Arlington OF
this city gave the invocation. The
Mankato quartet, as well as the
Garden City quartet were SUPPOSED
to have been present, but could not
be there, so the Garden City quar-
tet rendered several selections
by everyone. Day is Dying in the
West, Garry Me Back to Old Vir-
einny, and Annie Laurie were among
the old favorite numbers which they
sang. Rev. Almstead, who is visit
ing in Garden City. delighted the
audience with a rendition of When
You and l were Young, Maggie,
and several comedy numbers, &C
companying himself on the guitar.
- Coming Of G. NJ. Palmer.
George NJ. Palmer was the first
speaker on the program, and he
rave a brief and interesting account
Of his coming to Minnesota in 1858
from the state OF Maine. He and
q TrnECa
Wis, to Mankato with a team OF
horses. He went TO Garden City TO
make his home and stayed there
for ffye years. Mr.. Palmer said that
in those DAYS he worked in the
Garden City drug store for five dol :,
lars a month which was later raised
to twelve and which was considered
a p<incely salary for young fellow.
The height of ambition in those
DAYS was for a party of boys to get
a Sleigh and a girl and go TO some
farm house where a spelling bee
could be held. In closing Mr.. Pal
mer said that mo one can reahZe
the difference of business methods
who does not remember them years
~. The slip shod manner of do
+ ir- business in those days would
r-.,t one in the poor house in short
.leT. There IS no sense in saying
- times used to be better. They
rot. II behooves US 10 live In
present and look to the future.
should strive always to make
--orId better and not to think
s-vs gone by were better in
- wav.
talk BY William Hall.
"-iu'au' Hail. the next SPEAKER on
~ program. lame to the state in
'oi-. and then moved to Sterling.
interesting part of Mr.. Hall
TX was the description Of the ball
game which Sterling played against
TIE Vernon Center nine in the Ole
DAYS. He told about an improyisea
bat " hich that team used and wnlch
always resulted in a home run. The
final score was 12S to 81 in favor OF
Vernon Center. He said that out
of the ball nine there are now but
three living. Meetings OF the old
settlers" said Mr.. Hall. ARE the
bright spots of life. where we may
meet for a few short hours and talk
over old times and old acqualn
stances.
.Tbe Indian Massacre OF 1852
was an original poem written and
recited BY Mr.. Price of Cambria.
Mrs. Fillmore Mills of Garden
civ. one of the old settlers, came
10 Minnesota from Wisconsin IN
1883. with her parents. They drove
Win an OK team to .Mankato, which
nf that time consisted Of ten houses
Tbey forded the river and started
farm about six miles from this city
The discomforts of the pioneer nome
we're described. the myriads OF mos
duftos, the frequent forest ano
- rHr00nnf mon :
ace of hostile Indians, all these and
MANY more things went to make
No the life of the pioneers.
Because Of the fact that there
vas no bridge across the Mime
sota river and the waters were verJ
high, Mrs. Mills father had to drive
to ST. Peter fourteen miles away tf
A most eloquent and interesting
paper was read by Mrs. o. w. HeaIy
of Napoleon. She was born in tine
house I'm which she still lives. anc
she gave descriptions OF the de
lights of childhood days, when the
piums, haxthorns, berries. and fruits
n an Kinds, were ripe. An exciting
incident she related was OF hei
mother coming home from neigh
bors to find the kitchen door open
and as she approached the kitchen
she heard a cultural growl. u
course. anyone would have beer
frightened to death. for immediatel!
she Thought II must be an Indian
what was her surprise and rehef u
see their only pig crawl out from
under the table. Other equally a!
Interesting stories were related b!
Mrs. Healy.
"reminiscences by Charles
johnson OF Brainerd were exceed
iugjy fascinating. Mr.. Johnson wa!
horn in Mankato sixty three year.
ago. His home was where the Rlch
ards building is now located. HI
attended the school in Mankato ant
Vas. present when the thirty eigh
Sioux Indians were hung. Mr.. John
son said that he could not look a
the old Minnesota river withou
seeing steamboats, coming up IL!
broad stream. and, the people rush
ing down to the pier, for in those
days that was one of the events o
the city. The circus, Fourth OF July
THANKSGIVING were the only holi
DAYS that one could look forward to
though marbles, swimming, cooninl
watermelons and other delights
added TO the happiness OF thos'
days. Mr.. Johnson deplored IN
fact that in these days young people
do not seem to be so contente'
with simple enjoyments and mus
an 6ny