Springfield, Bon Homme Co., SD Centennial Book

	This file contains part of the full text of the book, 
	"Springfield South Dakota Centennial July 1970", pages 115-123.

	Scanning and OCR by Joy Fisher, sdgenweb@yahoo.com This file 
	may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use.

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	Permission to post the full text of this book granted by
	the editor of the Springfield Times. 

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm


Misfortunes and Oddities

JULY 12, 1888

	Charles Dahlenburg of Choteau Creek was doing business in town Tuesday 
morning. Mr. D. was heard to remark that he must hurry home and get to 
cultivating his corn, for it was growing so fast that if he stayed away many 
hours It would be so tall, he would be unable to get into the field again. 
Strangers in arriving here from the eastern rock bound states think it strange 
that there are no more farmers in town each day. But the truth is they dare not 
leave for any length of time at this season of the year, for fear of being 
unable to recognize their own farms on returning, as everything grows so fast.

MAY 22, 1889

	Fred Freyburg made a wager with Will Turner that he could eat 36 full 
grown oranges. Will was to pay for all the oranges if Fred could get them all 
down and keep them there until after supper. This Fred did and was quoted 
saying, "There is nothing about me that resembles a swine, but I do love 
oranges." Will Turner says he wouldn't bet that Fred couldn't eat a ton of hay 
in 4 days.

JULY 21, 1890

	City Council met to receive bids on boring an artesian well. Three bids 
were received. On Sept. 4, the decision was made to put down an 8 inch well on 
Oak Street between 8th and 9th streets. Sept. 11, the bid of Gray Brothers 
company of Milwaukee was accepted and they started to drill the first 8 inch 
well in the state. Work progressed through the fail of 1890. The first flow in 
the well was hit on December 25th, at a depth of 460 feet. Gray Bros. drilled to 
a depth of 590 feet and still had a strong flow. January 5, 1891, the City 
Council met with the Gray Brothers of Milwaukee, and accepted the well, and paid 
the bill of $3,282.23 total cost. The Council issued bonds in $100 denominations 
bearing 10% interest for 20 years subject to call before maturity. Mr. Bonesteel 
and Mr. Turner, who operated a mill in the vicinity of the well, put their force 
of laborers to work digging the ditch to the river to carry the run-off, or 
excess water from the well. Many wells were dug in the area immediately 
following the success with the Springfield well.

FEBRUARY, 1891

	Bonesteel and Turner remodeled their flour mill and put in a 16 inch solid 
brass turbine type water wheel to make use of the new artesian well flow Put in 
by the city. ibis enabled them to greatly increase their production, and thereby 
began selling flour to Uncle Sam in lots of 10,000 pounds at the Santee Agency. 
The Bonesteel and Turner mill burned down in 1916.

NOVEMBER 13, 1890

	The Springfield Brick and Tile Co. have just completed a kiln of about 
50,000 of the best brick ever made in this vicinity. George Mead has charge of 
the sale of the products of this company.

SEPTEMBER, 1890 
	City tax levy was placed at 10 mills.

NOVEMBER, 1890

	Equal suffrage was defeated, 113 to 52.

OCTOBER, 1890

	Markets of the day were- hogs $3.35; corn .30; wheat .70; flax $1.15; oats 
.30. The census of Bon Homme county was placed at 9040.

APRIL, 1891

	The Business Men's Association met and discussed the possible laying of 
water mains and establishing an organized fire department.

MAY, 1901

	Mr. A. Young is building a new Post Office building just east of the old 
one.

APRIL, 1901

	The City Council purchased two full blocks just south of the school house 
for a city park. Citizens are asked to donate trees and shrubs. A small donation 
from every citizen of the city would make an improvement that would be the pride 
of future generations.

JUNE, 1895

	Sam Henderson has commenced work on a cement walk In front of his 
residence, and will use Yankton cement. Now that this thing has been fairly 
started, we may expect to see the majority of our sidewalks built of this 
material in the future.

THE SPRING OF 1881

	The spring of 1881 was a very hard one for the pioneers of Springfield. 
The railroad was blockaded, and no trains were able to enter the town from 
January 19, 1881, through May 20.

