Thompson Grove starts the process to incorporate! 62 years and one month ago THE REPORTER March 4, 1960 “Village Status Only Solution For Urban Area of Township” (summary) In a meeting the last week of February by the Thompson Grove Homeowner’s Association, a new constitution was discussed, made more complicated by a reported move to break away by the township’s farmers, resulting in a show of unity from the Homeowner’s Association.

In addition, a reportedly “high and unfair tax load on the area,” also united the Homeowner’s Association. A petition for creation of a new township with the dividing line as Highway 61, had been submitted to the Washington county board earlier in the week.

Stan Feldman was chairman for the Homeowner’s Association, and said that he had talked to Joe Robbie, chairman of the State Board of Municipalities, with Robbie advising the TGHA on maneuvers to counter the farmers efforts to break away from the west side of the township. Robbie advised that Thompson Grove “should immediately move to incorporate the township, and made known that if the county board did not act favorably the next step was the Board of Municipalities, which would favor incorporation if faced with the alternative of splitting the area into two.

Feldman as chair of the TGHA, received “detailed instructions” on procedure, together with Jerry Denhardt, Gene Meyers and Bob Englin.

Step one was a census, to be followed with circulating a petition, requiring 100 signatures. This was to be forwarded to the county board, and if proving necessary, to the Board of Municipalities.

“Nothing can be done to stop the move by the rural element and the only practical move, according to Robbie, is incorporation,” it was reported of the move by the farmers to create a new township.

Also up for consideration, was a tax reassessment.

Contacted when the issue first became known, developer Orrin Thompson offered the services of his legal staff “to take all necessary steps in solving the tax problems.” The tax issue came to note after it was shown from mortgage company documents that similar homes on what were deemed near identical lots had tax bills varying by amounts of up to $60 (equivalent to $575.10 at present after inflation is factored in). It was said by TGHA chair Feldman that tax payments made “might be rebated” after a reassessment.

The evidence of local tax deviations along with data from St. Paul Park and Woodbury was taken to the county capital at Stillwater, with no clear explanation being found for the discrepancy as of press deadline.

In the meantime, staff writer Dick Lodge informed readers on the upcoming elections: (Summary) Changes in election filing law had caught candidates by surprise. As to voters, everyone in the township of Cottage Grove was deemed to be on an equal footing, though Thompson Grove residents were held to possess a numerical advantage over their rural neighbors, provided that they voted. Up for election in the upcoming fracas was a three-year supervisor term for Frank Beldon and the post of clerk, held at the time by Lee Crippen. Two constable posts were also open as both Lawrence Pennington and Ray Nelson were noted as being appointees.

“The situation in Cottage Grove is further complicated by the legal fencing between the rural and urban areas. The farmers want to form a new township and the Thompson Grove residents intend to incorporate the township if the farmers persist.”

Polls were reported open from 1-8 p.m. at the Langdon hall, “which is used as a town hall.” The annual meeting started at 2 p.m., it was reported.

Meanwhile in Woodbury, “only by accident did anyone file for office.” Paul Garby had filed at a recent meeting “so as to get it out of the way,” while the change in filing was learned later. Polls were open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the annual meeting at 10 a.m.

As for Grey Cloud, Supervisor Dick Pinska and clerk Richard Mullen had filed for re-election. No others had filed, with the prospect of a write-in campaign unlikely. Polls would open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. The annual meeting would start as soon as polls closed.

Election updates also given on Inver Grove, Eagan, and Burnsville International news: “Save the Connally Amendment!”

Clarence Manion, professor of international law at Notre Dame University and dean of its law department, comes out against repeal of the Connally Amendment, which would have the effect of making the United States subject to compulsory jurisdiction from the World Court.

This was no time to let down America’s guard, Manion made known of his thoughts on the matter. Senate Resolution No. 94 had to be defeated if freedom was to triumph over the worldwide Communist conspiracy, and only then could the prospect of international peace and order be considered. Appeals by then-President Dwight Eisenhower to “the rule of law in the world,” were “sheer fantasy,” Manion claimed.

The view from across the river Just over 100 years ago THE PRESCOTT TRIBUNE February 23, 1922 Perk up. Your nose may be battered, and you jawbone nicked, your visage may be a sight, but always remember you’re never licked while you can still stand and fight. No matter how badly they mess your map, it won’t be beyond repair. And there still is a chance that you’ll win the scrap as long as the punch is there.

You’ll make mistakes, and you’ll do things wrong, the best of them always do; But as soon as you get to going strong, your grit will see you through. They smashed Paul Jones to a fare-youwell but he didn’t observe “good night.” He merely paused in his tracks to yell that he’d just begun to fight…—James J. Montague Small town and farming news 121 years ago WASHINGTON COUNTY JOURNAL November 9, 1901 The result of the city election on Tuesday proves plainly that it is useless for anyone to attempt to secure a third term as alderman. Voters as a general rule consider two terms sufficient and no matter how good a man’s record may be they oppose him when he comes up for a third term.

