Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/300

 240 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY in Zumbrota and was completed in 1878. On November 20 of the same year F. G. Marvin took charge of the company's interests and continued as their local manager for nearly thirty years, or up to August 1, 1908. A. E. Collinge succeeded Mr. Marvin as local manager. The Palmer Elevator, as it is now called, was erected in 1880 by Wiljiam Wells, and its first manager was H. E. Talmaclge, now a resident of Red Wing. AY ells sold the elevator to H. H. Palmer, who continued to run it with James Hall as his manager. Later J. 0. Jones leased it and bought grain independently. It was closed for some years and in 1908 was purchased from the Palmer estate by the Red Wing Malting Company, who installed Ed. Kolbe as their local buyer. Mr. Kolbe resigned August 1, 1909, and O. A. Stondahl succeeded him. The Farmers' Elevator, of Zumbrota was organized by farm- ers in 1898. The first president was E. A. Bigelow. and N. T. Naeseth was the first manager. Those who have served as presi- dents are: Lou'* Starz, Josiah Lothrop and Oliver Berg. The secretaries have been: Fred Elwell. B. A. Colbe, Bond Olson. A. ( '. Ylvasaker and O. 0. Nordvold. Treasurers: Josiah Lothrop, Louis Starz. Henry Weiss. Rialroads. The first railroad to reach Zumbrota was started at Wabash in 1877 by the Minnesota Midland Company, whose capital was exhausted before they had built many miles. The Milwaukee road picked up the construction and finished the road to Zumbrota in 1878. That same year the Rochester & North- western (now the Northwestern) run a branch from Rochester to this A'illage. Both lines came in here at the same time and both claimed a* portion of the right of way at the foot of Main street. Early residents tell of a pitched battle between the two track laying crews to see who would get possession of the dis- puted ground. "The Milwaukee road was operated as a narrow gauge until June 7. 1903, during which year it was extended through to Faribault and on November 9, 1903, the first standard gauge train passed over the roadbed. The Rod Wing & Iowa road was built in here from Red Wing in 1888. Later it became the property of the Duluth, Red Wing & Southern and in 1902 that company sold it to the Great AVestern. who extended it through to Rochester the following year. Thus Zumbrota now has three roads running into the village, affording excellent pas- senger and shipping facilities. Telephones. The long distance telephone from Zumbrota to Kenyon was the result of the efforts of Dr. Ch. Grondvold and Dr. K. Gryttenholm. The former, however, died in 1895 and the negotiations were left to Dr. Gryttenholm. who raised about