	The March third edition of The Times said: "The railroads yet remain 
blockaded, and not a train since the 19th of January. This is not all--there is 
no prospect of its being opened. The agent here tells us that the company's snow 
plows are all more or less injured and most of them ruined, and when the road is 
opened it must be done by shovelers. Last week something like 200 men were 
employed between Running Water and the Junction and made good progress during 
the few pleasant days, but the storm of yesterday has undone their work and 
filled up the cuts again. The road now presents one continuous snow bank."

	During this time the residents were without sugar, some were lucky if they 
had syrup.

	Following these snow storms a severe flood hit the area in March, 1881.

	The scene presented to the eye was beyond description-water as far as the 
eye could reach from the high ground on which Springfield is located. The raise 
struck here on March 29, 1881, and the bottom land was covered by one continuous 
sheet of whirling, seething icy water. Looking from the hilltops houses were 
seen floating down the river with people sitting on top of them. A dead body was 
seen flowing by Running Water. Minor damage was reported at Running Water. The 
town of Niobrara across the river was covered with water and all that could be 
seen was the tops of the housetops sticking out.

	Following this flood in March a cloudburst hit the area in May. Three 
railroad bridges over Emmanuel creek were washed away by this flood, besides 
many other bridges In the area when Emmanuel creek flooded. Two men, John 
Armstrong and Patrick Keefe, railroad section men, met their death in this flood 
and a small building near the depot was carried away.

	Several of the houses in the small town of Meadsville, which was located 
by the Springfield depot, had water in them and their occupants had to get on 
the roof. One of the men that drowned was on top of a house which a few minutes 
later washed away.

	In the last week of June, 1881, a windstorm and furious rain hit the area 
again.

	The 80-mile-an-hour wind seemed to swoop down into the lowest spots with 
the greatest fury. A number of railroad cars standing on the track were forced 
along until running against some loaded ones when a regular collision took place 
in which some of the cars were damaged and three of them were thrown from the 
track.

	The tin roof of the Mead building was nearly torn off, damaging the 
building to a total of $300. One other building was pushed from its foundation 
and the depot suffered the loss of a chimney.

	Later in the Times it was noted that the townspeople of Meadville were 
moving their buildings up the hill to Springfield. Due to the friction in the 
two towns, the townspeople of Springfield paid for the moving of George Mead's 
hotel, which was moved to Springfield and set up for business.

BLIZZARD OF JANUARY, 1888

	The blizzard of January 12, 1888, was one of the worst that ever hit this 
area. Coming as it did in the wake of a beautiful morning, the storm caught many 
away from home and unprepared.

	Hundreds of cattle and horses were driven by its fury, many miles from 
shelter to be drifted in and found weeks afterward as frozen carcasses in the 
melting snow.

	The storm began about noon on January 12. Schools were in progress and 
Bessie W. Thomas' father was afraid that the teacher of their school, who was a 
young man from the east, would dismiss school. Assuring himself that no team 
could be persuaded to face the storm, he went on foot to the school house.

	Fortunately the Thomas barn was connected with yards joining the pasture 
fence which ran to their school yard. By means of this fence he made his way to 
the school. When he arrived he was completely powdered by snow. There were only 
five pupils present that day, as the school was a small one. Bessie was nearly 
13 at this time. Mr. Thomas, remembering hearing of storms lasting for two or 
three days, thought it would be best to take Bessie and the three neighbor 
children home as there was no supply of food in the school. The teacher, who had 
a pony, decided to take the larger boy and try to reach his home.

	They started out on what could of been their deathwalk. The smallest girl, 
Katie Flanigan, took Mr. Thomas' hand. Bessie had a hold of her father's left 
and Bell and Jim Flanigan held onto her.

	In this way they followed the wire fence home. As they were on the south 
side of the fence the wind kept blowing them away from it and Mr. Thomas kept 
guiding them back. Added to this he had difficulty in keeping his face clear of 
ice for the snow collected over his eyes, mouth and nose.

