1921 Duluth & St Louis County MN, Van Brunt.pdf - Garon.us

690 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
The enrollment in 1919-20 school year was sixty-five. The school
levy in 1919 was $3,061.00. The school board officials in that year
were: S. N. Peterson, Twig, clerk; Arvid Anderson, treasurer; Ed
Anderson, director.
The township officials in 1919 were: Ben Clauson (chairman),
Ed Nelson and Martin Holland, supervisors; A. W. Kroll, clerk;
Carl A. Anderson, assessor; S. N. Peterson, treasurer.
Great Scott.—The Township of Great Scott, which embraces
three congressional townships, and one tier of sections of another,
all of range nineteen west, has administration of rich mineral territory.
Within its bounds are some of the substantial mining properties
of the Mesabi Range, properties which have developed the
prosperous villages of Buhl and Kinney. The jurisdiction of the
Township of Great Scott is over townships fifty-seven, fifty-eight
and fifty-nine north, and the southernmost tier of township sixty
north, all of range nineteen west.
Great Scott Township was so named under somewhat singular
circumstances. The principal petitioners called upon the county
commissioners, presenting their petition, which prayed for the organization
of the territory, but left to the commissioners the task of
naming the township, when organized. This the commissioners did
not want to do, and requested the petitioners to decide upon a name.
Much pondering and discussion among the projectors followed, but
without result. At last one of the commissioners impatiently ejaculated:
"Great Scott!' Still thinking of a name?" "That will do,"
replied one of the promoters of the township. And under that cognomination
the township has since been recorded in county records.
The villages of Buhl and Kinney will be separately dealt with,
as they need a more detailed description than does Spina, the other
incorporated place of the township.
Spina (Village of).—The Village of Spina secured corporate
powers only after a long struggle against opposing interests, and
by dint of persistent effort. Twice the attempt to incorporate was
defeated at the polls and the third attempt was successful probably
because of another movement then being prosecuted to attach Spina
location to the incorporated Village of Kinney.
The first petition bears date of September 14, 1909. The paper
was signed by a sufficient number of the 222 people then resident in
the location and asked for the incorporation of about 450 acres of
land, the acreage including and adjoining the platted townsite of
Spina, the whole being in sections fourteen and fifteen of township
58-19. The first signers of the petition were Alex. Renlund, Louis
Cordileone and Fred Erickson, and it came before the county commissioners
at their November, 1909, session. It received their
approval and they ordered election to be held on December 12, 1909,
"at the restaurant of Louis Cordileone, lot 8, block 5, townsite of
Spina." Before election could be held, however, the county commissioners
reconsidered their resolution, ordering election to decide the
matter of incorporation and withdrew their approval of the petition.
Why, is not recorded in the papers available to compiler of this.
On December 21, 1909, another petition was in circulation, this
petition reducing the acreage for which incorporation was sought
to 360 acres of section 14, including twenty acres platted as the townsite
of Spina. The petition was filed with the county auditor on
January 4, 1910, and on January 18th considered favorably by the
commissioners. Election was to be held on February 9th, but the