Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/327

 HISTOKY OF GOODHUE COUNTY 267 St. Paul and Dubuque stage through Zumbrota, and to open a road from Wabasha, on the Mississippi river, to Faribault. "The few members of the company remaining all the winter in Zumbrota were busy planning for the opening of spring, when large accessions of settlers were expected, and the parties who had gone east were expected to return with their families. The first important end to gain was to open the St. Paul and Dubuque stage road through Zumbrota. The stage company had promised to make the change if a passable road could be made. To open this road it became necessary to break a new track from Lee's, four miles southeast of Zumbrota, to Ilader, eight miles to the northwest. All the inhabitants in the settlement and along the proposed new route turned out on an appointed day, with shovels and axes, to cut down the brush and break through the snow crust, and a few yoke of oxen to tread the snow crust into some semblance of a road. After several days of hard work the road was declared passable and, to the unspeakable delight of all, the stage for the first time made the trip through the incipient town. This was a great event. The next move was to secure a post office. This was eventually done and T. P. Kellett appointed post- master. The next important enterprise inaugurated was a bridge over the Zumbro at the foot of Main street. This bridge con- sisted of stringers of oak laid from bank to bank, upon which were laid for a floor poplar poles, hewed fiat on the upper and lower sides. This primitive bridge was the only one for several years. After the middle of March old settlers began to return and new ones started to come in. The ice did not break up on Lake Pepin until May 1. so that many of the families of the settlers were obliged to remain at the foot of the lake for days and weeks. There was a rush of people to Zumbrota in the spring. Many found claims on the prairie, a few settled in town. A large number, finding no chance of employment and no build- ing material at hand, left for other parts. Those who remained exerted themselves to the utmost to boom the new town. A flour- ing mill was built, other enterprises inaugurated, high hopes were entertained and the prospects bore a roseate hue. The financial panic of 1857 blasted the hopes of the settlers, and it was many years before the town regained its prosperity and courage." The first town meeting in Zumbrota, including what is now the township of Minneola. was held July 5, 1858. in the public hall over T. P. Kellett s store, in the village of Zumbrota. The officers elected at this meeting were: Supervisors, I. C. Stearns (chairman), T. D. Kowell and George Sanderson; clerk. Charles Jewett; assessor, James Cram; collector, C. S. Spendly; over- seer of the poor, Albert Barrett ; justices, Albert G. Hawkes and