	In a fence corner near the barnyard they became confused and were 
uncertain as to which direction to go until they spied a hayrake that they could 
almost have touched with their hands. Upon nearing the barn they followed a row 
of trees which ran within a few feet of the house, then managed to go the 
remaining distance to the house.

	The exertion of the walk kept them warm, but little Katie was almost 
exhausted, her hands were nearly frozen. Their outer clothing was completely 
filled with snow and they had to have assistance to remove the icy wraps.

	Mr. King and the other boy trying to take the pony could not get it to go, 
whereupon they decided to remain in the school house. Fearing that the pony 
might be buried in snow and frozen or smothered, they took him into the school 
house.

	A great many pupils and teachers stayed in the school houses that night.

	Of those who braved the storm, they used fences as guides, in some cases 
fathers tying families together. But sad to say, in many cases teachers and 
pupils wandered about and perished.

	The next day the sun shone bright and clear upon a sorrowing land. Many 
homes were desolate for many who stumbled onto some rugged place of shelter and 
saved their lives, afterwards lost feet and hands because they were so badly 
frozen that amputation was necessary.

	With the increase of population and property, the dangers arising from 
blizzards became less as there were more places of shelter, more trees, fences 
and other landmarks.

	Twenty-two persons lost their lives in Bon Homme County during this 
blizzard of 1888. The settlers lost most of their cattle, especially those that 
were outside. Afterwards the Indians had a feast digging the frozen beef out of 
the snow and carting it home.

FIRE AND WATER MEET

	Among the written records of the Pioneer Association is a report unsigned 
and undated of a prairie fire in Springfield. "Mrs. Carrie Monfore said in the 
middle of the morning she saw heavy smoke northwest of their place. She phoned 
Mr. Monfore and told him of the heavy cloud of smoke and said that she believed 
there was a prairie fire. In just a few minutes a wagon came with Mr. Monfore 
and a group of men. They sent back word to town and every man in town turned out 
to fight the fire. They plowed a wide strip and then wet it down with water. 
Mrs. Monfore said they had two cisterns of water and the men used every drop of 
water in them. Mr. Mead had the only stock tank in town. They carried water in 
barrels from the tank to fight the fire. The wind was blowing a perfect gale and 
carried tumble weeds and grass across the breaking. Mr. Monfore and some men 
covered their roof with wet blankets.

	Mrs. Monfore said she had a little water in a pail but used it for making 
coffee. When it was all over and Mr. Monfore came in to wash up she hadn't a 
drop of water. She had plenty of milk and brought it out for Mr. Monfore. It was 
perhaps the best thing he could have, for his face was burned, almost blistered.

	Mrs. J. L. Turner made a boiler full of strong coffee and other women made 
sandwiches. The men came up in relays after the food . . . The fire lasted until 
evening, but the men finally pursued it with wet gunny sacks and old clothes.

	Dr. Keeling had been out on a sick call in the country. He started home 
and was caught in the fire. He drove in the center of a plowed field and had to 
waft there until the fire was under control. . .

ROBBERY

	On October 5, 1905, a daring bank robbery occurred in Springfield between 
the hours of 1:00 and 3:00 a.m.

	The robbers forced the front door of the bank open with a jimmie. A Miss 
Lindsay and several ladies staying with her in the millinery shop across from 
the bank heard the noise and could see the robbers as they looked out the front 
window, as did the Misses Campbell and Mrs. Dr. Greenfield in the building next 
door. But the witnesses were unable to get out to the street as three members of 
the gang were stationed outside of the bank and were patrolling the street.

	Robert Treffrey, who resided less than a block from the bank, was awakened 
by the explosion and went out to the street but on account of the darkness could 
not convince himself that a robbery was taking place.

	The third of the four explosions wakened the daughter of Dr. Glasier who 
at once called him and Earl Craig. Dr. Glasier looked out his front window and, 
seeing the sentry at the corner of the bank and the patrols pass, took in the 
situation. His shot gun being at a friend's to be cleaned, they had to drop Earl 
Craig from the back window of the residence.

