The townships were named by the county commissioners, but the names were not popular in all the townships and at the first meetings, the voters made the following changes: Center to Slayton, Okcheeda to Mason, Criswell to Belfast, Stanley to Cameron, Lime Stone to Chanarambie, and Anderson to lona.
======================================================
Buffalo Ridge Was First Telegraph Station
Centuries ago, Indians transmitted news of all kinds from the tip of the Buffalo Ridge. A mile south of where the present highway No. 47 is located is the highest point in this section and engineers of the seventies and eighties placed this tip as being about 1950 feet above sea level. Early settlers well remember this particular spot. It seemed to be a favorite meeting place for the Indians. They must have revered the spot as they had created outlines in the prairie sod with small rocks of buffalo, turtles, man, round circles, etc. Cairns of stone were also found, as late as the eighties, on the summit, and down in a ravine not more than a hundred feet down was a spring which at some time furnished the Indians with water. Several buffalo heads have been taken from this spring, which has since become dry.
The tip was also used by the tribes when they wanted to transmit news. Here was built a fire of prairie grass some of which was damp. It was always there and when urgent news arrived the fire was started and when the smoke started getting dark in color two Indians would take a blanket and by covering the smoke and then rapidly withdrawing the blanket, would make dots and dashes. These signals would be understood by the Indians as far as the eye could reach and they would get word of the approach of danger.
This no doubt was the first Morse code known, and probably gave the inventor of the telegraph his inspiration.
======================================================
In 1870 there were only 15 farms in Murray County. They contained 2407 acres.
—20—
The Story
of
Leeds Township
From
The Year
1872 to 1947
*
*
Murray County, Minnesota
—21—
Previous Page
Next Page
Table of Contents
Index of Names
Home