Upriver at the Stillwater Prison 134 Years Ago THE PRISON MIRROR Put out by the inmates of the Stillwater Prison at Stillwater, Minnesota Motto: “It is never too late to mend” April 12, 1894 MY CASE Not Criminal, but a Simple Case of Covetousness Lo, here I am again (overcoat, double harness, and four sacks of wheat) grand larceny in the second degree; a second termer and on the Reformatory Plan, contemplating an immediate future faced with the inevitable. But, I will not lie, no; I cannot conscientiously say , that whisky did it—I cannot look upon four hundred and ninety-three fellow sufferers, without violent spasms of doubt and hesitancy, and say that visiting saloons, bad company, shooting craps or playing penny-ante were the stepping stones of my downward career. I cannot meet your nine hundred and eighty-six flashing glances of experience and thorough knowledge of these particular matters, and say that I am innocent (“without knowledge”); that I am the wandering bulls-eye of an antagonistic police force, hounded and pursued into penal quarters by the focused powers of the slaves of duty. Nevertheless, I can say, that I am here—here by the divine statute of the great Book, by the tenth commandment: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods,” stigmatized by our profane (meaning “secular”) statute as grand larceny in the second degree; “did knowingly, willfully and feloniously take, steal and carry away, etc., which is not only profane, but scandalous.

That I was secreted in my neighbor’s barn was merely corroborative evidence of my secretion, that I knowingly, fearfully and feelingly did covet that old overcoat and horse-harness, together with four bushels of what was but cumulative presumption of premeditated designs, applicable only, to breaking and entering the inviolability of the aforesaid commandment. I expatiated largely upon these things, in extenuation, to the judge; I told him, that the coat, which was made of squirrel skins, was coveted solely for the remembrances it brought to my ebbing souls of the halcyon days of those oldest inhabitants, when with a double barreled, flint-lock gun we hunted the gray squirrels on Dayton’s Bluff; that the harness I coveted, and ever would covet as a vivid memento of the tender days of commerce and transportation, carrying me back to my span of mules hauling railroad ties from Coon Creek to Sauk Rapids, the terminal point of the old St. Paul & Pacific, the mother of Minnesota’s first train conductor and engineer— Jud Rice and Jim Morrison; the harness fills my whole being with yearnings to look once more upon the little boy, who flagged the crossing at a sparsely settled side-track, since famed as Anoka, and made famous by that very boy, now the Austerlitz of versatile literature, the sparkling progenitor of “With or Without,”— Peace be unto his genius. As for the wheat, I coveted it sadly as the reminder of a seed time and harvest; but at this point in the proceedings, the court took a recess and wept. After recess, with a calmer though severer countenance the court looked upon me, just as I was reopening my case again, at the four bushels of wheat, and gravely said: “As a man sows, so shall the harvest be;* it is the duty of the court to inform you , that you have had a fair and impartial trial; you have been ably defended by the ablest counsel of any bar—and found guilty of the crime of grand larceny in the second degree, by a jury who have patiently weighed and considered all the testimony in your case. It is the sentence of this court, that you, for the crime of larceny, be confined to the State Prison of this state on the Reformatory Plan.” I stood aghast, and in sepulchral tones replied: Judge, you might as well call me a common thief and be done with it; larceny is an odious term. I have proved to you by sound logic and divine statute, that my only offense is covetousness; I object to languishing in the bastille under such an opprobrious misnomer, call me embezzler, misappropriator, prestidigitator, anything but thief: I will never be able to look a respectable criminal in the face—do give me a more euphonious send-off, let reformation begin right here; this unsavory mantle of the law that now enshrouds me, will vindictively goad my footsteps into paths of crime—I appeal to G****–the sheriff here intervened and we quickly left the court room, just as an echo began repeating: “Let reformation begin right here.”

OLE JASON *Galatians 6:7

Territorial Dispatches 170 years ago THE MINNESOTIAN April 3, 1852 The Indian Treaties We believe there is not a man in the Territory who would avow himself opposed to these treaties.

Almost 170 years ago DAKOTA TAWAXKITU KIN/ THE DAKOTA FRIEND Editor Gideon Pond April 1852 For the Dakota Friend The Chief Butler Remembered Not Joseph, but forgot him.

A few years ago, when the big knives began to make a town at White Rock, (St. Paul), coming from distant places, and being crowded and poorly sheltered in their hastily constructed dwellings; as is common in such cases there was sickness among them. The Dakotas and their relatives of mixed blood were then lords of the soil—the nobility of the land; and as the nobility should do, visited their sick neighbors, some of whom were glad of their visits and not ashamed that they received in their sickness from these children of the (Dakota), more kind and valuable attention than from their pale faced neighbors of the pure Anglo-Saxon blood. It is honorable to be visited by the nobility: but time alters circumstances. The flood of big knives has rolled in and adorned White Rock with churches and palaces. The Dakota are no longer lords of the soil: and their children, not having been taught to keep on top of such a wave, are no longer counted among the nobility of the land; consequently it is no longer honorable to visit or be visited by them. They are reproached by their children in the streets, because their skins are less fair than those of the big knives. Their quandam associates, as they see them walk the streets, can hardly help recognizing them, and remembering the favors which they once received from them, but their relative position is changed, and they choose not to associate with them.—They are more ashamed of them than the chief Butler, ever was of the Hebrew prisoner Joseph. Yet some of these now despised children of the (Dakota), may perhaps be among those of whom it shall be said; in that day, in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” A LOOKER ON.