	Mr. Craig alarmed a posse of men on his way to the residence of Major 
Chas. Hill, manager of the bank, on Eleventh street between Chestnut and College 
streets.

	Mr. Hill when called did not even stop to put on his shoes but, clad only 
in his nightshirt ran directly to the bank and fearless of danger entered and 
struck a match, probably less than five minutes after the robbers left, to see 
the air heavy with smoke. Steel and brass, bent and twisted, broken glass, the 
paraphernalia of the robbers littered the office.

	As he entered the bank the fire bell sounded and shortly a throng of men 
armed with rifles, shot guns and revolvers gathered. The robbers in their haste 
to escape left behind a cigar box with a large amount of silver, and silver 
dollars and twenty dollar gold pieces littered the floor. However, they got away 
with over four thousand dollars and of it 150 pounds was silver change. It 
amounted to $5,200.

	They made their escape with a two-seated surrey and a fast team of Mrs. D. 
Greenfield of Avon, which had been hitched and waiting for hours. The team was 
found later near Tripp.

	On October 27, 1905, two men believed to have been connected with the 
robbery of the bank were arrested at Aberdeen, one of them being the notorious 
"Jack" Wilson, who got 14 1/2 years, and Paddy Carroll, 13 years.

	Barton got 14 years, Burns got 10 years. They were taken to Sioux Falls to 
serve time, after their trial in January, 1906. Mrs. Oliver McNeil testified 
that they were the ones who had stopped at her home for a drink of water, and 
this was enough proof for the jury to sentence them.

	The insurance company adjusted the loss of the money and a new safe was 
purchased. This bank was located at the time of the robbery on Eighth street 
between College and Cedar, the building where Attorney Elmer Gemar has his 
office located at this time. In 1906 the Bank of Springfield moved Into Its new 
location on the corner of College and Eighth street where the Springfield State 
Bank now stands.

	This was the third successful safe blowing in the history of Springfield. 
When Geo. Mead was first appointed postmaster, the first night after the office 
was turned over to him the safe was entered and something less than $100 in 
money and stamps was taken. The second robbery was committed when C. Hunn's safe 
was blown open, a hole being drilled through the top and the door blown off with 
powder in 1899. That time the operators were rewarded with something like $18.

CORN SHOWS

	Corn shows were held in Springfield from about 1908 to about 1930. They 
were held for three days with exhibits of grain, corn, cooking, fancy work, etc. 
The forenoon of the first day was spent in entering exhibits, with visiting 
speakers present for the program. Grand prize for the corn exhibit was a silver 
cup.

JULY 28, 1872

	The Bon Homme County Agricultural and Mechanical Society met at the office 
of G. S. Agersborg, in Springfield Saturday, July 2 8, with Hugh Fraley as 
president.

	The society will hold its second annual fair on September 28, in the city 
of Bon Homme. D. W. Allison, T. R. Wood and Wm. Robinson were appointed to 
assist the President. Fee is $1.

	L. D. F. Poore, Sec.

Centennial Pageant

	The title of the Springfield Centennial Pageant is: "Springfield- -A Good 
Place to Live".

	The committee used the information presented in the following article as 
source material in studying the Springfield community and in planning and 
organizing the pageant. This article was written by Harry C. Andrews, President 
of Oak Forest University, Ames, Ia., and appeared in the Springfield Times on 
Thursday, Jan. 15, 1970:

	A community centennial offers the people who live there a wonderful 
opportunity to study and review their community as a total life system, past, 
present and future. It offers an opportunity to study and review:

	1. The spiritual-moral-ethical-motivational side of life.

	2. The sociological-political side of life, that is, man's relationship 
with man in the family and on the job, in the community, the state, the nation 
and the world.

	3. The economic side of life, that is, human beings as consumers of 
materials, as physiochemical systems, and the materials which they consume or 
utilize directly in order to help satisfy their wants.

	The Centennial provides an opportunity to review the vast array of tools 
that are employed to harness the sources of energy, including human energy, to 
convert raw materials into fundamental materials and additional tools and to 
dispose of waste. It gives the community an opportunity to see the big overall 
picture, to respect and appreciate the efforts of the past, to analyze in 
breadth and depth the total life picture at the present, recognizing both the 
strengths and the weaknesses, recognizing where a good job has been done and 
where new opportunities for improvement are at hand.

	The centennial gives the individuals of the community an opportunity to 
project their plans into the future with overall competence and 
comprehensiveness laying plans to eliminate those bottlenecks which are 
presently holding back progress.

	A centennial can and should be a time of enjoyment, a time of fun, a time 
of folks getting together and having a good time. It can also be made a time of 
profound study, of Insight, of reflection, a time of inventorying those 
successes of the past and laying the plans for a more successful future.

	It is a time, an opportunity to develop leadership among all the people, 
Individual by Individual and family by family. The older citizens have carried 
the community a long way. They have brought the coming generation into this 
world. They have endowed it with a great deal of wealth, skill, knowledge, and 
wisdom. The time of the centennial is the time for young and old alike to grasp 
the total life picture; to grasp it with a depth of understanding. It is a time 
to clearly see what has been done in the past and to invite the coming 
generations to stand upon the shoulders of the former and reach higher. It 
affords an opportunity to pull all factions, all endeavors, all groups together 
Into a cohesive constructive effort.

	A community is a total life system. It is a spiritual-moral-ethical-
motivational entity and atmosphere. It is a sociological-political organization 
of people working with people in a host of endeavors. It is a big factory in 
which the sustenance of life is produced, protected, distributed and consumed or 
utilized.

	A centennial is a tremendous educational opportunity where both young and 
old can see this total life system portrayed by the activities up and down Main 
Street, the transportation systems, the activities of the churches, the 
governmental institutions, the schools, the whole surrounding region of farming, 
ranching, fishing, mining, fur trapping and whatever else is carried on In that 
region and how all these fit into this overall life system. It affords an 
opportunity to see how the schools and churches and all the. other institutions 
shape the thinking of man. It can show, above all else, how the institution 
called the family and the individual family members work together to shape a 
total life system, a total environment in which they all live and make their 
living.

	It gives a community an opportunity to say thanks to those generations 
that came before us and the older generations that are still with us. It gives 
us the opportunity to lay this picture out before the coming generations so that 
they may more clearly see their responsibilities to carry on that from the past 
which has proven sound, constructive and productive. It gives them the 
opportunity to see where improvements can, and must, be made.

	It gives a community an opportunity to see itself as a member of many 
communities, as a member of the state, the nation, and the world. Out of this 
total comprehension, that is, the total comprehension of a community as an 
integrated life system, in a county, in a state, in a nation and the world can 
come, and will come, the better leadership that Is so desperately needed on the 
part of all our citizens to hold our civilization together and help it to 
prosper.

	Out of this can come the much needed systematization of total knowledge, 
the harnessing of total material and energy resources and the harnessing of 
total human effort in the free, moral, competent and constructive manner that Is 
needed to solve today's so-called complex and baffling problems.

	Out of this can come the individuals who possess a master view, a total 
view of the whole life situation. From this can develop the constructive 
leadership that this world so sorely needs.

	Presenting the community centennial can be a work of joy, a work of 
Inspiration, and a work of building a better community for all its individual 
members. It can have a profound influence here and far abroad this year and for 
many years to come. It can inspire and shape the future generations of builders 
who will build a better America for all Americans.

	A second article which appeared in the Springfield Times on Thursday, Feb. 
19, 1970, presented a detailed account of the plans for the pageant as outlined 
by the committee:

	Plans are shaping up well for the centennial pageant, "Springfield--A Good 
Place to Live". It will be presented the night of July Fourth on the football 
field at Southern State College. Through drama and displays, it is hoped that 
all present will become more keenly aware of why Springfield is a good place to 
live, and why it has survived and prospered for 100 years. The drama and the 
displays will be of equal importance to the total pageant, the displays acting 
as a backdrop for the drama.

An attempt will be made to take a look at real life in Springfield, 1870-1970. 
The S.S.C. Memorial Field, the participating audience, and all displays will 
represent the entire Greater Springfield Community-the people, their activities, 
and all fundamental and secondary materials involved in the past 100 years.

	Every person and every group in the Springfield area will have an 
opportunity to be represented in the pageant. As we represent all the segments 
of total life, all the activities which people carry on and the materials which 
they use, we hope to represent all the people. For example: One display could 
represent all farmers, another might represent all grocers, a third could 
represent all people Involved in city government, and so forth. The churches may 
care to have one combined display or each church have one separately, the same 
with other organizations, and so on through all the things that people do in 
their everyday activities. The displays from groups and organizations should 
show in some way what the groups and organizations stand for and some of the 
things which they do. There is plenty of room to display many interesting 
historical objects as well as objects which are used today.

	It is sincerely hoped that all churches or other religious groups, all 
schools, all children's and young people's groups, all agencies of city 
government and city service, social or service clubs, hobby clubs, all 
professional people, and all businesses and industries of this area will make a 
display representing their part In the life of Springfield. Since farming and 
ranching are our largest industries, It is hoped that they will be very well 
represented. Any individual who has something Interesting to display is urged to 
do so.

	The football field will be marked off Into three areas corresponding to 
the three broad areas of human activity, Area 1-religion, morals and ethical 
standards, activities Involved in the developing of the

mind of the individual; Area 11--sociological-political activities; Area M--
economic activities. Stage hands will be present to show participants where to 
place their displays. Each participant is expected to set up his own display 
between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. July 4. Displays should be simple 
and easy to set up and remove. They should be removed immediately following the 
fireworks which Is the last event of the day. One or more persons should remain 
with displays between 6:30 p.m. and WO p.m. to discuss them or to answer 
questions.

	Following is a time table for the night of July Fourth:

6: 00 p.m., All displays in position ready for viewing.

6:30 p.m., Gates open.

	6:30 to 8:30 p.m., People move about grounds viewing displays, visiting, 
and so forth. Bands will take turns giving concerts in front of stadium.

8:30 p.m., Drama begins.

Between 10:00 and 10:30 p.m., Closing of pageant.

Fireworks immediately following pageant.

	There will be no charge for admission to the pageant; however, a free will 
donation to help cover expenses will be taken during the intermission.

	The complete schedule of events for the Centennial celebration follows:

	Thursday, July 2: Pony Express, 10:30 a.m.; Old Settlers' meeting, 11:00 
a.m.; Old Settlers' dinner, 12:00 noon; ladles program, 2:00 p.m.; Grand Old 
Opry, 8-00 p.m.

	Friday, July 3: Church service, 11:00 a.m.; picnic, 12:00 noon; programs 
and contests, 2:00 p.m.; alumni picnic, 5:30 p.m.; dance with election of prince 
and princess and best beard contest, 9-00 p.m.

	Saturday, July 4: Parade, 10:30 am.; barbecue, 12:00 noon; rodeo, 1:30 
p.m.; opening of grounds for pageant, 6:30 p.m.; pageant, 8:00 p.m.; pageant 
fireworks, 10:00 p.m.

[photo - FARM AUCTION OF LONG AGO]

[photo - STEAM TRACTOR]

[photo - AERIAL VIEW OF SPRINGFIELD]

[photo - WELL DRILLING SCENE on Charles Dirks farm west of Dahlenburg
school in 1911]

[photo - THIS BLACKSMITH shop was located where Phil's TV is now situated. 
Pictured are Bill Homer, George Crosley and Frank Crosley]

[photo - OLD-TIME BALL TEAM - 	This is the Pleasant Ridge baseball team, 
which played area "nines" a number of years ago. Pictured from left: Gene 
Gardner, Julius Uken, Walter O'Donnell, Tom O'Donnell, John Van Kirk, Leo 
O'Donnell, Emil Balvin, Clarence Gardner, Frank Swallom, Frank O'Donnell and Dan 
Uken]

[photo - SAWMILL ON MISSOURI BOTTOM LANDS WEST OF SPRINGFIELD]